SEND Frequently Asked Questions

The following are some key questions you may ask about your child. Please click on any question to view an answer. We hope these outline the provision available at Spring Hill High School for children with SEN.

1. How does Spring Hill High School knows if my child needs extra help, and what should I do if I think my child has SEND?

• A student is considered to have Special Educational Needs if they have either a learning difficulty or a disability and they need special educational provision to be made for them. Special educational provision is defined as any education provision which is additional to or different from that generally made for others of the same age in mainstream school.
• At Spring hill High School we believe that class teachers are teachers of all children. It is their responsibility to meet the needs of all students within their care. They do this by employing high quality teaching strategies which acknowledge the individual needs of each student in their class. Teachers continuously monitor the progress and attainment of every student in their class. When a student does not make adequate progress this is identified and provision is put in place within the classroom setting to try to address this. The Code of Practice suggests that students are only identified as having a Special Educational Need if they continue to fail to make adequate progress once they have had all the appropriate interventions/adjustments and quality personalised teaching.
• If this is the case the student is then identified as having a Special Educational Need.
• Staff may use a variety of assessments both formal and informal to help them reach judgements about your child’s individual needs. The SENCO, in collaboration with you may also facilitate a referral to specialist support services, such as Speech and Language therapy, to enable the best possible provision for your child.
• If you have concerns that your child may have a Special Educational Need you should speak to your child’s site leader initially. If you still have concerns after this conversation that your child’s needs are not being met then you should approach the SENCO and request a meeting. She will then work in collaboration with you and your child’s site leader and class teachers to ensure maximum progress for your child.

2. How will Spring Hill High School support my child?

As part of our SEND Provision, we are very proud to provide high quality support and intervention for those with special educational needs.

Examples of some of the support we provide is listed below:

• Speech Language and Communication Interventions
• Social Skills
• Sensory Circuits
• Music Therapy
• Peer Mentoring
• IDL
• That Reading Thing

3. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

• Class teachers will plan lessons according to the specific needs of students. They will ensure this planning takes account of the needs of your child and will differentiate tasks appropriately to ensure your child reaches their full potential.
• Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child, and additional adult support will be utilised to ensure progress for your child.

4. What support will there be for my child’s overall well being?

Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child, and additional adult support will be utilised to ensure progress for your child.

• Spring Hill High School has embedded The Thrive Approach to ensure all staff use emotion coaching and PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy) within their interactions with students.  Staff at every level are expected to role model positive behaviour to students and support them with their peer interactions.  This is accomplished through a structured social skills intervention, Talkabout for Teenagers, but also through daily instances, such as conversational skills and turn taking during unstructured time.  Where needed, students have access to specific interventions to support their educational needs and personal development, as well as therapeutic support through music therapy and speech and language therapy.  
• The values education at the school promotes high self esteem and support reflection on social skills.
• Spring Hill High School has a very robust mentoring programme where all members of staff are trained to model good behaviour for our students. We also have a teaching assistant who is trained in supporting the development of social and emotional skills. Our Speech and Language Therapist team as well as our Life skills coach also support our students with their social skills. We offer interventions which focus on the development of social skills, behaviour and self confidence when necessary. We also are very fortunate to have a working relationship with Stable Relations who provide equine sessions for our students and we have found this hugely supportive in promoting their self-esteem.
• Spring Hill has a firm commitment to promoting positive behaviour choices and uses a school wide system of rewards and sanctions. This has a positive impact on behaviour at the school and the number of incidents of poor behaviour is low. Where there is a concern about behaviour as a school team we carry out a functional analysis and interventions are put in place to support the child and eradicate the inappropriate behaviour.
• Spring Hill High School monitors attendance and lateness closely and will address any issues swiftly to ensure your child attends school as much as possible.

5. What support do Spring Hill High School provide to you as a parent of a child with SEN?

Spring Hill High School is proud of the relationships it builds with parents and carers. We recognise that you know your child and their needs, and acknowledge the huge importance of working together with you to provide the best possible education for your child. We recognise that if we build effective, trusting relationships with you, this will have a beneficial impact on your child’s progress. We aim to achieve this by:

Head of Site:

• Will be regularly available to discuss your child’s progress and any concerns you may have;
• Will communicate with you;
• Will meet you formally at least once a year to discuss progress, targets and next steps in learning, and will formalise this in your child’s EHC review, if your child is looked after then also during LAC and PEP meetings;
• Will be available during termly parent/carer drop-in evenings;
• Will ensure Learning at Home is appropriate for your child;
• Will keep you informed of any additional interventions / approaches being used to support your child;
• Will share successes with you;
• Will liaise with you about any changes to the normal school day eg. school trips, sports events.

SENDCO:

• Will meet you formally at least once a year to discuss progress, targets and next steps in all areas of your child’s needs during their EHC review.  
• Has an open door policy and is happy to meet you at any time, to discuss your child’s needs;
• Holds SEND drop in sessions during parent/carer drop in sessions;
• Ensures smooth communication about your child with all involved in their support;
• Can signpost you to other services if you require specialist support.