SEN

Details are provided below for the SEN (Special Educational Needs) policy across Knutsford Multi-Academy Trust including the School/College and Studio School.

Knutsford Multi-Academy Trust has the highest expectations for all of its students, irrespective of age, ability or learning need. Quality First Teaching will for many students ensure that work is tailored and differentiated in such a way as to allow this to happen. However, some students inevitably have additional learning needs that act as a barrier to them making the required progress.

The SEN team at Knutsford Academy is committed to ensuring that these students are supported on a daily basis and work within the revised SEND Code of Practice. The team is comprised of a SENCO and HLTA Intervention Manager in our Inclusion Resource Centre working strategically with seven classroom teaching assistants. An Assistant Headteacher overseas the teams work.

Provision for students with additional needs comprises of:

Identification and initial assessment initially come from either the previous school in transition, parents or teachers. If an additional learning need is identified then a tailored intervention programme is designed and teaching staff informed via the student support registers. Three categories of need are used:

• First Concerns
• SEN Support
• Educational Health and Care Plans

Intervention programmes vary according to individual students but can include:

• Support for differentiation within lessons by class teachers
• Discrete withdrawal from curriculum areas for bespoke lireracy and numeracy programmes
• Key worker assigned to monitor progress across the curriculum;
• TA support for EHCP students
• Access to breakfast and homework clubs
• Speech and language therapy and EAL
• Accommodation of medical needs
• Lunchtime haven for vulnerable students
• Software available from school or home
• Laptops for use in lessons
• Additional 1 to 1 GCSE tuition from subject teachers for SEN LAC students

In addition students can also access a learning website to support both reading and spelling, the website can be accessed via www.idlcloud.co.uk

SEN team’s work is constantly reviewed but some highlights include:

• SEN student survey sample revealed that students most valued 1 to 1 modelling and explanation of tasks by a class teacher as well as the close support of a TA
• SEN student survey sample revealed that students feel that they are set more than enough homework and challenged to work hard in class.
• Over 50 students between Years 9 – 11 have completed alternative accreditation in English and Maths Functional Skills
• 23 students from Years 7-8 are withdrawn for corrective reading and literacy work in the Westfield Drive Inclusion Resource Centre
• Over 80% of SEN students across Years 7-10 are currently tracking as being either on or above target