SEND

Flixton Girls School values all its students. The school firmly believes that each student should be given equality of opportunity to achieve their full potential – academically and socially – by recognising the uniqueness of each individual and providing a rich and varied learning experience for all and focusing on achieving the best possible outcomes.

Each student, regardless of their ability, is entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum, which is relevant to their educational needs. The curriculum offered should give all students a sense of achievement and thereby help them develop. We aim to ensure that:

• Students with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) are educated, wherever possible, in an inclusive environment alongside their peers to enable each student to reach their full potential.
• We foster an atmosphere in which SEND students feel valued and can develop a sense of confidence, self-worth and achievement.
• Students with learning difficulties can access their entitlement of a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum as part of the whole school community.
• We match levels of additional support for learning to the wide variety of individual learning difficulties, while enhancing self-esteem.
• We identify and assess students with SEND as early and as thoroughly as possible using the revised Code of Practice (2014)
• Parents/carers and students are fully involved in the identification and assessment of SEND, and that we work in close partnership with all agencies concerned, using a multi -agency approach.
• We meet the needs of all students with SEND by offering appropriate and flexible forms of educational provision, by the most efficient use of all available resources.
• We maintain up to date knowledge of current SEND good practice and methodology in order to offer support and training in these areas to all staff in our school.
• We maintain links with other schools to share and develop our practice. The school’s provision for SEND is defined as support which is additional to or different from that which is available to all students.

The school’s provision for SEND is defined as support which is additional to or different from that which is available to all students.

At Flixton Girls School, we recognise that students make progress at different rates. Therefore, students are identified as having SEND in a variety of ways:

• Liaison with primary school/previous school.
• The student is performing significantly below expected levels for a sustained period.
• Concerns raised by parents/carer.
• Concerns raised by teachers through our Inclusion referral system.
• Information from external agencies such as Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Children, Families and Social Care (CFSC) and Children Services (CS).

If a student is identified as having SEND then their name will be added to the SEND register initially under the category ‘K’ (This is the official category given to students who require SEND support) so that teachers are aware and can support them but we recognise that students’ needs may change over time and provision must reflect this.

There are four types of Special Educational Needs (SEN) as described in the SEND Code of Practice 2014:

• Communication and interaction, for example autistic spectrum condition, social and communication difficulties and speech and language difficulties.
• Cognition and learning, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia.
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, mental health conditions.
• Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties and epilepsy.

If a student has SEND, then their needs will fit into one or more of these categories.

All subject teachers are responsible for the outcomes of students in their lessons. They are responsible for high quality teaching and learning and making the curriculum accessible to all students. Teaching staff will receive ongoing training about strategies to support learning. The SENDCo will ensure that:

• All relevant information is distributed on students’ needs so that teachers have a good understanding of the needs. The SEND Team provides advice, strategies and resources so that teachers are equipped in meeting those needs.
• Teachers and teaching assistants liaise regularly to plan for SEND students learning. • Where required there is teaching assistant support in place in classrooms.
• There are reading and maths intervention sessions offered in the SEND Team Area.
• Parents/Carers are kept informed of any changes to the provision that is in place for their child.

The following types of additional support are available, all dependent on need:

• Additional adult support in the classroom – there are 9 dedicated Teaching Assistants in the SEND department who support teachers in helping the learning of whole classes. Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will receive this support according to their needs.
• Small group sessions – these bespoke sessions are when students come out of some lessons for targeted interventions such as developing social communication, social interaction, handwriting, literacy or numeracy.
• Intervention from external agencies depending on need provided by: Educational Psychology/ Speech and Language Therapy/Sensory Support Service.

We will review the EHCP during the full Annual Review meeting every year.

Any additional provision that is in place for your child will be explained by the SENDCo or SEND Resource manager. In the case of individual/small group interventions/assessments by the Educational Psychologist or SENDCo the SEND Resource manager or lead TA will telephone parents/carers explaining the aims of the intervention. Letters, phone-calls or emails will be used to keep parents/carers updated on their child’s outcomes.

A report will be sent to the governors annually to inform them about the outcomes of students with SEND; this report does not refer to individual students and confidentiality is always maintained.  Two further Interim reports are also made available to the governing body evaluating provision and outcomes for SEND students throughout the year.

SEND provision is led by the Assistant Vice Principal, Mr Andrew Wexler. 

There is also a SEND Link Governor, Mrs Beverly Durham, who is partially responsible for the accountability of SEND provision.

All subject teachers are responsible for planning lessons that are accessible and differentiated. In some curriculum areas (English, Maths and Science) students are grouped by levels of attainment, whilst in other curriculum areas students are taught in mixed attainment groups. Students are entitled to participate in all areas of the curriculum and it is the subject teacher’s role to differentiate resources and lessons to ensure the student can access the learning. 

The SENDCo will advise teachers about strategies and resources to use to support differentiation. At Key Stage 4, students choose from a range of courses, which help to prepare them for the next steps in their learning, be that college, apprenticeships or work. Students and parents/carers are offered advice and careers guidance at the appropriate time to help make these important decisions.

Parents/carers can contact staff members by calling the school on: 0161 960 0160. If needed we can arrange face to face meetings.

School encourages good home/school communication and this can be in the following ways: 

• Every student has a school planner, which they should bring into the school every day so that comments from parents/carers and staff can be shared and responded to.
• Staff may communicate with parents/carers by face to face meetings, telephone or email. 

If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), then there are legal requirements for at least one formal meeting each year. The Annual Review is organised by the SENCO or the SEND Resource Manager. Parents/carers, students, staff, and any outside agencies involved with the student attend the review. At the annual review the student views are shared, long term outcomes are evaluated and next steps agreed. 

How does the school know how well my child is doing? Teachers, as part of their professional standards, monitor and review all students’ outcomes throughout the year. At Flixton Girls School monitoring progress includes: 

• Termly data collection, from all teachers, showing the current level of attainment of all the students they teach. This means that teachers in each subject area can track the outcomes of students across the academic year and intervene if students experience difficulties.
• In-class additional support is reviewed on a regular basis by the SEND Team. Adjustments to support are made if necessary.
• Teaching and learning is observed by senior leaders and line managers as part of the school’s performance management system. Teaching assistants are also observed through learning walks by the SENCo. 
• At the start of Year 7, students take the Cognitive Abilities Tests (CATs). Students are also tested on their reading ability. This allows us to identify when students may need further support, intervention, or additional assessment to detect any underlying difficulties.

Flixton Girls School operates a vertical house system in Years 7 to 11, which means that students from every year group are placed in Houses in mixed age form groups. This encourages older students to take the lead and support younger students in activities to develop social interaction, communication skills, respect, tolerance and British values.

Students who need support with social, emotional and mental health have the option to go to safe spaces where the students are supported by either the pastoral or SEND team. Safe spaces are available throughout the day. The SEND safe space is in the LS building. In this space, students can remain until they are able to self-regulate and return to lessons.

We also have counsellors on site throughout the week and a school nurse. Students can be referred by staff or parents/carers for support from these agencies.

If a student is unwell during the school day, then they will contact the student services team. If a student is too ill to stay at the school, their parents/carer will be contacted and asked to make arrangements for collecting them as soon as possible.

In a medical emergency, appropriate emergency procedures will be followed. Staff are made aware of students who have severe allergies or other significant health/medical needs throughout the school year. Form Tutors, Student Services Team and Head of House are the main point of contact for parents/carers about their child’s pastoral and social well-being.

Medicines for students are managed by First Aid. If a student requires medicine during the school day, the following procedures must be followed:

• All medicines must be given in person to First Aid by a parent/carer.
• The student’s name and date of birth are recorded alongside the date, time, name of medicine, and dosage.
• Depending on how the medicine needs to be stored, it will be kept in either a locked cupboard or a fridge at Student Reception.
• The student must go to Student Reception, where a First Aider will make the medication available to be taken.
• Each time the medicine is administered, the time, date and dosage will be recorded.

For additional information please refer to the medical policy

The SENDCo, Mr Andrew Wexler is an experienced teacher and Assistant Vice Principal who has worked with students at Flixton Girls School for the last five years.

The SENDCo leads the SEND department and works in partnership with the many specialist services and outside agencies, to ensure provision for students is appropriate and meets all needs.

The school works closely with any external agencies that are relevant to individual students’ needs, including:

• Health – School Health Advisor, Child Adolescent and Mental Health Service (CAMHS) paediatricians, speech & language therapists, occupational therapists.
• Children, Families and Social Care – locality teams, social workers, family intervention teams.
• LA Specialists: Psychology Services -Educational Psychologist, Specific Learning Difficulties Advisory teacher.
• Sensory Support Service – Hearing and visual impairments.
• Specialist Schools – Manor School and Edgerton School.

All staff have had training in line with the SEND Code of Practice 2014. There is an on-going rolling programme of professional development for our staff, throughout the school year.

Mr Andrew Wexler, SENDCo provides staff with training and updates. SEND training forms part of the continuing professional development of all teachers and teaching assistants and is organised in accordance with the needs of the students. The school works closely with other local schools and the Specialist Outreach Services to continue to develop our knowledge and understanding of SEND.

School trips are part of the school curriculum and we aim for all students to be included on school trips. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off-site activity to ensure everyone’s health and safety will not be compromised. This may include advice from the SENDCo where relevant.

Please see the Accessibility Policy and the Health Care policy for additional information.

The school is on one site with 4 separate buildings. The main building has been adapted so that the ground floor can be accessed by a permanent ramp and the upper floor can be accessed via a lift for wheelchair users or those with impaired mobility.
The site has disabled toilets.

There is a car park on site. The car park has parking bays for disabled badge holders, marked clearly in yellow paint.

We aim to ensure a student has a smooth transition when they join the school. Staff liaise with schools and with parents/carers before the student arrives. Information is gathered about the student’s needs and appropriate support is put into place.

Through the school’s transition programme, careful transition is planned and arranged. school staff work closely with primary schools to gather information about students, organise activities and visits to the school.

All students in Year 6 who have accepted a place at Flixton Girls School for Year 7 are invited to induction days in July. These days provide a taste of school life. The prospective students get a tour of the school and take part in lessons with different subject teachers.

Students with SEND are invited to have further transition days to ensure that they become familiar with the school.

• Information from the primary schools about students with SEND is passed on to relevant staff, as necessary.
• Parents/carers of new students are provided with information packs about the school. The SENDCo is available to meet with parents/carers and students to discuss any concerns and to offer tours of the school building.
• In the Summer term students are supported with transition to new year groups by means of information assemblies, taster sessions with new teachers and support to follow new timetables. Year 11 students are guided and supported by the Careers Advisors to make post-16 choices. Students and parents/carers are offered advice and careers guidance at the appropriate time to help make these important decisions.
• Should your child have an EHC plan then a transition plan will be developed with a Careers Advisor involved. Transition visits to post-16 providers will be arranged where necessary

All students admitted to the school after the start of the academic year are screened on entry, to identify any areas of need and to provide information to staff about the student’s learning. This information is passed on to the SENCo. You will be able to meet the SENDCo or SEND Resource Manager on the admission day. Contact is made with the previous school to ensure the transfer of information about the student. 

The new school makes a request for information and the student’s file is sent to the new school. Staff from both schools may also liaise regarding SEND needs.

We ensure that all students with SEND have their needs met to the best of the school’s ability, within the funds available. The budget is allocated on a need’s basis. The students who have the most complex needs are given the most support.  

• Tier 1 – The effective inclusion of all students in high quality teaching & learning in the classroom. Teaching and learning which is multi-sensory and well structured. Changing direction and re-shaping tasks to enhance student progress and understanding.
• Tier 2 – Additional time-limited provision in the form of small-group intervention outside of the normal classroom. Tier 2 interventions should be used for students who can be expected to ‘catch up’ with their peers because of the intervention. This would include: small-group intervention, for example, withdrawal classes during the school day, after school booster classes, holiday revision classes.
• Tier 3 – Specific targeted interventions for identified students outside of the classroom. Additional time-limited intervention and provision to enhance the progress of identified students where tiers 1 and 2 are not, on their own, having the desired effect. This will involve intensely focused teaching activities that tackle fundamental gaps in skills, knowledge and understanding which is preventing progress.
• Tier 4 – Intensive support which may include a personalised timetable, 1 to 1 support to access lessons, being educated “off-site” or outside specialist service support.

Additional information of what is on offer from Trafford local offer can be found on the website Trafford SEND Local Offer. CLICK HERE to visit the website.