SEN Information Report
How does the school know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
The school has close links with our feeder primary schools and meets regularly with the SENCOs and Head Teachers to discuss the needs of Year 5 and 6 students so that a smooth transition can be arranged.
Regular in-class testing and teacher feedback are used to ensure that students receive appropriate levels of intervention.
The school works closely with, and values the opinions of our parents. If you feel that your child may have a special educational need, which has not been identified, please contact Miss Downing, SEND Coordinator.
How will school staff support my child?
The type and amount of support each child receives is assessed on an individual basis, with the goal to remove all barriers to learning, so that every student can reach his/her full potential. Teachers are responsible for the progress and development of all students in their class. All teachers are provided with information regarding each child with SEND and strategies to support them within the classroom. Parents will be given the opportunity to meet with their child’s teachers once a year and members of the learning support department regularly. If you have a particular concern you would like to discuss throughout the year you can contact them by e-mail or phone.
Students identified as having SEND may receive additional intervention. These interventions may be group or individually based and vary in duration.
Current interventions include:
- Individual curriculum pathway
- Core Studies in KS3
- 1:2:1 interventions to support students with particular areas of difficulty, e.g. spelling, reading
- Social Skills Group
- Reading Programme
- In-class LSA Support
- Diagnostic Testing
- Access Arrangements
- All students identified with a SEND need have access to our Inclusion Unit when appropriate.
- Assistive Technology
How will I know how my child is doing?
All students will have learning reviews (HEROs) twice a year and an academic report will be issued annually. At certain times you will have access to the school's data base, Go 4 Schools, which will inform you of your child’s current levels. Parent consultation evenings are held once a year, where you will have the opportunity to meet with your child’s teachers and the SENCO/Assistant SENCO. The SENCO, Assistant SENCO and our SEND Family Liason Officer are available at any point during the year to meet with parents.
How will the learning and development provision be matched to my child’s needs?
All teaching staff use adaptation within their classroom to ensure that all students can access the curriculum and reach their full potential. Teachers work closely with the Learning Support Department to access the needs of each student with a SEN need or disability, plan suitable schemes of work and classroom interventions, and review progress. Students and parents are encouraged to express their views though surveys and at meetings.
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
Student’s overall wellbeing is supported through the pastoral system. All year 7 students have a Sixth Form Mentor who they meet with once a week. The school has close links with a number of external agencies who offer support as and when required. We have two on-site counsellors and a Behaviour Support Teacher who works with students with behaviour and emotional difficulties.
What training have the staff who support the children with SEND had?
Most members of the Learning Support Department have received training on dyslexia and Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
At least one teaching member of each department has received training on dyslexia.
All teaching staff have been trained on ASD.
Some members of the Learning Support Department have received training to support literacy and numeracy.
Further training will be set up as required.
What specialist services and expertise are available at, or accessed by, the school?
The school has links with a number of professionals and agencies including: An Educational Psychologist; a Speech and Language Therapist; the Autism Advisory Service; CAMHS; the School Nurse; Services for Young people; the Vision Impairment Service; the Behavioural Support Team; GPs; A Mobility Officer; the Hearing Impairment Service; Occupational Therapists and Art Therapists.
How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
Parent Support Evenings and Parent Consultation Evenings are held annually. The school uses ‘Show My Homework’ which is an on-line school homework calendar which parents can use to support their child.
Our SEND Family Liaison Officer will meet regularly with your child and be in contact once a term to offer an opportunity to discuss your child
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
In the case of educational visits and trips, no child will be disadvantaged. If necessary the Learning Support Department will support the specific needs of the child as identified from their student record and the risk assessment.
How accessible is the school environment?
The School's Accessibility Plan ensures that adjustments are made to facilitate access to school buildings for those who are disabled. When students enter the School with specific disabilities identified, the Learning Support Department take the lead in ensuring the requirements of the students are passed on to all staff. Where necessary, inset is provided for staff to ensure the students’ educational needs are fully met e.g. working with a hearing or visually impaired student – this may involve support from external agencies.
The school is fully wheelchair accessible on the ground floor, has lifts in the new buildings. There are several disabled toilets.
Who can I contact for further information?
Miss D Downing - SEND Coordinator downingd1@jhn.herts.sch.uk
Mrs J Mulligan - Assistant SEND Co-Ordinator mulliganj@jhn.herts.sch.uk
Mrs D Clay - SEND Family Liaison Officer clayd@jhn.herts.sch.uk
Ms A Fernandes – Director of Learning for Lower School fernandesa@jhn.herts.sch.uk
Miss J Scouller – Designated Senior Person for Child Protection (D.S.P) scoullerj@jhn.herts.sch.uk
Mrs R Davies – Director of Sixth Form daviesr@jhn.herts.sch.uk
How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school, transfer to a new school or the next stage of education and life?
All students have a new in-take meeting with a member of staff before they join the school. Where appropriate, some students with SEND will have the opportunity for additional visits. Some students will have the opportunity to partake in a summer school during the summer holidays. Sudents transferring to a new setting are supported as required on an individual basis.
How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
The SEN budget is allocated in the following areas: 10 Learning Support Assistants (5 Full-time, 5 Part-time); 1 Literacy and Numeracy Tutor; 1 Inclusions Manager; 1 SENCO; 1 Assistant SENCO; 1 Learning Support Administrator and 2 full-time teachers. We also have a full-time SEND Family Liaison Officer. The department has a number of resources including alpha smarts, laptops, specialist vision impairment equipment, literacy and numeracy resources. The needs of each child are assessed individually and resources are allocated as and when needed.
How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
Parents, staff and students will be involved in all stages of the decision making process. The type and amount of support will be based on each individual student’s needs.
Where can I find out about the local authority’s local offer of services and provision for children and young people with SEN?
www.hertsdirect.org/localoffer
For details of our School's admission arrangements for pupils with SEN or disabilities, please refer to the relevant policy in the Admissions section of our website.
Special Educational Needs provision complaints
If your complaint is about the way the School has been delivering the provision set out in Section F of your child’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), you may complain further to the Local Authority that maintains your child’s EHCP.
If the EHCP is maintained by Hertfordshire County Council, you may complain further by setting out the detail of your complaint and sending it to:
Customer Service Team – Complaints
Postal Point: CHO118
Resources Department
County Hall
Hertford
SG13 8DF
Email: cs.complaints@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Once in receipt of your complaint, the Complaints Manager for Children’s Services will ensure that the Local Authority completes a Section F Provision Checklist. This process entails a Provision Checklist being drawn up directly from Section F of the EHCP. A Senior SEND Officer will then visit the School in order to work through the checklist point by point and complete it. The Senior SEND Officer will seek the comments of the Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team, SENCo and Governors as appropriate, as well as any other information or advice that they deem necessary.
Once the Provision Checklist has been completed, the Local Authority will notify the complainant of the outcome in writing, enclosing a copy of the checklist. A copy of the outcome letter and Checklist will also be sent to the School for its information and record keeping. This process will take up to 25 working days (of the Local Authority) to conclude.
Complainants who remain dissatisfied following further investigation of their Special Educational Needs provision complaint by the Local Authority may complain to the Secretary of State who may decide to conduct an additional investigation.
Date of review: Sept 2024
