SEND Information Report

What do we mean by Barbara Priestman SEND Information Report?

Everything we provide for your son/daughter.

How can my son/daughter attend Barbara Priestman Academy?

  • A proposed EHCP is produced before a final EHCP which provides details about your son/daughter, their needs and support required.
  • Final Education Health Care Plan naming Barbra Priestman Academy as your child’s educational placement
  • Assessment placement arranged through the Local Authority
  • Intervention placement arranged through the Local Authority
  • Part time place arranged directly through the academy

How will my son/daughter be supported and prepared before/after attending/leaving Barbara Priestman Academy?

  •  Transition programme with dedicated transition staff
  •  Settings sharing information to ensure individual needs are met.
  •  Connexions/Health/Social Care/Post 19 provision
  •  Links to colleges through visits
  •  Transition Nursing Team/Learning Disability Nurse may also support identified individuals
  •  Home visits where appropriate
  •  Transition leads visiting previous provision
  •  Independent travel team
  •  Curriculum with appropriate progression pathways.

How will my son/daughter be transported to Barbara Priestman Academy?

  •  Education transport dependent on the distance from your home to the academy.
  • Local Authority SEN department will contact the Local Authority transport department and organise it.
  •  Local Authority transport staff (taxi driver and passenger assistant where possible) introduce themselves to you and your son/daughter.
  •  Date and time arranged and any medical information shared.

If Local Authority transport is not available due to distance from the academy parents arrange their own transport;

  • Independent traveller/student will use public transport.
  • The academy offers a Programme for Independent Travel Training to assist learners in becoming independent travellers

How will the curriculum be matched to my son/daughter’s needs?

  •  Personalised input based on assessments/EHCP
  •  All subjects, adapted, creative starting with students development needs
  •  Indoor and outdoor learning
  •  Range of offsite and residential learning opportunities
  •  Use of therapies (rebound, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy)
  •  Identified accredited qualifications appropriate to learner’s needs
  •  Multidisciplinary Team input.

How will I know my son/daughter is making progress at Barbara Priestman Academy?

  • EHC planning meetings/Annual review meetings and termly reports to parents
  • Progress made in accredited qualifications
  • Coffee morning opportunities to look at son/daughter’s work.
  • Accreditation outcomes
  • Data reported annually
  • Learning plans
  • Homework

What specialist resources, services and expertise are available at or accessed by Barbara Priestman Academy School?

  • Speech and Language Therapist
  • Occupational Therapist.
  • Occupational Therapist Assistant
  • Educational Psychologist
  • Behaviour Support Manager
  • Hearing impairment team
  • CYPS (Children and Young Peoples’ Service)
  • Educational Psychologist
  • Medical Team (e.g. school nurse)
  • Leisure and college facilities
  • Together for children
  • Adult social care
  • Transition nurses
  • Connexions
  • Academy Counsellor

How are the Academy’s resources allocated and matched to my son/daughter’s needs?

  • Individualised programme (referrals and professionals) to enable them to access the curriculum.
  • Staff : pupil ratio
  • Pupil premium funding
  • Year 7 Catch up grant
  • Post 16 bursary funding
  • Other EHCP needs

What specialist teaching qualifications do staff have who support my son/daughter at Barbara Preistman Academy?

  • Qualified Teacher Status
  • OCN Autism Level 2/3
  • Level 3 Teaching Assistant
  • Forest School Practitioner Level 4
  • Dyslexia /Dyscalculia trainer staff
  • Thinking Tools
  • Assertive Discipline
  • Makaton signing
  • Medically trained (Epilepsy, Epi-pen, Diabetes)
  • Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support (SCERTS)
  • Rebound therapy (trampoline)
  • First aiders
  • Safeguarding Training
  • Team Teach/Advanced team Teach
  • Staff trained to Masters Level in teaching and learning
  • Staff trained to Masters Level in Autism
  • NAS Accreditation

What activities could my son/daughter be included in within and outside the day/extra-curricular activities?

  •  Curricular visits
  •  Independent travel training
  •  Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
  •  Lunchtime clubs
  •  After school club
  •  Residentials (Sleep overs, Derwent Hill, France, Italy)
  •  Performances including national competitions
  •  Sports Day
  •  Charity Events eg Great North Run

How can I as a parent be involved at Barbara Priestman Academy?

  •  Invited to assemblies/celebrations of success
  •  Coffee mornings/Parent voice
  •  Learning plan
  •  Attending annual review meetings/MDT meetings
  •  Parents evening
  •  Friends of Barbara Priestman
  •  Volunteering
  •  Surveys and questionnaires
  •  Parent courses and workshops
  •  Parent Trustee/parent forum

How can I support my son/daughter’s needs?

  • Writing in the home school diary about news and activities at home
  • Providing school with information re appointments or medical updates
  • Attending parent evenings and meetings with academy staff
  • Attending parent courses/workshops
  • Use curriculum advice and activity ideas from the tutor
  • Helping with homework
  • Telling us when things are going well or equally when there is an issue that needs resolving
  • Making medical appointments outside of academy hours

What support will there be at Barbara Priestman Academy for my son/daughter’s overall wellbeing?

  • Curriculum and targets that meet the child’s behaviour and self-help needs.
  • PASS data (Pupils Attitude to Self and School) that helps us understand individual wellbeing needs
  • Safeguarding
  • Positive school ethos
  • School nurse
  • Trained staff
  • First aiders
  • Student voice
  • Independent travel training
  • Personal Social Health Education
  • Focus on mental wellbeing

Who can I contact for further information?

  • SENCO
  • Headteacher/Deputy/Assistant Heads
  • Reception/Office
  • Form Tutor
  • Transition Team

Who can I contact if I have a complaint?

  • SENCO
  • Headteacher/Deputy/Assistant Heads
  • Alternatively, Barbara Priestman Academy, part of Ascent Academies’ Trust have an Ascent Academies’ Complaint Policy.

 Sunderland City Council Local Offer

  • Introducing the new Sunderland Education, Training & Employability Online Directory
    which has been developed in partnership with Together for Children, Sunderland Information  Point and local partners.
  • An easy to use online resource bringing together local providers and organisations
    that offer a wide variety of education, training and employability courses to the people of Sunderland. The directory can be used by young people and adults alike.
  • The Sunderland Education, Training & Employability Online Directory will
    support those who are planning their career, wanting to gain new qualifications or improve their employability skills.

Our SEND Information report is reviewed annually.