SEND Information Report

SEND Information Report - 2026/2027

Key information

Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCo): Tanaporn O’Toole

Email: smit-send@coopacademies.co.uk

Telephone number 01924 326708

Chair of the Academy Community Council: Linda Walton

What kind of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are catered for at Co-op Academy Smithies Moor?

We cater for a variety of special educational needs which fall under the four broad areas of need:

Cognition and Learning:

● Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) E.g Dyslexia/dyscalculia

● Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)

● Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD)

Social, Emotional and/or Mental Health:

● Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity (ADHD)

● Emotional and mental health needs

Sensory and/or Physical:

● Hearing Impairment (HI)

● Visual Impairment (VI)

● Physical Disability (PD)

● Multi-sensory impairment (MSI)

● Sensory need

Communication and Interaction:

● Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

● Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

How does Co-op Academy Smithies Moor know that a child/young person needs extra help and what do I do if I think my child/young person has special educational needs?

At Co-op Academy Smithies Moor, we regularly check how children are learning and progressing. Teachers use information from lessons, observations and assessments to identify children who may need extra help or who are not making the progress we would expect.

Children’s progress is discussed regularly by teachers and key stage leaders, with the SENDCo involved throughout the year. If a child needs additional support, we may put extra help in place in the classroom to support their learning and progress.

If we continue to have concerns about your child, we will talk to you and work with you to understand their needs and decide on the best way to support them.

If you are worried that your child may have special educational needs or may need additional support, please speak to their class teacher first. You can arrange an informal conversation to share your concerns. The teacher will discuss what they have noticed and, together with you, agree on the most appropriate next steps.

We believe that working closely with parents and carers is important in making sure every child gets the right support to learn, develop and thrive.

How does Co-op Academy Smithies Moor assess and identify the needs of their children/young people?

Co-op Academy Smithies Moor uses a range of information to assess and identify children’s individual needs. This includes observations, assessment information, classroom work and progress towards individual targets.

For children receiving SEND support, Pupil Passports are developed in partnership with the child and their parents or carers. They include individual targets and are reviewed termly to monitor progress and identify appropriate next steps.

For children with an EHCP, an annual review is held with the child, parents or carers, school staff and relevant external professionals, where appropriate. The child’s views, needs and aspirations are central to the review and help inform their targets and provision.

Targets are broken down into smaller steps throughout the year, with evidence from classroom work and assessments used to monitor progress.

We work closely with children, families and other professionals to build a clear understanding of each child’s strengths and needs and to ensure that support is appropriate and regularly reviewed.

How do we involve and support parents of children/young people with SEND?

We work closely with parents and carers to make sure they are involved in decisions about their child’s SEND support and progress.

Parents and carers can communicate regularly with their child’s class teacher, SENDCo and senior leaders. We provide opportunities to meet with the SENDCo at parents’ evenings, SEND parent meetings and other meetings throughout the year.

Parents and carers are involved in reviewing their child’s Pupil Passport each term and are encouraged to share their views about their child’s progress, needs and support. They are also invited to attend annual reviews and meetings with outside agencies where appropriate.

We share relevant reports and information with parents and carers so that they are kept informed and can contribute to decisions about their child’s education and support.

Our aim is to work in partnership with families, ensuring that parents and carers have regular opportunities to share their views, ask questions and help shape the support provided for their child.

How do we involve children/young people with SEND in shaping their education and future?

We believe children and young people with SEND should have a strong voice in decisions about their education, support and future. Staff encourage pupils to talk about what they find difficult, what they are good at and what support they feel would help them.

Pupils are involved in setting appropriate targets with their teachers and are encouraged to take an active role in working towards these targets.

Pupils can share their views through:

Termly pupil voice as part of their Pupil Passport review.
Pupil voice during targeted interventions, including discussions about what is helping them.
Regular conversations with their class teacher, SENDCo and senior leaders.
Working with teachers to agree targets and identify the support and strategies that will help them achieve these.
Sharing their views, aspirations and preferences when decisions are made about their education and future.

Where appropriate, pupils are supported to understand their needs, recognise their strengths and develop confidence in expressing their views and making choices about their future.

How do you and I know that your child/young person is making progress and meeting their targets?

We regularly assess and track the progress of all pupils. For pupils on the SEND register, a Pupil Passport sets out their individual targets and the support they need.

Pupil Passports are reviewed and updated each term. Progress towards targets is discussed with the pupil and shared with parents and carers. Evidence from classroom work, assessments, observations and targeted interventions is used to help identify whether targets are being achieved and whether further support is needed.

Parents and carers can discuss their child’s progress regularly with the class teacher, SENDCo and senior leaders. There are also opportunities to review progress through:

Termly Pupil Passport reviews and parent voice.
SEND parent meetings and parents’ evenings.
SENDCo and annual review meetings.
Meetings with outside agencies, where appropriate.
Sharing relevant reports and assessment information with parents and carers.

If a child is not making the expected progress towards their targets, we work with the child, family and relevant professionals to review the support in place and agree appropriate next steps.

How will Co-op Academy Smithies Moor prepare and support my child/young person moving to or from our academy and how do we prepare them to join the next stage of education and life?

We understand that moving to a new year group, class, school or the next stage of education can be a significant change for children and young people with SEND. We plan transitions carefully and provide additional support where needed to help make them as smooth and successful as possible.

We work closely with the child or young person, parents and carers, their current or new setting and other professionals to share information and plan the transition. This may include:

Discussions with the previous or next school or setting before the child joins or leaves us.
Sharing relevant information about the child’s needs, strengths, support and targets with their new teachers.
Meetings or discussions with parents, carers and other professionals.
Opportunities for the child to visit their new classroom or setting.
Time for pupils to meet their new teacher and become familiar with their new environment.
Additional visits or transition sessions for children who may need more time or support.
Ensuring the new teacher receives the information they need to support the child effectively.

We also help children and young people prepare for their next stage by talking to them about changes, listening to their views and helping them develop the confidence and skills they need to manage new experiences.

Where appropriate, transition arrangements are personalised to the individual child, taking account of their needs, strengths, wishes and aspirations.

How will teaching and the curriculum be adapted to meet the needs of my child/young person?

All teachers use high-quality, adaptive teaching strategies to meet the needs of all pupils. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ learning and make appropriate adaptations to teaching, resources and activities to help children and young people access the curriculum and make progress.

Where a pupil requires additional support, class teachers may make individual adaptations to meet their specific needs. This could include adapting learning activities and resources, providing additional adult support, using visual or practical resources, breaking learning into smaller steps, or providing individual targets.

Teachers work closely with the SENDCo, senior leaders, parents and carers, and other professionals where appropriate, to identify the most appropriate support and adaptations for each pupil.

The impact of these adaptations is reviewed regularly to ensure that they continue to meet the child or young person’s needs and support their progress and independence.

How is the school environment made accessible?

We make reasonable adjustments to help children and young people with SEND access the school environment, learning and wider school life. Support is tailored to each pupil’s individual needs and may include:

Sensory and/or physical needs

Additional adult support where required.
Individual sensory adaptations, such as ear defenders and sensory circuits.
Support from the school nurse where appropriate.

Cognition and learning

Adapted and differentiated learning resources.
Concrete and practical resources to support learning.
Individual curriculum targets.
Additional adult support where appropriate.

Communication and interaction

Visual approaches and dual coding to support understanding.
Communication boards and 'Now and Next' strategies.
Access to translators where required.

Social, emotional and mental health

Adapted timetables, including soft starts or finishes where appropriate.
Access to quiet spaces.
Access to pastoral support.

We regularly review the support and adjustments in place to ensure they continue to meet each child or young person’s individual needs and enable them to participate fully in school life.

What expertise for supporting children/young people with SEND do our staff have and what training have they received in the last three years?

Our staff receive ongoing training and professional development to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence in supporting children and young people with SEND. Training is selected to reflect the needs of our pupils and helps staff provide appropriate support in the classroom and across the wider school environment.

Recent in-school training includes:

Teach Like a Champion (TLAC) strategies.
Zones of Regulation.
Team Teach.
Sensory Circuits.
Communication Boards.
Dyslexia training.
Adaptive Teaching.
Restorative Practice.

This training enables staff to support pupils with a range of needs, including cognition and learning, communication and interaction, sensory and physical needs, and social, emotional and mental health needs.

Staff expertise is developed through ongoing professional development, collaboration with the SENDCo and advice from relevant external professionals where appropriate. Training and support are reviewed in response to the individual needs of our pupils.

What other experts do we work with to support children/young people with SEND?

We work in partnership with a range of external professionals and specialist services to ensure children and young people with SEND receive the appropriate support for their individual needs.

Where additional specialist advice or support is needed, referrals are made in partnership with the child’s family. The decision to seek support from an external agency is made jointly by the class teacher, parents or carers and the SENDCo, where appropriate.

We may work with:

Kirklees Specialist Outreach Team – providing specialist advice and support to help meet individual needs.
Cluster services – providing additional support for children, young people and families.
Locala – providing appropriate health and community services.
Educational Psychologists (EPs) – providing specialist assessment, advice and recommendations to support learning and development.
School/Health Nurse – providing health advice and support where appropriate.
Visual Impairment Team (VIT) – providing specialist advice and support for pupils with visual impairment.

We work closely with these professionals, parents and carers, and the child or young person to understand their needs, put appropriate support in place and review the impact of that support.

How do we know that the support provided to children/young people is effective?

We regularly monitor and review the support provided to pupils with SEND to make sure it is meeting their individual needs and helping them make progress towards their targets.

We use the graduated approach of assess, plan, do and review to evaluate the effectiveness of support. Information from a range of sources is used to identify what is working well and whether any changes are needed.

This includes:

Pupil progress meetings and regular discussions between the SENDCo and teachers.
Lesson observations and monitoring of teaching and support.
Monitoring teachers’ planning and pupils’ work.
Reviewing Pupil Passports and progress towards individual targets.
Listening to the views of pupils and parents/carers.
Feedback from external professionals and visitors who support or monitor provision.

Where support is not having the expected impact, we review the provision and work with the pupil, parents/carers, school staff and relevant professionals to agree appropriate changes and next steps.

Our aim is to ensure that SEND support is effective, has a positive impact on pupils’ progress and development, and helps children and young people achieve their individual outcomes.

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom, including trips?

We are fully inclusive and aim to ensure that every child and young person can take part in activities outside the classroom, including educational visits and trips. We plan carefully in advance and make reasonable adjustments to meet individual needs so that children can participate safely and successfully.

How do we support your child to access activities and trips?

Individual pupil risk assessments are completed where appropriate.
We communicate with venues and external providers before visits to discuss and plan for individual needs.
Visual and concrete resources are used to help children understand and access activities.
We support children with changes to routines through social stories, visual timetables and other preparation.
Additional adult support or other reasonable adjustments are considered where needed.
We work with parents/carers and the child to understand what support will help them take part.

How will Co-op Academy Smithies Moor support my child/young person’s social and emotional wellbeing?

Co-op Academy Smithies Moor has a range of support in place to promote the social and emotional wellbeing of all children and young people, including those with SEND. We provide a safe, supportive and inclusive environment where pupils are encouraged to develop confidence, positive relationships and emotional resilience.

We support pupils through:

A clear behaviour policy that promotes positive relationships and helps pupils understand expectations.
Robust safeguarding arrangements to help keep pupils safe and supported.
A PSHE curriculum that covers personal safety, relationships, health and emotional wellbeing.
Adapted teaching and resources to ensure the PSHE curriculum is meaningful and accessible for pupils with SEND.
Support from staff to help pupils recognise and communicate their feelings and manage emotions.
Individualised support and reasonable adjustments where a child has additional social, emotional or mental health needs.
Working with parents/carers and, where appropriate, external professionals to identify needs and put appropriate support in place.

We monitor pupils’ wellbeing and work with children, young people and their families to review support and make changes where needed.

How do we ensure that all members of our academy community are valued and differences are respected?

At Co-op Academy Smithies Moor, our ethos and values promote respect, inclusion and an appreciation of the strengths, needs and differences of everyone in our academy community. We celebrate diversity and aim to ensure that every child, young person, family and member of staff feels valued, listened to and respected.

How are members valued within our academy?

Everyone is encouraged to have a voice and take an active role in academy life.
We listen to and value the views of children, young people, parents/carers and staff.
We promote positive relationships, respect and understanding of individual differences.
We provide support for pupils and families according to their individual needs, including family support where appropriate.
We promote an inclusive environment where everyone is treated fairly and with dignity.
We challenge discrimination, prejudice and behaviour that does not reflect our academy values.

What other support is available to parents and how can I contact them?

We recognise that parents and carers may need support as well as their child or young person. Our school can help families access a range of services that may provide practical advice, emotional support, training, information and short breaks.

Parents and carers can speak to the school if they need help identifying the right service or making contact. Useful sources of information and support include:

Kirklees Local Offer – information about services and support available for children and young people with SEND and their families.
Kirklees Information, Advice and Support Service (KIASS) – provides information, advice and support to children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers.

You can access these services through their websites or speak to a member of staff who can help you find the most appropriate support.

What do I do if I need to make a complaint?

We encourage parents and carers to raise any concerns as soon as possible so that we can work together to resolve them. In the first instance, please speak to your child’s class teacher. If the concern is not resolved, you can speak to the SENDCo and, where appropriate, a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Most concerns can be resolved through discussion and working together. However, if you feel that your concern has not been resolved, you can follow the academy’s formal complaints procedure.

How can we support you with a complaint?

Discuss your concern with your child’s class teacher.
Speak to the SENDCo where the concern relates to SEND provision or support.
Speak to a member of the Senior Leadership Team where appropriate.
Follow the academy’s formal complaints procedure if the concern remains unresolved.