Plympton Academy: SEND Information Report
1. The kinds of Special Educational Needs for which provision is made at the Academy
All students are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum that is differentiated to meet their individual needs. At Plympton Academy, we support each of our students to achieve their full potential academically and socially, both within the school and in the wider community. Provision will be made for those whose needs are not easily met within the normal academic and pastoral curriculum so that they may remain as fully integrated as possible.
At Plympton Academy we recognise that SEND is most effectively managed within a three tiered staged approach. Intervention will be carefully managed in conjunction with support and advice from specialist services, where appropriate, in order to meet the needs of the students as comprehensively as possible.
What does having a special educational need mean?
The 2014 Code of Practice states that:
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:
have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.
Where a child or young person has a disability or health condition which requires special educational provision to be made, they will be covered by the SEN definition.
What can Plympton Academy provide for a student with SEND?
All students have access to a broad and balanced curriculum delivered by qualified teachers who will differentiate their lessons to meet the needs of the individual students. Many students with an Education, Health and Care Plan may have some support in lessons from a Teaching Assistant. Other support we can offer includes:
Bespoke 1:1 intervention session e.g Emotion Regulation
Bespoke small group interventions e.g. social skills
Staffed rooms from 8.00am before school
Supported break and lunch activities in the SEND area known as 'The Bridge'
Homework Support Club – Tuesday to Friday 3.15 - 3.50pm
Enhanced Transition arrangements from primary school
Enhanced Transition arrangements to post-16
We also access support and advice from a range of agencies including:
Local Authority SEND Support Team
Educational Psychology Service
Speech and Language Therapists
Communication Interaction Team
CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Child Development Centre
2. How does Plympton Academy identify and assess students with SEND?
Identification of SEND can come from a variety of different routes. Students with SEND at their primary schools will often continue to need support and their progress will be monitored by our SENDCo. When a student starts at Plympton Academy they will undertake a number of assessments e.g Cognitive Aptitude testing (CATs) to allow us to identify a student’s abilities and any areas of need.
Teachers, parents and professionals from outside agencies will raise any concerns with the student’s pastoral team and /or the SENDCo directly.
3. How the Academy monitors the effectiveness of provision for students with SEND
a) The effectiveness of the Academy’s provision is reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team through termly Standards Meetings and include evaluation of student data, advice from outside agencies and student voice.
b) The SENDCo and Pastoral Leader review student progress on a termly basis to ensure that all students are making expected levels of progress.
c) All students have access to a broad and balanced curriculum and are encouraged and supported to achieve their full potential.
d) It is the responsibility of the class teacher to differentiate each lesson to meet the needs of individual students. Where necessary, advice and support will be sought from the SENDCo and specialist advisory agencies.
e) Additional support available to students includes TA support, supported homework sessions, supported catch-up sessions, mentoring, access to ICT to support learning as well as the more bespoke packages of intervention like the social skills programmes.
f) The SENDCo meets regularly with the Educational Psychologist, Communication Interaction Team (CIT), Visual Impairment Advisory Team (VI) and Hearing Impairment Advisory Team (HI).
4. Contact details of our SEND Co-ordinator
Ms H Barber Email: heidi.barber@plymptonacademy.tsat.uk - SENDCo
Nr N Edmonds Email: martin.edmonds@plymptonacademy.tsat.uk - Deputy SENDCo
5. Our support and teaching staff take part in ongoing CPD around special educational needs and disabilities.
6. The Academy holds regular review meetings following termly Progress Reviews.
The SENCo is available on these occasions. To make an appointment please contact Heidi Barber.
7. Students with identified SEND are central in the planning of any additional support and/or interventions.
8. The Academy complaints procedure can be found here:
TSAT Complaints Procedure
9. The Academy works closely with a variety of external agencies to help us meet the needs of students with SEND
This includes:
Local Authority SEND Team
Educational Psychology Service
The Communication Interaction Team (Communication)
The Communication Interaction Team (Language)
Visual Impairment Advisory Team
Hearing Impairment Advisory Team
Speech and Language Therapy
Service Families Children / Naval Welfare
Social Services
Careers South West
ACE (Alternative Centre for Education)
Plymouth Information and Advice and Support for SEND (PIAS)
10. Strong transition arrangements are in place to support students with SEND in transitions between phases of education and in preparation for adulthood and independent living.
Our SENDCo visits Year 6 students with SEND at primary school and organises an enhanced transition programme each year in collaboration with the primary school SENDCo’s.
All Key Stage 4 students with EHCPs are invited to meet with the Careers Advisor from CSW to create a clear pathway forward for post-16 provision.
11. The local offer from Plymouth Local Education Authority
This can be found here.
12. Details of independent parent support are available from Plymouth Information Advice and Support for SEND (PIAS).
Information can be found at PIAS or telephone 01752 258933.
