Our SEND Offer

At WNA, we are committed to ensuring that all pupils, including those with SEND:

Achieve their best possible outcomes
Are fully included in all aspects of school life
Access a broad and balanced curriculum
Develop confidence, independence, resilience and a strong sense of self
Are prepared for the next stage of education and adulthood

We recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of every child, valuing their individual strengths, interests and aspirations. We use this understanding to support pupils to engage, thrive and achieve success.

We believe that enrichment opportunities are a vital part of learning and development. As a school holding the Learning Outside the Classroom Gold Award, we are committed to providing high-quality experiences beyond the classroom. Pupils with SEND are fully included in these opportunities, including outdoor learning, educational visits and wider enrichment activities, to support their personal, social and emotional development.

We work in close partnership with parents/carers, recognising them as key partners in their child’s education and development.

Definition of SEND

A pupil has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability which requires special educational provision to be made for them.

Special educational provision is defined as provision that is additional to or different from that normally available to pupils of the same age in a mainstream setting.
(Children and Families Act 2014)

Areas of Need

We support pupils across the four broad areas of need:

Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
Social, emotional and mental health
Sensory and/or physical

We recognise that pupils may have needs across more than one area.

Our Approach to SEND

We aim to:

Identify and support pupils with SEND as early as possible
Ensure equality of opportunity and inclusion
Use a graduated approach to support (assess, plan, do, review)
Involve pupils and parents/carers in all decisions
Provide appropriate support, advice and training for staff
Work effectively with external agencies
Regularly monitor and evaluate SEND provision

Our SENDCO

The SENDCO is Laura Murphy, who is working towards the National Award for SEN Coordination. Laura is part of the Senior Leadership Team.

You can contact Laura on our phone number 0191 2730477 or

by email - laura.murphy@westnewcastleacademy.org

Our SENDCO will:

Oversee the day-to-day operation of the SEND policy
Support staff with identification, planning and provision for pupils with SEND
Coordinate Support Plans / Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
Complete and coordinate SEND-related documentation, including referrals to external agencies, EHCP applications, and EHCP annual reviews
Liaise with parents/carers and external agencies
Monitor and evaluate the quality and impact of SEND provision
Lead and support staff training (CPD)

Our Class Teachers

Class teachers are responsible for the progress and development of all pupils, including those with SEND.

They will:

Deliver high-quality teaching with appropriate adaptations and reasonable adjustments
Identify pupils who may have additional needs / SEND.
Work with the SENDCO to plan, implement and review Support Plans / IEPs
Work in partnership with parents/carers and pupils to support learning and progress
Ensure pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life

A Family Centred Approach

We are committed to a family-centred and person-centred approach.

Parents/carers and pupils are involved in all decisions
Support is planned around the individual child’s needs and aspirations
Outcomes are agreed and reviewed regularly
We work in partnership with families at every stage

Identification, Assessment and Review

We follow the SEND Code of Practice (2015) using a graduated approach:

Assess – identify needs
Plan – agree outcomes and support
Do – implement support
Review – evaluate progress

Where a pupil is not making expected progress:

The class teacher will consult the SENDCO
Support strategies will be reviewed with parents/carers and the pupil

If additional support is required, the pupil will be placed on SEN Support.

Decisions to add or remove a pupil from the SEND register will be made in partnership with parents/carers and clearly communicated and agreed.

SEN Support

Support that is additional to or different from classroom teaching may include:

Targeted interventions
Small group or individual support
Adapted resources
Specialist involvement

Provision is recorded in a Support Plan or Individual Education Plan (IEP), which includes:

Clear outcomes and SMART targets linked to the child’s area of need
Strategies and provision
Review dates

Plans are reviewed regularly in partnership with parents/carers and pupils – usually every term.

Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans

Where a pupil has significant or complex needs, the school may request an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment.

For pupils with an EHC Plan:

Provision will be delivered as outlined in the plan
An annual review will be held with all relevant professionals and parents/carers

Most SEN support is delivered within the classroom. However, where pupils have significant needs that cannot be fully met in this environment, they may access our higher-needs studio support bases. This support is usually delivered by trained LSAs or teachers and is overseen by the SENDCO. Pupils may split their time between the mainstream classroom and this higher needs provision, which usually takes place in studio spaces adjacent to the classroom, allowing flexibility to respond to individual needs. Where appropriate, SEN provision may also take place in the onsite nature park and other outdoor spaces.

Provision and Interventions

We provide a range of evidence-based interventions and approaches to support pupils with SEND, tailored to individual needs and regularly reviewed for impact.

These may include:

Read Write Inc. Fresh Start phonics to support reading and spelling
Precision Teaching to develop fluency and retention of key skills
Alphabet Arc to support early reading and spelling development
Right from the Start handwriting support to develop fine motor skills and written presentation
Zones of Regulation to support emotional regulation and self-awareness
PACE approach to promote positive relationships and emotional wellbeing

For pupils with Autism and/or social communication needs, a range of structured, individualised strategies may be used to support engagement, communication and interaction. These may include:

structured interaction approaches such as Box Time, Tap-it Time and Attention Time, to support joint attention, engagement and communication skills
a Total Communication Approach, ensuring that pupils are supported through a range of communication methods, including visual supports, symbols, objects of reference, gesture, and spoken language, to promote understanding, expression and access to learning.

All interventions are implemented as part of a graduated approach, and are regularly reviewed to ensure they are effective and responsive to individual pupil needs.

Enriching Experiences

We are a fully inclusive school and we recognise the importance of inclusive, enriching experiences in supporting the development of pupils with SEND. Pupils are:

Given regular opportunities to access nature-based learning, including use of the school’s onsite nature park
Fully included in off-site visits and educational trips
Supported to access specialist visits and experiences, where appropriate, such as visits to the Alan Shearer Activity Centre

As a school who achieved the Gold Standard for Learning Outside the Classroom, enrichment opportunities that extend beyond the classroom are an integral part of our curriculum. These experiences are designed to support both academic progress and wider personal, social and emotional development, helping pupils with SEND to develop confidence, independence and engagement in learning.