This is to be read in conjunction with our SEN policy and information report which can be found here

How do we identify SEN?

At SUA we identify special educational needs through a variety of methods.

  • We listen to parents and carers if they have concerns about their children.
  • We listen to our students if they feel they are struggling with their learning.
  • We listen to what the previous school tells us about our students.
  • We check students’ test scores to make sure they are keeping up.
  • Staff tell us if they think a student is struggling to keep up.
  • We work with several outside agencies who specialise in SEN. This ensures we can accurately identify students’ learning needs.
  • An SEN assessment can be requested by parents, carers or pupils. Do this by emailing the SEN department at: progressteam@suacademy.co.uk

How do we support our SEN students?

We offer a range of support to help meet the needs of individual students. These include:

  • Regular meetings, at least once each term, with a named SEN key worker. These meetings are to discuss how we can best support the student.
  • Extra help with maths, such as maths booster classes.
  • Extra help with literacy, such as ‘Lexonik’ programmes.
  • Teachers plan lessons to ensure they take students’ learning needs into account.
  • Teachers and student support officers will give extra support in lessons when needed.
  • Students have the option to work with the |SEN team in our ‘Progress Centre’ at breaks and lunchtimes.

How do we involve students in the process?

It is important that students feel involved in their own learning. To help them to feel involved:

  • SEN key workers will have a discussion with each SEN student at least once each term. The aim of this discussion is to check how well the support that bis in place is working.  If it isn’t working we will discuss what extra support to give.
  • All SEN students are involved in writing their own SEN passport. We update these at least once a year, or more often if needed. The information in the passport includes:
    • Details of the students specific learning needs.
    • What the student says helps them to learn.
    • What teachers can do to support the student’s learning.
  • Once completed the student passport is shared with the students. It is also shared with their teachers to help them to plan lessons.

How do we involve parents and carers in the process?

It is important to us that parents and carers feel involved in their child’s learning. To ensure this is the case:

  • We always have a discussion with parents and carers if we feel that a student needs to join the SEN register.
  • We always have a discussions with parents and carers if we feel that a student needs to come off the SEN register.
  • We tell parents and carers what strategies we are using in school to support their child.
  • We work with parents and carers to help them to support their child’s learning at home.
  • We produce an SEN newsletter twice each half term. This is to update parents and carers on the support we offer in school. It also details wider opportunities available through the Staffordshire Local Offer.

SEN information report