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Individual Needs
Welcome to the SEND department at St Joan of Arc
St Joan of Arc is an inclusive school which aims to support pupils in achieving their full potential. As a school we liaise with parents and relevant professionals to meet pupils’ SEND. Teachers across the curriculum support all pupils through quality first teaching. Teachers are urged to teach to the top to stretch and challenge all, and scaffold down by putting in supports to ensure students maximise their progress. This involves adapting content, arrangements and resources within the lesson to make work accessible and achievable, allowing pupils to reach their expected targets.
The education support list notifies staff of pupils with SEND. Where appropriate, a learning plan will be created for pupils requiring support which will detail their strengths, barriers to learning and specific strategies that will assist in accessing the curriculum. Staff also receive ongoing training enabling them to meet pupils’ learning needs.
The learning support team which is led by the special educational needs coordinator (SENDCO), consists of teaching assistant who liaise with relevant staff (form tutors, teachers, learning coordinators, pastoral staff and the welfare team) to ensure that pupils with SEND receive appropriate support to learn and achieve. As a school we are firmly committed to ensuring students with SEND achieve as highly as all students.
Year 7 transition
For pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs, a meeting with the primary school’s SENDCO will also be held. Additional visits to St Joan of Arc can be arranged ahead of the new school year to ensure that pupils feel comfortable and familiar with their new surroundings.
The SENDCO, where possible, will also attend the annual review of Year 6 pupils who have an EHCP that will be joining St Joan of Arc during the next academic year to support a smooth transition to Year 7 where all staff are aware of and plan for pupils with EHCPs.
Assessments
Cognitive ability tests, baseline assessments and assessments in core subjects are completed in Year 7 which provide information about pupil’s needs/learning profile which allows the SENDCO to highlight the pupils needing further classroom support through intervention.
Monitoring the progress of pupils continues throughout Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 as part of the school’s monitoring and tracking system in collaboration with the SENDCO, learning coordinator and SLT.
Differentiating the curriculum
Teachers differentiate the curriculum through quality first teaching using a range of teaching materials with a focus on literacy skills at nurture groups at Key Stage 3 and smaller teaching groups in Key stage 4. We also offer some teaching interventions for a small number of identified SEND students.
When pupils present with significant learning difficulties that have a long term adverse effect on performance and speed of working, we provide support for external examinations, in line with guidance and policy from the Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ).
Careful consideration and support is given to the selection of GCSE options for all pupils with specific support and smaller class sizes are in place to support identified pupils. This provides all pupils the opportunity to achieve their own personal success and future goals.
Throughout the year we run homework clubs which take place once a week for identified pupils in years 7-9 with SEND. We also offer support after school through prior arrangement with parents/carers of pupils in years 10 & 11 who would benefit from homework support.
Further information:
For more information on SEND provision at St Joan of Arc please see the SEN information report below or email admin@joa.herts.sch.uk and mark it for the attention of the SENDCO.
Contact the SENDco:
Name: Miss U Andrew
Telephone number: 01923 773 881
Email: admin@joa.herts.sch.uk and title FAO: SENDco
Address: St Joan of Arc School, High Street, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 1HG