SEND and Inclusion
Our aim is to bring the best out of every pupil that attends Orchards
What does the local offer cover?
The local offer will include information about health and social care services, education, leisure activities and support groups in the area for children and young people aged 0 – 25 with SEND and their families.
There will be information about:
- Services and support available
- How children and young people’s needs are identified and assessed
- The way schools, colleges and maintained nurseries support children and young people with SEND
- How to access services and how decisions are made
- Preparation for adulthood and independence
- Arrangements for making a complaint and mediation
- How to comment on the local offer
The Department for Education’s draft SEN Code of Practice and regulations outlines the range of information to be included in the local offer.
Why is the local offer important?
The local offer will help parents, carers and young people to see clearly the range of services and support that are available in their local area and understand how to access them.
Special Educational Needs
At Orchards Church of England Academy we have a strong commitment towards inclusive education for all children. We aim to provide a secure, happy and supportive environment where every child can thrive and be successful.We promote ownership and use a quality first teaching approach to meet the needs of children. Teachers plan appropriately scaffolded work and styles of learning to meet the needs of all children in their class.
Our staff will always modify teaching and learning appropriately for children with SEND and/or disabilities. We value and recognise each child as a unique individual and work closely and in partnership with parents and any other involved agencies to meet the needs of our children through an inclusive provision for all.
Mrs Horlock and Miss Carter, our school SENDCOs monitor the progress of all children with SEND to ensure that they are benefitting from an appropriate curriculum which enables them to feel safe and secure, and to learn effectively. Where children with SEND are making poor progress, further assessment is undertaken or support sought.
Mental Health
At Orchards we believe that good mental health is vital! On this page you will find links to additional support and resources that are available.
The NHS have put together a list of Apps for metal health that they recommend, many of these are also free. To see this list CLICK HERE
The Mental Health Foundation have information about mental health conditions and further help that is available CLICK HERE
GoNoodle have a range of videos designed to promote movement and mindfulness! To access these CLICK HERE
YOUnited
YOUnited have now replaced the support offered by CHUMS. YOUnited is an umbrella agency that offers advice and signposting to relevant services. If you feel your child needs some support with their mental health then please ask the SENDCO for more information.
Please ask SENDCO for more information. Additional GPs can also refer your child to the service.
Emotional health and wellbeing team ( EHWT)
The EHWT offer services through school to support your children with their mental health difficulties. The support includes: parent support groups, parenting programmes, advice for school, advice for parents, cognitive behavioural therapy; and referrals on to CAMH if needed. Please speak to the SENDCo if you would like more information.
Rock steady
Our school are now offering children the opportunity to take part in a Rocksteady group.
Rocksteady are on a mission is to empower as many children as possible and transform their lives through music. Offering in-school band lessons for children aged 4-11 years old, our inclusive and progressive way of teaching music improves children's confidence, wellbeing and life skills.
Physical and Sensory
Please find some information on sensory and physical needs. This is a broad area of need and if you require any further information or feel that other information is required on this page then please contact us.
Cambridgeshire Occupational Therapy have now recorded their information workshops and have put these on their website. Please CLICK HERE to view these sessions. Please let us know if you have any further concerns after accessing these.
BBC Dance Mat is a resource to support children to develop touch typing skills. CLICK HERE
Dough Disco is a Youtube channel with activities designed to develop children's fine motor skills.
CLICK HERE
THRIVE INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Thrive is a specific way of working with all children that helps to develop their social and emotional well-being, enabling them to engage with life and learning. It supports them in becoming more self- assured, capable and adaptable in situations. It can also address any troubled, or troubling, behaviours providing a firm foundation for academic attainment.
Positive relationships are at the heart of Thrive. We use these relationships, together with play and creative activities, to give children key experiences at each different stage of their development. Repetition of these activities supports their development, helping them to:
- feel good about themselves and know that they matter
- increase their sense of security and trust
- increase their emotional well-being
- improve their capacity to be creative and curious
- increase their self-esteem and confidence to learn
- learn to recognise and regulate their feelings
- learn to think before behaving in a certain way
- ...and much much more.
Thrive draws insights from the fields of child development, right-time brain development, attachment theory and the importance of creativity and the arts as a powerful way of working with children to support their emotional and social development.
The Thrive team are a dedicated team based in the centre of school trained to support children’s social, emotional and behavioural wellbeing. We work closely with staff and families to meet the needs of all our children. This is provided in a variety of ways depending on the need at the time. Some of the interventions on offer are:
- Play and lunch support
- Thrive 1:1 and group support
- 1:1 counselling
- Behaviour plans, support and advice
- Support for transition to secondary education
Meet the team
Mrs Graveling is trained in cognitive behaviour therapy and is also a qualified level 3 play therapist.
Mrs Ffoulkes is a mental health first aider and has undertaken CAMH training on mental health.
Mrs Harrison is assistant head and lead for behaviour.
Miss Carter is a qualified SENDCo.
Mrs Carlile is a designated safeguarding lead and family support worker.
Please contact the Thrive team on 01945 428851 if you have any concerns they can help with.
Alternatively asked to be invited to our Thrive dojo page where we can keep you posted on all things Thrive.
Speech, Language and Communication
On this page please find further information about support available about communication, speech and language. There are some information guides, links for parents and activities that can be used at home.
Pre-school children:
Parents can take their pre-school children to a drop-in to talk about the child's speech, language and communication and any concerns they may have with a speech and language therapist or assistant. These are held at the New Horse Fair Clinic. Please speak to nursery staff to find out the next available date or call 0300 029 50 50 for more information.
Primary school children:
Children can be referred by school, in conjunction with parents on a termly basis. If the referral is accepted then this will involve an appointment between parents and speech and language therapists who will then offer further advice and suggestions to support your child.
Cambridgeshire Speech and Language page offers further advice and support on their website, including activities that you can try at home. PLEASE CLICK HERE
They can also be found on Facebook under Cambridge Speech Therapy and Instagram slt_cambridgeshire.
The National Autism Society provides information about autism and also some helpful strategies and approaches to supporting children. CLICK HERE
Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression. To find out more CLICK HERE.
Colourful semantics is used within school to support children's sentence construction. To find out more PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Cognition and Learning
Cognition and learning is defined as follows in the SEND Code of Practice:
Paragraph 6.30
‘Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs'
Here are some websites that can support learning at home:
BBC Bitesize have produced activities and videos to support learning for all children aged 3-11. CLICK HERE
The Oxford Owl website have free e-books available for children to read.
CLICK HERE
Top Marks have lots of educational games available. CLICK HERE