SEND Provision at Birchwood

Our Aims:

  • To ensure that all students meet their expected progress in learning
  • To ensure that all students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified in order to support academic progression and continued wellbeing
  • To ensure all students can access a balanced curriculum, differentiated where appropriate
  • To ensure that all students with SEND are able to fully access the curriculum by providing extra support or additional resources thereby removing barriers to learning
Working in the Personalised Learning Centre

At Birchwood High School we believe that every student, regardless of circumstance, should have access to a broad and balanced education. Our aim is to ensure that all students are educated in a safe environment throughout their time at school, and we do everything we can to ensure that all have a positive experience on a day-to-day basis.

The aim is for our SEND students to become independent learners in the classroom. For this to be the case, we strive to continually improve our ‘Quality First Teaching’ where the classroom teacher scaffolds tasks to ensure that everyone is fully engaged and accessing the work.

We believe that every student should be treated as an individual; to cater for their needs. We provide a range of support and intervention to achieve this, including high quality pastoral care and some 1 to 1 or small group interventions. We also never forget the ‘student voice’ and take on board what each individual has to say about what it’s like to be a Birchwood student. Additionally, we do our very best to maintain an ongoing dialogue with parents as we understand they are also key in us providing pupils with a positive experience at school.

At Birchwood, we want all students to leave us as well-rounded individuals who are ready to take their next steps into the world. Students with SEND are no exception. Therefore, we do what we can to provide opportunities that are inspiring and enriching throughout their time at Birchwood and create a community where all students feel proud to belong .

Rob Herbert – Assistant Principal (SEND Provision)

Rob Herbert - Assistant Principal

Meet the Staff

Deputy SENCo
Miss L Crossley

Assistant SENCo’s
Mrs F Wright

Miss R Wade

PLC Administrator:
Mrs S Waller

To contact a member of this Faculty, click their name to open a new e-mail


My name is Lori Jackson and I am the SENCO at Birchwood. I have been at the school for 10 years and I am also a teacher of Art.

I have always been passionate about helping those with SEND, as are the members of my team in the Personalised Learning Centre. We do all that we can to ensure that all students can fully access lessons and pay particular attention to individual’s strengths and difficulties. I believe that we are a truly inclusive school at Birchwood. Staff will always strive to find the best ways to fulfil students’ academic and pastoral needs. It is my belief that a big part of education is about preparing students for their next steps in life and we will do everything we can to facilitate students being a success in whatever it is they want to pursue

Lori Jackson, SENCo
Lori Jackson, SENCo

Our Personalised Learning Centre

The PLC provides facilities such as:

  • Student computers
  • Social area during break and lunchtime
  • Sensory area for emotional regulation
  • Books
  • Games
  • Lego
  • Student working area
  • Lockers for specific needs

Feedback

The PLC has been really helpful in supporting my son at Birchwood, especially with moving from primary to secondary school. They have been open to listening to our and his concerns and making as many adaptations as possible. The PLC staff are flexible in their approaches to day-to-day challenges and work closely with us to address them. They are also very keen to celebrate successes and my son has grown in confidence and maturity throughout his time at Birchwood.

Birchwood Parent

Policies and Other Key Documents

Admissions arrangements for Students with a Statement or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) are included in our Admissions Policy.

Information on the complaints procedure regarding SEND provision can be found in our Complaints Policy.

All Policies can be found by clicking on the link below:
https://www.birchwoodonline.co.uk/about-us/governance/key-policies/

Intervention Centre

September 2022 has seen the introduction of an Intervention centre at Birchwood High school. (Intervention Structure Centre PDF) The centre includes the addition of an Academic Intervention manager, Jane Mitchel, who is also the Tutor of English. Alongside Jane, is Jeanette Moore in the role of Maths tutor and Karen Homer as the Science tutor. The team have already started tutoring and have a systematic approach in place to ensure that those most in need in each year group are given the opportunity to access some targeted academic support. The introduction of the centre has also become home to Online learning. We appreciate that nothing replaces quality first teaching, however, TLC live has proven to help a number of Birchwood students access the curriculum, especially over the past 3 years. Additionally, we have a number of other academic interventions to help boost literacy levels such as ‘Eco reading’, ‘Paired reading’ and Form time reading.

In terms of the Pastoral Interventions, we have our highly effective Student Welfare / Pastoral team. This is a mixture of targeted 1 to 1 and group work which proves to be invaluable in helping improve the lives of our students here at Birchwood. This intervention comes in different forms, from external agencies such as Safe Space counselling and the Jepeca programme, to intensive work for students from our Student Welfare Officer, Behaviour Support manager and School counsellor. Additionally, there are further aspects of pastoral intervention such as Peer mentoring which have run so effectively for a number of years now.

The latest pastoral intervention that was introduced in 2021, was our Birchwood Triage panel (Triage panel process). This Panel is made up of some key pastoral figures in the school such the Attendance officer, Student welfare officer, Behaviour support manager, School counsellor, Careers and guidance officer, SENCO / Deputy Senco, Academic Intervention manager the relevant HoY and an Assistant Principal. The triage works by where every student in the school is given a tier score between 1-4 based on 7 key pieces of data; low attainment, attendance, behaviour, mental heal, physical health, safeguarding history and disadvantage. (See the model attached). The data for each child constantly changes, therefore, each triage panel follows an interim which informs an Intervention spreadsheet. The aim is to discuss and provide help for those most in need and promote students ability to meet their potential with us at Birchwood.

Additionally, under Rigour and Preciseness

We use the Assess, Plan, Do Review process (Assess, Plan, Do, Review)  as advised by the SEND code of practice to regularly discuss provision for students on the SEND register. Meetings are held following the year groups interim report to inform intervention.

Latest News

Power of Silence

Power of Silence

Please see attached poster for a free workshop aimed at the importance of communication between parents and children with additional needs. Please contact Mrs S Waller at swaller@birchwoodhigh.org.uk if you would like to book a place.


PLC Animals

ASDAN Animal Care Course

Year 9’s had special visitors to their ASDAN Animal Care Course this week. Some were slippery, some were prickly but all were very interesting. The students were really brave to hold them and asked really good questions about the habitats and lifespans of these animals. We are really grateful to Mrs Whitehorn (a really helpful parent) who is an animal specialist and brought the animals in.