At Portchester we view special educational needs as a whole school issue we work closely with the Local Authority (LA) to ensure the best advice and support is given at all times. Any specific assessment advice is passed to relevant subject tutors to enable them to use this information to enhance their teaching of individual students.
Whilst some students will have their needs identified before joining school, we have procedures in place for staff to refer students to the Inclusion Department to ensure quick and effective support. The school works in partnership with parents when assessing additional provision for students.
The inclusion team provide individual or small group work to support:
• self esteem
• anger management
• problem solving strategies counselling
• for issues of Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
for the more vulnerable students, we provide support
in the form of nurture groups
Teaching Assistants
The Inclusion Department has a strong team of teaching assistants with a variety of specialist skills who support pupils
both in the classroom and give withdrawal support.
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), in addition to the assessment of students who may need additional provision, teaches groups of identified students in English and Mathematics, provides teaching for small groups and individuals with more specialist support, and supports subject tutors with strategies for the support of students with additional needs.
Inclusion Co-ordinator
The Inclusion Co-ordinator (INCo) supports the SENCo with assessment of students who may need additional provision and ensures the provision identified is implemented and the students’ progress monitored across the whole school.
Education Welfare Officer and Attendance Officer
The Inclusion Department also encompasses student welfare issues, concerns arising outside of school that may impact markedly on the students learning. Our Education Welfare Officer has responsibility for the support of these students and their families and in addition the students’ attendance at school, supported by the School Attendance Officer.
Relationship Co-Ordinator and Restorative Approaches
Portchester School is a restorative school, and uses restorative approaches when addressing issues that may arise between members of the school community. Restorative Approaches are ways of dealing with issues that place repairing the relationships between individuals over and above the need to place blame and punishment. The focus is on the harm that has been caused and how that harm can be repaired to restore the relationships that have been damaged. The school has a Relationship Co-Ordinator skilled in the techniques of mediation. The Relationship Co-Ordinator trains and appoints student mediators across all the Year Groups and co-ordinates all the restorative work in the school.
Director of Learning and Year Learning Managers
The pastoral support is based upon a Key Stage, Form, Year and House system. The school is identified by two Key Stages, Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. These are overviewed by two Directors of Learning supported by three Year Learning Managers at Key Stage 3 and at Key Stage 4 two Year Learning Managers who have specific responsibility for Year 10 and 11. Year 11 are not in form groups but are mentored in small groups by staff.
The aim in Year 7 is to settle the students into their tutor groups with one or two friends from primary school. New friendships are soon made at this stage of school life. The Form Tutor have day-to-day contact with the students in their care and provide support when it is needed, supported by the Year Learning Manager.
English as an Additional Language
For those students with English as an Additional Language the Inclusion Department has dedicated staff to support both in class and withdrawal groups. Staff are supported by and work closely with the Local Authority’s English as an Additional Language team.
The school has regard for the SEN Code of Practice. In the initial SEN stages, all support is provided by our own teachers and support staff. However, if a student has a Statement of Special Educational Need, the school will work with the Local Authority’s specialist staff to ensure all relevant provision requirements are met. Portchester Schools SEN Policy is available from the school on request.
Inclusion
