SEND REPORT 26/27
The annual SEN Information Report outlines the current provision across Hawthorns School. It is available on our website http://hawthornsschool.org
The report is based on the requirements set out in schedule 1 of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Regulations 2014 and paragraphs 6.79 – 6.81 of the SEND Code of Practice.
What types of SEN do we provide for?
Hawthorns School is a special school in the metropolitan borough of Tameside. It currently has 248 (as of June 2026) pupils on roll.
The school’s curriculum and environment have both been developed specifically to meet the needs of children with complex learning needs, mostly in the areas of communication and language, significant sensory processing needs, Autistic Spectrum Conditions and additional needs with cognition and learning. These are described as in the SEND Code of Practice. Pupils range in age from 4 to 11 years. The school is part of the New Bridge Multi Academy Trust (MAT). Admissions arrangements are detailed in our admissions policy, which is available on our website. All pupils who attend the school have an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP).
What is our approach to teaching pupils with SEN?
We believe in the concept of lifelong learning and the notion that learning should be accessible, regardless of need, and a rewarding and enjoyable experience for every child in our care. Through our teaching, we equip children with the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to be able to make as many independent and informed choices as possible about the things important to them. We believe that appropriate teaching and learning experiences help children to lead happy and rewarding lives, and to achieve their potential both academically and socially.
Our curriculum pathways and their underpinning rationales provide opportunities for academic, social and personal development to enhance children’s life opportunities. All decisions about each child’s support are based on a child’s specific needs, baseline assessment, information provided at admission and progress over time.
All our children are grouped in classes based around needs rather than year groups, in classes of between 6 – 13 pupils with 1 teacher and 2 or 3 teaching assistants.
In the Early Years classes, pupil numbers are around 10 to ensure children have the appropriate support with their personal skills development, such as toileting, changing for PE, eating at the dining table and so on.
Children in our Meadows pathway’s (Connecting with Social and Connecting with Learning) require highly specialised provision, and these children are grouped in classes of up to 8 pupils.
Children in our Woodlands pathway’s (First Steps, Aspire and Enrichment) also require specialist provision to follow a robust, connected and holistic curriculum that looks beyond Cognition and Learning to ensure we are developing all four areas identified in children’s EHCPs in classes of 10 – 12 pupils.
Our children all have provision maps, and pupil profiles detail what helps each child to learn and the barriers they may have. This in turn informs each child’s personal learning plan. Support for children is provided through small group work or specific adult support. Learning tasks are carefully differentiated and tailored to each child’s personal plan, using carefully chosen resources and high-quality learning environments. Additional staff with specific skills support children as necessary.
How do we adapt the curriculum and learning environment?
The Hawthorns curriculum is personalised and skills-based to meet the needs of our learners. We use specific teaching models that are designed to connect each learning step and build on achievement as skills are taught, reinforced, practised and mastered. There are opportunities for pupils to apply their learning in a range of contexts, such as outdoor education, cookery, thematic learning, themed weeks and special events. We teach what each child needs, ‘we go where children need us to go’. Our curriculum offer is responsive and adaptable.
In the Meadows we use the SCERTS (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation & Transactional Supports) model as an overarching ethos to deliver our offer. This model has 3 core principles – Fostering Independence, Fostering communication & Social Connectedness and fostering emotional regulation. As the school has grown, the pathway has been divided into two priority areas of need; Connecting with the social world and Connecting with learning.
The Woodlands is made up of three Pathways: First Steps, Aspire and Enrichment. Here we use the SEE-KS (Social, Emotional, Engagement Knowledge and Skills) model as the over-arching ethos that will be embedded into the Enrichment, First Steps and Aspire Pathways. This model also has 3 core principles - Fostering Investment, Promoting Independence and Celebrating Initiation.
In 2024 Hawthorns moved into a purpose-built site that allows us to enrich the curriculum offer utilising a number of special spaces. These include
- Specially designed classrooms with break out spaces.
- Specially designed outdoor learning and play areas.
- Soft play and sensory regulation areas
- 2 Library
- 2 Food tec room’s
- 2 ICT Room’s
- Outdoor and 2 indoor sports facilities
How do we enable pupils with SEN to engage in activities with other pupils who do not have SEN?
Our curriculum focuses on outcomes and destinations, supporting children with consistently high expectations. This includes skills for developing independence, accessing the community, social inclusion, interacting with the outside world, and preparing children for the next steps of their education.
Outdoor learning has a high priority for the children at Hawthorns, with 3 new areas developed at our new site. We believe this is an opportunity for children to develop and apply a wide range of skills in a practical context, including learning social skills, developing listening skills, building self-confidence, working collaboratively and enhancing self-esteem.
We have 6 school minibuses and trips are planned through each term to support learning, for example visits to museums, swimming, activity centres, local parks. Risk assessments are carefully planned for these trips. We also undertake residential visits with some of our older pupils. Prior to these trips there are information sessions and careful preparations to accommodate the needs of children attending these visits so they can be inclusive and accessible. The school uses Class Dojo and Evidence for Learning platforms to ensure parents and carers have an up-to-date window on learning, events and communications related to Hawthorns School.
How do we consult parents of pupils with SEN and involve them in their child’s education?
Hawthorns School works closely in partnership with parents. Hawthorns has a pastoral team and SEND team whose roles are to support families to feel supported through all aspects of their child’s educational journey. These teams are responsible for providing accurate and current information to existing and prospective parents and families on SEND processes including admissions, reviews and EHCP’s in conjunction with the EHCP coordinator.
Parents are valued and welcomed at school. There are regular meetings to review progress as well as information meetings where a range of external agencies will talk about their work and how they support pupils with particular needs.
Staff are always available to support parents in any aspect of their child’s development. Progress is carefully tracked in all areas of each individual child’s learning using Evidence for learning as a Platform to record and analyse progress data and to share and celebrate with families.
The core curriculum for pupil’s is dependent on their needs. Therefore, we plan targets and design learning tailored to each child’s needs. We understand that our children will have barriers to learning and plan appropriately, carefully personalising learning to ensure that all children make small steps in the learning. We hold pupil progress meetings to plan learning.
How do we consult pupils with SEN and involve them in their education?
All pupils are treated with dignity and respect at Hawthorns. There is full personalisation of the curriculum for each pupil in order that they can access and experience success throughout their school life. Hawthorns School Council gives pupils a voice and allows them to contribute to and decide on aspects of school life relating to their needs. The assessment and annual review process of EHCPs includes the choices and views of all pupils.
How do we assess and review pupils’ progress towards their outcomes?
Achievement at Hawthorns is measured using a wide range of approaches and methods. Hawthorns uses Evidence for Learning which supports an inquiry-based approach to education and provision, that allows us to quickly and easily gather photo and video evidence, linked to the pupil’s learning goals as well as any key skills frameworks. Observations can be annotated and tagged to reflect our school’s basket of indicators. Evidence for Learning supports our own assessment frameworks and a number of frameworks which support assessment of our personalised curriculums. It evidences and tracks progress against individual learning targets related to Education Health & Care (EHC) Plans. All evidence gathered is automatically organised and available to anyone in the school. Stakeholders can search for and sort evidence by any attribute, and use these features to be better informed during planning, moderation and ongoing professional development. The same tools enable us to have real time deep dives into any aspects and areas of our school’s curriculum – allowing us to see how individual learners are experiencing our curriculum and how teaching is being personalised to support that learner’s needs. Evidence for Learning enables us to develop and demonstrate connected practice which links curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.
How do we support pupils moving between different phases of education?
All pupils take part in transition processes at relevant times in their education. Our school currently provides transition packages for children new to the school, those moving between curriculum pathways within the school, and also for those children moving on to secondary school.
How do we support pupils preparing for adulthood?
Our ethos, aims and curriculum are driven by pathways that provide worthwhile and meaningful learning activities and personal development opportunities for all pupils as they progress through childhood and to the next phase of their education. Pathways and progression include working for academic success across the curriculum in order to achieve the range of life-skills and functional skills necessary to fulfil each individual child’s potential. Pathways include a relevant focus on life-skills, developing language and communication capacity, building independence and making progress in academic learning.
How do we support pupils with SEN to improve their emotional and social development?
All our staff provide support and guidance to our pupils to help promote their social and personal development with respect to learning, health and safety. Staff monitor such things as attendance and well-being, and 1:1 support is provided to pupils in a range of areas as and when required. Staff meet with all pupils to discuss their views on their experiences as part of the annual review process. Other specific pastoral staff work closely with parents, carers and classroom staff to ensure maximum learning opportunities for all Hawthorns children. The school has a Pastoral Team and an Intervention assistant to support our children with their mental health and well-being.
What expertise and training do our staff have to support pupils with SEN?
New Bridge MAT is a large organisation with many needs regarding training, re-training and development of staff to enable a first-class education for the young people in all of its schools, including Hawthorns. High quality training also provides an opportunity for staff to improve their skills and knowledge on an individual level. The Trust has a dedicated training team and a senior leader with responsibility for training and development across the MAT. They track all staff training ensuring it is up to date and statutory duties are met. Training is specifically related to the needs of children in our school and also as required by statutory guidance. The MAT also has a qualified Health and Safety manager who assists in ensuring appropriate statutory health and safety training is identified.
At Hawthorns, we are highly committed to ongoing training of all staff at all levels – ‘learning for all’ is a core element of our school values. The needs of our children are constantly changing and we are committed to keeping the training needs of our staff in step with these requirements. The Deputy Head has responsibility for ensuring the training is matched to the needs of the staff who work with specific groups of pupils. She actively researches and develops bespoke teaching and learning strategies which are then delivered by appropriate professionals or one of the senior leadership team. There is a culture in the school of continuous professional development in order to facilitate the best provision possible for all Hawthorns children. Staff can also opt in to acquiring degrees, achieving QTS, apprenticeship level 3,4 and 5 qualifications as well as NPQs (National Professional Qualifications) are accredited, evidence-based leadership and specialist qualifications for teachers and school leaders in England. All staff have access to mentors who can guide them with their development and personal goals.
How will we secure specialist expertise?
As a school for pupils with a wide variety of complex needs, we require staff with very specific expertise. Our staff attend specialist training and are committed to upskilling their professional expertise in relation to the needs of the children they work with. Several staff have specific training and skills that supports the work of other staff in school. The school is committed to developing and maintaining partnerships with a wide range of specialist organisations and agencies to supplement its work and to ensure provision meets the requirements set out in children’s EHCPs.
How will we secure equipment and facilities to support pupils with SEN?
Our new facilities are adapted on an ongoing basis, dependent on the needs of the children registered in the school at any particular time. Equipment and resources are purchased or hired as necessary to supplement what is already in place.
How do we involve other organisations in meeting the needs of pupils with SEN and supporting their families?
The governing body are aware of the wide range of staff working together within the school to support the children and their families. Some staff are employed directly by the school, others work in the school but are employed by external organisations. School nurses, Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, and OT for Kids all work within school, training and advising staff and working with children who are on their case load. NHS staff work with the MAT Training and Development team to provide necessary training courses. Home/School transport is organised by Tameside Local Authority, and transport staff are employed directly by them and contracted transport companies. The LA transport department liaise closely with the school throughout the year. The Pastoral team work as an intermediary between transport and school in conjunction with the SLT when needed. Social workers and Educational Welfare Officers regularly attend the school to support with safeguarding Hawthorn’s children. Social workers and other agency professionals support with annual reviews where appropriate – these are led by our SEND Manager.
How do we evaluate the effectiveness of our SEN provision?
The effectiveness of our provision is evaluated through our Accountability Framework. This demands that data and evaluation reports are submitted for governor and Trust executive scrutiny, with analysis based on a range of evidence sources. School governors and the Trust executive play an active role in challenging the School Leadership Team as critical friends, and Trustees of the Trust ensure that actions and development plans are implemented fully.
How do we handle complaints from parents of children with SEN about provision made at the school?
The school’s complaints policy is available on the school website, or it can be made available as a hard copy document on request.
Who can young people and parents contact if they have concerns?
Class team staff are the initial point of contact if parents or children have any concerns that they would like to raise. Alternatively, parents can speak to the school’s Pastoral Team, or another member of staff with whom they may have built a positive relationship with. The School Leadership Team are also happy to listen to queries or concerns raised by children or families.
What support services are available to parents?
SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service) for Tameside and Stockport areas.
Website: SENDIASS - Together Trust
Email: tamesidesendiass@togethertrust.org.uk
Telephone: 0161 359 8005.
The pastoral team and SEND manager, SENCO and EHCP coordinator also maintain close working relationships with the LA SEND team and its caseworkers to support and inform parents and families.
Where can the LA’s local offer be found? How have we contributed to it?
The local offer for Tameside can be found online at https://tamesidelocaloffer.co.uk/
There is also a link to this on the Hawthorns School website. Tameside’s local offer has been produced in consultation with all its partners, including Hawthorns.
