School Policies

A young person’s career is their pathway through learning and work. All young people need a planned programme of activities to help them make decisions and plan their careers, both in school and after they leave.

The school endeavours to follow the guidance in the SEGNET framework. The school is committed to providing a planned programme of careers education, information and guidance for all students in Years 7-13 in and has a wide range of connections both locally and internationally to assist students.

This policy was developed and is reviewed annually through discussions with teaching staff; the school’s careers advisor, students, parents, directors, advisory staff and other external partners. It is underpinned by the school’s policies for teaching and learning, assessment, recording and reporting achievement, SMSC, enterprise and work related learning, equal opportunities, health and safety, and special needs.

Objectives

The careers programme is designed to meet the needs of students at this school. It is differentiated to ensure progression through activities that are appropriate to students’ stages of career learning, planning and development. Students are entitled to careers education and guidance that is impartial and confidential. It will be integrated into their experience of the whole curriculum, based on a partnership with students and their parents or carers. The programme will promote equality of opportunity, inclusion and anti-racism.
Implementation

Mr Felix Biteetsigirwe is responsible for co-ordinating the careers programme. As the careers adviser he works closely with local businesses and organisations as well as worldwide universities and organisations to give the best possible current advice. He is responsible to the Deputy Headteacher (Pastoral).

Student guidance is given through structured lessons as well as individual interviews with students. Individual interviews are available to students in any year group on request although all Year 11 students have a scheduled interview during the first term to assist them in making the right decisions as they more from KS4 to KS5 or the world of work. Additional follow up interviews are then arranged as required. Work experience is planned and implemented in coordination with the careers advisor.

All staff are expected to contribute to the careers education and guidance programme through their roles as tutors and subject teachers. Careers education is planned, monitored and evaluated by the careers adviser.

Careers information is available in the careers room, which is maintained by the Careers adviser. The careers programme includes careers education lessons, careers guidance activities (group work and individual interviews), information and research activities (in the careers room), work related learning (including two weeks’ work experience, one in year 10 and one in year 12), action planning and recording. Careers lessons are part of the school’s weekly timetable as detailed below:

Other focused events, e.g. University Fairs are provided two or more times year and are an opportunity for students and parents to discuss future courses with Universities from around the world. On top of this, University representatives from worldwide Universities regularly come to give focused talks to small groups of students on applying for university, writing personal statements, specific courses, university way of life and financial management at university.

Work experience preparation and follow-up take place in careers lessons and tutor time and other appropriate parts of the curriculum. Work experience placements are sought in conjunction with parents and students ideally allow the student to experience work in their field of choice. Students are expected to report to their workplace at 8am and should leave not later than 5pm. The careers advisor, head of year and deputy pastoral visit all students during work placements to monitor the progress of the students. During the placement the student is expected to keep a log book of the duties they have carried out and state how well they think they have completed them at the end of the day. Students are encouraged to self-assess their work without the placement. The employers also complete an assessment of the student (Appendix 1) at the end of the placement as well as giving verbal feedback to the visiting staff during the week.

Students are encouraged to undertake volunteer work during the summer holidays to gain further experience in the area of work that they wish to pursue in the future. Students can receive recommendations from the employers to help with applications.

Assessment

The careers program is not assessed through any formal examination; however, several mechanisms are in place that demonstrate the progress made by students though the program. Throughout all key stages students are encouraged to self-assess their work, progress, strengths and weaknesses which acts as a foundation to build on in their individual career interviews. Students personal statements, success in interviews and overall successful applications is testament to the progress students make through the careers program.

Resources

Funding is allocated from the annual budget. Funding for developments in the school’s improvement plan are considered in the context of whole school priorities. Resources are regularly updated due to the large network of links with further education providers who send updated resources yearly. This, combined with visits from University reps allows students access to the most up to date resources and information for institutions around the world.

Outreach

The Careers program at Rainbow stretches beyond the school. The University fairs are open to students from other national and international schools to allow students across Uganda access to quality careers advice. The careers advisor has also delivered training to careers advisors across East Africa to make sure students in the wider region have access to up to date careers information.

Staff development

Staff training needs for planning and delivering the careers programme will be identified in the staff development plan.

This policy should be taken as part of the overall strategy of the school and operated within the context of our vision, aims and values.

Improving Outcomes: High aspirations and Expectations for children with Special Educational Need Disabilities

1. Aims

All children are entitled to an appropriate education, one that is appropriate to their needs, promotes high standards and the fulfilment of potential.

The aims of this policy are:

• To enable every child to achieve their best, experiencing high levels of success
• To promote individual confidence, self-esteem and a positive attitude
• To ensure that all children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum, which is exciting, relevant, differentiated and appropriate to their needs which demonstrates coherence and progression in learning
• To give all children equal opportunities to take a full and active part in school life
• To involve parents, carers and children themselves, in planning and supporting at all stages of the child’s development
• To ensure that responsibilities for SEND are implemented, monitored and reviewed

2. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

A child has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty that calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. This may mean that a child has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age, or a disability that makes it hard for them to access facilities within the school.

Special educational provision means:

For children aged two or more, special educational provision is educational provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age by mainstream schools or by relevant early years providers.

a. Code of Practice

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code: 0 to 25 years (January 2015) provides statutory guidance for organizations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities.

b. Broad areas of need
The SEND Code of Practice identifies areas of need for children up to the age of 25 as follows:

• • Cognition and learning

This may include children who learn significantly slower than their peers because of a moderate, severe or profound learning difficulty. In addition, some children with a specific learning difficulty may need support in this area e.g. dyspraxia

• Social, emotional and mental health issues
  These issues may manifest themselves in any number of ways such as challenging behaviour, anxiety or depression and may include specific conditions such as Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Sensory and/or physical needs
  Children with a physical disability may need adult support, equipment or adaptations.
• Communication and Interaction
  Children with speech and language difficulties or those on the Autistic spectrum may need support in this area.

  Children with SEND may have needs in more than one area and these can change significantly over time. Regular discussion with the child and adults involved with them, as well as regular assessment, planning, doing and reviewing ensure that interventions and strategies match evolving needs.

  c. Identification

  All children are entitled to a balanced and broad-based curriculum, including both the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum, and the majority of children will have their needs met through high quality teaching. Early identification of children who are making less than expected progress given their age, circumstances and previous progress may require special provision. If a child is suspected of needing support a Learning support referral form should be completed (Appendix A). It is important to enable appropriate intervention, to ensure that the child makes rapid progress, catching up with his/her peers.

  Sources of Identification may include:

  Current skills and level of attainment on entry

  • Information from other providers or external agencies
  • Teacher observation
  • Assessment and pupil tracking data
  • Parental information
  • Peer information
  • Children’s own views

  Children who are identified by the CAT4 and baseline assessments as potentially having learning difficulties will be assessed fully using the following:

  WIAT-II-T
  WRIT – Wide Ranging Intelligence Test
  WRAT4 – Wide range achievement test
  TOMAL 2 – test of memory and learning
  (ASTON index where appropriate)
  If Behaviour issues are suspected, then further assessment will be completed using:
  SNAP and ADHDT

  Children working at Early years level will be assessed using P levels.
  Children will not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught. Persistent disruptive or withdrawn behaviours do not necessarily mean a child has SEN and other possible causal factors will be investigated.

  d. Provision

  High quality teaching, including differentiation

  Differentiation means providing children with different ‘avenues’ to access the learning in the classroom, so that they can process information, make sense of ideas and construct knowledge regardless of differences in their starting point or learning style.

  Children make progress at different rates, not all children learn in the same way, or have the same interests, motivations, or learning styles. Children need to be taught in different ways or with different resources and assessment measures, which acknowledge these differences.

  • Class teachers and subject co-ordinators have responsibility for ensuring that the curriculum is adapted and enriched to meet individual children’s needs.
  • Early support for children with special educational needs and disability will usually be within the classroom by means of differentiated tasks and/or adult help.
  • Where appropriate, children may be withdrawn from the classroom, individually or in a group to work on specific areas of need.

  If there is still cause for concern about a child’s progress, despite high quality teaching, the teacher will provide interventions that are additional to or different from those provided as part of the usual differentiated curriculum offer and strategies.

  e. Individual Action Plans
  Where a child needs additional and different intervention an Individual Education Plan may be used to identify particular areas of need.

  • In consultation with parents and the child, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will identify the specific (SMART) targets and additional strategies to be employed.
  • Individual Education Plans may be used to inform everyday practice but will normally be reviewed each half term and updated as appropriate.
  • A range of options may be appropriate which may include group work or 1:1 support to close the gaps between the child and their peers. Following a meeting to review a child’s IEP and in consultation with parents, a decision may be taken to request help from external support services.

  External Agencies may include:
  – Educational Psychologists
  – Speech and language Therapists
  – Occupational Therapists
  – Physiotherapists
  – Optometrists
  – Counsellors
  – School nursing team
  f. Co-ordinating and Monitoring
  Directors
  The school directors have a specific responsibility to:

  • Monitor the provision and achievement of children with special educational needs
  • Do their best to ensure that the necessary provision is made for any child who has special educational needs

  The Principal

  The Principal has responsibility for the day-to-day management of all aspects of the school’s work, including provision for children with SEND.

  Teachers

  All teachers are teachers of children with SEND. They are involved in the development of the school’s SEND policy and are aware of the procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for children with SEND. They are responsible for:

  • Implementing the procedures to ensure special educational needs are met.
  • Planning and delivering a high quality, differentiated curriculum.
  • Ensuring that classroom organisation and teaching style respond to children’s diverse learning needs.
  • Identifying and relaying information about children with possible SEND to the appropriate Head of Learning Support/SENCO).
  • Developing good partnerships with parents, informing and involving them in the target setting and review process.
  • Sharing IEPs with the children – seeking their views about their learning and updating the students progress on the IEP.
  • Updating their SEND folder – containing Individual Educational Plans or pupil profiles and any other relevant information on individual children. This is confidential.
  • Maintaining additional records, where appropriate. For example class behaviour logs for children with additional behavioural needs.

Introduction and rationale

At Rainbow we recognise the importance of ensuring every child has access to a healthy and well balanced diet, supporting them to lead a healthy lifestyle. We also recognise the link between a healthy diet and children’s ability to learn.

The aims of this policy are:

• To ensure food and healthy eating messages are embedded in the school’s ethos and consistent across all food provision and classroom activities.
• To provide a whole school approach to food and healthy eating to improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families.

Food in School

Drinks and water

All students have access to fresh water beside their classrooms from water fountains and are encouraged to drink water throughout the day, including break times and lunchtimes. Students are encouraged to bring in water bottles from home, on a daily basis. Cups are available, if needed, for students without water bottles. Students are not permitted to bring in sugary drinks from home, and healthier drinks, juices or water, are encouraged.

School meals

Our school meals are provided by our catering department, who ensure the menus are balanced. The menus are regularly reviewed by the student council. Our menus are varied and include a range of meals from different cultures and countries. Copies of the menus are sent home each week with our weekly Rainbow newsletter and are available on the school website and sent through an parent email group. Members of the school council in both Primary and Secondary work with the senior leaders and the catering department to regularly review lunchtimes and menus.

• Rewards: such as stickers or stars are given to children who show positive behaviour during lunchtime, such as helping another pupil, making healthy choices, or consistently positive behaviour.
• Promotion: We promote our school meals through the school website and we offer taster sessions for new parents and children, before they start in reception. Our BTEC Hospitality students promote healthy eating across school as part of their practical experience on their course through themed evenings and hosting some school functions and parent cocktail evenings.
• The dining area environment: the Primary and Secondary students have separate dedicated dining areas
• Cultural, age appropriate, and special diets: At Rainbow, we are supportive of children with any cultural and special dietary requirements and this is reflected in our food menus. All pupils’ dietary needs are recorded and communicated sensitively with the catering team. We aim to ensure portion sizes are age appropriate.

Packed lunches

As part of a healthy eating focus, rewards may be given to children who bring healthy options. Unhealthy snacks such as crisps, chocolate and sweets are strongly discouraged.

Key Stage 1 (KS1) students who bring in a packed lunch, are able to eat in the main dining room alongside school dinners. All wastage is sent home to help parents monitor their child’s eating. Parents will be encouraged to provide a balanced packed lunch, through information on the school website and around school. Key Stage 2 (KS2) students, usually eat their packed lunches with their peers who eat a school lunch in the dedicated dining area of the Rainbow Club. Key stages 3 – 5 students eat their school lunch or packed lunch at the ‘vines’ area beside our library. With some flexibility the packed lunch students eat at the different tabled areas around the secondary campus. Sixth form students are allowed to take their lunch into the common room during lunch times only.
The school provides all students with access to drinking water during lunchtimes.

Snack / morning break time

During snack time (Primary only) students are allowed to eat healthy snack options brought from home, or either purchase snacks from the school catering team who set up stations around the primary campus. The same happens in secondary during break time.

Sustainable, food and drink

At Rainbow, we educate our students on the importance of making the right and healthy choices and portion sizes.

Our gardening club produces fruit and vegetables that the children can eat in their school lunch and are used daily by our catering team, and some food waste is composted. Our menus include locally sourced ingredients where possible and this is supported by our catering team.

Special occasions and rewards

We understand that all children enjoy a treat on special occasions, although as a healthy school we do not encourage parents to send sweets only cakes for birthdays or similar celebrations. Rewards in school are generally non-food based e.g. stationery, special mentions, games, stickers or healthy alternatives e.g. fruit.

School trips, clubs and events

Our standards of healthy eating are reflected beyond the usual school day and our food policy applies to school trips and other special events. At school discos, celebrations, and school fairs, we aim to provide and promote healthy alternatives, and limit unhealthy options, wherever possible. We encourage our out of school providers, to provide a balance between healthy food choices and a broader healthy lifestyle.

Raising awareness of food through our Curriculum

Our policy is reinforced and embedded through learning in the classroom. Food in the curriculum, is an important element, particularly in science and food and nutrition and we aim to provide children with the skills to design, make and evaluate food.

Our curriculum will enrich children’s experience of food, physical activity and healthy balanced diets through the subjects of Science, PE and Food and Nutrition. We build on knowledge and practical skills through the key messages of the ‘eat well’ plate to support healthy choices for life beyond school.