SEND

SEND and Learning Support

OSCA’s Learning Support Team have one belief which is that every child has the ability to succeed and the right to experience success. Our team of well-established, experienced and skilled Learning Support Practitioners (LSP’s) work with a wide variety of students all of whom have a Special Educational Need. We provide in-class support to those students with the highest needs, alongside offering intervention and support programmes to help close any learning gaps identified, particularly in Literacy and Numeracy. We also offer a range of specialist group interventions to enhance and build confidence and social skills, these groups access our Inclusion Hub provision, Nurture provision, our Forest School programme and Guinea Pig Therapy.

Our ethos that students in our care will be given every opportunity to grow, develop and have aspirations is the driving force behind the work we do every day, and the strong relationships we have with both students and their parents/carers is extremely important to us all. Furthermore, it is this link that enables and encourages many of our students to continue into further and higher education, a prospect that may not have been considered through their earlier years of education.

At all times we are guided by the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2015) and ensure that we meet all statutory requirements and expectations alongside observing our Academy’s SEND Policy. In addition to this, we have great working relationships with our Local Authority SEN Support Services and Inclusion Support Team, who provide us with expertise in the form of Specialist Advisory Teachers and Educational Psychologists.

Working alongside our LSP’s, we have two Mentors and a school counsellor who work diligently to support the Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs of our students, whilst their Mental Health First Aid Training status allows them to provide training, assistance and advice to Teachers as required, ensuring that the whole school community are working together to establish good Mental Health. Our Mentors provide transition programmes, academic coaching and many various other programmes specific to Health and Wellbeing.

Team Learning Support are always available to welcome and support any student and family into our department and we believe passionately that it is our role is to ensure all learners are able to cope, succeed and importantly achieve their dreams in the 21st century.