1. The Oak Tree Academy

2. Key Contacts
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) – Mrs Victoria Walker
Contact number: or by
Governor with responsibility for SEND- Mr Phil Steel
Contact via school
Oak Tree Academy Parent Support Advisor - Lucy Sanderson
Contact number or by
Stockton Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service
Contact: Caroline Fell, SEND Information, Advice and Support Officer
Telephone:
Local Authority Offer 2
9/17/2018

3. Assess Plan Review Do More information More information
At The Oak Tree Academy we pride ourselves on being an inclusive school and strive to support all children. Our aim is to identify at the earliest possible time children's special educational needs and to meet these needs in the best possible way.
All of our children receive high quality differentiated teaching. If a child is making inadequate progress or falling behind their peers then this teaching will be targeted at their specific area of weakness. If progress is still inadequate then staff will work with the SEND team to decide additional support.
The child’s details will be entered into the school SEND register and a meeting with parents/carers will be arranged
If parents/carers think that their child has a special educational need or disability then they should first speak to the
class teacher or a member of the SEND team:
Mrs Walker (SENCo)
Mr Steel (Governor with responsibility for SEND)
We believe that quality first teaching is the key to all children making good progress. All of our staff have high expectations of the children. Teachers will plan and deliver lessons to meet the needs of all of the children in the class. A range of teaching styles are used so that all children can meet their full potential. Work may be differentiated, or children may use various resources and teaching aids to support them.
Once a child has been identified as having a special educational need or disability, staff will decide what type of additional support would best meet the child’s particular need.
This support is usually additional focussed teaching or intervention. Here, a member of staff will work with the child/group of children on a programme of work with a specific outcome
All staff involved with the child will be aware of their specific needs, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required.
Parents/carers will be informed of the support provided and the purpose of the support will be explained to the child.
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Plan Do
Review
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More information
The broad and balanced curriculum that we provide is delivered to all children by their class teacher, ensuring that pupils receive a high level of quality teaching. .
Staff assess progress throughout
the intervention, enabling them to modify
provision to suit individual needs.
We will look at and review how effective the
support has been in meeting the planned outcome and
decide what needs to happen next for your child to
continue to make good progress.
Every term you will be invited to a review meeting. You will look at the progress that your child has made and look at ways that you can support your at home
The additional support/intervention will be delivered by a teacher or teaching assistant (either within or away from the classroom) under the direction of the child’s class teacher. This may include; participating in intervention groups and accessing 1:1 support where appropriate. All staff working with the child will liaise regularly to ensure that progress made during the intervention is maintained and built upon.
Where appropriate, specialist staff may provide the additional support e.g. speech therapists.
The class teacher will inform parents/carers as to how they can become involved in supporting their child during the intervention.
More information
More information

4. At The Oak tree Academy, teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of pupils in their class. Therefore we monitor progress and development in all areas – social, emotional, physical and academic of all children very carefully.
When a child is identified as not making adequate progress then high quality teaching is targeted at the area of weakness. The majority of pupils can make progress through such teaching. If, despite this teaching, there are no improvements in progress then further within school discussions and /or assessments will take place. These will identify specific areas of need or gaps in learning and development. Once these have been identified, additional or different provision can be planned for.
If we believe that your child has a special educational need we will inform you at the earliest possible opportunity and the class teacher will discuss any concerns with you.
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At each stage, staff will discuss with children the purpose of the specific teaching/assessments.
If it is decided that additional or different provision is required then children and parents/carers will know the intended outcome of this provision.
Parents will also be informed how they can support their child to achieve this outcome.
We will ensure that if required, any Access Arrangements for formal assessments/examinations will be made. Further information can be found at
Further information on the SEN Code of Practice can be found at
Stockton Borough Council have a local offer published on their website
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5. Cognition and Learning
This section is about the additional support our school offers children/young people with SEND.
Plan
Communication and Interaction
Cognition and Learning
Social, Emotional and Mental
Health Difficulties
Sensory and/or Physical Needs
Explore the specific support for different areas of need over the following pages 8-11.
If your child has been identified as having a special need, there is a range of support that we will offer.
We have high expectations of all of our children and expect them all to make good progress. Firstly, we ensure that all children receive the highest quality teaching that is targeted to their individual needs. Work will be differentiated to make sure that it is set at the right level. Children may have access to ICT equipment and other learning resources. Some children may work in smaller groups or with additional adult support. Intervention activities will be planned where appropriate.
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6. We regularly review the progress that your child is making in school
We regularly review the progress that your child is making in school. This makes sure that we are constantly providing the right level of work for your child. We expect all children to make good progress.
If your child is working as part or a small group of having additional interventions we will review their progress every half term.
Every term you will be invited to a discussion to let you know how your child is working in school. This verbal report will include specific information about their special educational need. A short written report will accompany this discussion.
Prior too and within these meeting parents views and opinions will be sought to ask about how you feel your child is making progress and to ask what they feel their child may need next.
We involve children in our review process and ask for their opinions
on how they feel they are making progress. We also ask
them if there is anything else that they would like us
to help them with.
Review
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7. Communication and Interaction
To support children with Communication and Interaction needs, we offer:
Teachers and teaching assistants who are skilled in identifying and working with children with these particular issues.
Access to small group and/or individualised interventions to develop skills in communication, interaction, emotional awareness, self care, flexible thinking such as Social Stories.
Children may be withdrawn into low stimulus area or have an individual work station within the classroom.
Modifications to lunch and/or break times, including timetabling and access to activity groups with the support of a teaching assistant or teacher or playground buddy system.
Any transitions within school are planned very carefully to ensure
that children are well prepared.
All Classrooms have visual or written timetables.
Speech and language therapist working weekly in school.
Referral to specialist professionals in the Speech & language
team Autism Outreach team and the Educational Psychologist
where necessary.
Some children with communication and interaction difficulties
may require us to apply for funding for the support of an
additional adult.
Plan

8. Cognition and Learning
Plan
Cognition and Learning
To support children with Cognition and Learning needs, we offer:
Teachers and teaching assistants who are skilled in
identifying and working with children with these
particular issues.
An exciting curriculum appropriately differentiated to
meet the learning needs of the child.
There are many practical resources available such as table squares,
time/number lines, display pictures, photos, accessible reading material suited to age, to support children in their classroom
A Key stage 2 Support Base for children with Moderate Learning Difficulties. Places in the Support Base are applied for by school and decided by a Local Authority Panel.
A programme of regular, individually focused interventions.
Increased access to small group support and flexible groupings.
A structured phonic programme - Read, Write, Inc, with catch up sessions.
A structured maths programme- Big Maths and Abacus
A Kagen approach to teaching (cooperatively learning)
Increased access to ICT such as ipads to record sentences to aid the writing process.
Adaptations to assessments to enable access e.g. readers, scribe, ICT
Referral to specialist professionals in the Specialist Teacher Support team and the Educational Psychologist where necessary.

9. Social, Emotional and Mental
Health Difficulties
Plan
If your child is identified as having social, emotional or mental health difficulties, we offer a range of support in school:
Teachers and teaching assistants who are skilled in identifying and working with children with these particular issues
If it is needed we can provide time out of the classroom or
an individual workstation.
Small group or 1-1 TA support for nurture based activities can be offered to develop emotional and social skills.
Modifications to lunch and/or break times such as timetabling, activity groups with the support of a teaching assistant or teacher.
Personalised rewards system linked to an individual behaviour programme.
Involvement of Home School Workers who will liaise with family and support child within school.
Referral to specialist professionals in the Behaviour Support team and the Educational Psychologist where necessary.
We have access to Alliance Therapy services
We may apply for funding for increased access to additional adults in the classroom in some cases.

10. Plan Sensory and/or Physical Needs
To support children with Sensory and Physical Needs, we offer:
Teachers and teaching assistants who are skilled in
identifying and working with children with these
particular issues.
We always support the use of physical aids which
have been assigned to a child to support access e.g
wheelchairs, walking frame, hearing aids, large print.
We have access to a specialist teacher and Learning
Support Advisor for the hearing/visual impaired.
We provide concrete apparatus to support learning
e.g. Numicon to support number work
Any therapy programmes which are designed by specialists e.g. Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists will be delivered into school
We provide access to alternative recording devices e.g. sound buttons/postcards or ICT equipment including ipads.
Access to support for personal care.
Adapted curriculum to enable full access e.g. alternative recording devices, modified PE curriculum .
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11. The Oak Tree Academy Complaints Procedure
The Oak Tree Academy staff are dedicated to giving all children including those with SEND difficulties the best possible education and caring properly for their health, safety and welfare at all times. We are committed to working closely with parents and believe that the school and parents must work together in partnership, each carrying out their own particular responsibilities to help pupils gain the most from their time in school. However, the school is obliged to have procedures in place in case there are complaints by parents or legal guardians. This complaints policy sets out the Procedures that the school and parents should follow in such cases. This is available to access via the school website. These procedures include:
Having an ‘open door’ policy to welcome and communicate with parents/carers.
Complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage. The complainant should initially raise any concern directly with the class teacher/Team leader.
Where possible, teacher and SLT staff will speak directly with parents/carers when they want to make comments, complements or complaints about the school or its staff policies and procedures as soon as possible. Parents are entitled to bring family or formal support to the meeting (PSA or the SEND Information, Advice & Support Service). Notes can be made as a record of these meetings
School staff can request meeting with parents/ carers where appropriate and parents will be given reasonable timescales for attendance and are entitled to bring family or formal support to the meeting (PSA or SEND Information, Advice & Support Service).
Resolution support will be offered in the first incident, where appropriate
Staff will receive resolution training, where appropriate.

12. The Oak Tree Academy Complaints Procedure
The formal complaints procedure and complaints policy outline is as follows:
First contact – Class teacher or team leader (as detailed above for initial contact)
Second Contact: Referral to the Principal: Mrs Elizabeth Pollitt
If the complainant is not satisfied with the response from the class teacher/Team Leader. Any concerns should be raised with Principal, Mrs Elizabeth Pollitt, preferably in writing, using formal complaints form Appendix 1 found in he Complaints Procedure Policy on the Academy’s website. There will be an investigation of the complaint via discussions with the parent and those involved and a written response from the Principal to the complainant, outlining the resolution decision. The complainant, if they still feel the complaint hasn’t been resolved, has 10 days to appeal – see below.
Third Contact: Referral to Chair of Governors
- If the complainant is not happy with Principal’s response, they have 10 days to put their complaint in writing. The Chair of Governors will conduct their own investigation into the complaint, make a decision, on the basis of the information gathered, and outcome recorded and shared with complainant.
Fourth Contact: Referral to the Complaints Committee
If the complainant is not satisfied with the Chair of Governor’s response, they can lodge an appeal to The Complaints Committee, who will investigate and make informed decision about the issue and write to inform the complainant within 10 school working days of their decision.

13. SEND information Useful information sites about specific SEND needs-
Difficultiehttp://dcd.canchild.ca/en/DCDFAQs/resources/dcdrevised.pdf