SEND
Meet the SENCO
Mr Pitts has proudly been the SENCo at HWSF since 2019 and has worked with SEND students since he left the University of Leeds with a History Degree. He was awarded a Distinction in the National Awarded for Special Educational Needs at the University College London which included an essay paper on supporting students with Autism (ASC) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on an Educational Health and Care Plan in sixth form settings.
He is usually found in the Garden Room on the Sixth Floor with a cup of tea and some colourful socks. The Garden Room is an area within the school, which is exclusive to those with SEND, and acts as a quiet place for comfort, support and study away from the busyness of HWSF corridors.
Mr Pitts can be contacted by email at j.pitts@harriswestminstersixthform.org.uk
Our Offer
As a sixth form Free School working with students across multiple London boroughs, we work collaboratively with a wide range of local authorities and their respective local offers.
For more information, please refer to our policies and/or contact Mr Pitts, SENCo, directly at j.pitts@harriswestminstersixthform.org.uk.
Supporting the identification of SEND
For the majority of students joining the sixth form, SEND will have already been identified during their secondary schooling. If this is the case, they should identify this on their application form and bring evidence of this with them on enrolment day and notify Mr Pitts, SENCo, as soon as possible.
If you feel your child has barriers to learning which have not yet been properly identified, then please complete the Parent and/or Carer SEND referral by clicking here, and get in touch with Mr Pitts, SENCo, directly.
Transition Support
For many students leaving Secondary School and starting Sixth Form, it can be both exciting and daunting. It can involve a different journey to school, meeting new people, getting used to new environments and a change in routines. This pack is designed to help you manage some of these challenges and includes advice about how you can access support so that you can make the most of your time at Harris Westminster Sixth Form.
For many students leaving Harris Westminster Sixth Form and starting university can be both exciting and daunting. It can involve a move away from home, meeting new people, getting used to new environments and a change in routines. This pack is designed to help you manage some of these challenges and includes advice about how you can access support so that you can make the most of your time at university.
Student Testimonial
“The Garden Room was there for me when I needed respite but also varied in purpose. It was the best place to air my frustration at the wider world, talk to a member of staff, or a quiet place where I could do work in a place less anxiety inducing than other areas in the school. When issues were either more serious, urgent or needed a conversation I had access to my Head of House, the SENCO and the Designated Safeguarding Lead, all of which provided varying levels of support at different points.
Advice for new SEND students would be, always talk to someone even when the problem seems insignificant or small, because having a member of staff be aware is the best safety net, even if nothing happens. There are really good people in the school and depending on who you feel safe with or think would best help, there is never nobody. Try to also go to societies and clubs because it helps with integrating into the school and makes classes and the rest of the school feel less scary”.
HWSF Alumni, 2023
Parent Testimonials
"My son is autistic and has ADHD. He has had an EHCP since his early years at school and was rejected by a number of independent schools whom I am quite clear were put off by his evident difference.
HWSF did, however, choose him. And thank goodness they did; I couldn't have hoped for better support for him there. We had regular meetings and my son guided and supported by staff who treated him kindly, seriously and respectfully. He was expected to do his best, and there was no compromise in this regard. He was not treated with condescension.
The SENCO Mr Jacob Pitts was always available, kind and hands-on. He has the most wonderful manner, and gave guidance which seemed sensible but also optimistic. I got the impression he genuinely liked and appreciated our son, and as any parent knows this is what you always hope for in a teacher.
There is a room, the 'Garden Room', where Mr Pitts' allowed his students with SENCO to hang out in lunch breaks. In his descriptions of this room by Oscar it sounded like a VIP lounge; my son would say 'only we are allowed in there'.
My son did very well. He was encouraged to do his best and teachers expected no less of him. He decided he wanted to do medicine and somewhat to my surprise he managed to get into medical school.
What I think is most important, though, is that my my son was able to find his 'tribe' at HWSF. He made wonderful friends and he is still in touch with them from their various far flung universities. He felt appreciated and valued at HWSF and I will forever be grateful to them for seeing his potential and giving him two great years at school.
My advice to parents with SEN and/or disabilities is to seriously consider HWSF. We feel so fortunate that our son found his way there".
HWSF Parent, 2023
"Provision for SEN is about the school's attitude and the staff involved. It is about listening and really understanding what a young adults need really is. Then taking it on board and acting with compassion and knowledge. HWSF has created an atmosphere and given my eldest the support they needed and deserved to flourish in a highly academic environment.
It has helped hugely that they have had such an excellentt relationship with Mr Pitts the SENCO who has been available to take on my childs predicaments, listen to their issues and then communicate these with the rest of the school. My child has been treated with the utter most respect and their issues with noise and mobility have always been taken into account.
We were unsure whether my child would thrive in such a large school, having been in a small special school for GCSEs. They absolutely love HWSF. There is not doubt in our minds that finding HWSF was the best thing that could have happened for our child both academically and socially. This comes down to acceptance and the school's ideology that everyone matters and this has been invaluable for our eldest.
To ensure the school is right for your SEN child talking to as many people as possible on the open day, gave us a clear sense of what the school could offer. What we appreciated was their honesty and self reflection that there are always things to improve and communication is key".
HWSF Parent, 2024
Additional SEND Resources
The National Autistic Society, 393 City Road, London ECIV 1NG Tel: 0845 070 4004 Helpline (10am–4pm, Mon–Fri) Tel: 020 7833 2299 Email: nas@nas.org.uk Website: http://www.nas.org.uk
ADD Information Services, PO Box 340, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9HL Tel: 020 8906 9068
ADDNET UK Website: www.btinternet.com/~black.ice/addnet/
SEBDA is the new name for the Association of Workers for Children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Website: www.awcelod.co.uk
Scope, PO Box 833, Milton Keynes MK12 5NY Tel: 0808 800 3333 (Freephone helpline) Fax: 01908 321051 Email: cphelpline@scope.org.uk Website: http://www.scope.org.uk
Fragile X Society, Rood End House, 6 Stortford Road, Dunmow, Essex CM6 1DA Tel: 01424 813147 (Helpline) Tel: 01371 875100 (Office) Email: info@fragilex.org.uk Website: http://www.fragilex.org.uk
The MLD Alliance, c/o The Elfrida Society, 34 Islington Park Street, London N1 1PX Website: www.mldalliance.com/executive.htm (For Semantic Pragmatic Disorder)
AFASIC, 2nd Floor, 50–52 Great Sutton Street, London EC1V 0DJ Tel: 0845 355 5577 (Helpline 11am–2pm) Tel: 020 7490 9410 Fax: 020 7251 2834 Email: info@afasic.org.uk Website: http://www.afasic.org.uk
Royal Institute for the Deaf (RNID), 19–23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL Tel: 0808 808 0123
British Deaf Association (BDA) 1–3 Worship Street, London ECZA 2AB
British Association of Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD), The Orchard, Leven, North Humberside, HU17 5QA Website: www.batod.org.uk
Royal National Institute of the Blind, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE Tel: 020 7388 1266 Fax: 020 7388 2034 Website: http://www.rnib.org.uk
MENCAP, 117–123 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0RT Tel: 020 7454 0454 Website: http://www.mencap.org.uk
The British Dyslexia Association Tel: 0118 966 8271 Website: www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk
Dyslexia Institute Tel: 07184 222300 Website: www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk Website: www.dyscalculia.co.uk
ICAN, 4 Dyer’s Buildings, Holborn, London EC1N 2QP Tel: 0845 225 4071 Email: info@ican.org.uk Website: http://www.ican.org.uk
Tourette’s Syndrome (UK) Association PO Box 26149, Dunfermline, KY12 7YU Tel: 0845 458 1252 (Helpline) Tel: 01383 629600 (Admin) Fax: 01383 629609 Email: enquiries@tsa.org.uk Website: http://www.tsa.org.uk
Please see here for information on our SEND policies and procedures.
Please see here for further information on our HWSF SEND provision and support
