NORTH BROMSGROVE HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOOLS SEN INFORMATION REPORT
This document replaces the SEN Policy
Date of Policy : September 2014
Monitored by : Ms C Howard
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North Bromsgrove High School is a 13-18 comprehensive secondary school which admits students
in line with the school’s admission procedure. We believe that all children and young people are
entitled to an education that enables them to:
 Achieve their best;
 Become confident individuals living fulfilling lives; and
 Make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher
education or training
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) of students at North Bromsgrove High School
are managed and delivered through the Learning Support Department led by the Assistant Head
(Inclusion) and the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)/Head of Curriculum Support.
The school makes provision in accordance with the SEN Code of Practice 2013, the SEN and
Disability Act 2001, Index for Inclusion (3rd edition, 2011) and the statutory requirements of
legislation laid down in the Equality Act 2013. Our SEN policy and practice aims to reflect these
principles.
1. Introduction and ethos.
North Bromsgrove High School takes a whole school inclusive approach to students with special
educational needs, recognising that the aims of the school are the same for all students, whatever
their abilities. We determine that a child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty
or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them as defined in the 2013
Code of Practice. This includes those who:
 Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age;
or
 Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of
a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream
post-16 institutions
2. The arrangements for consulting parents/carers of students with special educational
needs.
There is regular two-way contact between parents/carers of children on the SEN list and the
SENCO and the team. Parents/carers are welcome to get in touch by email or telephone or to
arrange an appointment. It is also possible to talk to the student’s form tutor or Head of Year who
will then pass on the concern to the SENCO.
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Partnership with parents/carers is essential if good progress to be made with any support
programme. Parents/carers are asked to encourage students and to provide feedback to the
SENCO who will endeavour to respond within 48 hours if required. There are likely to be
opportunities for discussion in a variety of ways:
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Meetings to agree transition arrangements and support (Yr8 into Yr9, KS3 into KS4, KS4 into
Post 16).
Responding to parental requests using a variety of methods including telephone calls, emails
or face to face meetings.
Parents’ Evenings when both the SENCO or other appropriate staff and mainstream teachers
are available.
Statutory meetings and reviews.
Attendance at a professionals or multidisciplinary meeting.
Through parent and stakeholders surveys and events.
3. Arrangements for consulting young people with special educational needs about, and
involving them in, their education.
North Bromsgrove High School aims to ensure that all children, regardless of ability, have complete
access to a wide range of suitably challenging educational opportunities which are appropriate to
their needs and which will enable them to achieve their full potential. However, despite our best
efforts, some children will experience significantly greater difficulty than others and these students
will need special consideration and provision. In that regard we aim to:
 identify and assess students with special education needs as early as possible and monitor
progress;
 develop a partnership with parents/carers in order that their knowledge, views and
experience can assist us in assessing and providing for their children;
 take into account the views of the student concerned in order to provide for them as
effectively as possible;
 closely monitor and review progress towards these objectives;
 participate in statutory and annual reviews and work with outside professionals.
4. The Learning Support team:
Catherine Howard
Susan Duggal
Peter Lopeman
Sarah Summers
Vicki Long
Julie Melbourne
Norma Swift
Deborah Bateman
Philippa Brakes
Jennie Edgington
Deana Hendon
Elizabeth Keen
Sally Langfield
Rajinder Masaun
Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion)
SENCo
Teacher in charge of the Autism Base
Teacher
Senior Teaching Assistant
Senior Teaching Assistant
Senior Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
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Kerry Morgan
Mal Newcombe
Marian Newman
Alison Pinfield
Bridget Thomas
Diane Veale
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant
5. Any arrangements made by the governing body relating to complaints from parents
of students with special educational needs.
We are committed to taking all concerns seriously and believe that most issues can be raised and
dealt with easily. However, if parents/carers have any concerns about provision or its impact and
feel that the Learning Support team have been unable to reassure them, then the school’s
Complaint Procedure – which is available on our website or by request – sets out the procedures
that should be followed.
6.
Information on where the Local Authority’s local offer is published.
Parents wishing to access details of the Local Authority’s offer should contact the Local Authority
or enquire through the SENCO.
7.
Information about the school's policies for the identification, assessment and provision
for students with special educational needs, whether or not pupils have Education, Health
and Care Plans, including how the school evaluates the effectiveness of its provision for such
students.
Special educational needs and provision usually fall into four broad areas:
1. Communication and interaction.
2. Cognition and learning.
3. Social, mental and emotional health.
4. Sensory and/or physical.
We will work closely with the young person and their parents to identify what support is needed, to
determine the nature of any specific barriers to learning and to understand why a student may not
be making progress. This will be done in a variety of ways to suit the needs of the student but is
likely to include liaison with feeder schools and with appropriate outside agencies.
Suggested strategies are put in place by the class teacher and reviewed after a set period of time to
analyse impact. Further intervention maybe identified and trialled including any outside agency
provision deemed necessary. All interventions are monitored and evaluated for the effectiveness of
their impact. Other colleagues, such as the pastoral team and the intervention leaders, also track
students after every reporting cycle and will offer additional support strategies.
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8. Information on the kinds of special education provision made in the school
1. Communication and
interaction
Examples from School
Provision
2. Cognition and learning
Examples from School
Provision
3. Social, mental and
emotional health
Examples from School
Provision
4. Sensory and/or physical
Examples from School
Provision
One to One Social Skills
Self-esteem group
Specialist teacher
External support from Speech
and Language Therapist
In class support to support pupils
and teachers with differentiation
Paired reading (older/younger
pupils)
Accelerated Reading
Educational Psychologist
Literacy intervention which may
include:
- Reading intervention
- Individual and small group
- Specialist teacher
- Exam Access
- Handwriting interventions
Small group teambuilding/social
skills
1:1 mentoring
Young carers
CAMHS
Pastoral team
Mentoring Programme
Anger management course
SENCO
Specialist teacher
Input from specialist teacher
Specific equipment (tables/hoists
etc)
iPads (visual impairment)
Input from Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Examples of External
Provision
Speech and Language Therapist
Specialist teachers
Educational Psychologist
Evaluation and monitoring
Track levels of Progress with
each report cycle (SENCO)
Accelerated reader STAR tests
to track improvements once a
term
Review meetings
External reports
Teacher/Pupil feedback
Parent feedback
Reporting cycle
Numeracy interventions which
may include:
- Small group/individual
- Specialist teacher support
- Life skills
- GCSE intervention groups
Examples of External
Provision
Educational Psychologist
Evaluation and monitoring
As for communication and
interaction
Examples of External
Provision
Young carers
CAMHS
Educational Psychologist
Mentors
Examples of External
Provision
Support from OT/Specialist team
Input from specialist teacher
Specific equipment (tables/hoists
etc)
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Evaluation and monitoring
Review meetings
Evaluation and monitoring
SIMS
Effort scores on reports
Review meetings
SENCO tracks all progress
Teacher feedback
TA feedback forms
External reports
Student feedback
Parent feedback
Reporting cycle
Review meetings
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9. Information about the expertise and training of staff in relation to children and young
people with special educational needs and how specialist expertise will be secured.
The SENCO holds the National Award for SEN Co-ordination and has considerable
experience in the field of SEN. The Assistant Headteacher has many years experience and
has an M.A in Education. The teachers in the autism base have Level II and Level III in the
Autism Education Trust Training Scheme and indeed the whole staff will have attained Level
II in that scheme by the end of 2014. The TAs in the department are all qualified and have
extensive experience in delivering the programmes and support we offer.
The department accesses support from a range of outside agencies as necessary. Our
relationships with these agencies are longstanding and built on trust and professionalism.
We monitor all external provision and pride ourselves on communicating effectively with
them.
10. Information about the schools policies for making provision for students with
SEN including, evaluation of effectiveness, assessment and reviewing
progress, adaptions to curriculum, additional support and wider support.
The school is committed to ensuring that all teaching is at least good and that much is
outstanding. High quality teaching is that which meets the needs of the majority of children
and young people. We aim to ensure that:
• All staff provide high quality teaching which allows students to learn effectively. A
range of teaching and learning strategies may be required to ensure that all
students can access the curriculum.
• Members of staff understand that they are all teachers of students with special
educational needs.
• All students, regardless of ability, have full access to a wide range of suitably
challenging educational opportunities which are appropriate to their needs.
• Every student at the school is provided with opportunities to make progress in
every aspect of their development, enabling them to be the best they can be.
The SENCO has responsibility for tracking all of the students on the SEN register after every
report cycle and raises concern with other middle managers and classroom teachers.
11. Information about how equipment and facilities to support children and young
people with special educational needs will be secured.
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Access to netbooks and other technology.
Access to specialist teacher input i.e. HI, VI.
Small group work.
Literacy interventions.
Special consideration for exams and access arrangements.
Disabled toilets and changing facilities.
Support for the more able with SEN
Support for the VI form with SEN
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12. How the Governing body involves health and social care bodies, local authority
support services and other bodies in meeting the needs of pupils with SEN.
In order to support some of the students with Special Educational Needs we have access to
a number of outside agencies. The most frequently used are:
The Educational Psychologist (EP) - the school will commission this service as needed.
Parents/carers will be asked to sign a consent form for their child to see the EP if appropriate.
The Attendance Officer who is employed by the school and liaises with the SENCO in order
to identify children whose attendance has become a cause for concern.
The Specialist Teacher Team can be made available to us in cases where such support has
been indicated on a statement or EHCP or, occasionally, on request.
Links also exist with the Statutory Assessment Service, the Local Health Authority and Social
Care.
13. The contact details of support services for the parents of Students with special
educational needs.
Worcestershire County Council: South Worcestershire: 01905 765715; North Worcestershire:
01905 765715; SEN@worcestershire.gov.uk
14. School arrangements for supporting students transferring between stages of
education and preparing for independent living.
When invited the SENCO will attend Year 8 Annual Reviews of students with a statement/
EHCP. Regular contact is made with the middle schools to ascertain the needs of the
students with SEN prior to transfer. Additional visits to North Bromsgrove High are arranged
as necessary.
Students leaving the school in Year 11 will have information, including exam dispensation
reports, passed to receiving Further or Higher Education establishments and of course our
own Sixth Form staff are fully up-to-date in terms of relevant student information.
If a student with SEN leaves North Bromsgrove to transfer to another secondary school the
Learning Support Department will endeavour to make direct contact with LS staff of the
receiving school.
Students will have opportunities to be involved with or gain support from a range of different
services such as:
 Schools PHSE Programme & Careers Guidance/Education.
 Alternate KS4 Curriculum Provision with focus on confidence, team and life skills.
 Personalised KS4 Programmes.
 Transition Pathways Service (Yr9-KS4/KS5).
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