We wish you a very warm welcome to The Orchard at Leighton Academy. This guide is designed to give you all the information you need and to hopefully answer questions you might have in the first few weeks of joining us. We understand you may have many questions, so please do not hesitate to get in touch.
What is The Orchard SEN Unit Provision?
At Leighton Academy we are passionate about promoting inclusion for children with Special Educational Needs. In addition to our mainstream classes we have a 20 place SEN Unit. This Provision is for children who have Cognition and Learning and Speech and Language identified as their primary areas of need on their EHCP. Pupils who access The Orchard are on roll in Leighton Academy but their EHCP states they access The Orchard Sen unit. Children in The Orchard Sen Unit all have Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) and require additional support to that typically available in mainstream classrooms. They access their learning and play in our dedicated Sen Unit area.
During the first few weeks attending The Orchard, children will be helped to settle into the daily routine of school life by a team of staff who have a wealth of experience working with pupils will additional and complex needs. The children in The Orchard are supported through a comprehensive range of visual symbols aiding the understanding of what is happening now and next. This approach also helps the children to develop pro-social behaviours and express themselves in a positive manner. Our children are taught how to communicate their wants and needs through the use of many communication methods including verbal, visuals and other communication methods.
To address the needs of our children we maintain a strong focus on the teaching of social interaction, emotional regulation strategies and the development of life-skills and independence. The Orchard provides opportunity for our children to engage in a diverse range of sensory and physical activities all within a safe and secure environment.
What facilities are available in The Orchard?
We have a dedicated, sensory-friendly provision which includes:
Two classrooms with both small group areas and additional learning rooms to maximise learning and engagement
A sensory room / calming space
An outside play area
Its own toilets and separate changing area
What is different about learning in The Orchard?
Our aim is to create a calm, happy and structured environment in which children feel secure and can develop their skills. As well as developing their academic competence and speech and language development, a major focus is teaching social communication, emotional regulation and sensory regulation in context. We deliver all areas of the National Curriculum by adapting mainstream plans. We also emphasise the development of fine and gross motor skills, play and social skills, and provide enrichment activities which support the development of life skills (eg. cooking).
In The Orchard we monitor progress using the Cherry Garden Assessment Framework and the AET Framework.
The morning consists of a range of activities designed to meet communication, language, numeracy and social and emotional development targets. The children access a Sensory Circuit session every day.
What does your child need to bring to school every day?
Please ensure that your child has a labelled water bottle in school every day so that they can access a drink throughout the school day.
If your child wears nappies or pull-ups, then the school will need supplying with enough to last for the day plus spares and baby wipes.
Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. The school does not have a supply of spare clothes for children so it is essential that they are well dressed e.g. a waterproof coat with a hood for wet weather and have spare clothes to change in to if they have an accident.
Uniform for The Orchard
Please ensure that ALL uniform is clearly labelled with your child’s name.
• Royal blue The Orchard sweatshirt with The Orchard logo or equivalent royal blue V-neck non-branded sweatshirt.
• A white polo shirt with The Orchard logo or equivalent non-branded white polo shirt.
• Black jogging bottoms, short, leggings or skirts.
• Black or white socks.
• Black tights.
• Black school shoes or black trainers.
Branded uniform can be ordered from Badged at the following link:
The Orchard Polo Shirt badged
The Orchard Sweatshirt badged
Attendance
Excellent attendance is vital for achieving your child’s potential. The classroom door opens at 9.15 for morning registration. There will be a member of The Orchard team waiting at the entrance gate to welcome your child. If you have a message for your child's class teacher, unless it is urgent, if possible, please arrange to speak to them at the end of the school day as mornings are a busy time inside the classroom.
It is important that children arrive on time for school every day. This helps them to settle into the school day quickly and calmly. This has a positive impact on their ability to engage in their learning. The Orchard day finishes at 15.00.
Supporting your child
Individual targets for each child are set in collaboration with other professionals such as speech therapists and educational psychologists. These will be shared with parents each term by way of the SEN School Support Plan. These plans are regularly updated to reflect the progress that the children are making along with input from parents and other external professionals. Mrs Schofield is happy to discuss any aspect of your child’s targets and can support you in ways to help your child best achieve these. Children in Key Stage2 take their reading books home to read each night.
How can my child access The Orchard Sen Unit?
To be considered for admission to the Resource Provision, your child must have an Education and Health Care Plan that states in Section I 'attendance in a mainstream primary school resourced for pupils with cognition and learning and speech and language support.
If your child currently has an Education and Healthcare Plan within a mainstream school, you will need to apply for a change of placement via an Annual Review or Interim Review. This will then be considered by a panel from Cheshire East SEND Team. To request a change of placement you should contact the Cheshire East SEND Team via senteameast@cheshireeast.gov.uk or speak to the SENDCo at your child's current school.
If a change of placement is agreed by the panel, a consultation for admission to The Orchard Sen Unit at Leighton Academy will then be processed by the Local Authority.
Once the consultation has been received, the SEND team at Leighton Academy School will review all documentation to ensure that the following criteria are met:
Admission Criteria:
Age range Year 1 to Year 6.
The primary need identified on the Education Healthcare Plan must be Cognition and Learning and Speech, Language and Communication. Census records would be expected to record these as the primary areas of need.
There will be clear evidence of the involvement of professionals with experience of Speech, Language and Communication
There will be an indication that the provision of Speech and Language Therapy and support improves the child's progress.
There must be clear evidence that the child's cognitive ability shows some areas well below the low average range.
Pupils will have the ability to communicate non-verbally or verbally and may have reliance on communication aids. They require the use of visuals to support communication and have speech therapy support programmes.
Admission will not be agreed if:
Admission of the child would compromise the health and safety of pupils or staff within the school.
Admission of the pupil would compromise or be detrimental to the education of pupils already in attendance.
The agreed number of funded places by the Local Authority is fully subscribed and admitting children over this number would be incompatible with the efficient education of other pupils or the efficient use of resources.
Home / parents are not in agreement of the strategies used at the school and are not willing to support these at home.
Please note:
Admission to a mainstream class within Leighton Academy does NOT automatically guarantee a place within The Orchard Sen Unit.
Siblings are not automatically admitted to Leighton Academy or The Orchard Sen Unit.
