SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)

“Meeting individual needs”

Mr R. Brooks, Assistant Headteacher – SENDCo, Miss S. Bird, Deputy SENDCo, Mrs L. Harris, Assistant SENDCo, oversee the whole provision of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities across the school.

In addition to this, we have 17 teaching assistants, some of whom have additional responsibilities for specific groups such as students with ADHD, ASC and the administration of literacy programmes.

To contact the SEND Department, please use the email address below, and your query will be directed to either Mr Brooks, Miss Bird or Mrs Harris.

Email the SEND department

Liaison with Primary Schools and Parents Prior to Admission

This begins in the April, prior to September intake. Primary schools are asked to inform us of students who are transferring to Blenheim who are on their Special Educational Needs Register and the level of support they feel is required.

Staff from Blenheim visit feeder primary schools to discuss pupils' needs to ensure a smooth transition.

On Joining Blenheim

Upon entry to the school at any time, students are tested with an array of assessments to ensure that all students’ needs are identified and appropriate provision is in place. This allows students whose needs may not have been highlighted during the transition phase (if a Year 7 student). If students are identified at this stage parents are invited to meet with the Literacy and Language teacher to learn about the provision offered at Blenheim.

Special Needs provision at Blenheim is reflective of the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs 2015 and therefore based on the principle that all students should have access to a full and balanced curriculum. To this end much of the support within school is facilitated through the principles of inclusive teaching and the deployment of teaching assistants to curriculum areas.

Support Provision Within School

For some students additional support is necessary to ensure that they make adequate progress and supported appropriately. The types of support programmes that are available are:

Literacy focused lessons.
Targeted literacy intervention programme
Transition/Nurture groups for Year 7 students
Access to a key worker if needed
Assessment for Access Arrangements for all formal tests and external exams
Individual mentoring for learning support
Access to specialised provision via outside agencies
Access to specialised provision in school such as social skills sessions or a tailored curriculum at Key Stage 4
Social skills programme for Key Stage 3 students
Lexia (computer literacy program)
Speech & Language support for identified students
Kidzone lunch-time group

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy

School Partnership Information

The school has a Special Educational Needs Register that is updated regularly and is available to all teaching and support staff. Teaching staff also have access to assessment data and strategies to implement for students with Special Educational Needs. The placement of children on the register is based on assessment data and liaison with teaching staff. Parents are informed when students are placed on the register and are notified when, following re-assessment, students have been discharged.

Individual targets for students on the SEND register will be set within the curriculum and by specialist teachers in identified intervention. This will be based on their individual need. In addition, Literacy Progress Report postcards will be sent.

The SEND Department also works very closely with an array of outside agencies in order to access extra, more specialist support. Please see the local support services link below that may be helpful if you have concerns.

A final word…

We are here for our students and their parents. If you feel any time you would like to discuss your child’s progress at school or if you have any worries or concerns about your child coping academically and/or socially, please contact the SEND Department.

Email the SEND department

SEN Information Report