SEN report

Special Educational Needs

Windlehurst School caters for students with Social, Emotional or Mental Health difficulties (SEMH). Almost all students will have additional complications (such as Attention Deficit or Autistic Spectrum Disorders) but all will display behaviours which act as a barrier to education and learning as well as impacting on other areas of the student’s life. The School’s SEN Co-ordinator is the Mr. T Kellett and Mrs. A. Bettles is the SEN representative on the Governing Board.

Policies

The SEN Policy (also available in the Policies section of this website) explains the school’s procedures for identifying, assessing and supporting student’s needs.

Consultation with Parents

The effectiveness of the provision for each student is reviewed, negotiated and planned each year at the student’s Annual Review meeting. In addition there are two Parent Days throughout the school year when every student’s progress in both learning and behaviour is discussed in detail.

Transition

The School works closely with Services for Young People who offer all students in Year 9 and above Careers Information Guidance (IAG). This involves students having the opportunity to consider what route they wish to follow after school. Once this has been established, appropriate support to make it happen is agreed at Annual Review. (Annual Reviews in Years 9, 10 and 11 have a particular focus on transition).

Students moving into the school either from Stockport’s SEMH primary school (Oakgrove) or mainstream primaries or secondaries are supported by the School’s Family Attendance and Safeguarding Team (FAST). This support varies according to the needs of students and their families but will include home visits, school visits and support completing paperwork. For certain cohorts, transition days are arranged and the FAST will do Circle Time sessions (both at Windlehurst and Oakgrove).

Students who are moving from Windlehurst to a mainstream setting are also supported by the FAST, who will liaise closely with key personnel in the receiving school and with parents to agree appropriate support and set targets.

Teaching and Curriculum

Students at Windlehurst are taught in small groups (usually 5 or 6) with 2 adults. The staff deliver good quality first teaching with high levels of support and challenge. Staff are skilled at dealing with young people with challenging behaviour and work hard to promote improved relationships, behaviour and learning outcomes.

Staff at the school work closely with Social Care, the Youth Offending Service, Services for Young People, Stockport Family and other professional and voluntary agencies through the Team around the School process.

If anyone has any complaints about any aspect of the provision at Windlehurst, they are referred to the School’s Complaints Policy, details of which are posted on this website.

Looked After Children

At Windlehurst School, the designated teacher with responsibility for Looked After Children (LAC) is the SENCo Mr Tim Kellett. He works closely with Carers, Social Workers, and the Virtual School to ensure the progress of LAC is monitored regularly and any areas of weakness are addressed through interventions recorded in the Student’s Personal Education Plan (PEP).

The Local Offer

Details of the Stockport’s Local Offer for students with SEN can be accessed on Stockport’s “Childcare and Family Information Directory” or reached by clicking here.