Some children have needs or disabilities that affect their ability to learn and make progress within school.
These special educational needs (SEN) can affect a child’s:
- behaviour or ability to socialise, for example not being able to make friends
- reading and writing, for example they have dyslexia
- ability to understand things
- ability to express themselves
- concentration levels, for example they have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- physical ability, for example hearing or sight impairments.
Children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) may need extra help because of a range of needs.
If you think your child may have special educational needs, please talk to your child’s teacher.
If you child has a special need your child may receive support through
- SEN support – support given in school, for example a speech therapy programme, a specific learning difficulties programme or a physical programme
- An education health care plan (EHCP) a play of care for children who have more complex needs.
- Communication and interaction needs
- Cognition and learning needs
- Social, emotional and mental health needs
- Sensory and physical needs
We use the following identification procedures:
- Liaison with and data from previous settings
- School assessments that show a child performing below ‘age expected’ levels
- Monitoring of individual’s progress
- Liaison with external agencies
- Use of assessments
- Observations by staff within the school
An Initial Concern may then be completed by the class teacher to support the monitoring of additional support and strategies before moving a child onto SEN support.
Our Special Educational Needs Coordinator is our Deputy Headteacher Miss M Bush. Miss Bush holds the National SENCO Award qualification.
Our approach for children with Special Educational Needs or disabilities was to:
- Provide each child with an appropriate education to match their ability
- Identify specific needs as soon as possible
- Provide an appropriately differentiated curriculum
- Endeavour to meet the needs of each child
- Review individual children’s progress termly
- Liaise with support agencies
- Utilise relevant screening and assessment procedures.
- Keep updated records
- Establish and maintain open dialogue with pupils, parents and carers
- Provide extra support or resources as required to enable each child to access the curriculum to the best of their abilities.
Children accessed the curriculum through the provision of a differentiated curriculum and individual and small group withdrawal work with specialist staff, including special provision on school visits. Individual risk assessments are carried out to consider if reasonable adjustments can be made to meet any additional needs. These are shared with parents/carers.
The school SEN budget is used to provide support and resources for pupils identified through the Code of Practice as requiring intervention additional to and different from the usual differentiated curriculum. This funding is also used to provide pupils with support from external professionals. The school also receives additional funding from the LA for some individual pupils who are the subject of an Education Health Care Plan. This allows for further provision to be made for these pupils.
The school provides a learning mentor and mental health champions to support children with their emotional and social development. Any child can access the “listening ear” of any member of staff through our Talk To Box. Our Learning Mentor, Mrs Parker, is trained to deliver the Emotional Literacy Programme (ELSA). We have a Haven area where children can spend time talking and working with our behaviour and learning mentors.
Our provision for children with medical conditions is outlined in our Medical Conditions policy.
Early Help Assessments are carried out with families if needed.
Teaching and support staff receives advice, support and on-going training from the school’s SENDCO to meet the needs of the children they taught. In addition, advice is regularly sought from a range of educational and health specialists. Some of these include Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology, Behaviour support, the Autisic Spectrum Education Team (ASET), Hearing support, Child and Adolscent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Occupational Therapy.
The progress of children is monitored regularly. Individual targets based on the children’s needs are set with the class teachers and the SENDCO. Their progress is assessed and reviewed at least three times in the year. Children and their parents are invited to take part in this process through discussion/consultation of progress at termly SEND reviews.
Children take part in:
- Pupil voice surveys
- Their own review meetings
- Termly “All About Me” Sheets
- Informal discussions with members of the SEND team
Parents are encouraged to participate fully in all aspects of their child’s education. This includes:
- Parents’ evenings
- Termly SEN Reviews
- Letters home
- Telephone calls
- Home visits
- Home school books
Additional transition and/or liaison with secondary schools based on the needs of the individual takes place. The SENCO liaises with the children’s secondary schools during the spring term. We also support SEND children with their transition between year groups to ensure that the next teacher is aware of the child’s needs and also to ensure the child feels comfortable and confident in their new class.
The school actively seeks support and advice from a range of specialists and agencies, and supported parents through our good relationship with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS).
We carry out analyses of individual’s progress including consultation with parents and teachers.
Any complaints received are dealt with through the school’s complaints procedure.
Visit our school website policies page or contact the school office for the following policies and plans:
- Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Policy
- Medical Needs Policy
- Diversity and Equality Policy
- Accessibility Plan