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Inclusion

A Culture of Inclusion

Inclusion is the right to an education for every child. At Skinners' Academy, we achieve this by ensuring:

  • Everyone’s voice is heard.
  • Everyone’s identity is valued.
  • Everyone is supported to thrive.

We believe it is the responsibility of all staff, not just those in pastoral or leadership roles, to ensure that every child and young person is supported to “be the best you can be” each and every day.

We recognise that children and young people bring diverse strengths, identities, and lived experiences to our community, and that some experience barriers within the educational environment that can affect access to learning, participation, and wellbeing. These may be connected to Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities, socio-economic circumstances, contextual safeguarding factors, and/or other aspects of a child’s context, and may be life-long or change over time.

Our role is to listen and learn from our students and families, to remove barriers wherever possible, and to adapt our provision and support so that all children and young people can thrive in school and beyond.

SEND Overview

Skinners’ Academy is an inclusive mainstream secondary school for students aged 11–18, located in Hackney, with a Sixth Form on the same site. We have an above‑average number of students with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and are committed to ensuring that all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), achieve their full potential.

As a mainstream school, students attend mainstream lessons for the majority of the school day, with withdrawal only for targeted interventions or specialist programmes where appropriate. All students are encouraged to participate fully in enrichment opportunities such as after‑school clubs, music sessions and educational visits.

High‑quality, inclusive teaching (“quality‑first teaching”) underpins all classroom practice and is the foundation of support for students with SEND.

What are Special Educational Needs and Disabilities?

Skinners’ Academy supports students across all four broad areas of need identified in the SEND Code of Practice (2015):

  • Communication and interaction
  • Cognition and learning
  • Social, emotional and mental health
  • Sensory and/or physical needs

We support students with a wide range of needs, including but not limited to:

  • Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
  • Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
  • Specific, Moderate and Severe Learning Difficulties
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Visual Impairment
  • Physical Disability
  • Multi‑sensory Impairment

Admissions

Admissions to Skinners’ Academy are managed through the Hackney Learning Trust as part of the Pan‑London admissions system. Full details are available in the Admissions Policy on the Academy website.

Admissions for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan are completed through a consultation process led by the Local Authority.

Supporting students with medical needs

The SEND Department works closely with the Academy Nurse and external health professionals to support students with medical needs. Individual Healthcare Plans are created in partnership with families and relevant professionals where required.

Training and expertise of staff

All new staff receive SEND training as part of their induction. Ongoing professional development takes place throughout the year, including whole‑school training and student‑specific guidance where needed.

Accessibility

The Academy site is fully accessible and includes:

  • Lifts throughout the building
  • Disabled toilets with hoist facilities
  • Environmental adaptations for students with visual or hearing impairments

We work closely with specialist teachers from Hackney Learning Trust to ensure appropriate adjustments are in place.

Transition support

We provide structured transition support:

  • Year 6–7 transition programme with primary school visits and transition days
  • Induction programme for Year 7
  • Careers guidance for Year 9 GCSE options and Year 11 post‑16 pathways
  • Support with visits, applications and transition to further education

Complaints

If concerns cannot be resolved informally, parents/carers can follow the Trust’s Complaints Procedure, available on the Trust website.

Further information and contact details

SENDCo: Siobhan Hardy
Senior Leader with responsibility for SEND: Siobhan Hardy

Skinners’ Academy
Woodberry Grove, London, N4 1SY
Tel: 0208 800 7411
Email: enquiries@skinnersacademy.org.uk

Further information about SEND in Hackney and the Local Offer is available via the Hackney Learning Trust website.

How do we identify students with additional needs?

We work closely with feeder primary schools and other professionals to ensure that students’ needs are identified early and appropriate support is planned.

Identification methods include:

  • Information from primary schools prior to transition
  • Review of previous assessments and reports
  • Tracking of attainment and progress by teachers and subject areas
  • Weekly monitoring by Heads of Year and the Pastoral Team
  • SEND referrals from staff
  • Concerns raised by parents/carers
  • Information provided by external professionals

Students may also be assessed using standardised screening tools, including reading, spelling and cognitive assessments, to inform support and exam access arrangements.

How do we support students with SEND?

Students on the SEND register receive support at either:

  • SEND Support, or
  • Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) level

Each student has a Student Support Profile outlining their needs, targets and strategies to support learning in the classroom.

Support may include:

  • Quality‑first teaching with appropriate differentiation
  • Small‑group or one‑to‑one interventions
  • In‑class support from Teaching Assistants
  • Literacy interventions, particularly in Key Stage 3
  • Functional Skills English and Maths (KS4)
  • Key Stage 4 Readiness Programme in Year 9
  • Bespoke literacy or numeracy programmes
  • Support from external specialists (e.g. Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Counsellor)
  • Social, emotional and mental health interventions, including access to on‑site counselling

Provision for students with EHCPs is tailored to the outcomes and provision specified in their plan.

How do we involve students and parents/carers?

We value strong partnerships with students and families and actively involve them in planning and reviewing support.

This includes:

  • SEND support and planning meetings
  • Annual Reviews for students with EHCPs
  • Regular communication with parents/carers
  • Parents’ Evenings
  • Student involvement in setting and reviewing targets
  • Multi‑agency meetings where appropriate

How do we monitor progress?

All teachers are responsible for the progress of students with SEND in their classes. Progress is:

  • Tracked and reviewed by teachers, Heads of Year and SENDCo
  • Monitored by the Senior Leadership Team
  • Reviewed during SEND support meetings and Annual Reviews

Parents/carers receive feedback through Parents’ Evenings and meetings with staff.