Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

 

• MAKATON Signing

• Specialist Dyslexia Teacher

• Mental Health Support Team

• First Aid Qualified Staff

• Person Centred Planning and collaborative Education Health Care Plans

• School nurse

• Speech and Language Therapist

• Orthotic and Wheelchair services

• Occupational Therapy

• Physiotherapy

• Advisory Teachers for Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Behavioural, Social and Emotional Needs.

• Educational Psychology Service

• Social care professionals

• Play Therapist

• Paediatric Learning Disability Nursing Service

• ELCAS

• Equine therapy

• Sensory provisions 

• Team Teach

 

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

All of our staff undertake Continuous Professional Development to ensure that they meet the needs of all our students. There is a rolling programme of initial, and refresher training, to ensure that we maintain up to date and high standards of education.  Child Protection and Safeguarding are an essential priority in Crosshill, all staff undertake regular training and 4 members of staff have undertaken Senior Designated Person training.  Staff also receive First Aid training regularly and Asthma/Epilepsy/Anaphylaxis training annually. Our staff hold a variety of other qualifications such as:

• Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) holds the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination

•  A member of staff is TEACCH trained

•  All staff are Team Teach Trained

•  A number of staff are mental health first aid trained

•  School has achieved 'Asthma Friendly School' status

•  School has achieved the Wellbeing Award for Schools

 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

All young people who attend Crosshill, require specialist support to access learning.  We work with parents/carers to identify what type of support will best meet the needs of the young person, and allow them make progress in all areas. Our class sizes are small, ensuring that each individual has the right type and amount of support, differentiated access to learning and appropriate opportunities to work as independently as possible, in order for them to be confident learners.

 

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

If your child already attends a school or other provision, you should speak to their Headteacher or the SENCo who will be able to support you in determining whether your child has additional needs and what steps need to be taken to support your child and your family. If you wish to speak to a member of staff at Crosshill, or would like to visit or have a look around, then you are most welcome to contact us directly in school.

 

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

Teaching staff support all students by ensuring work is differentiated to meet their needs whilst challenging them to ensure they make good progress.  Support staff work in each class to support individual students or small groups of students.

 

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

Crosshill School takes a personalised approach to meeting the needs of each individual learner by providing a highly differentiated package of curriculum offers and programmes of study.  The students are grouped by stage not age.  At Crosshill we currently offer three levels of curriculum within each year group at Key Stage 3 and across Key Stage 4:

• Informal Curriculum Offer (connecting and responding)

• Semi-Formal Curriculum Offer (a life-skills based curriculum)

• Formal Curriculum Offer (an adapted National Curriculum which emphasises life need) 

 

At the end of Key Stage 3 leaners will be placed onto very personalised qualification pathways to ensure that they achieve the highest accreditations possible at their starting point.

At Post-16 learners follow a curriculum with the aim of preparing them for adulthood and employment with an emphasis on living as independently as possible as an adult and gaining potential paid employment.

Individual interventions are undertaken where required for speech and language, motor skills, dyslexia, social skills and sensory difficulties.

 

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

All staff are highly trained and use a range of general strategies and specific strategies for individual students to support all students in their learning.  Much of teaching is based on a multisensory approach.

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

Teaching staff are in regular contact with parents and carers through the following methods:

• Parent/carer consultation evenings

• Coffee mornings and other informal events

• Phone Contact

• Text/Email

• Annual Review of Education Health Care Plans

• Interim and end of year reports

 

Targets are reviewed on a termly basis and this is communicated through the annual review, Parent/carer consultation evenings in the Autumn and Summer terms, interim reports in the Autumn and Spring terms and an end of year report.

We formally measure and track pupil progress through BSquared within KS3 and accreditation assessment criteria within KS4 and Post-16. We have a robust assessment cycle which we follow throughout the academic year which involves a range of quality assurance methods. We are also part of a special school’s moderation and assessment group to assist in making comparisons with other special schools.

 

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

Crosshill is committed to working in partnership with parents and carers and consider it a crucial element in a child’s development process. Families are welcome to visit the school regularly, in addition to the scheduled Parent/Carer Consultation Evenings.

The Friends of Crosshill hold regular coffee mornings and workshops in the school to which all parents/carers are invited. We hold regular celebration assemblies, whole school shows, concerts and sports activities to which parents and carers are welcome.  The school will also run regular training sessions for parents and carers.

Parents/carers are invited to attend Transition Meetings, Annual Review and EHCP Meetings and are also invited to make written contributions.

An outline of the curriculum is sent home to families so that they know what their child is being taught and can support at home as well as being available on the website.

The school newsletter is published half-termly to keep parents/carers up to date with what is going on in the school and gives them dates that they may want to put in their diaries of upcoming events. These are also posted on our website and social media platforms.

Parents are consulted about what they would like to see at school through an annual questionnaire.

The school has two places on its Governing Body for parent/carer representatives.

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

The well-being of our students is paramount to what we do.  We have a specialist mental health and wellbeing lead who works across the school.  The school achieved the Wellbeing Award for Schools in 2019. We work closely with social care teams and health staff, to ensure that all of our students have access to the right support when they need it.  This is done through: 

• Education Health Care Plan

• Specialist diets (provided through our catering kitchen) and allergy considerations

• Mental Health Support Team
• ELSA trained member of staff
• Play Therapist

 

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

Curriculum Activities
At Key Stage 3 the students have a varied curriculum containing English, Maths, Science, Computing, RE, PE, PSHCE, Humanities (History, Geography, MFL), Music and Technology.  They will also spend some of their curriculum time ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’ including accessing Forest School.

At Key Stage 4 the students study qualifications in English, Maths, Science, Humanities and Computing at a level appropriate to them which could be Entry Level or ASDAN.  Alongside this the students have lessons in Art, Food, PE, PSHE/RE and Life skills.  There is also an opportunity for students to take part in work experience and Duke of Edinburgh.

At Post-16 the students study Open Award qualifications based around communication for life and work, independent living skills, independent travel and being part of the local community.  They also access work placements, community activities and the Duke of  Edinburgh Award.    

Educational visits play a key role in learning throughout the school.

 

Extra-Curricular Activities

 

• Lunchtime clubs e.g. dance, crafts, sports

• Residential visits

• Family activities such as Pantomine, Let’s Get Cooking

• Representing the school in various activities e.g. boccia, dance, swimming, football

• Youth Zone once a week

 

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

In Year 6 a representative from Crosshill will attend the Annual Review to begin planning for transition.  Following this they will observe the child in the primary school setting and speak to key people such as the child’s support assistant.  The child will then be invited to attend transition days where they will meet the Crosshill staff and take part in activities with Crosshill students.  Further visits can be arranged depending on individual needs.

Transition planning for between key stages and moving to Post-16 takes place during Education, Health and Care Plan meetings annually, so that any changes are well planned. This allows the young person, as well as you and their wider family, feel well supported through them and confident about them being successful.

 

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

Working collaboratively with families and colleagues across health and social care enables us to identify what resources and equipment a child or young person may need, or benefit from. Where necessary we will refer children to external specialists for assessment and recommendations.  These will then be implemented in school and, in collaboration with parents, at home if necessary.