OBA is a secondary school for students aged between 11 and 18 years with a 6th form offering students a personalised post-16 experience where they develop an impressive academic profile and become confident, well rounded 21st Century learners. Our mainstream provision is designed to enable all learners to access our wide and varied curriculum.
At the heart of everything we do is a belief that every young person has the ability to achieve great things, coupled with a desire to provide the highest standards in teaching and learning. We have high expectations of all our students and are dedicated to creating an inclusive Academy where every student can feel safe, enjoy and achieve.
The Academy identifies special educational needs in a variety of different ways namely:
The SENCO manages a team of dedicated and skilled teaching assistants who hold a range of qualifications and who are supported by Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA’s) who hold a range of qualifications.
The support we put in place is dependent on the level of “need” of a student and where appropriate we adapt the learning environment.
Students are supported in a number of different ways at OBA. Teaching assistants support the classroom teacher in lessons, students take part in small group intervention workshops and additional pastoral opportunities are put in place (including breakfast clubs, lunchtime safe spaces and after school homework clubs).
All staff at OBA are aware of learners’ special educational needs and are given training and strategies to use in the classroom in order to meet the students’ needs through Quality First Teaching. Effective scaffolding will enable students to participate fully in all aspects of learning to make the best possible progress.
The SENCO works in conjunction with outside professionals, teachers and TAs to determine the level of need. TA support is allocated according to the level of need and the type of provision needed for each individual and class.
We monitor and review the effectiveness of our SEND provision by contacting home regularly, meetings with the year teams, tracking and observations and also at Annual Education Health and Care Plan review meetings.
Our Academy offers pastoral, medical and social support to students by:
We encourage our students to contribute their views by discussing their concerns with Year Support Team, student council, their tutor or year group representatives.