The Pioneer Academy Trust Mantra confirms the commitment to ‘Putting children first’ and ‘enabling all children to make excellent progress’. This is translated into practice at Stewart Fleming, The Pioneer Academy. Provision for children with special educational needs is Outstanding. OfSTED reported that: ‘Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make exceptional progress from their individual starting points.  This is due to outstanding leadership, characterised by careful tracking of individual pupils, and effective, timely support and intervention programmes.’

Amanda Britton- Chambers is the SENCO at Stewart Fleming. Her role focuses on co-ordinating the provision for pupils with special needs as it is clearly set out and includes:

• Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy
• Co-ordinating provision for children with special educational needs
• Liaising and advising fellow Teachers
• Managing and supporting learning support assistants
• Overseeing the records of all children with special educational needs
• Liaising with parents of children with special educational needs
• Contributing to the professional development and in-service training of all staff
• Liaising with external agencies including the LEA’s support and educational psychology services, health and social services, and voluntary bodies

The SENCO will be given time for:

• Planning and organisation
• Maintaining records
• Observing and assessing pupils
• Monitoring provision in individual classrooms
• Training Learning Support Assistants
• Collaborating with curriculum co-ordinators

The SENCO holds the statutory responsibility for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability. As a member of the senior leadership team, they report to the Executive Headteacher of The Pioneer Academy Trust on the progress and outcomes for children with additional needs. This is in turn reported to the local Governing Body and to The Pioneer Academy Trust Board.

The Policy sets out clear roles and responsibilities for all partners in the process, including; children, their parents and carers and external agencies. It gives clarity to the stages of needs assessment, from early identification through to the issuing of an Education Healthcare Plan (EHCP). The policy is robust in setting the expectation that the children’s needs will be met and that the support required for children who make good progress will be reduced in direct correlation to progress, as appropriate.

In order to evaluate the success of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy, the school will consider the effectiveness of the practices in relation to the identification and support of children with identified needs

We will evaluate success and impact by:

• Reviewing the Register of children with Special Educational Needs
• Monitoring classroom practice by the Executive Headteacher, Head of School, Inclusion Manager, Senior Leadership Team and the SEN Governor
• Analysis of pupils’ tracking data and test results
• Measuring parent/carer confidence through ensuring that their opinions are being sought and that they are involved and valued in the provision made for their child
• School self- evaluation compared with local and national performance trends
• The school development plan and SEN action plan

The governors are held to account by The Pioneer Academy Trust Board. In their annual report to parents, governors must comment on the success of the Special Needs Policy and report any changes.