SEND School Offer (SEN Information Report)
Pakefield High School is a foundation high school and a Suffolk Local Authority maintained co-educational mainstream high school.
The School is non-selective and adheres to Suffolk Local Authority’s Admission Policy that is inclusive of students with Special Education and Disability Needs (SEND). It has a PAN of 900 and provides education for all students between ages of 11 to 16 including those with various Special Educational Needs and Disabilities categorised in the SEND Policy (appendix A), and including children who are under the care of the Local Authority with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities.
Many students with Special Educational Needs are identified prior to coming to Pakefield, information is shared by primary schools prior to transition. Other students’ needs are identified by the process of observation and assessment outlined in the SEND Policy (appendix B) following concerns being raised by parents or carers, teachers or support staff and in line with recommendations from outside agencies such as social workers, GPs and other health professionals.
The approach to teaching children and young people with SEND:
“All teachers are teachers of additional needs”. At Pakefield we provide professional development for teaching staff on how to most effectively enable students with Special Educational Needs to access the learning. We target specific information to the teachers of individual students giving the most up-to–date advice on successful strategies to use in the classroom.
Pakefield High School offers a bespoke and inclusive curriculum for all students. In addition to the specific curriculum pathways followed by all students, we facilitate the development skills needed for the students supported by the SEND department as they progress through their school careers. Examples include extra literacy support in the guided use of the ‘Accelerated Reader’ programme, training to become more socially competent using a ‘Talkabout’-style programme and Travel Training in preparation for independent travel to college.
Additionally, there are set points through the year when parents will be consulted, such as for annual review meetings for Educational Health Care plans and SEND ‘drop-in’ events.
Arrangements for assessing and reviewing students’ progress:
The school evaluates the effectiveness of its provision by assessing and reviewing student progress in the following ways;
- Assessing students’ progress in learning against national measures such as Attainment 8.
- Subject teachers regularly assesses each student and progress reports are published during the year.
- SEND students will also have a Pupil Passport as referred to in the SEND Policy (appendix C) reflecting provision that is additional to, or different from, standard classroom differentiated provision. Contents of the Pupil-Passports include:
- Up to three SMART targets
- Previous provision and additional provision to be put into place
- The date the plan is to be evaluated and reviewed, with space for the outcomes of the targets
- The student’s input with regard to how they learn most successfully
Reviews are arranged with learners to discuss staff comments and any concerns raised, to discuss their opinions of their own progress and set new targets. A revised Pupil Passport is then prepared and parents are sent a copy with an invitation to discuss the Pupil Passport with a member of the SEND team if required.
Students under the care of the Local Authority who have Special Educational Needs are supported in their review meetings by the SEND department, both in the sharing of information around their specific needs and the provision in place to meet these and in the provision of support for the student in the meetings.
Valued Members of the School Community:
We encourage students supported by the SEND department to engage fully with the activities offered by the school extra to the curriculum. We encourage our students to take part in enrichment activities, after-school interventions and trips along with undertaking responsibilities such as School Council and offer support with these where appropriate. We work closely with the Standards Team who offer pastoral support to all students and engage with outside agencies where specialist support is needed. The Standards Team also work with students to prevent bullying.
We support our SEND students by providing a managed social environment for unstructured times in the SEND room. We actively encourage students to eat together and to engage in games such as Uno, Connect 4 and Jenga, often with students outside of their immediate friendship group. Students supported by the SEND department are welcome to bring other friends along.
Transition Arrangements:
- Transition liaison takes place in year 6 of primary school for students moving to Pakefield High School. Pakefield High School SEND staff liaise with primaries to manage the specific needs of the SEND students in the new cohort.
- Youth Service involvement at Education Health Care Plans/Statement Reviews for students in years 9, 10 and 11.
- Careers Advice through the School’s own dedicated Careers Advisor and supported college visits.
SEND students are given the same choice of work experience placements as all the students in Pakefield, however work experience placements may be chosen specifically to support SEND students if preferred and visited by SEND staff where appropriate.
The SEND Team:
- SENDCo: Dr Tuck holds the National Award for SEND Coordination. The responsibilities of the SENDCo are outlined in the SEND policy (Appendix D)
- Link Governor : Mrs Sarson, the role of the Governing body (in cooperation with the Headteacher) is outlined in the SEND Policy (appendix E)
- Headteacher, Mr D Bagshaw; the responsibilities of the Headteacher are outlined in the SEND Policy (appendix F)
A Team of TAs:
- Our TAs are trained in a range of specialisms.
- TAs may support students with SEND in the classroom to become resilient and independent learners.
- TAs may assist with drawing up support strategies for the students they work with.
TAs may work with small groups in or out of the classroom, under direction of the teacher.
Other bodies involved in meeting children and young people’s SEND and supporting their families:
Pakefield High School uses Suffolk County Council referral system to request additional support from outside agencies including:
- Speech and Language (SALT)
- Educational Psychology
- Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)
- Hearing Impairment Services
- Sight Impairment Services
- Education Welfare Officer (EWO)
- School Health
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- ADHD Specialists
- County Inclusion Support Service (CISS)
- Looked After Children Educational Service (LACESS)
To contact our SEND team please contact Dr Tuck email or call our office 01502 530750 and ask to be directed to the SEND department.
