Mrs Crafts is our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo) here at AHS, meaning she oversees and manages the provision of help for all of our students with SEND. She also teaches English too!

Mrs Fox is our Learning Practitioner with a specialist qualification in diagnosing Dyslexia. She conducts screenings for students who may have dyslexia and provides continuous support to students who do.

Mrs Ali is another of our Learning Assistants and lead for Pupil Premium, meaning she oversees the allocation of funding to students to ensure they all have access to the same opportunities as everyone else! She is also lead for EAL meaning she can provide extra support to students for whom English is an additional language.

Mrs Khalid is our learning assistant who has a special interest in autism. She carries out interventions with students and also oversees our SEND classroom.

Miss Blakeman is also a learning assistant. She mainly works with KS3  students and also works in our SEND classroom.

• INSET on SEND and differentiation are regularly included in our staff training schedule.

• Individual staff have had further, or more specific training on how to support students with individual needs from specialists or through external training courses.

• SENDCo attends teaching and learning meetings to ensure that the provision of SEND is always discussed.

• Emotional and social development is supported through various avenues including the form tutor and HOY, subject teachers, the SENDCo and Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead.
• The school has a number of specially trained peer listeners to support other students and a buddying system for new Year 7 students.
• We have access to a school counsellors when appropriate.
• The Bounce Forward resilience programme is part of the Learning for Life (L4L) curriculum.
• Some students require more targeted support which is offered through our social skills group, FACT or through the support of external agencies such as MIND, BEAT, CAMHS, R U Safe or Switch.

• The school’s main buildings have been retrofitted where possible to meet DDA compliance, but not all classrooms are accessible by wheelchair.

• The main buildings are accessible on the ground floor for wheelchair users and there are lifts available in the sports hall and sixth form block to access History  and Politics classrooms on higher floors. There is also a chairlift in the main foyer which enables access to the classrooms on the first floor of the languages and tower blocks and one of the science labs.   Lessons are timetabled on the ground floor/lift accessible rooms for students who are wheelchair users. Ramps are in place to allow access to areas where there would have been a raised curb or steps.

• Each building has a toilet adapted for disabled users.

• Disabled parking bays are nearest to the student reception to provide easier access for students and parents/carers.

• In order to make the school site more accessible for students who are visually impaired, yellow lines have been painted on areas that have been identified during a risk assessment that was carried out by a specialist teacher.

• IT suites incorporate at least one larger screen and signage has been produced so that it can be read by students with visual impairment.

• Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) are made for every student with a physical disability for whom this is relevant to identify exit routes from every classroom they access, in the event of a fire.

• If parents have a concern about a specific subject they should contact the Subject Team Leader in the first instance. If the concern is pastoral then the Head of Year should be contacted. Specific concerns which relate to the students special need or disability should be raised with the SENDCo.
• Each student who has been identified as having special needs will have a one page profile that is written in conjunction with them and shared with parents.
• Assessment data is sent out on a termly basis and will inform parents/carers of their daughter’s progress.
• Parent Consultation evenings are held once a year when parents/carers can meet with subject teachers. The SENDCo is also available to see parents on these occasions.
• Students are asked to set personal targets in discussion with their form tutors each term and these are written into their planner.
• Students with EHC plans meet with the SENDCo to set targets.

Year 6 to 7
Prior to children leaving their primary school information is gathered from the class teacher/ as to the type of support they will need. The Head of Year 7 or other staff member visits each feeder school and meets with the class teacher and the children.  In some instances it may be felt that the child would benefit from extra transition support.

Post 16
Connexions would provide individual advice to support the student with careers advice.
If the student is leaving to attend a new school or college they are supported during the transition on an individual basis and the SENDCo would liaise with the new setting.
 

The school’s governing body involve other bodies (including health, social care, Bucks. CC support services) to meet the needs of students with SEND and their families by using the following outside agencies:

• Specialist Teaching service to support students with Autism, Visual impairment, Hearing impairment and Physical Disabilities, Speech and Language needs
• Education Safeguarding Team
• CAMHs (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
• School Nurse Team
• Community Paediatrics
• Social Care
• Family resilience
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Counsellors
• Pupil Referral Unit
• County SEN Team
• Aspire