SEND
Sir John Hunt is ambitious for all our pupils and we believe that there is no ceiling on what can be achieved by anyone, regardless of their circumstance or background. We are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment, giving every young person the opportunity to fulfil their potential now, and in the future.
The leaders at Sir John Hunt are leaders for all pupils, enabling our teachers to be teachers of all pupils. Sir John Hunt is committed to distributed leadership to secure the best possible provision and outcomes for pupils with special educational needs. We have the same ambition for all our pupils, and recognise the importance and impact of prioritising our responsibilities to pupils with special educational needs.
Our graduated response
At SJH, we have a graduated response to students’ needs. All teachers receive training on what this looks like for students in our school and their roles and responsibilities in this process. The diagram below shows this process:
We work in partnership with pupils and their families in identifying and providing for special educational needs. Where appropriate, we also work in partnership with other agencies. We recognise the importance of communication being inclusive, accessible and culturally sensitive to achieve effective partnership working.
What does it mean to have a Special Educational Need?
A pupil has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability that requires special educational provision to be made for them.
They have a learning difficulty or disability if they have:
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A significantly greater difficulty in learning than most others of the same age; or
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A disability that prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.
Special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to, or different from, that made generally for other children or young people of the same age by mainstream schools.
What this means at Sir John Hunt
At Sir John Hunt, we are proud to be an inclusive mainstream school where students with SEND are supported to thrive alongside their peers. Every student on the SEND register has a personalised “Ticket to Learn” (T2L), which is shared with all staff and outlines the strategies, adaptations and support that help them succeed. Teachers use this information daily to ensure students can fully access learning through high-quality inclusive teaching and adaptive practice.
A typical day for a student with SEND may begin with a calm and supportive start through tutor time or a check-in with pastoral or SEND staff if required. Throughout lessons, students benefit from Quality First Teaching strategies such as breaking learning into smaller chunks, using visual
supports, repeating and clarifying instructions, checking for understanding and allowing additional processing time where needed. Adaptations and resources are provided where appropriate to reduce barriers to learning and support students to access the curriculum successfully and independently.
During social times, students can access a range of inclusive spaces including calm lunchtime clubs, low-stimulus regulation spaces and designated SEND areas for emotional regulation or support. These spaces provide opportunities for students to socialise safely, regulate emotions and build friendships whilst remaining fully included within wider school life.
Students with SEND are actively encouraged and supported to participate in all aspects of school life including trips, clubs, sports, leadership opportunities and enrichment activities. Reasonable adjustments and proactive support are carefully planned so that students can access opportunities alongside their peers. Our focus is always on removing barriers, promoting independence and ensuring every child feels valued, supported and included within our school community.
Our SEND Team
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Mrs Nicholas -Zacharkiw
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My vision is that every student with SEND feels valued, included and able to succeed through high expectations, personalised support and a genuine sense of belonging within our college community. |
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Miss Sharpe
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As Assistant SENCO, my goal is to ensure that any barriers are removed through early, targeted interventions and support. I believe that every child deserves the chance to thrive and am proud to provide our SEN students with the skills they need to build confidence, gain independence, and fully access school life. |
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Mrs Harbottle
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Our aim for our SEMH provision is to create a nurturing, inclusive environment where every child feels safe, valued, and understood enabling them to develop independence, resilience and ultimately, thrive. |
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Mrs Darby
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Every child with a communication and interaction need deserves more than a place in education - they deserve understanding support and the opportunity to thrive in their life.
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Miss Barnshaw |
Every child's literacy journey is unique, and we are committed to supporting them in every way we can. Our literacy interventions aim to provide a safe space for children to overcome challenges and discover their strengths in literacy, while they grow into confident readers and writers. |
Identification and Assessment of Children with SEND
At Sir John Hunt Community Sports College, we work closely with families, feeder primary schools and external agencies to identify and support students with SEND at the earliest opportunity. Identification often begins during the transition process through information sharing, annual reviews, professional reports and discussions with parents and carers. Students with identified needs, including those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), may receive enhanced transition support.
On entry to the College, students complete a range of baseline assessments, including NGRT reading assessments. Additional diagnostic assessments may be undertaken where concerns are identified. We also consider a range of information including attainment, progress, attendance, behaviour, safeguarding information and student voice when identifying potential barriers to learning.
Teachers regularly review students' progress and wellbeing and may raise concerns with the SEND Team if a student is experiencing difficulties accessing learning, making expected progress or presenting with emerging social, emotional or behavioural needs. Concerns are considered alongside available evidence and, where appropriate, further assessment or intervention is implemented through the graduated approach. Slow progress and low attainment alone do not automatically indicate that a student has SEND.
Parents and carers are encouraged to share concerns at any stage of their child's education through the form tutor, pastoral team, SEND Team or Inclusion Team. We value parental insight and work collaboratively with families to ensure that students receive the support they need to achieve, belong and thrive.
Ticket to Learn (T2L)
A Ticket to Learn (T2L) is a pupil passport and is a document that is regularly reviewed that contains the needs, strengths and individual strategies for every student with an EHCP or on SEN Support. These are developed in partnership with pupils and their parents/carers. Where appropriate, they might also include strategies recommended by other professionals.
Learning Plan
Some pupils who require more specialised support will have Individualised learning plans to complement the Ticket to Learn. For example, an individualised learning plan will be used to:
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Track progress against long-term outcomes in Educational, Health and Care Plans (EHCNAs) for pupils working below age related expectations
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Inform medium-term and daily curriculum planning and provision where children are accessing adapted curriculum pathways
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Inform intervention planning
Universal Provision - High Quality Teaching
Sir John Hunt ensures that a universal provision of high quality teaching is able to address gaps in foundational knowledge and skills. Through evidence informed classroom routines and a well planned curriculum, teachers are able to address reading fluency and accuracy, communication and language skills, writing composition and number facts. Furthermore our carefully selected and sequenced curricula ensure foundational subject specific knowledge is secure at every step. For some students, effective in classroom targeted support ensures gaps are identified and tackled quickly through our responsive and adaptive classroom practice.
Targeted Support
Targeted interventions support specific learning or social/emotional needs. These include examples such as:
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Communication & Interaction - Social communication groups, turn-taking skills, body-language understanding, friendship skills. These are offered to students who may have communication and interaction needs identified in an EHCP or who may have a struggle with this socially.
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SEMH - Decider Skills, mentoring, anxiety & anger management, resilience groups, exam stress support. These are offered to students as required based on a flexible model to facilitate support as it is deemed necessary.
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Literacy & Learning - Direct Instruction reading programmes, guided reading, handwriting groups, comprehension programmes and phonics is delivered to students who are identified as having a literacy need based on relevant data.
All targeted interventions follow a structured cycle. Each has a baseline assessment, intended outcome and review point. Interventions are reviewed by the Assistant SENCO and Lead SEND staff who are delivering the intervention. The T2L is updated as necessary with any specific strategies required.
Specialist Support
At Sir John Hunt, we work in partnership with a range of external agencies to support the planning and delivery of specialist interventions where appropriate. This may include mentoring, therapeutic support, specialist assessments or targeted mental health provision. Where relevant, teachers are informed of the focus of interventions so that strategies can be reinforced within the classroom and students are supported to generalise skills across different contexts. Interventions are reviewed at least every half-term to evaluate their impact against intended outcomes. Where progress is not as expected, provision is adapted in line with the graduated approach.
Staff Training
Our SENCO is an experienced teacher who has completed her SENCO qualification. The college prioritises time for the SENCO to be able to work alongside other staff in the college to build expertise in the classroom, via Learning Walks, delivering staff CPD and sitting on SLT impacting on strategic overview of the college. There is also a team of Learning Support Assistants who receive regular training from external agencies including CAMHS and MAST, with the key focus on building students' independence and resilience, whilst expanding knowledge and understanding of complex SEND needs.
Some staff also receive additional training in a particular specialism, such as Emotional Literacy Support, Emotional Logic and Lego therapy. We commission additional support from the Multi Agency Support Team (MAST) who are able to deliver training for the SEND team from Educational Psychologists, Family Support Workers and Counsellors alongside CAMHS and MHST.
Useful Links
PIAS (Plymouth Information, Advice and Support for SEND) have a team of dedicated facilitators skilled in a wide range of parenting programmes and behavioural strategies from birth to the teenage years.
They are on hand to provide help, advice, support and a friendly ear from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Call PIAS on 01752 258933 and select option 2.
Young Minds Parent Line 0808 8025544
This is a Mental Health charity for parents and students.
Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health
Offering support for children, young people and families relating to emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Plymouth Local Offer
Teacher Handbook: SEND
With contributions from specialists across the sector, the handbook is a comprehensive resource for teachers and parents to use over time. It brings together practical examples of high-quality teaching - placing focus on removing barriers to learning, getting to know and understand individual learners, and bringing to life the graduated approach.
To access this free resource click on the link below and sign up to Whole School SEND:
Whole School SEND Online CPD Units
Free, flexible online learning to help develop inclusive practice.