Our SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Coordinator.)
You can contact them through the main school office or:
EmailOur vision for children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) is the same as for all children. We strive to ensure access for all to educational excellence in preparing children and young people for their futures, seeking to continually improve attainment and progress for all and secure the highest levels of achievement appropriate to the individual learner.
- Communication and Interaction
- Cognition and Learning
- Social, Mental and Emotional Health
- Sensory and/or Physical Needs
The Government provides some advice for parents and carers about Special Educational Needs and Disabilities which you can access here https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs
View our SEND policies here
We are committed to ensuring that pupils with medical conditions are fully supported in school so that they can:
- Play a full and active role in school life;
- Access and enjoy the same opportunities at school as any other child, including school trips and physical education;
- Remain healthy and safe;
- Achieve their academic potential.
If a student has a medical need, they will have a Care Plan, which is compiled in consultation with parents and one of our medical assistants. The plan is discussed with all staff who are involved with the student and is added to the student’s profile, so staff can access it.
Staff receive regular medical training delivered by the school medical assistant and are aware of where they can access further information as required.
Where necessary and in agreement with parents, medicines are administered in school but only with signed parental consent and with medicines in the original packaging.
Pioneer is a day special school for children and young people aged 3-19 years. Our pupils’ identified needs are complex and significant in the area of cognition and learning (Severe Learning Difficulties or Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties) and communication and interaction (Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech and Language Difficulties) as described in the SEN Code of Practice. In addition many pupils have sensory, physical and/or complex medical conditions. We also have a growing number of pupils who can be identified as CLDD (Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities).
Our pupils all have significantly greater difficulty with learning and often make significantly less progress than their mainstream peers. Some pupils also have a disability that prevents or hinders them from taking advantage of facilities provided in mainstream schools or colleges for pupils of a similar age.
Cognition and learning support
For students with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, or moderate learning difficulties that affect students in a range of cognitive areas.
Social, emotional and mental health support
For students who struggle to engage in the social aspects of school, or who find it hard to cope with challenging emotions. This will range from students needing short-term assistance during a turbulent time in their life, to students with a recognised condition such as ADD or ADHD.
Communication and interaction support
For students who have speech, language and communication needs, a specific language impairment or a range of communication difficulties. Students who find it difficult to interact with others are supported within this area.
Sensory and physical support
Students whose need is primarily sensory and, or physical have their support overseen by the area of need leader in this team. This team would support students with hearing or visual impairments as well as students with physical needs.
What are the school’s Policies for identifying and assessing children and young people attending the school?
Admission to the school is through the statutory assessment process where the school is named on the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Through this process a child’s Special Educational Needs are identified in terms of learning, communication and interaction, emotional health, physical and sensory needs. Some pupils in Early Years and Foundation Stage join the school before they have an EHCP; the school’s assessment then contributes to the statutory process leading to an EHCP.
What are the arrangements for consulting young people at Pioneer?
- The assessment and annual review process of EHCP, includes the choices and views of pupils.
- The school has a Student Council with representatives from across the school where student concerns and views are shared and where possible acted upon.
- Pupils are encouraged to express their views, concerns and worries to staff and these are followed up through established procedures.
- Wherever possible, pupils are encouraged to express their views about their own learning and progress.
- Pupil surveys are carried out at least once a year.
What are the arrangements for reviewing and assessing pupil’s progress at Pioneer?
The school has wide experience in supporting learning needs, specialist care needs and health issues and work as a team with the family and other agencies to secure the best approach and outcome for pupils. This is done through:
- Annual review of Education Health and Care Plans
- Annual review of bespoke learning plans
- School reports
- Continuous day assessment of learning
- Planning meetings with those who work closely with the child and his or her family
- Bi weekly planning sheets which also serve as a running record
- Termly Individual Plans (IEPs) containing targets which are monitored and assessed by classroom staff, specialist staff and health colleagues and shared with parents to ensure progress towards intended outcomes
- Videos and photographs
What are the arrangements for supporting children and young people in moving between phases of education and in preparing for adulthood?
All transitions throughout the school are well planned as children and young people move from class to class and phase to phase. Prior to the move, pupils have a session with the new class teacher and other members of the class team. Handover meetings also take place between teachers to ensure the receiving class is in the best position to continue meeting the young person’s needs and working towards their agreed objectives.
When transfers into school or from school occur, the school organises a number of supported visits, exchanges of data and staff expertise to ensure a smooth transition. For younger children starting school and transitioning from home, the school puts in place a staged programme which is agreed by parents, the local authority and as necessary health and social care. This would be in the form of part time attendance as the transition to school is often a worrying time for both parents and children. The school works with the Transition Service to ensure a smooth transition to college, independent supported living or independent living as agreed with the young person and supported by their family. Key workers employed by the school provide specific support to young people and their families during this transition period.
What is our approach to teaching our children and young people?
The school uses a wide range of approaches. Work is differentiated to meet the needs of individual pupils and delivered by well trained, experienced staff.
Approaches include:
- Individual work with a member of the class team, specialist LSA or health colleague
- Small group teaching
- Targeted interventions
- Individual Education Plans
- Liaison with outside agencies such as the Emotional Well-being and Mental Health Service
- Excellent IT provision including an Immersive Room
- Staff trained in holistic behaviour support strategies
What adaptations are made to the curriculum and the learning environment?
All pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum designed to involve pupils in exciting and engaging learning opportunities. The school has a well designed curriculum that has been thoughtfully considered to meet individual needs and promote independence.
The school has made adaptations to the learning environment to keep pupils safe. There is a secure door access system fitted to all the main entrances and key internal doors. Once pupils are in school all doors are closed and can only be accessed by staff and authorised visitors. This not only prevents unauthorised access but also prevents students “wandering off”. Failsafe procedures are in place that allow entrances and exits to open automatically should the fire alarm sound.
We have a technology rich learning environment including a cutting edge Immersive Room providing interactive learning opportunities. Our hydro-therapy pool has full sensory capability with a computer controlled light and sound system. The school has 3 sensory spaces providing three different types of sensory experiences and a soft play room where pupils experiencing anxiety or displaying signs of stress are able to work out their emotions in a safe environment.
For our older pupils we have an independent living flat where they can practice real life domestic skills and an Enterprise area which is run like a café by students, preparing food and serving customers. The space also acts as a display or gallery area for products made and sold as part of the Enterprise curriculum.
We have medical/therapy rooms used by NHS staff for our pupils and out of hours for mainstream pupils requiring specialist support.
All classes and specialist areas have direct access to high quality outdoor learning areas. The school has an outdoor gym appropriate for all ages with wheelchair accessible equipment.
Visual timetables are used across all phases and signs and symbols are used as a way to support understanding and access to information across the school day. Switches and other assistive technology is also used with many pupils.
The school uses Sign a Long signs and Communication Boards to teach vocabulary and support communication.
What expertise and training do staff have to support our children and young people?
- Induction which includes training on a range of essential subjects
- Positive holistic behavior support (Essex Steps)
- Safeguarding and Child Protection
- Health and safety
- Meeting Personal Care
- Moving and Positioning
- Strategies to support communication and interaction e.g. Attention Autism, Communication Boards, PECS etc.
- Use of intensive interaction techniques
- Supporting children with autism (certified and in house)
Training for epilepsy, feeding, administration of medication and meeting complex needs is also provided by health colleagues who are based in the school. Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT), Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists (OT) provide programmes to support access to learning and provide guidance to classroom staff supporting their learning. They also deliver training to staff to ensure they have the skills needed to carry out identified programmes. Classroom staff are experienced in using a wide range of communication approaches and ensuring mobility, personal care and medical needs are handled effectively.
The school has a large number of trained first aiders.
What support do we provide for our pupils’ health (including mental health) and general well-being?
The overall health and well-being of our pupils is a priority for us.
- Personal and medical care are given sensitively to those who require it.
- A Care Plan is in place for those with medical needs, drawn up from advice from medical professionals.
- Staff receive training on administering certain medications.
- We provide nutritionally balanced freshly prepared school meals.
- Staff have detailed knowledge of pupils and understand the triggers to their behaviour.
- Staff receive regular training on Safeguarding and Child Protection.
- The school works with the Emotional Well-being and Mental Health Service to support pupils who may have a mental health difficulty.
- The school uses the Thrive Approach to support pupils’ emotional and social well-being
- We have introduced Yoga and Mindfulness into the curriculum.
How to get further information
The local authority has published a local offer www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk that provides information on the services and support for special educational needs and disability. The website also contains details of support services for parents of pupils with special educational needs.
