Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
Wath Academy is a mainstream secondary school. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is around the national average. The proportion of students from minority-ethnic groups is below the national average.
Ethos for Working with Students with SEND
We believe that every teacher is a teacher of every child, including those with special educational needs, and that the role of the Inclusion Faculty is to work inside and outside the classroom to support students to ensure they reach their potential and are fully included in all school activities.
This section, often referred to as the SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) 'Local Offer', provides information on what services children, young people and their families can expect from our school, a range of local agencies, including education, the local authority, health and social care. This section outlines the SEND provision, support and facilities that Wath Academy can provide for you.
This SEND information was written and then published following consultation with staff, governors and parents. It was written following the publication of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years, June 2014.
Our SEND provision is quite complex, so the information is divided into sections. The first four sections are an overview of general SEND services and the last three sections; Autistic Spectrum Conditions, Physical & Sensory Impairment and Social, Emotional & Mental Health cover some of our working teams within school, staff roles and facilities.
Our Primary Contacts
- SENDCO: Miss E Greenfield
- Assistant SENDCO: Mrs J Stone-Riley
- The school governor with responsibility for SEN: Mrs M Booth
If you need to get in touch with any staff, please contact us on 01709 760222
Wath Academy's SEND cohort as of September 2021 comprised of 159 receiving SEN Support, and 41 pupils with EHC Plan.
Specialist Services
We commission/work alongside the services of the following outside agencies as appropriate:
- Mr Matthews and Miss Chapman liaise with HI (Hearing Impaired), VI (Visually Impaired) and Rotherham SALT (Speech and Language Therapy) Services.
- Mrs Stone-Riley and Miss Chapman liaise with ACT (Autism Communication Team).
- School Nursing Service can be contacted on 01709 423387.
- Mrs Smallwood, Mrs Haigh and Mrs King are our primary Early Help liaison.
What Training Have Staff Had for Supporting a Child With SEND?
All staff have received training in working with students with SEND. This is part of our ongoing training programme.
Specialist training in which staff have participated over recent years includes:
- Manual handling training
- Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment training
- Read, Write Inc Fresh Start
- 1st Class@Number 2
- Accelerated Reader
- Clicker 7
- Dyslexia, ASC ADHD, Attachment Issues
- Boxall Profile
Accessibility
We pay due regard to the Disability Act and use best endeavours to ensure that our site is accessible to all. Alongside this document is our Accessibility Plan which outlines the action plan in this area. We look at provision for all students on a bespoke basis, subject to available resources. The following are examples of actions taken to support some students.
- Bespoke rooming to ensure accessibility to all areas of a student’s timetable.
- Some specialist equipment and furniture have been purchased as required.
- A physio room is available for the students to use on a daily basis.
- Equipment and modification of site has taken place for visually impaired students, including the modification of steps to ensure they are visible.
- User-friendly documents for parents with an additional need or a requirement for documents in a different language, including the use of an interpreter.
- Lifts are available for students with physical disabilities.
- Disabled parking bays are available.
- Support on visits, including residential visits, to ensure that SEND students are included in activities outside the curriculum.
Transition From Wath to Post-16 Provision and Further Education
The transition from Wath to other establishments can be difficult, so we take steps to ensure that our students are supported.
- All students will visit post-16 provision, education providers and / or careers events (if appropriate).
- All students will receive post-16 Induction at Wath Academy (if appropriate).
- All students making UCAS / FE applications will receive support from pastoral, careers and (if appropriate) inclusion staff.
- There will be a transfer of academic information between Key Stages or providers.
SEND students and students with additional needs will also receive...
- Bespoke visits to post-16 provision and Further Education providers.
- Additional support from Inclusion staff with applications to post-16 provision.
- A transition passport (if required).
- There will be a transfer of information regarding support provided for assessment and exams.
Concerns about Provision
All general concerns should be through the child’s class teacher or form tutor who will work with their Pastoral and/or Academic Year Leader to ensure any concerns are addressed in a timely fashion. All staff can be contacted via the school reception.
If you have a concern regarding the provision for a child’s SEND then concerns should be raised with the SENCO.
If parents/carers feel that their concerns are not dealt with to their satisfaction, they should contact Mr Ransome, the Principal. If there is continued concern about any aspect of the provision for their child’s education, they should consult our school's complaints policy for further information, which can be found in the Policies section of our website.
Many people have a role in a student’s education at Wath Academy and all staff will be happy to help parents with any concerns they have whether educationally, socially or in the home setting.
Rotherham Special Educational Needs and/or Disability Local Offer details are available at www.rotherhamsendlocaloffer.org. You can contact the Local Authority at SENDlocaloffer@rotherham.gov.uk or telephone 01709 334077.