SEN and Disability

Central Region Schools Trust is committed to ensuring that the necessary provision is made for every pupil in the schools’ communities.

The Trust is passionate about Inclusive education for all and welcomes a diversity of culture, religion and intellectual ability, striving to meet the needs of all young people from 3-18 with a learning difficulty, disability, disadvantage or special educational needs. The Code of Practice (2015), states that all children and young people are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress so that they:

achieve their best
become confident individuals living fulfilling lives, and
make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher education or training.

The Trust believes that all children with a Special Educational Need and disability (SEND) must have their needs recognised and assessed, with appropriate and timely intervention put in place.

All staff have due regard to general duties to promote disability equality. The Trust strives to deliver appropriate curriculum to:

Provide suitable learning challenges
Meet the students diverse learning needs
Remove the barriers to assessment and learning

To view the following policies please click HERE

Accessibility Plan
SEN, Disability & Inclusion Policy including Abbreviations
SEN Information report
SEN provision and remote learning
Supporting Children with Medical Needs Policy

Areas of Need powerpoint – Click HERE

Worcestershire Children First – Local Offer Local Offer provides information about provision families can expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people who have Special Education Needs and disability (SEND) or are disabled, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.

Worcestershire Children First – Graduate Approach Post 16 Graduate Response. Post 16 education covers both formal education and formal training through study programmes and apprenticeships. This document is intended to be used as a tool for post 16 settings and those partner agencies working with them.

SEND News Update and Latest News from Teaching School Hubs

Parent/Carer Courses and General Information

Choices : Life beyond School (next steps for year 11s) Information Booklet – Click HERE

Learning Support Department: SEN & Disabilities Inclusive Provision

No Child Left Behind

At Arrow Vale we are passionate about an inclusive education for all. The highly qualified and committed Learning Support team strives to identify and provide the best and most appropriate curriculum and emotional support to meet the individual needs of every student.

Teaching staff are highly qualified in meeting the needs of individual students within differentiated lessons and are supported by a committed and experienced team of a Director of SEND and Inclusion, HLTAs and Achievement Assistants. Additionally, the Learning Support department offers a range of support via their “Key Worker” role with some SEND and disabled students, supporting achievement, social and emotional needs. Some additional intervention is provided for students who have English as an additional language in liaison with the English Department.

There is also provision to aid students with more structured support, providing extensive opportunities for our students to learn and work beyond the classroom with our Discover Plus programme in year 9. There are break and lunchtime clubs (Learning Resource Centre ’LRC’) which provide a safe environment and opportunities to further develop students’ skills for life. The LRC is also available after school daily for a homework support club 3pm to 3.45pm (3.30pm on a Friday). The LRC has a dedicated range of ‘Dyslexia Friendly’ books which are engaging texts which are presented in a way that benefits those with dyslexia, EAL students and those that find reading challenging.

Exam Access Arrangements

Exam Access Arrangements are considered for every student in the school (external application through JCQ, Pearson and VCTC), and student voice / consultation plays an important part in this process with the SENCo and teaching staff. Medical evidence of need and a formal SEN diagnosis from a specialist is required as supporting evidence for extra time, a scribe or a reader.

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AA_regs_22-23_FINAL.pdf

Meet the Team

The Learning Support Department and the Library offer a nurturing and caring environment for learning. Students of all ages with various needs and barriers to their learning will always consider the needs and personal circumstance of others. They learn to become more tolerant of others’ experiences and become a supportive family within the school environment.

Emotional Well-Being / Mental Health

Everyone at some point needs additional support and guidance, particularly during teenage years. We have an Emotional Well-Being and Intervention / Mental Health Co-ordinator who delivers 6-week programmes to groups of students when a need has been identified. Referrals to show support already in place for that student is required, alongside permission from home. Some of the programmes we offer include:

Monday and Wednesday Lunchtime drop-ins
Anger management / Behaviour Refocus
Social skills
Raising self-esteem and confidence
Staying safe
Anxiety
Exam Stress
Self Harm
Links for Parental Support click HERE
CAMHS SPA for those students who are struggling with very low mood, suicidal thoughts, chronic self-harm, chronic eating disorders or severe phobias/OCD.
Mental Health Support Teams in Schools For those students who do not quite reach the threshold to be accepted by CAMHS but who have mild to moderate issues with anger, behaviour, low mood, anxiety, sleep issues, obsessive compulsive disorder or phobias
Clued Up Coaching For students who need support with changing their negative mindset or setting future goals
Touchstones Bereavement services (we can only refer, at the earliest, 12 weeks after the bereavement
Reach For Wellbeing For those students who have received support in school already for issues such as low mood, anxiety, low self-esteem. Episodes of self-harm bur who do not reach the threshold for CAMHS
Head Gym For students who need support with changing their negative mindset or setting future goals and supporting with low mood and low self esteem
Mentor Link For students who need support with improving confidence and overcoming issues such as low self esteem
CRUSH For those students who have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse. The purpose of CRUSH is to provide an awareness of what constitutes a healthy and unhealthy relationship
YMCA For students who need support with improving confidence and overcoming issues such as low self esteem
School Nurse For students who need support with healthy eating, weight loss, emotional wellbeing and emotional resilience

Extended Specialist Services

The Learning Support department works collaboratively with safeguarding, attendance and the pastoral student support team, alongside a range of outside agencies / external professionals to assess, identify and support students with additional needs. These include:

SEND Supported – SEND Training & Support – Warwickshire SEND Supported works with schools across the West Midlands to promote improved outcomes for learners with SEND.
SENDIASS are the SEND information, Advice and Support Service covering Herefordshire and Worcestershire. They have a dedicated team of advisors offering legally-based and easily accessible information and advice about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Medical Education Team – Worcestershire Children First Education Services The Medical Education Team discharges the duty of the Local Authority in ensuring that arrangements are in place for pupils who are unable to attend school because of their medical needs, to have appropriate and ongoing access to education.
Chadsgrove Outreach Support School (Physical Disabilities) / Occupational Therapy Team / Dyslexia Pathway
CAMHS, CAMHS Cast and CAMHS Spa / Peartree Centre; Stratford CAMHs CAMHS is a multi-disciplinary team made up of Psychiatrists, Nurses, Social Workers, Psychologist with all specialist training of working in mental health with children and young people.
Umbrella Pathway (ASD) The Umbrella pathway is an assessment and diagnostic pathway which assess children and young people for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism is the name for a range of conditions that affect a person’s social interaction, communication and imagination.
Community Paediatrics (Medical e.g. ADHSD/Well-being) Community Paediatricians work closely with children young people and families and also teams and professionals from education settings and social care to ensure that a child is looked after in a joined up way in every environment they experience.
Touchstones – Bereavement Support Touchstones is a Child Bereavement Support. Its a small, local charity with one very simple aim – to be there for any bereaved child and young person.
Cranstoun delivers the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) service for 16+ year olds, which works with those at high risk of harm from intimate partners, ex-partners or family members to secure their safety and the safety of their children.
Speech and Language Therapy Team
Hearing and Visual Impairment Team work with schools and settings to promote inclusive practice and positive outcomes for children and young people with visual hearing and multisensory impairments.
Resolve Psychology are made up with a number of highly specialised clinical psychologists, nurse specialists and CBT Therapists who work together to ensure that as a service they offer timely, effective and non-judgemental support. They are a passionate team who ensure that they treat everyone in a friendly, compassionate and supportive manner.
Social Care Support – The Family Front Door, Initial Contact and Referral Team is the central point for all referrals for children and young people aged 0 to 18 years and living in Worcestershire where there is safeguarding or child protection concerns for them.
National Autistic Society provide support, guidance and advice.
Dyslexia Action provides confidential information and advice about dyslexia and the challenges it can pose.
ADHD The UK ADHD Partnership supports clinicians and allied professionals to identify and meet the needs of children and young people affected by this disorder. ADHD is now a recognised as a condition that may cross the lifespan and there are multi-modal interventions for ADHD that can be delivered at any age.

Progress

Students who are identified for additional literacy and numeracy support, are guided towards a Progress Option at the start of Year 10. The pathway taught by English and Maths Staff offers students opportunities to gain confidence in both subject areas through pre-teaching in small groups. The aim of these sessions is to promote a love of learning, to enhance confidence and self-esteem and learn important cross-curricular skills that are required within regular mainstream lessons. The option will enable the students to be entered for accredited qualifications: Functional Skills English – level 1 and 2; Entry Level Maths and Entry Level Science

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

With a growing number of students arriving at Arrow Vale, from a diverse number of birth cultures, there is a growing need to provide further language support. An EAL Achievement Assistant will support students who arrive at school with English as an additional language. Students where possible, will have the opportunity to study for a GCSE in their native tongue, for example: Polish, Spanish or Russian.

The support and intervention will also assist students further in all academic areas, which will enable them to become more confident and sociable individuals within society.

Feedback / Contact Us

If you have any feedback about the work the Learning Support Team do, please feel free to fill in our feedback forms to ensure we are always listening to suggestions from parents/carers voice.