Special education needs provision, is outlined by a code of practice. The Code of Practice, January 2015, sets out the legislation and regulations concerning children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
What is the definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability?
The SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years (2015) states that a child or young person has a special educational need or disability if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.
A child of compulsory school age/young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
- Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
- Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools
What kinds of special educational needs (SEND) might the pupils at Yavneh Primary School have?
According to the Code of Practice 2015, special educational needs and provision falls under four broad areas:
- Communication and interaction
- Cognition and learning
- Social, emotional and mental health
- Sensory and/or physical
How does the school know if children/young people may need extra help?
- Limited progress is being made according to expected progress
- Referrals made to the SENDCo by school staff where there is a change in the pupil’s behaviour or progress
- Liaison with each pupil’s Nursery or previous school setting
- Statutory Assessments at the end of EYFS, KS1 or KS2
- Statutory Phonics Screening at the end of Year 1
- Observations carried out by the SENDCo where appropriate
- Information from parents regarding their child’s history
- Working in partnership with external agencies and outside professionals
What should I do if I am concerned about my child or think they may have special educational needs?
- If you have a concern about your child you should always speak to your child’s class teacher in the first instance.
- If you continue to be concerned about your child and think they may have a SEND, it is important that you contact, Mrs Zinger-Gothelf, SENDCo.
- Some pupils with specific needs may need additional arrangements so they can take part in statutory tests. This can be found in our SEN Policy.
How will school staff support my child?
Class teacher input, through differentiated classroom teaching (High Quality Teaching).
- The majority of your child’s learning needs will be supported and addressed by high quality, personalised teaching in the classroom
- Class Teachers are responsible for the planning and implementation of learning tasks for all pupils, including the learning of pupils who have identified special educational needs
- Growth Mindset is woven through our curriculum and we encourage all pupils to develop Growth Mindset dispositions through our B.R.A.I.N initiative. This stands for Believe in yourself, Resilience, (positive) Attitude, Independence and No Limits to our learning. Developing these dispositions will ensure greater academic success and greater success in life beyond education.
- Class Teachers ensure that specific strategies and/or resources suggested by the SENDCo, are in place to support your child’s learning
- Support provision may include additional differentiated support provided by the teacher or teaching assistants in the classroom
- Specialist equipment may be provided to your child e.g. writing slopes, pencil grips, laptop, wiggle cushions upon recommendation and funding from outside agencies
Provision in addition to classroom teaching
Additional provision and support will be given where a pupil’s needs are considered ‘additional to or different from their peers’.
The duration of an intervention will vary according to need but will be monitored regularly. Interventions will be reviewed by the school to establish the effectiveness and impact of the provision and to inform future planning. These can take place within the classroom setting or in a breakout space.
Intervention programmes may include:
- Numeracy intervention
- Literacy intervention
- Handwriting programme
- Social skills groups
- Emotional regulation programme
- Social, emotional and behavioural support programmes
- Gross motor skills support
- Fine motor skills support
- Touch Typing
Highly personalised and individualised interventions
- This level of support is provided for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through High Quality Adaptive Teaching and school support.
- This is usually delivered through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This is a legal process which sets out the support provision in place in order to achieve EHCP outcomes
- An additional adult or Learning Support Assistant (LSA) may support your child with whole class learning, run individual programmes or hold small group sessions which include your child.
- A pupil may receive intervention services from an external professional and/or advisory teacher provided by a local authority
How will I know how my child is doing?
- We support and involve parents in their child’s learning both formally and informally
- In EYFS and Year 1, focus meetings are held twice a year where you will have opportunity to meet with class teachers to discuss any specific needs.
- From Year 2, parent consultation evenings are held twice a year. There you will have the opportunity to meet with class teachers to discuss any specific needs.
- In the Summer Term for all years a formal report is sent home.
- Additional means of communication may also be put in place, such as home/school liaison and target reports, communication books, email correspondence and telephone conversations
- Additional appointments can be made with the Class Teachers and the SENDCo, where necessary via the school office
- Regular learning walks and lesson observations will be carried out by members of the Senior Leadership team to assure that the quality of teaching and learning is high
- The SENDCo will monitor your child’s progress within any intervention group that they take part
- If your child is identified as making insufficient progress, the school will discuss this with you in more detail and plan any additional interventions or support and/or referrals to outside professionals as per the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle (APDR). These meetings will occur Termly
- The progress of children with an Education Health and Care Plan will be formally reviewed at an Annual Review held with parent/guardian, your child and professionals involved with the child’s education
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
- For matters relating to Mental Health and Wellbeing please your child’s class teacher in the first instance.
- If you continue to be concerned about your child please contact, Miss Zinger, SENDCo
- Our behaviour policy provides instant rewards for positive behaviour
- Social emotional behavioural support programmes address issues such as emotional regulation, behavioural difficulties, friendships and self esteem
- The breakout spaces in school offer a supportive environment if a child requires a Sensory break.
- Pupils who are encountering significant social, emotional and mental health difficulties receive support from outside agencies such as CAMHS or Families First.
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
A pupil may be identified by the school as needing some extra specialist support from a professional outside the school. This may be from organisations that include:
- Local Authority Advisory teachers for behaviour, Communication and Autism, Visual, Hearing and Physical impairment (Integrated Services for Learning /ISL)
- Health services such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists
- The Education Psychology Service
- Special Educational Needs and Disability Advisory Service (SENDIASS)
- Family Support workers
- Attendance Advisory team
- Education Support Team for Medical Absence ESMA
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- Links Academy outreach services
What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND, had or are having?
- The school provides training and support to enable all staff to improve the teaching and learning for children, including those with SEND through individualised professional development (YCPD)
- The SENDCo contributes to whole school training on SEND issues. This has included training on High Quality Teaching, specific learning difficulties (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia), pupils with sensory difficulties and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (ASD, ADHD) and the effective provision of LSAs
- Support staff have access to training from the SENDCo and outside specialist agencies
- The staff appraisal process enables SEND training needs to be identified and targeted.
- The SENDCo is a qualified teacher and has undertake the National Award for SEN Coordination. She also has a Diploma in SEND and a Diploma in Autism Awareness.
- The SENDCo attends regular training courses and Hertfordshire update meetings which inform departmental and whole staff training
- As part of the local SEND cluster group, all members have access to up to date and relevant training related to SEND
How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
- You may contact your child’s class teacher directly via email using their class email account.
- Class teachers will meet with you at parents evening to discuss your child’s needs, support and progress. They may suggest ways in which you can support your child at home
- Regular updates regarding effort and progress will be sent home as deemed appropriate for your child
- The SENDCo is available to discuss strategies on how to support your child with their specific needs at home
- The school encourages liaison with Local Authority external agencies and professionals. If outside agencies have been involved, suggestions and programmes to be used at home are usually provided by them
- For SEND related concerns, you can contact the SENDCo
- The SENDIASS team is available to give impartial advice and support should you need it. Their website address is: https://www.kids.org.uk/sendiass
How will I be involved in discussions about planning for my child’s education?
When children have been identified as having SEND needs, the thoughts and feelings of the child and the parents/carers, together with the views of school staff and relevant professionals are considered through:
- Informal discussion with staff
- Teacher and child consultations
- Teacher and parent consultations
- Meetings with outside agencies where appropriate
- The school may invite parents to a meeting to discuss their child’s progress and academic, social emotional and/or behavioural concerns
- The SENDCo may invite parents to discuss the possibility of liaison with Local Authority external agencies and professionals.
How will my child be included in enrichment activities during the school day?
- The individual needs of all our pupils are considered in the planning of all outside activities and trips.
- Provision and reasonable adjustments will be made where necessary and appropriate to ensure that activities are as inclusive as possible i.e. arranging for an additional adult to accompany a pupil, additional preparation for a child who is anxious, adjusting sporting activities to enable a pupil with a physical disability to participate
- Pupils with SEND are supported during school activities such as religious celebrations, house activities and competitions, learning development days, that take place within the school day
- Extracurricular activities and after school provision are accessible for children with SEND
How accessible is the school environment?
- The school ensures that it is fully accessible in terms of access to the curriculum, to the physical environment and to information for members of the community
- The school is fully accessible for pupils who have wheelchairs; there are lifts which travel to each floor and doorways and corridors which allow wheelchair access.
- Pupils who have difficulty moving around the school are encouraged to move freely and independently. They may be allowed to leave classes early to avoid the busy corridors
- There are accessible parking spaces for parents who need to drop off their children and wheelchairs to the school
- There are toilets and changing facilities that support pupils with physical disabilities
- We endeavour to adapt the environment for individual pupils with visual, hearing and physical requirements by using assistive technology and building modification where possible and reasonable
Who can I contact for further information?
- Mrs C Field, Head Teacher
- Mrs Y Zinger-Gothelf, SENDCo
How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school or transfer to a new school?
We recognise that transitions can be difficult for any child, and we take steps to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible.
If your child is joining us from another school:
- Pupils have the opportunity to meet with key personnel including their class teacher and school SENDCo
- The SENDCo work together with secondary schools to ensure the smooth transition
- Information is gathered from your child’s current school through school visits and circulated to the relevant members of staff when they start at Yavneh
- For pupils with SEND, the SENDCo will liaise with your child’s previous school to discuss the specific needs of your child. This may include an additional visit prior to their start
- The SENDCo will undertake a planning meeting with the SENDCo and/or class teacher from the previous school where appropriate
- Parents of pupils with SEND are invited to meet with the SENDCo prior to their start
- The SENDCo will attend the annual review of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan once a placement has been finalised
- Copies of children’s SEND records are received and key documentation is kept on a pupil’s digital file.
If your child is moving to another school/setting
- We will ensure that all records pertaining to your child are passed on as soon as possible per request
- We will respond to the school/SENDCo request for information about any special arrangements or support made for your child
When moving through the school/transition
- Information is maintained on the school’s database system and is accessible to all staff
- Teachers are informed about the SEND status of the child and the area of need via the inclusion list
- Teaching and learning strategies and pupil information is made available to teachers
- Transition meetings take place with their new class teachers each year
How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
- The deployment of resources provides high quality teaching for all our pupils
- The level of additional provision will be reviewed by the school through consultation with pupils, parents, teaching and support staff, and relevant external agencies where applicable
- The notional SEN budget and Pupil Premium allocation is used to support pupils effectively and provide additional support or resources and is dependent on individual needs
- The school identifies pupils with additional needs on an SEND register which is reviewed and updated regularly. This ensures that staff receive information about the needs of children so that resources are deployed as effectively as possible
- Resources may include enhanced subject teacher differentiation, deployment of additional staff or additional equipment depending upon individual need
- Funding may be provided by Local Authority top up funding arrangements
- Top up funding, may be applied for in order to support the needs of individual and groups of children with exceptional needs
How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
- Through consultation with parents, teaching and support staff and relevant external agencies
- Additional support, provision or intervention will be allocated according to need after discussion with the relevant member of the Senior Leadership Team, Head teacher and/or SENDCo
- The level of support is constantly reviewed and allocated according to pupil need and the resources available
How can I find information on the local authority’s Local Offer of services and provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disability?
The Children and Families Act (March 2014) requires Local Authorities to:
“Publish a local offer, setting out in one place information about provision they expect to be available for children and young people in their area who have special educational needs.”
The Hertfordshire local offer can be accessed at HERE
For further information please visit this website