Our Inclusion Department provides support students to students with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities to reach their potential, maximise their progress and increase their attendance. We have the same high aspirations for academic progress and personal growth for our SEND students as we do for all our students. Our dedicated Inclusion support team work closely with parents, teachers and students to secure practical plans which support personalised learning.
The Inclusion team is comprised of the SENDCo, Head of Alternative Education, 3 x specialist teachers as well as 11 learning support assistants. Our focus is on supporting all learners to access the curriculum alongside their peers and we provide in-class support to our learners where needed.
In addition, time-limited small group interventions are delivered by the learning support assistants throughout the day.
All SEND students have a named worker from this team who contacts parents and carers on a termly basis to provide updates and to ensure that the support we provide is in line with the needs of the student. The SENDCo and named worker ensures that all teachers are aware of the most up to date information regarding each individual student.
Our support begins in year 6, through close liaison with Primary Schools, and extends throughout a student’s time at Nunthorpe Academy. We offer enhanced support at transition phases with additional guidance for the options process and support with making choices at the end of Key Stages 4 and 5. Our support is for the development of the whole child, including his/her personal and social development.
The Inclusion centre provides many students with a secure base and access to support at break and lunchtime in addition to access to specialist advice and guidance. We are committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to access extra-curricular enrichment opportunities, supporting staff running clubs, activities and trips with advice and additional staffing where appropriate.
We foster strong links with both Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland local authorities as well as numerous other support agencies and dedicated Educational Psychologists, who assist us in developing our expertise.
Please take your time in reading the following information about how we support any student with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. This can be found here: SEND Academy Offers.
Redcar and Cleveland’s Local Offer information and advice about services for children with Special Educational Needs can be found on Peoples Information Network Website: People’s Information Network
Inclusion is a small provision for students within the Academy that focuses on supporting students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties in particular anxiety along with students who need a personalised timetable due to their medical needs. Every student follows an individual teaching programme dependent on their need. Students can be full time or part time and will access the main body of the Academy for some lessons. Students follow a programme of study focusing on skills such as literacy, numeracy, enterprise, teamwork and communication. KS4 students will follow examination courses.
Student will access the Inclusion 1 area when they require literacy and numeracy additional intervention and support. Students may also access this area during any subject gained time or to allow for homework support where appropriate.
There are 12 places within the two Nurture Groups within Y7 and Y8 respectively. The group is formed from data given by our Primary Providers and then our own assessments. Students are taught predominantly by Miss Hook and Miss Ceserano and follow a Project Based Programme (English/Maths/Topic lesson) within one classroom. This allows a bridge between students leaving Primary and beginning Secondary Education. The students are given intense small group teaching to assist in their progress as well as support from as least one learning support assistant where needed.
Students who require additional literacy and/or numeracy support are withdrawn from the main timetable of the Academy and given an individualised timetable. Students are identified by their reading ages which are tested throughout the academic year. The student’s progress is monitored throughout the lesson and tracked by the teacher, Head of Department and the Assistant Vice Principal Inclusion.
All year 7 students will have their reading ages tested on entry into the Academy, these are re tested three times per year within KS3. All students within Y7 and Y8 receive a dedicated literacy lesson every week. Students who are highlighted as requiring intervention to increase their reading age or comprehension skills will be placed on different Intervention schemes throughout the year. Reading ages are reported on every Interim Progress report. Parents will be informed before any Intervention is put into action. Parents will be informed before any Intervention is put into action.
Currently at the Academy we have eleven Learning Support Assistants (LSA). The LSA’s are deployed where needed throughout specific year groups and support in lessons across the academy, building positive relationships with some of out most vulnerable students. Initially LSA’s provide support for the students with Education, Heath and Care Plans (EHCP’s) but also support where needed within whole classes. The LSA team work extremely closely with subject teachers to ensure they are able to effectively support the young people assigned to them within the learning environment.
Mrs Monsorratt attends the Academy on a fortnightly basis to assess students for Literacy, Numeracy and Specific Learning Difficulties. She completes the assessment and then makes recommendations and advice to support the student both at the Academy and home.
ANY STUDENT WHO IS RAISED AS A CONCERN CAN BE ASSESSED AT ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR, FOLLOWING INVOLVEMENT AND INTERVENTIONS COMPLETED BY CLASS TEACHER AND THE DEPARTMENT IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.
Mrs Serres works with students who have English as an Additional Language. She offers 1:2:1 sessions to improve comprehension skills and language techniques. This work underpins our curriculum and helps some of our most vulnerable students to access learning in a meaningful way. She attends the Academy for three days per week.
All students who access Inclusion will have an Inclusion Learner Support Passport to ensure all staff are aware of their individual needs and to ensure progress is being made. Students and parents will be part of the progress to set the targets and monitor progress. Parents are invited to our termly SEND Open Progress meetings and the annual Parent Review Evening between parents/students and Assistant Vice Principal Inclusion or a relevant member of the Inclusion Department. The AVP Inclusion aims for contact every 13 weeks and to meet all EHCP annual review guidelines set by the Local Authority.
Students who for medical reasons are not allowed to participate in Physical Education lessons will be based in the Inclusion area for these periods. Students will be allowed to work on homework/coursework or be provided with additional skills work. All supporting medical documentation must be submitted to the relevant Pastoral manager or directly to the AVP Inclusion before space can be allocated for students during PE slots. Students without medical documentation will be unable to be allocated space within Inclusion during PE slots.
The Bridge is a provision that is offered for a small cohort of students to support their Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. In particular, ensuring the students who may struggle to remain in the classroom for the whole academy day can learn and achieve in a meaningful way. Students have a bespoke timetable and have individual targets to support them to remain on track and focused within the mainstream lessons.
Mr D Parrish delivers numerous small intervention groups from The Bridge including but not limited to self-esteem, anger management, overcoming adversity, classroom behaviour changes. Students are invited to sessions run from The Bridge across a half term with clear objectives being established and parental contact being made to ensure progress is shared.
At Nunthorpe we have an Inclusion Officer who works with the Pastoral Manager team to offer support to students, parents and our local community. The role of the officer is to investigate any incidents that maybe affecting our students such as internet use concerns, friendship concerns, incidents peer on peer abuse etc.
The Academy employs their own Educational Psychologist who will assess students and offer recommendations to the Academy to assist in the student’s progress.
The School Nursing service attends the Academy on a Friday and offers a drop in session for students afterschool. He also takes referrals from parents and will complete home visits if required.
The academy uses several Alternative Provisions to support students needs and progress. These are arranged on an individual basis and are overseen by Mr D Parrish who provides regular contact with the provisions and individual students accessing both short and longer term placements to ensure that Nunthorpe Academy standards are adhered to by all parties and that learning and individual targets for achievement are in place. All requests for alternative education placements will be considered by to Mrs Brosnan as AVP Inclusion and as such any parent led requests must be directed to her in the first instance.
