The David Ross Education Trust

David Ross Education Trust schools create a rich and exciting learning environment that inspires students to become their confident, academic best.

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Skegness Grammar School

We produce well-rounded individuals, and take pride in their personal achievements. Our students aspire to high academic success, whilst enjoying a variety of extra curricular opportunities.

Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND)

Our Aims

Skegness Grammar School (SGS) is committed to enabling all learners to make significant progress in knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes and values to become lifelong learners. All staff and governors inclusively nurture aspirations for all students and understand that some will need additional help in progressing towards their goals. Therefore, we all work hard to ensure that provision is made for those who need it and that all students are given the opportunities to be the best that they can be.

We believe that by working in partnership with our students, their families and external colleagues much can be done towards overcoming the challenges our young people face.

We aim to address the Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) of each individual student so they can:

Access a broad and balanced education
Develop a clear pathway through education to adulthood, paid employment and independent living
Experience success in learning and reach their full potential
Enjoy greater self-esteem knowing their opinions and achievements are valued
Work towards independence

Achieving our aims

To achieve these aims SGS will:

Embrace the principles of The Children and Families Act 2014
Follow the 2015 Code of Practice and the Disability Equality Duty for children with SEN and disabilities (SEND) with an inclusive approach
Identify students’ needs as early as possible. This is most effectively done by gathering information from parents, education, health and care services prior to the child’s entry into the school
Continually liaise with teaching and support staff in identifying and assessing student’s needs
Continuously monitor and evaluate students with SEND to ensure that they are able to reach their full potential
Work in conjunction with external support agencies when needs cannot be met by the academy alone
Work closely with our Pastoral team, partners within the Trust and the local authority to provide a common framework of essential provision for all
Work in collaboration with parents/carers to gain a better understanding of their child and involve them in all stages of their child’s education
Promote access to a broad, balanced and challenging curriculum by equipping staff with the knowledge and skills required
Compliment the delivery of quality first teaching and differentiation
Make appropriate provision to overcome all barriers to learning and ensure students with SEND have full access to a mainstream curriculum
Create an environment where students feel safe to voice opinions of their own needs
Ensure the governing body will take an active interest in the provision for SEND students and one of its members will take on specific responsibility for the oversight of this work

Contact our SEND Team

sendco@skegnessgrammar.co.uk or 01754 610000

SEN Co-ordinator: Mrs S Harmer

Arrangements for the Admission of Students with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities.

Skegness Grammar School strives to be a fully inclusive school.

The governing body acknowledges and respects the right of children with a special educational need or disability to be educated within the mainstream. They further acknowledge, in accordance with Section 316 of the Education Act 1996, that if the parent of a child with an EHCP wishes their child to be educated in mainstream

“a place must be found for them unless this is incompatible with the efficient education of the child or their peers and there are no reasonable steps that can be taken to prevent this incompatibility.”

All students are welcomed to SGS, including those with a special educational need or disability, whether this involves a learning difficulty or a need that involves a difficulty with mobility and physical access to the campus and facilities. As a selective academy students must achieve a score that indicates that a place at SGS would be appropriate in accordance with the above criteria.

In considering applications from parents for their child consideration will be given to the LA's published admissions criteria and procedures.

This policy gives priority to the preference of parents with regard to the school at which a student is given a place. In the event that a chosen school is oversubscribed or is not the catchment school, priority will be given to students with a Statement of Special Educational Need.

Facilities for Students with Special Educational Needs / Disabilities

The school has a SEND base which is dedicated to the provision of support for SEND students. This support is in line with the four areas of need; Cognition and Learning (C&L), Communication and Interaction (C&I), Sensory and Processing (S&P) and Social, EMotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Resources are constantly reviewed and kept up to date. There are two teaching rooms, a sensory room and staff offices in the Base. All of which contribute to the provision of SEND support across the school as a whole.

The School has purchased a number of ramps to facilitate movement around the building. All step edges are denoted by yellow and black stripes to support our visually impaired students and those with challenges around depth perception.

Funding for SEN

The governing body undertakes to ensure that the funding received from the Local Authority for the provision of education for students with Special Educational Needs and disabilities, particularly those with an EHCP, will be used for that purpose.

Access to the Curriculum

SGS aims to offer a broad and balanced curriculum in accordance with the National Curriculum. It aims to offer all students the opportunity to achieve success in their studies and as many GCSEs or vocational qualifications as possible.

Students with Special Educational Needs are specifically included in this aim.

All students with disabilities and/or Special Educational Needs are taught in mainstream classes and many also receive support to allow them to access learning and to succeed to the best of their ability.

The School has high aspirations for students with disabilities and/or SEN, as for all pupils, and targets are regularly set and monitored to assess their progress and achievement.

Students with diagnosed specific learning difficulties are assessed by the Specialist Teaching Service to see whether they qualify for exams concessions

Access to College Activities

When considering and planning trips and extra curricular activities attention is given to making the trips wholly inclusive to all. No child will be disadvantaged as a result of additional needs.

Evaluation of SEN Provision

The governing body makes use of the following criteria in monitoring and evaluating the success of provision for students with disabilities and/or SEN:

The maintenance of accurate, up-to-date records by the SENDco
Evidence from classroom observations by the Senior Leadership team
Analysis of data including GCSE results, projected grades and levels and key assessments
The College's Self Evaluation process
Evidence from Ofsted inspections
The College's Improvement Plan
Reports to the Academy Scrutiny Committee's Welfare and Behaviour Committee

Complaints about SEN Provision

The governors are open to representation from parents of students with disabilities and/or Special Educational Needs concerning any complaints they may have about the education of their child, specifically related to their individual needs and the provision being made for their child.

It is hoped that in the first instance differences and problems can be resolved through discussions between the parents and the SENDco. If the parent is not satisfied with the outcome at this stage they should follow the procedure laid down in the School’s Complaints Policy.

Should matters still not have been resolved to the parents' satisfaction, they can address their concern to the Principal or to the Board of Governors at the school, preferably in writing.

The governing body undertakes to investigate any complaint referred to them by a parent and to attempt to resolve any differences that may have arisen between the parent and the College over the SEN provision for their child.

They will report their findings and the outcomes of any investigation to the parents.

Staff Training

The College's Continuing Professional Development Program includes topics directly related to students with disabilities and/or SEN and developing the knowledge and use of strategies and techniques for teaching. Topics are decided with reference to the College's Improvement Plan. The SENCO contributes to the delivery of these training sessions.

The SENCO delivers an introductory session for new teachers as a part of the College's staff induction program.

There is a specific in-house training program for Learning Support Assistants aimed at developing their skills in supporting students with disabilities and/or SEN.

Members of the Learning Support Faculty attend courses and conferences where these are of particular relevance provided by outside agencies and independent providers. Where possible, training sessions are provided by outside agencies on College premises.

Relationships with Outside Agencies

The SGS SEND team has links with a wide range of agencies outside the school and seeks to maintain excellent working relationships with them to the benefit of students

The Visually Impaired Service
The Autism Outreach Service
The Specialist Teacher Team (STT)
Community Paediatrics
The LA's Educational Psychology Service for assessment and advice about individual students and for staff training
The School Nurse for health related issues
Lincolnshire Social Care Services where they are involved with students or their families

Relationships with Parents

Skegness Grammar School values the input of parents to the success of the education of their children with disabilities and/or Special Educational Needs, and seeks to encourage their active interest and involvement.

Teachers and other staff seek to work with parents to support students in the most appropriate and effective ways possible. They acknowledge and value their unique knowledge and experience of their children's special needs, their strengths and the strategies that are most effective in helping them to learn. They seek to encourage them to share this knowledge with staff for the benefit of their child's education and welfare. Staff are always eager to talk to parents and parents are welcome to email, write or telephone the SEND team.

Parents will be informed that their child is placed on the SEN Record and of the outcome of any assessments carried out. Parents of students with an EHCP are invited to Annual Review meetings and provided with all relevant information and copies of documents relating to the process.

Formal information for parents on student progress, targets and performance will be provided through the School's normal reporting system.

Parents are welcome to be supported in meetings and in their dealings with the Learning Support team by such agencies as the Parent Partnership.

Links with other Schools and Colleges

The Skegness Grammar School seeks to maintain active links concerning SEN with its main feeder primary schools.

The SENDCO is in regular contact with the SENDCOs of our feeder schools to discuss the transition of pupils between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3.

Students are visited in their primaries and pre-induction packages are tailored to the individual needs of the child.

UCAS applications are supported and additional support in university is signposted for our students with SEND. This further aids the drive for equity and not narrowing opportunities due to additional needs and associated barriers to learning.