For contact regarding Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) the first point of contact is Mrs C Price, Leader of Learning for SEND / SENCO on 01342 323562 or email cprice [at] imberhorne [dot] co [dot] uk who will be able to talk to you regarding the personal development and educational progress of all students with special educational needs, for both current or prospective students. Mrs L Johnson is also available to help with all SEND queries ljohnson [at] imberhorne [dot] co [dot] uk

For contact regarding family support, the first point of contact will be Mrs M Yates, Family Engagement Officer on 01342 323562 or email myates [at] imberhorne [dot] co [dot] uk who will be able to talk to you about the support we can offer for students and families experiencing particular challenges and the welfare of vulnerable students.

The first point of contact for everything else should be your child’s Form Tutor, they will see your child every morning during registration and will be central to your child’s time at Imberhorne.

Imberhorne is a mainstream secondary school. It is based on two sites, years 7 to 9 are at the windmill Lane Site and years 10 to 13 are at the Imberhorne Lane site.

Student progress is monitored throughout their time at Imberhorne School to assess their progress and how their individual needs can be supported. The students reading and spelling ability is assessed annually throughout KS3. This allows us to identify students who may have SEND so that we can provide support at an early stage. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team work together with the staff to ensure that all students with SEND are supported appropriately to help them fulfil their full potential whilst encouraging them to develop their independent learning skills. If you feel that your child may have special educational needs please contact us as soon as possible.

This year we have used the following to assess for SEND:

• Information from the student's previous school
• Reading and spelling assessment
• Cognitive ability tests
• Subject teacher assessment
• Learning Support Assistant/Teacher feedback
• Parental concern
• Student self-referral
• Pastoral team concern

It is the SENCO’s responsibility to oversee all support for students with SEND and to coordinate and plan provision for them. The SEND team communicate with all staff to make them aware of the needs of individual students and inform them of their strengths and challenges suggesting strategies to support the students. Each teacher differentiates work appropriately for their students allowing them to access the work and make good progress.

The SEND team provide support and advice for staff to help them support students with SEND.

This year some of the support we have provided includes:

• In class support
• Reading Project
• Extra literacy lessons
• Maths intervention
• Social skills lessons
• Resilience group
• Homework club
• GCSE Workshops
• Hub – a space for supported study which maybe timetabled or by arrangement with a subject teacher or head of year.

Imberhorne strives to provide quality first teaching where students needs are considered and lessons made accessible. We plan work that meets the requirements of the curriculum and GCSE/GCE exam boards and meets the expectations of the KS3 national curriculum while providing breadth and balance. Curriculum lessons may be reduced or adapted on occasions to provide time to accommodate specific needs such as those identified on an EHCP.

Students can increasingly personalise their curriculum as they move through the school.

• This year 10% of our KS3 have additional support with their literacy instead of studying a modern foreign language (MFL). This is offered on an individual basis. This year saw the introduction of the ASDAN bronze award. 24 year nine students will be undertaking the award in place of MFL. This year the award includes a first aid certificate, a camping trip, gardening and other similar activities along with building a portfolio of evidence.
• In Key Stage 4 students may be provided with timetabled ‘support option’ time to help them develop study skills and to provide time to help them manage their other examined subjects. Construction is also run on site as a skills based option, in conjunction with Central Sussex College.

At Imberhorne we monitor student’s progress carefully. In addition to annual reports parents have access to SIMS Parent to see how your child is progressing. You will be able to see the homework they have been set, subject levels, targets, achievement points and behaviour points. For students with Education Health Care plans (EHCP) we hold an annual review. We will also provide Individual Education plans for students with EHCP. These will be reviewed termly by the school in partnership with parents.

We have an open door policy and parents are always welcome to contact us regarding any concerns they may have. We can be contacted by email or telephone and seek to actively involve parents with any concerns we may have.

At Imberhorne we have an extremely strong pastoral structure. Each Key Stage is led by an Assistant Headteacher who retains a pastoral overview of the Key Stage along with a team of Heads of Year. Your child will have a form tutor who will see them at registration every morning and will be your main point of contact. We also have a team of Pastoral Support Assistants and Learning Mentors at each Key Stage. We work closely with parents as a school, consulting and sharing information to support each child’s well-being.

We have numerous extra-curricular activities for your child to take part in should they choose to.

Within the SEND team we have experience of a wide variety of needs including Dyslexia, Speech and Language, Cochlear Implants and Autistic Spectrum conditions. Our Learning Support assistants are an experienced team who have worked extensively with children who have general learning difficulties. We also have a school counsellor available on site for students who require more specialised emotional support.

We can assess students and apply for special arrangements in exams where appropriate and have access to various outside agencies. This year we have worked with the following agencies:

• Child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS)
• Educational Psychology Service
• Pupil entitlement
• IPEH – Integrated prevention and earliest help
• Occupational therapist
• Moving and handling
• Social communication and autism team
• Learning behaviour advisory team
• School nurse
• Sensory support service
• Social communications team
• Speech and language service

Members of the Learning Support Assistant (LSA) team have attended various courses on mental health, autism, attachment, speech and language and resilience. Within the team of teachers, we have also commenced the Autism Awareness Award, anxiety through the autism lens, various one day courses on specific learning difficulties and positive handling.

All students are encouraged to take part in extra-curricular activities and school trips. We assess the student’s needs on an individual basis, working closely with the staff concerned to ensure that students are supported appropriately. This year we have sent additional staff to provide higher ratios or to accompany students with specific medical conditions and arranged accessible transport for those unable to use a coach.

Special funding is available to support those experiencing financial hardship. We endeavour to ensure all students, regardless of background, can access all extra-curricular activities. We recognise the value of such experiences and wish to provide equal access for all.

Both sites at Imberhorne are wheelchair accessible. Students with poor mobility can be timetabled so that all their lessons are on the ground floor or in a classroom where there is a stair lift to access it. We liaise carefully with outside agencies to gain advice as to how we can best support these students. Inclusion is an integral part of life at Imberhorne. This year the moving and handling team at county have visited both sites and some minor improvements will be made this summer to our upper school site to improve accessibility.

We feel it is essential to provide support for students as they prepare to enter their secondary education. We work very closely with our local schools within our locality group, the East Grinstead Group of School (EGGS), which includes 12 primary schools and the two main secondary schools (of which Imberhorne is one) in East Grinstead. We also work closely with schools that are out of area who have students transferring to Imberhorne.

We have a comprehensive transition programme for students transferring from Primary school to Secondary. There are extra group sessions and visits for students in need of extra reassurance. We also liaise closely with the SENCOs from the primary schools to ensure that we are fully aware of the needs of all students so that a consistent approach can be maintained. In July we attend the year 7 meet and greet evening held at Imberhorne Lower school. This is an opportunity for parents to meet school senior leaders, pastoral staff and the SENDCo if desired as well as making practical arrangements such as cashless catering, uniform and transport.

We prepare students with SEND for their transition to the Imberhorne Lane site in year 9, offering them a visit prior to their move up and advice as required.

We provide information to the colleges and universities as requested and support students with their applications where appropriate.

Imberhorne receives its school budget from West Sussex County Council. We allocate specific funding to the SEND team from the budget to cover the work that they do.

The decision about how much support your child will receive is based on the data that we have available either from the current assessment or information from their previous school. The student’s view and your views are also important to enable us to make sure that your child has the correct support in place.

We believe in working closely with parents to ensure that students are supported appropriately. The partnership between school and parents is highly valued at Imberhorne and this partnership is vital to support your child.

At our annual parents’ consultation evenings, our SENDCo is available to talk to. Mrs Price, Leader of Learning SEND, attends our new parents 'Meet and Greet Evening' during the Summer and meets with many parents of both existing and prospective students throughout the year. Alongside of this we have held a number of briefing evenings to ensure parents are as well informed as possible.

If you wish to meet with Mrs Price or any of the SEND team please do get in touch and we would be happy to arrange a meeting.

Our accessibility plan is located on our policies page.