Special Educational Needs and Disability Information
Local authorities and schools are required to set out and publish a ‘local offer’ (http://www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk/). This explains how they will work with parents, local schools and colleges, as well as other services such as Health and Wellbeing Boards. This will encourage a more collaborative process when delivering services for children with Special Educational Needs. It will also make the system less stressful for families by giving parents more information about the services and expertise available locally, and increasing their choice.
Our Ethos:
Our school believes that all students should be able to make the best possible progress at school. We are committed to ensuring that the necessary provision is made for any pupil who has SEND so that, with support, they are included in all aspects of school life.
What kind of Special Educational Needs [SEND] are provided for?
Each pupil in the school has access to quality first teaching within the classroom. Some children need some extra support that is additional to, and different from, that which is offered by the classroom planning. In these cases, the children may be placed on the SEN support register and a personalised programme is set up for them which will be linked to the graduated approach of assess, plan, do, review. For some children, who need further and significant support, an assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan may be requested.
Special educational needs and provision can be considered as falling under four broad areas:
- Communication and interaction
- Cognition and learning
- Social, mental and emotional health
- Sensory and / or physical
How will Special Educational Needs of children be identified and completed?
Special Educational Needs can be identified through different routes including parental concerns, teacher observation followed by a range of educational assessments such as English and Mathematics screening, working memory assessments and analysis of progress in learning.
Who is responsible for the Special Educational Needs provision in school?
The Headteacher (Justin Wrench), Deputy Headteacher (Beverley Thompson) and SENDCo (Liz Donaldson) have overall responsibility for Special Education Needs provision but responsibility will also include the Class teachers, Governors with responsibility for SEND, and Inclusion Manager. All of the above can be contacted via the school office.
How do we involve parents of children with Special Educational Needs in their child’s education?
We believe the involvement of parents is vital; we hold regular parent consultation and review meetings of the pupil profile and an annual review for children with a statement/educational healthcare plan. We also invite parents in to meet with the specialist teachers. Other meetings often take place and can be informal or formal such as a discussion by phone or appointment with relevant staff.
How do we involve children with Special Educational Needs in their education?
The involvement of children in their learning is very important. With the child we compile a one page profile, a ‘my views document’, conversations are held with the teacher and learning support assistant, the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator [SENDCO] to discuss barriers and solutions to learning and identify targets.
How do we assess and review children’s progress?
Children’s progress is reviewed through a range of assessments in school and by outside agencies including pupil and parent views and pupil progress meetings.
What arrangements are there for supporting children and young people in moving between phases of education?
- Key Stage 1 – Key Stage 2
- Transition programme
- Transition visits
- Liaison between SENDCos and class teachers
- Key Stage 2 – Key Stage 3
- Extra visits to secondary schools
- Parents encouraged to visit a range of secondary schools to ascertain right secondary provision for their child
- Support for parents when visiting secondary schools if needed
- Secondary SENDCo to visit children in primary school
- Year 5 annual reviews to ascertain appropriate provision
- Year 6 to facilitate smooth transition process
What is the approach to teaching children and young people with Special Educational Needs?
All children have Quality First Teaching with additional SEND Support, including for those with an Education, Health and Care Plan, being provided through a graduated approach linked to assess, plan, do, review.
What is provision which is ‘additional to and different from’?
Additional provision could include: relevant research based intervention programmes linked with provision guidance; 1:1 support as school decides is appropriate; in consultation with parents and in response to specialist outside agencies and an individualised curriculum and adapted learning environment to be fully accessible and inclusive.
What expertise and training do staff have to support children with Special Educational Needs, and how is specialist expertise secured?
All our staff at Great Bradfords Junior School are trained in aspects of SEND and are able to support children with a wide range of needs. They are dedicated to the wellbeing and progress of each child within the school.
From time to time, our school will call on other professionals such as members of the specialist teacher team, paediatricians or educational psychologists to enable us to support your child further. Parents/carers are always asked for consent to allow these professionals to work with the child.
The school may also involve other bodies, including health and social care, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in order to meet the SEND of children and support their families. These include referrals, as appropriate, to professional bodies, Family Support signposting, Pastoral Care and Home/School Liaison.
How is the effectiveness of the provision evaluated?
Pupil Progress outcomes are evaluated through: Intervention review, annual reviews / person centred reviews, parent and child’s views, teacher reports, Ofsted inspection, Annual school reports. Children may be removed from the SEND register if they have made the appropriate progress so that it is decided they no longer require additional support.
What support is there for improving emotional and social development of all pupils as needed?
We offer a range of approaches and resources, as appropriate, such as: a traffic light behaviour system,
Access to a trained counsellor, Bubble groups, Helping Hands, Home School Liaison worker and Yo-Yo (bereavement).
What arrangements are in place for handling complaints from parents of children with SEND about the provision made at the school?
Please refer to the school’s complaints policy and the SEND policy, both of which are to be found on this website.
Summary
All of the information here applies to children with special educational needs, including those who are looked after by the local authority and should be read alongside the information provided by the local authority which can be found on their public website: www.essex.gov.uk