SEND

SEND Contact

SENCO – Abbie Hall – SENCO@donvalleyacademy.org.uk

Can be reached via main reception on 01302 651035

Quotes from the IQM Inclusive School Award

The academy offers an extremely wide range of bespoke provision within school to include vulnerable learners. There is a real solution focussed approach from leaders, so that if a student needs something more than what is available, the academy will develop provision to include that pupil. This school has inclusion at its heart.

Report on IQM Inclusive School Award 2020/21

“staff are extremely passionate and dedicated about the academy, and indeed, the vision of “changing lives” shone through with everyone encountered. Their sense of drive and determination to improve the outcomes of all pupils came through strongly. The implementation of rigorous structures and processes supports the different teams to work strategically and collaboratively together. Strong teamwork amongst the staff is at the core of their relationships.”

Report on IQM Inclusive School Award 2020/21

“The academy’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic has been exemplary. Throughout all lockdowns at least fortnightly telephone contact has been made with all students, for some this is more regular, weekly or even daily in some cases. The remote learning offer was rapidly developed and now all remote learning is live lessons”


Report on IQM Inclusive School Award 2020/21

“Teaching is consistently good. Leaders have developed a structure to lessons that is consistently applied. Teachers use pupil progress information well in their planning. Teachers have good subject knowledge and question pupils effectively.”


OFSTED (2019)

SEND Provision and Inclusivity

Students with Special Educational Needs are fully integrated within the academy. Those students who require additional support for whatever reason, will be noted according to the Code of Practice at School Action, Action Plus or Statement.

The SENCO and the SEND team provide support to teaching staff. The nature of this support is negotiable and may be determined by the needs of the individual student or teaching group. The support may involve TA support in lessons through work in the Base, preparing differentiated resources or advice from the SENCO.  We also work with a range of external agencies to ensure appropriate support is in place for SEND students. 

Students in KS3 and 4 are placed on bespoke intervention programmes in order to raise standards in both reading and spelling.  Students have access to resources such as Dyslexia Gold.

Students in KS4 may receive access arrangements in order to support examinations.  All access arrangements are on an individual basis and are as a result of testing to establish need.

Please click here for the link to the local SEN offer:  Local Offer

The SEN report can be viewed on our Statutory Information page

The academy has achieved the Inclusion Quality Mark Award Centre of Excellence.

TA’s also support the Diamonds where students take part in a range of activities, which provides them with an opportunity to develop life skills, following self – care routines, managing money, purchasing items from a shop, ordering food and drinks in restaurants as well as travel training. Throughout each activity students are also developing independence, confidence, communication and leadership skills. 

Supporting Individual Needs

The Bridge is the highest-level provision in the academy which supports identified students who would benefit from working in a smaller setting.  For example, students who may be suffering from physical or mental health difficulties can access the Bridge as part of their bespoke support package.  Also students who work in The Bridge follow their normal timetable and work is provided for them by their subject teachers.  

The Personalised Learning Centre is a provision which supports pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.  Pupils in the PLC also follow a broad curriculum but access more personal development opportunities in order to support their return to the mainstream setting.

We have eight learning support assistants and are in receipt of inclusion funding from the local authority to provide additional staffing which enables pupils with SEND to follow a full curriculum pathway in a mainstream setting. We provide high levels of support for our cohort and parents through the Base where learners are given opportunity to have additional SEN support as well as high quality first wave teaching.

Our Designated Safeguarding Leader provides pupils with access to a range of external agency support. School nurses visit every week and run drop in clinics, we also work with EPIC to pre-empt young offenders, Project 3 offers support with sexualised and/or drug taking behaviours.  We also access and signpost support for Young Carers, Parenting and Family support, CAMHS and Doncaster Children’s Service Trust mentoring.

GDA Pathway: Information for parents

What is a GDA (Global Development Assessment)?

It is a clinic appointment with a doctor, who will perform an initial assessment of your child. The aim is to determine what difficulties your child is having, and how best we can support and help them.