SEND
Special Educational Needs Information Report
Mrs Lucy Crompton is our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and is responsible for the operation of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) policy and coordination of specific provision made to support individual children with SEN.
SEND Governor – Mrs Anita Patel
Accessibility - we have limited wheelchair access and two disabled toilets.
"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 information sets out what is 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".
Our SEN Information Report is to let parents/carers know how we can support their child and what they can expect from our school setting.
Teaching and Learning
"What additional support do you provide in the classroom for children with special educational needs (SEN)?"
All our children at St Paul's receive quality first teaching. This means that a wide range of teaching and learning styles are used and that appropriate learning objectives are set for all children with a curriculum matched to their needs, using adapted resources when appropriate.
Our classes are supported by a highly experienced team of Teaching Assistants who work alongside the Class Teacher promoting independent learning. Pupils may be offered one to one or small group interventions where necessary. These interventions cover both academic, physical and social/emotional support.
If a child has been identified as having SEN they will be added to the school's SEN register and a One-Page Profile (OPP) will be written. Targets will be set according to their area of need. These will be continuously monitored by the class teacher and by the SENCO. Some children will receive extra support from teaching assistants.
"What do the staff at St Paul's specialise in?"
We have a highly qualified staff here at St Paul's with many specialisms
Including:
- Better Reading Partnership - a one to one intervention designed to rapidly improve reading and comprehension levels.
- Inference reading groups – focused small group work on comprehension.
- Little Wandle Rapid Phonics Catch Up
- Nessy Reading group – an online reading and spelling programme
- Small Group Phonics sessions =
- Small group interventions for reading, writing and mathematics.
- Booster groups
- Speech Therapy - delivering individual plans written by Speech and
Language Therapists.
- Motor skills group work – focusing on the physical development of children
- Lego Therapy- a program to help with social skills in pupils with Autistic
Spectrum Disorders.
- Social skills groups - to support children with their social and emotional development.
- Zones of Regulation – to support children with self-regulation of emotions.
"What support is available from outside agencies?"
? Tameside Specialist Outreach Service - offer a wide range of support for children with SEN including:
? CLASS - Communication, Language and Autistic Spectrum Support.
? CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
? EMAT -Equality, Multicultural and access team.
? SpLDATS - Specific Learning Difficulties Advisory Teacher Service.
? Early Help - A team to support the whole family.
? SALT - Speech and Language Therapist.
? We also use the services of Tameside Educational Psychology service- to observe and assess and make recommendations for pupils with SEN.
"How do you review the progress of children with SEN and set targets?"
The school follows the graduated approach to every child’s learning. This follows the sequence of assess, plan, do and review.
Whether concerns about your child are raised by parents or teachers we begin a period of assessment to collate evidence to support the concern. We then plan a course of action setting targets, put these into action and then after a period of time review how successful they were.
Children on the SEND register has a OPP (One-page Profile). We hold OPP target setting and review meetings at regular intervals which involve the class teacher, child and parents and when appropriate the SENCO.
The class teachers also meet regularly with the teaching assistants involved with delivering any interventions. Interventions are monitored using entry and exit assessments to show the progress of the children.
Specific assessments are administered by the SENCo/ class teacher /TAs to show small steps of progress alongside the whole school assessment procedures.
Regular on going assessment enables adaptation and adjustments to the curriculum and environment to be made in a timely manner.
Educational Psychologists meet termly with parents and SENCo/Class teacher to review and set specific targets for those children with a high level of need.
Pupil progress meetings are held at the end of each term. The class teacher meets with the Senior Leadership Team to discuss the progress of all the pupilsin their class. This shared discussion highlights children's needs in order for further support to be planned where necessary.
Keeping Children Safe
(School Safeguarding Policy is available on the school website)
"How will school keep my child safe on Educational Visits?"
Detailed risk assessments are carried out by the teachers in charge for all educational visits and preliminary visits are made. Any additional/ medical needs are identified and appropriate action taken.
We use Evolve Visits, a piece of software, to plan all our visits. The visits are approved by our Educational Visits Coordinator, Mr Wright.
"How will my child be kept safe in school?"
Teachers meet and greet pupils every morning and the head teacher and
caretaker ensure gates are closed and locked at 8:55am. Until all the gates are locked, all external doors operate on a fob entry system and can only be accessed by designated members of staff. These gates remain locked for the duration of the school day. There is an electronic signing in system at the office for all visitors into school.
The school has a lockdown system and policy in place. Fire drills are held regularly and de-briefs held. Children with sensory needs are supported during these times. See health and safety policy for moreinforamtion.
Staff see the children out at the end of the school day from their key stage exits.
All safeguarding concerns are recorded on a central system - MyConcern and acted upon by the designated safeguarding lead (Mr Wright) and deputies (Mr Wilson and Mrs Crompton).
Health and Well Being
"What is the school's policy on administering medication?"
A form needs to be initially completed by the child's parent/carer detailing what the medicine is and the dosage. Medicines are usually administered by the staff in the school office. Medicines can only be administered that are prescribed by a doctor where four doses or more are needed in a day. There is a separate policy relating to asthma available on our school website. All medicines need to be brought by an adult to the office and not sent in with a pupil. If you have any questions please contact the school office.
"How are medical care plans drawn up?"
We work closely with families and the relevant health professional when drawing up medical care plans. We ensure they are regularly reviewed and that all staff are aware of the plan and the procedures they need to follow.
"How do you ensure that staff are trained/qualified to deal with a child's particular needs?"
We have a high level of staff who are trained as first aiders. We ensure that the training is regularly reviewed and up to date. If a child has a particular need we would ensure that relevant staff are trained in dealing with it by consulting with the relevant health professional or attending specific training if necessary.
Working in Partnership with Children and Families
"Who do I contact if I have concerns about my child?"
The first point of contact would be your child's class teacher who may then consult with the SENCO or Head teacher.
"How do you keep parents updated with their child's progress?"
We hold two parent consultations, one in the Autumn Term and one in the Spring Term where your child's progress and details of their current levels and next steps will be discussed. We also send out a written report in July.
Children with SEN have their targets and progress reviewed regularly with parents invited to attend additional meetings with the class teacher where necessary with the SENCo.
Reading Records are used throughout school to support progress in reading.
For some children daily communication to use either through books or charts to support learning.
"Do you offer open days?"
We offer sessions and social events for all our new reception children and families during the Summer term before they start their learning journey with us.
An open evening is offered in the Autumn term to assist parents in selecting the most appropriate setting for their child due to start the following September. The SENCo and Head are available to discuss specific needs.
Parents are invited to a New Intake Meeting before their child starts in reception.
"What opportunities do you offer for children and parents to have their say?"
At St Paul's we value the support and feedback from both children and parents.
We have an active Ethos Group and conduct pupil voice activities throughout the year which influence what is taught through the creative curriculum and our themed weeks. Workshops are ran throughout the year with the opportunity for parents to leave feedback. Parents may also wish to join our Governing Body and PTA. Periodically; we send out parental questionnaires. The governing body also carry out pupil voice activites.
"How can parents give feedback to the school?"
We send out Parent Feedback Questionnaires where parents can share
their views. There is a comments section on the school website. Parents are welcome to make an appointment with the class teacher or Head teacher too.
Extra Curricular Activities
"Do you offer before and after school child care?"
We do not offer before and after school child care on the school site. However, Funtasia Kid's Club is based over at St Paul's Church which some of our children attend.
"What clubs are available within and after school?"
We have a wide range of free of charge extra-curricular clubs available to our
children including the following:
Sports Coaches- a variety of sports and skills taught
Choir
Buddies
Homework
Our Music Band
Alternative dinnertime provision
For further details of any clubs, please enquire at the school office.
Transition to High School
"How does the school support transition to High School?"
We work very closely with our local high schools to ensure transition is as smooth as possible. The Year 6 teachers meet with the High School Year 7 coordinators to discuss the children and how best they can be supported. Our Year 6 children attend high school taster days, which are usually held at the beginning of July. Any children who have additional needs may experience enhanced support from within school, the secondary school or professional agencies.
Local high schools visit school and lead discussions with the children and opportunities arise for additional curriculum visits to take place.
We use Six into Seven (transition information sharing platform) to share information with high schools within Tameside. For schools outside the borough we us their specific documents.
Pupil Premium
The school receives pupil premium funding which is spent to raise the progress of pupils. Copies of the school's Pupil Premium report are available on the school website.