At Archbishop Holgate’s School we are committed to ensuring that every child has every opportunity to flourish, grow in confidence and make the most of their individual gifts and talents.  We recognise that every child is unique and different and that for some children they need extra support.  We are committed to ensure that all students in the school, receive the support and challenge they require to do their very best.

“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.”

Key People in The Inclusion/SEND team:

Hannah Woolerton: Assistant Head: Inclusion and Intervention

Hannah is the Inclusion team’s SLT link and she plays a vital role in feeding back SEND issues and needs to the wider SLT. Hannah has strategic oversight of the school’s Inclusion offer, and also works over the Inclusion centre, Intervention Teams, the work of the two SENDCos at AHS and she also has Teaching and Learning responsibilities, ensuring inclusive teaching strategies are fully embedded across the school. Hannah can help by getting students the correct intervention and support they need and by ensuring that the senior management of the school is aware of SEND issues and decisions on the ground.

Meg Holmes: SENDco – strategic lead and for Yrs 6, 7, 8, 9

Meg will be the key contact for SEND students in Yrs 6-9 and will help students with the transition from Yr 6 to Yr 7. Meg will make visits to primary schools and attend review meetings to help students prepare for their new start at Archbishop Holgate’s in September. Meg will lead on all EHCP and MSP reviews for students in Yrs 7-9. Meg is also currently our Access Arrangements Coordinator and will be able to answer any questions regarding access arrangements for assessments and exams. 

Kate Rose: Assistant SENDco- KS4 & 5 – Yrs10,11,12,13

Kate splits her time between being an English Tutor at school for two days a week and as the Assistant SENDco for KS4 & 5 for her other two days. She has responsibility for EHCP and MSP students in Yrs 10, 11, 12 and 13 and will be the key contact for these students’ families. Kate will be able to support a smooth transition between Yr 11 and Post-16 and between Yr 13 and Post-18.

Louise Manning: SEND Admin Support

Louise supports with all things Admin in the SEND department and is a familiar face to both students and parents. You may have contact with Louise via phone or email, as she is responsible for collating all parent, student and staff views ahead of MSP and EHCP reviews. Louise sometimes joins us for meetings to help take minutes; she may contact you regarding arranging your meeting or visit.  Louise currently leads on all of our dyslexia screening tests and she also supports students in some lessons and in 1:1 intervention.

Kay Christian: Inclusion Centre Manager

Kay has responsibility of the wider School Assistant team and is in charge of their timetables of support for students. She liaises with Meg and Kate to ensure that each student gets the required support in school. Kay supports with training of the SAs and is a well-known and trusted member of staff for lots of our students with SEND.

School Assistants:

We have a wide range, and growing team, of school assistants. We are very lucky to have such experienced and dedicated members of staff who give so much to our school. Our SAs can be found supporting students 1:1 in classes or supporting the class as a whole. They may be running specific interventions outside of the classroom, or as a differentiated approach to the classwork set. 

Our SAs are often mentors for young people at school and they also support with lunchtime supervision, school trips and running our homework clubs. Some of our SAs have specific responsibilities, such as supporting our English, Maths, Science and Music departments. We also have SAs that support with Breakfast Club, who are librarians and who run our Unity Fund. We don’t know where we would be without them! 

If your child is entitled to SA support through their EHCP, it is the norm for them to have a wide range of staff supporting them throughout the day. This allows the best expertise in each subject area to support your child and to normalise working with a range of adults.  If you would like more information about how your child is supported, or how we allocate SA support, please contact the SENDco. If you would like to join our team of SAs, or know someone who would, please contact Main Reception: reception@ahs.pmat.academy. 

The Wider Pastoral Team and SEND:

We are very lucky to have outstanding pastoral support at AHS and all those involved take great care and responsibility for ensuring any child with SEND needs is catered for. Each child has a form tutor, who they see twice a day and a wider Year Team, which is made up of the Head of Year and two Assistant Heads of Year. We also have a School Nurse and Attendance Officer who meet regularly with the SENDco.

Opportunities to speak to the team:

You can contact the SEND team and ask for a call, online meeting, face-to-face meeting or tour of the school by emailing them on SENDco@ahs.pmat.academy or by calling: 01904 411 341

Members of the SEND team will be available at every Parent’s Evening, Open Evening and other key events during the academic year. All EHCP and MSP students will have annual reviews as a minimum with the SENDco.

Key Documents Relevant to SEND at AHS:

Who is our SENDCO and what is their role?

A SENDCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is a teacher who coordinates the provision for children with special educational needs or disabilities in schools.

The role of the SENDCO is as the expert in the school on all Special Educational Needs.   They will not be directly involved with every child with SEND, but will coordinate the interventions and advice given to the Pastoral Team on how best to support every child.

The SENDCO will lead on all students with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP).

We have two SENDcos:

Miss Meg Holmes is the SENDco with strategic lead and responsibility for Year s 7 to 9, including transition.  She also teaches RE.
Mrs Kate Rose is the Assistant SENDco and has responsibility for KS4 and KS5 – Yrs 10,11,12 and 13. She is also one of our English intervention teachers. 

The SEND team can be contacted on:

  • Phone – 01904 411341
  • Email –  sendco@ahs.pmat.academy

What do I do if I believe my child has a Special Educational Need?

  1. CLICK HERE to read an overview of SEND provision at Archbishop Holgate’s School.
  2. Find out more information on the specific need of your child by choosing from the links below:
Overview of SEND provision at AHS
ADHD
AUTISM
DYSCALCULIA
Down’s Syndrome
DYSLEXIA
Hearing Impairment
Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (Dyspraxia)
Below average processing speed and comprehension

Useful documents:

Who else can help me with SEND support for my Child?

Frequently asked questions

How will I be informed about my child’s progress?

All students’ progress is monitored, tracked and reported back to parents regularly throughout the year. This will take the form of interim reports, full reports, progress reviews with form tutors and parents’ evenings. You will also receive regular progress reports through the marking of your child’s work. Any concerns will be reported through the form tutor or class teacher via the school planner.

In addition to this, some students with SEND may have alternative support plans that are reviewed. This may form part of the EHCP or MSP process, where plans are reviewed annually (as a minimum). A student may also have a Pen Portrait or a pastoral plan, which may be reviewed by either the SEND or Pastoral team.

How will you gather information about my child’s SEND from their primary or other secondary school?

The transition process from Year 6 to Year 7 is thorough and has been well developed from years of experience. Please see the transition section of the website for full details for all students. 

The SENDco will contact all primary schools in Year 6 and will gather information on all students on the SEND register who will be attending Archbishop Holgate’s School. This includes gathering copies of all relevant plans and paperwork. If your child has an EHCP and has named Archbishop Holgate’s as their school of choice, the SENDCo will attend the Year 6 review(s) wherever possible.

Our SENDco is available to meet with parents at a mutually convenient time to discuss individual students and discuss provision.

Any parent/carer of SEND students joining us Post 16 is welcome to contact the SENDco to discuss provision in the Sixth Form. Those students joining the Work Based Learning Pathway will be able to meet with Mrs Dobson (Head of Work Based Learning) to discuss provision and will also have Mrs Dobson and/or Mrs Rose attend their Year 11 review meeting.

How will information about my child be shared with staff in school?

An SEND register is compiled of all those pupils who have SEND. This is then distributed to all staff at the start of the academic year. It is updated regularly and all staff are notified electronically of any changes. The SEND register also identifies key links to strategies to help those students and highlights the main points from their ‘My Support Plan’ or EHCP. All markbooks include SEND information, so that teaching staff are fully aware if a student has an additional need or a disability. As we now use Class Charts and Provision Map to monitor student progress, staff can also see SEND needs and strategies at the touch of a button.

In addition some students have an individual pen portrait, which is distributed to staff. This is devised in consultation with specialist teachers or health care professionals and parents/carers and is approved prior to being shared with staff.

How do you monitor my child’s needs and progress in school?

Whole school markbook tracking shows a clear picture of a student’s progress towards a given target. Class teachers have overall responsibility for the progress of a student within their class. Any student not making appropriate progress will be identified and targeted for intervention by the teacher and, if necessary, input by the Inclusion Department. The SENDco also monitors SEND students’ interim and full report data throughout the academic year.

At your child’s EHCP or MSP review meeting we will discuss their academic progress. Before the meeting we ask staff to report on your child’s attainment so we can discuss their progress at the meeting. 

How will my child get support for their emotional and/or social needs?

At Archbishop Holgate’s we endeavour to support all students in their emotional and social development. Our school values and the support systems we have in place mean that we provide a caring and nurturing environment for all students. The Inclusion Centre is open from 7.45am to 3.10pm each day and is available to those students who need to access it for support. In recent years we have bolstered our pastoral support and each year group now has three dedicated members of staff to support students’ emotional and social needs. This is in addition to the growing SEND team, safeguarding team and the School Nurse.

What should I do if I have any questions about what is offered with regards to my child?

If you need advice or have concerns you should initially contact the SENDco, Miss Holmes (KS3) Mrs Rose (KS4), who will try to resolve any difficulties. If you require further assistance you should request an appointment to discuss the problem with Miss Wollerton, Assistant Headteacher. If you feel the matter is still unresolved you should seek a meeting with the Headteacher, Mr Daly. Further to this, a complaint should be made to the Chair of Governors.

What is SENDIASS?

York SENDIASS offers impartial advice, information and support for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities. They are able to help with any concerns that may still arise after any intervention or effort made by the school. In addition an appeal can be made to the Special Educational Needs tribunal, which is an independent body that hears parents’ appeals against LA decisions on statutory assessments, statements and EHCPs.

Where can I find information about what the local authority has to offer?

York’s local offer website enables parents and young people to see what SEND services are available in their area and how to access them. Visit their website for more information www.yor-ok.org.uk. They also have social media accounts which you may find useful to follow.

We are looking for a school for our child with SEND needs. Who do we contact? What’s the first step?

Please enquire at reception: 01904 411341 or reception@ahs.pmat.academy and we will get back to you. We can offer telephone calls or meetings, online meetings or visits (both during the school day or after hours), just let us know what you would prefer. Before any discussion or meeting, it would be helpful to know your child’s current year group, primary school, whether they have a SEND plan such as an EHCP or MSP, and any relevant diagnosis. It would be useful if you could leave a contact phone number and email so that the right person can get back to you. If you require any access arrangements for the visit, please let us know. 

What is your Nurture group?

We have a Nurture group in Year 7-9 and an Applied Learning Pathway in Year 10 and 11. We also have a Work Based Learning Level 2 Pathway at the 6th Form. 

The Nurture group is a small class, made up of no more than 12 students, who are working significantly below age-related expectations. They follow a broad and balanced curriculum like all other students, however their learning is highly differentiated and supported with a high ratio of staff to pupils. They are allocated extra literacy time each week and are a priority for intervention and support in their cognition and learning. 

You do not have to have an EHCP to access this group, however there are limited spaces available each year. In Yrs 10 & 11 the Applied Learning Pathway is developed based on the best pathway for students to access the most appropriate KS4 courses. 

Where can I find more information on SEND needs and Support for SEND in York?

Please refer to the sections for varying SEND needs on our website. You will also find more local information on York’s Local Offer: https://www.yor-ok.org.uk/families/Local%20Offer/sendlocaloffer

I’m applying for DLA, can school help?

School can add to the ‘supporting statement’ within the DLA application booklet. Please email the SEND team to discuss further.

My child has SEND needs and requires support with transport to school

For all children with additional needs who require transport, the Local Authority requires you to complete the following form: https://www.york.gov.uk/TransportToSchoolOrCollege

My child requires a calm, quiet environment at the beginning of the day

We suggest your child comes to Breakfast Club. This is a free resource that requires no booking. It is held in the resource centre from 7.45am and is a great start to the day.

My child struggles with homework, what support is available?

We suggest your child comes to Homework Club. This runs Monday to Thursday from 3.15pm to 4pm. Although 1:1 support is not available, it is manned by support staff who will be on hand to help. All homework can be found on Google Classroom and individual teachers can be messaged via this application. Any concerns around homework should be directed to your child’s Head of Year in the first instance.

It’s such a big school, who do I contact?

  • For all things SEND, contact the relevant SENDCo (Miss Holmes for KS3, Mrs Rose for KS4 & KS5).
  • For all things Pastoral (friendships, homework, missing PE kit etc), email the Year Team.
  • If your child has an appointment and will miss time at school please email the attendance officer.
  • For all queries, or if you’re not sure who to contact, please email reception.

What is the SEND register – is it an unnecessary label?

The SEND register is simply a list of students with additional needs in school. A census of SEND needs is taken annually and comes from this list but its main use is by teaching staff to ensure they are able to provide the best Quality First Teaching for your child in their lessons. 

I think my child might be dyslexic – what can you do to help?

We can offer dyslexia screening tests in school. This is not a full diagnostic test, but it can decipher whether your child has a profile typical of someone with dyslexia. We offer this screening for free. If you feel your child would benefit from a dyslexia screening please request this from the SEND department. We can offer students coloured paper, overlays, reading pens and chrome books as appropriate. We also use apps, such as spellzone, and other interventions on a needs basis. 

My child requires access arrangements for exams

Please email Meg Holmes at SENDco@ahs.pmat.academy to discuss individual needs. All Access Arrangements have to be put in place within the JCQ guidelines. Private diagnosis and assessment does not automatically qualify you for access arrangements. Please see our Access Arrangements policy for further detail. 

My child is in Year 6 with an EHCP and we want to apply for AHS – what do we do next?

Contact your current primary school SENDco and arrange a review in which AHS is named as the next provider. This lets the Local Authority know and a consult document will be sent to AHS for them to discuss. Please also contact the AHS SEND department. (All details of this process can be found in the SEND CoP: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

My Child is in Yr5- am I too early?

It’s never to early to start thinking about transition to secondary school, especially if your child has additional needs. We would advise you attend Open Evenings which happen across the city early in the Autumn term. It could be useful to attend these in both Yr5 and Yr6.

My child struggles with unstructured time at breaks and lunches

We have a wide variety of lunchtime clubs and activities available. The library spaces are also available at breaks and lunchtimes.

My child needs a safe space to regulate

We have an intervention room which can be used as a calm space to regulate for children as and when they need it. It is manned by a variety of pastoral and SEND staff who will be able to support your child. We aim to keep this as a short term intervention and aim to keep students in their lessons, accessing quality first teaching, wherever possible.

My child requires movement breaks

A benefit of the Secondary School environment is that students move lessons every hour and for lots of students this is enough. Others may benefit from movement jobs in the classroom, such as being the book monitor, or may benefit from a movement break pass which would need to be issued by the SEND team. 

My Child’s SEND need impacts their ability to take part in PE:

Please enquire with the SEND team about specifics and we will arrange for a call back or meeting with the PE team. The PE team have excellent resources on their Google Classroom about what PE activities are happening when and what kit and equipment is required. The PE team are excellent at differentiating activities and are pioneers of inclusion within the school. 

You might also be interested in:

Inclusion Corner Newsletter

Overview of SEND provision at AHS