SEN Info Report

2021-2022

This SEND Information Report will be updated annually to reflect changes and plans within the school. This report reflects current provision at Brooklands School

 What are the kinds of special educational needs for which provision is made at Brooklands School?

 Brooklands is a maintained specialist school. Our pupils are aged from 4 – 19 with a wide range of special educational needs, most of which are classified as severe and profound in the area of cognition and learning (severe learning difficulties or profound and multiple learning difficulties) as described in the SEND Code of Practice. 

Pupils may have special educational needs in the following areas-

• autistic spectrum condition
• severe communication difficulties
• physical needs
• sensory needs
• social and emotional and mental health needs.

Some pupils may have moderate learning needs, with a range of associated further difficulties resulting in complex learning difficulties.

Admissions to the school are allocated by the Local Authority. For further information, please refer to our admissions policy.

Also, please refer to our Curriculum Policy for information about our personalised approach to teaching and learning

What are the school’s policies for the identification and assessment of pupils/students attending the school?

All pupils who attend Brooklands School will have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Occasionally, pupils may be admitted whilst they are undergoing assessment at the request of the Local Authority.

Further information on the admissions and assessment processes to our school can be found on this website.

What is the provision for pupils/students at Brooklands School and how is it evaluated?

The staff and governors of the school have agreed our Aims and Ethos Statement, and these can be viewed below.  They reflect our commitment to our pupils and how we seek to ensure they are fully prepared for their next steps.

Vision and Values

At Brooklands, our pupils come first.

We have created an environment where our learners and their learning are central. Our curriculum ensures our pupils are engaged, feel safe and are encouraged to take risks and are happy to learn. It is tailored to their needs, is aspirational in its expectations of them and fully prepares them for the next stages in their lives. We recognise and fully exploit talent in all, and capture and celebrate every success. We know that parents are vital partners in ensuring best outcomes for our pupils, and we value their input in all areas of school life. We believe that our pupils are valued and valuable contributors to their community and we encourage them to be the difference in all aspects of their lives.

Aims

• Delivering our vision through a curriculum that is personalised, recognises and builds on strengths and provides meaningful learning experiences
• Promoting pupil confidence, resilience and self-esteem through valuing their contributions, listening to their voices and providing appropriate pathways and stepping stones to their next stages in learning and in life
• Providing a safe and secure learning environment where professionals work together to support learners and families to secure best outcomes for our young people
• Ensuring opportunities for all to make valuable contributions to school life and to the wider community, and to ensure all contributions are valued
• Celebrating achievements in all areas of school life

Evaluating the effectiveness of our provision

The school has a robust system of reviewing provision each term. The governors monitor how our vision and values are evidenced on all of their visits, and the full governing body receives regular reports on pupil achievement, behaviour and safety, leadership and management and the quality of teaching and learning. The Deputy Headteacher works closely with all teaching groups to ensure that pupil progress is monitored and recorded appropriately, and holds half termly progress meetings with all teaching staff.  Additional funding such as the Pupil Premium Grant is identified and tracked to ensure the impact is effective. We have a School Development Plan which is reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis. The school was last inspected by Ofsted in November 2018 and was judged to be good

The Curriculum

See our curriculum policy and information.

For further details of all areas of our school curriculum and assessment processes, please contact the school.

Support for well-being

Brooklands has a robust safeguarding policy and protocol and culture in place. Pupils’ health and well-being is paramount, and we work closely with medical and health practitioners on behalf of the pupils. Personal care is conducted discreetly and with dignity, whilst fostering independence as much as possible. We routinely follow healthcare plans and have staff trained to administer prescribed medication.  

Brooklands School has trained staff to deliver and engage in nurture sessions for pupils.  Staff are trained in compass phoenix and relevant staff are trained in for example dealing with grief. 

We also work closely with Disabled Children’s Service, and other professionals and service providers.

Staffing levels allow for pupils to be taught in classes of up to 9 with a teacher and at least one advanced teaching assistant and an appropriate number of additional teaching assistants to meet the needs of the class group.

What training do staff have in relation to the needs of pupils/students at Brooklands School?

All staff have clear job descriptions which detail the required qualifications for each post in school. All staff have an extensive training programme related to their work.

Teachers and teaching assistants have undertaken ongoing specialist CPD (Continuing Professional Development) in a wide range of areas. Training is strategically planned in collaboration with health care professionals to ensure that it aligns with the needs of our pupils and the school development plan. It also responds appropriate to statutory guidance. Staff work hard to ensure they remain updated and skilled.

Other staff continue to gain a range of certificates to mark their commitment to courses such as Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Paediatric First Aid and Makaton. CPD is managed through the performance management cycle and staff are proactively encouraged to discuss their own CPD needs and opportunities as a vital aspect of this.

We continue to commit to having qualified trainers within school for courses such as Moving and Handling, and a have range of PE and Sport provision.  We have two dedicated Team Teach trainers on our staff.  We deliver regular Child Protection, Safeguarding and PREVENT training to all staff which complies with statutory requirements and is planned and delivered in collaboration with the Local Authority Safeguarding Team.

How accessible is The School?

Our school is largely accessible, being on one level, with ramps and hoists as required.  We have changing facilities for children who require adult support. The school has invested in a wide range of accessible equipment, particularly with regard to IT, Curriculum resources and equipment.  We continue to review and enhance curriculum resources in response to the new curriculum developments across the key stages as and when the changes are implemented and to ensure that we remain robust in our ability to meet the specific needs of all pupils.

Family Involvement with the school

We hope to meet new parents at the stage when they are deciding which school is their preferred choice for their child. Parents are invited to their child’s ‘moved in’ meeting after about half a term.

Parents are highly valued as key contributors to their child’s development as such are participate in the target setting and assessment process termly and their child’s pupil centred Annual Review meeting. Families receive regular communication through home school planners, class dojo and by telephone. Parents also receive termly updates on their child’s progress and new targets, and an Annual Report each July.

We also hold a range of events throughout the year to which families are warmly invited.

For further information, this website is updated with upcoming events, the school has a Facebook page which celebrates what pupils are doing in school and gives information on upcoming events. For any further information please contact the school office.

How we consult with and involve young people about their education.

All children and young people in our school are treated with dignity and respect. There is full personalisation for the curriculum for each pupil in order that they can access and experience success through-out their school life.

The School Council involves pupils to contribute and decide on aspects of school life relating to their needs.

The assessment and annual review process of statements of SEND and EHC Plans includes the choices and views of pupils/students.

What are the arrangements made by the governing body for dealing with complaints from parents/carers of pupils/students in relation to the provision made?

The complaints procedure is available here on the website.

How does the governing body involve others – including health, social services, local authority services and voluntary organisations, in meeting the needs of pupils at Brooklands School and in supporting their families?

The governing body are aware of the wide range of staff working together within the school to support the children, young people and their families. The governing body consists of some professionals with a range of appropriate skills and knowledge, and they provide a consistent monitoring of practice to ensure that children and families’ needs are met through meetings and reports.

Classroom staff are employed directly by the school. This includes teachers, teaching assistants and pupil support assistants. Admin staff are also school employees.

Other professionals work for a range of agencies – some work from within the school for an allocated amount of time during the school week, others have office bases elsewhere and work in liaison with school, attending meetings and sessions in school when necessary.

Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists are employees of Bradford and Craven Health Trust. All these professionals visit school, training and advising staff and working with children and young people who are on their case load.

Home to School Transport is organised by the Local Authority.

There are social workers for children and young people with disabilities who are Local Authority Employees.

All contact numbers for support services, described above, are available from school. If families have a query relating to these areas, it is best to contact the professionals directly. This ensures that any message/queries/concerns from families are dealt with in the most efficient way.

What are the school’s arrangements for supporting pupils/students in transferring between phases of education or in preparing for adulthood?

All transitions are well planned for throughout school as pupils move from class to class and phase to phase. Parents always have the opportunity to meet the new teacher and class staff as a key aspect of the transition process towards the end of each academic year and in preparation for the next year.

Pupils are increasingly supported in planning for their transition from school to adult life. Our Specialist Careers Adviser and the Transition Team work with pupils in school to get to know them and to advise both pupils/students and parents/ carers on what is available after leaving School.

SEND Policy