SEN & Disabilities
Harris Academy Ockendon is an inclusive community where every student has the opportunity to thrive and succeed in their learning.
We provide support and encouragement to enable each child to reach their academic and personal potential which is embraced by the Academy’s motto of “Enjoy being the best you can be”.
We are committed to the principle and practice of equality of treatment for all students, regardless of background or type of need, and provide a tailored, appropriate programme of support for all students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
We ensure that our provision links closely with the services available through the Thurrock Council Local Offer.
The SEND team at the Academy is led by the SENCO, Miss Anna Ferdinando, who can be contacted directly to discuss any issues relating to a student’s particular needs. (a.ferdinando@harrisockendon.org.uk).
The Governor with responsibility for SEND is Mr Darren Trigg.
The SEND Code of Practice 2015 puts in place a continuum of support for students with SEND, described as the graduated approach. This involves a cycle of Assess, Plan, Do and Review of an individual’s needs. It is a continuous process which is reflected in our monitoring, evaluating, and reviewing practice. As a result, a student may have access to different waves of intervention:
- universal changes to their learning, environment, or curriculum
- targeted provision to focus on specific skills to promote progress
- specialised adaptations and interventions
At the academy students with SEND experience a rich learning experience through this graduated approach, the provision for which is reviewed termly to evaluate progress and inform future support.
Teacher feedback and progress data give a summative basis to monitor practice but key to the process is the involvement of the student and parents/carers. Structured Conversations are held termly with students on the SEND register to discuss targets and strategies and are actively encouraged to contribute to planning for further intervention.
Student and Parent voice is at the heart of all decisions relating to SEND and students are invited to all relevant meetings about their educational provision. They are encouraged to contribute their views in a way appropriate for them, so that they can provide information as to how they feel they can best be supported.
Keyworkers make termly calls to parents to discuss progress and impact of interventions as well as discuss any concerns that relate to the students SEND.
The Academy takes pride in the provision of a professional and high-quality standard of service for all students.
SEND Inclusion Award (SENDIA)
Harris Academy Ockendon is committed to ensuring that we are meeting the needs of all our students, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Part of our commitment to this is accreditation with the SEND Inclusion Award (SENDIA) which we were awarded in 2023 and which demonstrates the high-quality provision and outcomes available at HAOC for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Part of the process involved us reflecting on and improving our provision in line with a series of objectives that fulfilled both Ofsted criteria and the SEND Code of Practice. Specifically, the award focused on ‘outcomes’ for students and how we demonstrated the impact of their SEND provision.
The award lead HAOC through a process of self-evaluation, action planning and evidence collection before final verification and accreditation was awarded.
Successful completion of the award now enables us to:
- Gain recognition for high-quality education and care for students with special educational needs and disabilities
- Demonstrate to parents, governors, and Ofsted inspectors that the school provision complies with current legislation and the SEND Code of Practice, and is effective in achieving good outcomes for all students
If you have any questions about the SEND Inclusion Award please contact the academy via info@harrisockendon.org.uk.
