• Form Tutor: Your child’s form tutor is your first point of contact for general concerns or queries. They see your child at the beginning and end of each day. They will also be able to direct you to other members of staff at SMBS depending on the nature of your concern or query.
• SENDCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator): The SENDCo will be able to support you with queries relating to your child’s specific needs and the provision that the school makes to support them. They can also support with signposting other support and services and making onward referrals where appropriate.
• Speech and Language Therapists (SaLT): Your child will have a SaLT assigned to them who will oversee their SaLT provision at school and monitor their progress towards outcomes. You can talk to them about any queries relating to your child’s language and communication needs.

To contact a staff member, please contact the school office in the first instance, at office@stmarylebonebridgeschool.com and they will direct your query to the appropriate person.

• All pupils at SMBS have already had special educational needs identified and have an EHCP. 
• At times, specialist staff may notice indicators for unidentified needs. In these cases, they will gather information and contact you to discuss these and agree on next steps, as appropriate. This could include assessment or referrals to other professionals.

Pupils at SMBS are supported in the following ways:

• A multi disciplinary team which includes, specialist subject teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapist, Mental Health and Wellbeing practitioners, SENDCo and pastoral team.
• A modified national curriculum modified for our pupils’ language needs providing the breadth of a mainstream secondary curriculum with high levels of routine and structure
• A low arousal environment, appropriately equipped to support the learning and social and emotional needs of our pupils.
• Small tutor groups with an allocated key adult (Form Tutor).
• Small teaching groups.
• Highly visual systems and support to support pupils’ language needs.
• Weekly direct speech and language therapy delivered in small groups (2-4 pupils) delivered by the school’s Speech and Language Therapists.
• ChromeBooks available in all lessons to enable the recording of work by alternative means as appropriate.
• An inclusive environment monitored and overseen by the OT to support diverse regulatory needs, including flexible seating options and  regulatory tools. 
• Regular learning and movement breaks incorporated into lessons.
• Oracy embedded across the curriculum to support development of communication skills.
• A range of targeted interventions to support the diverse profiles of our pupils
• Access to a suite of alternative qualifications at the appropriate level (Entry Level, Functional Skills, BTEC) and that offer assessment methods that allow students to demonstrate their understanding and skills (e.g. video recording or practical demonstration).
• A highly-differentiated PSHE curriculum designed to equip learners with communication difficulties with the skills they need to manage their personal, social, and health needs.
• A Mental Health curriculum focused on understanding mental health and using strategies to maintain positive mental health. 
• Regular trips and activities out in the community to provide structured opportunities to interact with unfamiliar people in the community and develop understanding of personal safety and expected behaviour.
• Daily lunchtime clubs supported by SENDCo and Therapy and Wellbeing Teams to support social interaction skills.
• Bespoke Preparing for Adult curriculum that develops students' knowledge and understanding of key areas under all 4 PFA strands to prepare them with the skills needed to live independently as adults.

• If staff have concerns about your child’s learning, progress, wellbeing or behaviour then the school will contact you to discuss.
• Form tutors are the first point of contact and call home routinely once per term to check in. The SENDCo, Key Stage Lead or a member of the Wellbeing Team will contact you as appropriate to discuss any concerns and share information.
• Parents are invited to attend one Pupil Experience Day and two Parents’ Days across the academic year. These also provide opportunities for staff to discuss any concerns with you.

• We routinely gather pupils' views in advance of their Annual Review meeting each year. Time and attention is given to capturing your child’s views about their learning, progress, strengths and barriers. 
• Annual Review meetings are person-centred and parents and families are central to this process providing feedback both in advance and during the meeting.

• The school is continuously monitoring and assessing your child’s progress through both formal and informal assessment.
• Progress is reported home at 3 points per year through a summary Pupil Progress Report which indicates how your child is progressing against small step objectives in different subject areas.
• In addition, you will receive one full school report each year with comments from individual subject teachers.
• Pupils undertake standardised assessments annually in word reading, reading comprehension, spelling and maths computation which we report home. These scores help to provide information on your child’s levels in core areas compared to the average for their age.
• Your child will also receive a full Speech and Language Assessment on entry in Year 7 and again in Year 10 in preparation for post 16 transition.
• At the end of each academic year, your child will receive a Therapy and Support Report which will outline any additional support they have received during the year, and where appropriate, recommend next steps. 

• Annual Review meetings in preparation for Post-16 Phase Transfer take place in sufficient time to ensure that your child’s EHCP is fully updated in order for post-16 settings to be consulted in good time with the most up-to-date information about your child. You will be kept informed of these arrangements and asked to attend the reviews.
• From Year 9 all EHC Plan reviews will have a focus on preparing for adulthood, including employment, independent living and participation in society.
• Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) sessions are part of the timetabled curriculum for pupils from Year 9 onwards. These ensure that time is allocated regularly to support your child to explore the different options available to them at post-16 and prepare for this transition.

• All of our staff are highly trained in supporting children with SEND.
• Staff receive weekly training to enhance their knowledge of our pupils' needs, changes and developments in pedagogy and education and neurodevelopmental differences.
• Staff are actively supported to pursue development opportunities to further their knowledge and skills.
• We regularly receive training from various support agency partners.

• At SMBS we follow a modified National Curriculum to meet the needs of our pupils.
• Lessons are taught in small groups (averaging 7 pupils) by teachers with experience working with children with language and communication difficulties. In addition to this, Learning Support Assistants enable learners to receive significant individual attention. Modified language and visual approaches are used so that children can understand and develop the language that they need for learning. Visual approaches to teaching can also support learning and development of vocabulary.
• Speech and Language Therapists work closely with teachers to understand and support each child’s barriers and strengths. Where appropriate teachers and Speech and Language Therapists plan and deliver some lessons collaboratively, and work together to help students develop curriculum language.
• The school building and learning spaces are designed to be low arousal and provide a calm environment for all pupils.
• Movement and learning breaks are incorporated into lessons to support pupils maintain focus and engagement.
• The Occupational Therapist supports us to ensure that where required, the learning environment is further adapted to meet the needs of individual pupils, for example through flexible seating options, ear defenders and other targeted and specialist strategies.

• Your child will be in a small group with pupils who have similar needs.
• Class groups range in size from 4-14 pupils, averaging around 7 pupils.
• The class teacher will work in partnership with other professionals to deliver programmes of work that are appropriate to group and individual needs.
• Strategies and resources specific to pupils with Speech, Language and Communication needs e.g. Visual Aids, Shape Coding, Specific Vocabulary teaching.
• A therapy and support team who work alongside staff to assess pupils and help devise and deliver the best programmes for individuals. This consists of Speech and language Therapists, Occupational Therapists (where appropriate to the individual needs of pupils), Behaviour Support, and Mental health and Wellbeing Team. 
• Weekly direct speech and language therapy delivered in small groups focussing on individual communication goals.
• A programme of intervention runs 4 mornings a week targeting specific areas of need.

• Your child’s wellbeing is hugely important and we are committed to supporting your child’s mental health and wellbeing.
• Mental and Health and Wellbeing is supported with timetabled curriculum time through Mental Health and Mindfulness and Protective Behaviours.
• Your child's Form Tutor is a key adult who will see your child at the beginning and end of each day and be the first point of contact for you to discuss any concerns you may have about your child’s wellbeing.
• The Mental Health and Wellbeing Team coordinate universal provision to support pupils’ wellbeing as well as providing additional targeted and specialist support through a range of interventions where appropriate.

• Your child’s Form Tutor can support you to identify ways that you can support your child’s learning and can also sign post you to specific subject teachers and other professionals in school who may be able to offer further information and guidance.
• Home Learning tasks for different subjects are published on the school website each term. These provide a range of activities which your child can do at home to further support their learning.
• Parents are invited to attend a Pupil Experience Day once per year in the autumn term where your child will share information and experiences about their school life supported by their Form Tutor.
• ​​​​​​​Parents are invited to attend two Parents’ Days; one in the Spring Term and one in the Summer Term, where you have an opportunity to meet with individual subject teachers to talk through your child’s progress and approaches to learning.

• At SMBS we are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all children.
• School clubs, educational visits and residential trips are available to all children, whenever possible.
• ​​​​​​​Where necessary, the school will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all pupils are included in all possible activities.

• Initially speak with your child’s Form Tutor.
• If you require further support you should contact the SENDCo, who may direct you to your child’s local authority (LA) key worker.
• If you require further support then see school’s Complaints Procedure.

• Contact your child’s Form Tutor who will be able to sign post you to the appropriate person to answer your questions if they cannot.