Our Student Support team helps students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to access their education.

At Silverdale we believe in 'Outstanding Achievement for All' and, as part of this vision, we are committed to meeting the needs of all of our students. We are keenly aware of the importance of building trust with families of our SEND students and so we will always be honest about how we plan to meet their child’s needs.  Indeed, we are dedicated to working in partnership with families and wider services; we firmly believe that effective communication and collaboration will enable us to develop partnerships based on trust. We place the upmost importance on positive working relationships with the parents of Silverdale students, putting the child firmly at the centre of all we do.

The student support team

Our team is not limited to the names listed below. In fact, by far the most important part of our team is the teachers; each of them plays a pivotal role in ensuring that every child has access to an outstanding education. We aim to ensure that every child is taught by experts who have all the knowledge, skills and support necessary to meet their needs within the classroom.

• Mr R Horton, is our deputy head with responsibility for overseeing the co-ordination of support for those students' special educational needs (SEN) and/or a disability. You can contact him by email via enquiries@silverdale.chorustrust.org.
• Mrs J Brocklesby is our SENDCo.  You can contact her by email at senco@silverdale.chorustrust.org.

We have a team of four full-time permanent teaching assistants who are trained and experienced in delivering support inside and outside the classroom. We also have a varying number of temporary staff depending on the needs of a specific cohort. Some of the teaching assistants have areas of expertise and lead on interventions. All of our permanent teaching assistants are keyworkers.

Intervention leaders

• Mrs K Aizlewood–Lubas, social, emotional and mental health lead and Year 6 transition. 
• Mrs S Bell, Literacy and EAL lead.

Keyworkers and teaching assistants

• Mr D Grubb
• Mrs H Macauley

Role of the keyworker

The role of the keyworker is to provide consistent support for identified students. The keyworker will provide support as appropriate in tutor time and when necessary at other appropriate times during the school day. The keyworker will build a positive relationship with the student, respond to any daily issues as appropriate and liaise with parents and other members of staff.

Our SEND information report

The SEND information report can be downloaded from our policies page.

Access arrangements

At Silverdale, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to show what they know and can do in exams. Sometimes, students with a long term and substantial disability may need extra help in showing their skills, which is why have access arrangements in place.

If a student has had significant and long-term difficulties in a subject or across their subjects in a number of assessments, teachers are encouraged to refer them for assessments. These assessments are available to students at the end of Year 9 and take place in the summer term. The assessments are carried out by Silverdale School’s centre-approved assessor. We do not accept assessments from outside agencies, only from our centre-approved assessor. If you believe your child may have a substantial and long term impairment which inhibits their access to examinations, please contact the SENDCo.

The Sheffield Parent Carer Forum contains further information about access arrangements.

Feedback from parents and students

We value all feedback we get from our parents and our students at Silverdale. Without the feedback, we wouldn't be able to progress and think of new ideas to help the students and their parents. Below are a few comments that we believe show the positive outcomes for students involved in inclusion and SEND.

"We were so impressed with the support that both our son, and us as parents, had to prepare for moving to senior school. It was very tailored to the needs of our child - from the initial meetings at Dobcroft, the numerous school visits and many meetings to ensure that we had thought through all that could be done both at school and home.  I am really pleased to say that this support has carried on into our son's Year 7 experience and without it there is a good chance that he would not still be in mainstream education."

“We were very impressed with the work Silverdale did during Year 6, the summer holidays and the support they continue to give on an ongoing basis in Y7. The SENDCo has a refreshing understanding of autism.  I would say she has gone out of her way to help our family, but it is clear that all the support she offers is what she sees every child is entitled to. She and her team have been very proactive in providing support to our child.  I feel comfortable contacting the Year 7 team when problems have arisen and have been very impressed at the many different strategies that have been put in place to react to the situation. SEN isn't an inconvenience to her or her team and that has made an enormous difference to us.”

"I found the teachers and support teachers really kind - they have helped me to settle in".

“Transition helped school to feel more familiar, know what the lessons were like (and that they could be fun) and realise that you don't get detentions too easily.”

Support systems within Sheffield

The Sheffield Parent Carers Forum (SPCF) has produced a helpful booklet which describes and explains the support systems which operate in the city. 

The Sheffield Local Offer can be found at www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk/localoffer.