St Catherine's School
SEND POLICY
(Senior and Prep)
| Reviewed by: | SENCO |
| Last Reviewed: | April 2026 |
| Next Review: | April 2027 |
SCHOOL MISSIONWe are inspired by St Catherine of Siena, who said ‘Be who God wants you to be, and you will set the world on fire’, to form young women of confidence and compassion, ready for service and leadership in the world. We fulfil our mission through these values:
Community: a place of cheerfulness, dignity and tolerance, where all are welcome
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Revised in line with the new Code of Practice
Due regard has been given to the Equalities Act 2010
The school aims to comply with the current legislative framework, including the SEND Code of Practice 2014, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, the Equality Act 2010 and the Children and Families Act 2014.
Definition of Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND): Children and Families Act 2014:
A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:
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Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
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Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.
SEND Areas of Need
Communication and Interaction:
This category includes children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) including Autism.
Cognition and Learning:
This category includes children and young people with specific learning difficulties (SPLD). This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia
Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties:
Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, or self-harming.
This category includes Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) or Attachment Disorder.
Sensory and/or Physical Needs:
This category includes children and young people with vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI) or a multi-sensory impairment (MSI).
SEND Code of Practice (2015)
Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught. (See item 15 in this policy).
More details about the reforms and the SEND Code of Practice can be found on the Department for Education’s website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
1. Aims and Objectives: Every Teacher is a Teacher of SEND
High quality teaching is that which is differentiated to meet the needs of the majority of children. Some children will need learning additional to and different from what is provided for the majority of children; this is special educational provision and we will use our best endeavours to ensure that provision is made for those who need it.
Aims:
St Catherine’s School makes provision for pupils of varying abilities and aims to maintain high academic standards. The school is keen to bring out and nurture the aptitudes and talents of all the pupils. Within a Christian ethos, the school aims to offer a balanced and broadly based curriculum, suited to the needs of pupils of different abilities. The Learning Support Department seeks to ensure:
Objectives:
The Learning Support Department is committed to valuing every individual and aims to promote a secure environment where every child feels they belong, and can grow in confidence to develop her strengths and improve on areas of weaknesses.
Therefore, the objectives of the Department show a commitment to:
The early identification, assessment and graduated provision is available for pupils causing concern. This is most effectively done by gathering as much information as possible e.g. information from parents, education, health and care services, and feeder/ previous schools/ settings schools or prior to the child’s entry into the school. Where needs have not been previously identified, staff have an obligation to report observations to the SENDCO/Learning Support team.
Monitor the progress of all pupils in order to aid identification of pupils with SEND. Continuous monitoring of those pupils with SEND by their teachers will help to ensure that they have the best opportunity to reach their potential.
Make appropriate provision to overcome and reduce barriers to learning and ensure pupils with SEND have full access to the school curriculum. This will be coordinated, monitored and reviewed by the SENDCO and Headteacher.
Work with parents to gain a better understanding of their child, and involve them in all stages of their child’s education.
Work with and in support of outside agencies when the pupils’ needs cannot be met by the school alone.
Create a school environment where pupils can contribute to their own learning by offering all students the opportunity to voice their own opinions. Pupil participation is promoted across the school within the security of each Tutor Group. The Pastoral System helps to build a sense of belonging, respect and value. A sense of comradeship and team spirit is also encouraged through The House System and opportunities for participation in school life (e.g. membership of the School Council, affiliation with sports teams, fundraising events, extra-curricular activities etc.)
2. Responsibility for the Coordination of SEND Provision
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The named Governor with responsibility for SEND is Victoria Mast.
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The person responsible for overseeing the provision for pupils with SEND is Mr A McCleave (Head)
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The person co-ordinating the day to day provision of education for pupils with SEND is Mrs N Fernandes (SENDCO).
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Working specifically with the Senior school is our SEND Teaching Assistant, Mrs C Newman and with the Prep school is Mrs S Hatch.
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All staff can access regularly updated information regarding pupils with SEND on the SEND Register, and via SEND Pupil Profiles.
3. Arrangements for Coordinating SEND Provision
Provision for pupils with SEND is a matter for the school as a whole. All members of staff are expected to be aware of the learning needs of every pupil that they teach and to make their best endeavours to meet each pupil’s needs. All teachers are expected to refer to the SEND information available in order to keep fully informed of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and the recommendations for their support.
4. Admissions Arrangements
St Catherine’s School has a published Admissions Policy, which sets out the policy and procedures for admission to the School. The admissions arrangements for all pupils are in accordance with national legislation, including the Equalities Act 2010, and do not discriminate in any way regarding entry. All pupils, including those with SEND, are expected to pass an entrance examination before an offer of a place can be made.
The school welcomes pupils with SEND, provided that their needs can be met with reasonable adjustments and that their admission is compatible with and not to the detriment of:
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The provision of efficient education for the pupils with whom they will be educated
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The need to maintain academic, musical, sporting and other standards
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The efficient use of resources
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Health and Safety requirements.
Should any pupil have an identified SEND, parents are encouraged to provide relevant reports when making an application for admission. This is to ensure that the school is able to anticipate the pupil’s needs and enable reasonable adjustments to be made and ensure equal access at admission if necessary.
Parents and/or schools are therefore encouraged to discuss a child’s SEND with the Head
and the Admissions secretary ,along with any need for adjustments required during the admissions procedure. This discussion should take place well in advance and before a pupil sits an entrance exam.
If access arrangements (such as extra time or use of a word processor) are required, the parents or school will need to provide an up to date report, carried out by an appropriately qualified specialist, showing evidence of need. We encourage parents to speak to the SENDCO before pursuing independent assessments.
5. Specialist SEND Provision
St Catherine’s School is an inclusive school. In our school we support pupils with a wide range of needs. We are committed to whole school inclusion and will seek support and training from external services and agencies where appropriate.
6. Facilities for pupils with SEND
The school site building regulations comply with the relevant accessibility requirements. The building provides wheelchair access, disabled toilets and a lift. A designated learning support room, located on the ground floor of the Prep building, provides a base for pupils with SEND and an Independent Listener is available to support students with SEND.
Special arrangements can be made, when appropriate and ensuring compliance with Examination Boards directives, during internal and external examinations to enable SEND students to access examination papers without disadvantage. These may include: extra-time, modified papers, use of a word processor, supervised rest breaks.
7. Allocation of resources for pupils with SEND
A budget allowance is provided each academic year following negotiation with the Head the Bursar and the Governing Body. The department is well resourced to support the pupils currently on role.
8. Identification of Pupils’ Needs
(See definition of Special Educational Needs at start of policy)
When pupils join Year 7 with a pre-existing diagnosis of a Special Educational Need and/or Disability, or with established exam access arrangements from their previous setting, the school may use SWIFT screening as an assessment tool to gather additional information about the pupil's strengths and areas of need. This information supports effective transition planning and helps ensure that appropriate provision is put in place.
A diagnosis or previous access arrangements do not automatically determine the level of support or exam access arrangements provided. Decisions regarding SEND provision and exam access arrangements will be based on current evidence of need, and relevant statutory guidance.
Quality First Teaching: ‘The baseline of learning for all pupils’
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Any pupil who is falling significantly outside the range of expected academic achievements in line with predictive performance indicators and grade boundaries will be monitored.
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Once a pupil has been identified as possibly having SEND they will be closely monitored by staff in order to gauge the level of learning and possible difficulties.
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The subject teacher will take steps to provide differentiated learning opportunities that will aid the pupil’s academic progression and enable the teacher to better understand the provision and teaching style that needs to be applied.
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The SENDCO will be consulted as needed to support and advise, and may be required to observe the pupil in class.
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Parents will be informed fully of every stage of their child’s development in the circumstances under which they are being monitored. Parents are encouraged to share information and queries with the school.
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The pupil may be monitored if a concern is raised by a parent or teacher but as such this does not automatically place the pupil on the school’s SEND Register.
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Pupil’s grade sheets, academic reports, progress meetings, academic meetings and parents’ evenings are used to monitor and assess the progress being made by all pupils. Frequent staff meetings are also used to discuss and reflect upon the individual progress of each pupil.
SEND Support:
Where it is determined that a pupil does have SEND, parents will be advised before inclusion of the individual on the School’s SEND Register. The aim of formally identifying a pupil with SEND is to help the school ensure that effective provision is put in place and so minimise barriers to learning.
Referral for an Education, Health and Care Plan:
If a pupil has lifelong or significant difficulties they may apply to the LEA for a Statutory Assessment. This will occur when the complexity of need or a lack of clarity around the needs of the pupil are such that a multi-agency approach to assessing that need, planning provision and identifying resources, is required.
The decision to make a referral for an Education, Health and Care Plan may be taken at a meeting involving the parents and SENDCO if applicable.
9. Access to the Curriculum, Information and Associated Services
Pupils with SEND will be given access to the curriculum with specialist SEND support provided by the school if necessary and, as far as possible, taking into account pupil, parental and staff views, in addition and the needs of the individual.
Every effort will be made to educate pupils with SEND alongside their peers in the classroom. Where this is not possible, the SENDCO will consult with parents for other flexible arrangements to be made. Regular training and learning opportunities for staff on the subject of SEND will be provided in school and via inset training to further develop skills and knowledge.
Ensuring Access to the Curriculum for Pupils with SEND:
The SENDCO and Senior Leaders are responsible for:
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Keeping staff fully informed of the special educational needs of any pupils including sharing progress reports, medical reports and teacher feedback.
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Providing training and learning opportunities for staff in all departments on the subject of SEND and SEND teaching. Ensuring staff members are kept up-to-date with teaching methods which will aid the progress of all pupils including those with SEND.
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In-class provision and support are deployed effectively to ensure that the curriculum is adapted when necessary
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In the Prep school, individual or small group support is available where it is felt that pupils would benefit from this provision
Writing and Use of Technology in Lessons
At St Catherine's, pupils are actively encouraged to write regularly during their lessons to develop this essential core skill. Teachers may incorporate the use of Macbooks where appropriate, depending on the nature of the activity. In some cases, pupils with a specific special educational need may use a personal device, such as a laptop, to support their learning. This arrangement must be approved in advance by both the Deputy Head Academic and the SENDCO.
Exam Access Arrangements
The following process is used to determine and implement exam access arrangements:
→ Teachers/parents raise concerns
→ Feedback from staff is collected
→ SENDCO analyses data from assessments and a member of the SEND team observes the pupil if required
→ Meeting is arranged with the SENDCO and parents to discuss next steps
All pupils who are approved to use their own devices in school must sign and adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy.
The school follows the regulations set out by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) when considering and implementing exam access arrangements.
Access arrangements allow candidates with specific needs to access assessments without changing the demands of the qualification. The purpose of access arrangements are to remove substantial barriers for a candidate while maintaining the integrity of the examination.
The school can only apply for and implement exam access arrangements where there is sufficient evidence that a candidate has a genuine and persistent need. Decisions are made in accordance with current JCQ regulations and are based on a range of evidence, including:
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Evidence from teachers.
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Observations of the candidate's difficulties in learning in class and tests/ examinations.
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The candidate's normal way of working within the classroom and during internal assessments.
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Assessment data.
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Relevant specialist assessments where required by JCQ regulations.
A professional report, diagnosis, or recommendation from an external practitioner (for example, an Educational Psychologist, Specialist Teacher, or medical professional) cannot, on its own, be used as justification for granting exam access arrangements. While such reports may contribute to the evidence-gathering process, JCQ requires schools to demonstrate a current and evidenced need, together with a history of the arrangement being the candidate's normal way of working.
The final decision regarding the application for exam access arrangements lies with the school and must comply with JCQ regulations in force at the time. The school cannot implement or apply for arrangements solely on the basis of a parental request, private assessment report, diagnosis, or external recommendation where the required evidence of need and normal way of working is not available.
10. Inclusion of pupils with SEND
The Head oversees inclusion and is responsible for ensuring that it is implemented effectively throughout the school.
The school curriculum is regularly reviewed by the Senior Management Team to ensure that it promotes the inclusion of all pupils. This includes learning outside the classroom and off-site provision.
The school will seek advice where appropriate around individual pupils, from external support services if appropriate.
11. Complaints Procedure:
(Please refer to the School’s Complaints Policy.)
If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made by them to speak to the SENDCO or any member of the Senior Management Team who will be able to offer advice on formal procedures for complaint if necessary.
12. Links to Support Services
The school will work collaboratively and build links with external support services, as and when required, in order to fully support our SEND pupils and aid school inclusion.
13. Working in partnerships with parents
St Catherine’s School believes that a close working relationship with parents is vital in order to ensure:
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Early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND leading to the correct intervention and provision
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Continuing social and academic progress of children with SEND to enable personal success
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Parental views are considered and valued
Parents are encouraged to contact the school regarding any problem related to their child's progress. The SENDCO may signpost parents of pupils with SEND to outside agencies where specialist assessment, specific advice or support may be required.
14. Links with other schools
Many pupils with SEND will have had formal assessments or diagnoses at primary school. Through our transition process, we ensure all relevant information is passed on from parents and/or feeder schools so that we are fully aware of pupils’ needs before they come to St Catherine’s School.
We will also carry out a detailed individual assessment of each pupil at the earliest opportunity to make an accurate assessment of their needs considering:
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CATs/MidYIS/Alis tests – depending on age at entry
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Reading and spelling age assessments
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For some pupils, their needs may be assessed further through, for example:
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Observation by SENDCO or other specialist
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Specialised testing, e.g. dyslexia screening etc.
15. English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The term EAL (English as an Additional Language) is used to refer to pupils whose main language at home is other than English. EAL pupils, from complete beginners to those with considerable fluency, will have varying degrees of difficulty in accessing the full curriculum and in achieving their full potential.
The inclusion of EAL within the SEND Policy sets out St Catherine’s aims, objectives and strategies with regard to the needs and skills of EAL pupils.
Aims
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To welcome and value the cultural, linguistic and educational experiences that pupils with EAL bring to St Catherine’s.
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To implement strategies to ensure that EAL pupils are supported in accessing the curriculum.
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To help EAL pupils to become confident and to acquire the English language skills they need to be able to fulfil their academic potential.
Objectives
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To monitor pupils’ progress and use the data to inform classroom management, curriculum planning and the setting of targets.
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To maintain pupils’ self-esteem and confidence by acknowledging and giving status to their skills in their own languages.
Strategies
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There will be a positive and effective language ethos. Diversity will be valued and classrooms will be socially and intellectually inclusive.
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There will be an understanding that a limited knowledge of English does not reflect a lack of ability or a lack of literacy in a pupil's mother tongue, since appreciating and acknowledging a pupil's ability in her own culture is crucial for her self-esteem.
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The language development of all students is the responsibility of all teachers and teaching support staff.
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Teachers will be knowledgeable about pupils’ abilities and needs in English and other subjects and use this knowledge to inform their curriculum planning, classroom teaching and pupil grouping.
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Support will be provided in various forms, primarily through the provision of in-class support and work with individuals where appropriate.
Related policies:
- Accessibility Pal and Policy;
- Attendance Policy and Procedure;
- Behaviour Policy;
- Exam Policies;
- Pupil Mental Health Policy;
- Reasonable Adjustments Policy;
- Safeguarding Policy.