SEND at Huish Episcopi Academy
The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) is Mrs Lara Williams and she can be contacted via the Academy on 01458 250501 or via her email address HuishSEN@hea.ac.uk.
Huish Episcopi Academy is a mainstream academy for students aged 11 - 16 years, with Huish Sixth taking students aged 16 –19 years. We support students with a range of special educational needs. For example, Dyslexia, Developmental Co-ordination Disorder, Autism, ADHD, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Language Difficulties, and Physical needs. We seek to support the individual and understand every student with additional needs is unique and therefore, what works for them should be personalised.
Where a student is identified as having SEND, we will take action to remove any barriers to learning and implement effective educational provision, including all stakeholders to plan and evaluate the provision accordingly.
At Huish Episcopi Academy, our SEND team comprises of our SENCo, Deputy SENCo, three Lead Learning Coaches, and five additional Learning Coaches. All of our Learning Coaches have dedicated specialisms, for which they support teaching staff, providing key worker support to their caseload of students and run specialist interventions. We utilise and implement the latest research to support our SEND students to ensure they academically achieve and thrive socially within our Academy.
All teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress of all students in their classes, including those with SEND. Teachers have high aspirations for all students they are responsible for, and will personalise the learning experience to ensure students’ needs are met. When necessary, teachers will raise concerns to their Curriculum Leader, the relevant Head of House, or the SENCo/ Learning Support Department, if further advice is needed to support students’ progress.
The SENCo will ensure that all necessary members of staff are aware of your individual needs and what specific adjustments are needed to enable them to be included and make progress.
The Academy works in partnership with a range of external agencies and professionals to ensure there is a clear assessment of individual students' needs and that the most efficient provision is put in place.
Examples of the agencies/professionals accessed by the Academy include:
i. Educational Psychology Team
ii. CAOT (Children with Autism Outreach Team)
iii. Ethnic Minorities Team (including Traveller Education and English as an Additional Language)
iv. Sensory, Physical and Occupational Therapy Team
v. CAMHS (Children and Adolescence Mental Health Services)
vi. Childrens' Social Care
vii. Speech and Language Therapy
viii. Paediatrician
If you require further support in relation to your child’s needs, you can contact SENDIAS on 01823 355578 or email info@somersetsend.org.uk, or look at their website www.somersetsend.org.uk.
Somerset’s Local offer is published at https://www.somerset.gov.uk/children-families-and-education/the-local-offer/
Children and young people who are looked after by the local authority and have SEN can receive further additional support from Somerset’s Virtual School for Looked After Children.
