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SEN/D
Policy

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Special Educational
Needs and Disability
Policy
Darton College Policy for Special Educational Needs and Disability

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Vision/Approach/Philosophy
The Inclusion Team at Darton College is committed to securing and where appropriate, providing entitlement to
support for students. This entitlement includes supporting and encouraging Students with Special Educational
Needs and Disabilities (SEN/D) to develop independence in their learning and skills for life.
Darton College provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all students. SEN/D students have equal access to
this curriculum. Additionally, the Inclusion Team provide access to quality support mechanisms either within
mainstream lessons or through small group or individual intervention. A bespoke curriculum is offered for
students with high need through Nurture Groups in Years 7 & 8 and in alternative accreditation groups at Key
Stage 4.
Staff at Darton College have high expectations of SEN/D students, providing appropriate learning & teaching
experiences within a supportive pastoral framework. We aim to nurture in students expectation, confidence and
ambition for high attainment and achievement.
Our SEN/D students face barriers to learning and progress; a purpose of the Inclusion Team is to provide the
expertise and guidance to help teachers structure learning that will support students in managing those barriers.
The Teams approach is firmly rooted in a philosophy of nurturing. Through guidance, a focus on key skills
development and access to a range of professionals, students are provided with a secure and caring approach to
support both their academic and personal progress in College.
The Darton College Inclusion Team aim to help students realise their potential: the personal, social, emotional,
physical, creative and intellectual qualities and abilities they will require to enjoy fulfilling, active lives in
education and beyond.
Aims
Darton College aims to build confidence in students, a confidence in their teachers and those who support them
that they will achieve and be able to contribute to the whole life of the school regardless of ability. Students,
particularly those with high needs, will have confidence that the additional support they require will be provided
and that targeted resources are at the disposal of staff to ensure they make progress and that they are able to
access mainstream lessons with learning needs identified and addressed.
To fulfil these aims, the Darton College Inclusion Team will:
indicate to teachers barriers to learning and how to support students to manage those barriers.

work with primary schools to ensure appropriate provision is made for high needs students

maintain communication with students about their learning, progress and needs

communicate with parents/carers about their childs progress and provide opportunities for parents to
contribute to Individual Education Plans and targets (Code of Practice)

monitor the quality of assessment and feedback for SEN/D students to ensure a student is being guided in
addressing their barriers to learning appropriately

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advise on how homework should be incorporated into and support student learning

strive for early intervention to address barriers to learning

advise on curriculum development to ensure appropriate courses and accreditation routes

place an emphasis on nurturing

Inclusion Co-ordinator
Darton College has an appointed Inclusion Co-ordinator.
The role includes:
Leading inclusion provision
Leading a team of Learning Support Assistants
Liaising with parents/carers/teachers/LSAs
Leading Annual Reviews
Writing and maintaining IEPs
Liaising with primary school SENCOs and teachers
Producing a monthly SEN bulletin
Leading Darton Colleges Learning Support Unit
Developing and allocating resources (physical and human)
Liaising with post-16 providers
Managing alternative provision
Producing, collecting and sharing information about SEN/D students

Provision
Students with a SEN/D are identified at the point of transition from primary schools. The Inclusion Co-ordinator
attends Annual Reviews held at primary schools in the summer before transition, for students with a Statement of
Special Educational Need and processes information received for all SEN/D students.
Arrangements are made for appropriate provision. Barriers to learning are clarified and included on the
Individual Education Plan (IEP), put in place for all our SEN/D students.
Students are placed on the Educational Needs Register usually at the stage at which they entered. The stages
are:
School Action: often students with additional needs for literacy and numeracy. Students receive support,
progress is reviewed and either continue to receive support or are removed from the register.
School Action Plus: Students receive the above in addition to support from professionals associated with various
Local Authority bodies.
(SEN/D categories are under review. When new legislation is passed, the policy will be amended to reflect
changes)
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Statement of Special Educational Need: Students with a Statement receive support in lessons, the level of which
is determined by the band they are placed in. The Inclusion Co-ordinator ensures the Colleges statutory
obligations are met in this respect. These are High Needs students.
Individual Education Plan (IEP)
Individual Education Plans are written for students with High Need and for students with barriers to learning that
will adversely affect their ability to access learning.
The plan includes targets for students and identifies barriers to learning. Staff plan learning and teaching
appropriate to the needs of the student, based on these targets. IEP targets are reviewed once per term or when
a student makes significant progress toward achieving targets. Parents/carers receive an invitation to contribute
to the IEP and are made fully aware of its purpose and the provision being put in place to help students meet
personal targets.
Annual Reviews are held for students with a Statement and targets reviewed. New targets are discussed and set
based on student progress. The statement may be amended if appropriate or necessary, following the review
meeting with parents, the student and other professionals.
All IEPs, following a review and/or interventions leading to progress or diagnosis, will be reviewed and amended.
Student progress toward target and improvements in attainment will be reviewed at and consideration given to
the need for a student to remain at the same stage on the register; or indeed if they need to remain on the SEN
register. Any such decision will be made only in consultation with parents/carers, the student and other relevant
professionals.
Learning Support
Learning support is provided for students in various ways:
Differentiated teaching & learning in mainstream lessons
Marking & assessment that is related to learning barriers and IEP targets
In-class support with a Learning Support Assistant
Referral to The Learning Support Unit
Small group withdrawal (literacy, numeracy, skills)
Individual withdrawal
Support from a professional associated with the school

Our team of Learning Support Assistants, in partnership with teachers, have a commitment to implementing
appropriate teaching & learning strategies to provide challenging and manageable learning experiences for our
students.
Learning Support Assistants operate according to an agreed process. The process ensures learning support is
shared between the teacher and the LSA.



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Inclusion Staff
There is a team of Learning Support Assistants whose role is to support students in the classroom.
The Learning Support Provision is staffed by two people, one of whom manages it. Learning support works with
students identified by teachers as having difficulties accessing learning. This provision is available to non-SEN/D
students as well as students on the Register.
Identification and Assessment of Need
There are two stages to how students on the SEN/D register will be managed:
Action taken because of prior assessment and/or identification
Review of progress and status on the SEN/D register

Having close links with the primary schools, means we are provided with information about all students before
they arrive at Darton College. This means we can begin tailoring our provision for them before they arrive in
September.
Prior information will initially be used to assess the level of need and provision. How a student progresses in the
first few weeks at Darton College will help decide how that provision is further tailored to address learning
barriers.
Students who make progress will have their SEN/D status reviewed. This could mean a change in status , a student
at School Action, for example, being taken off the SEN/D register completely if they make good progress.
Students not on the SEN/D register on entry may be placed on the register and be provided with intervention. The
Inclusion Team work closely with all curriculum areas and where need arises, regardless of stage or age, will
attempt to intervene to offer support.
Parent and students would be closely involved in such a decision.
Curriculum
High needs students follow a bespoke curriculum in Year 7 & 8. This is heavily weighted toward core skills, but
remains balanced.
There is an alternative option group at Key Stage 4 and High Needs students are directed to it. This curriculum has
a skills focus and offers students opportunities to work with external partners and providers. Students follow
accredited courses including ASDAN Cope.
Assessment & monitoring
Students are continuously assessed by their teachers and, currently, attainment data is collected three times each
year. The progress of SEN/D students is monitored by the Inclusion Co-ordinator and Assistant Headteacher for
Inclusion. The information is used when advising teachers about possible teaching & learning strategies and in
progress discussions with students.

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Intervention
The Inclusion team are committed to students accessing mainstream learning wherever this is right and
appropriate. The priority is that students make at least good progress.
For specific learning needs, such as those related to literacy and numeracy, students will be withdrawn from
lessons to participate in small group or one-to-one interventions.
We aim, at Darton College, to identify learning needs early in Year 7 to minimise disruption to learning and
progress as the student moves through the school. The learning need of a student is addressed at this time
because:
There will be continuity for the student as intervention continues from the primary school setting
The intervention will help students cope with the demands of the curriculum
We aim to help students to overcome barriers to learning so that they do not present problems for the
student during further years at the school.
The inclusion Team is continually expanding & developing expertise to deliver a variety of intervention
programmes:
Fresh Start literacy programme
Literacy +
Read Naturally
Maths Makes Sense Numeracy programme (January 2013)

Students will also, where necessary, receive pastoral support and intervention
Facilities
The Darton College building is fully compliant with regulations governing access.
The Hub
Students with high emotional or social needs (in some cases accompanied by poor attendance) access a recent
addition to the provision, The Hub. This is a purpose built area for students and can act as a school within a
school. The provision has a Hub manager, who gatekeeps which students enter the Hub, monitors their progress
and works with staff to ensure a smooth transition back into class when students are ready.
The Hub is an important part of the whole College focus on Pastoral & Learning Support
Learning Support
Learning Support is an important part of Darton Colleges inclusive provision. Should students experience
difficulties affecting their ability or capacity to learn in mainstream classrooms, they may be referred to Learning
Support. Learning Support will offer vulnerable students an opportunity to reconnect with their learning, a route
into pastoral support if necessary and will provide the inclusion team with an opportunity to assess needs
carefully before advising return to mainstream lessons. Although Learning Support is not exclusively for students
with a SEN/D, we expect SEN/D students to be likely to require the kind of help Learning Support offers. The
Learning Support Team will proactively identify students with learning needs and anticipate the help they will
need. Through careful analysis of achievement data and information received from discussions with staff, the
team will manage learning and pastoral support packages for students. The process of referral provides the
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Learning Support Team with a diagnosis. The team will work to provide solutions to difficulties with a view to
managing the phased return of a student to mainstream learning. Although not definitive, students may be
referred to Learning Support for the following reasons:
Significant underachievement
An inability to manage learning difficulties in a mainstream setting
Barriers to learning are identified or emerge
Attendance issues affecting learning and progress
External Support services
Darton College and the Inclusion Team liaise with a wide range of external bodies, offering expertise, support and
advice for both staff and students. The College has a Well-Being area used by some of these bodies for on-site
provision. Needs of the College are discussed at a Single Conversation meeting with LA Inclusion Service
representatives.
Darton College calls on various aspects of Barnsley Inclusion Service to help support students:
Communication & Interaction Team
Learning & Cognition Team
The Sensory Team
The SEN Assessment & Review Team
and
The Educational Psychology Service
We are also advised by professionals representing various organisations about the needs and requirements of
students with physical disabilities, where and when the need arises.
Advising teachers and setting work for absent colleagues
The Inclusion Team supports teachers with differentiation of work and learning and teaching strategies to help
them provide a supportive yet challenging learning environment for SEND students. The team also facilitates
professional development opportunities for all staff and is committed to developing their own skills also.
In the case of teacher absence, the Cover Manager will provide cover and supply teachers with information about
SEN/D students in the classes they are covering.
Role of Parents and Carers
Parents and Carers play a key role in the way Darton College cares and provides for our SEN/D students. We aim
to communicate with parents and Carers to keep them informed of changes to SEN/D provision, progress made
by students, difficulties experienced by students and during periods of review and reporting.
We will maintain our statutory obligations but wish to go further than that by forging close and productive
relationships with parents and carers

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Associate Governor
The recently established College Governing Body will name a designated Inclusion governor whose role will be to
act as a critical friend to the Inclusion Team as we continue to develop and refine our provision. The Governor
will be informed about major policy and system changes and will be a champion for inclusion and SEN/D students
at Darton College.
Inclusion Team Structure
Senior Leader (for Inclusion)
Inclusion Co-ordinator
Learning Support Assistant Manager
Learning Support Assistants
Learning Support Unit Manager

Policy Agreed : December 2012
Review Date: December 2013