Sutton Grammar School
Address: Manor Lane,Sutton
Postcode: SM1 4AS
Contact: Dr Tim Bass (SENDCO)
Telephone: 0208 642 3821
email: tbass@suttonmail.org
Contact to discuss child needs
For students currently at our school, concerns or needs should be raised with the form tutor or direct with the SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator), Dr Tim Bass (email: tbass@suttonmail.org or telephone: 0208 642 3821).
Pupils who are offered a place in the school are selected using entrance tests. If a pupil needs adjustments or access arrangements for taking the tests, these are considered using information provided by the family during the application for entrance tests.
For students joining the school in the next academic year and those considering applying in the future, please contact our school registrar in the first instance:
Email: admissions-sgs@suttonmail.org or telephone: 0208 642 3821
About the school
Sutton Grammar School is a state funded selective school for boys, situated in the centre of Sutton. We also welcome girls into the Sixth Form.
Sutton Grammar School aims to meet the Special Educational Needs of pupils in our school as defined in our school’s Special Education Needs and Disability Policy.
The kinds of special educational needs that are provided for in our school are those arising from sensory impairments, emotional and behavioural difficulties, difficulties with social communication, speech and language and other specific learning difficulties.
Assessing children
Pupil progress is assessed during lessons, with homework assignments and with summative assessments during the course, for example, at the end of a topic or module. Pupil progress is reviewed periodically, using grade reports that are also shared with families.
Informing parents and carers
Grade reports are published to families during the year in addition to written annual reports. There is a parents’ evening held for each year group.
Students with additional support needs will have an Individual Provision Map (IPM) that details the summary of need, advice to staff and provision. The student and parents/carers are involved in the creation of the IPM and it will be reviewed at least three times during each academic year, to ensure that the content is still relevant to the student’s needs and that here is provision to remove barriers to learning and participation.
Updates on progress
Grade reports are published in the Autumn and Spring term and the annual report is published in the Summer term. Parents are invited to meet teachers at least once a year, when further updates on progress can be shared and discussed.
If a child is not making progress
If a pupil is not making progress, information will be gathered from different subject areas by the Head of Year and parents will be contacted to arrange a discussion to plan steps to help tackle issues and difficulties currently being faced.
Curriculum
As an academy and a selective school we broadly follow the National Curriculum in key stages 3 and 4. All students follow courses of study, mostly leading to GCSE. Students who attend the school in the sixth form (years 12 and 13) follow courses of study leading to A level.
In Science, students begin the GCSE courses in year 9, taught in form classes of 27. Virtually all students take triple award science, leading to a GCSE in each of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Adapting for child needs
We differentiate the curriculum to support students with special educational needs and a lighter programme with fewer GCSE subjects/GCE subjects is employed in exceptional circumstances.
Teacher flexibility on child needs
Teachers are skilled at adapting lessons, materials and delivery of content and their planning of lessons takes into account the needs of individual pupils. The grouping arrangements are organised carefully to maximise learning opportunities for all including for small group work.
Additional support
Additional adults may be used to help groups or individuals in group tasks and with private study. When such support is employed, it is to facilitate inclusion and promote independence.
Pupils may be provided with additional support for organisation, revision and completion of work. This is both in small group interventions and in individual sessions.
Some classes/ pupils may be allocated support staff and have access to guided group work. Some students may be supported in practical activities within lessons such as Design Technology and Science.
The Head of Academic Support monitors the progress of students through report grades and assesses the need for mentoring and organises appropriate interventions.
Some students in key stage 3 will be allocated a sixth form mentor to help with subject-specific needs and organisation. Additionally they may be allocated a ‘buddy’ to support learning in Maths.
Learning strategies
Homework tasks are detailed and shared using the platform Show My Homework. Academic departments subscribe to subject-specific curriculum tools such as Kerboodle and Seneca. The school has a virtual learning environment, with materials to support independent learning.
Meeting child needs
Families of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities who are coming to join our school will have various opportunities to explore and plan provision to meet particular needs.
Families of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities currently at our school are invited to participate in each review of the Individual Provision Map (IPM), at which time further differentiation, learning strategies and provision will be discussed and agreed.
Access to exams
We follow the JCQ (Joint Council Qualification) criteria in screening for special arrangements for examinations. Certain access arrangements can be made only after specialist assessment. These then must be part of the normal classroom practice for the student in the subject in which the access arrangements for examinations are to be applied.
Examples of the access arrangements that can be made are:
- Use of a word processor
- Modified exam papers (e.g. font size, paper colour)
- Extra time
- Rest breaks, including toilet breaks. Any lost time is made up at the end of the exam
- Quiet Room
Additional support or time for exams
When pupils appear to have difficulties performing well in timed tasks or finishing in the time given, the possible need for extra time will be explored. Parents are contacted to discuss the issue and, if necessary, an assessment for exam access arrangements such as extra time will be agreed.
Where pupils have other difficulties during or in completing assessments, these will be explored at the IPM review, or can be raised at any time by families contacting the SENDCO.
Access arrangements
We follow the JCQ (Joint Council Qualification) criteria in screening for special arrangements for examinations. Certain access arrangements can be made only after specialist assessment . These then must be part of the normal classroom practice for the student in the subject in which the access arrangements for examinations are to be applied.
Comfort, safety and socialising
Pupils are placed in a form group when they join the school and will be taught in this group in some subjects until the end of year 11. Discussions about safety and managing social situations are conducted in form groups, as part of the PSHE programme and in assemblies. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities may need extra support managing social situations and there are various additional support measures such as friendship groups, social skills interventions and mentoring.
Social and emotional skills
Some students may be supported with social skills training individually, or in small groups, led by experienced staff with expertise in special needs education. Some pupils might need support with emotional literacy and may follow a block of intervention sessions.
We offer a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities and these provide further opportunities for our students to integrate socially and develop good communication skills. There is an annual activities week, which includes opportunities for residential and foreign trips, as appropriate. Pupils with SEN/D might need additional support so that they can take advantage of these opportunities.
Tier 2 / Early Help Support in the Community
Some pupils may access Early Help Support, for example from:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Service
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
- Educational Psychology Service
- Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)
- Family Liaison
- Jigsaw4U and other voluntary services
- MASH (Multi Agency Support Hub)
- Occupational Therapy
- Parental Information Evenings
- Pastoral and Student Support Officer
- School counsellor
- School Nurse
- Sensory Impairment Service
- Social Care
- Social Skills Groups
- Special Educational Needs Team
- Speech, Language & Communication Service
- Sutton Dyslexia Association
Bullying
Please see Section 12 of the Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions Policy
Disability support
The school buildings are of varied ages and there is currently no lift access to the science laboratories.
The school facilitates use of assistive technology such as High-Vis equipment and modified materials for students with visual impairments, radio link amplification devices for students with hearing impairments and adjustments and modifications to activities and practices for students with physical disabilities.
Some students may be allowed to use electronic equipment such as a laptop or tablet to enable participation in all lessons.
Accessing lessons
Once a student has been offered a place at our school, an access plan for students with disabilities will be completed so that reasonable adjustments can be made to enable the student to participate fully in school life.
Who we work with
The school works with other agencies as part of a multidisciplinary team, e.g., in child in need, team around the family, safeguarding and special educational needs assessment meetings.
Discussions with key staff, parents/carers and the pupil may lead to support from external providers being sought for children who experience significant difficulties with learning, participation or communication and interaction.
Where pupils have medical needs, the school works with the school nurse and other medical professionals to accommodate their needs.
Other agencies
We use external agencies flexibly, including taking advice and support for staff in their personalised approach to pupil’s learning as well as on an individual basis. Involvement of specialist services is usually subject to parental consultation and agreement.
Informing parents and carers
Where appropriate, parents will be invited to a meeting in person, by video call or on the telephone to discuss the need to involve external agencies. When agreement has been reached, families will be informed of the details in writing, usually by email.
Helping your child settle with confidence
Pupils joining our school who have special educational needs will have careful transition arrangements. These may be decided after consultation with the previous school, parents/carers, the pupil and key staff at our school. A transition meeting may be necessary, along with visits to the previous school and observations of the student in that setting.
Students moving between year groups and key stages will have support from the pastoral team in the school. Where a change of form tutor occurs, there is a continuation of support and the transfer of key information occurs in a meeting between the existing and the next tutor.
The majority of students at our school go on to study for undergraduate degrees at higher education institutions such as universities. Support for students who are making this transition is available and information can be provided to the university to enable the continuation of support.
Extended School Day
The school runs various clubs and activities at lunchtimes and after school.
Policies
For all school policies, please follow the link below:
School Policies and Ethos Statement | Sutton Grammar School
For the SEN information report, please follow the link below:
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | Sutton Grammar School
Updated
February 2021