SEND Support

A Graduated Approach

Cornwall Education Learning Trust’s Graduated Approach ensures that all pupils receive the support they need.  This approach involves formal review processes, agreed methods of assessing and identifying pupils and the use of data where it exists.

Adaptive and high quality teaching strategies are used in the classroom to help a pupil overcome any difficulties they may be facing, with the use of Pupil Passports and SEND Support Plans.

Initial Concern

If there is an initial concern raised about a pupil’s progress the first stage in the CELT Graduated Approach is to look at what adaptive teaching strategies have been used in lesson and whether additional strategies need to be used. A member of the SEND Team may carry out a classroom observation, meet with the pupil and/or parent to discuss difficulties. At this stage, a pupil isn’t added to the Record of Need.

There is on-going tracking and monitoring periodically throughout the year as part the school’s assessment and monitoring cycles. An initial concern explores what a pupil finds difficult and what High Quality teaching and learning strategies can be used in the classroom to help a pupil overcome any difficulties they may be facing.

“Where a pupil is making less progress than expected, the first response to such progress should be high quality teaching targeted at their areas of weakness.”, SEND Code of Practice 0-25.

CELT Identification Toolkit

When High-Quality teaching and learning strategies are being implemented in the classroom, but they are still experiencing barriers to learning, further exploration may be necessary. All schools within CELT use the following screening tools to aide in identifying the barrier to learning across the four broad areas of need which are - Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Social Emotional and Mental Health and Sensory &/or Physical. CELT use the following tools:

Cognition and Learning

  • York Assessment for Reading and Comprehension, Phonological Assessment Battery, British Picture Vocabulary Scale
  • Lucid Rapid, CoPS & LASS Dyslexia screener
  • GL Assessment Dyscalculia screener

Communication and Interaction

  • Wellcomm (Primary only)
  • ICAN Progression Tools
  • Autism Education Trust Framework

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

  • Boxall Profile

Sensory &/or Physical

  • Sensory Toolkit
  • Pre-Occupational Therapy Referral Framework

“All schools should have a clear approach to identifying and responding to SEN”, SEND Code of Practice 0-25.

CELT SEND Support Plans

Following the use of the appropriate screening tools the SENDCo may deem it necessary to produce and implement a CELT SEND Support Plan. This plan will outline specifically what additional or different support is needed to address a barrier to learning. It is at this stage a pupil is added to the Record of Need as SEN Support and parents will be informed.

The pupil’s CELT SEND Support Plan will follow a four-part cycle of Assess, Plan, Do Review where earlier actions are revisited, refined and revised. Parents and pupils will be invited to contribute during the formation of the CELT SEND Support Plan and during the review process. CELT SEND Support Plans will be reviewed at least on a termly basis.

CELT Pupil Panel

Where a pupil has been through a cycle of Assess, Plan, Do Review using the CELT SEND Support Plan but the pupil is still experiencing barriers to learning a SENDCo, with consent from parents, can make a referral to a monthly CELT Pupil Panel. The panel is made up of SENDCos from within CELT as well as external professionals from the Educational Psychology Service, Autism Team, Cognition and Learning, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy.

The purpose of the CELT Pupil Panel meeting is to seek external advice with the intention of forming a new CELT SEND Support plan. CELT Pupil Panel meetings will be held on a monthly basis and referrals going through to the panel meeting will be prioritised in order of need. There is limited capacity on how many pupils can be raised at each panel meeting. SENDCos may also use external agencies such as The ASD team or an Educational Psychologist through their school’s allowance or service level agreement.

“Where a pupil continues to make less than expected progress, despite evidence-based support and interventions that are matched to the pupil’s area of need, the school should consider involving specialists, including those secured by the school itself or from outside agencies.”, SEND Code of Practice 0-25

Applying for an Education Health and Care Plan

For a few pupils the SENDCo and parents may decide it is necessary to apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan as the pupil’s need cannot be met at SEN Support level. Having followed a Graduated approach with increasing levels of support the SENDCo, in collaboration with parents and the pupil, will submit an EHCP Needs Assessment request.

The SENDCo will use a range of evidence gathered over a period of time to demonstrate that a pupil is need of an Education Health and Care Plan. Once a needs assessment is submitted the Local Authority will decide whether or not to assess for an Education, Health and Care Plan.

 “Where, despite the school having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the SEN of the child or young person, the child or young person has not made expected progress, the school or parents should consider requesting an Education, Health and Care needs assessment”, SEND Code of Practice 0-25. 

CELT SENDCo Network

Our CELT SENDCo Network facilitates the sharing of resources and good practice to ensure that pupils receive the most appropriate support to help them learn.  This ensures that all staff are up-to-date with changes within.

SEND CPD Opportunities

CELT provide a comprehensive programme of training with guest speakers and external agencies to equip all staff with the tools and expertise to best support pupils to reach their full potential.

CELT SENDCo Network

A half termly network meeting which brings all SENDCos together to discuss key issues and priorities throughout the academic year. The purpose of these network meetings is to share good practice, experience and ensure consistency in our approach towards supporting children with SEND. Guest speakers from external agencies attend on a regular basis to enable our staff have up to date knowledge of CPD opportunities or changes within the statutory SEN service as part of the Local Authority’s local inclusion and transformation plan. Meetings are held virtually and face to face.

Challenge Days

All schools within CELT partake in regular challenge days. SEND provision is reviewed as part of this process which involves analysing data such as outcomes, attendance, suspensions as well as SEND Leadership and reviewing the Quality of Education. Following each challenge day, a number of recommendations and professional judgements are made and shared with the Headteacher and Trust Lead.

This academic year CELT have worked collaboratively with Westcountry Schools Trust who have carried out a series of Secondary SEND focused reviews on our schools. Our primary schools have also benefited from a number of external reviews as part of the Challenge Day process.

SEND Leadership and Self Evaluation Framework

We have a shared SEND Leadership and Self Evaluation Framework which enables leaders of SEND within CELT to identify strengths and prioritise areas for development. This framework ensures there is a consistent approach towards SEND across CELT and that learners with SEND have the same opportunities and experiences.

This framework is based on Whole School SEND MAT review’s framework which CELT further developed in collaboration with independent education consultant – Natalie Packer, to ensure it was suited to our settings. Areas listed in our framework include:

  • Leadership and Management
  • Identification
  • Tracking and Monitoring
  • High Quality Teaching and Learning
  • Developing Provision

Primary SEND Hubs

Within our Primary phase we have SEND Hub leads who have strategic overview of a number of schools. This leadership model ensures action plans for priority areas for development identified through our Self Evaluation Framework are being implemented and are having the intended impact. As well as this, our Primary Hub leads ensure all schools are implementing our CELT Graduated Approach towards supporting those learners with SEND. Our Primary Hub leads ensure SEND is a whole school approach and work closely with Head Teachers and the SLT.