SEND Information Report – Do
Viewley Hill Academy employs a part-time Learning and Language specialist teacher (Mrs Jessop) who can carry out detailed assessments of children’s communication and cognitive skills. The information from these assessments may be used in several ways:
- to refer into further specialist agencies e.g. occupational health, educational psychology
- to plan tailored interventions to address specific learning difficulties
- to support a request for statutory assessment (Education, Health and Care Plan)
Sometimes Mrs Jessop delivers these interventions herself over a course of several weeks and other times Mrs Jessop trains a teaching assistant to deliver the intervention. All teachers and teaching assistants at Viewley Hill receive regular SEND training to ensure skills are updated and relevant knowledge is shared. Mrs Jessop works closely with the school SENCO and meets with parents following an assessment or review to ensure that parental views are considered and that information is fully shared.
All classes have a full-time Teaching Assistant (TA) attached to them and each afternoon TAs deliver intervention programmes to children in their class who have been identified as requiring additional support. Miss Glindon (SENCO) analyses half termly assessments to inform decisions regarding who should receive interventions and then this is discussed with the class teacher and TA.
Adaptations are made to the curriculum, timetable and provision to meet individual children’s needs. For example there is a Lunchtime Club with a range of activities including art and IT which is available to children who struggle with the challenge of self-regulation during unstructured time or who find the playground socially overwhelming.
School trips and visits are carefully planned to ensure that children with SEND have their needs met e.g. all TAs have received first aid training and medication can be administered as necessary. The views of parents and carers are sought if it is thought that a particular experience, including after school clubs, may prove challenging and a plan will be drawn up with school to ensure that all staff involved (Viewley staff and external coaches) are fully aware of children’s needs.
The majority of information sharing will be between the class teacher and parents/carers. Teachers are available at the end of the day as children are dismissed or can be contacted via the school office (telephone 01642 591 053) and an appointment can be arranged.
