Special Educational Needs

As a Trust we are dedicated to supporting all pupils to progress and flourish into confident young adults by the time they leave us. The pupils in our schools who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) are especially important to us, due to the adversity they may face on a day to day basis.

Our key priorities are:

• Partnership and co-production with parents/carers, children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability.
• Early recognition of needs and appropriate intervention
• Strengthening inclusion in mainstream settings
• SEN provision is responsive to and meets needs and improves outcomes.
• Fair and efficient use of resources
• Integrated working between agencies

As a Trust, we encourage parents, families, carers, children and young people to work with us to enable us to put the best support in place. It is important to us that parents, families, carers, children and young people see our schools as inclusive learning environments, and we encourage joint working to ensure we are working together towards the best outcome for young people.

We have a variety of policies designed to help your child to receive the best support in our schools. These include a SEND Report, SEND Policy and Accessibility Policy, which can all be found on our policies page.
Our schools support pupils with a range of SEN and apply the Graduated Approach to identify SEN early by assessing, planning targeted intervention and reviewing its impact. Our schools provide for pupils with the following needs:

Special Educational Needs Coordinators

Across the Trust we have a dedicated team of Special Education Needs Coordinators (SENCO) who are passionate about promoting inclusive learning environments and quality assuring the SEN provision in their schools. Trust SENCO Network meetings will be taking place regularly to share good practice and have a solution-focussed approach for areas to develop.

Details of our SENCOs are available on each of our school websites.
 
From September 2023 every member of staff receives weekly SEN updates, with a termly specific focus to keep their knowledge broad and up to date. Each term a staff and parent newsletter is issued providing information on that subject.

Director of SEND and Safeguarding

The Director of SEND and Safeguarding brings a wealth of experience to the role, which includes; senior leadership experience in a mainstream secondary school as a SENCO, Assistant Headteacher and safeguarding lead, Assistant Headteacher and SENCO in a Pupil Referral Unit, SEMH Outreach Lead across 100+ schools in Kirklees and primary school resource provision for pupils with Autism, ADHD, Moderate Learning Difficulties and Speech, Language and Communication Needs. THe Director holds a range of senior leadership qualifications that support her work in this role which include: NASENCO Award, National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership, National Professional Qualification in Headship, National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership (ongoing), Post Graduate Certificate Leadership and Management in Education, BA Hons Degree in Supporting Children, Young People and Families, as well as being a Team Teach Instructor, Safeguarding Instructor and working as an Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM) Assessor.

York SEND Local Offer

The York SEND Local Offer sets out services and activities available to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; support is available from birth to 25 years old. The website also provides helpful information for families, and resources for professionals working in SEN services. (Email: yorklocalofferSEND@york.gov.uk)

To find out more about Ordinarily Available Provision 2023-24: Approaches and resources that mainstream education settings in York will provide for children and young people with SEND, please take a look at this booklet which has been co-produced with parents/carers, headteachers, senior leaders and SENDCos.

SEND Universal Offer for parents/carers

You can find out more about the City of York Council’s SEND Universal Offer for parents/carers during 2024 here.

IPSEA

Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (known as IPSEA) is a registered charity operating in England. IPSEA offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

ADHD Foundation

The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity supports parents and carers so they can understand and meet the needs of their child. With a range of webinars, courses, resources, and our screening service, we help families to know which interventions and adaptations are right for them.

SEND Code of Practice

Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25.

The City of York SEND Learning Support Hub

Aiming to support mainstream settings to provide early and accurate identification of needs, high-quality teaching of a knowledge-rich curriculum and prompt access to targeted support where it is needed.

Parent Carer Forum York

The Parent Carer Forum York is an established and recognised group who work with parents and carers of children or young people with additional needs or disabilities (0-25) who live in York.

City of York SENDIASS

They are a free, impartial and confidential service to help with concerns or questions around education, health, social care, inclusion and preparing for adulthood. support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disa.

City of York Educational Psychology Service

The Educational Psychology Service (EPS) consults with staff, parents and carers to find the best ways of helping children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Early Talk for York

Early Talk for York is an approach to improve speech, communication and language of children aged 0 to 5 years.

NASEN resources

NASEN is the National Association for Special Educational Needs – a charitable membership organisation that exists to support and champion those working with, and for, children and young people with SEND and learning differences.