Report an absence: 01904 806464

Safeguarding

SEND and Vulnerable Pupils

Supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities

Some of our pupils may need a little extra help and this is where our Special Educational and Disability (SEND) support comes in. Each child with additional needs is offered different support tailored to meet their needs. Staff at Woodthorpe work closely with our children, their parents and, where appropriate, outside agencies, to develop each child’s individual support package.

Our SEND Report outlines how we identify support and monitor the progress of our children with additional needs.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact our Special Educational Needs Coordinator Mrs Elsworth, who will be more than happy to help.

Please also take a look at the following document:

SEND Code of Practice (January 2015)

York’s Local Offer for SEND

York’s Local Offer provides families, professionals, children and young people with Special Educational Needs, information regarding education, post 16 options, health services, parent and carer support, money advice, SEN guidance and information on Education, Health and Care Plans.

To find out more about the York’s Local Offer for SEND, please click here.

What should I do if I have a complaint about my child’s SEN support? 

Complaints about SEN provision in your school should be made to the SENCO in the first instance:

  • Mrs Elsworth: Vice Principal / SENCO

She will endeavour to resolve any difficulties. If this does not resolve their concerns, parents are welcome to submit their complaint formally. 

Formal complaint

Formal complaints about SEN provision in each school should be made to the Executive Principal, Mr James McGann, in the first instance. They will be handled in line with the Trust’s complaints policy which can be found on Our Policies page.

Young Carers

What is a Young Carer? 

A young carer is someone aged under 18 years who cares for a friend or family member who, due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, cannot cope without their support.

Why do Young Carers need support in school?

A report completed by Carers Trust in 2024 (Caring and classes: the education gap for young carers) includes the following key findings:

  • Young carers missed on average more than a month of their education (23 days of school).
  • Almost half (46%) of young carers at secondary school in England were persistently absent in 2022/23. This means they missed at least 10% of school. That’s one day of school every fortnight.
  • Almost half (48%) of young carers reported being bullied in the past year.
  • More than two in five (44%) young carers frequently struggle to study for tests or exams because of the demands of their caring situation.
  • Almost a third of young carers (30%) are regularly late for school because of the demands of their caring situation.
Woodthorpe’s commitment to Young Carers

Here at Woodthorpe, we are committed to meeting the needs of young carers so that they can attend and enjoy school in the same way as other students and achieve their potential.

Mrs Elsworth and Miss Lawrie are designated Young Carers Leads, they have responsibility for supporting young carers and their families alongside the Pastoral team. Students and families can contact them whilst in school, via the main school number or the dedicated Young Carers email address youngcarers@woodthorpe.elt.org.uk .

Once a young carer is identified, the school will speak to the young person and contact parents/carers to discuss the support that can be offered inside. The school has an effective referral system and strong partnerships in place with York Carers Centre who can offer support outside of school as well as visiting students in school where possible. 

At Woodthorpe we listen to our Young Carers and we recognise that they all may need additional support. Our offer includes: 

  • Practical support such as access to learning materials and support with transitions 
  • Access to provisions such as lunchtime clubs
  • Close liaison with York Carers Centre with the opportunity to access their youth groups outside of school hours.
  • Referral to York Carers Centre for one-to-one emotional support for those students who have the highest need.
  • All staff receive training on how to identify Young Carers and how to support them inside the classroom. 
  • All staff are aware of who our Young Carers are so that they understand the additional support required and any reasonable adjustments they may need. 
  • All students receive an awareness session during the academic year so that they know how to support friends who are Young Carers and know who to contact if they would like to discuss their caring role.
  • Annual face to face contact with Young Carers at our SEN coffee mornings
  • Support from our wellbeing worker services and pupil mentor
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