SEN and Disability

At Our Lady's, we employ a proactive and thorough approach to identify students who may require additional support for Special Educational Needs. Ofsted has recognised that 'Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and effectively.' (Ofsted, 2022). Our process includes:

Transition from Primary School:

• Our SENDCO liaises closely with Year 6 teachers and SENDCOs from feeder primary schools to gather detailed information about students' needs and support strategies already in place.
• We review primary school records, including SEND Support Plans and any existing EHCPs.
• Targeted transition visits and additional familiarisation opportunities are arranged for vulnerable students.

Upon Entry to Our Lady's:

• All Year 7 students complete baseline assessments (e.g., standardised reading and spelling tests) to help identify literacy and numeracy strengths and areas for development.
• Information from these assessments is reviewed alongside primary school data and teacher observations.

Ongoing Monitoring & Assessment within School:

• Teacher Referrals: Class teachers are constantly observing and assessing students' progress. If a student is making less than expected progress despite Quality First Teaching, a concern form is raised with the SENDCO.
• Progress Data Analysis: We regularly track student progress across all subjects. Significant concerns are highlighted and investigated by the SENDCO.
• Pastoral Team Liaison: Our dedicated pastoral team plays a key role in identifying students who may be experiencing social, emotional, or behavioural difficulties impacting their learning.
• Student and Parent Voice: We encourage students and parents to share any concerns about learning or well-being with their form tutor, Learning Manager, or the SENDCO.

Once a potential need is identified, the SENDCO will discuss concerns with parents/carers and the student, and determine if further assessment or support is required.

At Our Lady's, we provide a graduated approach to SEND support, ensuring that all students receive the right level of intervention at the right time. Our provision is structured into three "Waves":

Wave 1: Quality First Teaching (Universal Provision)

• Description: This is the high-quality teaching that every student receives in the classroom. All teachers are teachers of SEND and are trained to differentiate their lessons to meet the diverse needs of all learners.
• Examples:
  • Differentiated Instruction: Adapting tasks, resources, and questioning techniques to suit different learning styles and abilities.
  • Accessible Resources: Providing visual aids, simplified language, knowledge organisers, and alternative formats for materials.
  • Clear Instructions: Breaking down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
  • Strategic Seating: Planning classroom layouts to support engagement and minimise distractions.
  • Formative Assessment: Regularly checking understanding to identify and address misconceptions immediately.
  • Reading Curriculum: Our strengthened reading curriculum ensures a clear emphasis on developing pupils' reading and vocabulary knowledge. Ofsted noted that 'Staff support those pupils who need help to catch up with their reading knowledge well. This helps these pupils to access the wider curriculum.' (Ofsted, 2022).

Wave 2: Targeted Support (Small Group/Individual Interventions)

• Description: For students who require additional support beyond Wave 1, we provide targeted interventions, usually delivered by Learning Support staff or specialist staff, either in small groups or individually.
• Examples:
  • Literacy Boosters: Focused reading and spelling programs (Thinking Reading, paired reading, IDL, precision teaching, phonics-based interventions).
  • Numeracy Support: Small group sessions to reinforce foundational mathematical concepts.
  • Social Skills Groups: Sessions to develop communication, emotional regulation, and peer interaction skills.
  • Nurture Provision: A dedicated space and support for students who require additional social, emotional, and behavioural support to access learning effectively.
  • Dedicated Clubs: The Learning Support Centre facilitates various clubs designed to offer targeted support in a relaxed environment, such as our daily Homework Club, our popular Lunchtime Games Club, and various extra-curricular sports sessions. These provide additional opportunities for students to develop essential skills and receive personalised guidance.

 Wave 3: Specialist Provision (Individualised & External Support)

• Description: For students with more significant and complex needs, often identified through formal assessment, we provide highly individualised support, frequently involving external specialist services. This level of support may lead to or be part of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
• Examples:
  • Individualised Timetables: Adapted timetables to accommodate specialist provisions or therapies.
  • One-to-One Support: Dedicated learning support assistant support for specific learning tasks or during transitions.
  • Therapeutic Interventions: Signposting to external services like CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).
  • Direct External Specialist Involvement: Regular sessions with professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists, with their recommendations integrated into the student's provision. When a student's needs are more complex and require in-depth understanding, we may refer to an Educational Psychologist for specialist assessment and advice. Their evaluations help us to better understand individual learning profiles and guide the development of highly targeted, bespoke interventions to support the student's progress.
  • EHCP Reviews: Annual reviews for students with EHCPs, involving parents, student, school staff, and external agencies to review progress and plan next steps.

At Our Lady's, we believe that every student's journey is unique. For students on our SEND register, we develop Pupil Passports. These are concise, practical documents that:

• Highlight the student's strengths and interests.
• Clearly identify their specific SEND needs.
• Outline the barriers to learning they may face.
• Detail the specific strategies and provision that will be put in place to support them across the curriculum and in school life.

Pupil Passports are created collaboratively with the student, their parents/carers, and key school staff. They are reviewed regularly to ensure the provision remains effective and responsive to the student's evolving needs. This puts the young person at the heart of their provision. These Pupil Passports are shared with and actively used by all teaching staff, including Principal Teachers, to inform their lesson planning, classroom strategies, and ongoing support for every student with SEND across all subjects. This ensures a consistent, whole-school approach to meeting individual needs. For some students who may need further support to close the gap to their peers, specific SMART targets are also integrated into their Pupil Passports to guide their progress and interventions more precisely.

We believe that strong home-school links are crucial for the success of students with SEND. We are committed to:

• Regular Communication: Ensuring parents receive updates on their child's progress and well-being through formal school reports and parents' evenings.
• Parent Meetings: Holding formal and informal meetings to discuss progress, review Pupil Passports/ILPs/EHCPs, and plan next steps.
• Open Door Policy: Encouraging parents to contact the SENDCO, form tutor, or Head of Year with any concerns or questions.
• Parent Workshops: Offering information sessions on specific SEND topics or strategies for home support.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Valuing parent feedback to continually improve our provision.

Our Lady's Catholic High School collaborates with a range of external agencies and professionals to provide comprehensive support for our students with SEND. Ofsted noted that 'Leaders work with a wide variety of external agencies to provide effective support to pupils and their families.' (Ofsted, 2022). These include:

• Lancashire Local Authority SEND Advisory Service: Providing advice and training on specific SEND needs.
• Educational Psychologists: For in-depth assessment and advice on learning and cognitive profiles.
• Speech and Language Therapists (SaLT): Supporting students with communication difficulties.
• Occupational Therapists (OT): Providing advice on fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing, and independent living skills.
• Autism Advisory Teachers: Specialist advice and support for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• Sensory Support Service (Visual Impairment & Hearing Impairment): Specialist teaching and equipment for students with sensory needs.
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): For mental health support.
• School Nurse: For medical and health-related support and advice.
• Local Colleges and Training Providers: For post-16 transition planning and opportunities.

We understand that transitions can be challenging for students with SEND. Our Lady's provides dedicated support at key transition points:

• Primary to Secondary (Year 6 to Year 7):
  • Additional transition visits to the school beyond standard induction days.
  • Opportunities to meet key staff (SENDCO, Form Tutor) before starting.
  • Production of 'transition passports' to share vital information from primary school.
  • Small group activities to familiarise students with the school layout and routines.
• Within School (e.g., Key Stage transitions, new classes):
  • Planned meetings with new teachers to share information about individual needs.
  • Opportunities to visit new classrooms or areas of the school.
• Secondary to Post-16 (Leaving Our Lady's):
  • Careers advice and guidance tailored to SEND students, involving external agencies where appropriate.
  • Links with local colleges, sixth forms, and apprenticeship providers to ensure smooth progression.
  • Support with college applications and visits.

Our Lady's Catholic High School is committed to ensuring our environment is as accessible as possible for all students and visitors. We have:

• Our Lady’s was built to accommodate fewer than the current average number of pupils.  The buildings are spread over three floors.  There is disabled access to parts of the ground floor only.
• Corridors are narrow.  Without careful planning there would be potential for congestion at lesson changeover in some areas.
• There is a designated disabled parking space near the front entrance.
• There is one toilet with disabled access.
• The medical room does not have disabled access / toilet or showering facility.
• Policies are all available from the school website in print format and can be adapted as necessary.
• The school has visual strips on the staircases to aid partially sighted pupils.
• Timetables using symbols can be made for a small number of pupils who may benefit from them.
• There is a member of staff designated to supervising auditory equipment for pupils with hearing aids.

Our staff are our greatest asset. We invest in ongoing professional development to ensure they are equipped with the latest knowledge and strategies to support students with SEND. Ofsted noted in 2022 that 'Staff use their expertise to ensure that pupils with SEND are well supported in the classroom.' (Ofsted, 2022). Recent training has included:

• Autism Education Trust (AET) training for all staff.
• Dyslexia Awareness and inclusive teaching strategies.
• Supporting students with Speech and Language Difficulties.
• Mental Health First Aid.
• Specific training on managing medical conditions.

We rigorously monitor the progress of all students with SEND, both academically and in their personal development. Our Ofsted report states that 'Pupils achieve well overall. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and disadvantaged pupils.' (Ofsted, 2022). Furthermore, 'Progress is consistent, well supported and monitored by teachers, who make it a priority - not least for those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities.' (Catholic Schools Inspectorate, 2024).

• Regular reviews of Pupil Passports.
• Analysis of academic progress data.
• Feedback from teachers, parents, and students.
• Collaboration with external professionals to review impact of interventions.

We are proud of the progress our students with SEND make, with many achieving positive outcomes and successfully transitioning to further education and employment.

For a comprehensive overview of our SEND provision and to meet statutory requirements, please download our official documents:

• SEND Policy
• Local Offer PDF
• Lancashire Local Offer - For comprehensive information on services available to children and young people with SEND in Lancashire, please visit: Lancashire Local Offer Website
• OLCHS SEN Information Report PDF  (This report complies with: Section 69(2) of the Children and Families Act 2014, regulation 51 and schedule 1 of the Special Educations Needs and Disability Regulations 2014)
• OLCHS Accessibility Plan PDF (In compliance with paragraph 3 of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010)

We believe in keeping our parents and carers regularly informed about key developments, news, and events related to SEND at Our Lady's. Please find our latest and archived newsletters below:

• SEND Newsletter - Summer Term 2025
• SEND Newsletter - Spring Term 2025
• SEND Newsletter - Autumn Term 2024

These newsletters often include updates on interventions, helpful tips for parents, celebration of student achievements, and information about upcoming events or workshops.