What support looks like at WMSF

At William Morris Sixth Form we believe that everyone should be given the opportunity to achieve their goals through education. To keep our ethos of inclusive education, all of our SEND students are integrated fully into WMSF life and have all of their lessons delivered in mainstream classes throughout the whole site.

We have a strong culture of supporting students with SEND who are fully integrated into lessons and enrichment. Support is kept discreet, and the additional adult will rotate around the rooms supporting all students. This allows our young adults to grow in confidence and independence without being made to feel different from their peers. Additional support outside class can be accessed in E11 which is in our purpose built Learning Support building (E Block) where Learning in the shape of 1:1 support, group interventions, clubs and drop-ins take place.

Whilst academic success is important at the WMSF, so too are social skills: many of our students have struggled to make friendships in the past. We run trips, clubs and workshops throughout the year with the aim to further friendships, independence and employability skills. Activities in previous years have included visiting Thorpe Park, Travel club, Baking club, taking part or watching football, Financial Literacy workshops and trips to the Houses of Parliament, Theatre, Comic Con and many more!

Our Learning Support department welcomes students with a variety of different needs: each student will be assigned a member of our LS department and a tutor upon joining WMSF. These two figures will be central to the progress of our students and will be in regular contact with home to keep parents and carers updated on progress.

We can support students within the following areas:

• Communication and Interaction – Students with mild Speech and Language difficulties and high functioning autism (ASD) who are able to function and engage in learning in classes of 18 pupils or more. Pupils with higher levels of social communication difficulties often join William Morris for a 2 year programme (FLT), following which time they make a transition to another setting.
• Cognition and Learning – students with learning needs classified as Moderate Learning Difficulty and Specific Learning Difficulty (dyslexia, dyspraxia or dyscalculia).
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health – students whose needs in these areas are such that they are able to function and engage in learning, within classes of 18 pupils or more.
• Sensory/Physical needs (Visual Impairment, hearing impairment and physical disabilities) – Where we have the expertise and specialist facilities/provision made available in conjunction with Local Authorities to support specific needs.
• Medical needs – The Assistant Principal Pastoral works alongside our school nurse and SENDCo to ensure we support students who have medical and associated learning difficulties, drawing up health or medical needs plans.

The Local Offer sets out all provisions relating to Education, Health and Care that young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, their parents and carers can access in order to meet the needs stated in their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCPs).

SEN/D