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Mission Statement

All pupils have a right to access their education, equal to that of their peers, and to reach their potential. Where barriers exist, the school, pupils and parents will all work together to ensure the progress of pupils with special educational needs is supported in the mainstream classroom. Our role is to support both pupils and teachers in identifying strategies to provide the pupil with the best opportunity to reach their potential, both academically and socially.

At Ilford County High School, the Inclusion Team will support all students identified with SEN in line with the
‘Code of Practice 0-25 (2015)’. This legislation states

A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty
or disability calls for special educational provision,
namely provision different from or additional to
that normally available to pupils of the same age.

In line with this legislation, we will:

take into account the views of children, young people and their families
enable children, young people and their parents to participate in decision-making
collaborate with partners in education, health and social care to provide support
identify the needs of children and young people
ensure the delivery of high quality provision to meet the needs of children and young people
focus on inclusive practices and remove barriers to learning
help children and young people to prepare for adulthood

Identification of SEN:

The school adheres to the 4-part cycle: ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ as set out in the code of practice.

Screening and assessment

On entry to Ilford County High School all pupils will undertake a Common Assessment Test and a Progress in English Test. These are used to provide us with an initial indication of which pupils may need additional support. We will use this information to monitor early progress measures, with a further diagnostic assessment where expected progress is not made. This gives us supplementary information about where the pupil’s specific needs may lie and strategies of support can be identified.

A student may also be assessed as the result of a concern raised by their parent, teacher or an external agency. Assessment will also take place as the result of a student, with a pre-identified need, transitioning from school to school.

High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is our first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. In identifying a child as needing SEN support, the class or subject teacher, working with the Director of Student Development and SENCO, will carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. This will draw on the teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil, their previous progress and attainment, as well as information from the school’s core approach to pupil progress, attainment, and behaviour. It will also draw on other subject teachers’ assessments where relevant, the individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data, the views and experience of parents, the pupil’s own views and, if relevant, advice from external support services. This information will be monitored, reviewed regularly and a decision will be made as to whether the student will be added to the SEN register at the support level.

Earlier assessment and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This will help ensure that support and intervention are matched to need, barriers to learning are identified and overcome, and that a clear picture of the interventions put in place and their effect is developed. For some types of SEN, the way in which a pupil responds to an intervention can be the most reliable method of developing a more accurate picture of need.

Where a pupil continues to make less than expected progress, despite evidence-based support and interventions that are matched to the pupil’s areas of need, the school will consider involving specialists, including those secured by the school itself or from outside agencies. In some cases, outside professionals from health or social services may already be involved with the child. These professionals will liaise with the school to help inform the assessments.

If insufficient progress continues to be an issue and the student demonstrates highly significant levels of need, then an Education Health Care (EHC) Plan may be sought. Requesting an Education, Health and Care needs assessment should be as a result of concerns over the progress of the child or young person in relation to achieving the agreed outcomes. Where, despite the school having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the SEN of the pupil, the pupil has not made expected progress, the school or parents should consider requesting an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.

Methods of Additional Support

1 to 1 support in class
1 to 1 and small group intervention
Literacy intervention
Mentoring/Counselling
Emotional well-being support
Study Skills club

In addition to the support strategies listed above, we are also able to support students in the following ways:

Transition from school to school

In the summer term of each year, the department visits primary schools to liaise with SENCOs about new year 7 entrants. Existing EHCPs and primary school SEN registers are used to help identify pupils with additional needs and to prepare for a smooth transition to Ilford County High School.

On entry into the Sixth Form, students with SEN are incorporated in the school systems of assessment, monitoring and tracking of progress. There are three paths of approach:

Internal Transfer from Key Stage 4 to 5

If a student with SEN meets the ICHS entry criteria for Sixth Form then their provision and support transfers with them. This is adapted to focus on the different approaches that are required in Year 12.

External Transfer from Key Stage 4 to 5

If an external student with SEN meets the ICHS entry criteria for Sixth Form then their provision is adopted with adjustments as appropriate to meet their needs at ICHS.

Needs identified while in Year 12 or 13

Assessed in line with the 4-part cycle described above.

Outreach support

Regular liaison is maintained with the following external agencies for some pupils who receive SEN support and pupils with EHC plans (as applicable):

SEN Support Services in the London Borough of Redbridge (LBR)
Educational Psychology Service
Social Emotional Mental Health Support Service- SEATTS
NELFT NHS Social Communication and Interaction support
Social Care
Teacher of the Deaf - SEATTS
Teacher of the Visually Impaired Service (Joseph Clarke)
Education Welfare Service
Connexions
Emotional Wellbeing Mental Health Service

Examination Access Arrangements

In year 10, some students on the SEN register are formally assessed by a Specialist Teacher or Educational Psychologist in order to determine their eligibility for access arrangements for GCSE examinations. Students may need to be tested again in Year 12 to determine whether they still qualify for access arrangements for A Level examinations. The criteria for these arrangements are set out clearly in the Joint Council for Qualifications booklet which is published and updated every year. The school is subsequently inspected and required to present evidence in order to confirm our adherence to the regulations. These arrangements may include any or all of the following: up to 25% extra time, a reader, a scribe, the use of a laptop or rest breaks. Access arrangements for Years 7-8 will be determined by our initial testing of students on entry to the school in Year 7 (please see Screening above). At this stage, however, access arrangements are put in place in a less formal capacity. Despite access arrangements being put in place in Key Stage 3, there is no guarantee that this will lead on to access arrangements in Key Stage 4.

Access Arrangements