Special Educational Needs and Disability

We take immense pride in our strong academic track record and the excellent progress that all our students make during their time with us. The high-quality teaching and support we provide play a crucial role in the continued success of our school.

Our approach to SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) support begins with high-quality, inclusive teaching in the classroom, known as the first wave of intervention. Subject specialists deliver engaging lessons with adaptive strategies to ensure all learners can access the curriculum. These strategies may include visual prompts to aid comprehension, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, sentence starters, modelled responses, and structured scaffolding to support independent learning.

Universal Support Offer

In addition to quality-first teaching, all pupils benefit from our universal support offer, which provides a strong foundation for learning and personal development. This includes:

  • Daily tutor support – Tutors check in with students at the start of the day, ensuring they have the necessary equipment and are prepared for learning.
  • Personal Development (PD) lessons – Covering essential topics such as personal safety, wellbeing, and identity.
  • Careers guidance and support – Helping students explore future pathways and make informed decisions.
  • Assemblies on key themes – Addressing important issues such as resilience, inclusion, and aspirations.
  • Pastoral support – Each pupil has a named Head of Year who serves as their key contact for support, guidance, and wellbeing.
  • After school homework club. 

Second-Wave Interventions

For students who require additional support beyond the universal offer, we implement second-wave interventions. These may involve:

  • Targeted small-group or individual sessions – Focused on literacy, numeracy, or social skills development.
  • In-class support from Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) and teaching assistants – Providing additional guidance within lessons.
  • Specialist interventions – Such as phonics reinforcement, reading comprehension strategies, and structured handwriting support.
  • Support for sensory needs – Pupils with sensory processing difficulties may be provided with resources such as loop earphones or other assistive tools to help them focus and engage in learning.
  • External specialist support – We work closely with the Leicestershire Specialist Teaching Service to seek expert advice and implement effective strategies for our students.
  • Access to chromebooks 

At this stage, students will be added to the SEND register, and parents or guardians will be promptly informed if their child is included. For students already on the register when transitioning into Year 7, an introductory email will be sent to their families to provide further details.

Third-Wave Support

If a pupil requires further intervention beyond what is available through our second-wave support, we may consider applying for additional resources, such as:

  • An Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) – A statutory document that outlines the specific support a pupil needs to succeed in school.
  • Intervention funding – To provide further short term support tailored to the student’s individual needs.

Please contact Rebecca Elgey (SENDCO) Or Lisa Shaw (Assistant SENDCO) for more information. 

For information about our Enhanced Resource Base please contact Mrs Amy Wright (Director of Inclusive Provision) or Lisa Shaw (Assistant SENDCO).

Our Local Authority has lots of information on their website with regards to the Local Offer and how they support children with special educational needs, click here for more information.