Local Offers
Blackpool SEND (formerly Parent Partnership Service)
Blackpool's Local Offer
Blackpool's Local Offer for children and young people with disabilities and special needs.
The local offer sets out, in one place, what support and services are available for children and young people with disabilities and special educational needs. Blackpool's local offer page can be accessed via the following link:
Blackpool Local Offer
Blackpool SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (formerly Parent Partnership Service) is available to all our parents. A SENDIASS Officer may accompany parents to meetings with school or the Local Authority. Contact them via the following link:
SEND Information, Advice and Support Service
The Graduated Approach Toolkit:
Graduated approach
SEN Information Report
At Woodlands we personalise our offer as much as possible to meet the individual needs of the children and young people. Within class, teachers plan for each child and young person, and try to find unique ways to unlock their potential.
We have a very wide range of choices and interventions within our curriculum which enrich our offer and give greater opportunity to meet additional needs. To support this we use the expertise of a huge range of outside agencies and partnerships. They work with our young people but also train and support our staff in developing a greater skill base.
As a result, we think our curriculum has the flexibility needed to meet need whilst being creative, imaginative and stimulating.
What type of SEN do we cater for?
Woodlands School caters for students with Complex Needs including those with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties and those with Multi-Sensory Impairments.
How will you support my child or young person with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?
The head teacher has responsibility to oversee and plan the educational programme for your child, however this responsibility is delegated to the class teacher. Teachers work in partnership with parents and carers and the other professionals who support your child.
We have an open door policy at Woodlands and parents are encouraged to contact us at any time to discuss their child’s progress. We also invite parents in to school on a termly basis to discuss their child’s progress.
Who will work with my child or young person and how often?
The class teachers and their teaching assistants will work with your child on a daily basis to ensure progress is achieved.
Who will explain to me what is in place to support my child or young person?
We value productive partnerships with parents and carers and work hard to build close relationships with you. Teachers and class staff ensure parents and carers are fully informed. We meet at least termly to discuss in detail the progress and plans for your child. Home/ school diaries ensure that parents are kept up to date with what is happening in school on a day to day basis. Teachers and support staff complete the diaries on a daily basis. This is also the opportunity for you to record what is taking place at home or any concerns you may have.
How are the governors involved?
Our governors take a keen interest in all aspects of school. Regular termly governor meetings ensure that governors are up to date will all educational approaches and strategies and governors come in to school between meetings to support the Senior Leadership Team with specific aspects of school life.
Will my child or young person have consistent support from staff known to them?
Your child will be based in a class group within one of the four departments in school. We try to ensure that this class group will be consistent throughout the academic year. Your child may also have the opportunity to work with a wider variety of staff and students in school through other activities such as the Emotional Learning Support Assistants (ELSA) group, after school activities such as horse riding and Schools Alive.
Will staff be given time to plan and prepare materials, activities and lessons to enable my child or young person to access the curriculum?
Our teachers have access to planning and preparation time to ensure all students learn as well as possible. Time after school is also set to ensure that our teachers and teaching assistants are able to train and meet as a class team.
Our curriculum is specifically adapted to ensure we apply an effective child centred approach to learning.
How will you know how effective your arrangements for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are?
We target set and measure all of our students’ progress using a variety of specifically designed assessment tools.
What is your approach to personalisation?
Woodlands School has a child centred approach to learning. The use of our rigorous and ongoing assessment ensures that teaching adapts and responds to the changing needs of each student. Effective home/school collaboration supports this process and ensures appropriate personalised learning is realised.
How will both you and I know how my child or young person is doing and how will you help me to support their learning?
There is a parent/carer meeting held every term to discuss your child’s achievements and progress and to plan for the next steps. In addition a termly report is sent home outlining the progress and achievements that term.
Once a year, your child will have an annual review of their Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education Health and Care Plan. This brings together your views along with those of school and everyone who helps your child to look at progress and to ensure that the provision remains appropriate.
We also ensure that contact between home and school is constant through the use of Tapestry Learning Journal, newsletters and our text messaging service. Parents are constantly kept up to date to ensure they are fully informed of activities and progress.
We want to work very closely with you and for you to be involved in planning you child or young person’s education.
We welcome ongoing dialogue and discussion between home and school.
Do you offer any parent training or learning events?
Parent training events are offered throughout the academic year. The parent training and learning events on offer are needs led and decided upon by constant evaluation of training and parent/carer advice.
We always welcome ideas for future training and support sessions.
What support will there be for my child or young person’s overall well being?
We are committed to safeguarding and have robust systems in place to monitor the wellbeing of each pupil.
What pastoral, medical and social support is available for children with SEND?
In addition to the ongoing support from your child’s class and department teams, we have a dedicated nursing team and access to therapy services who visit school regularly. We also work in partnership with children and adult social care and other partner agencies to ensure appropriate ongoing support.
What support is there for behaviour?
We have a positive behaviour approach which is supported by a comprehensive Behaviour Policy and individual Behaviour Support Plans where appropriate.
How will my child or young person be supported to enable them to contribute their views?
We believe strongly that all of children have a voice and should be enabled to make choices. We ensure that every child’s preferred communication strategies are clearly identified and outlined in their One Page Profile. This may be through sign, use of symbols, vocalisation, gesture or augmentative and alternative technologies. All children are encouraged to indicate how they feel and action taken if a child is unhappy.
We have a School Council with representatives from across schoolThe School Council takes an active role in many decisions made in school.
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting, school or college?
Qualified teachers of deaf and hearing impaired children
Qualified teachers of blind and visually impaired children
Teachers and TAs qualified in sensory assessments
Teachers qualified in working with pupils who have autism
Makaton Trainers
MAPA Trainers
Cygnet Trainers
Early Bird Trainers
Centaur Trainers
What other services do you access including health, therapy and social care services to meet the needs of young people and support families?
Health
Nursing team
Physiotherapy team
Occupational Therapy team
Speech and Language Therapy Team
Social Care
Disabled Children’s Service
Learning disability Team- Adult Services
Local Authority Contacts
Statements and Education Health and Care Plans
SEN Assessment and Commissioning Team
Bickerstaffe House
Talbot Gateway,
Bickerstaffe St,
Blackpool
FY1 3DB
What staff training is in place to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities?
As a special school for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, our entire focus is meeting those complex needs. To do this we ensure all staff are appropriately trained to meet the needs of the children. Our professional development framework has three strands: essential; core; and elective.
Our in-school training programme prioritises the essential and core training for all staff. In addition we strive to ensure that staff are able to extend their skills, knowledge and understanding into areas of particular relevance to the school and in line with their own interests.
How accessible is your environment?
We offer a special school which is fully accessible to children and young people with mobility and sensory impairments. The school has level access throughout, has overhead tracking hoists in some areas with mobile hoists being used where overhead hoists aren’t available. There are accessible toilets and changing spaces throughout the building. We have specialist resources to meet a variety of needs including a Sensory Room and we are working with the Friends Association and other agencies to raise funds for an Interactive Soft Play Room, and Outdoor Sensory Space
Woodlands School aims to provide an environment where Total Communication is accepted, valued and developed, where pupils can interact, express needs and preferences, make choices, ask questions, make friends and express feelings.
How will you prepare and support my child or young person to join the school?
Admissions to Woodlands School are arranged by Blackpool Local Authority Parents/carers should contact the Casework Officer within the SEN Assessment and Commissioning Team to discuss the options and decider, through consultation which school will best meet your child’s needs.
SEN Assessment and Commissioning Team
Children who have special needs are usually referred to us through the process of writing or revising an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). It is the responsibility of the Local Authority to write or revise an EHCP, although as parents you may have instigated it yourselves. Many people may be involved in the process including doctors, educational psychologists, teachers from previous schools, Early Years Support, therapists to name but a few.
Any parent considering admission to Woodlands is welcome to visit our school to see the provision we offer, meet the staff and chat to the pupils.
Once it is decided that your child or young person is coming to Woodlands School, we prepare in a number of ways: further visits to the school; meeting with your class and class teacher at home and at school; multi-agency meetings; and phased induction dependant on needs and requirements.
How will you support them to move on to the next stage of education or move on to adult life?
We ensure that all student information is readily available to any new setting. Transition meetings also help by ensuring we communicate clearly with another setting everything that should be in place.
At the age of 19 our students move on to a variety of service providers or to college. This process is completed in partnership with: parents and carers; The Careers Service; The Transitions Team, The Learning Disability Team and College or Service Provider representatives to ensure a smooth post 19 transition.
How are decisions made about what type and how much support my child or young person will receive?
Decisions about support are driven by each child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. The assessment process resulting in an EHC Plan or statement will be completed prior to your child’s registration at Woodlands School by Blackpool Special Educational Needs Assessment and Commissioning Team.
How will you judge if the support has had an impact?
Continual assessment takes place throughout your child’s time at Woodlands This is to ensure progress is mapped and built upon. This is shared with parents on an ongoing basis. Parental input is welcomed and encouraged.
What is an annual review?
An Annual Review is a review of your child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. We look at your child’s identified needs and consider the educational provision, and any non-educational provision such as physiotherapy or speech therapy, in the light of those needs. We also use this review process to discuss your child’s development and progress over the year, and to decide new targets for the coming year. Your child is encouraged to attend this meeting where appropriate.
How is the Annual Review organised?
We will set a date and time, and notify you well in advance. Review meetings are held annually in school.
Who is involved in the Annual Review?
You and your child plus the class teacher, other relevant school staff and professionals as appropriate.
How is the Annual Review Conducted?
The format for the Review will be outlined by the class teacher. Any questions or issues will then be discussed. The previous year’s targets are discussed in detail, and recommendations and targets for the next year are identified.