Special Educational Needs and Disability Information

Special Educational Needs and Disability Information

Our AEN department operates in line with the Code of Practice laid down by the Department for Education. We are currently in the process of implementing changes, following on from the Department for Education's new Code.

At Knole Academy, the AEN department works very closely with the teaching staff to ensure students with additional needs are supported and are able to access the curriculum. Staff are trained and qualified to teach all students, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), using a wide range of differentiation to ensure all students can access the work and progress. 

At Knole Academy, we monitor student’s work six times a year to review their academic progress. We also use a range of assessment methods with students, at various points, as and when required.

The levels of need are carefully assessed, making sure regular monitoring of teacher assessments, opinions and student work across the whole of the Academy is part of the formative assessment process, so that the correct level of support can be given.

Kinds of special educational needs

Within Knole Academy, the needs we can provide for currently include:

• Specific Learning difficulties
• ADHD
• Hearing Impairment
• Visual Impairment
• ASD/Asperger’s Syndrome
• Social, Emotional and Mental health
• Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties
• Physical difficulties

Identification and assessment of students with special educational needs

At Knole Academy, we ensure that teachers and support staff who work with particular students are aware of the support to be provided and the teaching approaches to be used. Some students may continue to make inadequate progress, despite high-quality teaching targeted at their areas of weakness. For these students we will use appropriate assessment tools, where relevant, to determine the cause of the problem and implement suitable strategies in order to remove barriers to students’ progress whenever possible.

It is important for us to ensure that all students reach their full potential; therefore, where a student is identified as having special educational needs and disabilities, we take action to remove barriers to learning and we aim to put effective special educational provision in place.

We aim to ensure that all students reach their full potential by:

• Identifying and assessing students who have an additional need
• Meeting students with special educational needs to record their Individual Teaching Strategies which are then disseminated to the teaching staff
• Actively involving students and parents in their Annual Review meeting
• Inviting parents in on at least three occasions to discuss students’ progress; and more often should the need arise
• Identifying the appropriate support required
• Implementing the identified support
• Monitoring the effectiveness of intervention
• Differentiating resources across the curriculum
• Meeting with the parents of identified students to help with GCSE option choices
• Offering support across all key stages, including 6th form
• Offering support for students to engage in activities out of the classroom if required and possible
• Monitoring students’ progress with our strong pastoral support

KCC SEND Strategy 2021

Kent have published a SEND strategy which be accessed by clicking here.

Transition time:

Moving from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 is a big upheaval for many children. Good liaison between secondary schools and their feeder primary schools is an important part of the equation.

We support all our students during the transition period by:

• Visiting primary feeder schools as part of the transition process, ensuring Knole Academy is prepared and able to meet students’ needs on entry into year 7
• Inviting students to attend our Summer School

Similarly, it is of the utmost importance to support our students as they are leaving us and entering adulthood. At Knole Academy, we aim to support all students during the transition between key stages:

• KS3 to KS4: choosing GCSE options  
• KS4 to KS5: moving on to the Sixth Form, further education or employment

Provision made for students with special educational needs:

Depending on their needs, students may receive the following:

• Timetabled Learning Support Assistant in-class support in some lessons, focusing on the core subjects as well as targeted support in key areas of weakness, allowing and promoting independent learning
• Speech and language assessments and intervention
• One-to-one support
• In-school counselling
• Mentoring sessions
• Literacy intervention with specialist teachers
• Numeracy and Maths intervention
• Understanding and Managing Emotions intervention
• Social Communication intervention
• Specific equipment, including:
  • ICT, such as laptop computers
  • Specialist writing equipment
  • Colour overlays / coloured reading overlays, coloured exercise books and paper
  • Reading rulers
  • Writing slope
  • Enlarged text books / modified papers

We can also offer:

• Lunchtime homework support club, which provides a quiet study place for all students and the opportunity to work with learning support assistants on a one-to-one basis or in small groups
• Access to relevant AEN resources
• Opportunities to discuss difficulties with, and receive help from, AEN staff
• Access arrangements – identified students are tested to see if they are eligible for support in examinations such as extra time
• Differentiated curriculum with alternative option choices
• Breakfast club
• Specialist support from outside agencies - including Early Help, LIFT, CHYPS, Visual Impairment Services, Hearing Impairment Services, Occupational Therapy, Young Healthy Minds, CAHMS, Porchlight, Specialist Teaching Service.

Further information:

For further information, please click here to read our SEND POLICY and our Supporting Students with Medical Condition Policy.

Complaints:

The procedure to record a complaint is contained within the SEND policy.

Local Offer:

Information about the local offer can be found by clicking here.

For further information on the SEND support available at Knole Academy, please email enquiries@knoleacademy.org, call 01732 454608 or write to Knole Academy, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3LE.

SENCo – Joanne  Robinson

Contact Details: 

Knole Academy
Bradbourne Vale Road
Sevenoaks
TN13 3LE

Telephone No:  01732 454608