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Local Offer and SEN Report

Local Offer and SEN Support

Reach Academy takes a truly holistic approach to supporting all pupils whilst actively promoting a fully inclusive and bespoke curriculum. We believe that pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) have the right to a broad and balanced curriculum and be fully included in all aspects of school life. At Reach Academy we encourage and support all pupils to achieve personal success within a safe, nurturing and enriching learning environment, so that they are ready to take their place in modern-day Britain. We actively encourage parents/carers to be involved in the education of their children and see effective partnerships as key to pupil success.

At Reach Academy, we recognise that children and young people may have a wide range of needs. These may include cognition and learning, communication and interaction, social, emotional and mental health difficulties and sensory and physical.

We work with a variety of agencies, specialist services and healthcare professionals to ensure that our young people’s needs are effectively identified and addressed.

Sarah Simmonds, SENDCo: ssimmonds@eat.uk.com

  • What is our school ethos towards students with Special Educational Needs?+

    At Reach Academy we offer a nurturing, safe inclusive and friendly environment where the building of trusting relationships is paramount. We have extremely high expectations and our students achieve good progress across the curriculum, with an emphasis placed on improving reading, writing and maths skills through personalised and creative learning opportunities.

    We have a broad, creative curriculum that enables all students, regardless of need, to achieve their potential and thrive in their new schools. The curriculum aims to practically support students; building strong foundations for positive emotional health and well-being by providing opportunities to further enhance and celebrate their many skills and talents. Students are fully integrated into all aspects of school life, including the extended curriculum, e.g. school visits and after school activities. Students previously disengaged from education, re-engage with a new-found enthusiasm and zest for learning.

  • How do you get a place at Reach Academy?+

    Places for Reach Academy will be considered following receipt of consultation paperwork from SPR panel. The Head Teacher, SENCo and SLT will discuss the case in order to determine if the child will be considered for a place within the provision at Reach Academy if they meet the following criteria:

    • The child has had at least two cycles of the Graduated Approach reviewed and has been identified as having social, emotional and mental health needs identified as a primary need;
    • There is clear evidence that the needs of the child limit their ability to access the curriculum and/or impede their emotional, social or behavioural development and as a result impact upon their ability to make progress in learning;
    • The child needs to access a specialist nurturing environment providing specialist knowledge, skills, technology and/or resources;
    • The child has a sudden deterioration following a high level of trauma/disclosure which requires intensive support for a period of time delivered by specialists in social, emotional and mental health;

    SEMH (Social, Emotional, Mental Health) Provision – Students are referred for a time limited, turnaround placement in partnership with the mainstream schools. Students are dual registered during their placement, with the referring school being the ‘main’ and Reach Academy being the ‘subsidiary’ registration setting. Schools are required to actively work in partnership with Reach Academy to develop effective and sustainable learning strategies that meet the holistic needs of the student. The mainstream schools complete a Single Point Referral (SPR) form for a dual placement for up to 12 weeks. Reach Academy then liaises directly with student’s home school regarding admission.

    1. Planning meeting convened with student, parent/carer, school and any other professionals.
    2. Parents and student visit Ethos Academy Trust (supported by referring school staff).
    3. Start date agreed., review meetings planned and exit date.
    4. School staff visits agreed.

    Day 6 provision (full time) for children (Key Stage three) permanently excluded from their mainstream setting. Kirklees residents of key stage three-aged students receive full time education at Reach Academy following a permanent exclusion from Day 6 of the exclusion. On Day 6 a planning meeting is convened with student, parent / carer, school and any other professionals. Parents and student are invited to visit Reach Academy. A start date is then agreed and the transition process begins.

  • How do you support Transition for SEND students?+

    Transition to Reach Academy involves working closely with the previous setting and SENDACT to ensure the academic and SEMH information is shared and needs are being met. Parents and student are encouraged to visit in order for a smooth transition to begin. Transition support from Reach Academy into mainstream provision is allocated through Ethos Academy Trust Outreach service. Liaison with parents and the receiving setting is made and a detailed transitional support programme is identified within the transition support plan.

  • Who should you talk to if you think your child needs support?+

    In the first instance, please talk to your child’s group teacher who will be happy to discuss your concerns with you or arrange a meeting with the SENDCo. You can also contact the SENDCo, Mrs Simmonds directly. You can also speak to the Head teacher Jack Ghee.

    Contact number:01924 478482

     

  • How will you support my child if they have additional needs?+

    Early identification of students’ needs is a priority. On entry to the school each child’s aptitudes and abilities will be assessed, and as the children continue through their time with us, the academy will use appropriate screening and assessment tools to ascertain student progress.

    Assessment data will include:

    • Evidence obtained by teacher observation/assessment.
    • Information from Parents.
    • Children’s performance in National Curriculum subjects.
    • Student progress in relation to next steps and targets for literacy and Maths.
    • Assessment tools providing reading, spelling and mathematical ability ages
    • Records from previous settings.
    • Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) assessment data
    • Information from parents.
    • Reports from external agencies, such as a Psychologist, CAMHs and Speech Therapy.
  • What is the Graduated and Person Centre Approach?+

    Graduated and personalised interventions contribute to the positive outcomes for children and young people. The Trust is committed to the promotion of inclusive support, raising standards for children with SEMH needs and improving their life chances.

    A graduated approach to meeting the needs of students is adopted. Students and their parents are at the centre of this process and are fully involved at each and every stage. There will be a focus on student well-being as well as academic achievement.  Reach Academy promotes exceptional outcomes for students, using person centred approaches based on the Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycle:

    • Step 1 – SEN Support – Where support, additional to that of normal class provision is required in order for your child to ‘catch up’ with his peers, your child will be given SEN Support. This will usually involve your child working on an accelerated learning programme for a set period of time and may also include some additional 1-1 support led by the teacher or Inclusion Worker. If, after monitoring, it is felt that advice from specialist professionals (Educational Psychology, Speech and Language, etc.) is needed, this will be discussed with you and any interventions or support programmes planned for your child will be informed by the advice from the specialist professionals.
    • Step 2 – Education, Health and Care Plans– Where concerns remain, despite sustained intervention, the school will consider requesting an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The EHCP will set out in detail your child’s strengths as well as areas of need and detail the provision for your child in the areas of education, health and social care.
  • What provision is available at Reach Academy to support your child’s needs?+

    At every stage of the above graduated approach, the school will ensure delivery of the provision detailed therein and hold regular reviews with parents and children (as age appropriate) of the appropriateness and success of that provision. For details of specific interventions, please speak to your child’s group teacher or the SENDCO.

    Reach Academy is an inclusive provision and may offer the following range of provision to support children with SEND throughout the curriculum and within daily practice. Boxall assessments identify developmental and diagnostic needs in order to target specific SEMH needs through key interventions

    • Across Reach Academy the six principles of nurture are clearly evident within all aspects of the learning environment, threaded
    • Access to an inclusive and supportive learning environment, with additional help, resources and support by class teacher or inclusion worker.
    • Periods of withdrawal individually or in small groups to work with an inclusion worker to improve literacy and maths
    • Support from specialists within class or as part of an accelerated learning programme.
    • Pastoral care to reduce anxiety, promote social skills, positive behaviour and emotional wellbeing (including communication with parents)
    • Access to strategies/programmes to support; social, emotional and mental health; speech and language; occupational therapy; physiotherapy needs
    • Provision to facilitate and support access to the curriculum.
    • Support to improve attendance

     

  • When will you have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress?+

    The progress of children at every stage of the graduated approach will be tracked and reviewed using assessment data and observations. Those children receiving SEN support will have a My Support Plan (MSP) which will be reviewed with full involvement of the child and the parents.

  • How will you support me to support my child’s learning?+

    Your child’s group teacher can usually offer suggestions of ways in which to help your child. Please also ask for ideas when you meet with the SENDCo at the annual review meetings. If outside agencies are supporting your child’s needs, they often provide support programmes to be worked on at home.  Support for parents and carers is also offered through parent events, newsletters, regular phone calls/texts and SEN review meetings.

    Further information can be found on our Twitter page:

    @ReachAcademyUK

  • What specialist services and expertise are available at or are accessed by the school to support?+

    Although we don’t have specialist teachers on the premises, our students do have access to a range of services offered within Kirklees. We are currently working with colleagues in the professions of occupational therapy and physiotherapy, sensory impairment, behaviour support, medical professionals, counselling services at CAMHS and Northorpe Hall. We also liaise with the Parent Partnership Service to support families with children who have additional needs (http://www.pcankirklees.org/). We pride ourselves at Reach Academy as being welcoming and fully co-operative with any external agencies involved in the care of your child. We always carry out any individualised/personalised programmes they prescribe and sustain good working relationships with all such agencies.

    Please click here for the link to Kirklees Local Offer explaining the services available.

  • How accessible is the school environment for my child?+
    • All of the school is accessible to children with a physical disability, due to access via a ramp to the student entrance,
    • We have disabled toileting facilities.
    • Class allocations are adapted to ensure rooms are accessible for children with disabilities
    • We ensure that the equipment used is accessible to all children regardless of their needs.
    • The school has staff trained to suit children with a range of needs.

    If you require any further clarification on any of these points please refer to our trust SEND policy, Accessibility Plan or, if you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher or the SENDCo (Sarah Simmonds)

    Kirklees Local Offer is aimed at providing information about the support and services that children and young people aged 0-25, who have special educational needs and disabilities, and their families can access within Kirklees.

Special Educational Needs & Disability

The Code of Practice provides statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated regulations and applies to England. It relates to children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabled children and young people. A ‘young person’ in this context is a person over compulsory school age and under 25. Compulsory school age ends on the last Friday of June in the academic year in which they become 16.

Ethos Academy Trust pay due regard to the following related guidance:

  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018): Statutory guidance from the Department for Education which sets out what is expected of organisations and individuals to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
  • The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations
  • Equality Act 2010: Advice for Schools: Non-statutory advice from the Department for Education, produced to help schools understand how the Equality Act affects them and how to fulfil their duties under the Act
  • Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Pupils (2012)
  • Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions (2014): statutory guidance from the Department for Education
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Kirklees Local Offer Find Out More
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Kirklees Alternative Provisions Find Out More

Get in Touch

Reach Academy

The Field Hill Centre
Batley
WF17 0BQ

Telephone01924 478482

Emailreachoffice@eat.uk.com

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