Support Base

KHS has a highly qualified and experienced Additional Support for Learning (ASL) team, led by one Principal Teacher.

The team includes Pupil Support Assistants (PSAs), many of whom have specialist areas of expertise. All staff receive regular ASL training and those supporting students with specific needs will receive regular and relevant training (professional development) via internal and external sources. The PSA team are regularly involved in whole school training. The ASL department will access outside agencies such as the Educational Psychology Service, Occupational Therapists, Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) or Speech and Language Therapists, if further expertise is required.

• Concerns raised by parent/carer

• Liaison with external agencies

• Health diagnosis through paediatrician/doctor

• Liaison with previous primary school

• Child performing below age expected levels

As a school we measure children’s progress in learning against National expectations and age related expectations. The class teachers continually assess each child and note areas where they are improving and where further support is needed. As a school, we track children’s progress using a variety of different methods and assessment tools.

Children who are not making expected progress are picked up within departments through our regular progress tracking methods. Discussions take place within the department in the first instance and with the PT ASN and PT Guidance as necessary concerning why individual children are experiencing difficulty and what further support can be given to aid their progression.

• Support from a PSA

• Inclusion in an appropriate intervention

• Referral to an outside agency

• Support from a PT ASN to suggest personalised approaches to the subject specialist teacher

• Elaborated Curriculum

In order to fulfil its commitment to fully support every child into success, the school already has in place a range of specialist interventions and continues always to seek new ways of providing support. Examples of the kind of support we can provide are:

• Input from the ASN teacher team

• Access to the Educational Psychologist

• Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy

• Speech and Language Therapy

• Behavioural Therapy

• Specific Equipment

KHS works hard to ensure that no student is disadvantaged in terms of facilities and equipment dependent upon need.

• To ensure that we achieve this goal we work with outside professionals such as specialist teachers, occupational therapists and specialist nursing teams.

• The school has a number of disabled toilets, one of which is a full changing room. Ramps have been fitted to enable access and lifts are available from every ground to first floor.

• Where more specific equipment is required, the school will liaise with the ASN teacher.

• We have support for students on the Autism Spectrum through the use of a dedicated room, which is designed and equipped with these students’ needs in mind using soft colours and sensory lighting.

KHS believes that young people have a right to be involved in making decisions and exercising choices. They have a right to receive and impart information, to express an opinion, and to have that opinion taken into account in any matters affecting them.

Consequently, the school is committed to working in partnership with the child, parents, carers and outside agencies to identify needs, provide support and monitor the progress of all students.

The young person is central to the planning for, and the review and evaluation of the support and reasonable adjustments they have been given to aid their progress. The school is committed to hearing their voice and to ensuring their needs are met. The school seeks to ensure that the young person is empowered to bring their needs to the attention of staff and the best ways in which they can be supported.

From making an application for a place and throughout their child’s time at the school, parents are given regular opportunities to discuss their child’s needs, progress and concerns.

These opportunities can occur, for example, through:

• Meetings to agree transition arrangements and support.

• Childs plan meetings and reviews. The school records these meetings on the designated paperwork, so that everyone is clear about what has been said and agreed.

• Opportunities to meet with a PT ASN at parent consultation evenings.