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Special Educational Needs

Parents/Carers are encouraged to support the work done in school at home where appropriate, and telephone and email are used as a way of communicating between home and school. 

The purpose of SEND provision is to provide support to allow students to reach their full potential. All students are encouraged to become independent learners, to aim high and develop resilience (to keep trying even when it gets tough). Staff who teach in mainstream classrooms are made aware of any barriers to learning the students may have and utilise the expertise of the SEND (Special Educational Needs) team to ensure that lessons are accessible. Students and Parents/Carers are supported at all transition points to make informed decisions about their next steps.

The type of provision provided will vary depending on staff assessment of need and will focus on the development of independence.

We do not encourage the use of one to one support but promote a blend of learning environments including; withdrawal into small teaching groups, use of teaching assistants to support the learning of several students in one class, some targeted one to one/two learning, small to ordinary sized teaching groups and teacher support within all mainstream lessons. Teachers and teaching assistants are made aware of the learning needs of an individual student through the Pupil Portrait. Pupil Portraits also include information about a student’s strengths and useful strategies to support their learning in the classroom. These are reviewed regularly by staff, parents/carers and students and updated when required.

A student’s progress against their targets is regularly reviewed using teacher feedback and support is then tailored accordingly.

Our provision is tailored for students who have general or specific learning difficulties, physical disabilities or other difficulties that affect learning.

When students come to us with a Statutory Statement of Special Educational Need (SEN)/ Educational Healthcare Plan (EHCP) the academy staff work closely with East Sussex County Council Children’s Services Department to meet that young person’s needs. All special needs provision is in line with the National Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and Local Educational Authority guidelines.

Local Authority's 'Local Offer' for children with SEND -  Click here for the East Sussex Local offer which gives information about many aspects of SEND services and support available for children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities up to the age of 25, and their families.

To contact the SENCO to discuss special needs provision in the first instance please telephone Ms Malik on 01273 812220 or email ringmer.SEND@kingsacademies.uk