Combined School Support Service

Introduction

The Blackpool Combined School Support Service consists of the following services working together to improve the outcomes for the children and young people of Blackpool:

• Blackpool Inclusion Team
• Educational Diversity
• Highfurlong School
• Lotus School
• Park Community Academy
• Woodlands School
• Private providers

Through our expert teachers and following a Graduated Response to SEND, with access to special schools services, we aim to deliver outstanding support to schools.

Schools are supported by the Graduated Approach document and the online Toolkit which enables identification and support for SEND. Blackpool Inclusion Team will offer guidance schools through the stages highlighted in the Graduated Approach through observations, evidence gathering, assessments and response to intervention.

The service from Blackpool Inclusion Team is free at point of entry. Schools or families can buy in additional support from our special school services or private providers at any stage.

Vision and values

In Blackpool, we want all children and young people with SEND to live happy healthy lives in a community that is inclusive and that supports them to achieve their ambitions. We believe in providing the best and easily accessible support for schools to deliver excellent education for children and young people in Blackpool. 

Following a Graduated Approach and engagement with the correct stakeholders at each stage, we can support schools.

• Initial observations
  Class teacher, support staff
• First Concerns 1   
  Class Teacher, support staff, parents/carers, child or young person
• First Concerns 2 
  Class Teacher, support staff, parents/carers, child or young person
• SEN Support 1
  SENCo, Class teacher, support staff, parents/carers, child or young person (possible school nursing team)
• SEN Support 2 
  SENCo, Class teacher, support staff, parents/carers, child or young person, external professionals
• Complex
  SENCo, Class teacher, support staff, parents/carers, child or young person, external professionals
• Specialist
  SENCo, Class teacher, support staff, parents/carers, child or young person, external professionals

Support packages

A support package is bespoke support based on the needs of the individual school. This could be in the form of:

• Observations
• Advice
• Training
• Written reports
• Strategies
• Equipment

Support packages will be devised in consultation with the school. Support from the Blackpool Inclusion Team is free.

Support from special schools can be purchased at any point of the Graduated Approach.

Purchased packages from the Special Schools are on a daily rate of £600. Full day can also be split over two half days or six hourly sessions.

Blackpool inclusion team

The inclusion team includes advisory teachers who provide specialist advice and support to children and young people. SENCOs can refer into this team using the request for involvement online form. This service is free to schools.

This process occurs once a request has been received by the inclusion team using the request for involvement form. The team cannot proceed with a request without parental consent gained by the school.

1. An identified member of the inclusion team will contact the SENCO to briefly discuss the request, request additional information if necessary and ask that a meeting is arranged with appropriate school staff, the famiy and the pupil. Other professionals may also be invited to attend if appropriate.
2. The meeting is to discuss everyone's views and agree an action plan which will be written into a service level agreement this may involve:
   • Observation
   • Assessment
   • Discussion with the pupil
   • Advice on interpreting reports from professionals
   • A date for this action will be agreed, ideally at the meeting
3. Followng the action with the pupil, advisory teacher will produce a report to reflect the discussions and any observations and assessments. The report will provide suggested strategies and interventions.
4. The report will be shared with the school and the family and a follow up date will be suggested to discuss progress which will allow the school and family to implement the strategies.
5. The follow up meeting will discuss if the identified outcome has been met. If the outcome has been met the advisory teacher will close the involvement.
   If the outcome has not yet been met, the pupil will remaining on monitoring to the advisory teacher for the following term, during which the school can contact for further support. At the end of the term if no further contact has been made from the school the advisory teacher will close their involvement.

For more information 

Contact: Inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Cognition and learning team

The cognition and learning team is made up of a team of specialist teachers and support workers experienced in working with children and young people with a range of learning needs. The service from the cognition and learning team is free to Blackpool Schools.

Service includes:

• Cognitive assessments
• Dyslexia screening and portfolio
• Specialist advice
• Observations and gathering on pupil voice
• Support with school assessments and interpretation of results to determine appropriate interventions.
• Support with interventions such as active spelling
• TA training
• 1:1 or small group teaching
• Curriculum adaptations and guidance on reasonable adjustments
• Strengths and Needs assessments
• Access to the basic skills assessment
• Transition support
• Support to interpret other professional’s reports
• Learning review and progress updates 

Assessment menu:

Dyslexia portfolio
BPVS
TaLC (Test of Abstract Language)
Non – verbal reasoning test (ages 8-11)
YARC (York Assessment for Reading Comprehension)
Visual stress assessment

Contact: Inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Hearing impairment team

The team is made up of two qualified teachers of the deaf (QTOD), three communication support workers (CSW) and a sensory needs officer. The team can identify and advise on resources and environmental adaptations to enhance inclusive practice and quality first teaching. The team can provide direct intervention, or work with teachers and TAs to develop classroom management and independent learning approaches. The specialist team can also complete functional auditory assessments onsite. The service from the hearing impairment team is free to Blackpool schools and adult services.

The service includes:

• Support for children and young people with a hearing impairment
• Support for families of children and young people with a hearing impairment
• Curriculum adaptations and bespoke teaching methods
• Support for adults with a hearing impairment including device support
• Signing support services for children, young people and adults including training and teaching of BSL
• Support to establish BSL signing clubs in schools
• Support to book BSL interpreters for adults trying to access council services
• Advocacy for BSL using adults
• Support with the management and use of hearing aids

Assessment menu:
Receptive BSL assessment
BPVS
TROG
Renfrew
Assessment of Comprehension and Expression (ACE)
Success from the Start

Contact: Inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Speech and language therapy

NHS and Communicate SLT CIC are the speech and language therapy services contracted by Blackpool Council.

NHS Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Services
Email: bfwh.admin.paediatrictherapy@nhs.net
Telephone: 01253 951101

NHS Adult’s Speech and Language Therapy Services
Email: bfwh.askaspeechtherapist@nhs.net
Telephone: 01253 953873 

Communicate SLT CIC
Email: enquire@communicate-slt.org.uk
Telephone: 01253 462123

Other providers active in Blackpool

The Speech Bubble
Email: info@thespeechbubble.co.uk
Telephone: 0161 533 0767

The Language Tree
Email: harriet@thelanguagetree.co.uk
Telephone:

Check out Blackpool Classrooms That Communicate Toolkit

Communications and interaction team

Our team of experienced teachers and support workers can provide support and advice on responding to the needs to children and young people on the communication and interaction needs. This may take the form of assessing individual need, provision audits, specific staff training, and resource development, curriculum adaptation to support QFT, and/or ongoing monitoring and advice. The service from the communication and interaction team is free to Blackpool schools.

The C and I service includes:

• Demonstration and modelling on specific approaches including: colourful semantics, social stories, and visual communication systems
• Assessing individual need
• Provision audits
• Specific staff training
• Resource development
• Curriculum adaptation to support quality first teaching
• Ongoing monitoring and advice
• Support and advice on responding to the needs of children and young people on the autism spectrum
• AET and Elklan Training
• Access to the communication leads in school cluster meetings

Assessment menu:

TROG
ACE  Assessment of Comprehension and Expression
BPVS
RAPT
WRAT
Renfrew Word Finding
TALC (Test of Abstract Language)
Autism Quotient (AQ)
Cumine Dunlop Observation Profile
Dawn Wimpory Developmental History

Contact: Inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Highfurlong Services offer for AAC

Highfurlong School caters for pupils with complex medical conditions; physical disabilities; profound and multiple learning difficulties (including multi-sensory impairment and visual/hearing impairment); speech, language and communication difficulties; moderate learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders and was voted UK School of the Year 2021.

Highfurlong has had an outreach service called the Communication Aids and Assistive Technology (CAAT) Team since 2015. The CAAT Team assess individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities who have complex communication difficulties and may be non-verbal or have unclear speech. We can provide the following support:

• A report with recommendations and advice regarding alternative forms of communication.
• Opportunities to trial equipment on a short term basis, to find the most suitable means of communication for the individual. 
• Support and advice for those who need assistive technology in their educational setting for work output. 
• How to strengthen school systems with the use of EdTech
• Signposting and networking with national assistive technology hubs and services.

Contact Erica Smith: caat@highfurlong.blackpool.sch.uk 

Highfurlong also have specialist staff who can advise and provide training in the following areas:

• Bespoke training and support can also be provided on the use of technology to support teaching and learning for pupils with SEND
• Phonics and early reading for pupils with SEND
• Adapted PE (MATP) for pupils with physical needs
• Managing needs in the mainstream setting 

Contact Neill Oldham, Head Teacher: admin@highfurlong.blackpool.sch.uk

AET training

This 2-hour training session is free to Blackpool school staff. There will be various dates available for this training.

If you would like to commission this training for free for your whole school contact:Inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Education diversity

Educational diversity offers support for mainstream schools and academies in meeting the needs of some of their vulnerable young people. Our main areas of support are:           

Home, hospital education service

Our service supports students with medical or emotional needs who are referred by medical professionals and CAMHS practitioners. This is within our Athena site on Whitegate Drive. Students are referred via the Athena multi - agency panel who give consideration as to whether the student’s needs can be best met at Athena or whether additional support could be given to retain them within their mainstream setting. Home tuition is also considered by the panel, this is a charged service to the referring school.  

Referral form 
Contact :  karen.turner@eddiversity.blackpool.sch.uk                                                                      

Chrysalis key stage 3 early intervention

The purpose of this is to enable a graduated approach through the offer of a six week early intervention programme. The school day is 9.00am to 2.30pm, providing 25 guided learning hours.

Information for Schools | Educational Diversity (eddiversity.com)
Referral form
Contact: alex.hitchen@eddiversity.blackpool.sch.uk      

Respite key stage 3 and 4 crisis prevention

The purpose of this is to enable a graduated approach through the offer of either a three or six week crisis intervention programme. Students within this provision are dual registered between their mainstream school and educational diversity. The young people will attend the placement for the agreed time period, towards the end of a respite placement, a formal review meeting will take place with the intention that the student will return to single registration with their base school.  The school day is 9.00am to 2.30pm, providing 25 guided learning hours. 
Respite offer: Information for Schools | Educational Diversity (eddiversity.com) 
Referral form: KS3 & 4 referral - 2022/23                                                                                                           Contact: alex.hitchen@eddiversity.blackpool.sch.uk

Respite key stage 2

The purpose of this is to enable a graduated approach through the offer of either a three or six week crisis intervention programme, providing early intervention for learners who are experiencing difficulties within mainstream settings and supporting colleagues in exploring whether there are any underlying causes behind these difficulties.

Students within this provision are dual registered between their mainstream school and educational diversity. The young people will attend the placement for the agreed time period, towards the end of a respite placement, a formal review meeting will take place with the intention that the student will return to single registration with their base school. Reintegration support through a resilience coach can be provided to assist transition back to the base school. The school day is 08.45 – 14.15, providing 25 guided learning hours
Referral form: KS2 referral - 2022/23

Staff training in crisis prevention

We are an accredited training provider for crisis prevention institute (CPI). The aim of CPI is to prevent behaviour escalation through non-physical interventions. Participants are taught verbal and non-verbal strategies to prevent the development of a crisis situation.

Training offer

Contact: simon.coulter@eddiversity.blackpool.sch.uk

Social, emotional and mental health

Our team of experienced and specialist practitioners can provide support and advice on responding to the needs of children and young people with a wide range of social, emotional and mental health needs which may impact upon their wellbeing, attendance, enjoyment and achievement within their educational setting.

Service includes:

• Strategies to support emotional regulation
• Support with resource and curriculum development
• Adaptation to support QFT, and/or ongoing monitoring and advice
• Attachment and trauma awareness
• Sensory processing awareness
• Support staff and parents to understand a pupil’s SEMH needs
• Access to individual and small group draw and talk therapeutic intervention
• Access to circle of friends intervention
• Access to a nurture network
• Support and advice related to referrals to other agencies
• SERF reintegration and advice for TAs

The service from the SEMH team is free to Blackpool schools, however, we cannot complete a sensory assessment and report but can complete sensory observations.

Private providers of sensory integration assessments

Cordinated Kids
Email: info@coordinatedkids.co.uk
Telephone: 07794 995813

Shine Therapy
Email: admin@shinetherapyservices.co.uk
Telephone: 07725 193837

Contact: Inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Trauma has affected many of our children in recent years, this could be due to a variety of factors. The SEMH team at Blackpool inclusion team can provide free training on trauma to schools. 

Trauma and attachment aware schools

During childhood, the brain develops and grows at an incredible rate -constantly absorbing new experiences and being shaped by its environment. When trauma, attachment disruption, separation and loss occur during this critical sensitive window, it is likely to have an impact on the child’s capacity for emotional and behavioural regulation, sensory systems, self-esteem and relationships. 

Inspired by clinical experience, current neurobiology research- by the likes of Bruce Perry, Dan Siegel, Bessel van der Kolk and Dan Hughes- this training offers participants an opportunity to re-frame the behaviour of traumatised children so that we can understand their needs through the lens of developmental and relational trauma.

We will explore the impact of developmental trauma on children’s bodies, brains, attachments/relationships, behaviours and emotions and how this impact manifests in everyday classrooms.  

Summary of course content

• What is trauma informed practice?
• The differences between PTSD and D.T
• Toxic stress and its impact on the brain and body
• Polyvagal theory
• The impact of early trauma on brain development
• Sensory memories
• Attachment and identity/self esteem
• Increasing the window of stress tolerance
• Neuro-informed and brain-wise approaches 

Contact: inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapists are professionals who enable children and young people to participate fully in all aspects of life whether these be completing in handwriting activities, playing with their peers, accessing their environment or managing in the classroom and wider school environment.

Occupational therapy input can take the form of support and assessment of individual children, environmental assessments, staff training and development of programmes or blocks of one to one or small group therapy.

Children can be referred to the NHS paediatric occupational therapy service by health visitors, GPs, paediatricians and other consultants.

More information

Physical disabilities team

The physical disability (PD) team support children with a physical disability (e.g. cerebral palsy, dystrophy, acquired brain injuries, tumours, arthritis, and hyper – mobility). This team is available to support mainstream schools. The service from the physical disability team is free to Blackpool schools.

Service includes:

• Enabling children and young people with physical disabilities to be educated in mainstream schools wherever possible
• Provide appropriate support for children with physical disabilities, their parents/carers and school staff to achieve successful, inclusive education
• Offer advice and training to help maintain access to a full curriculum
• Complete specialist assessments
• Assist with all aspects of planning and implementing access for children with limited mobility, including building modifications
• Access to PDNet resources
• Support to interpret other professional’s reports
• Advice around the use of assistive technology

Contact: Inclusion.team@blackpool.gov.uk

Early years

We offer a range of early years foundation stage support and continuing professional development for settings working with children in preschools and nurseries, and childminders. For settings registered with Ofsted on the EY register, advice and guidance is available to ensure quality provision with reference to the EYFS statutory framework and Ofsted inspection framework.

Our experienced early years SENCos, support workers and specialist teachers can provide advice, coaching and modelling, support with assessments and inclusive practice to support implementation of duties and responsibilities set out in the EYFS statutory framework, and the SEND code of practice as part of a graduated approach. The service from the early years team is free to Blackpool settings.

Service includes:

• A range of early years foundation stage training and support for settings on the Ofsted early years register
• Intensive support for settings in particular circumstances, for example those who have received a judgement of less than good during an Ofsted early years inspection
• Advice and guidance to ensure quality provision with reference to EYFS and Ofsted EY frameworks and SEND code of practice
• EYFS inclusive practice, provision and safeguarding support, advice and guidance
• Behaviour support advice, guidance, coaching and modelling 0 to 4
• Specialist support to assist with the identification of emerging needs for all educational settings working with children from 0 to 4
• Individual pupil sssessment – focussing on strengths and needs and providing tailored advice and strategies to support settings to meet children’s individual needs and enable progress
• Attendance at team around the child, transition and review meetings (subject to availability)
• Specific guidance, support and access to training and resources in relation to speech, language and communication development and needs

Contact: Kate.barker@blackpool.gov.uk

The Virtual School

When a child becomes looked after to Blackpool Council, the authority acts as their corporate parent, responsible for their care and support between the ages of 2 to 18.

The team takes the lead in ensuring that all of our looked after children have the best educational opportunities possible and that there is consistency of Imagine that every looked after child and young person in Blackpool attends the same school - this is the Virtual School and the people who support these children are known to pupils as our children education team.

The Virtual School acts as a local authority champion to bring about improvements in the education of looked after children and young care leavers, promoting their educational achievement as if they were in a single school. We work in partnership with schools, social workers and other professionals to ensure that:

• All our children have an appropriate school place
• All our children have a high quality personal education plan
• All our children achieve good outcomes
• The educational achievement of our children is promoted and celebrated approach across Blackpool schools.

Email: Virtual.school.@blackpool.gov.uk

Pre recorded training 

Free access to pre – recorded training videos are available for staff via the Graduated Approach Toolkit

Cognition and Learning Training Videos     

Communication and Interaction Training Videos    

SEMH Training Videos      

Physical Disability Training Videos        

Hearing Impairment Training Videos      

Visual Impairment Training Videos

Face to face training

Communication and interaction training

Elklan Level 3 - Speech and Language Support for 5 – 11s - £176.50 per person
Elklan Level 3 Speech and Language Support for 11 – 16s - £176.50 per person
Early Bird (for parents) - Free
Cygnet (for parents and practitioners) - Free
Autism Education TrustMaking Sense of Autism - Free
Makaton Level 1 - £25

HI

Basic BSL and Deaf Awareness - Free to council staff
Deaf friendly teaching strategies that are good for all - Free

Inclusion team

New to SENCO role - Free

Cognition and Learning

Active spellings - Free
Colourful Semantics - Free
TA use of the Graduated Approach Toolkit - Free

SEMH

HI