The SENCo at Ormiston Bridge Academy is Ruth Sargeant.
Email: [email protected]
Please contact the school main office on telephone number 020 3108 0345 and request to speak to Ruth Sargeant.
The Children and Families Act has changed the law, giving children, young people and their parents greater control and choice in decisions and ensuring that needs are properly met.
The intention of Ormiston Bridge’s offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. Our school is expected to identify and support pupils with special educational needs to make the best possible progress. The Ormiston Bridge Academy is an Alternative Provision which offers education for pupils who are permanently excluded or at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream schools; placement at this school is through the local authority, the mainstream secondary school or through the SEN consultation process. All of the pupils who attend are identified as having Special Educational Needs. The majority of these pupils fall into the broad category of Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), with many also having a range of other needs that may or may not have been identified or diagnosed. We strive to support any additional needs a pupil may have in any of the broad areas of SEND: Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Sensory and or Physical needs, and Social, Emotional and Mental Health. A small number of pupils who attend have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP).
We are committed to identifying and addressing the Special Educational Needs of all pupils and in doing so, removing the barriers to learning, ensuring that they ‘achieve their best, become confident individuals living fulfilling lives and make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher education or training’ (CoP). All staff understand the need for, and are able to implement, high quality, inclusive teaching. In addition to this targeted teaching, support is provided through mentors. The cycle of assess, plan, do, review is used to secure pupil progress and the best possible outcomes for individuals with a wide range of SEND needs.
All pupils have access to an engaging, relevant and enriching curriculum, reasonable adjustments are made and staff respond quickly to any emerging difficulties. Staff support the learning of pupils with SEND using a range of strategies including flexible grouping, metacognition, explicit instruction, scaffolding and modelling.
A comprehensive baseline assessment is completed by all pupils on entry, this is used for early identification of any additional learning needs. It has been identified that a high number of pupils upon entry to Ormiston Bridge have a significant gap between chronological age and reading age, therefore reading intervention is crucial and has a significant impact on engagement and progression. Reading is assessed 3 times a year to monitor progress closely, and to allow for additional support as needed. Therapeutic intervention is key to meeting the social, emotional and mental health needs of pupils and addressing unmet trauma needs. If a parent has concerns that their child may have an unmet or undiagnosed SEND needs they can contact the SENCo to discuss this.
The SEND code of practice (2015) aims to offer guidance and support for pupils, teaching staff and parents. Section 6 of the code of practice identifies the importance of improving outcomes, having high aspirations and expectations for pupils with SEND.
* This report is written taking into consideration the requirements set out in Schedule 1 of the Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND) Regulations 2014 and paragraphs 6.79–6.81 of the SEND Code of Practice.
The SEND policy is available to view on our policies page.
Click the link below to view the Ormiston Bridge SEND Information Report
The Ormiston Bridge Academy is an Alternative Provision (AP), which is a specialist provision, and can only be accessed through the SEN consultation process, or referral from a school or Local Authority. All children have experienced Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties and many also have significant barriers to learning. Almost all of our children have been permanently excluded or are at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream schools. The majority of our children are SEND Support and fall into the needs category of Social, Emotional and Mental Health. Many children have diagnosed/undiagnosed conditions such as ASD and ADHD and additional learning needs. We strive to support any additional needs a child may have in any area of SEND: Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Sensory and or Physical needs, and Social, Emotional and Mental Health.
On entry, we liaise with previous providers to ensure we have as much information as possible. A comprehensive set of baseline assessments is completed by all children at induction, and these are used to identify whether any additional learning needs should be further explored. Induction slides, including key information, interventions and strategies are shared with staff. After the first term, a one-page profile is created, including key SEND information, targets, interventions put in place, and strategies for staff to use in and out of the classroom. Parents and children input into this document, and targets are reviewed three times a year.
It has been identified that a high number of children upon entry to Ormiston Bridge have a significant gap between chronological age and reading age, therefore reading intervention is crucial and has a significant impact on engagement and progression. Reading is assessed 3 times a year for children identified as needing 1:1 intervention, to monitor progress closely, and to allow for additional support as needed.
The Senco and Leadership team identify children who will benefit from extra academic or therapeutic support. If you are concerned that your child has specific needs, further assessments can be done, using specialists if required. If a teacher or parent/carer thinks there is a further need which has not been identified, they can speak to the SENCo who will gather further information and act accordingly.
Staff contact home on a regular basis to pass on information or simply to talk about the children’ day. The targets and outcomes of child progress are shared with parents/carers via a meeting 3 times a year. Parents/carers are invited to discuss their child’s progress, along with any integration plans or problems which need to be addressed, at these meetings. Parents/carers are also welcome to discuss issues informally by appointment or telephone. Childrens’ data is gathered and monitored termly, and this is used to identify concerns around progress so that interventions can be implemented if deemed necessary. Reports are sent home annually.
We provide a safe, stimulating learning environment and each child will be valued as an individual. Personal learning plans are implemented as necessary and reflect our individualised approach. We will provide a broad balanced curriculum which enables the children to progress academically, socially and emotionally according to their potential. No children will be discriminated against in studying any subject area within the academy’s curriculum on the grounds of their SEND. Children are taught in small teaching groups and receive high quality inclusive teaching across the curriculum with a consistent and supportive approach to learning, progress and attainment.
All staff are committed to working together for the benefit of the children. We provide a positive, caring approach where the achievements and successes of each child are celebrated whenever possible. Staff work tirelessly to ensure that children are happy, make progress and achieve qualifications needed for their post 16 pathways. We believe positive working relationships between the school and parents/carers are essential in order to support children fully.
The initial support is based on information provided by previous schools and organisations and from baseline assessment reports. In time, as staff teach and get to know the child, they may then identify further needs which are discussed with the SENCo. Interventions may be implemented following this discussion or if termly monitoring highlights any lack of progress. In addition to small class sizes for all, differentiated tasks, 1: 1 support, personalised learning and an alternative curriculum are on offer where deemed necessary to meet individual needs.
The enrichment curriculum is available to all, and it is incorporated into the weekly timetable for Key Stage 3 and Year 10 children and all Primary Learners, where it is used to extend the curriculum as well as to reinforce our core values. This is an invaluable element of the curriculum as it also encourages the development of social and emotional skills. Risk assessments are carried out and procedures put in place to enable all children to participate, even when this suggests that a child may require an intensive level of 1:1 support. In addition, we have a highly successful sports programme which includes both on and offsite activities. Children in KS4 may also attend college taster sessions. Primary learners take part in enrichment onsite such a Fulham football foundation, drama with the lyric theatre, music, and gardening. Learners also get to take part in weekly swimming lesson off site. All activities/tasks are personised and designed to meet learner’s needs to ensure equality of learning opportunities.
All staff are experienced in dealing with children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties and can respond to most routine concerns or enquiries. The mentor team are usually the child’s most consistent point of contact. We have a Mental Health Lead who can be contacted with any welfare concerns and / or mental health concerns. The school has developed strong links with support services and agencies and is aware of referral procedures should these be advised. A directory of support has been created as a reference for staff to know where additional support for young people can be found. We have regular use of an Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Art therapist and an independent Careers Advisor. Where necessary, or by request, support can be coordinated via the Early Help process to both children and families.
In addition to the support mentioned in section 8 we also work closely with services such as Social Care, Medical/Health Services, the Family Solutions team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, and local police. The individual needs of the child will dictate what other agencies we seek advice from e.g. Speech Therapy, Autism Outreach and Literacy Specialists. All children also have access to independent careers advice to support them in preparing for post 16.
Our SENCo and Mental Health Lead are fully committed to regular development, training and furthering their understanding and practical application of SEND issues. There are SEND CPD every 3 weeks for teaching and support staff, led by the SENCo or external specialists. In addition, CPD sessions led by the senior leadership team and staff INSET days often cover aspects of SEND. The aim of this training is to enable all staff to view the full range of learning needs and be able to plan for them confidently.
In line with Equality Act 2010 Ormiston Bridge Academy discusses individual access arrangements and meets the need of presenting disabilities wherever practicably possible.
We welcome support from parents. Parents/carers will be encouraged by staff to become involved in the learning process of their child, forming a positive partnership in which professional and home support are complementary. Parents/carers are welcome to speak to staff about any concerns, please call to plan this in advance so that staff can be available to speak to you. There are structured conversation days to discuss academic progress, targets, and any issues of concern. Parents/carers are represented on the Governing Body.
There is an Inclusion Panel 6 times a year at which children’ issues can be discussed. Outside agencies are invited to attend and contribute where this is relevant. The SENCo has regular meetings with our Educational Psychologist who may also make recommendations that a child would benefit from the support offered by outside agencies. All staff are familiar with the range of local agencies and the support they offer, and consultations and referrals are made if required. There are frequent multi-agency meetings both in and out of school.
We aim to ensure that all transitions are positive as we want transition to be successful for both the young person and their parents/carers. We involve and liaise with all other appropriate agencies at the point of transition to help the processes run smoothly and have good outcomes. When children are referred to us, there is a thorough pre-admission process for information sharing and for initial introductions. The outreach team work with children prior to and during their return to mainstream education. Information regarding the SEND of children moving on is passed on to the appropriate people with parents’/carers’ permission so that support may continue. In addition to the outreach team, Bridge Primary hold progress review meetings which includes target setting, transition planning and back to school discussions with can include sharing strategies/resources, time limited TA support and class teacher support. This is all personalised to the learner to support them in the next stage of their educational journey. During Years 10 and 11 children have access to a Careers Advisor to help plan and support them in transition to college or in finding apprenticeships. Year 11 children are supported through the interview process where required.