What should I do if I think my child has a Special Educational Need or Disability?

If you think that your child may be having difficulties that may be related to an undiagnosed Special Educational Need or Disability you should discuss your concerns, initially, with your child’s Form Tutor or Head of Year. Your concerns will be shared with the SENCO who will contact you for further details and discussion. Should you wish to, you could discuss your concerns directly with the SENCO.

The SENCO at Thornleigh Salesian College is Mrs V Anthony

How will I know how my child is doing in school?

All students are assessed on entry into Thornleigh Salesian College. Students are assessed using Cognitive Ability Tests (CATs), alongside literacy tests using GL assessment.  Students entering the school, having been previously assessed as having a special educational need or disability, will undergo further assessment, if necessary, to enable us to have a clear picture of their ability and needs, in order to guide future interventions and provision.

A member of the Inclusion team will contact parents/carers to inform them of the outcomes of the additional assessments and discuss interventions that may be implemented.  Parents/carers will be contacted on a termly basis to share news of progress made and to ensure that parents/carers have the opportunity to participate in their child’s learning.

How will I be involved in discussions about, planning for, and involvement in, my child’s education?

The Inclusion Support staff are happy to meet parents/carers informally at any time during the school week.

• All students with an Education Health Care Plan will have an Annual Review to which parents/carers are invited

• Students on the SEND register will have a Personalised Support Strategies.  Parents/carers have the opportunity to contribute to the Personalised Support Strategies.

My child has a physical disability, how will their transition to school / time in school be supported?

• In line with section 69 of the Children’s and Families act (2014), students with physical disabilities will have additional transition meetings before starting at Thornleigh. Thornleigh, the primary school, parents and the child will work together to organise the bespoke transition package.

• To ensure that students with disabilities are treated equally, risk assessments and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan’s (PEEP) will be created to ensure that all potential barriers to learning and access are removed.

How should complaints regarding SEND provision be made and how will they be dealt with?

• Concerns or complaints raised by parents/carers, with regard to school policy, can be dealt with directly through telephone calls or meetings with school staff.

• Where necessary, parents/carers will be supported in raising their concerns or complaints to the Local Authority and fully informed of SEND Disagreement Resolution Procedures and SEND Tribunal Procedures.

• Information regarding external support groups such as the Information Advice Service will also be made available to parents / carers.

How do I get a copy of the school SEND policy?

The policy can be found on the school website.