Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

At Thomas Paine Sixth Form we aim to ensure all members of the school community support students with SEND, ensuring that SEND students are integrated into the life of the sixth form.  

Our SENDCO and SEND Lead Practitioner, work alongside our pastoral and academic support team to ensure all students identified as having SEND,or other barriers to their learning, as far as possible, have equal access to all aspects of the curriculum

Teaching and support staff at Thomas Paine Sixth Form use Dyslexia and ASD friendly teaching strategies in all lessons, as these are beneficial for all students. Where students are identified as having a learning or medical need that requires support or interventions that are different to those on offer to all students, they will be added to our SEND register. Parents/carers will be informed at this point and a learning plan will be created, in collaboration with the student, to document and monitor the support and interventions required.

Access Arrangements

Access Arrangements, such as extra time, rest breaks, or the use of a reader or scribe, are intended to meet the needs of individual students with SEND, disabilities or temporary injuries, without affecting the integrity of the assessment. Teaching and support staff will make a referral to the SENDCO if they feel a student needs an access arrangement. If there is clear evidence that the arrangement is necessary, appropriate, and reflects the student's normal way of working, the SENDCO will then complete any necessary assessments and submit an application to the examining body as required.

Where students had access arrangements approved for their GCSE assessments, the SENDCO will liaise with the student and their teachers to determine if these arrangements are still necessary and appropriate for their new courses.

For free and impartial information, advice and support about special educational needs and disabilities ( SEND) for children, young people, parents and carers visit:

https://www.norfolksendpartnershipimass.org.uk