Special Educational Needs

The College provides a friendly and inclusive learning environment for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Care is taken to ensure a positive and flexible approach to supporting students where this is needed. Where a student has an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP), applications are made through East Sussex County Council who then consult the school. Other students with special educational needs will follow the usual enrolment process.

Our aim is to ensure that all students become confident and independent learners. All students are given access to the full curriculum regardless of needs. The College takes pride in a strong emphasis on differentiation and the highest quality teaching to ensure the curriculum is appropriately personalised to meet individual needs.

High quality teaching is supported by a comprehensive process of information gathering and sharing. All teachers have access to detailed knowledge about a student’s needs as well as a range of classroom-based strategies needed to support learning. The College liaises with professionals, previous schools, parents and students themselves to ensure we identify the best ways of reducing any barriers to learning and progress.

For all students in the College, progress is carefully monitored and provision reviewed regularly. A student’s Learning Mentor is a good first point of contact for any queries about learning, engagement, behaviour and progress. Students with an EHCP and those with an Additional Needs Plan will also meet regularly with the SENDCo to review and update support in place.

There is a small team of Learning Support Staff within the College who are deployed both within lessons and leading focused interventions. Our provision in this respect adapts year-on-year to reflect the changing needs of our student population and may include support for the development of literacy skills, social skill development and mentoring.

To ensure a smooth transition, we liaise closely with primary schools so that we are aware of students who require additional support and can make appropriate arrangements for their first few days.

Our aims 

The aims of our policy and practice in relation to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in this school are:

• To make reasonable adjustments for those with a disability by taking action to increase access to the curriculum, the environment and to printed information for all.
• To ensure that children and young people with SEND engage in the activities of the school alongside students who do not have SEND.
• To reduce barriers to progress by embedding the principles in the National Curriculum Inclusion statement.
• To use our best endeavours to secure special educational provision for students for whom this is required, that is “additional to and different from” that provided within the differentiated curriculum, to better respond to the four broad areas of need, namely Communication and interaction; Cognition and learning; Social, emotional and mental health; and Sensory/physical. 

• To request, monitor and respond to carers and students’ views in order to evidence high levels of confidence and partnership.
• To ensure a high level of staff expertise to meet student need, through well-targeted continuing professional development.
• To support students with medical conditions to achieve full inclusion in all school activities by ensuring consultation with health and social care professionals in order to meet the medical needs of students.
• To work in cooperative and productive partnership with the Local Authority and other outside agencies, to ensure there is a multi-professional approach to meeting the needs of all vulnerable learners.

Meet our wider SEND team

Staff within this team support students across the mainstream part of the College. The team has a wide range of expertise and, by clicking on their photos, you will be able to see their qualifications and specialisms:

Meet The Da Vinci Centre Team (our Specialist SEND Facility)

Staff within this team support students who have the Specialist SEND Facility named on their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The Da Vinci Centre is a mainstream facility specialising in supporting students with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and those with a specific learning difficulty (SpLD - dyslexia). Students are supported to attend mainstream lessons, with the centre acting as a hub.

The team has a wide range of expertise and, by clicking on their photos, you will be able to see their qualifications and specialisms:

Key contacts

 The main points of contact at the school are:

SEND Policy and Information Report

We are committed to offering an inclusive education to ensure the best possible progress for all of our students. We look upon all students as individuals in the context of their own strengths and abilities. We continually strive to adapt and improve the services and support we offer in response to a process of co-working with parents and carers.

The College upholds the principle that ‘all teachers are teachers of special educational needs’ (SEND Code of Practice, 2015). It is our firm belief that success for students comes from the highest quality classroom teaching in which the classroom teacher works flexibly to create learning opportunities adapted to the needs and abilities of all learners. In addition, we offer some targeted and specialist support provided by our own staff and through partnership with outside services to ensure the best possible outcomes for all. 

As per updated guidance, our SEND Policy and Information Report replaces previous SEND Policies and our SEND Local Offer. The latest version of the document can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

SEND Policy & Information Report - July 2023.pdf

Accessibility Plan

Schools are required under the Equality Act 2010 to have an Accessibility Plan. The purpose of the plan is to:

• Increase the extent to which disabled students can participate in the curriculum.
• Improve the physical environment of the school to enable disabled students to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities, and services provided.
• Improve the availability of accessible information to disabled students.

The College aims to treat all its students fairly and with respect. This involves providing access and opportunities for all students without discrimination of any kind.  The key aim of our establishment is to help all students – including those with SEN and disabilities - to achieve their very best and become successful, well-rounded individuals.

We believe that all children should have the highest quality teaching, adjusted to meet their individual needs, in accordance with our statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Equalities Act 2010. The College regularly tracks and monitors all of our students so that we can identify unmet and additional needs as early as possible.

We work closely with the Local Authority and other providers to agree the range of local services available to our young people. Some services may be commissioned directly.  We currently work directly with the Speech and Language service, Educational Psychologist, ESBAS (Education Support, Behaviour and Attendance Services), CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service), and CLASS (Communication, Learning and Autism Support Service).

We have included a range of stakeholders in the development of this Accessibility Plan, including students, parents, staff and governors. The plan will be made available online on the College website, and paper copies are available upon request.

Our school is also committed to ensuring staff are trained in equality issues with reference to the Equality Act 2010, including understanding disability issues.

The College supports any available partnerships to develop and implement the plan. The key aim of the College is to help all students – including those with SEN and disabilities - to achieve their very best and become successful, well-rounded individuals.

Our Complaints Policy covers the Accessibility Plan and can be accessed through the website. If you have any concerns relating to accessibility in school, this policy and procedure document sets out the process for raising your concerns.

The latest version of Accessibilty Plan can be accessed by clicking on the link below. Accessibility Plan - 2022 to 2025.pdf

 Useful information and resources

• ASD Diagnostic Pathway for 11 18th birthday
• ASD post diagnostic support information Autumn 2021
• Local Offer flyer October 2023 interactive
• Local Offer flyer October 2023 printable
• Managing a meltdown leaflet
• PDA East Sussex position statement Sept 2020
• SEND Parent Handbook

 Useful websites and support services for parents

• Amaze: a charity that gives information, advice, and support to families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Brighton & Hove and Sussex. https://amazesussex.org.uk/
• ASPENS: provide high quality care and support to individuals on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities; meeting their needs and aspirations and empowering them to learn and grow through an integrated network of services across the South-East. https://www.aspens.org.uk/
• CLASS+: works across East Sussex to support families/carers of young people with ASD. They provide guidance and training that enables families/carers to build their understanding of the strengths and challenges faced by Autistic children and young people and so to develop greater confidence in how to support them. They can be contacted through CLASS@eastsussex.gov.uk or by phone on (01273) 336887. They can also be messaged through their Facebook page
• SEND transition into post-16 guidance for parents are carers - a resource to support parents and carers navigate the planning and preparation for the transition from school into post 16 for their child from year 9 onwards. 
• Spectrum: a parent-led children’s charity providing events, sessions, and support for families of children with Autism, additional needs, learning difficulties, and disabilities.  https://spectrum.org.uk/ 
• Concerned, worried or stressed? Have you seen our online Wellbeing Hub?
  Check it out here: https://www.robertsbridge.org.uk/Wellbeing/