This page is dedicated to the experiences of parents with our amazing SEN Provision so that visitors and prospective parents can appreciate our fantastic school and the support we have to offer to current and future students.
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The main reason for sending my son to LSA is the excellent SEN provision. Ms Hallam and her team are so understanding and caring, they go out of their way to support my child within school and even outside of school through clubs and activities. I can honestly say that with the school's support network and guidance my child's confidence has been growing. I always know that the team are available if I have an issue or perhaps am worried and often they already have a solution!.png)
In the almost two years that our Daughter has been at LSA, the SEN Department has been there to help her transition from primary school. Helping her get settled in, access all areas and have the confidence to be just like her friends. We have had a few hiccups along the way but, everything gets sorted and answered quickly and efficiently. Knowing that the SEN support is always there in the background makes our Daughters life and ours stress free.
Rose was diagnosed with severe dyslexia in primary school. Her experience at LSA has been extremely positive and her GCSE grades were amazing. Thanks to the wonderful support at LSA she is now at sixth form college, preparing for University. The staff were very supportive. She knew no one when she started and found the college system worked very well at providing positive friendship and assistance, both from staff and fellow students.
When considering which secondary school to send our son we knew that LSA was the ideal choice. Although we live outside the catchment area for the school, the reputation of LSA's SEN provision was excellent and we knew that his particular needs would be more than met. Even before starting at LSA our son was invited in on several occasions to get used to the school and meet some of the key staff that would be working with him. He also made friends with other Year 6 students who were about to start at LSA. This made the whole transition so much easier and over the Summer he actively looked forward to starting school without any of the concerns we were worried about.
Once he began school the support and communication from the SEN department was fantastic. Our son has regular meetings and the in class help he received enabled him not just to work well but to excel. This support continued throughout the years he has been at LSA and comes not just from the teaching assistants but from his class teachers who are kept up to date with his needs. Adapting when needed and changing as his ability and specific needs changed. We have always felt very confident in the teacher's understanding of our son's needs. The SEN department were there for us every step of the way, not just to support our son but also us as well, with information about what he could do after his time at LSA, additional guidance on the way he could get the best grades possible in his examinations.
Out of the classroom the conversations our son has had in the SEN department and the opportunities organised by the school have enabled our son to work on many of the social issues he had at Primary school. He now has a close group of friends who have had a really positive impact on the way he sees himself and his plans for the future after LSA.
We know that this wouldn't have been possible without the fantastic work done by the SEN staff at LSA.
I would just like to comment on the senco provision in school. We have had several problems with both of our sons. Ms Hallam has been amazing - quick to respond to concerns and she never makes us feel as though we are wasting her time. She has put in place lots of strategies and has accessed various counselling services for us. These have also been excellent. She shows concern for all the family and has even e-mailed me in the evening. I believe any service depends on the quality of the staff, and this team has been amazing.
From the very beginning we have had a few bumps in the road trying to find the best fit for Freddie but throughout his journey we have had a great connection with Tonia Hallam and her team. At any point we could contact her and arrange either a meeting or a chat over the phone for any ongoing issues we had and at sometimes there were quite a few, Unfortunatley are sons condition is not understood by all but overtime the Senco team have tried to advise and keep everyone updated as best they can so that they can further help Freddie. Freddie has had a lot more support placed in quite a few of his lessons now from when he first started and seems to be working well. He has become more independent within the school and feels that if he has a problem he knows who to go to. It hasn’t been an easy ride but through keeping a good connection going between us and the Senco department things can get sorted when they arise and it makes for a much happier child for us as a family.
I have always found Mrs. Hallam – SENCO, to be very accommodating with regards to meetings and a positive advocate for the children in her care. She has a good understanding of the pupils that fall within her remit and their difficulties and is incredibly receptive to strategies and ideas discussed in meetings. She is very proactive and often shares these ideas with other members of the SEN team. The SEN department works hard to meet the needs of the individual and despite the challenges that some children present with, they always keep them at the centre of what they do and rather than focus on the negatives and what is going wrong, strive to identified the positives and what is going well.
