Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
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Thomas Tallis is a comprehensive, inclusive school. Students have a wide range of abilities and skill-sets, and we celebrate the achievements and progress of all. We make every effort to meet the needs of students who require additional support with their academic or social development and are proud of our reputation for successful SEND provision.
The SEND Code of Practice (2014), Children and Families Act (2014), Equality Act (2010) and advice for schools DfE (2013) inform our practice at Thomas Tallis for students with special educational needs and disabilities. We fully recognise our legal responsibility regarding the education of children with special educational needs and follow set procedures for assessment, target setting, provision and review of progress. The school’s SEND policy directs the work of all staff working at Thomas Tallis ensuring all students are fully included in the life of the school and are supported to achieve their potential. Thomas Tallis Aims and Principles Inclusion is everyone’s responsibility: We understand and recognise that for our students to be successful, it is dependent on a whole school approach to inclusion. This is at the heart of everything we do. Thomas Tallis Education is designed to understand the world and change it for the better. Our school is a place for difference, inclusion, equity and justice; for self-expression, self-fulfilment; for young voices to speak and be heard. No student is a label. We understand that some diagnosis can be helpful for students to understand their challenges, we ensure that these challenges and difficulties do not define them or should limit their potential. We as our school value empathy and understanding. We are unashamedly kind. At Thomas Tallis School we believe that students who have been identified as having special educational needs must have their academic, social and mental wellbeing needs addressed. Students have a right to have a broad, balanced and inclusive education, learning alongside their peers. We offer a wide range of support for our students; challenge to stretch and engage our students with their learning, to scaffold and model good learning habits which will enable them to fulfil their potential. The school is committed to providing a nurturing environment to all students. We believe our students should leave Thomas Tallis with the skills, knowledge and tools to be effective, make an impact and change the world for the better. |
Learning Support UnitSupport Centre for Autism & Speech & Language ImpairmentDeaf Support CentreEnglish as an Additional Language
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Thomas Tallis Objectives:
Identification and assessment of students with special educational needs:
The school has procedures for identifying and assessing students with special educational needs and investigating any under-achievement. These tracking procedures build upon the information and support provided from parents, external agencies and primary schools and continue throughout Key Stages 3, 4 and 5
Provision:
All teachers and support staff are made aware of the students’ individual special educational needs and are provided with recommended strategies to enable students to access the curriculum. Pupil profiles provide the relevant information that adults need. Students with EHCPs receive their required support, as stated in their EHCp documents. Some students who have special educational needs but do not have an EHCP will receive additional support from an Education Assistant (EA) or Individual Support Assistant (ISA) and/or by participating in the interventions outlined below. These students are in our SEND support category and, like students with EHCPs, have a Student Profile which are updated termly. Our focus is on knowing the student as an individual and providing him/her with appropriate, tailored support.
Monitoring and record keeping:
The SENCo is responsible for all SEND records. The SENCo, Director for Inclusion, Inclusion Officers, Head of Years, Head of LSU monitor the progress of students each half term through Multi-Disc meetings, recording and evaluating the impact of any additional support. Teachers, support staff, students, parents/carers and external agencies can all contribute to target-setting and review processes.
The use of outside support services and agencies:
Thomas Tallis is fortunate to have excellent resources to support the high number of students with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes highly specialised, experienced teaching and support staff, as well as support delivered in school from visiting SEND professionals such as Educational Psychologists, CAMHS, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, ASD Outreach, Sensory Services, Physiotherapists and STEPS. Our strong relationships with our external agencies reflect the importance with which the school views support for SEND; every effort is made to ensure we are a successful and inclusive school.
Inclusion Curriculum:
At Key Stage 3 we have Basecamp and Inclusion sets in English and Maths ( Science for yr 7) for students we have identified as likely to benefit from a differentiated curriculum taught by an Inclusion specialist teacher with a focus on literacy development in a small group environment. Students are identified from KS2 data, information from parents/carers and guidance from primary school staff. Inclusion sets are taught at the same time as the ‘mainstream’ timetable to minimise the difference between the two curriculums and to facilitate movement between sets. The curriculum for English, Maths and Science runs alongside the mainstream curriculum but adapted to meet need. A review of student progress takes place each half-term to ensure all students are motivated to achieve and can be moved up to a large, mixed ability class as soon as they are ready. Teachers liaise with one another to share best practice and jointly evaluate progress.
All Inclusion teachers have a specialist background in the teaching of core subjects and have been graded as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. All Inclusion teachers are specialising in one or more of the additional needs areas: ASD; Speech, Language and Communication; Social, Emotional and Mental Health; Dyslexia and literacy difficulties.
Speech and Language Groups:
Some children are identified as having a higher level of need because they might have identified communication needs or might be at risk of communication difficulties in the future. Staff working with these children need more specific advice and training in order to meet those needs. We will
Our interventions are delivered either on a 1:1 basis or within a small group and are guided by our Speech and Language therapists (Laura Rigby and Roshni Hermani – Mainstream support. For students who are supported by the SCALI dept, the speech and language therapists are: Julia Longthorn and Roshni Hermani. For the Deaf Support Centre, it is Robin Lindop-Fisher.
Social Skills Groups:
Social Skills Groups are run by support staff in the Learning Support Unit experienced in encouraging the social development of our students. The sessions involve group activities that provide students with the opportunity to interact positively with their peers in a supportive, structured setting.
Reading Interventions:
We provide additional support for students identified as needing extra assistance in achieving their chronological age in reading and writing. Across the school all students will engage in a yearly reading assessment. Those who are identified as needed additional support and practice will engage in interventions with our Reading Mentor using our reading platform “Reading Wise”
Travel Safe:
‘TravelSafe’ is a travel awareness programme focused on developing students’ skills and confidence with road safety and use of public transport. Group activities include short trips out of school. As a school we link in with Greenwich Travel Safe Mentors and the Big Red Bus.
Calm Club:
Calm Club is our daily break time and lunchtime provision for any student who requires support at unstructured times of the day. It is a quiet, indoor space for students to eat their lunch and then choose to participate in any of the following activities: arts and crafts, puzzles, board games, conversation or reading. The group is supervised by SEND staff who encourage students to develop their confidence and their social skills. Many friendships are built here!
Homework Club:
Homework Club is open to all students from 3.15-4pm every day. Students have access to computers if required and ISAs are on hand to help any students if needed. Many students benefit from having this structured time and space to complete their homework. The DSC run their own homework club Mon – Fri and have communication support workers supporting on a Rota basis.
The Reflection Room:
Students may on occasion require time and space away from a lesson. The Reflection Room provides a nurturing environment for students who are experiencing emotional, social or mental health difficulties preventing them from engaging with learning. Students are supported with completing their work and returning to lesson.
Where interventions involve withdrawal from a lesson or registration time every effort is made to ensure minimal disruption to learning. Interventions are planned and reviewed on a half-termly basis. We will always contact parents/carers to inform them of any changes to their child’s timetable and are very willing to discuss and review any of our practice.
If you have any queries about SEND at Thomas Tallis please contact Mrs Pollitt, SENDCO.
- To be a safe, nurturing environment for all students
- To identify and provide support for students who have special educational needs or additional needs
- To be committed to a whole student approach
- To work diligently with parents, carers, external agencies to support our students to the best of our ability
- To follow the guidelines as stated in the SEND Code of Practice
- To value the importance of Student Voice
- To be committed in reflecting on our practice and continue to develop creativity in how we support our students
- To develop the Thomas Tallis Habits of Mind, so that our students are inquisitive, collaborative, persistent, disciplined and imaginative
Identification and assessment of students with special educational needs:
The school has procedures for identifying and assessing students with special educational needs and investigating any under-achievement. These tracking procedures build upon the information and support provided from parents, external agencies and primary schools and continue throughout Key Stages 3, 4 and 5
Provision:
All teachers and support staff are made aware of the students’ individual special educational needs and are provided with recommended strategies to enable students to access the curriculum. Pupil profiles provide the relevant information that adults need. Students with EHCPs receive their required support, as stated in their EHCp documents. Some students who have special educational needs but do not have an EHCP will receive additional support from an Education Assistant (EA) or Individual Support Assistant (ISA) and/or by participating in the interventions outlined below. These students are in our SEND support category and, like students with EHCPs, have a Student Profile which are updated termly. Our focus is on knowing the student as an individual and providing him/her with appropriate, tailored support.
Monitoring and record keeping:
The SENCo is responsible for all SEND records. The SENCo, Director for Inclusion, Inclusion Officers, Head of Years, Head of LSU monitor the progress of students each half term through Multi-Disc meetings, recording and evaluating the impact of any additional support. Teachers, support staff, students, parents/carers and external agencies can all contribute to target-setting and review processes.
The use of outside support services and agencies:
Thomas Tallis is fortunate to have excellent resources to support the high number of students with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes highly specialised, experienced teaching and support staff, as well as support delivered in school from visiting SEND professionals such as Educational Psychologists, CAMHS, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, ASD Outreach, Sensory Services, Physiotherapists and STEPS. Our strong relationships with our external agencies reflect the importance with which the school views support for SEND; every effort is made to ensure we are a successful and inclusive school.
Inclusion Curriculum:
At Key Stage 3 we have Basecamp and Inclusion sets in English and Maths ( Science for yr 7) for students we have identified as likely to benefit from a differentiated curriculum taught by an Inclusion specialist teacher with a focus on literacy development in a small group environment. Students are identified from KS2 data, information from parents/carers and guidance from primary school staff. Inclusion sets are taught at the same time as the ‘mainstream’ timetable to minimise the difference between the two curriculums and to facilitate movement between sets. The curriculum for English, Maths and Science runs alongside the mainstream curriculum but adapted to meet need. A review of student progress takes place each half-term to ensure all students are motivated to achieve and can be moved up to a large, mixed ability class as soon as they are ready. Teachers liaise with one another to share best practice and jointly evaluate progress.
All Inclusion teachers have a specialist background in the teaching of core subjects and have been graded as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. All Inclusion teachers are specialising in one or more of the additional needs areas: ASD; Speech, Language and Communication; Social, Emotional and Mental Health; Dyslexia and literacy difficulties.
Speech and Language Groups:
Some children are identified as having a higher level of need because they might have identified communication needs or might be at risk of communication difficulties in the future. Staff working with these children need more specific advice and training in order to meet those needs. We will
Our interventions are delivered either on a 1:1 basis or within a small group and are guided by our Speech and Language therapists (Laura Rigby and Roshni Hermani – Mainstream support. For students who are supported by the SCALI dept, the speech and language therapists are: Julia Longthorn and Roshni Hermani. For the Deaf Support Centre, it is Robin Lindop-Fisher.
Social Skills Groups:
Social Skills Groups are run by support staff in the Learning Support Unit experienced in encouraging the social development of our students. The sessions involve group activities that provide students with the opportunity to interact positively with their peers in a supportive, structured setting.
Reading Interventions:
We provide additional support for students identified as needing extra assistance in achieving their chronological age in reading and writing. Across the school all students will engage in a yearly reading assessment. Those who are identified as needed additional support and practice will engage in interventions with our Reading Mentor using our reading platform “Reading Wise”
Travel Safe:
‘TravelSafe’ is a travel awareness programme focused on developing students’ skills and confidence with road safety and use of public transport. Group activities include short trips out of school. As a school we link in with Greenwich Travel Safe Mentors and the Big Red Bus.
Calm Club:
Calm Club is our daily break time and lunchtime provision for any student who requires support at unstructured times of the day. It is a quiet, indoor space for students to eat their lunch and then choose to participate in any of the following activities: arts and crafts, puzzles, board games, conversation or reading. The group is supervised by SEND staff who encourage students to develop their confidence and their social skills. Many friendships are built here!
Homework Club:
Homework Club is open to all students from 3.15-4pm every day. Students have access to computers if required and ISAs are on hand to help any students if needed. Many students benefit from having this structured time and space to complete their homework. The DSC run their own homework club Mon – Fri and have communication support workers supporting on a Rota basis.
The Reflection Room:
Students may on occasion require time and space away from a lesson. The Reflection Room provides a nurturing environment for students who are experiencing emotional, social or mental health difficulties preventing them from engaging with learning. Students are supported with completing their work and returning to lesson.
Where interventions involve withdrawal from a lesson or registration time every effort is made to ensure minimal disruption to learning. Interventions are planned and reviewed on a half-termly basis. We will always contact parents/carers to inform them of any changes to their child’s timetable and are very willing to discuss and review any of our practice.
If you have any queries about SEND at Thomas Tallis please contact Mrs Pollitt, SENDCO.
