Meet the SEND Team
We are extremely proud of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision and the team work tirelessly to ensure that all our students have the support to reach their full potential. The SEND and Inclusion Team are listed below:
Mrs Quashie
Vice Principal: Support and Wellbeing
Mrs Quashie
Vice Principal: Support and Wellbeing
Mrs Whitaker
SENDCo
Mrs Whitaker
SENDCo
Ms Sykes
Head of Alliance and Aspiring Leader with responsibility for SEND
Ms Sykes
Head of Alliance and Aspiring Leader with responsibility for SEND
Mrs Buckle
SEND Admin Assistant
Mrs Buckle
SEND Admin Assistant
Our vision for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is that they achieve the very best they can from their education. That they leave college with opportunities to continue education, enter further training or work.
Our commitment
We are wholly committed and welcome the changes in provision for students with SEND, as outlined in the Children and Families Act 2014. Our aim is to create a positive and inclusive atmosphere, where there is a shared commitment to empower students’ successful progression, whilst valuing individuality and diversity.
We ensure that:
- Young people and their families are at the centre of discussions around the support we provide
- The support offered takes into account young people’s health, care and educational needs
- We work closely with the young person’s local authority to access all aspects of the services available in the area
- We focus and prepare young people for adulthood, including employment, apprenticeships or university
- Person-centred reviews are provided ensuring young people meet their individualised goals and their EHCP outcomes are regularly reviewed
Support
Exam Access Arrangements
All exam access arrangements will be put in place in line with the regulations from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).
The purpose of an access arrangement/reasonable adjustment is to ensure, where possible, that barriers to assessment are removed for a disabled candidate preventing him/her from being placed at a substantial disadvantage due to persistent and significant difficulties. The integrity of the assessment is maintained, whilst at the same time providing access to assessments for a disabled candidate.
Arrangements available for candidates:
| 25% extra time | Supervised rest breaks | Access to mobile phone for medical purposes |
| Up to 50% extra time | Prompter | Timetable variation requiring overnight supervision |
| Extra time of over 50% | Language modifier | Listening to music/white noise |
| Computer reader/reader/reading pen | Live speaker for pre-recorded examination components | Modified papers |
| Read aloud | Communication professional (sign language) | Colour naming by the invigilator for candidates who are colour blind |
| Coloured paper/overlays | Practical assistant | Remote invigilation through the use of technology |
| Scribe/speech recognition technology | Alternative site for the conduct of examinations | Timetable variation on the day of an exam |
| Word processor | Separate invigilation within the centre | Braille transcript |
Our most common arrangements are:
Transition
Once you have followed our application process, and received a conditional offer at college, we can start a process of transition. Your place will be confirmed after GCSE results have been released.
Where required, additional taster days can be arranged by emailing: [email protected]. This will include a tour, any questions can be answered and an introduction to key members of staff.
Top Tips to a successful Transition
Share information with us. This should include any diagnostic reports, information from previous school, exam access arrangements documentation.
Develop your time management and organisational skills
Reflect on your study skills – be open to trying new methods. It is normal and expected that post 16 study feels significantly more challenging than GCSE. Be kind to yourself during this period of adjustment.
Complete our student profile – your voice is important to us. It is a good opportunity to make sure we know the support that you want and need.
Get involved. Be open to making new friends and trying new things – we have a number of enrichment opportunities, which are the perfect setting to meet like-minded people.
Keep an open mind. There will be other students in a similar position to you. We take pride in the diverse college community that we have.
Ask questions. If you have anything playing on your mind, there are plenty of opportunities to ask fellow students or staff.
Take care of yourself and be kind to yourself. Transition to a new environment can be a challenge, but you will soon find your routine.
FAQs
- Via self-declaration on application or interview
- Via EHCP consultation with the Local Authority if you have one
- Information received from feeder school
- Staff monitoring of behaviours and learning inside and outside of lessons
- During 1:1 meeting(s)
- Referrals to exam access arrangement assessments
We do our best to meet the needs of all students based on assessing the barriers that you are facing. You will be asked to complete a student profile so that we can share information with staff about your needs. Support will be utilised from reasonable adjustments and Quality First Teaching and wider support teams for targeted support if required.
- Parent/carer evenings (with academic team)
- Assessment Point report to parents/carers
- Parents/carers can call their young persons’ Alliance Team
- Meetings can be arranged with the SENDCo during the academic year
Please find a link to the policy, alongside some questions and answers relating to the changes, on the Post-16 transport policy review webpage.
Neurodiversity & Diagnosis
The demand for Neurodevelopmental assessments for Autism and ADHD/ADD in both child and adult services is very high and waiting lists can be long, in many cases between 12 and 24 months. Waiting times can be shorter where you exercise your right to choose but recently even these waiting times have been increasing. Below are some links for exploring referrals in the different Local Authority areas.
It is important to remember that as a college we do not require a professional diagnosis to support our students. If a student is experiencing difficulties, then they can work with the SEND and Alliance teams to identify needs and look at how they can be supported in college.
College can only make a referral for assessment where they know the student very well and our Alliance and SEND teams have worked with them for some time.
Below are some links for both Adult and Childrens’ services. Child referrals are up to a student’s 18th birthday. After that an adult referral will need to be made. Some services will transfer a child referral to adult referrals automatically if they have not already been seen but you will need to discuss this with the individual provider.
Links & Resources
| Information | Link |
|---|---|
| ADHD | https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/resources/ |
| Autism | https://leedsautismaim.org.uk/resources/children-and-young-people/ |
| Dyslexia and Dyscalculia | https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/resources |
| Mental Health and Wellbeing | https://mindmate.org.uk/ |
Where a waiting list is more than 18 weeks you might want to discuss with your GP your Right to Choose a different provider. There is further information on Right to Choose on these links.
| Right to Choose a different provider | Link |
|---|---|
| Your choices in the NHS | https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/ |
| ADHD support with assessment, diagnosis and treatment (18+) | https://www.careadhd.co.uk/ |
| Wakefield Council support available for autism. Individuals can initiate the process by contacting their GP, who can make a referral for a formal assessment | https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/adult-social-care/long-term-conditions/autism |
| Private dyslexia assessments | https://www.egs.org.uk/students/ |
| Private dyslexia assessments | https://www.leedsdyslexiaservices.co.uk/ |
| Online information and support about dyslexia | https://yorkshirerosedyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/ |
| Right to Choose a different provider | Link |
|---|---|
| The Geeks Room | https://www.geeksroom.org.uk/about |
| Lighthouse Futures Trust | https://lighthousefuturestrust.org.uk/ |
