RNIB Pears School – SEN Information Report

The kinds of special educational needs for which provision is made at the RNIB Pears Centre:

We offer a stimulating and supportive, purpose-built environment for children and young people with multiple disabilities and complex health needs who are blind or partially sighted to reach their full potential for learning, independence and fulfilment.

Assessment of young people with SEND

All young people placed at RNIB Pears Centre will have an existing statement of SEN or EHC Plan. Where it is felt that review of these assessments are required the school will collaborate with key stakeholders to do so.

How we make provision for SEND Young People

  • As a specialist provider for a low incidence population of young people, we constantly review our provision and processes to ensure they meet the needs of our diverse and vulnerable young people.
  • All young people in the school are subject to an annual review of progress meeting which considers their progress in both academic and non-academic areas of development. A full paper based assessment is prepared in advance of these meetings and circulated 2 weeks prior to attendees to allow time for reading, correction and discussion.
  • The majority of our young people have a vision impairment and as such receive specialism teaching that meets their needs from a QTVI. All of our young people also have other complex difficulties such as severe ASD, which necessitates specialist techniques being used at all times. Young people wil complex or life-limiting health needs will also receive support in school from a clinician or competent carer.
  • The school aspires to deliver the national curriculum to all pupils and does not therefore apply for disapplication. However our curriculum is highly adapted to ensure that it is both accessible and relevant to our young people. We deliver most of our curriculum through thematic areas so embed ideas and learning.
  • RNIB Pears Centre has a highly specialised team of therapists to support our young people and work. These include full time physiotherapy, SALT, Habiltation, Education Nurse, Behaviour Specialist Nurse and a team of therapeutic assistants. In addition to this we subcontract Music therapy, Occupational therapy and Educational Psychology specialists.
  • Our ethos is to do all we can to ensure access, equality and opportunity to our young people.
  • Our behaviour specialist nurse provides ongoing support our staff to ensure that we respond appropriately to the emotional and behavioural needs of our young people. As required she will enlist the expertise of others to add even greater value to our work in this area.

Matters relating to EHC Plans and conversions fromSENstatements to plans

These should be directed to Mrs V Gutierrez (Leader for Student

Outcomes)at the school on 024 76369500.

The expertise and training of our staff

  • The school employs a number of teachers who are qualified as QTVIs and have masters accreditation.
  • Additionally we have a number of staff qualified as MSI intervenors or who hold the Partners in learning qualification.
  • We also provide all staff with a broad range of specialist training from moving and handling to ASD specialist learning to habilitation.

Provision of specialist equipment and facilities

Our school has a multitude of specialist equipment and resources from which our young people benefit. These can range from low tech devices such as basic communication devices that are made on site, to purpose made equipment such as that in our soft space, through to high tech pieces of assistive technology such as clear view readers and ipads. Much of this is funded by the school. However where it is felt that a young person needs an individual piece of equipment or once that is bespoke we will use the Annual Review process to raise such matters and agree a way forward. This may involve the use of pupil premium funding or collaboration with the responsible health authority to make resources available.

The Views of Families and Carers

All young people have a home school book which is available daily for parents/carers to write in to give feedback about our provision and young people. In addition we use the Annual Review process toenable families and carers to feedback about thier understanding of their young persons provision. We carry out an annual survey of parent/carer satisfaction and analyse feedback. We also allow parents, carers and social workers to come into school and sit/participate in class (fully supervised) with 48 hours notice.

The Views of Young People

All young people are invited to participate in their annual review meetings (however some find this very difficult). All young people are also consulted or thoroughly considered when an EHC Plan is written and their views are at the centre of the plan wherever possible. We have a student voice system in the school, which allows young people to provide feedback or be asked questions, which often runs alongside our school Cafe on Wednesday afternoons.

Feedback

RNIB Pears Centre welcome feedback on our services and this can be

made in writing or by telephone to the head teacher . Please to more detailed information in the Feedback and Complaints Procedure document on this website.

Involving other stakeholders and professionals

We uphold the belief that it takes a large number of professionals and stakeholders to fully meet the needs of our very complex young people. Therefore our governors support the leadership team wholeheartedly in engaging as broadly as possible to ensure that there is a team around each young person that is invested, expert and effective. Where issues arise we hold unscheduled multidisciplinary meetings and invite relevant attendees who can add value to participate. The appointment of our Leader for Student outcomes in 2016 has also added significant capacity to enable us to harness the views of others to ensure that plans fully meet the expectations and aspirations of all.

Possible sources of Information and support

Your home local authority will have ‘local offer’ publicly available on their website that will list SEND provisions already approved for consideration by them. If your choice of provider does not appear there you are still allowed to express your preference, but it may not be given.

List 41 may also have details of provisions you would like to consider, it can be found here:

Our provision may not appear in either of these websites, due to our non-maintained status in which case speak to your local authority about how you might arrange to express an interest in us.

If you are still unsure you may wish to contact specific organisations that specialise in SEND such as:

  • – the UKs leading sight loss charity
  • – the UKs leading Autism charity
  • - The UKs leading deafblind charity
  • – A non-profit organisation offering independent advice guidance and support
  • – to find who your local independent support provider is.

Supporting transition

We are acutely aware of the importance of high quality transitions for young people with SEND. This is why we now have a transitions officer who is responsible for supporting young people and their families who wish to transition into or out of our services. If you wish to discuss transitions please contact the school and speak to Lynn Donovan, Transitions Officer.