SEND
We recognise that every child is an individual and that pupils’ needs vary. As an inclusive school, we are committed to ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive high‑quality teaching that is ambitious, inclusive and carefully adapted so that all learners can achieve well.
Our approach reflects a strong commitment to equity and inclusion, ensuring that pupils with additional needs are not disadvantaged and are supported to access the same high expectations, opportunities and experiences as their peers.
We work thoughtfully to ensure that pupils are supported to:
Feel safe, secure and confident, developing a strong sense of belonging within the school community
Be fully included in all aspects of school life, both academically and socially
Make strong progress from their starting points, achieving outcomes that reflect their individual potential
Access a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum, which is adapted where necessary while maintaining high expectations
Participate fully in PSHE and personal development opportunities, supporting emotional resilience, positive relationships and wellbeing
Develop independence, confidence and decision‑making skills, preparing them effectively for the next stage of education and adulthood
Engage in enrichment and wider curriculum experiences, ensuring equal access to cultural capital and opportunities beyond the classroom
Receive appropriate, well‑planned resources and support, deployed effectively to meet assessed needs
Be involved in their learning, with clear understanding of targets, progress and next steps
High‑quality teaching is at the heart of our SEND provision. Teachers have a clear understanding of pupils’ needs and use effective differentiation, adaptive teaching strategies and targeted support to remove barriers to learning. Support is regularly reviewed to ensure it is timely, appropriate and having impact.
We know our pupils well and work closely with families and professionals to ensure that provision is purposeful, evaluated and responsive. This enables us to maintain high expectations while meeting individual needs, ensuring pupils are well prepared for future learning, independence and life beyond school.
Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum for SEND
At Tile Cross Academy, we believe that inclusive education means providing all Students with appropriate education and support alongside their peers, in mainstream classrooms across the school site. The Curriculum is planned and sequenced through the learning journey and schemes of work. The Curriculum is delivered through quality first teaching, scaffolded and differentiation to meet a child’s needs. It includes not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum but, also the range of additional opportunities that the school organises to enrich the experiences of our children. Our curriculum also includes the social aspects that are essential for life-long learning.
Most children and young people will have their special educational needs met in our school, through good classroom practice including differentiation. This is through the delivery of Quality First Teaching.
At Tile Cross Academy, we follow a graduated support approach which is called ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review‘.
When planning the support for a child who has SEND we:
Assess: a child’s special educational needs which include their academic levels either prior to starting school or as they move through school. This is in addition to their social and emotional needs.
Plan: the provision and intervention is put in place to meet the child’s aspirations both academically and socially and emotionally to help them achieve the agreed outcomes.
Do: put in place the required support provision in place to help Students meet those expected outcomes.
Review: the support and progress at regular intervals throughout the year.
The SEND register/EHCP/SSPP, pupils identified will have pupil passport pinned to Arbor with termly targets and support strategies that are personalised. Pupils who need short term interventions within the inclusion department are identified using data, lesson observations and staff referrals. Interventions are short-term which are evidence based and run for half term periods. Each intervention is reviewed pre and post intervention to evidence progress. Some pupils with EHCPs require long term intervention within inclusion but also with the skills of outside agencies.
OAG Guides for Parents
Working together with children and families
Continuous professional learning & development
Creating enabling environments
High quality adaptive teaching
The team around the child & family
Understanding the graduated approach
Cognition and Learning Resource Base
Tile Cross Academy is proud to offer a Cognition and Learning Resource Base (The Link), currently open to Year 7 pupils, designed to support students with identified cognition and learning needs who require a specialist level of provision alongside a mainstream secondary education.
Places within the Cognition and Learning Resource Base are allocated by the Local Authority through the SEND assessment and placement process. The resource base is specifically for pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that identifies cognition and learning as a primary area of need and names Tile Cross Academy as the appropriate provision.
The resource base provides a high‑quality, inclusive learning environment that enables pupils to access education successfully, make progress from their starting points, and develop the skills needed for future learning, independence and adulthood. Provision is carefully aligned to pupils’ EHCP outcomes and reflects best practice in adaptive teaching and inclusive curriculum design.
The curriculum within the resource base remains ambitious, with high expectations for progress and achievement. Teaching is carefully sequenced and adapted to remove barriers to learning while ensuring pupils continue to access a broad and balanced curriculum.
The Cognition and Learning Resource Base (The Link) is led by Miss N. Hunt, who works closely with the Inclusion team, subject teachers, pastoral staff, families and external professionals. This collaborative approach ensures provision is consistent, well planned and regularly reviewed, enabling pupils to feel safe, supported and included within the wider school community.
At Tile Cross Academy, inclusion sits at the heart of our ethos. The Cognition and Learning Resource Base reflects our commitment to ensuring that pupils with EHCPs receive the right provision, in the right setting, at the right time, so they can thrive and progress confidently into the next stage of their education
Mrs M Gascoyne is the SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) for Tile Cross Academy and can be contacted at the school address or by email at mgascoyne@tilecross.academy
Mrs Reid is the Language Development Leader for Tile Cross Academy and can be contacted at the school address or by email kreid@tilecross.academy
Please follow the links below for more information about SEND and EAL provision:
Birmingham local offer website
These sites will support your child with improving their basic vocabulary and are particularly useful if your child cannot access other resources provided by school.
www.digitaldialects.com/English.htm
learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/games
www.gamestolearnenglish.com
www.funenglishgames.com
www.english-4kids.com/games.html
www.esl-lounge.com/student/hangman.php
www.esl-lounge.com/student/wordsearch.php
ww.esl-lounge.com/student/crosswords.php
SEND Clinic Appointments
Please use this QR code to book SEND Clinic Appointments
Below is an example of bookable SEND clinic appointment
