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Frequently Asked Questions (SEN)

Can you meet the needs of my child?

The school supports students with a variety of physical, sensory, learning, emotional and mental health needs. We would need to liaise with your son/daughter’s school, and yourselves, to find out the needs of your son/daughter to consider whether we can meet their needs.

 

My child has an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP), how do I get a place at your school for him/her?

Seek advice from the Local Authority on the procedure.

 

If my child has an EHCP and we name your school as one of the schools we would like him/her to attend, what happens next?

Again, seek advice from the Local Authority; however, in school, the SENCo receives a list of the EHCP students that have shown an interest in joining the school. The SENCo is then sent information on each of the students - which primary school they attend, their EHCP, sometimes their most recent Annual Review document and a consultation letter stating how long the SENCo has before they have to send a letter back to the LA stating whether they feel that the child’s needs can be met by the school or not. This decision is made via a visit to the primary school where the child is often observed in class and conversations take place between the secondary SENCo, primary SENCo and other primary school staff.

 

If my child has an EHCP and gets a place at your school, what happens next?

The two SENCos communicate further to ensure the transition is successful. If more transition visits are needed, these are organised. Also, the final annual review before leaving primary school, if it hasn’t happened already, will be attended by the Vyners SENCo and possibly one of the LSAs who may be supporting your child when at Vyners.

 

Do you have a fully accessible building?

No, the school is not fully accessible and there are therefore some restrictions regarding meeting the needs of some physical difficulties. 

 

Do you have a Specialist Resource Provision?

Yes for students who have an EHCP naming Hearing Impairment as their primary need.

 

What facilities do the Learning Support department have?

There are three rooms which are dedicated to the department. Two of the rooms are teaching rooms where small group teaching takes place, the other room houses some computers where students can work independently. 

 

How many staff do you have in the Learning Support department?

A SENCo, an administrator and 17 Learning Support Assistants (not all full-time).

 

How does the school identify young people with special educational needs?

We work closely with feeder primary schools and ensure we receive all necessary information on levels, targets and support requirements of each student. The SENCo, along with the help of others in the Learning Support team, meets, or communicates with, primary SENCos before the students start at Vyners School which allows us to get to know the students and identify any areas of concern at an early stage. Students complete some testing at the start of Year 7 which gives us a greater insight into their learning needs. Students are monitored throughout their school career by teachers and support staff. Any concerns are flagged up and dealt with as quickly as possible. If parents have any queries or concerns, they can contact the form tutor at any time.

 

How will Vyners School support my child in joining the school?

We work closely with feeder primary schools and ensure we receive all necessary information. The SENCo, along with the help of others in the Learning Support team communicates with primary SENCos before the students start at Vyners School. All students attend a Transition Day in the summer term where they get to know the school and some teaching and support staff that will be working closely with them in the future. There are some students who benefit from extra visits to the school, these are identified by the primary school staff.

 

How will school staff support the young person?

Students who have SEN Support, or have an EHCP, are on their year group’s Learning Support register that all staff members have access to. The register highlights their needs and strategies on how best to support them.

 

How will the curriculum be matched to the young person’s needs?

The curriculum is made accessible to SEN students firstly through quality first teaching. Where this is, on its own, not sufficient to promote inclusion and progress, teachers, students and parents work together to implement interventions that are additional to, and different from, the ordinarily differentiated curriculum. These form part of the assess, plan, do, review cycle. We, therefore, provide targeted individual support which may include in class support, a slightly adapted curriculum, small group intervention sessions, it really depends on the individual needs of the student.

 

What qualifications will my child take by the end of Year 11?

All students study a range of level 2 qualifications which are mainly GCSEs. All students study GCSEs in the core subjects of mathematics, English language, English literature and science and then students are able to opt for other subjects such as art & design, food preparation and performing arts.

 

How will parents know how their child is doing and how to support their child’s learning?

We aim to develop close links with parents and carers. There are a number of opportunities throughout the year for parents/carers to talk to staff. Progress checks are sent home after each assessment data entry point. Parents and carers are welcome to phone or email staff with concerns or queries. Advice can be sought from individual subject teachers and the Learning Support Team on how parents can support students at home.

 

What specialist services and expertise are available at the school?

The Learning Support department has developed close relationships with specialist support services available in the local community and through the Local Authority. We also commission a private Educational Psychologist and Occupational Therapist. The Learning Support team also works closely with the Student Services Pastoral team to tap into their expertise such as counselling services, Early Intervention support etc.

 

How will students be included in activities outside the classroom and on school trips?

All students are encouraged to join in extra-curricular activities. SEN Support and EHCP students are monitored in terms of their attendance at such activities and are very much encouraged to try out clubs if they are not attending. If there is a barrier to a student attending extra-curricular activities, we try and find out what the barrier is and try to put things in place to overcome it.

 

How can I contact the SENCo?

By email, her name is Sam Kendall and her email address is skendall@vynersschool.org.uk.