Last Updated - November 7, 2024
At Torre Academy we believe that all children are made in God’s image and have the right to grow, learn; and feel safe and happy at school. Attitudes towards respect underpin our approach and ethos, in an atmosphere of spirituality and self discovery.
We believe in an environment which encourages children and builds self esteem, spiritual development and awareness so that children become confident, mature and independent members of society.
Our whole school ethos is based on Christian teachings of forgiveness and reconciliation, class contracts, sanctions and spiritual awareness.
However, in order for children to become positive members of society – they need to learn how to conduct themselves positively and respectfully in different situations.
In order to support these aims, we have put into place a structure for promoting positive behaviour within school that is agreed and understood by all members of the school community.
Torre Church of England Primary Academy is is a part of the Ace | Academies For Character And Excellence | England (acexcellence.co.uk)
Head Mrs Sue Julyan
Contact Name : Laura Kendell
Contact Position : SENDCO, Deputy Headteacher
Telephone : 01803 324007
E-mail : admin@torrecofeacademy.org
Website : https://www.torrecofeacademy.org/
Name : Torre CE Academy
Address : Barton Road
TORQUAY
DEVON
Postcode : TQ1 4DN
3 & 4 year old funding : Yes
2 year old funding : No
3 & 4 year old 30 Hour funding : Yes
The following acronyms are used in this document;
At Torre C of E Academy we ensure that all our children receive “quality first teaching.” Our class teachers and support staff are inclusive practitioners.
Additionally we have in place the following support and facilities :
*Please note some of the following are currently on hold due to COVID19 bubble restrictions but will be resuming as soon as restrictions allow us to do so
At Torre C of E Academy our mission is to create an environment where God’s children have the right to grow, learn, feel safe and be happy. We respect and look after each other in the way that God has taught us. We “Live life in all its fullness.” John 10:10.
We believe in an environment which encourages children and builds self-esteem, spiritual development and awareness so that children become confident, mature and independent members of society. This policy is based on Christian teachings of forgiveness and reconciliation, class contracts, sanctions and spiritual awareness.
Torre C of E Academy is a Church of England Primary School for children aged 3 to 11 and is closely linked with the Parish and Diocese. Whilst many of our children are Church of England, where space is available we also admit children whose parents wish their children to receive a Christian education. All children, whatever their culture or beliefs, are treated respectfully and equally within Torre C of E Academy.
At Torre C of E Academy, we are committed to the early identification of a child’s individual needs. We use a range of formal and informal methods of assessment for all our children, carefully tracking their progress through school. During their school career some children will require additional support to meet their needs and flourish. In consultation and with the agreement of the child’s family, Torre C of E Academy will put in place and deliver appropriate interventions and support.
Some children will be identified as having Special Educational Needs and they will require support for a longer period of time to ensure that they can access the curriculum effectively, and that they are fully included in classroom learning and the life of the school. Support will be planned by the SENDCo and class teacher in conjunction with, and following the guidance of, external professionals. The child’s family will at all times be actively informed and consulted and their views will be respected.
Identification of Special Educational Needs is achieved from the evidence the school acquires through a variety of means.
These include the following :
Before entry to Torre C of E Academy Nursery our Nursery Staff carry out home visits (currently on hold due to COVID19 instead zoom sessions were held), where they meet with the child and their family. This provides the opportunity to discuss any specific needs the child may have.
In the summer term prior to September entry to our two Reception classes, all children and their families are invited to a week of Transition Days in July. Reception staff will take this opportunity to talk with new families, who have not attended our Nursery. They will also ask all families to complete a Family Voice questionnaire.
On entry to Torre C of E Academy Nursery or Reception classes a child may already have paperwork from other agencies such as their Health Visitor, Torbay Hospital, Portage, etc. These may identify the child as having Special Educational Needs. Where a child, from an Early Years setting other than our Nursery, has a previously identified Special Education Need or an Education, Health Care Plan, Reception staff will visit the child in their current Early Setting or home.
All previous SEN paperwork on any child joining Torre, at any stage in their school career, will be accessed and studied and Torre staff will work together with all the agencies involved to ensure the child’s special education needs are met and they are successfully included.
In all key stages the class teacher will alert the SENDCo and SLT when a child’s progress and attainment continues to be lower than expected, despite repeated cycles of “quality first teaching”, targeted intervention and support. The SENDCo and Class Teacher will then work together to effectively support the child. At this stage, with the family’s agreement, the decision may be made by Torre to access support and guidance from outreach and/or health professionals or the decision may be made to request advice and assessment from Torbay Educational Psychology Service.
Monitoring Cycle
At Torre we have regular PPSM (Pupil Problem Solving Meetings) where teachers talk with their team about pupils that are struggling with their learning in certain areas of the curriculum. The team work together to find solutions and these are then reviewed 6 weeks later. The SENDCo attends these meetings and is made aware of any children where the interventions and actions put in place do not make a significant difference to that child.
GROWTH days take place every term where teachers, teaching assistants and SLT sit together for an afternoon to look at every child in their team. All areas for concern are identified through data, looking at books, pupils raised at PPSMs etc. The SENDCo attends these meetings to offer advice to teachers and to plan next steps for any children with SEN. This may be referrals to outside agencies and services.
The SENDCo will also hold a termly inclusion review meeting with the staff where children not making expected progress may be identified and placed on a ‘watch list’. These meetings take place as a whole school so the bigger picture is shared.
At least each term, if not more frequently, class teachers, support staff, families and the SENDCo discuss the attainment, progress and provision for each pupil identified as having Special Educational Needs or a disability. Each term families meet with the class teacher at an SEN family meeting to discuss and agree support and targets which address the child’s SEN and promote progress. The child’s targets are recorded in an Individual Support Plan, (ISP.) The ISP is a working document held by the class teacher. The progress made by the child towards achieving their targets is monitored and recorded by the class teacher and support staff. At various points throughout the year an SEN family voice questionaries’ is sent out to all of our families who have a child on the SEN register. This gives parents an opportunity to tell us about any changing needs their child may have as well as communicate how well they feel they are being supported. These questionaries are read and actioned by the SENDCo and the class teacher.
‘Inclusion is not optional. It’s an essential part of better and more just societies.’ (Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education.)
At Torre C of E Academy we endorse this statement. Our objective is to ensure that through a whole school approach we address the barriers to learning which prevent some of our children from flourishing and achieving success. We are committed to the process of inclusion and we endeavour to provide full access to the national curriculum for all our children. SEN children at Torre are taught alongside their peers. Through quality first teaching, class teachers and support staff differentiate and personalise the curriculum to meet the range of needs and abilities within each class.
We adapt our teaching to target the different needs of individuals and groups within each class, eg the use of differentiated resources and tasks, the use of adult support, by breaking down teaching and learning, instructions and tasks into achievable chunks, by staff using extenuated gestures and signing, by the use of visual prompts, visual timetables, now and next boards, ICT and other access technology etc.
When a child has profound and complex special educational needs which require high levels of support, specialist equipment and expertise, a mainstream setting may not be the most appropriate setting. Discussions with the child’s family, the child, where appropriate, the SENDCo, the Class Teacher, the Senior Leadership Team and the Local Authority may conclude that a special school or specialist provision at another mainstream setting would best meet the child’s special educational needs. Parents that wish to apply for one of Torbay’s specialist settings need to do so with the current school’s SENDCO in the Autumn term. A SEP (specialist educational place) document needs to be completed and sent to the local authority to apply for a place for the following Autumn.
At Torre C of E Academy we deliver a broad and balanced curriculum with an underwritten Christian ethos. We provide suitable resources, including specifically personalised resources, to allow all our children access to the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and National Curriculum. We review our resources on a regular basis and update, loan, create and purchase resources to meet the needs of all our children, including our SEN pupils.
To ensure our SEN children can access the EYFS and National Curriculum we provide the following :
Torre C of E Academy has an Inclusion Manager (Headteacher), a SENDCo, who is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and SEN Governor who work collaboratively with class teachers and support staff to monitor SEN provision and pupil progress.
If a pupil is not making expected progress following a monitored timed cycle of intervention and support, the school SENDCo will observe and assess the child to reach a deeper understanding of the barriers to the child’s progress (difficulties).
Where needed Torre C of E Academy will consult and liaise with link professionals and other agencies, eg Speech and Language Service, Advisory Teachers, Educational Psychology Service, Health including Paediatricians, School Nurse Service, GPs and Social Services.
Torre C of E Academy’s SENDCo co-ordinates assessments, guidance and support from the above agencies ensuring that families access the services, provision, resources and equipment their child needs.
Staff training includes; THRIVE, ASC awareness, Dyslexia support, ADHD support, precision teaching, National SENDCO award, SALT BLANKS level training, Read Write Inc, Lego Therapy, Dog Therapy.
Provision for meeting the needs of pupil’s with special education needs is funded by the school’s notional SEN budget.
The Headteacher decides on this budget in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of needs in the school. In addition, some pupils access Pupil Premium funding.
Pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disability who have an Education, Health and Care plan, have a personal top up budget monitored by the Local Authority for the provision of additional support to meet their special needs.
At Torre C of E Academy our capacity to provide a place for a child with significant complex needs will depend on whether the class is full and the existing level of need in the year group in which a place is sought.
The SEN budget is monitored by the Headteacher, governors and SENDCo and resources are allocated according to need.
As well as interventions in communication, mathematics and literacy we offer other forms of support to enable pupils to learn effectively flourish and achieve their full potential. Pupils access this support following discussions with the class teacher, SENDCo or following advice from the Educational Psychology Service or other professionals.
At Torre C of E Academy we address emotional and social needs 1 to 1, in small groups and whole class sessions. Our staff are trained in the delivery of the PSHE programme. We also have Thrive trained staff who work with individuals and small groups to develop the social and emotional well-being.
We use a variety of approaches to teaching and learning, but developing key skills for life and the ‘whole child’ is at the heart of our curriculum. In order to develop these life skills, we teach the children to work collaboratively, using our ‘Torre’s Tools’. Children work collaboratively in trios or small groups to complete activities as much as possible and are supported through explicit teaching of skills from our enabling enterprises programme. This approach supports our children in becoming more independent learners, whilst also developing key life skills and knowledge of the content of the national curriculum.
Starting in 2018 Reception developed the Autumn term to provide a strong THRIVE focus. All children have a THRIVE assessment completed. Children are grouped by emotional development rather than ability and learning in the environment will take place with an emphasis on the child’s emotional needs supported by their key adult. In our pilot year we have had huge success with this new approach with very positive feedback from parents and KS1 staff, alongside improved outcomes at the end of the reception year.
In the summer term special provision is made to prepare our children with additional needs for September. We ensure our pupils are carefully prepared for the oncoming changes to their school routine. Changes in staff and classroom or setting are negotiated through extra visits and additional time spent by the child with their future teacher.
Transition photo booklets are created for each family with a child with complex needs, one copy being held and referred to in school and one copy being given at an early stage to the family. Additionally meetings are held between all professionals supporting the child.
Y6 pupils have many opportunities to visit their secondary school and meet their Year 7 tutor. Additional meetings and discussions are organised between ourselves and the KS3 settings our SEN pupils are joining. All SEN paperwork is passed on to the pupil’s new school before they leave.
Should a child move from Torre C of E Academy to a Special School, or Special Provision in another mainstream school, transition arrangements are put in place to facilitate a smooth move between the two settings.
We offer Nurture provision led by a trained nurture practitioner and a learning support assistant in a designated Nurture Classroom for a small group of up to ten Reception, Year One and Year Two pupils, five mornings a week. Three afternoons a week we offer ten, Key Stage 2, small group nurture activities.
We provide 1 to 1 and small group Thrive and Pastoral support for pupils in EYFS, KS1 and KS2.
All Torre C of E pupils are welcome to attend extra-curricular clubs, residential visits, peripatetic lessons, school visits and out of school experiences, including Breakfast Club and Torrenadoz (after school club.) Examples of after school clubs at Torre include Cookery, Performing Arts, Knitting, Running, Kayaking, Netball, Football, Homework etc.
A full list of clubs that run each term can be found via the school website : www.torrecofeacademy.org
All pupils on the SEN Register have a personal plan (ISP) which is reviewed termly with their family, the child, their class teacher and the SENDCo at an SEN family meeting. The effectiveness of the provision is discussed and new targets are agreed, based on the progress, attainment and the interests of the child. Through termly SEN meetings, school and the child and their family can track their progress and review the effectiveness of their Individual Support Plan.
When pupils are achieving in line with their peers, additional support may no longer be needed.
For pupils with an Educational Need or Education Health Care plan, long term aims and specific objectives are reviewed in an annual meeting with the pupil, their family, Torre C of E Academy staff and outside professionals supporting the child, in addition to the termly SEN family meeting.
Our SENDCo is generally available to discuss any concerns with children and their families on a drop in basis or by appointment. She is also contactable at any hour by email which is displayed on the school website.
Parents and carers are a vital tool for school as they know their child better than anyone. The parents of children with SEN are asked to complete a family voice questionnaire multiple times throughout the year to ensure we always have an up to date picture of their child. Some parents will be asked to complete a sensory profile for their child to make us aware of the sensory seeking and avoiding behaviours their child may display. This helps us to adapt the environment and activities to support children with sensory needs.
In addition to the termly SEN review meetings outlined above and the Annual Review meetings for pupils with an EHCP, our Special Needs Policy and SEN Information report are reviewed annually. At the annual review the SENDCo and SEN governor consult with pupils, families and staff.
We aim for transparency and an ‘open door’ policy so that families are confident to share feedback about the effectiveness of provision with class teachers, the SENDCo, The Harbour nurture staff and the Headteacher. Surveys are sent out to SEN families throughout the year and a termly ‘SEN family voice’ questionnaire together feedback and suggestions which are taken very seriously by staff as we appreciate that families are the experts when it comes to their child!
Ofsted also inspects and reports on the provision, progress and attainment of pupils with additional needs. Torre C of E Academy’s most recent inspections in June 2016 reported that:
June 2016
“The Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), building on the work done by the early years leaders, astutely identifies strengths and weaknesses in pupil’s personal development. Her detailed records allow staff to focus on the areas where pupil’s most need extra support.”
“Different groups of pupils, including those with additional needs, make good progress in their learning and achieve well.”
“Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, which is reducing the gap between them and their peers. This is as a result of well-targeted support provided by skilled teaching assistants working with individuals and groups.”
“Teaching assistants provide valuable support, for example in providing one-to-one support to accelerate the progress of disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those aided by the pupil premium funding.”
Our SENDCo, teachers, learning support assistants and meal time assistants have a wide range of qualifications, training and experience of working with children with a diverse range of needs including :
All pupils on our SEN Register have an Individual Support Plan which is reviewed termly with the child, their families, their class teacher and the SENDCo. The effectiveness of the provision detailed in the plan is discussed and new targets are agreed, based on the progress, attainment and interest of the child. In these Termly Review Meetings, school and parents can track pupil’s progress and review the effectiveness of the child’s plan.
The first person a family member should share any concerns they may have with is the child’s class teacher.
The class teacher may then arrange a joint meeting with the team leader, SENDCo or Headteacher. The family can request an appointment with the Headteacher or SENDCo by phoning 01803 324007.
Information about procedures for making a formal complaint can be found on the school website or via the school office.
If your child has a disability or a Special Educational Need and you would like more information about what we offer at Torre C of E Academy, contact us to arrange a visit, visit the school website www.torrecofeacademy.co.uk or email us at admin@torre-primary.torbay.sch.uk asking for the attention of the SENDCo (Laura Kendell).
