Explore Norham

AEN

Meet the staff

We are a team of 17 staff who are here to support any child with an additional need to fully access their curriculum. We have:

  • Miss. N Heron – SENDCo
  • Mrs. H Westgarth – ARP Manager (see CRB page)
  • 2 SEN Teachers
  • 4 Higher Level Assistants
  • 12 Special Support Assistants

We work across the curriculum with all pupils, tailoring our approach to specific needs. We support families and work closely with professionals to ensure every child is adequately supported throughout school.

Who and how we support

Norham High School is a mainstream setting with an Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) for language and communication difficulties, referred to throughout as CRB (Communication Resource Base). We are committed to meeting the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Reasonable adjustments are made to meet the needs of all pupils including those identified in the SEND Code of Practice (2014):

 

  • Language and communication difficulties
  • Cognitive and learning difficulties
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties (SEMH)
  • Physical and sensory difficulties

 

Norham High School provides a range of intervention and additional resources to support pupils with SEND, those at SEN support and with EHC Plans, to make progress. Support is available for ALL pupils with SEND including those with disabilities, pupils with EAL or those in the Care of the Local Authority.

 

All pupils with an EHC Plan are supported to achieve their outcomes outlined in the EHC Plan. Progress towards these is reviewed at least annually.

 

Those pupils placed at SEN Support of the Code of Practice have an SEN support plan. The plan contains specific outcomes to support the pupil to achieve their end of key stage aspirations. Support is personal and tailored to the specific needs of the pupil to enable them to work towards their personal outcomes and achieve their own aspirations.

 

Below are some of the ways in which we support pupils with specific needs and make up the school’s contribution towards the Local Authority’s Local Offer.

 

 

School’s Local Offer to support pupils with special educational needs or disabilities

Area of Need

Support Available Within School

Language and Communication Needs

 

For example:

 

Autism Spectrum Condition

Aspergers Syndrome

Speech, Language and Communication Needs

Social Communication Difficulties
  • Visual timetables
  • Support/ supervision during unstructured times
  • Social and communication skills programmes
  • Lego therapy
  • Use of ICT to reduce barriers to learning
  • Support in examinations
  • Strategies to reduce anxiety (5-point scale)
  • Planning, assessment and reviews of Support Plans
  • Teaching resources are routinely evaluated to ensure they are accessible to all pupils
  • IEPs and Pupil passports available for all staff to use
  • Support and advice sought from specialist agencies
  • ELKLAN has been completed by SENDCo and all staff have received training in the principles of ELKLAN
  • SEN Teacher has completed Social Skills – Talkabout training
  • Regular CPD opportunities for mainstream teaching team.
  • Multi-agency working between school, home and other involved professionals

Language and Communication Needs who have an EHCP naming Norham Communication Resource Base (CRB)

 

 

 

*See CRB section of the website

Cognition and Learning Needs

 

For example:

 

Moderate Learning Difficulties

Dyslexia

Literacy Difficulties

Numeracy Difficulties

Dyscalculia

  • Differentiated curriculum and resources
  • Use of the ‘BAR’ learning model across the school
  • Access to literacy/reading support
  • Referral to Dyslexia team (if appropriate)
  • Personalised intervention programme specific to need
  • Provision to support access to the curriculum and to develop independent learning
  • Use of ICT use as a strategy to reduce barriers to learning
  • Support and advice sought from specialist agencies
  • Teaching resources are routinely evaluated to ensure they are accessible to all pupils
  • Ongoing differentiation training for all staff
  • Read Write Inc. used to support vulnerable learners to catch up to the level of their peers
  • SENDCo and 1 SSA have completed full Read Write Inc. training
  • 2 members of the AEN team have completed success@number and success@arithmetic training
  • Use of Numicon in intervention groups

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH)

 

For example:

 

Behavioural Needs

Social Needs

Mental Health Needs

ADHD
  • Behaviour management systems in school are based upon encouraging pupils to have positive decisions and behaviour choices.
  • Risk assessments are used and action is taken to ensure the safety and inclusions of all pupils in activities
  • The school provides effective pastoral care for all pupils
  • PSHE is delivered to all pupils weekly.
  • Support and advice is sought from outside agencies such as the school counsellor or CAMHS to ensure all identified barriers are fully responded to
  • Small group targeted programmes are delivered to pupils to improve social skills and emotional resilience
  • Support is available at break and lunchtimes for vulnerable pupils
  • Access to IEU to support vulnerable learners
  • Alternative provision placement where appropriate
  • On some occasions school use the support of Moorbridge PRU to meet the needs of pupils with SEMH
  • EHA/CAMHS referrals completed.
  • Weekly PDW meetings to review pupil progress
  • All staff received mental health training in 2018
  • School representation at Moorbridge advocate meetings
  • TRAX Nurture group/ SEMH referrals are regularly made for pupils
  • Family Support Worker to work with vulnerable pupils with SEMH group and individual work
  • All AEN staff and other key staff have completed Team Teach training which is refreshed on a regular basis
  • Intervention work completed after school to support pupils who consistently struggle to comply with basis school expectations

Sensory and Physical Needs

 

For example:

 

Visual and Hearing Impairments

Multi-sensory Impairments

Physical and Medical Needs
  • Advice is sought and acted upon to ensure barriers are reduced or removed
  • ICT is used to increase access to the curriculum
  • Provision to support access to the curriculum
  • Access to strategies/ programmes to support Occupational Therapy/ Physiotherapy
  • Medicines in school policy
  • Reasonable adjustments made to the school environment- lift, high visibility strips to the stairs, ramps into school building, disabled toilet facilities

 

Who we work with

Multi-agency working is essential in everything we do to ensure the highest and most appropriate levels of support. We work closely with:

  • Local Authority SEND Support Service
  • Educational Psychology
  • Language and Communication Team
  • Dyslexia/Dyscalculia Team
  • Speech and Language
  • Occupational Therapy
  • CAMHS
  • Family Partners
  • Sensory Support Service
  • EMTAS
  • School Support Team
  • Health Professionals

Collaborative working with all of the above teams enables us to provide the highest quality of support for your child.

What our parents say…

“Both [child’s name] and I have received support from staff. There is great communication regarding [child’s name] which is helping him and me” Year 7 parent September 2019

“I had strong doubts when Norham was chosen for [child’s name] but it has been fantastic and very supportive for him in the CRB. Staff have been great.” Year 8 parent September 2019

“In all of my years of working with various schools this is by far the best/most supportive I’ve worked with”  Year 9 and Year 11 carer September 2019

 

What our pupils say…

“Sometimes in Maths I can do the amber level tasks because the teacher and my support assistant help me. If I do something wrong, they help me to put it right so I don’t get into trouble.” Year 8 pupil September 2019

“Sometimes I get to do higher work in lessons because Miss. Vaughan helps me. Mrs. Sharp helps me with my homework at lunch time so that I can hand it in on time.” Year 7 pupil September 2019

"I always feel supported.  If I need help I know where to go to get it." - Year 10 pupil January 2019

 

Please see our POLICIES page for a copy of our SEND Policy and SEND Information Report

 

If you require any further information or support, please contact our SENDCo Nikki Heron on 0191 814 3890