Communicating strategies and needs

There are a variety of ways in which we communicate with students’ individual needs and specific differentiated required to their subject teachers. At Oaks Park High School this is through:

The SEN Mark book

Pupil Passports

Teacher Strategy Meetings

SEN Support Plans

What is the SEN Mark book?

The SEN Mark book is an online record of key student information relating to entry info and individual SEN Needs. It can be located within the school’s MIS (Management Information System). 

What information is contained within the SEN Mark book?

The SEN register and baseline entry level information is stored within the SEN Mark book. This information is then pulled through to teacher’s individual mark books, so that they have an awareness of individual student’s needs to support with differentiation. Information contained within the SEN mark book should be read in conjunction with Pupil Passports and SEND Support Plans.

Where can it be found?

The SEN Mark book can be found within INTEGRIS, the school’s cloud based MIS. It is important to note that only the relevant subject teachers, Pastoral Leads, SEN Team and the Leadership team can access the information contained within the SEN Mark book.

What is a Pupil Passport?

Pupil passports are a communication tool, used by the SEN department to share information with subject teachers regarding students’ individual needs.

A pupil passport is created based on information received i.e. diagnostic reports, which requires subject teachers to be made aware of specific learning requirements and supportive strategies. Pupil Passports support the implementation of Quality First Teaching within a classroom environment.  A child with a Pupil Passport may be placed on the SEN register. This will be decided by the SEN Team in liaison with the students’ parents/carers.

What information is contained within the Pupil Passport?

The Pupil Passport contains a number of “tiles”, designed to support Quality First Teaching within a mainstream classroom environment:

• Areas of strength
• How can you help to motivate me?
• What are my triggers?
• How can the teacher help to support me?
• Specific differentiation required

These tiles provide the subject teacher with personalised information so that they are able to differentiate the curriculum accordingly.

Where can I find a student’s Pupil Passport?

When a Pupil passport is issued, the passport will be sent home to the students’ parents/carers via an email.

For subject teachers, Pupil Passports can be found on Provision Mapping and Class Charts.

What is a Teacher Strategy Meeting?

A Teacher Strategy Meeting is an internal subject teacher meeting, which normally takes place following a Student of Concern meeting if an SEN Need has been identified or new information regarding a students’ needs requires sharing.

When do Teacher Strategy Meetings take place?

Teacher Strategy Meetings take place before school on a Monday morning. They are led by either the Pastoral Teams, SEN Team or Educational Psychology services.

What happens after a Teacher Strategy Meeting?

Following on from a Teacher Strategy Meeting, information verbally shared will be circulated with  subject teachers. If the student is in receipt of a Pupil Passport and/or SEND support plan, this will be updated. Learning walks will be carried out by the SEN Team or Pastoral Teams to ensure that the new information shared is embedded and the outcomes for the student are improving. The student’s progress will be monitored and reviewed at Student of Concern meetings and through the school’s internal data collection.

What is a SEND Support plan?

A SEND Support Plan, is a document that is issued when a student is in receipt of a number of target and specialist interventions due to an identified SEN need, which is presenting as a significant barrier to their learning.  This also means that the child will be on the SEN register.

The SEND Support Plan, supports the graduated approach by acting as a platform in which the school sets specific targets and monitors individual progress. Unlike the EHCP, the SEND Support Plan is not a legal document and is reviewed on a termly basis.

When is a SEND Support Plan issued?

A SEND Support Plan is issued after the Assess, Plan, Review and Do cycle has taken plan and previous supportive actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the student’s needs and of what supports the student in making good progress and securing good outcomes.

SEND support plans are only issued at the school’s discretion to students who are accessing a number of targeted and/or specialist school interventions and are thus on the SEN register. 

SEND support plans are reviewed three times a year, with a member of the school’s SEN Team or Pastoral Teams and ought to be in place for at least two terms, prior to the consideration of any application for an EHCNA (should it be decided that is the most appropriate course of action). This is to ensure that enough time has passed to measure the effectiveness of the interventions in place.

How long will SEND Support Plans remain in place?

A SEND Support Plan will remain in place for as long as it is needed. They will be reviewed on a termly basis and if it is felt that the student no longer requires a SEND Support Plan and doesn’t need to be on the SEN Register, this will be communicated to parents/carers as part of the review process.

Where can I find SEND support plans?