Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) 2025-26

The decision to place a student on the SEND register is discussed with parents/carers.  Please see our SEND policy.  Students are identified as having SEND in a variety of ways, including:

• liaison with primary or previous school
• baseline assessment for numeracy and literacy; KS2 SATs results; data captures throughout the year
• communication with parents/carers
• the student is worried about accessing learning and raises concerns with a member of staff
• the student is performing significantly below expected levels
• concerns raised by a teacher or another adult at the school
• liaison with outside agencies
• using a range of screening tools, such as EXACT (a screener used to identify students who may require Exam Access Arrangements), YARC (a screener used to identify a student’s reading strengths and areas for development), LASS (screener to assess literacy and cognitive skills)
• referral to another professional, with parental consent

“My daughter really loves the positive reward system at WSfG which recognises and rewards not only academic ability but other important values such as compassion, courage, effort and compassion.” 
Parent of Year 7 student

“It is really useful knowing the House is there if I get stressed. Everyone is really friendly and nice. I like going for walks in the garden”.
Year 9 Student
(The House is where our SEND team, Wellbeing Hub and Learning Mentors are based).

“The SEN support has been absolutely outstanding.  Fantastic communication with us, lots of support for my daughter in class, a calm area that students can access at breaks and lunch.  All the teachers and LSAs I have spoken to have been really warm and caring”.
Parent of Year 9 student

“My daughter was nervous about coming to secondary school. The support from the staff at WSfG has been excellent.”
Parent of Year 7 student

“The additional transition afternoons have helped my daughter to feel more confident about the transition to secondary school and the coffee afternoon was very informative.”
Parent of incoming Year 7 student

Our school offers a broad and balanced curriculum for all and we use resources tailored to the needs of pupils who require support to access the curriculum.  The curriculum offer is reviewed annually to make sure it meets the needs of all pupils. The termly learning journey plans can be found on the school’s website.

Subject teachers are responsible for the progress and development of students in their classes.  High quality, adaptive teaching is the first step to responding to students who may have SEND.  Subject teachers informally and formally assess throughout the term and follow the Graduated Approach.  Parents receive feedback on their child’s progress three times per year.  Students with SEND and their parents/carers have the opportunity to discuss progress or any concerns with the Key Worker or SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo throughout the year.

The SENDCo is responsible for ensuring that:

• subject teachers are aware of and understand the needs of individual students
• guidance and advice for colleagues
• training opportunities are provided for teachers and support staff
• SEND provision is efficiently co-ordinated
• Provision in the Local Offer is accessed where necessary

The SENDCo will endeavour to resolve any parental concerns or complaints in the first instance.  Working in partnership with parents/carers is very important to us.  The school’s complaints policy is available on the website.

Student voice is extremely important at WSfG and students are encouraged to take an active role in school life and in their own learning.  Student voice is gathered in a number of ways, including through student voice groups.

Student Passports

We create an Inclusive Teaching & Learning Passport with the student, parents/carers. This details the student’s strengths and likes, what they find difficult, and how teachers should support them in the classroom.  This is reviewed regularly.

Key Workers & Support

In September 2022, we introduced Key Workers for our students on the SEND register.  The Key Worker provides the student with an adult they can go to if they have any worries or concerns, and it provides enhanced communication between home and school.

“The thing I appreciate above all else at WSfG is the excellent communication and proactivity of my daughter's keyworker who got to know her really well and earn her trust in a short space of time.” 
Year 7 Parent

Interventions & Support 

• Assistive technology, such as IPads/laptops, Reader pens, writing slopes, voice recognition software
• Additional adult support in the classroom
• Facilities to support students with SEND, such as disabled toilets, toilet passes, use of the lifts, ramps, leave the classroom early passes to ensure movement at quiet times, equipment as directed by Occupational or Physiotherapists.  We create Health Care Plans to support students who have medical needs.
• Interventions meetings – The Assistant Headteacher/Designated Safeguarding Lead, SENDCo, Pastoral Manager, Student Progress Leader and a Learning Mentor meet fortnightly to discuss and evaluate support for individual students. The Graduated Approach is used to evaluate the effectiveness of provisions and interventions.
• LLD team and Learning Mentors - We run a range of short-term interventions through the LLD team and Learning Mentors, such as transition support, developing friendships, literacy, speech and language (under the guidance from our Speech and Language Therapist), self-care, college/6^th form-ready, organisation.
• Breakfast Club – We run a breakfast club for some students between 08:00 – 08:30.

“I like breakfast club because of the toast, and I can have some quiet time before lessons start. I also see my friends”. Year 7

• Wellbeing Hub – In September 2022, we created a Wellbeing Hub in school to support our students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs.  Support for improving emotional and social development continues to remain an important focus.  The Hub is supported by CAMHS Mental Health Support team, staffed by our Learning Mentors and overseen by our Pastoral Manager and Assistant Headteacher i/c inclusion.  It currently provides a range of support and interventions, which will continue to evolve and develop over the next few months following feedback from students, parents/carers and staff. 

“The space is always filled with positivity.” Year 11

“It offers lots of resources to help with our emotions and feelings”. Year 9

“It gives me a calm environment to start the day.” Year 8

• School Counsellor (3 days) – Ms Quddus is a fully qualified Integrative Therapist who specialises in working with children and young people.  Ms Quddus integrates play and creativity, where appropriate, as another form of communication to explore feelings that might be difficult to express in words.
• Waltham Forest CAMHS Mental Health Support Team (Tier 1) provide weekly small group or 1-1 short-term courses in school on low mood, anxiety, healthy relationships and self-esteem, body image, exam stress, mental health and emotional regulation.
• School Nurse (Waltham Forest) – the nurse provides drop-in sessions for our students, and we can refer our students to the school nurse if we have any concerns.
• Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) – We buy into a traded SaLT service called Learning, Talking.  Cat Andrew is our Therapist; she has a wealth of experience in supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.    
• Educational Psychologist – Dr Chinelo Mortune works with students and their families to assess learning and/or emotional needs.  
• Virtual School – Co-ordinate Personal Education Plans and support for Looked After Children and work closely with the student, social services, carers and the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children at WSfG, Ms Wallis.
• We have access to the Flourish Education Services, a SEND Outreach Team based at Whitefield School.
• Liaison with outside agencies, including CAMHS, Social Services, Early Help, Alternative Provision settings, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, WF SEND Team.
• Staff training – Many of the services listed above provide school staff with training and guidance.  Our continuous professional development programme for staff is impact-driven; our students are the focus, along with how our practice impacts on them.  In 2022/23, our offer included sessions on high quality teaching and the benefits to students with SEND (EEF 5-a-day approach), as well as Relationships, Regulation and Repair. In 2023/2024, there was a continued focus on the Inclusive Classroom.  In 2024/2025, the sessions focussed on the theme of Leave No Child Behind.

Exam Access Arrangements (EAA)

Students in KS3 are identified as needing EAA through primary transition notes or through the use of screening assessments. For assessments and exams, it could mean that a student requires:

• 25% extra time
• a reader
• a scribe
• rest breaks
• a prompter
• alternative rooming to the main exam hall
• a language modifier
• a practical assistant

Primarily, any EAA formally applied for, must be the candidate’s ‘normal way of working’ in the school setting. Teachers are required to complete a questionnaire about a student’s normal way of working as well as supplying evidence of the difficulties seen in lessons. A student will then be tested at the end of Year 9, dependent on what teachers’ have identified as the main area of concern.  Our Assistant SENDCO, Ms Smith, is a qualified EAA Assessor.

AHT	Assistant Headteacher
ASC	Autistic Spectrum Conditions
ASD	Autistic Spectrum Disorder
BLP	Building Learning Power
BSP	Behaviour Support Plan
BTEC	Business and Technology Education Council
CAMHs	Child Adolescence Mental Health Services
CATs	Cognitive Ability Tests
CFCS	Child Family Consultation Service
CiC	Children in Care
CoP	Code of Practice
CP	Child Protection
CPD	Continuing Professional Development
DES	Disability Enablement Service
DTLAS	Designated Teacher Looked After Student
EHCP	Education Health and Care Plan
FAP	Fair Access Panel
GB	Governing Body
GCSE	General Certificate in Secondary Education
GP	General Practitioner
HI	Hearing Impairment
IAG	Information Advice and Guidance
INSET	In-service Training
LA	Local Authority
LAC	Looked After Children
LAS	Looked After Student
LLD	Language and Learning Development
LMe	Learning Mentor
LT	Leadership Team
PBFL	Positive Behaviour for Learning
PEP	Personal Education Plan
PSHE	Personal Social Health Education
PSP	Pastoral Support Plan
SaLT	Speech and Language Therapist
SAM	School Attendance Manager
SEN	Special Educational Needs
SENCO	Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
SLCN	Speech Language and  Communication Needs
SLD	Severe Learning Difficulties
PMLD	Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
SMEH	Social, Mental and Emotional Health
SPLD	Specific Learning Difficulties
VI	Visual Impairment
WSfG	Walthamstow School for Girls