Additional Needs

All students are highly valued as individuals. The pastoral care provided for them is a strength of the school, and has some outstanding features.

- Ofsted, Nov 2008

There are 5 strands within the Additional Needs Team:

Learning. Sensory and medical needs
Specific speech and language impairment;
Behaviour, social and emotional needs;
Needs resulting from ethnicity;
Needs arising from defining a student as Gifted and/or Talented.

Provision for all of these needs is met through the Additional Needs Team. Within the Educational Teaching Assistant team, staff have developed specialist areas of expertise in speech and language difficulties, learning difficulties, autism, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and sensory impairment. The team is supported by a range of external agencies including an Educational Psychologist, Kirklees Autism Outreach Service, Connexions, the Sensory Impairment Service and a specialist Careers Advisor. The school has the KS3/4 Kirklees Resourced Provision for students with a Specific Language Impairment.

These students receive support from a specialist team of teachers, ETAs, and Educational Psychologist and a Speech and Language Therapist. The needs of the students are assessed on entry and support is given, based on need. Support can be in-class support, additional teaching of literacy, numeracy, social skills, mentoring and a dyspraxia club. We hold regular meetings for the SENCOs of our pyramid schools and this enables students with an additional need to have a smooth transition to secondary school.

ADMISSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

The school has an open admissions policy and readily accepts students who have a range of disabilities including visual and hearing impairment, Epilepsy and Diabetes. However, the school building is constructed on several different levels with narrow staircases and corridors which it would be difficult to modify and, therefore, those children who have more complex physical disabilities affecting their mobility would be at risk and their welfare and safety could not be guaranteed

STEPS TO PREVENT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BEING TREATED LESS FAVOURABLY THAN OTHER STUDENT

The range of extra provision for students with additional needs is outstanding. Specialist staff give these students closely targeted, personalised and very effect support.

- Ofsted, Nov 2008

The school liaises closely with advisory agencies to ensure that children with disabilities have the maximum support and the necessary aids to facilitate their learning. All staff are aware of the children’s difficulties and can address their needs. ETAs provide in-class support to ensure that children with disabilities have equal opportunities to access the curriculum and that they can do so in a supportive environment.

FACILITIES TO ASSIST ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL BY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

It has not been possible to modify all parts of the school. However, the new Reception area and entry to the Sports Hall and Performance Hall are now easily accessible to students and visitors with mobility issues. The school has an access plan to make all aspects of school life accessible to all students, and changes are being implemented to ensure that this is possible.

SEN