SEND Transition Offer

SEND Transition to Secondary School: Our Inclusion Offer

Click here to view this statement as a pdf

Our school’s inclusion statement:

  • “No matter what your ability, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.”
    Carol Dweck, Mindset

Education is a human right. We believe that all children should feel welcome at school and supported throughout the school day. We strive for inclusion in all that we do, allowing for our students to flourish and develop in confidence.

By placing the child’s voice at the heart of their provision we support them in understanding their own needs, and developing in both confidence and independence; core skills for education, future studies and careers.

We endeavour to ensure that all students:

  • Are able to thrive within the learning environment
  • Feel well supported by reasonable adjustments to support their special educational needs
  • Most importantly, leave The Ebbsfleet Academy happy, with excellent outcomes and are able to contribute to the wider community.

Pupils on roll: 838

% of identified SEND: 13.2%

Mixed/single sex school: Mixed

 

Additional commission services:

  • Words First (SALT) – 1 day per week
  • Place2Be – full-time mental health practitioner onsite

Staffing:

  • Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning
  • SENCo
  • Deputy SENCo
  • Senior HLTA
  • HLTA for Numeracy
  • 3 Learning Support Assistants
  • SEN Admin Assistant
  • Inclusion Manager
  • 4 Pastoral Leaders (linked to colleges)
  • Head of Key Stage (linked to colleges)

Partnership working:

Specialist Teaching and Learning Services: specialist teachers work with the Academy to support a number of students within the school.

We commission educational psychology hours and use this to support students and supervise the work we complete in school.

Via the Leigh Academies Trust, we utilise the network of SENCos and the SEND Curriculum Lead, using this to support and improve our provision.

Specialism/experience: 

There is a wealth of experience within the SEN and Inclusion team:

  • The SENCo has experience in special schools, as well as being a trauma informed practitioner
  • The Deputy SENCo is a qualified Primary School teacher. This enables the SEN team to meet the needs of those students who are not yet at a Key Stage 3 curriculum level, as well as provide support and insight into the transition process
  • The Lead HLTA is a mental health first aider and has a wealth of experience in both SEN and pastoral
  • The HLTA for Literacy and Language acquisition is an experienced tutor, who has a wealth of knowledge in regards to supporting students with additional needs
  • The LSAs lead on areas of SEN, acting as SEN representatives. They complete CPD around these areas and this is publicised around the school
  • We are also currently recruiting an HLTA for Numeracy.

Home school communication (e.g. email, contact book, meetings):

All students have a tutor. This is the first point of contact for home. They meet students in the morning and at the end of day during tutor time.

Those students on the SEN register are assigned a key worker (a member of the SEN team), who will oversee their Provision Plan and will meet with the pupil and family three times a year. This is also someone you can speak with if you have a concern around their SEN support.

All students sit within a college. They have a Head of Key Stage and a Pastoral Leader who will support them pastorally, as well as monitor behaviour, attendance and engagement with learning.

Regular parents’ evenings are held throughout the academic year. This provides parents/carers the opportunity to talk to class teachers about their child’s progress in individual subjects. The SENCo is always present at these events.

For high need students (EHCP etc.) weekly emails can be arranged, however this is based on need and is not the normal way of working.

Using the Mainstream Core Standards to successfully include all pupils

Successful strategies to support all pupils with SEND or who may be vulnerable

Wrap around support for students with SEN: meet and greet in the Hub, lunch and break club in the Hub and a SEN specific homework group twice a week.

All students on the SEN register are issued with a Pupil Passport. This is shared with teaching and support staff and details how best to support students with their learning. Most importantly it captures the student’s voice and allows them to lead how they are supported within the classroom.

The Academy uses Universal Design for Learning. This ensures that lessons are appropriately scaffolded and differentiated for all learners. Adaptive teaching is at the core of our teaching and learning principals, ensuring that no child is left behind.

Additional Relevant Information

The Academy has a SEN base called the Hub. This is manned by the Learning Support assistants and is open before and after school, as well as during break and lunch. Students who would benefit from this provision are issued with a Hub pass. Our Learning Resource Centre (LRC) is a part of this provision, and provides a learning base for interventions, as well as break and lunch club where bespoke clubs run in order to develop social skills.

The SEN provision is known as Endeavour. This is managed by the SENCo and Inclusion manager. Via the school referral system, weekly ‘team around the child’ meetings are held with the Pastoral Leaders. Those students who require support, above and beyond the universal offer and their Pupil Passports are referred to the team and appropriate interventions and/or external support is sought.

Pupil/parent voice/quotes/testimonials about the Hub

  • “I like the Hub, because it is calming and you can just sit down and relax. No one is mean.”
  • “I like the Hub because it is calm and chill. There is no shouting which is nice.”
  • “I like being here [Ebbsfleet] because it is fun and enjoyable.”
  • Parent of a year 7 student with an EHCP
    “I just know you are doing everything to help my son. The support you give him is wonderful, I can’t thank you enough.”
  • Parent of a year 8 student
    ‘I am so happy [my son] has progressed. He is now doing the same work as others. And he loves the Hub. He talks about that at home.’
  • Parent of a year 11 student
    “The SEN team this year have really helped our daughter. They understand her and have supported her, even without her formal diagnosis’.

C & I Provision

  • LEGO Therapy
  • PEERs Intervention Programme
  • Social Stories
  • Circle of Friends
  • Timeout Cards

C & L Provision

  • All students have access to a Chromebook
  • Read and Write assistive technology
  • Coloured exercise books
  • Timetabled Literacy and Numeracy interventions (Years 7, 8 & 9)
  • Comprehension interventions
  • Phonics Interventions

Physical Disability Provision
e.g. accessible routes

  • Movement Pass
  • Early Exit Pass
  • Lift Pass
  • Buddy System

SEMH Provision

  • Zones of Regulation
  • RAG cards
  • Place2Be and Place2Talk
  • Talkabout for Teenagers: range of interventions through this programme
  • Think Good, Feel Good
  • Mental Health First Aiders
  • Art Therapy/Drawing and Talking
  • Adaptive behaviour support route via HLTAs

Sensory Needs

  • Sensory circuits
  • Sensory Room
  • Sensory areas in the Hub
  • Fiddle Toys
  • Doodle Books
  • Ear defenders and Loops are allowed, and written into support plans