Inclusion at St Sampson’s High School

As a Rights Respecting School, at St Sampson’s School everything within our ethos and values is based around the human rights of all children. We are committed to developing an inclusive curriculum which means that all students, whatever their needs or abilities, are entitled to have access to the academic and social life of the School so that they are able to make the best possible progress.

Purposes:

  • To create an inclusive ethos
  • To facilitate fullest access to the curriculum for all students
  • To provide the necessary support for those who experience learning difficulties
  • To ensure consistency of approach
  • To enable all students to maximise their potential
  • To promote self-esteem and positive attitudes towards learning
  • To raise the awareness of teachers of their responsibilities towards students with special educational needs
  • To develop a supportive environment and sense of community.

 

From September 2021 our school, as all island schools, will be part of an Operation Encompass. Operation Encompass is a police and education early intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people who experience Domestic Violence and Abuse. Operation Encompass means that the police will share information with our school about all police attended Domestic Abuse incidents which involve any of our children PRIOR to the start of the next school day. The Operation Encompass information is stored in line with all other confidential safeguarding and child protection information. We are aware that we must do nothing that puts the child/ren or the non-abusing adult at risk. The named Key Adult in school has used the Operation Encompass Toolkit to ensure that all appropriate actions have been taken by the school.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Students have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

Students have a learning difficulty if they:

have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age

have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in similar schools

Students must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught. These are considered EAL (English as an Additional Language) students.

Areas of need

The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (Guernsey) states ‘The main areas of learning difficulty are Cognition and Learning; Behaviour, Emotional and Social Development; Communication and Interaction; Sensory and/or Physical Impairment.’

Further information for parents can be found by clicking this link.

https://www.gov.gg/sen

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities at St Sampson’s High School

At St Sampson’s High School we value the achievement of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and encourage all students to reach their potential.

We believe in positive intervention, removing barriers to learning, raising expectations and levels of achievement and working in partnership with other agencies in order to provide a positive, meaningful educational experience for all our students.

The school motto is ‘Learning Together’.  All students are valued as individuals and encouraged to work with their peers.  The school community is committed to the academic and personal development of all students regardless of ability. We recognise the diverse and individual needs of all of our students and consider the additional support required by those children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We strive to provide the opportunity for all students, regardless of their specific needs, to make the best possible progress.

The objectives of St Sampson’s SEND provision are:

To maintain and develop an inclusive ethos in which every student can grow to personal fulfilment and realise their full potential and character.

To ensure access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum for all students.

To identify students with additional needs and disabilities and to implement appropriate programmes/strategies to meet those needs as far as resources will allow.

To raise the self-esteem of students with additional needs and disabilities and to assist them to develop their independence.

To create an environment where school, parents/carers and outside agencies work together for the benefit of SEND students.

To provide appropriate advice and guidance for teaching staff to help them meet the needs of SEND students in the classroom.

Supporting SEND students at St Sampson’s High School:

We aim to support our students with SEND and their parents and carers so that they can achieve their potential and increase their life chances.

Provision and support exists throughout the school for students with special educational needs and disabilities. SEND provision is an integral part of our overall school provision.  Teachers use the SEND data we collect from primary schools and our own information and assessments to plan lessons and differentiate provision for students with SEND.

Learning Plans and Pupil Passports are in place for students with SEND who require specific adjustments to be made for them in school.  All teachers have access to this information via Classcharts.

The provision may be, but not exclusive to;  targeted interventions for memory difficulties, dyslexia and literacy, numeracy, social skills development,  curriculum support, handwriting development, behaviour management, mentoring, support with organisation and planning.  We aim to be quick at identifying under-achievement and addressing it at individual or group level.

We offer in-class support with a team of highly dedicated Learning Support Assistants.

We have a Student Support Centre (SSC) where specialist staff work with students requiring interventions and support with learning.  The SSC also provides a base for more vulnerable students at the start of the school day, during break and lunchtimes.

We are an inclusive school and have students with a range of SEND in our year groups.  The Inclusion Team strives to support students across the 11 – 16 age range by working closely with other departments, outside agencies and Educational Psychologists to personalise the learning of SEND students and maximise their learning opportunities.

The SEND Department’s work includes:

Providing focused in-class support/targeted interventions/mentoring as far as resources will allow.

Monitoring, assessing and observing students that teachers are concerned about and providing expertise around individual student’s needs and strategies for supporting them.

Partnership work with our primary feeder schools.

Preparing reports in relation to students’ needs for outside agencies.

Managing any SEND referrals to outside agencies or specialists.

Working in multi-disciplinary teams supporting SEND students with complex needs or who are vulnerable.

Providing Access arrangements for examinations for students with SEND.

Mr Ian Edwards, Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), manages the SEND team and can be contacted by email:  [email protected]

 

SEND Information Report

 

https://gov.gg/sen 

We have 31 experienced, approachable and talented tutors who will be responsible for the social and emotional well being of their tutees.

 

Tutor groups and houses

The tutor groups are comprised of on average 23 students and each group is assigned a house and colour – Jethou (Yellow), Brecqhou (blue) and Lihou (red). The houses come into their own during larger events such as charities day and sports day but are also important on a smaller scale through merit totals and inter house competitions. There is a trophy awarded to the winning house with the most points at the end of each year. It is our intention this year to run an inter tutor group league where points would be awarded for participation in assemblies, the winner of the weekly quiz and other noteworthy contributions to tutor time and the pastoral life of the school.

 

Tutor Time

Tutor time is vital in setting the tone for learning at the beginning of the day and so it is vital that students’ are on time and attend their tutor bases every morning. The tutor will be responsible for checking equipment including iPad and giving notices to students. They will be encouraging participation in a range of morning activities including critical thinking conundrums, assemblies, Accelerated Reader, Newsround discussions and weekly themed quizzes. Any suggestions from students about other items they may wish to be considered for use during tutor time can be discussed with their form tutor.

 

Attendance

Attendance at school is directly linked to success in exams and results. If you are not in school, you are not able to learn! Tutors will receive weekly attendance updates for their students and any absences will be discussed and reasons recorded. If your child is off school please contact the main school office who will be able to update the registers accordingly. It is the responsibility of the student to then see the staff for the lessons missed and catch up on any work that needs to be completed.

 

Activities & Social events

There are so many activities on offer within St. Sampson’s High for students – ranging from sports clubs to drama and music. Staff are keen to offer new experiences and support pupils to develop their extra-curricular pursuits and all students are encouraged to participate in at least one club / activity not least because it provides an opportunity to make new friends as well as possibly learn a new skill.

 

Fundraising

It is our intention to undertake many fundraising activities aimed at providing money to support the students. All money raised will directly benefit students – whether by providing rewards trips for good behaviour, contributing towards end of tern parties or providing assistance if students wish to partake in other events that would benefit from some financial support from school. Each tutor group will be responsible for organising an event each term. Whilst staff will take a supporting role, the onus will be on the students to manage and lead these events to develop their teamwork and organisational skills.

Education Inclusion Services

Equality Policy

 

 

Links to outside agencies

As a school we work closely with a number of agencies that we feel are relevant to meeting the needs of all of our students. These include:

Youth Commission

Youth Justice

Les Voies Outreach

CAMHS

Educational Psychology Service

School Attendance Service – Kirsty Furley

School Nurse

Action for Children

Share nurses

Social Services

Community Police – PC Nicholas Boughay