SEND

• If your child is transferring to Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School and already has a special educational need, your primary school will inform the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School. These children form the majority of SEND students at the school.
• There is planning between the schools and with parents/carers in Year 6 to support the student’s move from primary to secondary school.
• On entry to the school, all students are screened on key cognitive skills, language skills and certain core academic skills. This system can pick up potential needs at the earliest stage.
• Some children do well at primary school but find the transition to secondary education more difficult. The teachers are highly alert so that such areas of need are spotted early and referred to the Pastoral Team so that support can be co-ordinated promptly.
• The school listens to parents/carers. Sometimes, the first signs of needs are identified through conversation at home so parents/carers are always welcome to contact the school to talk about concerns.
• There is a Y7 Inclusion Welcome Meeting in September to help with the transition.
  What should I do if I think my child may have a special educational need or
   disability? Who can I contact for further information?
• If you are concerned about your child’s abilities, the school will listen to your concerns, discuss them with you and agree on a plan that requires monitoring or may require assessment by specialist staff or external agencies.
• You can contact the school by phone, letter or e-mail (please see contact details on the home page of the school website).
• It will be OK to contact the school through a family friend or professional translator if you feel more comfortable using a language other than English
• If your child is still at primary school, talk to your child’s teacher there who can help you look at any issues and make links with Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School to help prepare for the next year.

An EHCP is a legal document that identifies a child’s SEND needs and focusses on the support required to meet agreed outcomes. The key difference between a statement of SEND and EHCPs is that, as well as the educational elements covered in statements, EHCPs also outline the child’s health and social care needs, outcomes and support.

All students:

• The school will send correspondence (for example a letter or e-mail) to let you know if we are proposing to offer your child support that is additional to or different from what is already in place for all mainstream students.
• Parent/carer consultation evenings are both opportunities to discuss your child’s progress and needs and to find out about support options.
• Parents/carers are always welcome to contact their child’s form tutor at any time to discuss particular concerns as they arise.

Students with EHCPs:

• Your child will have identified needs and an education plan in place from the time they start at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School. Their support lessons will show on their timetables and parents/carers receive termly news on outcomes of this extra intervention.
• Students will have an Annual Review of their progress and needs. This is a specially arranged face to face meeting between parents/carers and staff. During this meeting, students, parents/carers and staff have the chance to express their views about the progress being made and the provision they are receiving at school.

• All staff are trained, (through a yearly programme of Continuing Professional Development sessions), in adapting lesson plans to increase the use of elements known to support students who need extra help. For some students with less complex needs, this is all that is required to help them make progress.
• Teachers also have access to the profiles of students known to have specific needs and they can collaborate with the specialist staff to build adaptations to activities especially for those individual students.
• Many lessons benefit from having a Teaching Assistant in the class who can spot difficulties and help to give instant support.
• You will have opportunities to discuss exam choices in Year 8 with the aim of selecting subjects based on your child’s strengths and interests.

Please see the Accessibility Policy on the school website.

• All staff are trained, (through a yearly programme of Continuing Professional Development sessions), in adapting lesson plans to increase the use of elements known to support students who need extra help. For some students with less complex needs, this is all that is required to help them make progress.
• Teachers also have access to the profiles of students known to have specific needs and they can collaborate with the specialist staff to build adaptations to activities especially for those individual students.
• Many lessons benefit from having a Teaching Assistant in the class who can spot difficulties and help to give instant support.
• You will have opportunities to discuss exam choices in Year 9 with the aim of selecting subjects based on your child’s strengths and interests.

All Teaching Assistants receive regular Continuing Professional Development training and coaching for specific SEND areas.

The school brings in additional expertise from outside agencies, including:

• Educational Psychology
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech and Language Therapy – one day a fortnight on-site.
• Counselling services from Catholic Care
• Cluster support
• Independent Careers advice
•  

The school provides parents/carers with advice on how to support your child’s homework.

Parents/carers are always welcome to contact their child’s Form Tutor for more specific advice at any time.

Parents/carers will be invited to attend other specific events during the year e.g. Options Evening which give further support to parents/carers and students.

Parents/carers are always welcome to contact their child’s support team for ongoing advice.

It is vital that all students in our school feel valued, cared for, confident and supported.

Staff providing additional support to students with special educational needs automatically include:

• Ensuring that the student knows who they can talk to if they have any worries.
• Lessons about making and keeping friends within form time.
• Screening for well-being in Year 7 and through Pastoral meetings.
• Students who have social, emotional and mental health issues or develop them later on are offered additional measures to help them cope – read more on the Social, Emotional & Mental health page.

• All students will have at least one meeting with a member of staff from the Careers advisory service. During this meeting, students will have the chance to talk about different Post 16 options.
• Staff consider work related learning opportunities within the curriculum.
• Students attend trips or extra-curricular activities which help them prepare for the world of work.
• Students may take part in programmes of work which help prepare them for life post-16 e.g. Life Skills.
• Students will receive support with completing college applications.
• School staff will liaise with work experience placements to ensure that their staff are aware of student needs.