The provision and support delivered by The Personalised Learning Centre (PLC) is wide, varied and encompasses the learning, communication, physical, social, emotional and mental health needs of all of our students. It ensures that the tools are accessible for teachers to respond to the individuality of our students and enables them to personalise provision. Our students are empowered by this support, which helps them overcome any barriers they may be facing. PLC Staff do their best to ensure that students with SEND are happy, healthy and receive the personalised support they need to enable them to become independent learners, who are fully included in school life. We aim to close the gap in progress between students with SEND and other students in the school.
A number of associate staff are based in the PLC including seven Teaching Assistants (TA’s) and five High Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA’s) who support children both in and out of the classroom, three HLTA’s who have responsibility for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (HLTA SEND), English as an additional language (EAL) and Literacy Intervention (HLTA Intervention), a Learning Mentor who supports young people with social, emotional and mental health needs and a full time Counsellor. Staff from a range of outside agencies also support our students including representatives from Early Help, Social Care, Young Carers, Complex Communication Team (CCT), Sensory Service and Educational Psychology.
For further information about how students with SEND and emotional issues are supported please contact the PLC (j.kovacs@finhampark.co.uk)
This information was reviewed and updated in September 2023 by Johanna Kovacs (SENDCO).
We are a mainstream school and the majority of our students are expected to reach the education standards for their age. A small number of our students do have special educational needs. Students are identified as having SEND when their progress has slowed or stopped and the interventions or resources etc. we normally put in place do not enable improvement. We have specific plans and student profiles which help support their development and speed up progress.
Students with SENDD in our school may have difficulties with:
Sensory difficulties with sight or hearing, or physical difficulties
Our teachers closely monitor the progress made by all students and ask advice from the SENDCO as soon as they have concerns about any student. The SENDCO might suggest other programmes or temporary additional support. Where planned intervention fails to help close the gap, specialist external support, advice or assessment may be sought. In this case the SENDCO and mentor or subject teacher will meet with parents/carers and the student and together agree that additional SEND support will be put in place. At all times close liaison with parents will be a priority. The SENDCO liaises with Primary School SENDCO’s and parents of students who transition to Finham Park with identified SEND and Support Plans are prepared before these students enter Year 7.
As soon as your child’s SEND has been identified we will contact you to discuss plans to help him or her make better progress.
You can find our SEND policy on the school website. This will give you information about how we strive to ensure students with SEND make progress in line with their peers.
We have robust tracking and assessment processes. For every child there are face to face parent consultation evenings, termly progress checks and one full written report each year. In addition, in year 7 there is a meet the mentor evening early in the autumn term. These are the formal opportunities to hear about your child’s progress both socially and academically. For children on the School Support Register there will be additional opportunities to meet or liaise with key staff throughout the year at timely intervals, dependent on need.
All teachers constantly check and review progress made by all students (See Q6). As a parent of a child with SEND and who is receiving specific intervention, you will be invited into school or contacted by telephone or email to update you on your child’s progress. This will happen at least termly. Parents of a child with an EHC plan will be invited to discuss the progress of their child on a termly basis. Progress, attendance, behaviour, readiness for learning, self-esteem, and any other relevant area could be agenda items. At face-to -face meetings, parents, SENDCO and outside agency specialists may be present. We will always try to inform parents in advance of the meeting who will be present. Parents/carers can ask for any trusted adult, such as a grandparent, to accompany them to the review meeting.
There is information about the school curriculum on our website at https://finhampark.com/key-information/
The school is comprised a number of blocks most of which are 2 storey. There are no lifts so upstairs areas are not accessible to wheelchair users. The ground floor is wheelchair accessible and disabled access toilets are available in several locations around the school. Ground floor classrooms are available for teaching in all subjects and when required a fully ground floor timetable can be implemented. To improve access for visually impaired students, potential hazards have been identified and painted yellow. Some students require a supervised quiet area for social times and this is provided, by invitation, in the PLC.
Where there is a lack of progress, additional support may be needed. Any support provided will always be considered in the light of the type of need, the purpose of the support and expected outcomes. Students with SEND might be supported in any of the following ways:
Parents will receive notification that their child is receiving additional support.
All students are invited to join in all social and sporting activities and visits. There is a wide range of extra curriculum opportunities across the school ranging from representing the school in sports to inter-college activities. There is a staffed breakfast club which is open and accessible to all students every morning from 8.15am. For some students with SEND there is also provision at social times in the PLC.
Finham Park has a strong pastoral team in place starting with the Mentor and vertical mentor group, College Leaders and Well-being Officers. In the PLC, there is a team of non-teaching staff who may provide mentoring or put in place specific interventions for individuals of groups where need is identified. The School Counsellor is based in the PLC. When appropriate the advice and support of outside agencies is sought. The school works with Coventry Educational Psychology Service, Coventry Complex Communication Team Service (CCT), Coventry Sensory Team. In addition, we support, or may suggest referrals where appropriate, to sevices such as the School Nursing Service, the Primary Mental Health Team and RISE/CAMHS.
Inclusion Manager/SENDCO – Mrs Johanna Kovacs j.kovacs@finhampark.co.uk
Tel: 024 76418135 Ext 211
HLTA SEND – Mrs Sarah Jones s.jones@finhampark.co.uk
Tel: 024 76 418135 Ext 218
Inclusion Co-ordinator – Mrs Carole Linstead c.linstead@finhampark.co.uk
Tel 024 76418135 Ext 299
All classroom teachers receive information about the special educational needs and disabilities in their classes. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in regards to SEND is accessible to all teaching staff, supporting them to build on their previous experience and keep abreast of new developments. Support staff are provided with a training programme which covers a variety of SEND. The expertise of outside agencies is sought when appropriate to deliver training to specific groups of staff with regard to specific students or types of SEND. Training and advice is available from agencies such as Coventry Complex Communication Team, Speech and Language Education Service, Sensory Team, Educational Psychology Service, School Nursing Service and The Adoption Service. A number of teachers and support staff have specialist skills and qualifications.
Where a student requires additional technology or equipment and it is a reasonable adjustment to do so, the school will provide this. In the case of a student with a Hearing or Visual Impairment, the school will seek support through the Sensory Service. Additional equipment previously or currently secured by the school includes:
There are opportunities for you to be involved in planning for and supporting your child’s learning through the year. These include transition evening for students in year 6 transferring to Finham Park School, parents’ evenings for all students in the year group, targeted parents evening for particular subjects, review and planning meetings. Please be assured that parents/carers will be informed as soon as the school has identified that their child has SEND and that the school will work in partnership with the parents/carers to plan and review any SEND support.
Staff will be able to discuss with you what you can do at home to support your child. External support is also available through outside agencies.. Please contact the PLC for contact details.
Students are involved in shaping their own learning though dialogue with their teacher on a daily basis. They are also involved in planning and review meetings, including the Annual Review of the Education Health and Care Plan. Regular learning walks make good use of student voice and the staff in the PLC also undertake planned student voice activities to ascertain the views of students about their education.
Your first step should be to make contact with your child’s mentor. Alternatively, you could go directly to your child’s subject teacher. You might also contact the SENDCO. If your concern isn’t resolved by the teacher or SENDCO you can then ask for a meeting with the College Leader. If this still doesn’t resolve your concern the school has a policy on dealing with unresolved issues Complaints Policy
The school seeks to ensure that all students make required or better progress and makes provision within the staffing to do this as far as is possible. It may be necessary to secure support from outside agencies. The governing body procures services from particular agencies. Other services are universally available, in particular those provided by the NHS.
https://www.coventry.gov.uk/sendlocaloffer
The school’s Service Level Agreements and contracts cover the following agencies:
The following are universal services routinely used by the school:
Further information about support for parents can be sought from PLC staff. Specialist advice is available from:
SEND Information, Advice and Support Services (IASS) (formally Parent Partnership Service)
Limbrick Wood Centre/Thomas Naul Croft Coventry CV4 9QX Tel: 024 7669 4307 http://www.coventry.gov.uk/iass
We work with Primary School colleagues to ensure we know about your child’s needs and are able to make arrangements before they start at Finham Park. All students take part in the transition day during Year 6 and, where appropriate, we also organise additional transition work.
When moving between year groups in school, teachers liaise to pass on information and knowledge about students. Enhanced transition opportunities can be put in place where appropriate to ensure that students feel comfortable and prepared for their transitions.
Careers Fairs, transition interviews and option evenings form part of the school calendar each year. Options booklets are produced for year 8 to enable students and parents to make informed choices for next steps.
Finham Park has a careers officer who works with students, alongside the PSHE team, to prepare them for further education or training post 16. All students are encouraged to investigate, decide on and apply for suitable placements many of which will be Finham Park School 6th form. Where appropriate, staff work closely with key identified students to support the transition, for example by visiting placements with the student and/or their family.
Local Authorities publish information in their Local Offer. The Local Offer is available from Coventry City Council web site.
This information was reviewed and updated 19th September 2021 by Johanna Kovacs.
If you can’t find the answer you are looking for contact:
Director of SEND – Mrs Johanna Kovacs (SENDCO)
j.kovacs@finhampark.co.uk
Tel: 02476 418135 Ext 1211
Deputy SENDCO – Ms Rachael Hurton
r.hurton@finhampark.co.uk
Tel: 02476 418135 Ext 1211
HLTA EAL – Mrs Barbara Chadwick
b.chadwick@finhampark.co.uk
Tel: 02476 418135 Ext 1450
Learning Mentor – Ms Niccy Gorthy
n.gorthy@finhampark.co.uk
Tel: 02476 418135 Ext 1211
Deputy DSL/Inclusion Co-ordinator – Mrs Carole Linstead
c.linstead@finhampark.co.uk
Tel 02476 418135 Ext 1299