Co-op Academy, Stoke-on-Trent
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We are a caring and supportive community; we pride ourselves on providing high challenge but also significant support for our students, whether that support is academic or social and emotional. We are proud to be a diverse community, we welcome everybody. Our core values are equality, responsibility and respect. Our behaviour and rewards system is built around these core values. We are conscious that we are shaping young people for the future and not simply training them to pass exams |
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| Contact name | Mrs Diane Drew |
| Contact position | SENDCo |
| Contact telephone | 01782 88230001782 882374 |
| Contact email | enquiries@cas.coop |
| Second email | ddrew@cas.coop |
| Venue address | Westport Road |
| Tunstall | |
| Stoke on Trent | |
| ST6 4LD | |
| Website | http://www.cas.coop |
| School's extended local offer response |
What kinds of SEND does the school provide for?At the Co-operative Academy of Stoke-on-Trent we are committed to helping all students reach their full potential and ensuring that they have a positive and fulfilling experience at the Academy. Every student is valued and treated as an individual taking into account their personal learning style or additional learning needs. At the Academy we have many students who may have a ‘Special Educational Need and Disability’ (SEND). This may mean that they require some extra help and support to enable them to access the curriculum and to be a fully integrated member of the Academy community. All SEND are accommodated in line with the Equality Act 2010 and provision is available for all 4 areas of need outlined in the 2014 SEND code of practice. All support is centered within the iZone where there are a number of professionals who all work together to ensure student’s needs are met. The school Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo) will organise assessments to be made to ascertain the nature of any child’s difficulties or learning preference if they are experiencing difficulty with any of the following:
How does this setting know if their children/young person needs extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?We work in partnership with your child's teachers to identify any additional needs they may have. During progress meetings and at key assessment points we will identify young people who are not making enough progress or those who may be experiencing behaviour difficulties. The SENDCo will work in partnership with you and your child in order to plan and provide support to ensure that he/she has every opportunity to achieve his or her potential. It may be necessary for the SENDCo. to liaise with other professionals and outside agencies such as SEN Monitoring and Assessment, Educational Psychologist Services, SEND Information and Support service or Children’s Services to ensure that appropriate provision is made to allow your child to achieve the very best that they can during their time at the Co-operative Academy of Stoke on Trent. The support offered is intended to meet the individual needs of your child. This may be either in-class support, small group work or one-to-one support. There are currently 13 members of the SEND department. This includes the SENDCo, the Learning Support Manager and 11 Learning Support Practitioners. All members of the department are very skilled and have undertaken a great deal of specialised training to assess and support children with Special Educational Learning needs. They are at all times professional and approachable. If you have any concerns about your child’s learning or progress or require any further information, do not hesitate to contact us. We make every effort to ensure that all students have their needs accommodated in all situations. We understand that the processes involved in assessing your child may be very complicated and at times worrying. Contact SENDCo Diane Drew 01782 88 23 74/ 88 23 00. Diane.drew@coopacademies.co.uk Learning support supervisor- Annabelle Rees 01782 882325 Annabelle.rees@coopacademies.co.uk How will the setting support my child/young person?There are currently 13 members of the SEND department. This includes the SENDCo, the Learning Support supervisor and 11 Learning Support Practitioners. All members of the department are very skilled and have undertaken a great deal of specialised training to assess and support children with Special Educational Learning needs. They are at all times professional and approachable. We have two specialist practitioners support our hearing impaired children. How will teaching approaches and the curriculum be matched to my child or young person's needs?At the Co-operative Academy of Stoke-on-Trent we are committed to helping all students reach their full potential and ensuring that they have a positive and fulfilling experience at the Academy. Before new students join the academy we visit their primary school and talk to their teachers to gain as much information as possible on how to help them settle in and continue to make progress. On entry to the Co-operative Academy, tests will be carried out in order to determine every student’s learning ability. Students are then set in groups so that they receive the appropriate teaching to ensure that they make the expected levels of progress. In each setting the students will receive high quality teaching that is suitably differentiated to meet all students learning needs and styles within the group. Further assessments may be made to determine the exact nature of any difficulties experienced by some students. Appropriate support will then be organised to ensure that these students are provided with opportunities to access the curriculum. The progress of all students in the Academy is monitored termly and support and interventions are organised as necessary. How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support their learning?All students at the Academy will be assessed termly and progress will be monitored by class teachers, Heads of Faculty, Senior Management and the SENDCo. This information will then be provided to parents in the form of a written report. All students on the SEND register have a Pupil Passport that explains to all staff the strengths and difficulties of the child and gives targets and strategies to help support them. The Passports are reviewed on a termly basis with you and your child and members of the SEND department. If a student has a special educational need and/or disability, parents will be invited to a review meeting every term. During this meeting information will be shared by the teachers and students and parents will be encouraged to take an active role in the review process and in the planning of provision for the next term. Parents are encouraged to contact the SENDCo. /Learning Support Manager whenever they have a question or concern. They may be invited into the Academy at other times to discuss support from the Izone or outside agencies. What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall wellbeing?The vision of the Co-operative academy is for every student to ‘Be the Best’ We aim to:
The Academy iZone is a specialised facility that provides a holistic approach to supporting students. All support is organised in one area of the building. The iZone includes pathways for students to access learning and support from other professionals. Located in the iZone are the Inclusion Support Practitioners who are involved in supporting students and their families with emotional, social or behavioural difficulties. Learning Mentors are also available to help students to remove barriers to their learning. The EMAS team support students with the development of language skills to ensure that they can access the curriculum and there is also access to the Careers service who assist students with their post-16 transition into adulthood. In the iZone students may also access support from various outside agencies including the school nurse, Young Minds, YOT, Dove, Changes and various self-esteem groups. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting?A number of specialist services are accessed by the Co-operative Academy of Stoke-on-Trent. This includes support from Inclusion Services, Educational Psychologists, CAMHs, OUTREACH and many others. What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND have had or are having?We have regular training sessions to give teachers and LSP's the skills they require in order to give students the support they need to make progress. They have received training in how to use LSP support effectively and on the New Code of Practice. The LSP’s all hold at least a level 3 qualification. All staff supporting students are highly qualified and their training is regularly updated. We have staff who are trained in supporting students with dyslexia, speech and language and ASD. We work closely with specialist staff from Hearing and Visually Impaired service. In addition, most of the team have received further specialised training. The SENDCo holds QTS as well as the National Qualification for SENDCo’s. We currently have 2 members of staff who are specialist practitioners supporting students with hearing impairment. How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?Students are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and will be provided with full support if necessary to ensure that they are fully included in all planned activities and Academy trips. Full risk assessments are carried out before every visit and we ensure that appropriate staffing ratios are arranged How accessible is the environment?The Co-operative Academy is a new building and is completely accessible for all. All staff differentiate accordingly and make reasonable adjustments. How will the setting prepare and support my child/young person to join the next stage of education and life?At the Co-operative Academy our motto is ‘Be the Best.’ Our aim is to ensure that all students become the best that they can be and every effort is made to ensure that all students develop the necessary skills to enable them to lead fulfilling independent lives. Students are encouraged to become well balanced individuals with a strong moral sense and social responsibility. All students will be supported fully during the post-16 transition into college or work. All students will have the opportunity to arrange appointments with the Careers team from year 10 until they leave the Academy and the Careers team will be invited to attend all statutory reviews from Year 9 onwards. Appointments will help to support students in making appropriate choices and completing applications necessary to secure college courses post 16. Students with SEND will be supported by the SEND team during this process/transition. Work experience and College visits take place during Year’s 10 and 11 to inform and prepare students for life beyond the Academy. If necessary, a member of the SEND team will accompany students on their first visit to college and to any subsequent interviews. How are the setting's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?Upon entry to the Academy, baseline tests are carried out and information gathered regarding the support a student will need. Resources are then allocated to ensure that these needs are met which may involve an adult supporting them in the classroom or specialised equipment being made available such as overlays, pens, ICT equipment etc. All students are individuals and therefore will require an individual package of support How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?These decisions are made depending upon the level and type of need that a student has. We assess all students on a regular basis. Parents, teachers, students and the SENDCo. are all involved in the decision making process. If we feel that your child has a learning need we will inform you so that you can be involved from the outset. A pupil passport will be created and following on, there will be a termly review in which information will be presented and progress and provision evaluated. Additional support may take the form of in class support, small group work in class, 1:1 support or an out of class intervention programme. Further support and intervention may be suggested by specialist advisors and or the Educational Pschologist. If there are still concerns about your child's learning following the high level of support offered, it may be necessary to request an assessment for an EHC plan. How will our child and young person be involved in the decisions about their learning?We talk to students about their learning and progress on a regular basis. Coaches in goal groups have regular one to one meetings, students are involved in the review of their passports, and are invited to complete questionnaires.The SEND department is accessible to students throughout the day if they need to discuss any difficulties or concerns they may have. Students are regularly invited to join in student voice sessions. How will we be involved in the decisions about the learning of our children and young people?We inform parents after assessments have taken place so that they know how their child is getting on. They are invited to attend pupil passport reviews and consultation meetings. We endeavour to ensure that parents feel listened to and feel confident in expressing their views. The SEN dept is happy for parents to contact us at any time. How are parents involved in the setting? How can I be involved?Parents and students are the major stakeholders of the Academy and every effort is made to ensure that parents and students are involved in all aspects of Academy life. Parent’s views are sought regularly during parent consultation evenings and parents are regularly involved in planning the support and learning activities for their children. Parents are invited into the Academy termly to discuss and review targets and to plan provision and support for the next term. Students are also invited to the review meetings where they are encouraged to offer their views. What do I do if I want to make a complaint?At the Academy, we are keen to hear from parents, students and members of the community. If you have a question or would like some information about the Academy, please contact the Academy either by phone or email using the details below. All General Enquiries should be addressed to; Mrs C. Blight - P.A to the Senior Leadership Team We look forward to hearing from you. The Principal Mr Nick Lowry The Co-operative Academy of Stoke-on-Trent Telephone: 01782 882 300 Email: academy@cas.coop Website: www.cas.coop The Chair of the Board of Governors Mr Mike Greenacre C/O The Co-operative Academy of Stoke-on-Trent Email: academy@cas.coop Website: www.cas.coop What other support Is available to parents and how can I contact them?For further advice and support you can contact: SENMAS - 01782 231863 or SENMAS@stoke.gov.uk SENDIASS - http://www.sendiass-stoke.co.uk/ The Stoke on Trent Safeguarding Board - http://www.safeguardingchildren.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/portal/ You can also view all the support available for parents on the Stoke on Trent Local offer website - http://localoffer.stoke.gov.uk/kb5/stoke/directory/home.page
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