St Michael's Academy

St Michael’s Academy -  Graduated Response to Additional Needs

How we are trying to support your child at St. Michael’s Academy?

We update the SEND support register regularly.  You are not required to provide an agreement, but we are under obligation to inform you of our decision to include on the register.  We will also inform you if your child is removed from the register in the future.

What is a SEND Support register?

This is a record of all the children in our setting who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or a disability.  This makes it easier for the SENCo, teaching and support staff, management and governors to monitor those pupils who may need a little extra help.  We also have a watch list for pupils that are of concern in a particular area.  Sometimes pupils move from the watch list to SEND Support and back again depending on provision that is different from or additional to that of their peers. 

Why is my child on the SEND Support register?

Any child who requires school support that is ‘additional to or different from that required by their peers’ or whose progress is significantly lower than their age-related expectations or who has a disability that prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age, will be placed on our SEND support register.  Any child on the SEND support register who has been identified as having a special educational need and/or disability will be supported to help them progress.  This may be through the class teacher, separate intervention programmes and/or through the referral to support services if needed.

What does this mean for my child?

If your child is placed on the SEND Support register, then they will be receiving additional, differentiated support, with methods and timings appropriate to the severity of their need.  Sometimes this will be a specific intervention.  Sometimes it may involve particular approaches/training of adults in the classroom in order for a pupil access the curriculum.  The SENCo will work closely with your child’s class teacher as well as other professionals who can advise and contribute to your child’s learning and developmental needs, helping to ensure your child reaches their full potential.  

Will my child always be on the SEND Support register?

This may vary.   Children with significant needs may remain on the SEND Support register throughout their schooling because they will always need additional support.  Other children may only need help for a short time and once they no longer demonstrate that need, they will be removed from the SEND Support register in discussion with the class teacher and parents/guardians.

How do we identify additional needs:

We have a robust system for children with SEND and have put in place a robust strategy to ensure that all needs are identified and recorded as soon as possible.  We have also been working hard to ensure that parents are made aware of our observations and have the opportunity to be part of our processes.  Below is a brief outline of our system:

Step 1:  Early identification of need and outline of provision

• If a teacher has a concern, classroom strategies and approaches can be changed to meet the needs of a pupil.  Class teachers and supporting adults are actively encouraged to use the Somerset Graduated Response Tool.  This gives explicit direction for what needs to be in place in the classroom at a universal provision.  They can be discussed in the year group at pupil progress meetings that take place 3 times a year. 

Step 2:   ‘Assess, Plan, Do Review’ Cycle

• If a child continues to demonstrate difficulties, requiring support/interventions beyond high quality differentiated classroom teaching, then the class teacher will begin the ‘Initial Concerns’ document which is triaged by the teacher and the additional needs team and provides a wider and more detailed investigation into the barriers faced by the pupil.  
• A process of Assess Plan Do Review (APDR) is put in place for pupils.   It is recorded on a document called the APDR.  This combines a short pupil profile, which outlines strengths, difficulties and support in place.   If difficulties continue, the pupil is considered to be placed on the SEND support register.  This ensures a close watch on progress:  the APDR is formally updated 3x a year where needed and contibuted to by pupil, parent or guardian and teacher during pupil progress evenings.  
•  The APDR offers specific SMART targets and parental involvement.
•  All SEND records are passed to the next school when the pupil moves on. 
• The APDR  is updated termly, usually January, April and July and often involves discussion between yourself and the class teacher.  Some children may need these updating half termly, depending on their needs. 
• The Initial Concern document and the APDR become the evidence of Assess Plan, Do, Review.
• These documents will remain on file throughout your child’s time at school although it may not always need to be active.
• New outcomes and reviews with parents can be added to the APDR and monitored on our Intervention Map so that staff working with your child can see the targets and progress already made.

Step 3: EHA (Early Health Assessment)

• If we need to support your child through involvement external services, your child’s class teacher – in discussion with myself – will complete an EHA form.  They will then go through this with you before submitting.    This is a single, multi-agency form for all referrals. 

Step 4: EHCP (Education Health Care Plan)

• Finally, for a very small number of our children (those with the most complex needs) we may need to apply for an EHCP.  This can be a long and often complicated process requiring huge amounts of evidence amassed over time.  Parents, teachers, support staff, external professionals and our own additional needs team would all be involved.