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West Drayton Academy is an inclusive mainstream primary school and we believe that every child deserves an education which ensures that their full potential is achieved personally, emotionally and academically.
What kind of Special Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are provided for at West Drayton Academy?
At West Drayton Academy, a graduated approach to SEND is followed, as outlined in the 2015 SEND Code of Practice. We continually evaluate the effectiveness of our provision for children with SEND. Children with a broad range of needs are supported, including:
- Communication and interaction needs
- Cognition and learning needs
- Social, emotional and mental health needs
- Physical and/or sensory needs
You will find all information regarding how we identify and support these needs, in our SEND Policy with additional details outlined in the Information Report.
How does the school identify children with SEND and assess their needs?
WDA implements a continuous cycle of planning, teaching and assessing which takes account of the wide range of abilities, aptitudes and interests of children. Class teachers will make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:
- Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
- Fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
- Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
- Widens the attainment gap
This may include progress in areas other than attainment such as social needs. Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a child is recorded as having SEN.
Parents, teachers or the child themselves may indicate that the child is experiencing difficulties. Sometimes another professional may have noticed something that warrants extra support.
Where there is a concern, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinators (SENDCO) work with teachers to assess children’s needs and advise teachers on the best support. The SENDCO may consult with other professionals and specialists, with parent’s permission, when additional assessment is necessary.
If a child does not make satisfactory progress after receiving appropriate intervention, advice from outside agencies may be sought and further intervention may be put into place. If satisfactory progress is not made at this stage, a request for Early Support Funding or an Education, Health and Care Plan may be made by the SENCO or parents. The register is reviewed on a termly basis in line with school assessment arrangements.
What is the school’s approach to teaching children with SEND?
We are a fully inclusive school that uses a range of approaches to meet the needs of pupils with SEN. High quality teaching is our first step in responding to pupils who have SEN. Some of the approaches we use to ensure all children’s needs are met include differentiation of the curriculum, scaffolding e.g. through the use of visual support, small group work, 1:1 support or teaching. Approaches are reviewed on a termly basis and adapted to ensure that each child is receiving the most appropriate support.
We are committed to ensuring that EVERY child receives a high quality education regardless of those needs and that where those needs arise, targeted, high quality support is provided - for the child and, where appropriate, for their family.
We have good links with a range of outside specialist agencies, including the Hillingdon Educational Psychology Service, SEND Advisory team, and the Hillingdon Children’s Integrated Therapy Service (CITS) which includes Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.
What additional support is provided for pupils with SEND?
We emphasise the importance of quality first teaching for all pupils but recognise that some pupils may require additional support to enable them to access the curriculum and make progress.
In line with SEND Code of Practice (2015), we follow the graduated approach to SEND identification, support and provision. This means we follow a four-part cycle of assess, plan, do, review.
Assess: A clear analysis of the pupil’s need in relation to SEND should be carried out and reviewed regularly. This will include teachers’ assessments and experiences of the pupil, their previous progress and attainment, the views of the pupil and their family and additional advice from the SENCO and/or any external agencies.
Plan: Where SEN Support is required, the teacher, with advice where needed from the SENCO, puts together a Record of SEN Support detailing expected outcomes and the strategies, approaches and interventions that are going to be put into place in order to achieve the expected outcomes. Parental views are sought and recorded on the SEN Record of Support.
Do: The teacher then implements the plan, liaising closely with any LSAs or specialist teachers who are involved in providing the support set out in the plan
Review: The impact and quality of any interventions and support will be closely monitored to determine the impact they are having on pupil progress.
The school provides various interventions and types of support in order to meet the individual needs of the children. Specific interventions may be delivered in small groups or on an individual basis by a Teacher, Learning Support Assistant or Mentor. Children requiring a higher level of support may have access to a Learning Support Assistant who may support the child in class or outside of the classroom on an individual, pair or group basis.
How does the school consult parents of children with SEND and involve them in their child’s education?
The school is committed to working in partnership with parents to support pupils with special educational needs and recognises that parents hold key information, knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of the child’s needs and the best ways of supporting them. Parents’ views are sought at all stages and are recorded at review meetings and at any other time they discuss the needs of their child.
Should parents wish to discuss a concern, they are welcome to make an appointment to do so with the class teacher or SENCo via the school office or website. Individual arrangements will be made for parents who experience literacy or communication difficulties or who speak English as an additional language.
Parents have access to the SEND policy and can find further help and information, including where to find independent support and advice, in the schools SEND Information report, both of which can be found on the school’s website.
SENDIASS - Special Educational Needs Information, Advice and Support Service
SENDIASS is a service run by the Citizens Advice Bureau and one the Local Authority is legally required to provide under the Children and Families Act. It provides information, advice and support to children and young people with SEND.
SENDIASS regularly holds Drop-In sessions. More information can be found by following this link:
https://careandsupport.hillingdon.gov.uk/Services/130
Comments from the 2023-24 SEND Review by Hillingdon Principal SEND Officer
- ‘The Inclusion Team have a clear, informed understanding of the next steps for planning effective provision for SEND pupils.’
- ‘School systems promote parent and carer contributions to maximise the outcomes for pupils with SEND.’
- ‘There are robust systems in place for SEND pupils through their SEND plans.’
- ‘Outside agencies are engaged and used effectively.’
- ‘Area of strength: Children’s engagement and readiness to learn.’
