Identification and Arrangements
Identification of Special Educational Needs
When children start at Springwood High School, they join from a number of Primary settings and the transition systems ensure that we receive details of their progress and successes so far, along with any information on a Special Educational Need or disability already identified by parents or health workers and education professionals.
Where this is the case, we work closely with the feeder school and family before the child joins us to make sure their transition to Springwood is as smooth as possible. Where children join us mid-year, similar procedures apply during our admissions process.
Sometimes, however, needs are not identified until a young person has been with us for some time and we are always happy to listen to concerns from parents or the young person themselves about their learning and development and will investigate these concerns further.
Information gathering takes place in a number of ways:
•Conversation with the young person and their parents
•In-school assessments, such as, word reading, spelling, reading comprehension, handwriting samples, numeracy and understanding of spoken language (depending on the need)
•Observation of the young person in class
•Feedback from teachers on specific focus areas
•Academic data
•Achievement and Behaviour Points
•Consideration of any information on file from previous settings
We work closely with other members of staff to make sure information is joined up – this could include the Year Team, Safeguarding Team, EAL Mentor, Behaviour Manager or the Literacy Coordinator.
The initial assessment and information gathering becomes our baseline or starting point when looking at next steps of support for the young person.
Assess-Plan-Do-Review and SEN Support
If there is an identified Special Educational Need for a student, we may use additional provision or different interventions to those provided within the usual adapted curriculum offer and strategies implemented by the class teacher. We will use an “Assess-Plan-Do-Review” cycle as part of our Graduated Approach for SEN Support.
We employ strategies from Norfolk’s guidance Provision Expected at SEN Support (PEASS): as well as guidance and strategies from external agencies and specialists and the SENCO.
We employ strategies from Norfolk’s guidance Provision Expected at SEN Support (PEASS), as well as guidance and strategies from external agencies and specialists and the SENCO.