Curriculum, Teaching and Assessment

King James I Academy considers all teachers to be teachers of students with SEND. Staff are trained to be able to identify and provide for students with SEND to ensure they can achieve their potential.

At King James I Academy all students follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities alongside their peers. At times when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented.

To successfully match student ability to the curriculum there are some actions we may take to achieve this:

• Ensure that all students have access to the school curriculum and all school activities.
• Help all students achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have.
• Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all students, teaching students in a way that is more appropriate to their needs.
• Support students to gain in confidence and improve their self-esteem.
• Work in partnership with parents/ carers, students and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs and disabilities.
• To identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional)
• Make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
• Ensure that all children and young people with SEND are fully included in all activities of the school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement.
• Promote self-worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels.
• Give every child and young person the entitlement to a sense of achievement.
• Review the policy and practice regularly in order to achieve best practice.

The school’s main focus is Quality First Teaching (QFT) where differentiation in lessons allows the individual needs of all students to be met. Where a student’s individual need requires further support, the school can provide additional support for an enhanced personal learning experience.

Additional support available within the school includes:

Individual Support: Literacy, Speech and Language, Numeracy, Study Skills, Physiotherapy, Medication, Physical Difficulties, Listening and Counselling, Support with Transition
Small Group Support: Literacy, Numeracy, Speech and Language, Study Skills, Motor Skills, Behaviour Support, Life Skills, Personal Social Development, Homework Support, Art and Music Therapy, Gardening, Independent Travel, Forest School, Building Friendships and Social and Communication  .
In Class Support: All curriculum areas, covering the whole age range.

For further information you can view the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy

At our Supporting Excellence Referral Group, Heads of Year can refer students who may be struggling with an aspect of their education.  Support is identified and a key worker is allocated to provide such support this is then reviewed in a timely matter. It is then decided as to whether the support should continue, cease  or be signposted to another support network.

Support can involve ongoing learning provision throughout the year or short-term blocks of intensive learning provision over a number of weeks. It may be daily or weekly depending on need. Provision can also take place at different times in the day: before school, during school and after school. Additionally, some students work on their additional provision (work) at home. This is then followed up by regular progress checks and extra support if required.

Tracking and Progress

At King James I Academy, all staff are responsible for assessing, monitoring and tracking the progress of our students. At a whole school level, aspirational targets are set for all students including those with SEND. Staff are responsible for setting each student achievable yet challenging targets within lessons and having high expectations of progress. 

Students are assessed every half term.  We collect assessment data, this is tracked and analysed using a commercial package called SISRA Analytics. 

Heads of Department regularly check on the progress of students and if someone is not making the expected levels of progress then intervention is put in place.