Special Educational Needs

At Burton upon Stather Primary School we want to make sure every child gets the best support we can offer in order to help them to enjoy their learning, feel confident and happy amongst their friends and make the best possible progress. Every child has individual needs that will affect their learning. Sometimes children need special support to help them to achieve their own potential. They may need this support for a short time or longer period, but during this time they will be part of our Special Educational Needs (SEN) register. 

 

We strive to support all children to enable them to achieve at school. In order to do this many steps are taken to support them through their learning journey.

Quality teaching is vital; however for some children there are occasions when further additional support may be needed to help them achieve their targets.

This is where the SEN Team step in.

The SEN Team consists of:

Miss Claire Clarkson - Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

Mrs Sarah Brown - Headteacher / SEN Support

 

This is where the SEN Team step in.

Our Local Offer

There are many SEN terms that are abbreviated which can lead to confusion (even for us!).

Below is a glossary of the most used SEN terms.

 

 

Current SEN Updates

 

What is Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’). Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months, and children of service personnel.

 

Why has it been introduced?

The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.

 

Who decides on how the money is spent?

In most cases the Pupil Premium is paid direct to schools, allocated to them for every pupil who receives free school meals. Schools decide how to use the funding, as they are best placed to assess what their pupils need.

 

How are schools accountable for the spending of Pupil Premium?

They are held accountable for the decisions they make through:

• the performance tables which show the performance of disadvantaged pupils compared with their peers.
• the new Ofsted inspection framework, under which inspectors focus on the attainment of pupil groups, in particular those who attract the Pupil Premium.

 

Children and Families Bill 2013

The Children and Families Bill takes forward the Coalition Government’s commitments to improve services for vulnerable children and support strong families. It underpins wider reforms to ensure that all children and young people can succeed, no matter what their background. The Bill will reform the systems for adoption, looked after children, family justice and special educational needs.

The Government is changing the system for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including those who are disabled, so that services consistently support the best outcomes for them. The Bill will extend the SEN system from birth to 25, giving children, young people and their parents /carers greater control and choice in decisions and ensuring needs are properly met.

It takes forward the reform programme set out in Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability: Progress and next steps by:

• replacing statements and learning difficulty assessments with a new birth- to-25 Education, Health and Care Plan, extending rights and protections to young people in further education and training and offering families personal budgets so that they have more control over the support they need;
• improving cooperation between all the services that support children and their families and particularly requiring local authorities and health authorities to work together;
• requiring local authorities to involve children, young people and parents in reviewing and developing provision for those with special educational needs and to publish a ‘local offer’ of support.

 

What is the Local Offer?

The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011) as a local offer of all services available to support disabled children and children with SEN and their families. This easy to understand information will set out what is normally available in schools to help children with lower-level SEN as well as the options available to support families who need additional help to care for their child.”

 

What will it do?

• The framework will allow the Local Offer to provide parents/carers with information about how to access services in their area, and what they can expect from those services. With regard to Education, it will let parents/ carers and young people know how school and colleges will support them, and what they can expect across the local settings.  During the last year, the Local Offer Steering Group has developed questions for schools, and trialled them with a small number of settings.

• There are 14 questions, devised in consultation with parents /carers and other agencies, which reflect their concerns and interests.  These will be answered by agencies, schools and colleges to provide information to parents and carers to enable them to make decisions about how to best support their child’s needs.

 

Below are Burton upon Stather Primary’s responses to these questions.

 

How does Burton upon Stather Primary know if children need extra help?

We know when pupils need help if:

• concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers, teaching assistants or the pupil’s previous school
• there is lack of progress
• poor test scores are consistently achieved
• there is a change in the pupil’s behaviour
• a pupil asks for help

 

What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

If you have any concerns then contact your child’s teacher or Miss Clarkson/Mrs Brown the SENCo or Headteacher.

 

How will I know how Burton upon Stather Primary support my child?

• Each pupil’s education programme will be planned by the class teacher. It will be differentiated accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs. This may include additional general support by the teacher or teaching assistant in and out of class.
• If a pupil has needs related to more specific areas of their education, such as spelling, handwriting, numeracy & literacy skills etc. then the pupil will be placed in a small focus group. This will be run by the teacher or teaching assistant. The length of time of the intervention will vary according to need but will generally be for a term. The interventions will be regularly reviewed by all involved to ascertain the effectiveness of the provision and to inform future planning.

 

These interventions are recorded on the school’s provision map (this is a record of the interventions, timings and impact of the intervention). If you have any queries regarding interventions please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher or SENCo.

• Pupil Progress Meetings are held each half term. This is a meeting where the class teacher meets with the Headteacher to discuss the progress of the pupils in their class. This shared discussion may highlight any potential problems in order for further support to be planned which will be discussed and implemented by the SENCo and class teacher.
• Occasionally a pupil may need more expert support from an outside agency such as ASET or the Educatinal Psychology Team. Referral forms are then completed in conjunction with parents/carers and forwarded to the most appropriate agency. After a series of assessments, a programme of support is usually provided to the school and parents/carers.
• The Governors of Burton upon Stather Primary are responsible for entrusting named people, Mr Gary Hall and Mr Derek Stamper, to monitor Safeguarding and Child protection procedures.  Mr Gary Hall is responsible for the monitoring and correct administration of the Disclosure and Barring service procedures and the school’s Single Central record.  In a support and challenge role the Governors ensure that the school is as inclusive as possible and treats all children and staff in an equitable way.  They monitor and review the accessibility plan and all other statutory policies as defined by the DfE.

 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

 

• When a pupil has been identified with special needs their work will be differentiated by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily. Where a child’s needs are more complex, we work closely with St Luke’s Special School in order to create a relevant and purposeful curriculum for that child.
• Teaching Assistants may be allocated to work with the pupil in a 1-1 or small focus group to target more specific needs.
• If appropriate specialist equipment may be given to the pupil e.g. writing slopes, concentration cushions, pen/pencils grips or easy to use scissors.

 

How will I know how my child is doing?

 

• You will be able to discuss your child’s progress every term at our Pupil / Parents Mentor Meetings.
• Appointments can be made to speak in more detail to the class teacher or SENCo by visiting the school office at any time.
• Target sheets for all pupils are sent home each term. Targets are always set by the class teacher and SENCo but may also be in conjunction with outside agencies such as Speech and Language Therapists. Parents/carers are encouraged to contribute their input to be included on the target sheet.

 

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• The class teacher may suggest ways of supporting your child’s learning through messages, at parents’ meetings or if you are requested to attend a meeting.
• Miss Clarkson, our SENCo may meet with you to discuss how to support your child. The class teacher may meet with you discuss strategies to use if there are problems with a child’s behaviour/emotional needs.
• If outside agencies or the Educational Psychologist have been involved suggestions and programmes of study are normally provided that can be used at home.

 

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

 

The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering emotional difficulties.

These include:

• Members of staff such as the class teacher, teaching assistants, SENCo and senior leaders are readily available for pupils who wish to discuss issues and concerns. Where appropriate mediation sessions are carried out by Mrs Sarah Brown / Mrs Emily Eyre or Miss Lauren Robertson.

 

Pupils with medical needs

If a pupil has a medical need then a detailed Care Plan is compiled by Mrs Sarah Brown or Miss Claire Clarkson in consultation with parents/carers. These are discussed with all staff involved with the pupil. We have dedicated staff who have received basic First Aid Training at Work. These staff are introduced to all pupils when they first start our school. Where necessary, and in agreement with parents/carers, medicines are administered in school but only where a signed medication agreement in line with the school’s Medication Policy is in place to ensure the safety of both child and staff member.

 

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

 

At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive their more specialised expertise. The agencies used by the school include:

• Autism Outreach Team (ASET)
• Children’s Services
• Educational Psychologist
• CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service)
• EWO  (Educational Welfare Officers)
• IPASS (Physical & Sensory Service) to support pupils with hearing/visual Impairment
• Speech & Language/Occupational Therapy
• School Nurse Support
• Learning Support Service
• Behaviour Support Service

 

An Educational Psychologist is allocated to each school. He/she would normally only work directly with pupils who needs are felt to be quite considerable and have not responded well to the interventions previously put in place for them.

This involvement is generally planned during meetings with professional and parents. These are meetings held three times a year between school staff and where appropriate, other professionals. The aim of the meeting is to gain an understanding of and try to resolve a pupil’s difficulties.

In order to help understand the pupil’s educational needs better, the psychologist will generally meet with the parent and give feedback after the assessment has been completed.

He/she will offer advice to the school and parent/carers on how to best support the pupil in order to take their learning forward.

 

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having?

 

Both Mrs Brown (our Headteacher) and Miss Clarkson (SENCO) have gained the ‘National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-Ordination’ which is a Masters level qualification. All staff have received some form of training related to SEND. These include sessions on:

• How to support pupils on the autistic spectrum.
• How to support pupils with emotional and behavioural needs.
• How to support pupils with speech and language difficulties.
• Three of our teaching assistants are trained to deliver Speech and Language programmes written in consultation with the Child’s Therapy Team.
• The teachers and teaching assistants have received training on the delivery of: Numicon maths interventions, Fischer Trust Wave 3 Reading and Writing Interventions and Occupational Therapy delivery.

 

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

Activities and school trips are available to all. Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate. However, if it is deemed that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required an extra member of staff may be asked to accompany a child during the activity.

 

How accessible is the school environment?

As a school we are happy to discuss individual requirements at any time.

Facilities we have at present include:

• all areas of the school are accessible as we are on one level.

 

How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Burton upon Stather Primary or transferring to a new school?

 

The staff at Burton upon Stather Primary School understand what a stressful time moving schools can be, therefore many strategies are in place to enable the pupil’s transition to be as smooth as possible.

These include:

• Meetings between the previous or receiving schools prior to the pupil joining/leaving.
• Mrs Brown/Miss Clarkson and Reception staff where appropriate, attend the pre-school feeder review meetings before transition starts.
• All new to Reception pupils attend a number of transition days where they spend part of the afternoon with their new class teacher. All pupils throughout the school also take part in our annual move up fortnight which takes place during the last two weeks of the school year. Our Year 6 pupils also take part in a number of transition days to their chosen secondary school.
• Additional visits are also arranged for pupils who need extra time in their new school.
• Mrs Brown/Miss Clarkson are always happy to meet parents/carers prior to their child joining the school.
• Our feeder secondary schools run extra transition sessions with vulnerable Year 6 pupils before where needed.
• Secondary school staff also visit pupils prior to them joining their new school.
• Mrs Brown/Miss Clarkson or the Year 6 class teacher meet the SENCo from the secondary schools to pass on information regarding SEN pupils.
• Where a pupil may have more specialised needs, a separate meeting is arranged with Mrs Brown, the class teacher and the secondary school SENCo, the parents/carers and where appropriate the pupil. 

 

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

 

• The SEN budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependant on an individual’s needs.
• The additional provision may be allocated after discussion with the class teacher at pupil progress meetings or if a concern has been raised by them at another time during the year.
• If any concerns are raised on completion of the assessments Mrs Brown will investigate further support or advice from outside agencies if required.
• Individual Pupil Premium payments are used to support that pupil’s learning.

 

How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

 

• When the children join the school support is allocated on the information provided by the feeder school. Usually, in consultation with their class teacher, the SENCo will allocate teaching assistants to individuals or small groups to support in class or in other focus groups tailored to the pupils’ needs.
• During their school life, if further concerns are identified due to the pupil’s lack of progress or well-being then other interventions will be arranged. 
• Parents/carers will be able to see the support their child is receiving on a target sheet which will be sent home three times a year. The school also has a provision map which is a record of support that the pupil is receiving including the impact it is having on the pupil’s learning.

 

How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?

 

All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education. This may be through:

• Discussions with the class teacher.
• During parents/pupil mentor meetings.
• During discussions with Mrs Brown/Miss Clarkson or other professionals.
• Parents are encouraged to comment on their child’s targets with possible suggestions that could be incorporated.

 

Who can I contact for further information?

 

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about anything regarding your child’s schooling please do not hesitate to contact any member of staff or make an appointment to meet with Mrs Brown, our Headteacher.

 

I hope these have answered any queries you may have but do not hesitate to contact the school if you have further questions.

 

Mrs Sarah Brown

Headteacher