Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
SEN information report
What are the kinds of SEN that we provide for at Little Heaton CE Primary School?
In our school we make provision for pupils who have any of the needs listed below. We know that some pupils will have difficulties in more than one of these areas and we will always do our best to meet their needs. The support will be based on the specific needs of each pupil.
All children in school have support within lessons through effective differentiation and quality first teaching. This means that activities are planned according to the level the child or young person is working at. This can include a variety of adaptions including changes to the physical environment, changes to teaching styles as well as levels of adult support.
Cognition and Learning:
Children and young people who find learning, thinking and understanding a challenge.
Some of the things children with these difficulties may find difficult are:
- Taking longer to learn important skills.
- Finding it difficult to remember things such as the important words for reading and times tables.
- Finding it hard to understand how to use letter sounds to read and spell words.
- Needing more time to think about their answers.
Communication and Interaction:
Children who are not at ease interacting with people and the world around them.
Some of the things children may find challenging are:
- Talking to other adults and or children, especially when in a group.
- Talking about a topic they haven’t chosen to talk about.
- Making friends or keeping friends for a long time.
- Following rules made by someone else.
- Dealing with changes in the way they usually do things.
- Dealing with noises, smells or other sensations around them.
- Saying the things they are thinking.
- Understand what other people mean when they are talking.
- Expressing their feelings clearly.
- ‘Reading’ social situations correctly.
Emotional, behavioural and attachment anxiety:
Children who find it difficult to manage their feelings, emotions or behaviour in a way that affects their daily life.
Some children may be affected by the following:
- Following rules set by others.
- Changes to routines and timetables.
- Sitting still for very long.
- Listening to and following instructions.
- Understanding how they are feeling.
- Making friends.
- Dealing with their difficulties in a way that does not cause harm to themselves or others.
- Taking responsibility for the things they do.
- Accepting consequences for their actions.
Sensory and/or physical needs:
Children who have a disability that may make it difficult for them to manage their everyday life without changes or support. This may be because of hearing or visual impairments, physical disabilities or other medical needs.
Some children with specific needs may need help to:
- Hear what others in the classroom or school setting are saying.
- Read words on books, worksheets or whiteboards that are not made bigger or changed to help them.
- Move around without the aid of a walking aid or wheelchair.
- Use pencils, scissors, knives and forks and other things that we need to use without changes or support.
- Toilet themselves.
How do we identify and assess children with special educational needs?
Within the classroom adults will make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:
- Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
- Fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
- Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
- Widens the attainment gap
This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs.
Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEN. When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed
If you as a parent have concerns that your child has special educational needs please contact the school as soon as possible. You can speak to your child’s teacher; the SENCO or the Headteacher. The school will then organise a meeting to discuss your concerns with you in order to:
- Listen carefully to any concerns you may have.
- Consider a range of options to support your child.
- Plan any additional support that may be required.
- Discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child.
We may find it necessary to provide your child with an individual education or behaviour plan (IPM ). Personalised targets will be set designed to either accelerate learning or close the gap or target specific areas for improving behaviour. Progress against these targets is reviewed regularly.
If a child has an EHC Plan there is a more formal procedure in place and the local authority conduct an Annual Review with all adults involved in your child’s education.
How does Little Heaton CE Primary provide for children with SEND?
Quality First Teaching
- Our teachers have the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their care.
- All teaching is built on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
- Teachers adapt their teaching styles, so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve things like using more practical learning or adapting the learning into a context which they are interested in.
- Specific strategies for individual children are put into place to support your child.
- Children will receive extra support if they are identified as needing it.
- Activities and resources will be differentiated and adapted to suit your child’s needs.
Specific focused intervention
- Either in the classroom or another area.
- Run by a teacher or a teaching assistant.
- Either in a group or one to one.
- Accessible to all children, regardless of their ability.
- Specialist groups run by outside agencies, e.g. Speech and Language therapy
SEN Code of Practice 2014: School Support
This means a pupil has been identified by the SENCO, class teacher or other professional as needing some extra specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. Parents are always consulted prior to an external referral. You may be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional, e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will help the school and you to understand your child’s particular needs better and be able to support them more effectively in school.
Agencies regularly in school are:
- Rochdale Additional Needs Service (RANS): where a specialist ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition) Teacher or Teaching Assistant will help your child.
- Children's Occupational Therapy.
- The Educational Psychology Service.
- Healthy Young Minds.
- The school nursing service.
- Speech and Language.
Specified individual support for children with EHC Plans
This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex, profound and lifelong. This is usually provided via an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means your child will have been identified by professionals as needing a particularly high level of individual or small-group teaching.
For your child this could mean:
- The school (or you) can request that Local Authority Services carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s needs. This is a legal process which does take some time.
- After the request has been made, a panel will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the supporting documents provided by the school) are complex enough to require a formal and statutory assessment. If this is the case, they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s specific needs. If they do not think your child requires this, they will ask the school to continue with the current support.
Who is our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and which other people in school can you talk to about SEND?
The Special Educational Needs Co coordinator is Mrs. G Chambers who is responsible for:
- Co ordinating the support for children with special educational needs or disabilities. Liaising with other professionals who may be supporting your child e.g. Rochdale Additional Needs Service, Educational Psychology, Occupational Therapy, etc.
- Updating the school’s special educational needs and disabilities list.
- Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school, in order to help children with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes.
- Keeping you as parents fully informed.
- Following the best practice as outlined in school policy for SEND.
Class teachers are responsible for:
- Checking on the needs and progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be targeted work or additional support).
- Reporting any concerns to the SENCO.
- Setting intervention targets or Individual Provision Maps (IPMs) and sharing and reviewing these with parents at least once each term and planning for the next term.
- Ensuring that the school’s SEND Policy is followed in their classroom.
The Headteacher is responsible for:
- Ensuring that the school fulfils all its statutory obligations.
- The day-to-day management of all aspects of the school including support for children with SEND.
- Deploying resources appropriately to ensure the best outcomes for children in school.
- Ensuring that the LA and the Governing Body are kept up to date about issues relating to SEND.
- Representing the school on Inclusion and EHCP panels.
How well are our staff trained and what specialist expertise do we have?
All teachers at Little Heaton CE Primary School hold Qualified Teacher Status. Teaching Assistants all hold the correct qualifications required for their positions.
Regular training and updates are provided to staff in many areas of SEND.
We broker Local Authority specialist services as required including:
- Educational Psychology Service
- SENDIASS
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Health Provision delivered in school
- School Nursing Service
- Occupational Therapy
- Healthy Young Minds
- RANS
- #THRIVE
What equipment and facilities do we have to support children with special educational needs?
The school identifies the needs of SEND pupils and provides appropriate support as needed. We endeavour to deploy resources as effectively as possible. The SEND team within the school includes the SENCO and teaching assistants.
The school is fully compliant with (Disability Discrimination Act) DDA requirements. There is a disabled toilet and changing facilities.
We ensure that where ever possible our resources, equipment and provision are accessible to all children including those with SEND.
How do we involve the parents of children with special educational needs?
The class teacher is regularly available to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have and to share information about what is working well at home and school, so that similar strategies can be used.
The SENCO is available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have. All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you.
Personal targets or IPMs will be reviewed with your involvement at least every term.
Homework will be adjusted as needed to your child’s individual requirements.
A home-school contact book may be used to support communication with you when this has been agreed to be useful for you and your child.
How do we consult and involve children with special educational needs in their education?
Children are asked about their views about their education through person centred review and wishes and feelings activities. We will endeavour to adapt things where necessary, according to age appropriateness.
Children’s views are recorded for their annual review meetings each year, if they have an Education, Health and Care Plan. These views are shared with parents and all other professionals involved.
Staff and parents are encouraged to regularly talk to the child or young person about their learning and wellbeing. We always take children’s thoughts, feelings and opinions very seriously and act in a sensitive manner.
What arrangements does Little Heaton CE Primary School have in place if I need to complain about the provision of special educational needs?
Any complaints should initially be made directly to the class teacher or SENCo. If you still feel they are not resolved please contact the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher. This can be made in person, by telephone or in writing. All complaints will be considered and we try our best to resolve them as quickly and efficiently as possible. A detailed copy of the complaints procedure is available from the school office.
How does the governing body involve other bodies with meeting the needs of pupils with SEND and supporting families?
The school has designated Safeguarding Officers: Mrs Hamer (Headteacher) and Mrs Crawford (Deputy Headteacher) with support from Deputy Safeguarding Officers: Mrs E O'Boyle and Mrs A McQuaid.
The school works with the Local Authority and uses services detailed in our Local Offer, which is available on the school website www.Littleheatonce.co.uk
The school takes advice and works with other professionals: children’s social care, the Early Help team, voluntary organisations, school nursing service, Barnado’s, SENDIASS etc.
How do I contact support services who support the parents of pupils with SEND?
SENDIASS offer independent, impartial advice and support to parents and carers who have children with learning difficulties or disabilities, whether your child is currently being assessed by the Local Authority or not.
They can support you with any concerns regarding your child's progress at school.
Assist at meetings/annual reviews with the school or Local Authority. Help with putting your views across in writing for an Education Health Care Plan.
SENDIASS respects confidentiality - discussions with other professionals about your child would only take place with your permission. Telephone: 01706 769634. Email: [email protected]
How do we support pupils when they are moving to a new school or to a new class?
We recognise that transitions can be difficult for some children and we take steps to ensure that any transition is a smooth as possible.
If your child is joining us from another preschool or school setting:
- The Reception teacher and/or Headteacher will visit all preschool and school settings and make home visits where applicable. We will talk to teachers, parents and gather as much information about your child as possible.
- If your child would be helped by a transition book/passport to support them in understanding moving on, then one will be made for them.
- Your child will be able to visit our school and stay for taster sessions, if this is appropriate.
If your child is moving to another school:
- We will contact the school SENCO and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child. Where possible, a planning meeting will take place with the SENCO from the new school.
- We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
- If your child would be helped by a transition book/passport to support them in moving on, then one will be made for them.
When moving classes in school:
- Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and a transition meeting will take place with the new teacher.
- IPMs will be shared with the new teacher.
- If your child would be helped by a transition book/passport to support them in moving on, then one will be made for them.
Year 6 transition to High School:
- The SENCO will discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENCO of the child’s high school. In most cases, a transition review meeting to which you will be invited will take place with the SENCO from the new school.
- Your child will participate in focused learning relating to aspects of transition, to support their understanding of the changes ahead.
- Where possible, your child will visit their new school on several occasions, and in most cases staff from the new school will visit your child in this school.
- If your child would be helped by a transition book/passport to support them in moving on, then one will be made for them.
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