Welcome to the Central Department for Inclusion. We aim to provide all learners, regardless of barriers, with the skills, knowledge and cultural capital to aspire towards the broadest possibilities in life. At Central, we believe that students with special educational needs and disabilities succeed when they have access to the same qualified, expert teachers as everyone else. At Central we look to recognise all and any barriers our students may have and overcome these through expert support, guidance and assistance of external professionals. Our goal is to ensure that all SEND students can access the same broad, rich Central curriculum; leading them to achieve similar academic and adult outcomes.

SEND students are students identified by the Department for Education as those who have:

• Cognition and learning difficulties
• Communication and Interaction difficulties
• Sensory and physical difficulties
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties

Vision

At Central Academy, our core values give us a clear sense of direction. We are determined to bring out “the best in everyone” through a creative curriculum tailored to generate enthusiasm for learning and an ambition to succeed. Every teacher is a teacher of SEND and will use Quality First Teaching to ensure learners have the best opportunity to access our curriculum. Our high level of varied teaching and learning works to instil respectful learners who have the confidence to work hard and achieve their aspirations.

How we help

The Inclusion Team has a team of experienced staff comprising of High Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs), Teaching Assistants (TAs), Social, Emotional and Mental Health Specialists (SEMH) and teachers. Staff support students according to their experience and training, including Autism Spectrum, Communication and Interaction and Dyslexia. In our inclusive school, the majority of support is offered within mainstream lessons however there are some booster small group intervention sessions focusing on key skills for those who require more personalised, intensive, support.

Lee Blood Assistant Principal Curriculum & Inclusion	Lizzie Morrison SENDCo
Sally Mulraine High Level Teaching Assistant - Study Supervisor	Karen Osborne High Level Teaching Assistant - Base Supervisor
Jane Hutton Teaching Assistant for English	Christina Graham Teaching Assistant for Maths
Andrea Park Teaching Assistant	Jack Hutchinson Apprentice Teaching Assistant
Anastasia Mullins Apprentice Teaching Assistant

What we do

Students requiring additional support have access to a range of interventions and provisions provided between 8 am through to 4 pm. Students can report to the Base where Learning Support staff are on hand to support through 1:1 mentoring, small group interventions or supervision. Learning Support Assistants are deployed into lessons to support students who have plans which require additional support. Our HLTAs and TAs are also qualified to assess students for needs such as dyslexia and literacy issues and provide specific interventions. Our teaching staff, pastoral team, mental health team and Local Authority Advisory Teachers are also a part of the offer and support we provide SEND students.

Interventions include:

• Reading comprehension
• Numeracy support
• Spelling and grammar workshops
• ELSA (emotional literacy)
• Memory development
• EAL (English as an Additional Language) interventions
• Homework club (afterschool)
• Access arrangements for exams

External Partners who support our students

• Specialist Advisory Teachers (Autism, Speech and Language etc)
• Educational Psychologist
• Paediatrician
• Occupational Therapist
• CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
• Physiotherapist
• Auditory and visual support services
• Local Authority SEN/Inclusion Team

Inclusive Education:

We pride ourselves on being fully inclusive and all students attend mainstream lessons with their peers, to ensure they gain the highest specialist subject knowledge from their teachers. Staff at the Academy are continually receiving CPD on how to provide a Quality First Teaching experience for all SEND pupils as well as specific CPD on meeting specific needs such as trauma, ADHD, ASC and effectively using Teaching Assistants.

At Central Academy we have a variety of offers for each of the four areas of need, comprising Universal, targeted and individual support.

Assessment and Monitoring:

All students who enter the Academies are assessed for baseline reading, spelling and complete MiDYAS  testing. This information is used alongside other data to identify students who may require additional support. Intervention sessions are provided to target specific development needs and the progress of each student is monitored closely. Students who do not make progress in light of interventions may be subject to our SEND monitoring procedures and may be placed on the SEN register, where further support and interventions may be offered. The SEN register is reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that students are moved through the SEN stages of the Code of Practice in an accurate and timely manner.

All SEND pupils are subject to the Graduated Approach as per the SEND Code of Practice:

Assess: Teachers are supported by the SENCO to gather summative and formative assessments to identify needs of learners accurately. Screening assessments are also carried out by the Inclusion Team to assess reading age, spelling age as well as dyslexic and dyscalculic tendencies. Information is shared with relevant HoD, HoY, YTM, SEND staff, parent and external professionals when and where necessary. Staff will also escalate SEND concerns via the electronic SEND Concerns form.

Plan: A plan is developed in response to the information gathered. In agreement with teacher, parent, pupil and SENCO, the appropriate support will be coordinated. Expected impact is decided according to need and review date decided.

Do: Plan is implemented. SENCO and HLTAs track progress using the SEND Tracker which tracks targets, plans and reviews for every SEND pupil at RRCA. Subject teachers retain responsibility for progress of SEND pupils. HQT is first means of intervention (this may be supported by pupil passport, targeted support and specialist professional advice when necessary).

Review: Every half-half term, impact is measured and next steps decided. If expected progress is not met, APDR cycle is amended following consultation with stakeholders and restarts the following half term.

Exam Support

Some students may be entitled to exam access arrangements – this is where a student may be able to access support during internal Academy exams and formal GCSEs.

To access this support, the student will be tested using approved tests which identify if the child may have a specific need in an exam.

The results of these tests will then inform whether additional support can be applied for. If a student scores low enough for the Academy to apply for concessions an application to the exam board will take place at which point they will identify what concessions, if any, the student may be entitled to.

If a student is entitled to concessions, the Academy will provide the support required and will encourage the student to use the provision within their lessons in order for it to become the normal way of working and provision will be made away from the main exam hall.

Supporting Literacy

There is a distinct correlation between literacy, reading for pleasure and academic outcomes. If we are to ensure that our pupils become dedicated lifelong learners and acquire the knowledge, skill and outcomes that allow them to shine on the world stage, then we must support them to develop a fluency and love of reading.

Our Literacy Strategy is comprised of a four-stranded approach, which aims to encourage all pupils to read for pleasure and increase attainment through development of reading proficiency regardless of current reading ability.

Strategies to develop literacy:

• Whole school literacy focus through our Head of English
• Dedicated English Learning Support Assistant to support those who have a requirement within lessons
• Some individual/additional tuition as part of a personalised support programme
• Literacy skills lesson once a week as part of form time
• Rigorous progress tracking monitored by Head of English and SENCO
   

Strategies to develop numeracy:

• Whole school numeracy focus through our Head of Math
• Dedicated Maths Learning Support Assistant to support those who have a requirement within lessons
• Some individual/additional tuition as part of a personalised support programme
• Rigorous progress tracking monitored by Head of Mathematics and SENCO

Students with Autism or Speech and Language difficulties are supported by the SEN Team and Special Advisory Teachers. They can access support in or out of class to enable them to achieve. Students are tested using the Language Link testing package in order to identify exact difficulties and for interventions to be created accordingly.

Supporting Feelings and Behaviour

• Quiet Room Space available most break and lunch times 
• 1:1 or small group intervention sessions focusing around SEMH using recognised programmes such as “Thinking Feelings” and “Zones of Regulation”
• Referrals made to Child and Mental Health Services (CAMHs) when greater levels of need are identified
• Liaison with SEMH workers (Special Advisory Teachers, ADHD clinicians, Educational Psychologists) when appropriate
• Meetings and reviews with parents/carers
• All teachers apply the behaviour policy which is led and supported by the Academic
• Interventions, assessments and referrals
• Referrals to the Central Academy Mental Health Team

The Learning Support Base

Some students are provided with access to The Base before school, breaks and lunches, which develops social and friendship skills.

The Base can support students who start at Central below age related expectations and/or require additional emotional/behavioural support as they transition into secondary school. Sessions promote positive behaviours ie boost self-esteem, confidence, reducing shouting out etc and aids with the adjustment to the faster pace of secondary school, which can be overwhelming to some of our new students.

To ensure that pupils and families have timely and effective access to vital local services, the SEND Team at Central work closely with the following Cumberland professionals and associated services:

EHCP Coordinators;

Primary School SENDCos;

Educational Psychologists;

Social Workers;

Mental Health professionals (CAMHS);

Youth Offending Services;

Specialist Advisory Teachers;

Occupational Therapists.

Neurodevelopment Assessment Pathway

Parent Information Guide 

Key information 

Neurodevelopment needs are common and it is estimated that around 10% of the population have a neurodevelopmental need. However, not all young people will need an assessment.

Differences are a part of us all, they are what make up our unique and individual selves. We all have our own strengths and areas we may need help with. For some young people they may need help and support each day with these skills. This can be a typical part of children growing and developing and do not always have to be a problem.

For other young people some of these areas may become more noticeable and have an impact on their day to day lives. The people around us all, as well as the places we go to, can all help us to thrive. We all thrive in different ways depending on who we are with and where we are. Some things that seem small to one person can be hard for another. Simple adaptations can make things easier sometimes.

For some young people however, even with these adaptations they may continue to show they need our help to support their learning, their social skills and their emotions. They may need something more. It is for these young people where a neurodevelopmental assessment would be considered.

What is the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway?

The Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway aims to assess the needs of young people who are showing persistent and complex presentations which may be because of a potential underlying neurodevelopmental need. The difficulties experienced should be seen across all environments. As part of the Neurodevelopment Assessment Pathway it is important to gain an understanding of the holistic picture of the young person at home and in their setting.

Referring to the specialist assessment pathway should not be the first step in supporting the young person. An initial period of observations, information gathering and support should be completed.

Before a referral to the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway is made

Before approaching school, parents should build up a record of their observations and information gathering. This could include;

• A record of neurodevelopmental behaviours observed over a period of four weeks. There should always be a focus on the strengths of the young person.
• Diaries of behaviours for example, sleep routines, food diaries, behaviour diaries.  
• Examples of the young persons’ social activities and their social routines.  
• Examples of parenting techniques/strategies and what the impact of these have been.
• Consideration of any significant life trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences with a focus on what support has been accessed.
• Information about when the neurodevelopment behaviours were first identified and if there are any identifiable triggers.

Following this, parents should arrange a meeting with the school SENDCo to share their observations and information that they have gathered. The school SENDCo will then initiate a period of observation and information gathering in school over a period of 6-8 weeks.

This could include;

• Teacher round-robin feedback questionnaires
• Teacher observations
• SENDCo observations
• Personalised adjustments to High Quality First Teaching
• Baseline assessments
• Intervention
• LSS referral
• Young person voice

In order for a Neurodevelopment Pathway Assessment referral to be considered, parents will have had to access support and implemented this support in line with the young person's specific area of need.  There are numerous free parenting courses available online which offer valuable support and advice.

Once support has been accessed and implemented over a period of time, this will be reviewed to explore whether the needs of the young person are persistent and complex and consideration given to whether there is a need for a neurodevelopmental assessment.

If you feel that the needs of the young person within your care are indeed persistent and complex and would like to progress further on the Neurodevelopment  Assessment Pathway then please email Amanda.Currah@rrca.org.uk to request a Parental Record of Neurodevelopment Behaviours Booklet. This must be completed in its entirety before it is returned to the above email address to be reviewed by the SENDCo.

Overview of the Graduated Approach for the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway