Perryfields Academy is a fully inclusive mainstream secondary school, which is committed to meeting the needs of all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We aim to celebrate their success and increase their development through a diverse mainstream curriculum with integrated specialist support and varied teaching styles, so that they gain the skills and confidence they need in their future lives. All members of Perryfields Academy are entitled to be valued equally and to enjoy respect as individuals.

Even if your child was not on the SEND register at Perryfields prior to the partial school closure due to Covid-19, this does not mean they cannot access support from our Inclusion team. This addendum to the SEND Information Report will outline as a school the provision we have provided during this period from March 2020 and will be in place until further notice. Since 23rd March regular calls have been made to parents/ carers of students who require additional support whether that be learning or emotional support.

Learning – Students who access study support sessions at school (SS on school timetable) in both KS3 and 4 have been provided with specific work around spellings, phonics and numeracy. Students who require specialist input have had communication with our Learning Support Staff (LSPs) to ensure there are no or limited barriers to learning whilst at home. All students have had individualised support depending on their need.

Emotional – Students with Social and emotional needs (SEMH) have had regular contact with home by the Learning Mentors. Mindfulness techniques, well-being packs and individualised support has been provided for students. As mentioned above, this support has also been given to any student, regardless of SEND status, struggling during this period.

Staff Training – All staff have received training around SEMH and well-being in relation to the current climate, including ACEs (Adverse Child Experiences). The PHSE & PDM curriculum supports the transition back to school for all students and has a heavy focus on SEMH.

Year 6 SEND – Due to current social distancing measures the SEND parent/ carer appointments that were due to take place on 26th June have been cancelled and been replaced with virtual meetings. An invite was sent to all Year 6 parents on Monday 22nd June inviting them to contact school to make an appointment for a virtual meeting.

Children are identified as having SEND when they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children the same age, or have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of education facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the Local Authority (SEND Regulations 2014).

Our aim is to ensure that all students who come to Perryfields Academy fulfil their potential. Inclusive provision is made for students who have an additional need; Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties and Sensory or Physical difficulties, that makes it harder for them to learn than most children or young people of their age.

We have a multi-agency team approach which underpins the school’s commitment to the philosophy of provision for an inclusive education for all students by removing barriers to learning.

2019/20 academic year, we have 99 students on the Student Focus (SEND) Register, of whom 7 are in receipt of an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and 92 identified as having known (K) send needs.

Our aim is to identify any student’s SEND as early as possible in order to put in place appropriate interventions and resources. Students who face challenges in their learning, despite receiving high-quality teaching, will be likely to need additional strategies, or different provision, in order to meet their needs, removing barriers to learning by deploying effective special educational provision.

SEN support takes the form of a four-part cycle (assess, plan, do, review). Through this cycle, actions are reviewed and refined as understanding of a student’s needs and the support required to help them secure good outcomes increases. This is known as the graduated approach.

The SENCo and Assistant SENCo will visit primary schools to ensure that students identified with SEND will experience a smooth transition from Key Stage (KS) 2 to KS 3. Year 6 students and parents have the opportunity to visit Perryfields on a number of occasions before starting, this can be arranged with the SENCo. A new initiative was launched in summer 2019 where parents/carers of prospective students with SEND will be invited into Perryfields Academy on Friday 26th June 2020 to complete a student profile sheet and to meet the team. The student profile sheet will support the student during their transition days and from the very first day of year 7. A blank Student profile sheet can be found on our website under Inclusion.

During KS4, SEND students will access Connexions and in-house support for transition to KS5. Parents are invited to attend with their child. If you are unable to attend, a member of the Inclusion Team will be available to support. We encourage a handover meeting with KS5 providers and furnish them with copies of relevant information to ensure the next educational provider is fully informed about the student’s need(s).

The involvement and support of parents/carers is very important to us at Perryfields Academy. We aim to work in partnership with you and will talk to you and your child about your child’s needs. We do this through parents evening, email, telephone calls, appointments made with individual teachers, and Annual Reviews/termly reviews (for those on the SEND register). All staff within school use the information on the students ‘Profile Sheet’, to inform and support their planning for the specific need of the child.

You can find information about our policies in our Inclusion Policy below.

All student progress is tracked using the Assessment, Marking, Target Setting and Reporting Policy which can be found below.

Students are monitored at weekly line manager meetings and progress evaluated at every data drop. Inclusion provision is managed and tracked by the SENCo and Assistant SENCo. The SENCo will monitor and review your child’s levels and pick up on any subjects where your child is not making the right amount of progress. We liaise with class teachers to ensure the correct intervention is put into place. At the next data drop we will check whether the right progress has been made.

The school has a Quality Assurance process that assesses the effectiveness of Teaching and Learning for all students, including those with SEND and the outcomes of these evaluations are used to create and implement development plans for all aspects of school life. These are regularly reviewed through regular evaluation.

You will be invited to SEND review meetings during Parents Evening to discuss the progress of your child. The meeting is led by a member of the Inclusion Team who has worked closely with your child. Parents will be invited to attend the meeting via letter.

Students with an EHCP will have an Annual Review. This meeting is attended by the Assistant SENCo, together with any external professionals who have worked with the child.

Teachers and support staff at Perryfields Academy are highly skilled in adapting teaching methods to meet the diverse needs of individual students. Lessons are differentiated to ensure that learning opportunities are maximised. This could involve adapting questioning or the use of additional aids, such as visual supports, writing scaffolds, and specialised ICT. Group sizes are reduced where students have complex cognitive, social and mental health needs to enable a more personalised learning environment. Bespoke seating plans are shared by staff to encourage effective participation in lessons.

There are a range of interventions and additional subject support which are available, and should your child need these, it would be discussed with you.

When your child is approaching the start of Key Stage 4, if we think it is needed, we will assess and apply for exam Access Arrangements according to the Joint Council for Qualifications exam regulations.

Most of our students follow a traditional curriculum. However, a small number of learners have a more personalised curriculum to match their individual needs, interests and abilities. This may include option choices, additional literacy, nurture groups, intervention groups and the number of qualifications studied.

Support is overseen by the SENCo. A Specialist Inclusion Centre contains learning mentor rooms, classrooms and intervention rooms and ‘Think Well’ Room, designed to support and educate students and staff on Mental Health and Well-Being.

The school offers a wide range of activities, which SEND students are actively encouraged to attend. These include Homework Clubs, Inclusion Reading Club, Handwriting Club, Breakfast Club, and TRAC (Lunchtime Club). Students referred to the Inclusion Centre follow an agreed individualised curriculum/pastoral programme of study. Specialised equipment is available as needed.

Our school is a safe and has mostly accessible buildings. All safeguarding procedures and risk assessments are in place and adhered to by all staff. We have a range of different facilities to help SEND students throughout our school including disabled toilets, ramps and equipment to help with reading and writing. If a classroom is not accessible to the students for whatever reason, then the best solution will be found to support the student.

There is a wide range of provisions on offer at Perryfields and these are open to all students. Additionally, we run a wide range of activities to support SEND students including Homework Club, Lunch and Break Time Social Club, Breakfast Club, etc. We also run coursework/revision sessions for older students as and when required. This will be provided by Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs), LSPs, Key Workers or Learning Mentors.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
We have Literacy and Numeracy Interventions, Head of Year (HOY) interventions and peer mentoring. Resources are allocated based on evidence of need and effectiveness. Students with an EHCP have resources allocated as outlined in their plan. Learning Support Assistants are allocated, where resources allow, to support students in lessons. Staff liaise closely with them to ensure maximum effectiveness. They have a huge range of skills to offer in supporting students directly and indirectly, assisting staff and helping parents/carers. Students with EHCP’s will have targets and strategies set by the SEND team in discussion with Sandwell Inclusion Support.

How is the decision made about how much/what support my child will receive?
EHCP annual reviews involving the student, parents/carers, subject staff and other professionals evaluate those targets and strategies. The decision is based on evidence of need and impact.

The Governing Body supports the School in engaging with external agencies and specialists to share best practice and to seek advice.

• Sandwell Inclusion Support
• Child and Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Sandwell SHIELD
• Early Help
• Parent Partnership
• Sandwell SEND Information and Advice Support Services (SENDIAS)
• Sensory Support
• School Nurse
• Education Welfare Officer
• Social Inclusion and Health
• Sandwell Young Carers
• BEAM

. Connexions

All students are encouraged to access extra-curricular activities. They will be informed of activities available through form tutors, newsletters and parental contact systems.

Risk assessments are carried out to ensure all students will be safe.

Some activities are dedicated to helping students with SEND, as outlined above.

Identified students will be made aware of dedicated activities.

Within the 30 minute daily Tutor Group time slot, a programme of Personal Development and Mentoring (PDM) takes place with a year group assembly once a week. The PDM sessions cover some aspects of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE).

Issues relating to bullying are regularly discussed in PSHE, appropriate lessons and assemblies. Staff do not tolerate bullying of any kind at Perryfields Academy and any reported incidents are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Support and counselling is offered to the victim and strategies to deal with the bully are sought.

Learning Mentors run programmes targeted at students with particular needs, e.g. stress management, young carers. For students with specific social, emotional and mental health difficulties, we work with an Educational Psychologist (EP), a Specialist teacher for SEMH from Sandwell Inclusion Support and CAMHS to support the student.

All staff at Perryfields Academy are highly trained and continued opportunity is available to advance their professional development through regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities.

Inclusion personnel have appropriate skills and knowledge in supporting students with a wide range of special educational needs. Additional specialist expertise is accessed from external support services, who provide advice, training, or direct support as appropriate.

The funding received will be spent in accordance to the individual’s need and this is constantly under review. Perryfields Academy will provide specialist aids and equipment in accordance with assessed needs.

Students with an EHCP will have an Annual Review, involving parents, students and professionals to ensure future provision.

When an issue arises, parents/carers will be informed as soon as the issue has been identified, and we will work in partnership with you to plan and review any support.

Inclusion staff will signpost parents to suitable professional bodies, agencies or organisations who can offer advice and support at home.

In addition to the termly SEND reviews, all parents will receive regular updates on progress and attendance. Each year group has a parents’ consultation evening. You will be notified when these are via the school calendar and letters. Parents have the opportunity to meet with their child’s form tutor on our Annual Review Day in the Autumn term.

Students are given regular opportunities to express their views.

This can be through:

• Self-assessment in lessons
• Attendance at review meetings
• Suggesting how the school can better provide for their needs
• Being fully included the Inclusion Departmental reviews
• Being represented on the School Council
• KS3 to KS4 options talk and evening (whole school)

Your first step should be to contact to the SENCo, Sarah Thompson, who will advise parents on how to access the services relevant to their needs. If your concerns are not resolved, you should follow the School’s complaints procedures, as outlined in the Complaints Policy available on the School’s website.

SENCo – Sarah Thompson
Assistant SENCo – Siobhan Bradley
SEND Link Governor – No one currently in post

These staff can be contacted via the school phone number – 0121 421 7979, or by email through admin@perrys.org.uk

Sandwell Council provides advice and guidance to parents of students with SEND.

Website: www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/200326/special_educational_needs_and_disabilities_send/340/education_-_special_educational_needs
Email: sen_team@sandwell.gov.uk
Phone: 0121 569 8240

SEND IASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service)
https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/in-your-area/services/disability/sandwell-iass/
Email: SENDIASSEnquiries@actionforchildren.org.uk
Phone: 0121 500 4010

Sandwell’s Local Offer – http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/send

Produced in accordance with the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Regulations 2014, Regulation 51.
This document should be read in conjunction with our Equality and Accessibility Policy.