SEND

As part of the Children and Families Act 2014, all schools in Redbridge are required to
make available their Local SEND Offer to families which details how they can support
children and young people with a special educational need and/or disability (SEND).

The Redbridge SEN report is available by clicking the link below:

Redbridge Local Offer

1. How does CHA know if my child needs any extra support?

For students who join the school in Year 7 a form requesting information about all new pupils’ needs is sent to their previous schools. In addition, the Head of The Hub (who is also the SENDCo) visits the main feeder primary schools during the summer term of Year 6 for the new Year 7 intake to collect more information about children’s needs. The Head of The Hub works closely with SENCOs from feeder schools to ensure smooth transition, capture need and put in place necessary provision to meet need.

Year 6 pupils transitioning to Chadwell Heath Academy in Year 7 spend a morning at the Academy. On this morning, they are given a computer-based reading comprehension test and, during the first term of Year 7, a test of developed abilities (MIDYIS). For pupils with existing SEND or who already have an EHCP, there is an additional visit to allow pupils to meet any key workers, pastoral links and staff that will be supporting them throughout the year.

For pupils who join the school after the start of Year 7, the SENDCos attend the interview with the Head of Year so that any additional needs can be identified and appropriate provision can, wherever possible, be put in place.

The SENDCOs meet with each Head of Year at least four times per year to review pupils’ progress after the end-of-module assessments. There are regular reading assessment meetings with the reading co-coordinators to review progress and plan support for pupils who have difficulties in the four key areas of reading comprehension: literal comprehension, vocabulary, inference, and analysis.

If further additional needs are identified once pupils are on roll, teachers are asked to complete a SEND referral form. This is passed to the SENDCo who will carry out an in-class observation and meet with parents. As the first step to supporting students with SEND is Quality First Teaching, Heads of Year and Subject teachers are also advised on next steps with regards to adaptive teaching. In some cases, the SENDCo (with parents’ consent) may refer to an external agency such as SENDATs for additional assessments.

All our class teachers are aware of SEN and are on the lookout for any pupils who aren’t making the expected level of progress in their schoolwork or socially. This might include pupils struggling to connect with their peers and teachers, pupils finding it challenging to write answers down to exam questions or experiencing difficulties managing their emotions.

If the teacher notices that a pupil is falling behind, they try to find out if the pupil has any gaps in their learning. If they can find a gap, they will give the pupil extra tuition to try to fill it. Pupils who don’t have SEN usually make progress quickly once the gap in their learning has been filled.

If the pupil is still struggling to make the expected progress, the teacher will talk to the SENCO, and will contact you to discuss the possibility that your child has SEN.

The SENCO will observe the pupil in the classroom and in the playground to see what their strengths and difficulties are. They will have discussions with your child’s teacher/s, to see if there have been any issues with, or changes in, their progress, attainment or behaviour. They will also compare your child's progress and development with their peers and available national data.

The SENCO will ask for your opinion and speak to your child to get their input as well. They may also, where appropriate, ask for the opinion of external experts such as a speech and language therapist, an educational psychologist, or a paediatrician.

Based on all of this information, the SENCO will decide whether your child needs SEN support. You will be told the outcome of the decision in writing.

If your child does need SEN support, their name will be added to the school’s SEND register, and the SENCO will work with you to create a SEN support plan for them.

Our school provides for pupils with the following needs:

Area of need	Condition
Communication and interaction	Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Communication and interaction	Speech and language difficulties e.g. speech, language and communication difficulties
Cognition and learning	Specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia
	Moderate learning difficulties
	Severe learning difficulties
Social, emotional and mental health	Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Social, emotional and mental health	Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
Sensory and/or physical	Hearing impairments
	Visual impairment
	Multi-sensory impairment
	Physical impairment

2. Which support will my child receive, and from whom?

CHA has a wide range of interventions available to students as well as a team of LSAs who provide support in lessons.

The Hub is the name of the Inclusion department and the staff working with and overseeing provision for pupils with SEND needs or requiring emotional support or mentoring. The Hub works closely with subject departments and Heads of Year to ensure young people with additional needs receive the support they need.

The Hub offers a Homework Club run at lunchtimes which provides access to a quieter space for those pupils who may struggle with busier environments.

External agencies and experts

Sometimes we need extra help to offer our pupils the support they need. Whenever necessary we will work with external support services to meet the needs of our pupils with SEN and to support their families. These include:

Speech and language therapists
Educational psychologists
Occupational therapists
GPs or paediatricians
School nurses
Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)
Education welfare officers
Social services and other local authority (LA)-provided support services

3. What should I do if I think my child has SEN?

If you think your child might have SEN, the first person you should tell is your child’s teacher.

You can contact the school office to direct you to the contact address of the class teacher.

They will pass the message on to our SENCOs, Matthew Green and Louise Roberts, who will support them in working together with you and your child.

If your pupil is known as a pupil with SEND or being assessed, you can also contact the SENCO directly at senco@chadwellacademy.org.uk

If there are ongoing concerns with your child that have been addressed by the class teacher and are persistent, the SENDCos will organise a meeting with you and your child.

We will meet with you to discuss your concerns and try to get a better understanding of what your child’s strengths and difficulties are.

Together we will decide what outcomes to seek for your child and agree on next steps.

We will make a note of what’s been discussed and add this to your child’s record. You will also be given a copy of this.

If we decide that your child needs SEN support, we will formally notify you in writing and your child will be added to the school’s SEND register.

4. How will I know how my child is doing in school?

Parents and Carers are informed of their child’s progress through termly interim progress reports and Parents Evenings.

The inclusion department including the SENDCOs and LSAs make regular contact with parents and carers in the following ways:

Annual Reviews for those with EHCPs
Advice on how to support learning in the home
Regular contact between home and school
Individual pupil and teacher conversations
Contact with emotional support worker where appropriate

5. How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

CHA supports your child’s learning in a range of ways:

Pupils are given regular homework to support your child’s learning:

Key Stage 3

Homework will be set weekly in English, Mathematics and Science, and at least fortnightly in other subject areas – with the exception of Citizenship and Physical Education. The average duration of homework will be 30 minutes.
Pupils are expected to complete a minimum of four hours SAM Learning each module.

Key Stage 4

Homework will be set twice weekly in English, Mathematics and Science, and weekly in other subject areas – with the exception of Citizenship and Physical Education (Core). The average duration of homework will be 45 minutes.

Key Stage 5

Homework will be set twice weekly in each subject – once per teacher. The average duration of homework will be 90 minutes.
Students are expected to complete a weekly Study Period in each qualification studied.
Homework club runs daily to allow pupils to catch up on any missed work or complete any extra studies.
We have an online learning platform, SAM Learning, which is a resource that pupils access as support alongside their learning in the classroom and at home.
Pupils are assessed every module (8 weeks) in all their subjects to assess their current progress linked to each unit of learning.
Parents Evenings take place once a year at various points in the year for all year groups, which the SENDCos attend if there are any queries you have about your child’s progress.
External speakers attend school to educate pupils on wider social issues e.g. bullying, online safety, safety using public transport to support your pupil’s development

6. How will the curriculum be adapted to meet my child’s needs?

Your child’s teacher is responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class.

High-quality teaching is our first step in responding to your child’s needs. We will make sure that your child has access to a broad and balanced curriculum in every year they are at our school.

We will differentiate (or adapt) how we teach to suit the way the pupil works best. There is no '1 size fits all’ approach to adapting the curriculum, we work on a case-by case basis to make sure the adaptations we make are meaningful to your child.

These adaptations include:

Adapting our curriculum to make sure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1-to-1 work, adapting the teaching style or content of the lesson, etc.
Adapting our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.
Adapting our resources and staffing
Using recommended aids, such as laptops, coloured overlays, visual timetables, larger font, etc.
Teaching assistants will support pupils on a 1-to-1 basis when it is stated in their EHCP
Teaching assistants will support pupils in small groups when it is mentioned in their EHCP

We may also provide the following interventions:

These interventions are part of our contribution to Redbridge’s local offer.

In Key Stage 3, some pupils may be withdrawn for interventions such as reading and support for pupils with English as an additional language, with the main bulk of learning taking place in the classroom. If a student is unable to attend school for medical reasons such as recovery from an operation, we have used the AV1 robot to enable them to access live lessons from home.

At Key Stage 4, some students who may struggle to achieve the full range of GCSEs take ASDAN Bronze Award which enables them to take one fewer GCSE and focus on key life skills and support in their core subjects. A small number of students take Entry levels in some subjects if they are finding it difficult to gain a grade at GCSE.

Every student on an EHCP and those identified to have SEND have a Pupil Passport which informs teachers and LSAs of their strengths, barriers to learning and strategies which assist them in learning successfully. Teachers also regularly track student progress and provide appropriate support and adaptation as required. SENDATS staff and other professionals who support students send regular strategies and updates which are shared with LSAs and teaching staff to enable students to access the curriculum.

7. How will the school make sure my child is included in activities outside of the classroom including school trips?

Students with SEND are encouraged to take part in all school activities. This includes trips and clubs. We risk assess all external activities and support is given by LSAs as appropriate. Students who have difficulties adapting to change are prepared for the trip in advance to ensure they are comfortable with the arrangements. CHA is committed to making reasonable adjustments so that everyone can participate.

8. How accessible is the school environment?

On the secondary campus, all classrooms, apart from two, are fully accessible so that students can be taught in a subject specialist setting. Automatic doors, ramps and lifts enable access throughout the building and all areas of the playground. We have disabled toilets throughout the building and a toilet equipped with a hoist in the Medical Centre.

9. How will the school support my child’s overall mental health and wellbeing

We provide support for pupils to progress in their emotional and social development in the following ways:

Pupils with SEN are encouraged to be part of the House Captain and School Leaders system
Pupils with SEN are also encouraged to be part of Lego club to promote teamwork/building friendships
We provide extra pastoral support for listening to the views of pupils with SEN by conducting wellbeing surveys which are conducted every term so your child can report any concerns they have around school. Pastoral leaders and senior leaders support your child with issues that are brought up.
We run a variety of clubs for pupils who need extra support with social or emotional development
We have a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to bullying. We prevent bullying in the school by carrying out thorough investigations and holding all members of events to account

We have a strong RSHE & PSHE curriculum that supports children’s well-being and social and emotional development. In addition, students regularly meet with their key worker (secondary) to discuss school and any issues or concerns are discussed and success is celebrated. Where there are concerns about well-being we may make a referral to the school’s emotional support team, CAHMS or SENDATS if necessary.

10. How will the school prepare and support my child when joining CHA or transferring to a new school or post-16 provision?

Between years

To help pupils with SEN be prepared for a new school year we:

Ask both the current teacher and the next year’s teacher to attend a final meeting of the year when the pupil’s SEN is discussed.
Schedule lessons with the incoming teacher towards the end of the summer term

Between schools

When your child is moving on from our school, we will be in contact with the incoming school with key information that you would like us to share with them.

The SENCO of the primary school meets with our SENCO to discuss the needs of the incoming pupils near the end of the summer term.

We arrange meetings with the parents/carers of incoming pupils to discuss how we can best welcome their child into our community.

We set up new pupils with a buddy from the year above to help them get settled in and make friends.

Between key stages

When your child is moving between different key stages, we hold meetings throughout the year discussing key decisions and deadlines that need to be discussed.

If your child has an EHCP, the transition between key stages is discussed as a key point in the Annual Review meetings in order to support your pupil as best as possible

Moving into adulthood

We provide all our pupils with appropriate advice on paths into work or further education.

We work with the pupil to help them achieve their ambitions, which can include goals in higher education, employment, independent living, and participation in society.

11. Who can I contact for further information

SENDCos:

Matthew Green mjgreen@chadwellacademy.org.uk

Louise Roberts lroberts@chadwellacademy.org.uk

Please read the SEND Policy in conjunction with this SEND information Report which is available on the school website.

12. SEND Glossary of Terms

Access arrangements – special arrangements to allow pupils with SEN to access assessments or exams
Annual review – an annual meeting to review the provision in a pupil’s EHC plan
CAMHS – child and adolescent mental health services
EHC needs assessment – the needs assessment is the first step on the way to securing an EHC plan. The local authority will do an assessment to decide whether a child needs an EHC plan
EHC plan – an education, health and care (EHC) plan is a legally-binding document that sets out a child’s needs and the provision that will be put in place to meet their needs
First-tier tribunal / SEND tribunal – a court where you can appeal against the local authority’s decisions about EHC needs assessments or plans and against discrimination by a school or local authority due to SEN
Graduated approach – an approach to providing SEN support in which the school provides support in successive cycles of assessing the pupil’s needs, planning the provision, implementing the plan, and reviewing the impact of the action on the pupil
Intervention – a short-term, targeted approach to teaching a pupil with a specific outcome in mind
Local offer – information provided by the local authority that explains what services and support are on offer for pupils with SEN in the local area
Outcome – target for improvement for pupils with SEN. These targets don't necessarily have to be related to academic attainment
SENCO – the special educational needs co-ordinator
SEN – special educational needs
SEND – special educational needs and disabilities
SEN support – special educational provision that meets the needs of pupils with SEN
Transition – when a pupil moves between years, phases, schools or institutions or life stages

There are many acronyms used in SEND. Here is a glossary of terms to support parents

ADD	Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
APP	Attendance Advisory Practitioner
ASD/C	Autistic Spectrum Disorder/Condition
CAF	Common Assessment Framework
CYP	Children and Young People
CAMHS	Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service
CoP	Code of Practice
DCD	Developmental Co-ordination Disorder
EHCP	Education, Health & Care Plan
EP	Educational Psychologist
FSM	Free School Meals
HI	Hearing Impairment
IEP	Individual Education Plan
ISR	In School Review
KS3/4	Key Stage 3/4
LEA	Local Education Authority
MLD	Moderate Learning Difficulty
NC	National Curriculum
OD	Oppositional Defiant Disorder
OT	Occupational Therapist/Therapy
PLMD	Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
PSP	Pastoral Support Programme
PPG	Pupil Premium Grant
SaLT	Speech & Language Therapy
SDQ	Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
SEMH	Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SEND	Special Educational Needs & Disability
SENDCo	Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator
SLCN	Speech, Language and Communication Needs
SpLD	Specific Learning Difficulty
SLD	Severe Learning Difficulty
ST	Specialist Teacher
TAC	Team Around the Child
TAF	Team Around the Family
VI	Visual Impairment