Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

Every pupil is unique

At Newman, we recognise that success looks different for every pupil.

Our curriculum and wider provision are personalised to reflect pupils’ different starting points and needs, while maintaining high expectations for what each young person can achieve.

Learning is structured sequentially so that new knowledge and skills build upon previous learning and development. Our curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum while being shaped around the needs of Newman pupils and our three key curriculum drivers:

Communication • Independence • Resilience

These drivers help ensure that learning is relevant not only to pupils’ education today, but also to the lives they will lead beyond school.

Education, Health & Care Plans

Every pupil at Newman has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

EHCP outcomes help inform the individual support and provision pupils receive and connect with learning across school.

We recognise that education, health and care needs are interconnected. Staff therefore work collaboratively with families and relevant professionals to help pupils make progress towards outcomes that are meaningful to them.

As pupils grow and develop, this work increasingly supports their preparation for the next stage of education and ultimately for adult life.

Personalised Learning

Newman’s curriculum recognises the breadth of abilities and needs across the school.

Rather than expecting every pupil to learn in the same way or progress at the same rate, teaching is adapted to provide positive, meaningful and appropriately challenging learning experiences.

Our curriculum pathways enable learning to be matched to pupils’ individual stages of development, with opportunities to progress from sensory engagement and exploration through to increasingly independent learning and formal accreditation where appropriate.

The aim is always meaningful progress from each pupil’s individual starting point.

Communication

Communication is fundamental to learning, relationships and independence.

Newman recognises that pupils communicate in different ways. For some young people, spoken language may not be their primary or most effective means of communication.

Our approach therefore supports individual communication needs and can include signing, symbols and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) alongside spoken language.

The goal is for every pupil to have an effective way to express themselves, make choices, communicate their needs, build relationships and participate as fully as possible in school and the wider community.

Working With Families

Families and carers know their children exceptionally well and are important partners in their education.

We work closely with parents and carers, listening to their knowledge and perspectives and sharing information about pupils’ learning, development and wellbeing.

Where appropriate, this partnership extends to external professionals and other services involved with the young person.

By working together, we aim to provide consistent support and make informed decisions centred around the needs and aspirations of each pupil. Newman’s existing website material specifically identifies close partnership with families, carers and external professionals as central to achieving the best possible outcomes for pupils.

Working With Other Professionals

Meeting a young person’s SEND can involve expertise from a range of disciplines.

Newman works collaboratively with other professionals and local providers to help ensure pupils receive appropriate education, care, advice and support. The school’s previous SEND information specifically highlights this partnership approach.

Where relevant to an individual pupil, professionals may contribute specialist advice, assessment, intervention or support which can then inform approaches used within school.

This collaborative approach helps ensure that the different people supporting a child or young person are working towards shared and meaningful outcomes.

SEND Information & Support

We recognise that SEND systems, terminology and processes can sometimes feel complex for families.

Parents and carers are encouraged to contact Newman if they have questions about their child’s provision, EHCP, learning or support.

We can work with families and other professionals to help ensure that pupils’ needs are understood and that everyone is working together towards the best possible outcomes for the young person.

Preparing for Adulthood

Preparation for Adulthood is a golden thread running throughout Newman’s curriculum.

It begins from the earliest opportunity in EYFS and develops throughout each stage of a pupil’s education.

Our aim is to support pupils to achieve the highest possible levels of communication, independence and resilience, equipping them for the next stage of their lives.

As pupils grow older, their individual programme increasingly considers the skills, knowledge and experiences they may need for adult life, including the four key areas of:

Employment • Independent Living • Community Inclusion • Health

Preparation for adulthood therefore isn’t something that begins when pupils reach Sixth Form. It influences how we think about meaningful outcomes throughout a young person’s time at Newman.

Supporting the Whole Young Person

SEND provision at Newman extends beyond academic achievement.

We recognise the importance of pupils’ communication, physical development, emotional wellbeing, relationships, independence and participation within their communities.

Different areas of the curriculum and wider school provision work together to support these aspects of development.

We celebrate progress in all its forms and recognise that an achievement that appears small to somebody else can represent a significant step forward for an individual pupil.

Transitions

Transitions can be particularly significant for children and young people with SEND.

Throughout a pupil’s time at Newman, we aim to ensure that transitions are carefully considered and appropriate to their individual needs.

As young people approach adulthood, planning increasingly focuses upon their future aspirations and the education, skills, experiences and support that will help them move successfully into their next stage.

Our aim is for pupils to leave Newman with the knowledge, qualifications, wider skills, characteristics and experiences that can help them lead successful and healthy adult lives.