SEN & Disabilities

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

At The Oxford Academy, we want every student to feel welcome, included and able to succeed. We believe all children have the right to go to a high-quality school where they feel safe, supported and ready for adult life.

Our main support for all students is high-quality teaching in the classroom through our TOA lesson. This is our key universal strategy. Every teacher is responsible for teaching and supporting students with SEND.
 

What types of SEND do we support?
 

We support students with a range of needs, including:

Learning needs

• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia
• Dyscalculia
• Moderate learning needs

Communication needs

• Autism
• Speech and language difficulties

Social, emotional and mental health needs

• ADHD
• ADD

Physical or sensory needs

• Hearing difficulties
• Visual difficulties
• Physical disabilities
• Multi-sensory impairments

Our SEND Team
 

Our Inclusion Team works hard to help students make good progress in school and feel confident.

Deputy Headteacher (Inclusion): Clare Forder

SENDCOs:

• Dr Lucy Crane-Lupton (Years 7–9)
• Mrs Joyce Wells (Years 10–13)

Assistant SENDCO: Mrs Julia Hack

We also have trained Intervention Tutors who support students in small groups or one-to-one.
 

What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

If you are worried, please email the SEND team at:
senco@theoxfordacademy.org

We will meet with you and your child to talk about your concerns. If your child needs extra support, we will let you know in writing.

How do we support students?

We start with high-quality TOA classroom teaching for all students.

If a child needs extra help, we may:

• Adapt lessons to suit how they learn best
• Give extra time to complete work
• Pre-teach key words
• Use laptops, coloured overlays or visual timetables
• Provide small group or one-to-one support
• Offer reading, maths or social skills interventions

We use a cycle called Assess, Plan, Do, Review to check what is working and make changes if needed.
 

How will I know how my child is doing?

• You will receive school reports and attend parents’ evenings.
• Students on the SEND register are reviewed up to three times a year.
• Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) have a yearly review meeting.

We always listen to parents and students. Your child’s voice is important to us.
 

Inclusion in school life

All students can:

• Go on school trips
• Join clubs
• Take part in sports day, plays and special events

We make reasonable adjustments so no child is left out.

Supporting Mental Health

We support students’ wellbeing through:

• A School Chaplain
• A Youth Worker
• ELSA support
• Counselling
• Social skills groups

We have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying.
 

Moving to secondary school and preparing for adulthood

We work closely with primary schools to help students move smoothly into Year 7.

We also help students plan for:

• Further education
• Employment
• Independent living

Support for Families

If you need help or advice, please contact the SEND team.

You can also find support through Oxfordshire’s Local Offer and national SEND charities.

Please see here the link to the Oxfordshire SEND local offer: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/children-and-families/oxfordshire-send-local-offer