SEND Guide

At Holy Cross to support children with SEND we:

• Follow the SEND Code of Practice and other guidance and legislation.
• We use the Thurrock Provision Guidance document and follow Thurrock protocols for referrals and assessments.
• This forms the basis of our school Inclusion Policy and Local Offer (both can be found on our website).
• All staff have orange SEND folders with policies, guidance and individual pupil details, plans, reports and information.
• All staff receive annual SEND training at the start of the academic year and updates throughout the year.
• All staff have received training from the Autism Education Trust as part of the Thurrock provision.
• If we have any questions, queries or want support we talk to the SENCO – Mrs Westrop.
• Our SEND Governor is Mrs Rachel Thomas.

SEND Code of Practice 6.37  ‘High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN’   so…….   ‘Every teacher a teacher of SEND’

In addition to Quality First Teaching SEN Support pupils at Holy Cross are supported by:

• The Thurrock Provision Guidance document, The Whole School Send Teacher Handbook and the Special Educational Needs Mainstream Schools Guidance Report to help inform planning and to find supportive strategies.

• We use termly Pupil Support Plans (October, February and May) to monitor progress and set targets following the ‘assess, plan, do, review’ process and these are shared with parents as part of SEN drop-in days.
• Follow advice from external professionals or make referrals to relevant external professionals.
• Reinforce oral instructions and communication with visual and tactile support.
• Flexible grouping
• Use visual prompts, such as a visual timetable.
• Teaching and learning objectives that allow progress.
• Allowing extra time and the style of delivery where needed
• A practically-based curriculum supported by multi-sensory teaching and learning which addresses all types of learners.
• A home-school book is used when a child may be unable to communicate accurately or has difficulty expressing feelings and emotions. 
• Use of technology
• A focused learning environment.
• A quiet area or zone of regulation area for children who may become stressed during the day
• Staff are consistent when applying rules; and remind and rehearse them regularly.
• Constantly revise and reinforce learning.
• Help children build friendships; use buddies, playleaders, counselling.
• Celebrating differences and helping other children to recognise and celebrate those differences too.
• Facilitating independence, not impeding it.
•  

 SEND Code of Practice 6.37  9.14 “the local authority should consider whether there is evidence that despite the … school …. having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of the child or young person, the child or young person has not made expected progress”.

so…….‘Every teacher and support staff member a teacher of SEND’

In addition to Quality First Teaching EHCP pupils at Holy Cross are supported by:

• Everything a child at SEN Support would receive.
• All EHCP pupils have a home school communication book for daily updates.
• Multi-agency working at a higher level.
• Following the provision in the EHCP and any additional medical/speech and language/physio/OT care plans
• 1:1, small group and whole class provision and intervention.
• Annual reviews as well as termly reviews.
• All staff aware of all EHCP pupils and their needs.

We are supported by Thurrock Local Authority

Andrea Winstone – Strategic Lead for School Effectiveness and SEND

AWinstone@thurrock.gov.uk

Thurrock SEN Caseworks – sen@thurrock.gov.uk

Thurrock Parent Advisory Team Thurrock (PATT) – www.patt.org.uk