Castle School

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Special Education Needs

Local Offer 

Castle School 

All Walsall schools have a commitment, through their local offer to meet the needs of their pupils with Special Educational Needs and are supported by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs make the best possible progress in school. All schools are encouraged to be as inclusive as possible with their needs of pupils with a special educational need and/or disabilities being met in a mainstream setting wherever possible. 

At Castle School, we follow the same principles as any mainstream school but are resourced to provide a more highly specialised, multi-agency approach to support our pupils who have a wide range of learning difficulties. 

This includes :-

Access to a highly specialist, multi-agency team who support the individual needs of each pupil

• Highly favourable teacher-pupil ratio supported by well trained, experienced teaching assistants.
• A staff team that can facilitate small group/ individual pupil support including physical management, communication, and behavioural techniques.
• Specialist expertise in school ( Local Makaton Trainers, staff who have gained specialist post-graduate qualifications, teachers with Specialist Leadership and OFSTED inspection Expertise)
• Advanced behaviour management strategies, Team Teach trainers, de-escalation and Positive behaviour management programmes.
• On site administration of medication and guidance to meet individual medical needs, eating/ dietary programmes and monitoring of nutritional levels including Healthy Schools status and Food Dudes, parent support/open door policy, individualised programmes to meet specific personal care needs and support, signposting, liaising with other agencies.
• Physiotherapist input including daily physiotherapy / movement programmes supported by staff trained by individuals, designated physiotherapist.
• A Speech and Language therapist is a member of our staff and is accessible five days a week to organise and monitor individual programmes delivered within the classroom setting by specialist trained staff.
• On site clinics including:  paediatric consultant, physiotherapist, incontinence team.
• Support from the Hearing/ Vision Impaired service. 
• Targetted intervention from Educational welfare and Educational psychologists.

Access to a supportive learning environment

Include:-

• Highly adapted curriculum access including Irresistible curriculum, behaviour and communication approaches.
• Individualised reading programmes based on the Read Write Inc. approach.
• Phased introduction to Walsall college including vocational and life skills qualifications and awards.
• Links with local mainstream schools for shared learning experiences.
• Outstanding, safe outdoor learning environments.
• Additional specialist input for Music and PE/swimming: including peripatetic violin and keyboard group and individual lessons.
• Extensive use of local and wider community resources.
• Green flag awards and Eco committees include members from all areas of school life an ethos of a sustainable environment is encouraged.
• Practical First Aid training to accreditation level is embedded into the school curriculum.
• Teacher/teacher assistant support throughout the lunch period to promote independence.
• A wide range of lunchtime, after school clubs and residential experiences.
• Holiday clubs run by Castle staff on behalf of Walsall Children’ services (short breaks).
• Extensive use of ICT and latest technologies to support the curriculum and pupils learning (green screen technology, school radio station, hand held tablets).
• Local Authority transport to and from school.
• Prospective parent visits.

Monitoring and evaluating the impact of the “additional and different” arrangements- on progress and outcomes for pupils with SEND

• Achievement and progress analysis, monitored by SOLAR and IEP achievement analysis
• A wide range of accredited courses including: GCSE, Entry and Pre-entry qualifications and awards

Access to strategies to reduce anxiety/ promote emotional well-being for parents/carers and pupils

• An open door policy that enables parents/carers to discuss any issues in the knowledge that they will be quickly sorted
• Regular communication with parents via a diary system or via telephone
• Regular reporting to parents through, IEPs, progress/ parent meetings, primary shared learning sessions, parent training opportunities and coffee mornings
• Safeguarding and welfare promoted through mentoring sessions, parental support and home visits
• A wide range of strategies are used to support pupils including: peer mentoring, pupil first-aiders, buddy system and we have an active school council
• Individual and small group specialist relationships and sex education.
• Transition programmes before joining and upon leaving Castle.
• Home visits for pupils who may not be able to attend school because of illness/surgery

Outreach

Building capacity- support for mainstream schools

• Offering CPD -inclusion in school based training sessions
• Supporting local schools to meet individual and group needs
• Specialised advice and support in the development of individual and small group relationships and sex education.
• Offering additional placements for teaching students requiring experience of children with special needs
• Team Teach training for staff from mainstream settings.

Our named SENCO is Mrs Janine Daley

jdaley@castle.walsall.sch.uk