Inclusion at Northfield

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Mrs Rebecca Waistle is our special educational needs co-ordinator. If you have any questions or would like to find out more about our SEND provision, please contact Mrs Waistle by e-mailing, SENDcontact@northfieldssc.org. Our SEND team is a highly skilled and experienced team, comprising:

SENCO - Mrs R Waistle
Senior Leadership Link for SEND - Dr G Ankers, Deputy Headteacher
Assistant Headteacher (Pastoral) - Mr G Hetherington
Governor responsible for SEND - Mr P Sowerby
SEND Teacher - Mr T Kentfield-Wells
ARP Lead and Qualified Teacher for Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment - Mr P Olone

SEND Support Offer – Arrangements for Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

At Northfield School & Sports College, we are committed to promoting an inclusive approach to education, which involves creating an ethos of achievement for all students within a climate of high expectations. This aim can only be successfully realised through partnership with colleagues, parents and external agencies and active involvement of students. All young people at Northfield School & Sports College are valued equally and have the right to learn, achieve and participate fully in school. We all have a duty to foster independence, social skills and empower our students so that they can access further education and training.

Admission Arrangements for students with SEND

Northfield School & Sports College aims to be a fully inclusive school. In accordance with the Education Act 1996 and the SEND Code of Practice 2014, if a parent wishes to have their child with an EHC Plan educated in a mainstream school, the Local Authority must provide a place, unless this is incompatible with the efficient education of other children, and there are no reasonable adjustments that can be made to prevent the incompatibility. The Equality Act 2010 prohibits schools from discriminating against disabled children and young people in respect of admissions for a reason related to their disability.

Useful Links

Parent Partnership

SEND Information, Advice and Support Service
Tel: 01642 527158
Email: SENDIASS@stockton.gov.uk

Staff Details/Outside Agency Contacts

Address: Northfield School & Sports College, Thames Road, Billingham TS22 5EG
Tel: (01642) 557373
Fax: (01642) 360392
Email: SENDcontact@northfieldssc.org
Website: www.northfieldssc.org

SEND Information Report

Click here to view our SEND Information Report

SEND Policy

Click here to view our SEND Policy

Accessibilty Policy

Click here to view our Accessibility Policy

Accessibility Plan

Click here to view our Accessibility Plan

Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) 

We are very proud that Northfield is able to  continue to work with the Local Authority to support young people with SEND across the borough via our ARP.

We have  a ten place ARP to support pupils with Communication and Interaction needs. Pupils with needs in this area find it difficult to listen, understand and communicate with others, and may need support to develop these skills. The school  also retains its well-established provision for hearing and visually impaired pupils via a five place ARP for Sensory Loss.

The allocation of places to our ARPs sits outside of the normal school admissions process and places allocated are in addition to our pupil admission number (PAN) of 330. All children awarded places in our ARPs would have an Education Health Care Plan and children are allocated spaces via the Local Authority and not by the school.

Our ARP Lead is Mr Paul Olone.  If you have any questions around our provision in this area the please do not hesitate to contact Mr Olone via e mail, polone@northfieldssc.org.

Please see below for further details regarding our provision:

ARP Communication and Interaction Information Report

ARP Sensory Needs Information Report

Pupil Premium

 

The Pupil Premium grant is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England. It is a school-level grant that gives schools extra resources to help them meet challenges, including those arising from deprivation. 

It is allocated for schools to:

  • improve the academic outcomes of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities
  • close the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers across the country

The strategy statement below details our school’s use of Pupil Premium funding to help improve the outcomes of our disadvantaged pupils. It outlines how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending of the Pupil Premium grant had within our school.

Northfield-School-Strategy-Statement-2025-to-2026.pdf

LGBT+ at Northfield

LGBT+ Inclusion at Northfield

LGBT+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, plus the many other identities and orientations of people within the LGBTQIA+ community.

At Northfield, we are committed to creating a school where every person feels safe, respected and able to be themselves. Our approach to LGBT+ inclusion is rooted in respect, visibility and allyship, and we are proud of the positive, supportive culture our pupils, staff and governors help to create.

Rainbow Flag Award

Northfield is a proud recipient of the Rainbow Flag Award. This national accreditation recognises high‑quality LGBT+ inclusion across leadership, policies, curriculum, pupil voice, wellbeing and the wider community.

We last renewed the award in July 2024, following a successful audit that highlighted our whole‑school commitment to creating an LGBT+ inclusive environment.

The GSA

Northfield’s Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is a voluntary, pupil‑led group (established over a decade ago at the request of Northfield pupils) that aims to promote visibility, acceptance and equality for all.

The GSA meets weekly and is open to all pupils and staff (whether they identify as LGBT+ or as allies) offering a safe, welcoming and judgement-free space for everyone.

Pupils also connect via the GSA Teams page, where resources, announcements and supportive messages are shared.

Pupils help to plan events such as Allies Week, LGBT+ History Month, International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHoBiT), Pride Month and Northfield’s annual Pride Day.

Policies and Safeguarding

Northfield’s inclusive practice is guided by the Equality Act 2010, which safeguards individuals with protected characteristics from discrimination.

Our school policies and procedures aim to ensure that:

  • All LGBT+ pupils and staff feel safe and valued
  • Pupils’ privacy and dignity are respected
  • LGBTphobic language and behaviour are always challenged
  • Pupils can access signposting and support when needed

A pupil’s disclosure about gender identity or sexual orientation is not considered a safeguarding concern unless there is another identified risk.

Curriculum

We aim to ensure pupils see positive representation of LGBT+ people, themes and experiences. We also teach them about the history and development of the LGBT+ rights movement; by understanding the progress made (and the challenges that remain), pupils learn the importance of empathy, respect and allyship in an ever‑evolving society.

The curriculum at Northfield includes:

  • Suitable LGBT+ connections made across all areas of the curriculum
  • Life Skills lessons that cover specific LGBT+ topics, in line with the PSHCE curriculum and RSE guidance
  • Inclusive reading recommendations and literacy activities
  • LGBT+ themed assemblies designed and delivered in partnership with pupils in the GSA

Pupil Voice

‘‘I like how the GSA is open to all pupils if they wish to attend.’’

‘‘The GSA is a brilliant safe space to interact with other allies and LGBT+ people.’’

‘‘I like how the GSA offers a calm and usually quiet environment for people to express themselves.’’

‘‘I like being able to just sit and chat without feeling awkward or anything.’’

‘‘The GSA is an inclusive space where people can speak their mind and seek others’ opinions while expressing their own in a judgement-free environment.’’

Pupil voice helps shape our practice. Recent developments based on pupil voice include:

  • The introduction of accessible toilets for pupils who feel more comfortable using a private, gender-neutral space
  • Updates to display materials around school
  • Increased use of inclusive language
  • Expansion of reading materials, through PTA funding, covering a range of LGBT+ themes, characters and plots

Celebrating Pride at Northfield

Each June we celebrate Pride Month, with activities that include:

  • Flying the Progress Pride Flag
  • An assembly about the history and importance of Pride Month
  • LGBT+ displays and book selections in the library
  • Pride-themed literacy tasks and reading activities
  • Our annual Pride Day, where pupils and staff can show support by wearing a rainbow-coloured accessory and purchasing rainbow-coloured sweet treats at lunchtime
  • A GSA Pride Party
  • A colour run at the summer fair

These events help reinforce our message that Pride is about visibility, acceptance, belonging and human rights.

Support for Pupils and Families

We encourage any pupil seeking LGBT+ support or guidance to speak to a trusted adult or to consider contacting Northfield’s GSA. Families are always welcome to contact us for support or to discuss how we can best support their child. Additionally, here are some local and national external organisations that pupils and families may find helpful:

Our Commitment

LGBT+ inclusion is an ongoing priority at Northfield. Through the GSA, curriculum development, staff training and our community events, we continue working to ensure every person at Northfield feels:

  • Safe and welcome
  • Respected and valued
  • Seen and heard
  • Able to belong and thrive

If you have any questions about LGBT+ inclusion at Northfield, please contact the GSA’s Lead Teacher,
Mr Kentfield‑Wells (he/him).

GSA