Princes Risborough School

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Department (SEND)

 Overview

The school is fully committed to supporting students who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We aim for them to learn and achieve their full potential. We work following the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and the graduated approach.

The school has a dedicated Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and an EHCP. Places within the ARP are allocated by the Local Authority. This is part of the larger SEND department at the school.

The SEND department is led by the Assistant Headteacher (SENDCo). They are supported by an Assistant SENDCo, SEN Manager, Intervention Leads and an EAL Coordinator and a strong team of dedicated Assistant Teachers. Assistant Teachers support students with progress and learning in lessons alongside teachers in a collaborative manner. They may also support students with social and emotional wellbeing, or with interventions on a one to one or small group basis such as occupational therapy, communication skills or social skills. 

Our intervention Leads and EAL Coordinator run specialised intervention programmes to improve literacy and numeracy skills. They also deliver interventions on social and communication skills and emotional regulation. They follow the graduated approach as set out in the SEND Code of Practice, including monitoring and assessment of the impact of their interventions. 

• Sarah Kallay
  SENDCO
  Sarah Kallay

• Karen Geddes
  Assistant SENDCO
  Karen Geddes

• Sarah Lintott
  Assistant SENDCO
  Sarah Lintott

• Linda Williams
  SEND Manager
  Linda Williams

• Matt Stone
  EAL Co-ordinator
  Matt Stone

• Louise Tuvey
  Interventions
  Louise Tuvey

• Yvonne Stevens
  Interventions
  Yvonne Stevens

Teaching and Learning

Once students have been identified as having a Special Educational Need, their individual needs will be shared with the teaching staff. Students will have a Person Centred Learning Plan (PCLP) created which will outline their needs and how this can be supported by teachers through Quality First Teaching (QFT). If needs require more specialised intervention outside of normal curriculum lessons, this will be addressed through one or more of the interventions offered in school.  Support may include:

• Targeted and specific interventions
• Key Worker point of contact for individual students.
• Referral to outside agencies such as CAMHS, speech and language therapy or occupational therapy.

The types of interventions currently offered are wide ranging and student centred. These include those below: 

Literacy- including, Lexia, Rapid English, Read Write Inc and phonics development

Numeracy- including Rapid Maths and Cracking Times Tables

Social and Communication skills- Zones of Regulation, Talkabout, Talk about teenagers, Social stories. We also ensure our social and communication skills programme supports work in PSHE around areas such as relationships, online safety, self esteem and mental wellbeing, and risks and dangers.

Speech and Language therapy including Black Sheep language support, Talkabout, Assertiveness and Visualising and Verbalising.

Academic mentoring

Revision techniques and exam preparation- focusing on methods of revision of students SEND and how to prepare physically and emotionally for exams.

The department is made up of numerous different rooms where support can be accessed. There are two larger rooms used as social areas at break times and lunchtimes. One is also used as a classroom for larger group interventions. In this room, there are also drawers where some students can store their books and PE kit and receive help for organisation skills.

There are also 2 smaller rooms for small group intervention and  2 rooms for one to one sessions such as speech therapy. 

Department staff liaise closely with outside agencies in order to maximise support for students with SEND. The department is fortunate enough to have spaces where students can meet with therapists, which is usually specified in EHCPs such as:

• Speech and Language Therapists
• Educational Psychologists
• Specialist Teaching Service for ASD, Cognition and Learning, Hearing impairment etc
• CAMHS
• Buckinghamshire Council SEND Team.

Additional Resourced Provision (ARP)

Students who are allocated a place in the ARP are part of the main school at PRS. They however have more targeted and bespoke support than other SEND students at the school. All students who have been allocated at the ARP have an Education, Health and Care Plans and places are allocated by the local authority. There are a specified number of places available. Admissions are through the SEND team at Buckinghamshire Council and will be allocated following the formal consultation process. 

Students who attend the ARP have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which affects social interaction, language and communication. Students with ASD may have difficulties in the following areas:

• Interacting with others appropriately, and understanding the perspective of other people.
• Using both non-verbal (body language and gesture) and verbal communication.
• Generalising what they have been taught to other situations.
• Thinking imaginatively.
• Sensory processing.
• Emotional understanding.

All students attached to the ARP are included in the academic and social life of Princes Risborough School and there is close liaison between all staff that work within SEND and the school staff to ensure support is in place.

The ARP is able to offer a calm and structured environment. Students join their peers in the classroom and other settings during the school day. The SEND Department is there to ensure that students attached to the ARP have full access to the Curriculum, receiving their education wherever possible together with their peers in the mainstream classroom.

On the occasions where integration into the regular classroom is not deemed appropriate for an individual or small group, the lesson takes place within the SEND department. The  aim, however, is to integrate the students wherever possible, providing the level of support appropriate to their needs and prepare them for the next stage of education, training or employment.   

Working With Parents

Partnership with parents is a vital aspect of our work in the SEND department. Sharing information and perceptions will enhance our understanding of the students and subsequently our ability to support and further their development.

If you think your child has a special education need please do contact the school to discuss this further.

Mrs Kallay: Assistant Headteacher (SENDCo) skallay@prsbucks.com

Mrs Williams: SEN Manager- lwilliams@prsbucks.com 

Visits to the School

The SEND team at PRS welcomes visits from prospective parents. Please contact the school to make an appointment.   

Further Information

Further Information can be found in the  SEND Policy and Annual SEND information report.

For more information about services and support for SEND please visit your Local Authority’s Local Offer website.

Buckinghamshire Council Local Offer

https://familyinfo.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/send/

Oxfordshire County Council Local Authority

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/children-education-and-families/education-and-learning/special-educational-needs-and-disability-local-offer

 

• SEND Annual Report