SEND

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At Impington Village College, regardless of Special Educational Need and/or Disability (SEND) we:

  • Provide high quality provision for students who may have additional needs in any of the following areas:
    • Cognition and Learning
    • Communication and Interaction
    • Emotional, social and mental health
    • Physical and Sensory
  • Have high expectations and aspirations for all students.
  • Ensure that students learn and interact in a caring, happy, safe and secure environment.
  • Make every effort to ensure equality of educational access and opportunity.
  • Provide maximum opportunity to develop and reach individual potential academically, socially and personally.
  • Encourage every student to develop their skills of communication.
  • Challenge students to become as independent as possible.
  • Have a clear focus on improving outcomes for students.
  • Understand that the views and participation of students, family/carers are fundamental.
  • Listen to, and involve students, family/carers and other professionals in decision making.
  • Understand the importance of friendships and encourage respectful, trusting relationships throughout the College.
  • Empower students to be an individual.
  • Publish information about the College’s policies for the identification, assessment and provision for all students.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Subject Teacher and/or Tutor and/or Head of House

Responsible for:

  • Checking on the progress of students and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help students may need in collaboration with other staff members, students, parents/carers and the SEND Department.
  • Knowing about any personalised teaching and learning for students as identified on their student profile.
  • Ensuring that the College’s SEND Policy is followed in lessons for all the students they teach with SEND.

Leah Cooper   SENCo and Assistant Principal with Responsibility for SEND

Responsible for:

  • Strategic oversight of the SEND faculty and provision
  • Progress of all students
  • Data
  • Reporting and Tracking
  • Developing and reviewing the College’s SEND Policy
  • Co-ordinating all the support for students with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).


Oliver Potter  Lead Teacher – KS3

Responsible for:

  • Effective transition from Primary School (for those students with identified SEND)
  • Ensuring that you are kept informed about the support your child is receiving, have involvement in supporting your child’s learning and regularly reviewing their progress.
  • Developing and overseeing personalisation of teaching and learning for your child.
  • Liaising with professionals who may be coming into the College to help support your childs’ learning, e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology.
  • Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the College, so that they can help students with SEND to achieve the best progress possible.
  • Providing specialist teaching for identified students.
  • Updating the College’s SEND Register (a system for ensuring that all the SEND needs of students are known by all teaching staff in College) and making sure records of your students’ progress and needs are recorded. Only students who access teaching and/or support that are different from usual excellent classroom teaching (known as quality first teaching) will be included on the Register with the consent of parent/carer.


Meg Dinig  SENCo

Responsible for:

  • Interventions (predominantly KS4 and KS5) that are different from and additional to quality first teaching.
  • Ensuring that you are kept informed about the support your child is receiving, have involvement in supporting your child’s learning and regularly reviewing their progress.
  • Developing and overseeing personalisation of teaching and learning for your child.
  • Liaising with professionals who may be coming in to College to help support your child’s learning, e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology.
  • Updating the College’s SEND Register (as explained above) and making sure records of your child’s progress and needs are recorded.
  • Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the College, so that they can help students with SEND to achieve the best progress possible.
  • Providing specialist teaching for identified students.


Vicky Bailey  SEND Manager

Responsible for:

  • Management and organisation of Teaching Assistants
  • Overseeing day-to-day support for students with SEND and liaising with parents

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Laura Bealey and Zoe Lander  Deputy SEND Managers

Responsible for:

  • Oversight of the Specialist Post-16 Provision (SPP)
  • Co-ordinating and implementing day-to-day support for students with SEND and liaising with parents

Tiffany Middleton  Governor Responsible for SEND

Responsible for:

  • Making sure that the necessary support is given for any child with SEND who attends the College.

Information is shared and gathered at the point of transition and entry into College. All students in Year 7 undertake further assessments to provide comprehensive baseline data. This may include:

  • National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) reading and comprehension test
  • CAT tests

The progress and learning of all students is monitored and reviewed regularly. Progress checks are shared with students and parents/carers throughout the year. If your child is identified as not making progress you will be informed and if necessary a meeting set up to discuss this with you in more detail. We will;

  • Listen to any concerns that you may have.
  • Listen to any concerns that your child may have.
  • Plan any additional support your child may need that is different or additional to the usual excellent classroom teaching (quality first teaching).
  • Discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child, and explain if appropriate, the process of applying for an Education Health and Care Plan Needs Assessment (EHCP NA).
  • Each student with their parent/carer attends an Academic Tutorial where progress and learning are discussed with their Lead Tutor. Each student and parent/carer are fully consulted and involved in discussions to ensure that any support and resources provided are appropriate and effective. Information regarding how a parent/carer can further support their child is also shared.

If your child is identified as not making progress, the College may set up a meeting to discuss this with you in more detail and to;

  • Listen to any concerns you may have.
  • Plan any additional support your child may need (this may involve your child being added to the SEND register, and you will be informed of this).
  • Discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child and and explain if appropriate, the process of applying for an Education Health and Care Plan Needs Assessment (EHCP NA).
  • The College budget includes money for supporting children with SEND. The provision of additional support is made as appropriate from the College’s budget.
  • Students with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) receive central funding from the Educational Funding Agency (EFA) with Local Authority (LA) top up money to supplement that provided by the College.
  • Additional funding is provided by the EFA (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/education-funding-agency) to purchase Enhanced Resource Base (ERB) Provision for students with physical disabilities and/or significant complex needs, either in the College or Specialist Post-16 Provision or in the Foundation Learning program (information below).
  • Deployment of resources for SEND is made in consultation with parents/carers, the Principal, College Governors, SENCo and teaching staff on the basis of needs in the College.
  • Regular classroom feedback provided for students is informative and includes next steps for progression, including assessed tasks every 6-8 learning hours.
  • Written feedback is regularly provided for students that is helpful and includes next steps for progression through the use of the College IMP (I Make Progress) stamp and marking policy.
  • Progress checks are completed throughout the year and shared with students and parent/carers in the form of a report.
  • An Annual Review will be held for students with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP). The focus of this review is discussion of the child’s progress against set targets, and this is always done collaboratively with the family and the child, as well as any outside agencies who are involved.
  • Parents are invited to an Academic Tutorial (with their tutor) and Parents evening (with their teachers)
  • Members of the Senior Leadership Team carry out regular book scrutinies and lesson observations to ensure that the needs of all students are met through outstanding quality of teaching and learning.
  • Please see IVC Provision map.
  • The College (or parents/carers) can request that the Local Authority to carry out a Statutory Assessment of your child’s needs. This is a legal process which sets out the amount of support that will be provided for your child: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/local-offer/education-health-and-care-plan-ehcp
  • After the request has been made to the ‘Panel of Professionals’ (with a lot of information about your child, including some from you), they will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to need a Statutory Assessment. If this is the case, they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s needs.
  • After the reports have all been sent in, the Panel of Professionals will decide if your child’s needs are severe, complex and lifelong. If this is the case, they will write an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). If this is not the case, they will ask the College to continue with the current level of support and also set up a meeting in the College so that a plan is in place to ensure your child makes as much progress as possible.
  • If it is agreed, the Statement or EHC Plan will outline the support your child will receive and what strategies must be put in place. It will also have long- and short-term goals for your child. The plan will be written taking into account the views of the child and family, as well as professionals.
  • The will be reviewed every year (annual review meeting), and is a collaborative process involving the family, child and any professionals.

Enhanced Resource Base: The Pavilion

A small number of Enhanced Resource Base places are available at Impington Village College for some students with EHCPs. The Pavilion is a purpose built accommodation, supporting the physical and medical needs of students with SEND who may otherwise be supported in specialist schools, so that they are able to participate as fully as possible in the life of the College and the wider community.

The Pavilion is located in the central part of the College and has four classrooms, a physiotherapy room, accessible kitchen area and fully equipped bathroom area. Equipment and resources facilitate the delivery of alternative curricular activities and therapies as required by each individual student.

Students accessing these places from year 7 in 2020 follow an individualised curriculum, whereby they are taught in a small group for subjects including Maths, English and Science by subject specialist teachers, but are taught within larger mixed ability groups for other subjects, including Art, Drama, iCAS and tutor time. Students also access multiadapted specialist sport and swimming, as well as specific interventions according to their needs as set out in their EHCPs.

The high quality educational provision at Impington Village College supports inclusion, independence and meaningful progression for all students, including Enhanced Resource students. Every student has access to a range of appropriate assessment and accreditation opportunities taking into account their individual needs.


Enhanced Resource Base: Specialist Post-16 Provision

Enhanced Resource Base places are available at the Specialist Post-16 Provision for some students with EHCPs. This is a 2-year full-time course for post-16 students, formerly known as IDEAL.It is targeted towards young people who are working towards Entry Level 2/3 qualifications, independence and the acquisition of key life skills.

Students have access to a small and supportive base, which includes classrooms, ICT facilities, social areas and a well-equipped kitchen. This is situated within the larger environment of the secondary school, international sixth form and community sports centre. Therefore students are a part of a larger, thriving community, and benefit from the associated additional facilities (including a swimming pool and gym, garden, dance studios, library) and social opportunities.

All students access appropriate accredited qualifications in English and Maths, as well as two other subject areas (two of Art & Design, Catering/hospitality, Sports and active leisure, and Performing Arts) with opportunities to develop work and employability skills (including ICT and enterprise), take part in PE and swimming, community access and independent travel. Students are also supported individually as appropriate in accordance with their EHCPs.

Best endeavours ensure that trips are accessible for all students wherever possible. If appropriate additional adult support will be made available to ensure that your child is fully included.

  • Risk assessments are carried out where necessary to ensure that Health and Safety requirements are fully met.
  • Where possible travel will be fully accessible to all students. The College also has access to adapted minibuses.
  • All students are able to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities, including weekly iCAS (Impington Creativity Activity and Service) enrichment.

Some students may require additional support to ensure that emotional, social and mental health is appropriately developed and nurtured. These needs can be shown in different ways, including anxiousness, behavioural difficulties, and being uncommunicative.

All students are in Tutor Groups and Houses that provide the opportunity to explore Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education curriculum that supports this development. Each student’s tutor and Head of House or Deputy Head of house knows them well. Staff and students can make referrals to the College’s wellbeing mentor system, which can provide direct support to students or lead to referrals if further support is required (i.e. CAMHS, CHUMS, counselling, an EHA).

Advice or direct input from the following services can be sought by the College, in consultation with the parents/carers and young person, but this is subject to the service in question accepting the referral.

  • Educational Psychologist (if the LA EPs are undertaking non-statutory work at that time)
  • Hearing Service
  • Mobility Service
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physiotherapist
  • Speech and Language Therapist
  • Visual Impairment Service

Every teacher is a teacher of every student. It is part of the SENCo’s role to support subject teachers to assess, plan, monitor and review the progress of students with SEND.

  • Training and support is provided for all teachers and teaching assistants to ensure excellent differentiated classroom practice (quality first teaching).
  • Training and support is provided for all teachers and teaching assistants that is specific to the individual needs of the students, for example, Epilepsy training.
  • Individual teachers and teaching assistants attend a wide range of internal and external training that ensure staff develop a wide knowledge and experience base.

The College is fully compliant with the Equality Act (2010) requirements.

  • Every classroom is accessible apart from one classroom (Art/Textiles) and alternative arrangements for classes are made to ensure students are not excluded from these lessons.
  • Adjustable tables and specialist seating is available and provided as appropriate.
  • There are lifts to upper floors (with the exception of one Art/Textiles room)
  • There are toilet facilities with disabled access in the College.
  • Outside areas of the College environment are accessible to all students regardless of SEND.
  • Extra-curricular activities and trips are accessible for students with SEND.

Collaboration with, listening to and developing effective partnerships with parents/carers and their child is essential. Parents/carers know and understand their children best. Therefore students and parents/carers are actively encouraged to participate in the development of, application of, and review of policies relating to SEND in various ways including;

  • Parent/Carer participation groups (SENDIAS)
  • Parent/Carer forums and surveys
  • Parent/Carer Pavilion teas (held 3 times a year)
  • Academic tutorials/parents evenings/annual Reviews (beginning with attendance at Year 5 or 6 reviews when invited)

Collaboration with, listening to and developing effective partnerships with parents/carers and their child is essential. Parents/carers know and understand their children best. Therefore students and parents/carers are actively encouraged to participate in the development of, application of, and review of policies relating to SEND in various ways including;

  • Parent/Carer participation groups (SENDIAS)
  • Parent/Carer forums and surveys
  • Parent/Carer Pavilion teas (held 3 times a year)
  • Academic tutorials/parents evenings/annual Reviews (beginning with attendance at Year 5 or 6 reviews when invited)
  • Regular communication and opportunities to provide feedback
  • PSFA
  • Pavilion teas (held 3 times a year)
  • Surveys and parent forums
  • Parents’ Evenings
  • Academic tutorials
  • Performances
  • Open Days
  • Option Choices
  • Parent Governor

There is a comprehensive transition processes to ensure students and parent/carers are fully supported, that depends on individual need but may include;

  • Meeting with parents from year 4 onwards (please contact reception to arrange)
  • Visits to feeder primary schools to meet the student
  • Discussion with primary school teachers/TAs
  • Induction days/workshops at the College which may begin as early as year 4
  • Extra transition visits with TA support
  • Additional pastoral support
  • Attendance at annual reviews as requested from Year 4
  • Contact with professional involved in Primary School support as appropriate
  • The Children and Families Bill became enacted in 2014. From this date, local authorities and schools are required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for the children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25. This is the ‘Local Offer’. http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/send
  • The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. It is an important resource for parents in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area.
  • The local offer includes information about health and social care services, education, leisure activities and support groups in the area for children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND and their families.


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