Philosophy

Newlands Girls’ School believes that all pupils are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum and that it is the responsibility of all staff to make that curriculum accessible and relevant, thereby meeting the needs of individual pupils to help them fulfil their potential.

Principles

The school believes that in providing effective opportunities for all pupils:

• they will be set suitable learning challenges;
• specific action will be taken to respond to their diverse needs and
• potential barriers to learning and assessment will be addressed.

Graduated response to overcoming potential barriers to learning

Classroom action: It is the responsibility of the classroom teacher to meet the needs of all pupils. Subject teachers will differentiate to provide appropriate access to the curriculum for every pupil.

SEND Support

Pupils who were previously referred to as School Action or School Action Plus are now referred to as SEND Support. Each pupil identified as SEND Support is placed on the school SEND register and identified on SIMs and the report system. The register acts as a provision map and is a working document, providing information on the pupils' individual needs and suggesting ways to help them access the curriculum more effectively. The register details any extra provision which the pupil receives, for example, support from external agencies, support from the Student Focus Centre or extra time in tests and examinations. At any point, parents or teachers are able to identify pupils who are experiencing barriers to learning and they can be assessed or monitored by the SENCo or external agencies and then added to the SEND register as SEND Support.

Educational and Health Care Plans

Educational and Health Care Plans are awarded by the Borough after assessment by and consultation with external agencies. An EHC plan is awarded if it is recommended that the pupil has a significant need and will require additional provision in order to access the curriculum, this is usually in the form of support from a teaching assistant.

Each pupil with an EHC plan is placed on the school SEND register and identified on SIMs and the report system. The register provides information on the pupil’s individual needs and suggests ways to help them access the curriculum more effectively. The register also details any extra provision which the pupil receives, for example, support from specialists and the number of teaching assistant hours that they are entitled to.