Three Catholic multi-academy trusts have developed bespoke solutions to significantly increased demand for special needs provision in mainstream schools.
As a result students with a range of complex needs have shown significant improvements in behaviour and learning, including those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) achieving a full grade higher in GCSEs than the national average.
All Saints Catholic Academy Trust (ASCAT); the Diocese of Westminster Catholic Academy Trust (DoWAT); and St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust (SFACAT) separately run a total of 34 schools in the Archdiocese of Westminster, which covers west, central and north London, Hertfordshire and Spelthorne.
The three academy trusts recently presented their work to a meeting of the South East region of the Formatio partnership of Catholic dioceses and other academy trusts. The Formatio partnership works with England’s four Catholic universities to implement strategies for school leadership and governance, as commissioned by the Bishops in 2017.
All Saints Catholic Academy Trust
An ASCAT secondary school has devised a programme of support for students with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, with measurable progress in emotional literacy; building up self-confidence; social skills and communication.
Enhanced support through a therapeutic and adaptive provision (TAP) model at an ASCAT junior school has reduced classroom removals and boosted staff confidence in supporting high needs pupils, among other improvements.
The arrival of several pupils with particularly high and complex needs after years of rising needs in nursery and reception prompted an ASCAT primary to repurpose an area of the school into a dedicated ‘Pod’ space. This now provides interventions and activities including sensory circuit activities, Communication in Language (CIL) sessions, with Makaton used throughout for communication. Ofsted and other external advisors who have visited the Pod stated that it has a hugely positive impact on pupils’ development and outcomes.
Diocese of Westminster Catholic Academy Trust
Following discussions with headteachers and SEN Coordinators (SENCos) on how to help future-proof provision, DoWAT has adapted their recommendations into a new SEND strategy. This led to the recruitment of an educational psychologist; macro-SENCo; speech and language therapists; family support workers; and autism advisory teacher. There has also been extensive training for teaching staff and assistants, including in English as an Additional Language (EAL) and in sensory needs.
As a result, pupils with an EHCP in DoWAT schools achieve a full grade higher in each GCSE than the national average.
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust
SFACAT has developed adaptive teaching as well as pioneering individual progress measurement for pupils with SEND, to recognise milestones and achievements previously invisible in conventional school data reporting systems. The academy trust has also standardised its schools’ SEN identification processes to ensure they are equitable and evidence-based with responsibilities clarified for parents, teachers, SENDCos, and support staff.
Parents have noticed the difference — one shared that SFACAT’s approach had transformed not only their daughter's education and emotional wellbeing but family life as well.
A legacy of service
Peter Sweeney, Director of Education for the Archdiocese of Westminster, said: “With increasing need for SEND provision and financial challenges it’s great to see the innovative support Catholic schools are delivering for students.
“The Catholic sector has a long history of expertise in SEND, establishing some of the first specialist schools in previous centuries, a legacy of service which continues to this day.”
Find out more about Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Westminster
