Special Educational Needs (SEN)

We have a large Special Educational Needs (SEN) department which offers a wide variety of support techniques, specialist programmes, knowledge and expertise to ensure that our pupils with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities receive the highest quality interventions and support so they are able to achieve their full potential.We vigorously test students, liaise with primary schools and outside agencies to ensure that the needs of our leaners are identified and met via the delivery of personalised packages of support which are regularly reviewed to ensure progress is made and sustained.Below are links to two documents that outline in greater detail the support that we offer here at Ormiston Horizon Academy:

• Information for parents
• SEN Information Report (needs to be read alongside our Local Offer)
• Stoke-on-Trent Local Offer
• Parent View

Attendance

We take attendance and its link to attainment very seriously at Ormiston Horizon Community Academy and expect all students to be reaching an attendance target of at least 95%.

It is a parent’s/carer’s responsibility to ensure their child attends the Academy regularly and on time. Whilst we appreciate that sometimes absence is unavoidable, due to illness, any medical appointments or holidays taken during term time will impact on your child’s attendance and in turn their attainment.

It is proven that attainment is connected to good attendance, missing crucial time at the Academy could have an impact on any exams that your child may be taking, remember that one day’s absence is five lessons missed, one week’s absence is 25 lessons missed. This is valuable learning time that cannot be given back. Your child misses out every time they are absent from the academy, so consider this and make medical or dental appointments outside of academy hours where possible.

A change to regulations effective from 1st September 2013 means that students cannot be granted leave of absence during term time.

Please see our Absence Information for more details.

Punctuality

The academy day starts at 8.35am for Personal Tutor registration and students are expected to attend every day, on time.

Any amount of minutes late to the academy add up to learning time lost and therefore students are issued with a detention every time they arrive late to the academy.

Educational Welfare – Attendance Service
The academy works in partnership with the EWO to ensure regular attendance from all of its students and to assist and support students and their families.  If your child is not attending the Academy regularly, the absence has not been authorised by the Academy and there has been no improvement following the Academy’s attempts to get an improvement, an EWO may visit you. This may result in legal action being taken.

• Year 7 induction pack 2017–18
• Years 8–11 induction pack 2017–18
• Term dates 2017-18 and 2018–19
• Information Sheet 2017–18 (includes information on Parents’ Evenings, events, term dates, reports and progress checks)

Severe weather procedures

In snowy weather the academy will make a decision in relation to the health and safety of the students and staff on site. A decision is always made as early as possible and will be placed on the website and sent out via text message, Twitter and local radio.

See full details on our snow closures page.

See also…

• Improve student literacy
• Improve student numeracy