SEN Information Report - The Blandford School SEN Information Report 2016
Assistant Head for Guidance and Welfare - Penny White
Inclusion Lead and SENCo - Kirsty Cowley
Assistant to the SENCo - Jo Powell
Academic Learning Mentor - Mary Skinner
Supervisory Teaching Assistance (TA) – Sue Keogh
5 Year TAs
1 1:1 TA
10 Faculty TAs
The Blandford School (TBS) is a mainstream comprehensive secondary school. We are able to support mainstream SEND areas within our existing daily resources in all 4 categories of need.
The TBS Inclusion Policy can be found on the school website.
SEND/Inclusion – Context
This year has seen the consolidation of the SEND department with the Base and Medical into a single faculty. Due to staffing difficulties it has been a challenging year.
The SEND changes initiated in September 2014 are still being roll out via County but all changes are up to date in school. Our main focuses, from an SEND point of view, are students with Statements or Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs) or those with SEND support (K) in school. These are the students who require a higher level of support to meet their needs. To ensure staff are aware of any details we have on students we have a full Inclusion Register which includes things that may affect students in school, e.g. medical information, home situations, academic needs etc.
Where appropriate I have consolidated EHCP students with the Student Support students under one the category of ‘SEN’.
Key Stage 3
The year 7 cohort was noticeably weaker academically this year, with more Statemented students and students requiring additional intervention than recent years. There were more SEN boys than girls and their behaviour was noticeably more challenging in the classroom.
When assessing key stage three results I am very aware of the data we are using and the changes afoot. Historically we have questioned some of the SATs outcomes, particularly when students have not sat their SATs and have been given a proxy level instead. Though a proxy is given this does not mean this is an accurate reflection of their ability, more simply they could not access the exam. This said we have to use the data we are given.
I will be primarily using the Target V’s Actual data. I am mindful that my faculty does not have a National Curriculum subject that can be measured. My focus is across different subjects and the support we can offer students and staff to effectively narrow the gap with our SEN students. My main focus will be on the primary 3 core subjects.
English / Yr 7 Target Vs’ Actual / Yr 8 Target Vs’ Actual / Yr 9 Target Vs’ ActualSEN / -0.62 / -0.42 / -0.83
There is clearly a continued focus for KS3 and their literacy focus. Learning Support (LS) and Literacy and Thinking Skills (LTS) students are predominantly boys and the boys across KS 3, according to the additional data available, are underachieving. We need to use LS and LTS as a springboard to support the students’ flight path through all their subjects. Linking in with other subjects and their ‘I can’ focuses, which the students are working towards in their lessons, will be a necessary link to help the SEN students move forward.
Maths / Yr 7 Target Vs’ Actual / Yr 8 Target Vs’ Actual / Yr 9 Target Vs’ ActualSEN / -0.41 / -0.07 / -0.34
Maths does not have a correlation to a particular gender. As you can see Year 7 and 9 are significantly underachieving and though Year 8 is not as significant it is still a minus figure. We clearly need to continue with the numeracy focus for our SEN students. In LS we continue to focus on the basic methods used to undertake the 4 maths functions. Historically the numeracy element of LS was not taught by a Maths specialist. Last year a Maths teacher taught 2 periods of LS in Year 9. Unfortunately this year that has been reduced to 1. These figures identify a need for experienced specialist Maths teachers to be teaching the students with the focused needs and not just the most able.
LTS students do not access additional numeracy in lessons, as they are not as academically weak as the LS students. We therefore have additional Numeracy Intervention groups running during PM registrations. We use the ‘Success@arithmetic’ materials to support these students and give them a structured programme to follow.
I am also aware of students that are withdrawn from SATs and we are then targeted on a proxy result. If a student is unable to access the curriculum at Primary School it is unrealistic to think they will be able to access it at Secondary level. We are currently working with Year 7’s who do not have secure number bonds and timetables, which are fundamental to the foundations of Maths understanding. Ofsted identify “For groups of pupils whose cognitive ability is such that their attainment is unlikely ever to rise above ‘low’, the judgement on outcomes will be based on an evaluation of the pupils’ learning and progress relative to their starting points at particular ages and any assessment measures the school holds. Evaluations should not take account of their attainment compared with that of all other pupils.”
Science / Yr 7 Target Vs’ Actual / Yr 8 Target Vs’ Actual / Yr 9 Target Vs’ ActualSEN / -1.26 / -0.57 / -0.43
Science continues to be a focus but is more difficult to support with interventions, predominantly due to lack of capacity in our current staffing. Fundamentally students need to be secure in their Literacy and Numeracy to be able to access the National Curriculum for other subjects. In my view both are particularly appropriate to Science.
Clearly students are currently underachieving in Science throughout KS3 and 4 and that KS4 has been a particular focus this year. My view continues to be across KS3 and 4. I have previously identified that purely having a KS4 focus is too late. The new focus on the ‘flight path’ is, in my view, a far more realistic approach with a consistent push with all year groups. This will also remove the feeling of year 8 having less purpose and year 9 being about GCSE Options. The flight path will give a drive towards, not only, the National Curriculum but also the study skills required in subjects.
Key Stage 4
English
A*-C Target / A*-C Actual / APS Target / APS Actual / ResidualSEN / 40% / 73.33% / 37.2 / 39.2 / 1.64
The English results were incredibly pleasing this year, especially as securing a C and above are a key criterion to many post 16 courses. The SEN students this year included 2 SEN students who had Speech and Language difficulties, 4 CIC and 10 students who were supported throughout KS3 with Learning Support timetabled. These students really benefited from the extra Literacy focus throughout KS3 and 4.
Maths
A*-C Target / A*-C Actual / APS Target / APS Actual / ResidualSEN / 60% / 13.33% / 35.6 / 22.27 / -0.96
The SEN Maths results were, obviously, disappointing. This shows the need for a continued focus for Maths and the need for subject specialist teachers to utilise their skills and knowledge to the benefit of those students who struggle with Numeracy. The English results identify a successful grasp of Literacy. If students are able to access the Numeracy Curriculum with their ability to read the questions and make sense of the language then it could be identified that it is the actual Maths skills that need to be practised and identified. SEN students often struggle to identify what the question is asking them to do and choosing the right operation to apply to the question. I would very much like to see the experienced practitioners teaching the weaker sets to use their expertise to support the student’s learning. In addition to this I would like to see Maths teachers teaching more of the Numeracy element in Learning Support.
Science
A*-C Target / A*-C Actual / APS Target / APS Actual / ResidualSEN / 16.67% / 0% / 32 / 24.5 / -0.4
Though the Science results are a little disappointing they are better than previously expected and the Science department undertook several strategies to give the students the opportunities to reach the improved grades. SEN students require more focused support with things like revision. The Science department used past papers as a focus and this is the type of revision that gives purpose to what the students learn rather than just making and reading notes alone.
Once again the student’s literacy and numeracy abilities directly impact their ability to access the curriculum for other subjects and Science uses both skill sets.
Overall results
5+A*-C grades (%)
Student Numbers / 2015 Result / Student Numbers / 2016 ResultStatement / 2 / 50 / 4 / 25
SEN Support / 15 / 47 / 15 / 13
Ethnic Minority Groups / 6 / 80 / 5 / 100
CIC / 4 / 0 / 2 / 50
5+A*-C grades including English and Maths (%)
Student Numbers / 2015 Result / Student Numbers / 2016 ResultStatement / 2 / 0 / 4 / 0
SEN Support / 15 / 27 / 15 / 13
Ethnic Minority Groups / 6 / 50 / 5 / 80
CIC / 4 / 0 / 2 / 50
With regards to our statemented students we had some very pleasing results. All four students achieved the necessary grades to access their chosen courses post 16.
I do believe that a certain amount of their success is due to the access arrangements that are put in place. Access Arrangements are focused on removing barriers and evening the playing field for SEN students. We have become well versed in what arrangements are available and what works for different students dependent upon the needs. The Special Educational Needs Support Service (SENSS) are responsible for our Access Arrangements assessments and they have identified us as a centre of good practice and are often referring other schools to communicate with us where support is needed. I honestly believe that one of our statemented students would have significantly underperformed if we hadn’t facilitated access arrangements to include a separate room, enabling her to read aloud during her exams.
Due to the focussed supports students receive we get to know the individuals well and the packages and interventions were able to facilitate support for individuals in different ways. The difficulty with any intervention is the impact upon their options/subjects. Across the KS3 and 4 flight path decisions are made and consequences accepted. If students need support in a secondary school it will impact their timetable. Some students will lose time in their afternoon registration. Though this is not subject time it still removes them from a time when they often access activities their support their social development or their PSHEE curriculum. If they are removed for a lesson then this can make their learning in this subject disjointed, which is not ideal for any student but particularly those that struggle academically as they are not able to easily catch up. Some students are removed for full subjects. This of course has an impact as some students are not able to study this subject long term and some lose an option at their GCSEs, reducing their progress 8 options and opportunities. These decisions are therefore not taken lightly.
All this said it is clear that success can prevail if the right decisions are made and support, both academic and emotional/nurture, is in place. Out of 19 students supported all had places available to them after KS4. 2 Students have accessed a Level 1 course at college, 14 accessed a level 2 at college or TBS and 3 accessed a level 3 course at college or TBS. 17 of the 19 have taken up their places and 2 we have not had confirmation of at present. 6 have returned to our TBS 6th form and the rest accessed courses we do not run. Overall I believe this is a huge success. All the students were able to move forward from their KS4 students and secure a course post 16.
We continue to support EAL students where needed. We implemented a high level of support to a student from a military family who moved to the area. DCC do not provide support for EAL students now. We have TAs who have experience working with EAL students and have previously worked with the DCC EMTAS service when it existed and we used this experience to support our student. She was a hard working young lady and engaged very well with the support and has now embarked upon her KS 4 studies with a competent level of English.
Our students from the Traveller Community are well settled at TBS. They are all residents in the local areas. We do not currently have anyone requiring support.
I am looking forward to moving the Inclusion Faculty forward this coming year. Having all elements under one umbrella will further improve the working system in school and the capacity for interventions to support students to enable them to make as much progress as possible. I am hoping that with new staff in posts we will be able to move forward with improved and increased efficiency.
Kirsty Cowley
SENCO
Funding SEND support
It can be seen below that there is an overspend resourcing the SEN provision. We have many areas of need, not just academic. To facilitate the support our students require we have identified the support needed and how best to facilitate and manage this. An overspend was identified as necessary to give multiple layers of support where required.
SEN Annual Report – 2015/16 Academic Year
Notional SEN funding £320,308
Personalised maths support £1,266
Homework club – lunchtime £2,955
Homework club – after school £1,688
Academic Learning Mentor £12,693
Base Mentor (18% of salary) £7,874
SENCo salary & LS/LTS teaching £134,645
ELSA support £7,233
IT equipment £1,516
Lunch lounge £4,592
TA salaries £231,177
Total Spent £405,639