Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at The Wilmslow Academy
At The Wilmslow Academy we have a child-centred, inclusive approach to working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. We put the child at the heart of everything we do, promoting high standards and the fulfilment of potential for all pupils, without exception. We currently support pupils with a wide range of needs who are able to demonstrate capacity for accessing the mainstream curriculum through adaptive teaching and individualised support.
Our SEND team:
Our special educational needs and disabilities team work passionately to ensure the SEND needs of individual pupils are met, both academically and emotionally. The SEND team consists of Mrs. Sophie Davies (SENCO) and Mrs Sarah Ikin (Aspire Educational Trust SEND Lead), suppported by Miss Nikki Jackson (Child-Centred Support Officer), Miss Tiesha Powell (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant), Miss Kathy Lewis (Nurture Lead) and Mrs Jennie Hamey (Intervention Lead). They work closely with parents and carers, children, class teachers and teaching assistants to ensure that those with special educational needs and disabilities have full access to the curriculum and achieve their individual potential.
They also work effectively with outside agencies to support individual needs, and have built positive relationships with professionals from a variety of teams, including Speech and Language (SALT), Educational Psychologists (EP), Cheshire East Autism Team (CEAT), Sensory Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and School Health. Providing professional support to enable parents to liaise effectively with outside agencies is another key part of our work, ensuring we create a successful team around the child.
Ordinarily Available Inclusive Practive (OAIP) techniques are implemented for all pupils, alongside carefully selected small group and one-to-one interventions. These interventions are well-structured and targeted to ensure progress is made against individual outcomes.
The SEND team also ensure staff have regular and effective professional development opportunities.
How do we identify children with SEND?
Children with SEND are identified as early as possible. This may be through concerns raised by parents, the pre-school provider or the class teacher, as well as information and guidance from the Cheshire East SEND Toolkit. These concerns are based on the pupil’s general wellbeing, their emotional or behavioural profile, their progress in comparison with their peer group, or their profile against recognised characteristics of specific forms of SEND. Early identification is essential; staff working in school monitor the children’s progress at least termly through regular pupil progress meetings which are led by the senior leadership team.
Following identification, concerns are brought to the attention of the SENCO who discusses these concerns with school staff working with the pupil, the pupil’s family and the pupil themselves, if appropriate. This discussion focuses on the desired outcomes for the child and looks at what provision might be necessary to enable the child to reach those outcomes.
Depending on the level of the child’s needs, the decision might be made to offer additional support within the classroom, for example, through small group work or creating a bespoke curriculum for the pupil based on their interests.
For some pupils, in addition to the class-based support approaches, a package of out of class interventions could be created. Those pupils with the highest levels of need might be referred to other agencies for further advice and support. The SENCO keeps a register of pupils requiring additional support in order to monitor the progress of these pupils, and to plan for provision across the school.
How do we assess our children with SEND?
At The Wilmslow Academy we aim to understand individual pupil's needs by using a graduated approach of 'assess, plan, do, review'
- Universal – Ordinarily Available Inclusive Practice available to all children with or without
- First Concerns – Children who have been identified as having emerging difficulties
- SEN Support – Children who have been identified as having special educational needs requiring provision that is additional to or different from the mainstream
- Complex – Children who have been identified as having significant and complex difficulties and may be in the process of an Education Health Care (EHC) needs assessment, or have an EHC plan in place.
Assessment is regular and purposeful and is informed by parents/carers and other professionals, as well as the pupil themselves. This rigorous and thorough process enables class teachers to make informed professional decisions about the best next steps for teaching each child.
The Cheshire East Toolkit for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is aimed at all educational providers, and outlines the provision and support that Cheshire East Council expects to be in place in all educational settings which support children and young people with SEND in the Cheshire East area. You can read more about this toolkit using the link given below:
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell/local-offer-for-children-with-sen-and-disabilities/education/supporting-send-in-education/send-toolkit.aspx
Important Information:
The Children & Families Act (2014) and the SEND Code of Practice (2014) requires each school to provide a Local Offer. We hope parents of current and prospective pupils find the information in the documents 'SEN Information Report', 'Local Offer for SEN and/or disability' and 'SEND MAT Policy' below helpful and we encourage all interested parties to contact the school for more information.
Local Offer for SEN and / or disability
SEN Information Report (which includes how school prevents discrimination and inequality
towards pupils with SEND.)
The 0-25 Cheshire East Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and Disability can be found using the following link:
How can you contact us?
If you have concerns about any aspect of your child’s education, your first point of contact should be your child’s class teacher. The class teacher may then seek the involvement of the school SENCO.
Alternatively the school SENCO can be contacted directly via the email address provided below.
Our School SENCO is Mrs Sophie Davies, who is available on: senco@thewilmslowacademy.co.uk
Further information and support:
Cheshire East Information, Advice & Support (CEIAS):
CEIAS offers free confidential support and information to children and young people with SEND, their parents and or their carers: http://www.ceias.cheshireeast.gov.uk/home.aspx
Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust:
Support for Parents/Carers who have children with additional needs (no diagnosis necessary) Further Information
The Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust are starting a Parent/Carer Support Group at Cafe on the Corner, Knutsford (94a King St, Knutsford WA16 6ED) every 4th Wednesday of the month. The first meeting is on 27th September 10-12pm. To register your interest, email Becky: becky@cheshireandwarringtoncarers.org
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Programme:
Triple P is an evidence-based parenting programme. It gives parents simple and practical strategies to help them build strong, healthy relationships, confidently manage their children’s behaviour and prevent problems developing. The Fear-less course is also available for families who experience anxiety. Triple P Steppingstones is an online course to support families with behaviour strategies related to ASD and ADHD . Triple P online courses are available across Cheshire, please follow this link: https://www.triplep-parenting.uk.net/uk/triple-p/?cdsid=fkh9ep1jhhrev0j5dbmafpicfs
Peak Sleep:
Peak Sleep provides holistic family support for neurodiverse children experiencing significant sleep problems across Cheshire East. Referrals are made through your paediatrician, who will be able to explain if you are eligible: https://www.peaksleep.co.uk/service-page/autism-behaviour-support
Cheshire Autism Practical Support
https://www.cheshireautism.org.uk/
Space4Autism 'Open Space' Support Sessions:
https://space4autism.com/open-space/
ADHD Foundation:
https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/
FREE Speech and language, OT, and many other SEND resources for families and schools
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD):
Developmental Co-Ordination Disorder (Dyspraxia):
https://dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/
Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC):
National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS):
Bladder and Bowel UK:
https://www.bbuk.org.uk/children-young-people/resources-for-children/
Emotionally Healthy Children and Young People parent training:
https://www.mymind.org.uk/resources/training/training-parents
Young Minds
NHS Support for children with disabilities
https://www.nhs.uk/livewell/childrenwithalearningdisability/pages/education.aspx
BBC Tiny, Happy People
Child development and milestones - Find out about your child's brain development and how they come to understand the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/science-and-facts
Children's Adventure Farm Trust
The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust is based at the beautiful Booth Bank Farm, a 17th Century farmhouse set in the heart of the Cheshire countryside. They provide a variety of free programmes for terminally ill, disabled and disadvantaged children from all over the North West. CAFT offers day visits as well as short residential stays.
If you would prefer a hard copy of any the information on any part of the website then please contact school directly and we will get a paper copy to you.