SENCO: Miss Jennifer Kaye

It is our intention that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to achieve their potential through access to quality first class teaching and additional provision.  Regardless of need we want all students to be able to join in and participate in the whole school experience, including extracurricular activities and trips and visits and to be happy and enjoy their time with us.  Ridgewood is inclusive and will endeavour to support every child in their educational journey.  We want students to have healthy minds and bodies, be safe in school and make progress so that they can move onto further studies or employment with the life skills they need to be independent. 

It is paramount that students with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the correct provision and support. We have many staff members whose role in school is to work with our SEND students in order to maximise their enjoyment and success whilst at Ridgewood.

How do we identify students with additional needs?

When students arrive in Year 7, we use information from their primary school alongside their KS2 data and the CATs (cognitive ability tests) we conduct in order to assess their needs, to identify if intervention to support literacy or numeracy is required, and to assess potential and set targets for students as they move through the key stages.

What support do these students receive?

Students identified as requiring additional support can then access a wide range of resources, which may include one-to-one in-class support, additional lessons taught in curriculum time, collaboration with outside agencies, or an Individual Education or Behaviour Plan. We make sure that all teachers in the school are aware not only of these students’ needs, but also of their learning preferences and their personal likes and dislikes inside and beyond the classroom. Please visit the documents at the end of this below to read our SEND report and the local offer for SEND.

How are children with ASD supported?

Some of our students at Ridgewood have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (also known as ASD, Autism, or Asperger’s). We have ‘The Link’, which acts as a safe place for students, for a soft start to their day and a smaller form group provision.  This supports students at key points in the day as they go into the main classrooms for their full curriculum package. Students on the Autistic Spectrum and others with sensory needs can spend their break and dinner time in a quieter dining area next to the main canteen.  Some students in year 9 can complete a social skills and life skills intervention.  We also have individual and small group mentoring during form time.  We work with ASCETS and signpost parents to DAS for further support.

We also have support available for students with visual or hearing impairments, physical difficulty, EHCP plans, those requiring in-school support and those with social, emotional and mental health needs through our keyworker and well-being staff. 

Who could provide more information?

At Ridgewood, we want all our students to succeed and to feel part of a school community where everyone is valued equally. If you would like any more information about our SEND provision, please do not hesitate to contact the school, and we would be happy to speak to you. 

Any complaints from parents of children with special educational needs about the support provided by the school will be dealt with by the SEND team.

For further information about the Doncaster Local Offer click the link below:

Local Offer - Specialist Education Support Services - City of Doncaster Council

Our SEND and Equality policies, which are reviewed annually in line with the statutory requirements, can be downloaded below and are also available on our Policies and Procedures web page.