“You are the light of the world…Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God.” Galatians 3:26
We provide an inclusive education for all students and value all students highly as individuals, focussing education on ‘the whole child’. According to Goransson and Nilholm (2014), inclusion should include the creation of communities with special characteristics such as social inclusion, equity, justice, valuing diversity, which is the forefront of our whole school provision, where staff have high expectations of all students – academically, socially ad emotionally. All students receive an education that will best meet their particular needs, to enable all pupils to receive their full entitlement to a broad, balanced and appropriate curriculum, with access to a wide range of experiences.
The Catholic High School, Chester prides itself in being inclusive and will endeavour to support every child regardless of their level of need. This is outlined in the Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools: Evidence Review, where it states that ‘accepting diversity means having the same educational aim for each child or young person in the school’ (p15). All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented. Individual student needs will be identified as part of the transition process and these will be targeted appropriately to ensure students can receive the level of support suited to their individual needs and make progress in line with their peers.
We believe that positive relationships are the foundation of all learning and therefore have developed an ethos that values these above all else. According to Bronfenbrenner’s biological theory as outlined in the SEN Review, March 2020, the drivers of pupil development is the everyday activities and interactions that a student engages with, therefore establishing positive role models for our students is essential if we expect considerate, appropriate behaviour from them. The research also highlights the influence of personal characteristics (for example pupil disposition), time (for example spent on activities) and environment (class, local area etc.) on pupil outcomes therefore we strive to promote positive home – school links at every opportunity, beginning with transition meetings, swing band and summer school events. We also believe that praise and encouragement is the best way to improve self-esteem and foster motivation amongst our pupils. We also believe that all children learn best when their basic needs are met. Therefore we will work closely with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils are able to make good progress, adopting a person centred approach to any provision. This is outlined through the SEN Code of Practice and also through research conducted by Helen Sanderson and the lead Educational Psychologist Beth Sheldrake.
We recognise that our pupils have different strengths and weaknesses and will develop and progress at different rates. Each child is unique and we aim for them all to reach their full potential. We celebrate every small step of progress that they make. Pupil assessment is an ongoing process and is used by teachers to differentiated lessons to ensure all children are working to their full potential. The DfE (2015) highlights three steps of early action to assess whether a student has SEN – high quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, using accurate formative assessment, effective tools and early assessment materials in conjunction with pupil, parents and external professionals where appropriate and ‘setting out’ the desired outcomes for pupils using the support provided and by removing
any potential barriers to learning. Our teachers are also well informed of students’ specific needs and strategies that support them in lessons through individual student passports. According to the SEN Code of Practice (2015), making higher quality teaching normally available to the whole class is likely to mean that fewer pupils will require SEN support, we therefore put this at the forefront of our Teaching and Learning Policy and Appraisals. Early interventions enable students to make good progress in English and Maths and, ultimately, across the curriculum. The Learning Support Department provides intervention sessions and support to students before, during and after school in conjunction with the support provided by parents to enable a holistic approach where possible.
All students in year 7 complete an Access Reading Test. This will provide the school with a standardised reading score. This, in conjunction with KS2 data is used to highlight any student who scores under 90. Research shows that many standardised assessments categorise scores of under 85 (below average) to identify students who require intervention. At The Catholic High School, we raised this level to 90 to ensure that any student who may be on the cusp of average are provided with catch up literacy support. This may also be beneficial for students whose literacy levels have dipped following the 6- week summer break and require a top of intervention programme.
Within year 7, we identify a small cohort of students who for part of our nurture group. One of the recommendations of the Education Endowment Foundation is that high quality literacy interventions should be provided to students who are struggling. They recommend proactive support, particularly in Year 7. Assessment is recommended to decide on the appropriate intervention and the impact. Students in the Nurture group are assessed using formative and summative methods. This is in line with research from ‘closing the Gap’ (York, 2019), ‘to make the most effective use of numeracy and literacy interventions, it is important to ensure that they are targeted at the children who need them the most’. Planning is adjusted where necessary to reflect observations during formative assessment. Summative assessments take place at the end of each term to monitor progress and identify gaps in knowledge which are addressed in the subsequent term. The nurture group will follow a programme to incorporate catch-up work from Year 5 and 6 which is mapped onto some of our schemes of work, but delivered at the appropriate level. Targeted sessions will address gaps in learning which have arisen as a result of missed learning as a result of Covid and other identified knowledge gaps. The long-term planning has taken into consideration other subjects including, but not limited to, History, Geography, Art, DT, Food tech., Computing, Drama and Science. These will be delivered as part of literacy sessions, key skills sessions and during themed weeks which take place approximately once a term. Where possible the curriculum has been mapped onto the content being delivered at Year 7 e.g. Goth Girl and the ghost of a mouse in place of Gothic Fiction; animal poetry instead of ‘Nature and the Romantics’. The Mathematics curriculum is broad and tackles most topics at a differentiated level with some content being left until the summer term when progress will have been made. This will ensure that the students within the nurture group don’t fall further behind in their core curriculum areas. For a small number of students who are working well below the expected level, supplementary interventions in reading/phonics and Maths will be provided in addition to the nurture group sessions. The EEF also make a number of recommendations for KS2 level which are appropriate for the students in the Nurture group setting as these students are working below age-related expectations. A target is to develop student’s language through speaking and listening. Students are encouraged to read aloud, to discuss their ideas and share their thought processes before writing tasks are completed. A further recommendation is to teach comprehension strategies through modelled and supported practice. In weekly guided reading lessons students are taught to predict, clarify, summarise and infer using age-appropriate texts, linked where possible to the theme of the half-term.
The SEND Information Report includes more detail about specific interventions that we offer in school.
Through our intervention programme, we aim to develop portable and transferable skills for students in the following areas to enable them to progress into successful and confident young adults:
More information can be found on the SEND Provision Map
KS3
All students begin school with a full curriculum, other than in exceptional circumstances. This allows students to have a fully inclusive curriculum with equal access to the range of subjects on offer. Teaching staff and Teaching Assistants effectively differentiate for students with additional needs using Quality First Teaching strategies, whilst ensuring that all students are allowed to make progress in line with their ability. According to the SEN in Mainstream Schools Review, March 2020, ‘school ethos, staff attitudes and the quality of teaching and leaning taking place in school can all affect how personal characteristics impact on development’ and ‘good teaching and learning and positive behaviour support can address potential barriers to learning’. We continue to hold these values in high regard within school to provide students with a supportive, yet academically challenging environment where all students feel safe and able to learn. At KS3, the focus is on early identification and intervention; helping pupils to make good academic and progress and to become independent learners. Following discussion with parents / carers a small number of students with specific needs are withdrawal for literacy support. We aim to provide one hour of intense support each week, with students receiving in-class support to assess progress and implementation of targeted strategies. Students are expected to work on literacy-based ICT programmes such as Lexia and IDL at home and during form-time to supplement this provision and parents are also provided with strategies to support where possible. Withdrawals may be on a short-term rotating basis, or a longer-term provision, dependant on need. A small number of students may also require interventions from our trinity provision, which provides social and emotional support for students in school. Regular learning walks, work scrutiny and tracking analysis allows for this process to be monitored.
KS4
The aim of the curriculum at KS4 is to prepare our young people for the transition to further education, training or employment. It builds on the skills that pupils began to develop in KS3 and now gives them the opportunity to apply these skills in a wider context. Literacy and communication skills underpin all areas of the curriculum; teachers will embed these skills throughout their lessons. We continue to provide literacy intervention at KS4 where appropriate, for example as stipulated in an EHCP. We also support students with other elements of their KS4 curriculum such as essay writing techniques, revision skills and numeracy skills. We assess students for exam access arrangements to ensure the correct additional arrangements are in place for external examinations, to enable all students to have equal access to qualifications on offer at school. Entry Level qualifications are offered to certain students in English and Mathematics to enable them to feel a sense of achievement early on through their KS4 journey end to reinforce the skills and knowledge needed to progress to GCSE courses. BTEC courses and personalised curriculum plans are also offered to support specific students who require a more individual approach. A minority of students may be offered college placements or education within an Alternative Provision to meet their specific needs. This is always in consultation with individual students and their parents / carers. Young People’s Service are involved for students who require more support in their transition to KS4, in articular those students with an Education, Health and Care Plan.
KS5
We work closely with Young People’s Services, 6th form staff and local college providers to establish an effective transition to KS5 and find the right pathway for our young people. We use a range of learning methods and resources, links with other professionals and agencies and the community to ensure students achieve their potential. The continued emphasis is on promoting independence and effective communication, whilst fostering students’ ability to make informed choices about their own career and life aspirations.
The impact of covid-based absences on our learners is monitored rigorously by all staff in school to ensure that all students are provided with adequate catch-up interventions; academic and social / emotional. Referrals to the SEN and trinity team are followed with appropriate intervention packages to support students based on their individual needs. Support is offered to vulnerable students during periods of self-isolation. This includes wellbeing calls, social skills, personalised schemes of work and continued literacy support. EHCP provision and targets are closely followed using appropriate adjustments where necessary. Students are fully supported upon return to school, on an individual need basis.
Students are given access to a range of support clubs including a games club and reading club. Students from The Autism Resource Base attend an annual Special interest quiz and Base Christmas buffet, which involves students planning, budgeting and shopping for refreshments. We also offer a walking club every Friday for vulnerable students, which is well attended.
AT KS3, Teaching Assistants work across all departments to enable a consistent approach for students and staff. We have specialist Teaching Assistants in Maths and Literacy, who offer a more personalised provision to students at KS4. A literacy specialist HLTA provides support to students and disseminates best practice across subject areas to maximise the impact of interventions.
We aim to build an open communication with parents/ carers and students during the Year 6 Transition, fostering strong links throughout school. The young person and their parent / carer’s views are central to planning and form part of the annual review process and during transition, at any stage. Students who require additional support with transport to and from school may receive guidance from the Independent Travel Service, promoting independence in travel. We involve Young Peoples’ Services to support decision making and offer specialist advice in preparation for GCSE studies. Young Peoples’ Services continue to be involved in career guidance for specific students with SEND and we support applications and transition visits to ease the process of change.
