SEND
Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND)
Great Baddow High School is a safe, caring and stimulating environment where all are empowered:
- To have high expectations and celebrate achievements;
- To develop lifelong learning skills;
- To have respect for and a positive attitude towards themselves and the world around them.
Aims
Our aim is to ensure that all pupils receive appropriate educational provision, therapeutic input and life skills support to achieve good outcomes and make excellent progress.
Each pupil has unique and individual skills and needs and we plan to ensure that all pupils are enabled to achieve their full potential.
We aim to provide for the learning, physical, social and care needs for our pupils in a supportive environment.
School Policy
The school’s policy on special educational needs follows the DFES’s Code of Practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs. The governing body’s Policy Statement on the Curriculum makes clear that each student shall experience a curriculum that is broad, balanced and differentiated to meet his/her particular needs. It states that “every student is entitled to a curriculum that is rich and varied, challenging and inspiring, enabling every individual to fulfil her or his potential to the highest possible standard”. The school has also placed upon itself the responsibility to monitor progress and consider attainment and effort for every student. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Department also liaise closely with outside agencies, i.e. Educational Psychology Service, Behaviour Support Service, Social Workers, etc.
The 1993 Education Act requires that the SEND policy in all schools shall have regard to the contents of the Code of Practice. Great Baddow High School has, for many years, made appropriate provision for the education of students with special needs through the Learning Support Department.
The SEND Department
The learning support department comprises of teaching rooms, a student support centre, an inclusion space.
Our department is inclusive and students make best use of all the facilities across the school, including our reading room, library and intervention spaces.
We have one SENDCO, one Learning Support Manager, one Learning Support Administrator, one Access Arrangements Officer (AAO), and currently ten Learning Support Assistants (LSAs).
Inclusion
Students with SEND spend their time in mainstream lessons with adult support allocated appropriate to their needs. Learning support is deployed between Year 7 and Year 11 across all areas of the curriculum. We work alongside the teaching staff in the classroom, providing whole class support, working with just a small group of students within the class, or on a one-to-one basis with a specific student. We may also withdraw certain students, in consultation with parents, to work individually, or in small groups, on building their literacy, numeracy skills and social skills. Some of our students work with us on their particular areas of need during morning registration sessions once or twice a week in order to improve their skills in reading, spelling, comprehension, handwriting, maths and organisation.
Fostering Positive Working Relationships
Learning support assistants have the opportunity to build a rapport with the SEND students they work with in the classroom through clarifying tasks, assisting students in deconstructing tasks into manageable goals through adaptive teaching, giving positive reinforcement and encouragement, checking on their progress and that they remain on task. This ensures the students increase their self-esteem and confidence which impacts on their learning and development.
Resources and Clubs
Our classrooms provide access to a number of computers, a wide variety of learning resources and books with a range of age and ability levels. Students can seek help and advice with their homework through the Homework Club provided by the LSAs at both early and late school lunchtimes. Additionally, we offer a range of other lunchtime clubs (Craft Club, Game for a Laugh and Book Buddies) to encourage and facilitate further acquisition of social skills through different activities. Students are invited to attend and participate in group activities in order to gain experience and practice their social skills in a safe, and supportive environment.
Contact Details
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator - Mrs F Coffey
If you have any questions and wish to contact the Learning Support Department at Great Baddow High School this can be done by telephoning the school office on 01245 265821 or by e-mailing:
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator - Mrs F Coffey
