SEND Support
Hello, my name is Chloe Dixon and I am the SENCO at Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich.
This page is an overview of the academy’s provision for students with additional needs. If you have any queries that are not covered here, please do get in touch with me at c.dixon@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk.
Our academy prides itself on the support we offer students with additional needs. We want you to feel as supported as possible on your son's educational journey, so please do get in touch if you have any queries.
A copy of our SEN policy can be downloaded below. Please see our governors page for details of the governor with responsibility for SEN.
We look forward to supporting your son or ward on his educational journey with us.
Chloe Dixon, SENCO, Harris Boy's Academy East Dulwich
How do we identify learning or developmental needs?
We identify learning or development needs through:
- advice from primary schools
- referrals from parents who request screening
- concerns raised by teachers
- self-referrals from students
- considering documents and information we have from other professionals and any assessments
This process may lead to further support or referrals, which are discussed in conjunction with the pupil’s family.
What support is available?
Local authorities and schools publish a local offer which sets out what support a student can be offered. It is from this ‘offer’ that we will be selecting the appropriate support that we can offer to individual students.
Our current local offer can be downloaded from the bottom of this page. Information about the Southwark Council local offer can be found at http://localoffer.southwark.gov.uk/.
We have four ‘tiers’ of support:
- Tier 1 – Quality First Class Teaching
- Tier 2 – additional support with curriculum or communication skills
- Tier 3 – tailored support students with more complex needs
- Tier 4 – support for students with an Education Health and Care Plan
We involve parents and students in any decision to offer additional support because their views are extremely important.
There are four headings under which a student might be considered to have special and additional needs:
- Communication and interaction
- Cognition and learning
- Social, mental and emotional health
- Sensory and/or physical
The academy will have evidence for considering a student to have additional needs in one or more of these areas and this can be shared with parents.
How we monitor provision and review progress towards outcomes
Governors monitor the provision for students with additional needs through monitoring visits, governing body meetings and by looking at the data provided by the academy and Department for Education. We analyse behaviour, attendance and performance for all students, including those who are categorised as needing additional help.
Each term, we review the support each student is receiving and assess whether it is having impact, whether it should continue, whether it can be discontinued as it is no longer needed. Parents will be consulted over any changes. Students who have an EHCP also have an annual review of the provision being made for them and their progress against targets.
Support between phases/preparing for adulthood
The academy will ensure that students with identified special needs get an early opportunity to have one-to-one information, advice and guidance from a careers adviser. EHCP reviews will include someone with careers experience wherever possible.
The academy will engage with other educational providers to ensure the best provision is accessible to families looking for something non-mainstream.
The academy constantly reviews the curriculum offer we make for students; if we feel that our mainstream curriculum is not the most appropriate for a young person, we would discuss an alternative curriculum for a student with them and their family.
Staffing
The Academy's SENCO is Chloe Dixon c.dixon@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk.
Other staff include:
- a specialist SEN/dyslexia teacher (two days a weeks)
- a counsellor (four days a week)
- a speech and language therapist (four days a week, plus additional days for staff training and development)
- eight teaching assistants, who support work within class and deliver out-of-class interventions
- a DSEN coordinator.
We can also access services including, for example, educational psychology, occupational therapy, specialist hearing or sight impairment teachers and the Autism Outreach Service. We will assess the need for these services on an individual basis and consider whether we can provide or access other external support.
The academy works with a range of professionals to support all its students. These include Words First, the organisation which provides our speech and language therapeutic support, counsellors, an Educational Psychologist where necessary, social workers, health professionals, CAMHS and the NHS.
Access arrangements
From Year 7 some pupils have access arrangements for assessments and exams. These may include extra time, rest breaks or use of a computer and as the pupil goes through the school the exam board and JCQ rigorous system determines any applications that might be made for public exams.
Preventing bullying
In our experience, it is very rare for any students with a particular need to be bullied at the academy. However, should this happen, we have a very clear Behaviour Policy which includes anti-bullying policies. We do not accept bullying in any form and will always deal with it.
Working with the young person being bullied, staff would seek to educate, mediate, build awareness and understanding/tolerance of others and of difference, explain the consequences of unacceptable conduct towards and emphasize our common values in this community. Sanctions will be taken if bullying does not stop.
Complaints
The Federation has a clear complaints policy which is available to all parents. If a parent has a complaint about the provision being made by the academy, it will be dealt with in line with this policy.