Bradley Stoke Community School

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

At our school we strive to create an inclusive teaching environment that offers all students, no matter their needs and abilities, a broad, balanced and challenging curriculum. We are committed to offering all our students the chance to thrive and fulfil their aspirations.

We will achieve this by making reasonable adjustments to teaching, the curriculum and the school environment to make sure that students with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. 

What are Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

A student has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability that requires special educational provision to be made for them.

They have a learning difficulty or disability if they have:

  • A significantly greater difficulty in learning than most others of the same age, or
  • A disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools 

Special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to, or different from, that made generally for other children or young people of the same age in the school

Students are considered to have a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

The school will make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, so that they are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. 

The 4 areas of need

The needs of students with SEND are grouped into 4 broad areas. Students can have needs that cut across more than 1 area, and their needs may change over time.

Interventions will be selected that are appropriate for the student’s particular area(s) of need, at the relevant time. 

Area of need  

 

 

Communication and interaction

Students with needs in this area have difficulty communicating with others. They may have difficulty understanding what is being said to them, have trouble expressing themselves, or do not understand or use the social rules of communication.

Students who are on the autism spectrum often have needs that fall in this category.

 

Cognition and learning

Students with learning difficulties usually learn at a slower pace than their peers.
A wide range of needs are grouped in this area, including:

  • Specific learning difficulties, which impact 1 or more specific aspects of learning, such as: dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia
  • Moderate learning difficulties
  • Severe learning difficulties
  • Profound and multiple learning difficulties, which is where students are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment

 

Social, emotional and mental health

These needs may reflect a wide range of underlying difficulties or disorders. Students may have:

  • Mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression or an eating disorder
  • Attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder
  • Suffered adverse childhood experiences

These needs can manifest in many ways, for example as challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour, or by the student becoming withdrawn or isolated.

 

Sensory and/or physical

Students with these needs have a disability that hinders them from accessing the educational facilities generally provided.

Students may have:

  • A sensory impairment such as vision impairment, hearing impairment or multi-sensory impairment
  • A physical impairment

These students may need ongoing additional support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers.

 

Class teachers

Each class teacher is responsible for:

  • Planning and providing high-quality teaching that is differentiated to meet student needs through a graduated approach
  • The progress and development of every student in their class
  • Working closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions, and consider how they can be linked to classroom teaching
  • Working with the SENDCo to review each students progress and development, and decide on any changes to provision. 

SEND information report

The school publishes a SEND information report which sets out how we deliver our SEND provision. This can be found here.

Our SEND policy can be found here.

Our Accessibility Policy can be found here.

The information report will be updated annually and as soon as possible after any changes to the information it contains. 

Learning Support Team

We strive to work in partnership with parents and carers at every stage and would urge any parent who is concerned about their child’s learning and progress to discuss this initially with their class teacher or by contacting a member of the Learning Support Team.

Key staff names and roles, who can be contacted using the main school number 01454 868840.

The SEND governor link is Paul Underhill. 

Learning Support Team (ID 1052)

Special Educational Needs BSCS Offer

BSCS tracks all students identified as having additional needs and monitors the impact of interventions. This includes students who have medical needs, learning needs, disabilities, looked after children, young carers, behavioural and emotional issues which impact on learning and children in need. Students with a statement or Education, Health and Care Plan and those as identified as SEN support are included on our Inclusion Register.  

Support and Guidance

If you would like any external support, the following organisations may be helpful for you: 

Supportive Parents 0117 9897725 or www.supportiveparents.org.uk

IPSEA Who we are | (IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

 South Gloucestershire Services - SEND and You 

How does BSCS know if my child needs extra help?

If your child is new to BSCS, information regarding their prior learning, attainment and additional needs will be passed on by the previous school and/or Local Authority. Within school, students are regularly assessed and monitored by classroom teachers and concerns may be flagged by any member of staff, parent/carer or the student themselves.

What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

There are many opportunities to share concerns or discuss possible special educational needs with school staff. You may wish to begin by talking to your child’s classroom teacher or tutor during the regular Parents' Information Evenings. Alternatively, you can contact the Learning Support Team via Nikki Hallur on 01454 868868 or nikki.hallur@olympustrust.co.uk to arrange a longer meeting.

How will BSCS communicate to all staff that my child has SEN or a disability and the support that he or she will need?

Information about individual learning needs is shared with staff via the school’s secure information system (Arbor) and also through Student Passports, which also provide strategies for supporting your child with their learning and social behaviour.

How will BSCS staff support my child’s SEND?

High quality planning and teaching encompasses all needs and ability levels. The Learning Support Team works within all curriculum areas to ensure that more bespoke packages of support are provided when appropriate.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

Bradley Stoke Community School is committed to inclusion and all of our students have access to the full curriculum. However, for those with the most complex level of need, a more bespoke curriculum can be discussed with the SENDCo

How will staff at BSCS know how my child is doing?

All classroom teachers are responsible for the monitoring and assessment of their students, which are formally recorded on a termly basis and overseen by Subject Team Leaders and the Senior Leadership Team.

How will I know how my child is doing?

Regular assessment points throughout the year provide you with formal data reports, which you will be able to discuss in greater detail with teaching staff during the regular Parent Information Evenings. If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan, then you will be invited to three additional meetings with your child’s key worker during the academic year.

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

Our Independent Learning Programme provides opportunities for you to actively engage in aspects of your child’s learning at BSCS. For students with an identified SEND, home support can be discussed with the Learning Support Team during Parent Information Evenings or by arranging a meeting with a member of the team.

What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?

BSCS has a reputation for outstanding care and guidance. Staff provide a safe, nurturing environment in which students thrive and progress. Pastoral support is offered by tutors and mentors as well as both the Learning and Student Support Teams, who are skilled in supporting students whose social, emotional and behavioural needs places them at risk.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by BSCS?

In addition to our own skills and areas of expertise, staff at BSCS work in close collaboration with a range of experts from outside agencies, such as Educational Psychologists, medical professionals and colleagues from Social Care.

Agencies working within BSCS will liaise with the SENDCo and Assistant SENDCo or the Safeguarding Lead to ensure that key information is shared between home, school and the supporting agency. Students, parents, teachers and other professionals will be invited to work together to plan and monitor additional interventions.

What training have the staff at BSCS had regarding supporting students with SEND?

Staff benefit from an extensive programme of continuing professional development at BSCS, which includes specific training in meeting the needs of SEND students and vulnerable learners. For example, staff have received training on how to support students with visual impairments, the effective use of ICT to support learners with SEND and whole school differentiation.

How will my child be included in activities outside of the classroom including school trips?

BSCS students have access to the full curriculum, enrichment programme and school trips. For those with specific medical or physical needs, a full risk assessment is completed, and the school will work in partnership with parents/carers and students to plan all aspects of the trip.

How accessible is BSCS school?

BSCS was built in 2005 and is fully accessible. There are three lifts (one in the Post 16 Centre and two in the main school), as well as a range of other facilities to support the needs of staff and students with mobility and sensory difficulties.

How will BSCS prepare and support my child for transition in secondary school?

Staff at BSCS work with Year 6 teachers and SENDCos, students and you, the parent/carer, to ensure that your child is ready for the transition to secondary school. A programme of transition visits can be arranged and students have a number of opportunities to find the answers to their questions before arriving in September. Additional opportunities are available for more vulnerable students to prepare for transition.

How will BSCS prepare and support my child for Post 16 transition, both within BSCS and outside of BSCS?

Firstly, please don’t panic! We are here to help and reassure you. In school we have a wide range of needs and students often have strengths and areas of weakness and this is normal. Helping students to feel successful as learners and recognise their own profile as a learner sits at the heart of school ethos.

How are BSCS resources allocated and matched to a student’s SEN?

At BSCS we have access to a wide range of strategies and resources for supporting students, such as smaller classes in English and maths, additional mentoring support, morning literacy catch-up sessions and Independent Learning clubs. Support is provided to develop core skills and build learner confidence. We are committed to ensuring that all our students leave BSCS with the skills they need to be fully independent within their community: resilience, reflectiveness, resourcefulness and responsibility. For students with Statements or EHCPs, additional resources are allocated as part of the Assess, Plan, Do and Review process in collaboration with parents/carers.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

For students with Statements and EHCPs, decisions about levels of support are made at Local Authority level, in collaboration with you, the parent/carer. Schools have the opportunity to be part of the decision making, during the consultation period. At school level, additional support is allocated by Team Leaders and the SENDCo/Deputy SENDCo in collaboration with the Leadership Team and discussions with teachers, parents and the student themselves.

How will I be involved in BSCS as the parent of a child with SEND?

All parents and carers are encouraged to be actively involved in the BSCS school community; reading our regular newsletter, available on the website, and using FROG to monitor your child’s progress is an excellent start and will provide you with further information about how to get involved with school events. Attending Parent Information Evenings and maintaining regular communication with your child’s tutor and key worker is also important and will help you to stay up to date with his/her progress.

 

Queries relating to SEND issues can be made via:

Learning Support Team Administrator, Nikki Hallur - 01454 868868  nikki.hallur@olympustrust.co.uk

SENDCo, Rhian Prewett: rhian.prewett@olympustrust.co.uk 

Deputy SENDCo, Cristiana Ferris cristiana.ferris@olympustrust.co.uk

Assistant SENDCo, Laura Austin laura.austin@olympustrust.co.uk

Director of Inclusion, Susie Beresford Wylie susie.beresfordwylie@olympustrust.co.uk

 

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