Special Educational Needs & Disabilities 

The Birley Academy is committed to providing a high-quality, ambitious, and inclusive education to all the children within our academy. We vow to make sure no child is left behind in their learning and this includes pupils with SEND. 

Name of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo): 

Mrs C.Hickman – (SENDCo)

Email: [email protected]

Call: 01142 392531 

Name of Special Educational Needs Governor 

Emma Bramwell 

Email:  [email protected] 

You can find details of the Local Authority SEND Offer here: 

Local Offer | Sheffield (sheffielddirectory.org.uk) 

SEND Information Report

Academy Accessibility Plan

How will we identify pupils with SEND? 

Identification strategies used by the academy may include: 

• Observation of the student  
• Teacher assessment  
• Discussions with parents/carers  
• Discussions with students  
• Results of standardised tests e.g., reading tests, KS2 national test results, spelling tests etc.  
• Evidence from teacher observation, transition information, assessments from primary school  
• Concerns raised by the class teacher. 

Other professionals such as speech therapists, health visitors and/or educational psychologists may also be involved in the process by completing appropriate assessments.  

Parents/carers are encouraged to pass on any information and concerns that they may have about their child’s health and background by contacting the academy. If you have concerns, you can meet at a mutually convenient time with the special educational needs and/or disabilities co-ordinator (SENDCo). You can also arrange an appointment with the SENDCo prior to your child’s admission to the academy and at any other time during the school year. 

What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs? 

It is important that you speak to the academy, either by contacting your child’s pastoral leader, a teacher or by asking to speak to the SENDCo about your concerns. 

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they: 

• have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age. 
• have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions. 

Special educational provision is education or training provision that is additional to, or different from, that made for other children or young people of the same age in mainstream schools. 

How will the academy respond to my concern? 

Teachers will raise a record of concern and share this with the SENDCo. 

A meeting will then be arranged with yourself, relevant teacher(s) (if appropriate) and the SENDCo to identify the best way forward. 

How will the academy decide if my child needs extra support? 

Following the meeting, the SENDCo may decide to conduct a range of initial assessments to inform the academy about the nature and level of support required. 

This will be communicated with staff and monitored regularly. 

What will the academy do to support my child? 

The level and type of support required will be discussed with you. 

This could be any or all of the following: 

Step 1 – Precise teaching and adaptations will be made by the teacher within the whole class setting. 

Step 2 – Targeted small group intervention for a set period. 

Step 3 – Targeted 1:1 support in a specific area of need for a set period. In some cases, additional and more specialist support may be sought through a referral to an outside agency. 

What if my child needs further support? 

If the short-term intervention does not address the issues raised and greater needs are identified, your child, with the consent of you as parents/carers will be placed on the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) register.  

All children on the SEND register will have a plan that details the help a child will receive and the targets that have been set for them. 

How will I know how the academy supports my child/and how is this communicated? 

Reports sent 3 times a year on assessment data. 

Parents’ evening contact between the parents and teaching staff. 

Regular updates on any support we have in place for your child and the next steps. 

Useful Links

If your child has special educational needs and disabilities, you can find support information at the following links: