SEND & Supporting Individual Needs
Goole Academy is a supportive and inclusive 11 – 16 school. We support and value the abilities of all our students regardless of their individual needs. It is our duty to provide equal opportunities for every person in our care and to offer a safe and fully equipped learning environment which caters to the needs of every student as an individual. We are committed to inclusion within the school curriculum and participation in all aspects of school life.
Goole Academy adopts a ‘whole school approach’ to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. All staff strive to promote inclusion of all students. The School is committed to ensuring that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities can fulfil not only their academic potential and achieve optimal educational outcomes, but also achieve physically, creatively, emotionally and socially.
Examples of the provision in place to support the development are;
- The Bridge: The Bridge is a provision within the academy where students with SEMH (social, emotional and mental health) needs can be supported. It is run by Diane Johnson, our Bridge Manager and she is supported by Katrina Stainton who is a mental health first aider. It also supports students with short and long term medical needs who may struggle to access the full school curriculum offer. Small group SEND lessons are delivered to students with Education, Health and Care Plans with keys focuses on literacy, numeracy and life skills. The Bridge also runs a break and lunch club for our most vulnerable students along with before and after school homework support.
- LSA (Learning Support Assistants): Goole Academy currently has 9 Learning Support Assistants. These are distributed across the school to support the students in mainstream lessons and within our inclusion areas; The PLC and The Bridge. We have LSAs assigned to the English, Maths and Science departments so they can build up their subject knowledge and support teaching staff thoroughly. They are involved in planning, preparation and intervention. The LSAs also support students with Education, Health and Care Plans in lessons which have been identified through review meetings as needing support. The LSAs enable students with SEND needs to access the school curriculum and they support with social and emotional development.
- The Personalised Learning Centre (PLC): Our PLC is a provision which supports pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Pupils in the PLC also follow a broad curriculum but access more personal development opportunities in order to support their return to the mainstream setting.
- Our Designated Safeguarding Lead provides pupils with access to a range of external agency support. School nurses visit every week and run drop in clinics. We also work with ERYC as part of an early intervention project to avoid young people disengaging with education and falling into criminal activity. As a school we utilise several agencies to assist our young people including, YFS, Childrens Social Care, PET, MIND, CAMHs, DVAP, Youth Action, ISPHN (Nursing Team), Humberside Police, CYPSS, local Children’s Centres amongst many others as needs dictate. We also complete regular welfare checks on our students and provide free breakfasts for all students, as we strive for a complete wrap-around care for all.
- Our designated SENDCo is Mrs Sarah Smith – email – SmithS17@gooleacademy.org.uk
Parents and carers may also wish to access East Riding of Yorkshire Council support such as Parent Partnership, Aiming High and Short Breaks provision and the Children’s Disability Team. The East Riding of Yorkshire Local Offer can be found by clicking here.
To find out more about our SEND Policies, Provision, and LEA Offer, please click the links below: