All the students at our school have complex and significant needs in the area of cognition and learning as described in the SEN Code of Practice and may be described as having severe/profound and multiple or complex learning difficulties.
In addition to a learning need, students may also have other associated needs in the areas of sensory or medical needs, (visual, hearing impairment, MSI, epilepsy, life limiting conditions etc.) emotional/social needs, communication and interaction difficulties, (autistic, speech, language and communication needs (e.g. mobility needs, physical disabilities, wheelchair users).
All students at Hazelbeck School have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP):
By the very nature of our students and the significance of their SEND, all of our students access:
- Higher staffing ratios than a mainstream school
- Support specific to a student’s SEN e.g. standing frames, walking frames etc.
- Access to specialist facilities, e.g. hydrotherapy pool, wheelchair accessible buses
- In some cases, individualised timetables and curriculum considering students’ individual needs and ages
- External agencies as necessary to meet the student’s and family’s specific needs e.g. physiotherapist
Some of the students in our school may be identified as needing extra help. These students are identified by:
- Concerns raised by parents/carers, external agencies, teachers, or the students themselves
- Screening, such as that completed on entry or as a result of a concern being raised which indicates gaps in knowledge and/or skills
- Whole school tracking of attainment outcomes indicates lack of expected rate of progress
- Observation of the student indicates that they have additional needs requiring extra help
Throughout school, all students will be provided with high-quality teaching that is differentiated to meet the needs of all learners. The quality of classroom teaching provided to students with SEND is monitored through a number of processes that include:
- classroom observation
- the development of Independence and Self-Help Skills
- ongoing assessment of progress and attainment made by students with SEND
- work sampling and scrutiny of planning to ensure effective matching of work to student need
- progress towards EHCP and Data Driven targets and outcomes
- teacher meetings with the Leadership Team to provide advice and guidance on meeting the needs of students;
- student and parent/carer feedback on the quality and effectiveness of interventions provided
- attendance and behaviour records.
Attainments towards the identified outcomes will be shared with parents termly through feedback at progress meetings and annually through the EHCP Review process and the end of year report. Evidence of progress towards targets and outcomes will is shared with parents via EfL.
Daily or weekly contact with families in relation to news, events, reminders or small steps towards goals is shared using the Class DOJO app.
Parents are encouraged to arrange an appointment to discuss their student’s progress with the class teacher or a member of the senior leadership team at any time when they feel concerned or have information they feel they would like to share that could impact on their student’s success.
Action relating to SEN support will follow an ‘assess, plan, do and review’ model:
Assess: in week 8 and 9 of each cycle data on each area to meet a student’s needs (Safeguarding and Family Support, Attendance and Transition, meeting targets and outcomes, Behaviour and Personal Development) be collated by the class teacher and the Leadership Team to make an accurate assessment of the student’s needs
Plan: in weeks 10 to 13 of the data Cycle if review of the students’ current progress and attainment indicates that additional to and different from support is required, then appropriate evidence-based interventions are identified, recorded and implemented by the class teacher
Do: academic or developmental targets and outcomes are moved on to the next step towards the targets and where needed interventions are put in place. Targets and /outcomes ensure they consider parent/carer and student aspiration.
Review: Progress towards these outcomes will be tracked and reviewed in each data cycle student.
Teachers plan using students’ achievement levels, differentiating tasks to ensure progress for every student in the classroom. The curriculum and the learning environment will be adapted by the class teacher to reduce barriers to learning and enable them to access the curriculum more easily. These adaptations may include strategies suggested by in-school specialists and/or external specialists.
In addition, if it is considered appropriate, students may be provided with specialised equipment or resources such as ICT and/or additional adult help.
Hazelbeck School is a purpose-built school for students with SLD, PMLD, Autism and complex medical needs.
Each room is fitted with a hoist, and we have a number of mobile hoists. We have a hydrotherapy pool and
rebound room which is accessible to all. Each classroom is tailored to best meet the needs of the students in the class. There are lifts to access different levels of the building as well as stairs.
Our Accessibility Plan describes the actions the school has taken to increase access to the environment, the curriculum and to printed information – see policy section on school website.
There are four pathways in school, (using the terminology of our curriculum) Red -Experiential Learners, Orange – Early Concrete Learners, Yellow -Concrete Learners and Green -Early Abstract and Abstract Learners.
Each class has a different student to teacher ratio dependent on the needs or the group. Each students has an allocate top up funding paid to school from the Bradford High Needs Funding budget. Allocation of resources and access to specialist spaces or services varies between individual students and curriculum pathway.
We recognise that over time students may need different levels of support for example following a period of ill health.
The provision a student receives is directed by the provision in Section F of their EHCP Additional funding is in place for those in receipt of Pupil Premium, 6th Form Bursary Payments or those who are a child in care. The rationale, allocation and evaluation of impact of this funding can be found in the school’s Pupil Premium Strategy Document on the school website.
Classes access activities, trips and visits that fit with their curriculum and age. Some trips are repeated regularly, for example, local community access and others are a one off.
Activities are planned and run by the teaching staff
Parents and carer permission is sought for all trips and visits.
Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all students to participate in all
school activities. The school ensures it has sufficient staff expertise to ensure that no student is excluded
from any school provided activity. Community access, school trips and residentials are an integral part of the wider curriculum. All trips are planned, risk assessed and evaluated using the Bradford Evolve Risk Assessment system.
The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for students. This includes:
- A Personal, Health, Social and Economic (PHSE) and Relationships and Sex education (RSE) curriculum that aims to provide students with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to enhance their emotional and social knowledge and well-being.
- Student and Parent voice mechanisms are in place, the effectiveness of which are reported regularly to the Local School Committee.
- Whole school Mental Health strategy and associated activities
- Small group evidence-led interventions to support student’s well-being are delivered to targeted students and groups. These support improved interaction skills, emotional resilience and well-being.
Students with medical needs
Students with medical needs will be provided with a detailed Individual Health and Care Plan, compiled in partnership with the school nurse and parents and if appropriate, the student themselves. Staff who administer and supervise medications, will complete formal training and be verified by the school nurse as being competent. All medicine administration procedures adhere to the LA policy and Department of Education (DfE) guidelines included within Supporting students at school with medical conditions (DfE) 2014 and identified in the School Medicine Administration Procedures.
The school SENDCo (Special Educational Need Co-ordinator) Kirstie Coughlan who can be contacted through the school. Parents may also contact the Headteacher, Lisa Little, via the school admin coordinator Julie Bastow if they have a question.
School staff receive a range of training; statutory, awareness, enhanced and specialist. All staff are trained in Team Teach and Manual Handling.
Statutory training
- Safeguarding
- Online Safety
- PREVENT
Awareness Training has been provided to all staff on:
- Assessment
- Curriculum
- SEND needs and cooccurring conditions including Autism
- Adaptive and Precision teaching
- Makaton
- Medical needs awareness, e.g., Asthma, epilepsy, allergy
- Positive Behaviour Support
- Total Communication
Enhanced training has been provided to specific staff on:
- Makaton
- Rebound Therapy
- Food hygiene
- NARS training (swimming)
- Administration of medication
- Medical needs, e.g. Gastrostomy feeding, colostomy bags
Specialist training has been provided to some staff on:
- Manual handling, rebound, team teach leader training, Makaton Tutor, Intensive Interaction
- Safer recruitment
- MSI qualified teacher
In addition, the school has regular visits from SEN specialist teachers who provide advice to staff to support the success and progress of individual students. The school has a Music Therapist one day per week. Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapist set up programmes in school for staff to follow.
Before making the decision to name Hazelbeck School in a student’s EHCP, the Local Authority will send the Head teacher a copy of the EHCP. The information in the EHCP will be considered very carefully before a final decision on placement is made. In addition, the Local Authority must also seek the agreement of school where the draft EHCP sets out any provision to be delivered on their premises that have been secured through a direct payment (personal budget). Parents of a student with an EHCP also have the right to seek a place at a special school if they consider that their student’s needs can be better met in specialist provision. Any specialist equipment needed will be discussed with external agencies (e.g. Specialist chairs, walkers, AAC devices) and parents and an agreement as to the funding of equipment will be made.
This will be through:
- discussions with the class teacher, SENDCo or senior leadership team member, during EHCP Annual Review Meetings.
- meetings with support and external agencies.
- Parents are asked to make an appointment with the class teacher to discuss any concerns. The class teacher may also suggest additional ways of supporting your child’s learning.
- The school organises a number of parent workshops during the year often during our parent coffee mornings. These are advertised on class DOJO and on our website and aim to provide useful opportunities for parents to learn more about how to support your child’s learning.
- If you have ideas on support that you would like to have access to in order to further support your child’s learning, please contact Saika Shaheen, our Family Liaison Worker, who will support you to find information and guidance
Where appropriate students are encouraged to evaluate their work in lessons. Students are given opportunities to choose subjects that they want to further their learning in. They may attend EHCP review meetings and are given the opportunity to contribute to target setting and reflect on their learning and achievements at and prior to review meetings. Students are given opportunities to visit further educational establishments and social care or charity day service providers so that they are able to make informed decisions about education beyond school.
For parents who are unhappy with the Local Authority or school responses to their student’s SEND, parents may seek mediation from the regional mediation services. Parents and carers can also appeal to the Government’s SEND tribunal if you disagree with the Local Authorities decisions about your student’s special educational needs. You can also appeal to the tribunal if the school or council has discriminated against your disabled student. Information on this process is available (IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice or Bradford Local Offer
When necessary, advice will be sought from external agencies regarding strategies to best meet the specific needs of a student. This will only be undertaken after parent/carer permission has been obtained and may include referral to:
- Specialists teachers e.g. teacher for the deaf.
- Social Services
- Health partners such as School Nurse or Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- Bradford Education Psychology service
- Bradford Therapy Services, e.g. health, speech and language, physiotherapist, occupational therapy
For some students, whose needs require significantly additional or different support than is provided by Hazelbeck School, a request will be made to the Local Authority through the EHCP Annual Review Process to request a change of placement for the student
Parent Partnership Services (PPS) offer independent advice and support to parents and carers of all students and young people with SEND. The nearest PPS can be located at Queens House, Queens Road, Bradford. ▷ Bradford Parent Partnership | Helplines
Bradford Local offer SEND support and advice is available at Bradford Local Offer | Parents and carers Bradford SENDIASS support service that works with Barnardo’s can be found at Bradford SENDIASS | Barnardo’s
Prior to start date:
- Meetings with SENDCo and/ or Senior Leadership team.
- Home visit by School nurse and SENDCo and/or class teacher ensuring provision is in place to meet child’s learning difficulties and complex needs.
- Visits to previous placement by SENDCo/Class teacher as appropriate.
- Planned transition programme with staff from previous placement as appropriate.
On entry:
- A meet the teacher event
- Close communication between class teacher once student has started at Hazelbeck to ensure student has settled.
A meet the teacher morning. Close communication between class teacher and/or area lead once student
has started at Hazelbeck to ensure student has settled and is making progress.
Transition to the new placement College or day provision:
- The annual review of the EHCP in Y13 for students with an EHCP begins the process where parents are supported to make decisions regarding post 19 choices.
- Parents will be encouraged to consider options for the next phase of education and/or day services. The school will involve outside agencies, as appropriate, to ensure information provided is comprehensive but accessible. Accompanied visits to other providers may be arranged as appropriate.
- For students transferring to local colleges and many day provisions, transition leads of both school and the next placement will meet to discuss the needs of students to ensure a smooth transition.
Information on where the Local Authority’s Local Offer can be found.
The Bradford Local Offer can be found at: https://localoffer.bradford.gov.uk/thelocaloffer.aspx
Our admissions are controlled by the local authority (LA). We usually admit pupils into the main school in September each year. In term admissions are at the request of the LA. We are unable accept direct requests for placement from parents or carers or other local authorities. If you wish to have a place at Hazelbeck for your child you need to contact the Local Authority Special Education Needs Department. (Information can be found by clicking the link https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/content/admissions.
For more information please see our admissions policy
* Last Updated September 2025