Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Offer of Special Educational Needs and Disability Provision at Comberton Village College for 2023-24

Comberton has an excellent reputation for supporting students with all types of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

We consider ourselves to be a fully inclusive environment and make many adaptations to mainstream education and the school environment in order that all students can manage successfully and are offered equal opportunities to participate fully in the life of the school and take part in all possible activities. We endeavour to support young people to participate in any additional/extra-curricular activity they would like to without any barriers being put in place. We also take the overall well-being of all students very seriously and support those with social and emotional difficulties by offering access to internal and external support services.

Identification of SEND

The needs of most students will be met through high quality teaching which is tailored to the individual’s particular needs. However, when a special educational need is identified by the previous school, the parent/carer or Comberton Village College (through data analysis, observation, liaison with other professionals, level of difficulty faced when accessing the curriculum), the school will work with the young person and parent/carer through regular planning discussions, review of provision and tracking of progress.

Please see the report to the left of this page for full details of our offer. 

Parents/Carers

We recognise the importance of genuine communication and partnership between school and parents/carers and fully acknowledge the importance of parental knowledge and expertise in relation to their own children. We believe that young people make best progress in school when they are supported by a team of people around them. Therefore, in Review Meetings (for students with EHCP’s) or other appropriate reviews (for students without an EHC), the young person and their parent/carer are fully consulted and involved in discussions and decisions about what type of support and resources the young person will receive and how a parent/carer can further support their son/daughter’s learning needs at home and in the community.

In addition every child with an EHCP or a high level of need has a key worker/lead professional who will meet regularly with the child and communicate with the parent to discuss how the child is doing. The key worker/lead professional is the parent’s first point of contact.

Range of Provision

We believe that CVC can offer an exceptionally good range of provisions/resources and are confident that our approach of treating every student as an individual means that we can provide tailored support for students with SEND and provide bespoke support and resourcing to specific need.

Our offer is overseen by the SENCo, Emily Oakley-Pullen and comprises of the following:

• The Cabin for those students with autism (managed by Jane Hylton)
• The Centre for those students who have a specific or moderate learning disability, or a physical, sensory or medical condition (managed by Sarah Carter)
• Key Stage 3 and 4 Support for those students who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties or behaviour challenges (managed by Deputy Principal, Sean Sycamore)
• Specialist support in the sixth form for students with identified SEND (managed by Irayna Owen)
• Specialist provision for those students across the school identified as Most Able and Talented (managed by Eleanor Norman) 

Further resources available

The range of support offered to students will depend on the needs presented and if the student has an EHCP or is able to have their needs met through quality first teaching. The range of resources at CVC are:

• Access to some additional support in lessons
• Keyworkers for students with EHCPs or high level need
• Appropriate adaptations to the school curriculum
• Access to additional English and Maths at KS4
• Access to mentoring
• Access to intervention such as Forest School
• Screening for dyslexic tendencies
• KS3 breakfast clubs supporting literacy
• Focused numeracy support for KS3 and KS4 
• Whole staff training on particular SEND issues
• Whole TA training on particular SEND issues
• An active mental health working party to ensure that all students with SEND have access to mental health services in school
• Access to counselling, youth workers or mentoring 
• Access to support with attendance
• Support at times of transition (KS2-KS3, KS4-KS5 KS5-FE) with additional visits, meeting with parents, liaison with key staff, TA support during Year 6 New Intake and Sports Day. 16+ support to visit 16+ providers. Year 13 are supported into further education.
• Access to specialist provision before school and during break and lunch
• Access to specialist provision for assessment from the Education Psychology Service, The Hearing Impairment Service, The Visual Impairment Service, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Centre 33

The School Site

We ensure that the school site is fully accessible for wheelchair users, those with mobility issues and visually impaired students. We do this by having lifts, ramps, disabled toilets, a therapy room for physiotherapy, specialist equipment and equipment such as talking scale and calculators, adapted tools and sports equipment. Braille signs are installed on all of our classroom doors. 

Do ask to come and visit if you would like to have a tour of the school site.

Staff

We have a wide and diverse range of Teaching Assistants (TAs) to work with students who have an EHCP on a daily basis. TAs and teachers are all offered appropriate professional development and training opportunities for example, autism, mental health, EAL, literacy, numeracy.

We also work closely with staff from our locality team (Education Welfare Officer, Young People’s workers and Family Support Workers), Social Care, the Police, the Youth Offending Team, local GPs, Parent Partnership and Pinpoint.

All staff will be happy to discuss your son/daughter’s specific needs.

Other policies

As with all students in the school, other policies which help us work effectively with those who have SEND areas below. Please see:

The Cam Academy Trust Cabin Policy can be found here

https://www.combertonvc.org/parent-and-student-information/policies

https://www.catrust.co.uk/key-information/policies

Health and Safety Policy to ensure that the school is fully accessible to all disabled students

Disability Equality Policy and Accessibility Plan

Equality and Diversity Policy 

Safeguarding Policy

Positive Behaviour Policy

Further Information

If you think your child has SEN please see our Special Educational Needs Policy Click here and/or make an appointment with our SENCo Emily Oakley-Pullen, Head of the Cabin, Jane Hylton or Irayna Owen, Assistant Head of Sixth Form.

The member of the school’s governing body with responsibility for SEND is Mrs Janet Banks.

The Local Authority Local Offer can be found at the pages below: 

About Cambridgeshire's local offer - Cambridgeshire County Council

Local offer - Preparing for adulthood (14-25) - Cambridgeshire County Council

If you have any complaints about the school arrangements for SEND then please look at the complaints policy on CAM Academy Trust website.