We identify the needs of students as early as possible by gathering information from parents, education, health and care services and feeder schools prior to the child’s entry into the school. We fully support the SEND Code of Practice January 2015, The Equality Act 2010 and the definition of special educational needs taken from section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

If you think your child may have special educational needs, you should email The Mirfield Free Grammar in the first instance and liaise with the SENCo or the Deputy SENCo

In order to make consistent continuous progress in relation to SEND provision The MFG encourages feedback from staff, parents and pupils throughout the year. This is a continuous process including listening to the perceptions of students and parents, parents’ evenings, provision mapping and the analysis of progress and achievement data.

Students’ progress will be monitored three times each year in line with the Creating Futures data collection points and reviews held in line with the SEND Code of Practice for students on the SEND Register. Progress of students undertaking interventions will be reviewed and evaluated at the end of each block of intervention.

School leaders provide the Governing Body with an annual report on the impact and effectiveness of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision in accordance with section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Evidence collected will help inform school development and improvement planning.

The MFG values the role that parents and carers play in contributing to the effective provision of education for children with SEND. Consequently, we strive to develop close working relationships with parents and carers built upon candour and sensitive but open dialogue.

We believe that through our relationship with parents and carers we can ensure:

• early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND leading to the correct intervention and provision
• continuing social, emotional and academic progress of children with SEND
• personal and academic targets are set and met effectively

In some cases and at certain times in a child’s journey through The MFG, more frequent and regular contact with parents/carers is necessary. When this is appropriate it will be arranged in partnership with the Achievement Co-ordinator for the child’s year, Personal Development Co-Ordinator for the child’s year, SENCo, Deputy SENCo and in some cases, senior pastoral staff.

The SENCo may also signpost parents/carers of students with SEND to the Local Authority Parent Partnership service where specific advice, guidance and support may be required.

If an assessment or referral indicates that a student has additional learning needs the parents/carers and the student will always be consulted with regards to future provision. Parents/carers are invited to attend meetings with external agencies regarding their child, and are kept up to date and consulted on any points of action drawn up in regards to the provision for their child.

We believe that provision for students with special educational needs is a whole school responsibility requiring a whole school response, involving all staff, teaching and support. We believe that all teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs and should deliver quality first teaching for all. All teaching staff have access to the full SEND register, together with information on individual students’ special educational needs and suggested strategies that enable them to plan their lessons accordingly.

Learning activities are planned to match individual learning needs. The learning environment is stimulating, supportive and well-resourced. Students identified as requiring SEND support will where appropriate, be supported by a Support for Learning Assistant within the main school curriculum.

We also consider social time part of our wider ‘curriculum’ as children negotiate unstructured time and develop social and communication skills. We have a nurture room which is available at break and lunchtime every day, supporting students in a supervised environment.

We will ensure that all staff know and understand the needs of students. All staff will have access to training, advice and resources to enable them to contribute to developing fully inclusive practice. This remains an on-going school priority.

In the first instance we carefully consider the needs of all children through the process of their transition into the school. For most children this is part of the primary to secondary transition process. For children who transfer into The Mirfield Free Grammar during the school year, we will seek information from their previous school or setting in order to enable us to plan for their arrival with us.

We identify students who would benefit from additional interventions and support with their learning or their personal development and wellbeing and plan provision and interventions accordingly.

The decision to consider an application for additional funding is made after careful consultation between the SENCo, key teaching and pastoral staff and families.

The amount and type of support for children with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will be detailed within their own document. The school will provide this support and the impact of this will be reviewed formally each year as part of an annual review process. In some cases an interim review is called in order to consider the effectiveness of the provision and recommend adjustments to the detail within the EHCP.

Some students may also be entitled to additional support through other means such as the Pupil Premium funding. Details of how the school intends to use this and the impact of our strategy for the previous academic year can be found on the Pupil Premium page of the website.

As an inclusive school, we ensure that students with SEND take as full a part as possible in all curriculum activities. We deliver practice that ensures that statutory obligations regarding SEND are met. We will carefully consider the needs of individual students with SEND to enable them to access and experience all aspects of the curriculum alongside children without SEND.

If necessary, a Health Care Plan will be drawn up with the First Aid Team in The MFG and we will ensure the staff are fully aware of students with SEND and what those needs are and are given training and support to help them meet those needs, both in and out of the classroom.

We work hard to ensure that students are included in all aspects of school life. We believe that all our students should be valued equally, treated with respect and be given equal opportunities in all aspects of academy life.

Form Tutors liaise with other staff within the school, including the Achievement Co-ordinator, Personal Development Co-Ordinator, SENCo, Subject Teachers, Support For Learning and those delivering interventions in order to ensure that the student makes good rates of progress socially, emotionally and academically.

We have a wellbeing centre, in which we have two counsellors for students. We also have a Personalised Learning Co-ordinator who manages sessions such as a nurture provision, anger management, relaxation, mindfulness etc. We also provide a breakfast club provision and specific break and lunchtime provision for children with SEND as we know that less structured time can be a cause of anxiety.

The MFG’s SENCo, Mrs Dyson, can be contacted on 01924 483660 or via email edyson@themfg.co.uk

We aim to keep all school staff up to date with relevant training and developments in teaching practice in relation to the needs of students with SEND.

The SENCo and the wider support team attend relevant SEND courses and all staff have access to relevant SEND focused internal and external training opportunities.

The SENCo with the Senior Leadership Team, ensures that training opportunities are matched to school development priorities and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) time is allocated throughout the year, to enable this. Often this involves support and training from specialist services or colleagues from special schools in the locality.

On-going training for Teachers and Teaching Assistants is organised as and when required. If a particular student’s needs require specific staff training then this will be put in place for example manual handling and fire evacuation procedures for students with severe medical needs.

The MFG invites and seeks advice and support from external agencies in the identification and assessment of, and provision for SEND. The MFG continues to build strong working relationships and shares information and links with external support services in order to fully support our SEND students. Sharing knowledge and information with our support services is essential to the effective and successful SEND provision we offer. If a concern is raised, it will be brought to the attention of the SENCo who will then liaise with key wellbeing staff to ensure the child’s parents/carers are informed in line with our safeguarding policy.

Below are examples of some of the services who we might work and liaise with in order to provide effective support for families and children with SEND:

• CAMHS
• Social Care
• Family support service – Early Help
• Parent Partnership
• Educational Psychology Service
• Speech and Language Service

We invite colleagues from a range of support services, both public sector and charitable, where appropriate to meetings throughout the year to contribute to our SEND provision.

In cases where a child is under observation or a cause for concern, focused meetings will be arranged with the appropriate agency. Parents/carers will normally be invited to and informed about any meetings held concerning their child unless there are overriding safeguarding issues.

In addition to support from Support For Learning Assistants (SFLs) in the classroom and through specific intervention groups, The MFG provides the following additional resources, facilities and procedures for our Special Needs Students:

We work closely with feeder primary schools to make sure that all students feel comfortable with their move to a secondary school. SEND students will have the opportunity to have extra visits to The MFG in order to familiarise themselves with the environment and some of the staff they will be working with in the future.

In some cases we also liaise with the primary school and parents/carers to arrange a longer transition program which starts in the summer term. In some cases, particularly for children identified as SEND by type SEMH this transition program continues into the autumn term that the student arrives at The MFG. The purpose of this is to ensure that we identify the most effective strategies to support a child and provide direction, training and support to staff in order to ensure a consistent approach to the provision across subject areas.

Students on the Special Needs register at SEND Support and who are externally funded will be allocated SFL support. SFLs work closely with the child, parents and staff to meet the child’s needs within The MFG. The SENCo, Deputy SENCo, Wellbeing Centre for lunchtime drop-ins and Pastoral Team are also available for students to talk to.

In addition to standard testing and assessments and tracking, there is provision for further assessment and screening. This can be to identify conditions such as Dyslexia or to identify specific gaps in literacy such as phonics. This helps identify students who may need additional support within lessons or may benefit from a more individualised programme of support. It may also provide evidence for examination boards if applications for additional access arrangements for examinations are to be made.

We also use the Boxall Assessment Tool and Sensory Audits to provide a precise assessment of identified students’ developmental, social, emotional and behavioural needs. This information is then used to inform specific interventions and curriculum content to support the students.

The MFG incorporates facilities for students and staff with disabilities. The site is accessible for all visitors, although in some places, the use of a lift is required. There are also marked parking bays for blue badge holders. There are several disabled toilets in all areas of the building, all equipped with handrails and emergency alarms.

The MFG provides access to a limited number of laptops and iPads on a needs led basis to support students with temporary and long term physical needs and/or literacy related barriers to learning.

An identification of SEND does not result in automatic exam access arrangements. The process of examination access arrangements is governed by the exams regulatory board – JCQ. Students are assessed by a series of tests and if identified as requiring access arrangements, this is co-ordinated between The MFG Exams Officer, a Qualified Assessor and the SENCo. Students and parents/carers are notified of their exam access arrangements and support, as approved, is provided.

More details of access arrangements can be found at www.jcq.org.uk

Where students with SEND require specific transport to and from The MFG, this is arranged by Kirklees Local Authority.

The MFG believes that a close working relationship with parents/carers is vital in order to ensure:

1. Early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND leading to the correct intervention and provision
2. Continuing social, emotional and academic progress of pupils with SEND
3. Personal and academic targets are set and met effectively

Parents/carers are kept up to date with their child’s progress through Creating Futures reports, parents’ evenings and review meetings.

In cases where more frequent regular contact with parent/carers is necessary, this will be arranged based on the individual student’s needs. The SENCo may also signpost parents of students with SEND to the Local Authority Parent Partnership service (KIAS) where specific advice, guidance and support may be required.

If an assessment or referral indicates that a pupil has additional learning needs the parents/carers and the pupil will always be consulted with regards to future provision. Parents/carers are invited to attend meetings with external agencies regarding their child, and are kept up to date and consulted on any points of action drawn up in regards to the provision for their child.

We believe that students who are capable of forming views have a right to express their opinions and to have that opinion taken into account. SEND students will be encouraged to be involved in the setting of their own learning targets and in evaluating their own progress through personal tutor meetings and EHCP annual reviews. Their views will be taken into account when planning support.

The MFG is an environment where students feel safe to voice their opinions regarding their own needs. This means we will seek the views of the students and take them into account during the decision-making process, which will be made easier by carefully monitoring the progress of all pupils.

Student participation is a right. This will be reflected in decision-making but also encouraged through wider opportunities for participation in school life, for example, through the student voice.

We value the partnership between parents/carers and The Mirfield Free Grammar but should a problem arise, parents/carers are asked to contact the SENCo in the first instance to discuss the issue.

If a parent/carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made by them to speak to the SENCo, who will be able to advise on formal procedures for complaint.

Any complaints will be treated in accordance with The Mirfield Free Grammar complaints procedure. For a copy of the complaints procedure, please click here.