Learning Support and The PSRP
Main School Learning Support

The JCoSS Learning Support Faculty aims to assist staff in meeting the needs of all students within the school, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  The Director of Inclusion, who also holds the role of SENCo, leads a team of staff, including a Deputy SENCo, two part-time SEN teachers, and Learning Support Assistants, some of whom act in the role of seniors.

At JCoSS our aim is to build the independence and resilience of students in all aspects of their lives.  We provide individualised support as specified on a student’s Statement or EHCP, or where necessary according to their needs.  Learning Support Assistants either work with a range of students, usually within the classroom but sometimes on a withdrawal basis, or are based in faculties. We use our best endeavours to ensure that support is tailored to meet individual needs.

Although the students themselves are the focus of our support in school, we highly value the involvement of parents and carers and seek to form a partnership with them to achieve the best outcomes. Communication with the faculty is welcomed, whether by phone or email or through meetings at school.

We liaise with a range of specialist services to support students as necessary.  We ensure that students have  Access Arrangements in place as needed for examinations.

The Learning Support Faculty works alongside the Pears Special Resourced Provision (PSRP) for students with Autistic Spectrum Conditions, but in terms of admissions and funding the two departments operate on an entirely different basis.  The main school Learning Support Faculty is resourced in the same way as any other Barnet secondary school.

In common with all schools, JCoSS is working towards full implementation of the new Children and Families Act 2014, and the revised Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs.  The School’s policies for SEND and for Disability Equality & Accessibility, as well as Barnet’s Local Offer and our SEND information report can be found in our Policies and Guidance section below.

If you wish to contact our Director of Learning Support, Mrs Sonya Beale, please email admin@jcoss.barnet.sch.uk or phone 020 8344 2220

 

 

Pears Special Resource Provision

The Pears special Resource Provision (PSRP)

The Pears Special Resource Provision (PSRP) is an additionally resourced provision within JCoSS, offering up to 49 places (seven per year group) for pupils with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC).

The PSRP was established with significant support from the Pears Foundation, and benefits from ongoing input and partnership with Norwood, the Jewish Educational & Social Care Charity.

The PSRP is designed to provide for students who:

  • Have a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum condition (ASC) as a primary need in their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP);
  • Have cognitive or attainment levels similar to peers in the mainstream so that their needs can be met, with support, through reasonable adjustment;
  • Can access the Social Thinking curriculum, which uses strategies that are designed for those with social learning challenges with near average to well above average cognitive ability and language skills;
  • Are at Conversational Partner stage of the Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support (SCERTS) model, whereby a student can use creative language to communicate and is learning how to succeed in a range of social settings;
  • Have demonstrated that they benefit from learning alongside appropriate peer models;
  • Have demonstrated progress during Key Stage 2 in response to specific interventions and behaviour support plans;
  • In moments of dysregulation are able to have their behaviour modified and managed within the medium-risk setting that the PSRP provides;
  • Have an understanding of their ASC diagnosis and are willing to access learning and/or support from within the PSRP.

Curriculum

As far as possible, PSRP students who are able to access the main school will follow the National Curriculum, with the long term view of taking up to 5 GCSEs at the end of Y11, which, if passed at Grade 4 (or equivalent) is currently sufficient to gain access to 6th form courses within the main school.

All PSRP students follow a highly differentiated curriculum focusing on developing social cognition, through the SCERTS framework and the Social Thinking curriculum. Most PSRP students will also follow ASDAN/CoPE courses, the Personal and social Development curriculum and the Employability and Work Related Learning curriculum.

Admissions:

Students must have a medical diagnosis of autism and an EHCP naming autism as their primary need in order to be considered for a place in the PSRP. Barnet Local Authority (LA) is the ‘admitting authority’ for the PSRP; JCoSS does not make decisions regarding admissions to the PSRP.  Parents should express an interest to their home local authority by the deadline in October, published by Barnet LA.

For more information about the PSRP, its facilities and how its provision differs from that on offer to students on role in the main school at JCoSS please click the following link:

Admission for students with Statement / EHCP into the main school or PSRP

 

 

 

 

Admission for students with Statement / EHCP into the main school or PSRP

Process for admission – Main School – Learning Support

The Admissions Procedure for students with Statements of Special Educational Need or Education & Health Care Plans is different from other students.  Parents wishing to name JCoSS on their child’s Statement/Plan should contact their Local Authority.  Transition to secondary school is an important part of the discussion at Annual Reviews for children in Years 5 and 6.

The PSRP provides an education for children with autistic spectrum conditions in a safe, secure Jewish environment. There are 7 places in each year group and admissions are managed by the London Borough of Barnet. The PSRP provides for children of all

Process for admission – PSRP

The local authority (LA), London Borough of Barnet, is the admitting authority to the PSRP as they have the duty to decide whether to name a school or school specific provision on a Statement of Special Educational Needs (Education Act 1996) or Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) (Children and Families Act 2014). In the event of another LA requesting a place at JCoSS this request will be considered as part of the process below and Barnet LA will advise that authority. This process will be implemented by the Children’s Service usually on an annual basis in the second half of the Autumn term.

The PSRP is designed to provide for students who:
1. have a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum condition from a medically qualified clinician which is accepted as the primary special educational need and included in a Statement of Special Educational Need/Education and Health Care Plan;
2. have cognitive or attainment levels similar to peers in the mainstream so needs can be met through reasonable differentiation, modification and adaptation of the mainstream curriculum to enable high levels of inclusion into the mainstream classes;
3. have demonstrated ability to benefit from access to appropriate peer models of social and communicative behaviour;
4. during key stage 2, have demonstrated the ability to learn strategies to modify their behaviour in response to specific interventions and contexts which have been clearly identified and evidenced in their behaviour support plans;
5. in moments of dysregulation be able to have their behaviour modified and managed within the medium-risk setting that the PSRP provides;
6. be able to function effectively in the mainstream with one Learning Support Assistant for every two students or in the provision with one Learning Support Assistant for every two students;
7. be within reasonable independent or supported travel distance (up to 60 minutes is recommended as noted by AA’s online Route Planner) and be able to make a reasonable home to school transition and start to the school day.
Students who do not meet the above criteria are unlikely to thrive in the PSRP which is part of a mainstream Jewish school of over 1300 students. We aim for the full inclusion of all PSRP students in the mainstream school over time, and the education of each student needs to be compatible with the efficient education and health and safety of all others.
To aid appropriate placement decision making, applicants will be assessed against the above criteria to ensure both the efficient education of the student placed and other students in the school and the efficient use of the Local Authority resources.
Parents express an interest by form or letter to the local authority [1] for the JCoSS PSRP by the deadline in October set by the local authority. The LA will provide all available paperwork to JCoSS within 14 days of the request.

[1] SEN Casework Manager, Ground Floor, Building 2, London Borough of Barnet, NLBP, Oakleigh Road South, New Southgate, N11 1NP

SEN Admissions to JCoSS – PSRP or Main School

Please click on the link below for information regarding SEN admissions.

 

Policies, Guidance and Information

SEN Admissions to JCoSS – PSRP or Main School

Please click on the links below for information regarding SEN admissions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

From September 2014 a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice became statutory for all schools.

All schools and local authorities have a legal duty to publish details of their provision for pupils with SEND.

Please click on the links below for the SEND Provisions document and our SEND Policy: