SEND & Inclusion Policy

2026–27

Inclusive practice • High expectations • Positive destinations

Policy Owner | SENCO
Responsible Leadership | Executive Headteacher / Headteacher
Oversight | Proprietor / Directors
Review Cycle | Annual
Reviewed | September 2026
Next Review | September 2027

Contents

1. Statement of Intent

2. Legal and Statutory Framework

3. What We Mean by Special Educational Needs

4. Our Approach to Inclusion

5. Objectives

6. Identification of SEND

7. The Four Broad Areas of SEND

8. The Graduated Approach - Assess, Plan, Do, Review

9. High-Quality Teaching

10. Individual Learning Plans

11. Education, Health and Care Plans

12. Admission and Transition

13. Student Voice

14. Working with Parents and Carers

15. Attendance, Behaviour and SEND

16. Safeguarding and SEND

17. Preparing for Adulthood and Post-16

18. Working with External Professionals

19. Roles and Responsibilities

20. Monitoring the Quality and Impact of SEND Provision

21. Staff Training and Development

22. Medical Conditions

23. Record Keeping and Information Sharing

24. Complaints

25. Linked Policies and Documents

26. Review of This Policy

1. Statement of Intent

SV Academy is committed to providing an inclusive, ambitious and supportive education for all young people.

We recognise that many of the students who join SV Academy have experienced disruption to their education and that some may have identified special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), while others may have needs that have not previously been recognised.

Our starting point is that every young person can achieve. We have high expectations for students with SEND and are committed to removing barriers that may prevent them from participating fully in education, making progress and preparing successfully for adulthood.

We aim to ensure that students:

• feel safe, valued, respected and included;
• have access to an ambitious and appropriately adapted curriculum;
• receive support based on their individual needs rather than labels;
• develop confidence and independence;
• make progress from their individual starting points;
• have their views listened to and taken seriously;
• are prepared for their next stage of education, training or employment;
• develop the skills required for independent and adult life; and
• have the same opportunities to participate in academy life as their peers wherever reasonably possible.

SEND is a whole-school responsibility. Every member of staff has a role in identifying barriers, adapting teaching and supporting students to achieve.

2. Legal and Statutory Framework

This policy has been developed with regard to relevant legislation and statutory guidance, including:

• the Children and Families Act 2014;
• the Equality Act 2010;
• the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014;
• the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years;
• relevant Independent School Standards;
• statutory guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions;
• Keeping Children Safe in Education;
• relevant Department for Education guidance; and
• current Ofsted inspection requirements and guidance.

The Academy will review this policy when legislation, statutory guidance or regulatory requirements change.

3. What We Mean by Special Educational Needs

A young person has special educational needs where they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

A school-aged student may have a learning difficulty or disability where they:

• have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
• have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities generally provided for others of the same age.

A disability does not automatically mean that a student has SEN, and a student may have SEN without being disabled.

Students must not be identified as having SEN solely because the language spoken at home is different from the language in which they are taught.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) is not in itself a special educational need. Where a student with EAL is experiencing difficulty, staff will consider carefully whether the difficulty is related to language acquisition, SEND or a combination of needs.

4. Our Approach to Inclusion

Inclusion at SV Academy is about much more than identifying students who have an EHCP or who appear on a SEND register.

We consider the individual barriers that may affect a young person's learning, attendance, wellbeing, behaviour, communication, independence and progression.

This may include students with SEND as well as students affected by:

• disadvantage;
• disrupted education;
• poor attendance or persistent absence;
• mental or emotional health needs;
• medical conditions;
• English as an Additional Language;
• involvement with social care;
• being looked after or previously looked after;
• caring responsibilities;
• family circumstances;
• previous exclusions;
• trauma or adverse childhood experiences; or
• other barriers to learning or wellbeing.

These factors do not automatically mean that a student has SEND, but they are considered when planning appropriate support.

The Academy will also make reasonable adjustments for disabled students in accordance with its duties under the Equality Act 2010.

5. Objectives

SV Academy aims to:

• identify SEND and other barriers to learning as early as possible;
• gather relevant information before and during admission;
• understand each student's starting points, strengths and needs;
• provide high-quality teaching as the first response to SEND;
• ensure that teachers understand the needs of the students they teach;
• make reasonable adjustments where required;
• provide targeted support where high-quality classroom teaching alone is not sufficient;
• monitor whether interventions are actually improving outcomes;
• involve students in decisions about their education and support;
• work closely with parents and carers;
• work constructively with referral schools, local authorities and external professionals;
• support students with EHCPs to achieve the outcomes set out in their plans;
• promote independence rather than unnecessary dependence on adult support;
• prepare students effectively for their next stage and adulthood; and
• regularly evaluate the impact and quality of SEND provision.

6. Identification of SEND

Identifying SEND is an ongoing process.

Information may be gathered from:

• parents and carers;
• the student;
• previous or referring schools;
• local authorities;
• EHCP documentation;
• social care;
• health professionals;
• educational psychologists;
• speech and language therapists;
• CAMHS or other mental health services;
• assessment information;
• attendance information;
• behaviour information;
• teacher observations;
• literacy and numeracy assessments;
• reading ages and standardised assessments;
• student work;
• progress data; and
• information from other professionals involved with the young person.

Staff should not wait for a formal diagnosis before responding to an identified need.

Where a teacher or member of staff has concerns about a student's learning, communication, behaviour, development or progress, these concerns should be raised promptly with the SENCO through the Academy's agreed referral process.

7. The Four Broad Areas of SEND

The SEND Code of Practice identifies four broad areas of need. These are used to help the Academy consider the type of support a young person may require. They should not be used to place students into rigid categories. A student may have needs across more than one area.

Communication and Interaction

• speech, language and communication needs;
• difficulties understanding or using language;
• social communication differences; and
• autism spectrum conditions.

Cognition and Learning

• specific learning difficulties;
• dyslexia;
• dyscalculia;
• moderate learning difficulties;
• severe learning difficulties; and
• other difficulties affecting learning, memory, processing or acquisition of knowledge.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

This may include difficulties associated with:

• anxiety;
• emotional regulation;
• attention;
• ADHD;
• attachment;
• trauma;
• social and emotional development; and
• other mental health or wellbeing needs that affect education.

Staff should avoid assuming that behaviour itself is the SEND need. Behaviour may be communicating an unmet educational, emotional, communication or wellbeing need and should be considered in context.

Sensory and/or Physical Needs

• hearing impairment;
• visual impairment;
• physical disability;
• sensory processing needs; and
• other physical or sensory conditions affecting access to education.

8. The Graduated Approach - Assess, Plan, Do, Review

Where a student is identified as requiring additional SEND support, SV Academy will use a graduated approach.

Assess

The student's needs will be considered using relevant evidence. This may include:

• assessment results;
• teacher observations;
• progress;
• attendance;
• behaviour;
• previous records;
• student views;
• parent/carer views; and
• advice from external professionals.

The aim is to understand the barriers affecting the student rather than simply attach a label to them.

Plan

Where additional support is required, clear outcomes and strategies will be agreed. The plan should identify:

• the student's strengths;
• identified barriers or needs;
• intended outcomes;
• strategies and reasonable adjustments;
• any intervention required;
• who is responsible;
• how progress will be measured; and
• when the support will be reviewed.

This may be recorded through an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), provision map or another appropriate Academy record. The student should be involved in this process wherever possible. Parents/carers should also be involved and informed as appropriate.

Do

Teachers remain responsible for the education and progress of the student, including where a teaching assistant, intervention worker or specialist provides additional support. Support should complement high-quality teaching rather than replace it. All relevant staff should understand the strategies and adjustments expected within lessons.

Review

Support will be reviewed regularly to establish:

• whether the intervention has been delivered;
• whether it is working;
• whether the student is making progress;
• whether the intended outcome has been achieved;
• what the student thinks about the support;
• what parents/carers and staff have observed; and
• whether support should continue, change, increase or reduce.

Interventions should not simply continue indefinitely without evidence that they are having a positive impact.

9. High-Quality Teaching

High-quality teaching is the first response to students who have or may have SEND. Teachers are responsible for the progress and development of all students they teach.

Teachers are expected to:

• know their students;
• understand relevant SEND information and ILPs;
• use assessment to identify gaps in knowledge;
• adapt teaching appropriately;
• use clear explanations and modelling;
• check understanding;
• revisit and reinforce previous learning;
• provide appropriate scaffolding;
• use resources that improve accessibility;
• consider communication and sensory needs;
• maintain appropriately high expectations; and
• develop students' independence.

Adaptation does not mean reducing ambition. Where appropriate, students should work towards ambitious qualifications and destinations while receiving the support necessary to access their learning successfully.

10. Individual Learning Plans

Where appropriate, students with SEND will have an Individual Learning Plan or equivalent personalised record.

ILPs should be useful working documents rather than paperwork produced solely for compliance. They should normally identify:

• the student's strengths and interests;
• barriers to learning;
• relevant SEND information;
• reasonable adjustments;
• classroom strategies;
• current priorities;
• individual outcomes or targets;
• student voice;
• parent/carer contribution where appropriate;
• relevant external professional advice;
• progress towards identified outcomes; and
• preparation for the student's next stage.

Teachers and support staff are expected to understand and use relevant ILP information. ILPs will be reviewed at appropriate intervals and amended when needs or circumstances change.

11. Education, Health and Care Plans

Students with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) will receive provision that reflects the requirements and outcomes contained within their plan, subject to the Academy's placement arrangements and the responsibilities of the commissioning local authority.

The SENCO will ensure that relevant staff have access to the information they need to support the student.

The Academy will contribute to statutory annual reviews and provide appropriate evidence of:

• educational progress;
• progress towards EHCP outcomes;
• attendance;
• behaviour where relevant;
• interventions and support;
• student views;
• parent/carer views;
• preparation for adulthood; and
• recommendations about future provision.

From Year 9 onwards, particular attention will be given to preparation for adulthood, including:

• further education and training;
• employment;
• independent living;
• community participation;
• relationships;
• health and wellbeing; and
• increasing independence.

Where a student continues to experience significant difficulty despite relevant and purposeful action being taken, the Academy will work with the student, parents/carers, commissioning body and relevant professionals to consider whether an Education, Health and Care needs assessment may be appropriate.

The decision whether to undertake an EHC needs assessment rests with the relevant local authority.

12. Admission and Transition

SV Academy will consider the needs of students with SEND fairly and in accordance with applicable legislation, commissioning arrangements and the Academy's admissions processes. The Academy will not unlawfully discriminate against a young person because of disability or SEND.

Before admission, the Academy will seek sufficient information to understand:

• the student's educational history;
• current attainment and starting points;
• SEND;
• EHCP outcomes where applicable;
• safeguarding information;
• communication needs;
• behaviour and attendance history;
• medical needs;
• current provision;
• reasonable adjustments;
• risk information where relevant; and
• the views of the student, parents/carers and referring organisation.

Effective transition is especially important for young people who have experienced disruption to their education. Where possible, the Academy will work with the previous placement, referral school or local authority to ensure relevant information is transferred promptly.

13. Student Voice

Students should be involved in decisions about their education and support. Where appropriate, students will be encouraged to contribute to:

• their ILP;
• target setting;
• reviews;
• EHCP annual reviews;
• discussions about reasonable adjustments;
• intervention planning;
• careers and destination planning; and
• evaluation of the support they receive.

Staff should consider whether the way in which student voice is gathered is accessible to the individual young person. A student who finds formal meetings difficult may need another way to communicate their views.

14. Working with Parents and Carers

SV Academy recognises that parents and carers know their children well and can provide important information about their needs, strengths and experiences. We aim to work collaboratively with families.

This includes:

• listening to concerns;
• sharing relevant information;
• discussing progress;
• involving families in reviews;
• explaining support and interventions;
• considering parent/carer views when planning provision; and
• signposting families to appropriate services where necessary.

Where views differ, the Academy will aim to maintain constructive communication focused on the needs and outcomes of the young person.

15. Attendance, Behaviour and SEND

Poor attendance, persistent absence or behaviour difficulties must not automatically be treated as SEND. However, these issues may sometimes indicate an unmet SEND, safeguarding, health or wellbeing need.

Where a student with SEND has attendance or behaviour difficulties, staff should consider:

• whether the student's needs are being met;
• whether reasonable adjustments are required;
• whether the curriculum is accessible;
• whether there are communication difficulties;
• whether there are sensory or environmental barriers;
• whether there are safeguarding or mental health concerns;
• the student's views;
• parent/carer information; and
• whether further specialist advice is required.

SEND should not be used as a reason for lowering appropriate expectations around behaviour, attendance, achievement or participation. Instead, appropriate support and reasonable adjustments should be put in place to enable students to meet expectations wherever possible.

16. Safeguarding and SEND

Children and young people with SEND can face additional safeguarding vulnerabilities. Staff should be alert to the possibility that:

• communication difficulties may create barriers to disclosure;
• changes in behaviour may have several possible explanations;
• signs of abuse may be incorrectly attributed to a student's disability or condition;
• students may be more vulnerable to bullying or exploitation;
• some students may find it more difficult to recognise unsafe situations; and
• additional pastoral or communication support may be required for a student to express concerns.

Safeguarding concerns must always be dealt with in accordance with the Academy's Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. SEND must never be used as an explanation for dismissing or overlooking a safeguarding concern.

17. Preparing for Adulthood and Post-16

For students approaching or participating in post-16 education, SEND provision should support successful transition into adult life. Planning should be aspirational, practical and centred on the individual student.

This may include support with:

• further education;
• higher education where appropriate;
• vocational training;
• apprenticeships;
• supported internships;
• employment;
• English and mathematics;
• independent living skills;
• travel training;
• communication;
• social interaction;
• self-advocacy;
• managing health needs;
• relationships;
• community participation; and
• careers education, information, advice and guidance.

Destination planning should begin early and should be reflected in ILPs, EHCP reviews and careers discussions.

18. Working with External Professionals

Where a student's needs cannot be fully understood or met through the Academy's resources alone, the Academy may work with relevant external services.

Depending on individual need, these may include:

• local authority SEND teams;
• educational psychology;
• speech and language therapy;
• occupational therapy;
• physiotherapy;
• CAMHS;
• social care;
• health professionals;
• sensory services;
• specialist teachers;
• previous or referring schools;
• careers services; and
• other specialist agencies.

Advice from external professionals should be translated into practical strategies that staff can use. The SENCO will support staff in understanding relevant professional recommendations.

19. Roles and Responsibilities

Proprietor / Directors

The Proprietor and Directors have strategic oversight of SEND and inclusion. They are responsible for ensuring that:

• there is appropriate leadership and oversight of SEND;
• statutory and regulatory responsibilities are understood;
• sufficient attention is given to the experiences and outcomes of students with SEND;
• leaders evaluate the impact of provision;
• appropriate resources are available;
• staff have access to suitable training;
• equality and accessibility responsibilities are considered; and
• SEND forms part of wider school improvement and self-evaluation.

Oversight should focus not only on whether systems exist, but whether those systems are improving the experiences and outcomes of students.

Executive Headteacher / Headteacher

The Executive Headteacher and Headteacher are responsible for ensuring that SEND and inclusion are embedded across the Academy. Their responsibilities include:

• promoting high expectations for students with SEND;
• ensuring SEND is considered within strategic planning and school improvement;
• supporting and challenging the SENCO;
• ensuring staff understand their responsibilities;
• ensuring appropriate resources are allocated;
• monitoring quality of education for students with SEND;
• monitoring attendance, behaviour, progress and destinations;
• ensuring reasonable adjustments are considered; and
• reporting relevant information to the Proprietor/Directors.

SENCO

The SENCO has day-to-day responsibility for coordinating SEND provision. Responsibilities include:

• coordinating SEND identification and assessment;
• maintaining appropriate SEND records;
• coordinating ILPs and provision mapping;
• advising teachers and support staff;
• monitoring the effectiveness of provision;
• supporting the Assess-Plan-Do-Review process;
• supporting EHCP processes and annual reviews;
• liaising with parents/carers;
• listening to student voice;
• liaising with local authorities and external agencies;
• supporting transition;
• supporting preparation for adulthood;
• identifying staff training needs;
• contributing to school improvement and self-evaluation;
• monitoring outcomes for students with SEND; and
• providing SEND information to senior leaders and Directors.

Teaching Staff

Every teacher is responsible for the progress and development of the students they teach. Teachers are expected to:

• know the needs of their students;
• read and use relevant ILPs and professional advice;
• plan accessible learning;
• make appropriate adaptations;
• use reasonable adjustments;
• assess progress;
• identify concerns;
• communicate with the SENCO;
• contribute to reviews;
• maintain ambitious expectations;
• work effectively with teaching assistants; and
• help students become increasingly independent.

Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Staff

Teaching assistants and support staff work under the direction of teaching staff and relevant leaders. Their role may include:

• supporting access to learning;
• reinforcing teaching;
• delivering agreed interventions;
• observing and recording progress;
• contributing to ILP reviews;
• supporting communication;
• preparing or adapting resources;
• supporting educational visits;
• contributing to student independence; and
• providing feedback to teachers and the SENCO.

Support should be used carefully so that students do not become unnecessarily dependent on an adult. Teachers remain responsible for the education of students in their classes.

20. Monitoring the Quality and Impact of SEND Provision

SV Academy will evaluate SEND provision using a range of evidence rather than relying on a single measure. This may include:

• progress from individual starting points;
• qualification outcomes;
• progress in English and mathematics;
• reading and literacy development;
• ILP outcomes;
• progress towards EHCP outcomes;
• quality of work;
• lesson visits;
• curriculum reviews;
• attendance;
• persistent absence;
• suspensions or other behavioural information where applicable;
• intervention records;
• student voice;
• parent/carer feedback;
• staff feedback;
• destinations;
• external professional feedback; and
• evidence of increasing independence.

What support did we provide?

The Academy should also ask:

What difference did the support make to the young person?

Where provision is not resulting in improved experiences or outcomes, leaders should consider what needs to change.

21. Staff Training and Development

The Academy is committed to ensuring staff have the knowledge and confidence required to support students with SEND effectively. Training may include:

• SEND awareness;
• autism;
• ADHD;
• speech, language and communication;
• literacy and dyslexia;
• SEMH;
• trauma-informed practice;
• sensory needs;
• adaptive teaching;
• reasonable adjustments;
• behaviour and SEND;
• safeguarding students with SEND;
• EHCPs and ILPs;
• preparation for adulthood; and
• needs identified within the current student cohort.

New staff will receive appropriate SEND information as part of their induction. Training should be informed by the actual needs of the students attending the Academy.

22. Medical Conditions

SV Academy recognises that students with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they can access education and participate as fully as possible in Academy activities.

Some students with medical conditions may also be disabled under the Equality Act 2010. Some may also have SEND.

Where appropriate, the Academy will work with parents/carers, health professionals, the student and relevant commissioners to ensure appropriate support is in place. Individual healthcare plans will be used where required.

Medical needs, SEND and safeguarding responsibilities should be considered together where appropriate while maintaining clear professional responsibilities.

23. Record Keeping and Information Sharing

Accurate and up-to-date records are essential to effective SEND provision. Relevant records may include:

• referral information;
• assessment results;
• ILPs;
• EHCPs;
• annual review documentation;
• provision maps;
• intervention records;
• professional reports;
• parent/carer communications;
• student voice;
• progress information; and
• transition documentation.

Information will be shared with staff who need it in order to support the student effectively and will be handled in accordance with data protection requirements and the Academy's policies. Important SEND information should follow the student when they change teacher, programme or setting.

24. Complaints

Where a parent/carer, student or commissioning organisation has a concern about SEND provision, the Academy will aim to resolve the matter at the earliest appropriate stage.

Concerns should normally be raised initially with the relevant member of staff, SENCO or senior leader. Formal complaints will be managed in accordance with the Academy's Complaints Policy.

Nothing in the Academy's complaints procedure removes any statutory rights available to parents, carers or young people concerning SEND or an EHCP.

25. Linked Policies and Documents

This policy should be read alongside relevant Academy policies and documents, including:

• Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy;
• Behaviour Policy;
• Attendance Policy;
• Equality and Diversity Policy;
• Accessibility Plan;
• Admissions Policy;
• Anti-Bullying Policy;
• Complaints Policy;
• Supporting Students with Medical Conditions Policy;
• Teaching and Learning Policy;
• Careers Policy;
• Data Protection Policy;
• Individual Learning Plans;
• SEND provision maps; and
• the Academy's Self-Evaluation and Improvement Planning documentation.

26. Review of This Policy

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and earlier where there is:

• a significant change to SEND legislation;
• new statutory guidance;
• a change to regulatory or inspection requirements;
• a significant change to the Academy's SEND provision; or
• evidence from monitoring that changes are required.

The Academy will continue to develop its SEND and inclusion practice in response to the needs, experiences and outcomes of the young people it serves.

Policy reviewed: September 2026   |   Next scheduled review: September 2027