At Tong Special Educational Needs provision is seen as the responsibility of all staff.
We recognise that all students have skills, talents and abilities and, as a school, we have the responsibility to develop these to the full. We aim to ensure that:
- All students have a relevant and worthwhile education designed to enable them to participate fully in society
- All students who have special educational needs are supported, wherever necessary, to achieve full access to the whole school curriculum. This is facilitated through a range of access strategies including the deployment of skilled staff, specialist equipment and resources.
- All students have special programmes designed to maximise opportunities in preparation for life after school, including preparation for work or continuing education.
In meeting the above aims, we take into account the:
- Education Act 1996
- Code of Practice 2001
- Special Educational Needs & Disability Act 2001
- Bradford’s ‘Every Child Matters’ and ‘Removing Barriers to Achievement’ policies
- Bradford’s ‘Narrowing the Gap’ policies
- Department for Children, Schools and Families ‘inclusion Development Programme’
- Aims of the school
- Tong High School’s Inclusion Policy
Tong High School’s Specialised Learning Provision (SLP) department supports students with Special Educational Needs and is led by Mrs Carol Dudley, SLP Curriculum Leader. Mrs Dudley has responsibility for the organisation of Special Needs Provisions and Inclusion within the school and with the adoption of the School’s Inclusion policy.
To accommodate students who are designated as having a special educational need, Tong provides:
- Specialist staff within our Specialised Learning Provision.
- Teaching Assistants who provide support enabling access to the curriculum via class, small group and individual support. The Teaching Assistants are based in curriculum areas and are experienced in the content of the courses, and under the guidance of the Curriculum Leader
- Individual teaching programmes designed to meet the needs of each particular student.
- Specialist equipment, including Radio Aids for students with Hearing Impairments.
- Personalised Learning Programmes that provide alternative provisions specific to an individual’s needs.
- Behaviour and anger management support
- Student mentors
- Access to counselling through ‘The Centre’ and external agencies
- Support from external agencies and organisations
- Scotopic sensitivity screening (use of coloured overlays)
- Dyslexia and dyscalculia screening
- Individualised software programmes such as ‘Success Maker’
- Small group and 1-to-1 literacy and reading interventions with skilled literacy and reading coaches.
Regular liaison with parents or carers is seen as essential to meeting and supporting the needs of all students at Tong High School.
Staff INSET provides excellent opportunities for workshops and discussions for relevant and up to date information to be distributed from well qualified leaders in their own fields as well as from the SENCO and other senior staff in school. Recent training has included:
- Physiotherapy guidance for Teaching Assistants
- How to implement a dyslexia friendly curriculum, classroom and environment.
- behaviour management to support learning.
- Improving progress of SEN students through Assessment for Learning strategies for Teaching Assistants.
- Mental Health Awareness
- SEN bulletins giving relevant information and strategies on dealing with special educational needs issues.
OFSTED
In 2011 Ofsted commented on the following:
‘Students who are new to learning English and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported either in the classroom or through small-group intevention work’
‘Well-managed, motivational enrichment experiences, including those linked to partnerships and the school’s specialism, are having a positive impact on students’ engagement and involvement in learning.’
‘clearly targeted support in school for potentially vulnerable students, has improved significantly their behaviour, confidence and attitude towards learning.’