SEND

At Westwood Academy we aim to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. We aim to be as inclusive as reasonably possible, in meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

The four broad ‘areas of need’ are Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties, and Sensory and Physical Needs. Staff are trained in:

• In Print software.
• Wellcomm- speech and language intervention.
• Blast!-speech and language intervention.
• Elklan- speech and language intervention.

Westwood Academy is an inclusive school, where all children (including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) engage in the full range of activities offered as often as is reasonably possible.

We aim to support pupils' emotional and social development. We listen to the views of children through our Pupil Forum (made up of elected School Councillors, Eco Councillors and Head Boy and Girl), pupil surveys conducted and pupil voice interviews. We take the following measures to prevent bullying:

• Implement policies and procedures to prevent and respond to bullying throughout the school (Behaviour Policy and Safeguarding Policy).
• Keep up to date behaviour logs to monitor pupil behaviour.
• Provide training for staff so that they are vigilant in identifying instances of bullying and competent to deal with instances of bullying effectively.
• Provide training for children to lead peer to peer mediation sessions.

The SEND Coordinator at Westwood Academy is Miss. Wimperis (Head of Academy, supported by The Harmony Trust SEND Hub), who can be contacted via phone on 0161 627 4257 or by email at swimperis01@westwood.theharmonytrust.org

Please also feel free to come in to school to discuss your child's education with their class teacher at any time. If you wish to make a complaint about SEND provision, or any other matter, please follow the procedures set out in the Complaints Policy, which can be found through the Our Policies section of this website.

What is the Local Offer?

The Children and Families Bill came into effect from September 2014. Local Authorities and schools are required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for the children with Special Educational Needs. This is the ‘Local Offer’. The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families.

Click here to access the Oldham LA Local Offer website

• Oldham’s SEND IASS Formerly known as Parent Partnership, Oldham. Special Educational Needs andDisability (SEND) Information Advice and Support (IAS) Service is a FREE confidential, impartial and independent service operated by POINT Services http://iassoldham.co.uk/

 

• The Family Information Service (FIS) provides free, impartial, up-to-date information to support parents/carers with children and young people aged 0-19 years (up to age 25 with a disability or additional need) and prospective parents www.oldham.gov.uk/fis 

Children’s additional needs and disability register 

Add your child to our 'additional needs' register | Oldham Council

What to do if you as a parent/carer are not happy with the decision or what is happening?

Oldham’s SEND IASS Formerly known as Parent Partnership, Oldham. Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Information Advice and Support (IAS) Service is a FREE confidential, impartial and independent service operated by POINT Services http://iassoldham.co.uk/