SEND

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities at St Norbert’s Catholic Voluntary Academy

SEND Policy

Equality Policy Statement Pentecost 2025

Disability And Accessibility Policy Plan Pentecost 2025

SENCO Contact

SEND Co-ordinator at school: Mrs J. Withers, 01775 722889 or email jenna.withers@st-norberts.lincs.sch.uk.

LAC/Post-LAC Contact

Designated Teacher with responsibility for Previously looked after children (Post LAC) and Looked after children (LAC) is Mrs S.Hibbert. sarah.hibbert@st-norberts.lincs.sch.uk

Lincolnshire Virtual School

Virtualschools@lincolnshire.gov.uk

01522 550274

Statutory Guidance

Http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-education-of-looked-after-children

Our SEND Vision:

At St. Norbert’s Catholic Voluntary Academy we are committed to inclusion and ambition for all. We aim to ensure all children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum which supports their academic, social, emotional and spiritual development. We work closely with children, parents and outside agencies to support our children, help then become more independent and prepare them for their adulthood. We recognise that many children will experience special educational needs at some point during their school life as there are many factors which may contribute to a child experiencing difficulty in learning. We are committed to working in collaboration with parents to ensure the needs of all children are met.

Definition of SEN: Department for Health & Education, January 2015 ‘Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of practice

‘A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her which is different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.’

Aims of SEND provision:

-All children are given equal access to the curriculum and that each child’s achievements are valued.

-We identify and assess children with SEND as early as possible.

-All procedures for identifying children with SEND are known by everyone. There is involvement of the parents and child at every stage.

-We provide differentiation within a balanced and broad curriculum, in a way which supports children with SEND.

-Records follow the child through the school which are clear, factual and up to date.

-We raise staff awareness and expertise through INSET and other CPD opportunities

-There is good resourcing for SEN.

-We maintain close links with the support services, other schools and agencies.

The Local Offer:

As of September 2014, all schools will be required to publish details of its SEN Information Report, detailing support for pupils with special educational needs and/or a disability to compliment the Lincolnshire Local Authority Local Offer. The Local Offer has two key purposes:

To provide clear, comprehensive and accessible information about the available provision and how to access it; and to make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations by directly involving disabled children and those with SEN and their parents, and disabled children and those with SEN and service providers in its development and review.

Below are details of the current school offer at St Norbert’s Catholic Voluntary Academy and the Local Offer for Lincolnshire.

St. Norbert’s Local Offer 2024-25

SEND Annual Report For Families 2023 2024

Lincolnshire Local Offer for SEN and Disability

Liase: SEND Information Advice and Support Service in Lincolnshire

Inclusion & SEND

Wave 1

We are a Catholic mainstream, inclusive school that fully complies with the requirements outlined in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2014). We recognise that the quality of teaching within the classroom has the greatest influence over children’s progress. We therefore invest in training, resources and monitoring to ensure our classrooms are an inclusive place for all children. This is known as the ‘Wave 1’ or ‘Quality First Teaching’ level.

Wave 2

Additional interventions at ‘Wave 2’ are planned to enable children to accelerate their progress and work at, or above the expectations for their age. These are generally taught in a small group and sometimes a 1:1 situation. They can also be strategies used with the children to help them be successful in the classroom.

Wave 3

A child identified as having SEND also receives ‘Wave 3’ interventions. These may be provided individually or in a small group, and the support provided is personalised to enable the child to achieve his/her potential. This support is additional to or different from the everyday curriculum for that class and is detailed in an Individual Provision/Intervention Map/Star Target Review. This plan is prepared by the class teacher, overseen by the SENDCO and is reviewed regularly. It may also include provision/ advice from an external agency or professional, such as a Speech and Language therapist. Pupils with an Individual Provision Map may also be eligible for HLN(Higher Level Needs). If a child’s needs cannot be met by the support identified in Wave 3, parents and school may decide to apply for an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). It is school policy that children will take part in at least two termly cycles of SEND support before making an application for an EHCP.