What is our approach to teaching children and young people with SEN?
“We aim to provide appropriate provision to meet individual children’s needs’ and ‘make reasonable adjustments for disabled children and young people, to support medical conditions’ and ‘to inform parents and young people if SEN provision is made for them.’ (See SEND policy)
We have an inclusive approach where SEN pupils work in mainstream classes with a differentiated curriculum. Some pupils receive additional support in the classroom and/or in targeted groups run by specialist teachers or teaching assistants outside the classroom.”
Name and contact details of the SENCO
Debby Strode
0208 690 4713
What areas of special educational needs are provided for at this school?
- Cognition and Learning
- Communication and Interaction
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
- Sensory and Physical Needs
What school policies are in place for identifying children and young people with SENand assessing their needs?
- SEND policy
- Behavioural/Bullying
- Medical
- Safeguarding
- Teaching and learning policy
- Safe Handling Policy
- Accessibility Policy
- Intimate Needs Policy
What arrangements for consulting parents of children with SEN and involving them in their child’s education do we have?
- Parents Evenings 2x yearly
- End of year school report.
- Weekly school newsletter
- School website
- Home Learning including Bug club, TTRS and My Maths
- Bug Club – Homework computer based schemes
- Team around the Child meetings (TAC)
- Looked After Child meetings
- Personal Education Plan meetings (Looked after pupils)
- Joint meetings with external service providers (such as speech and language / educational psychologist) following referral
- Annual Review Meetings for pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Arrangements for consulting with young people with SEN about their learning.
- Teacher and/or SENCO discussion with pupil
- EHCP review meetings
- Looked After Child meetings
- Personal Education Plan meetings – looked after child
- Open door policy by Headteacher, SLT and SENCO
- Assessments internally by specialist teachers and by outside agencies
What arrangements are there for assessing and reviewing children and young people’s progress towards outcomes, including the opportunities available to work with parents and young people as part of this assessment and review?
Assessment:
- Ongoing assessment by the class teacher
- Specialist teacher or therapist assessments with recommendations e.g. phonics/reading/ Speech and Language,
- Standard assessments at the start and end of a particular intervention
Review
- Ongoing assessment by the class teacher and summative assessment every term
- Pupil progress meetings for all pupils including SEN
- Annual Review meetings for those on an EHC Plan
- Personal Education Plan meetings (Looked after pupils)
- Professional review meetings and assessment e.g. Educational Psychologist review meeting
- Parents meetings
- Reading ages, Phonics checks, Intervention reviews
- Learning Plans for pupils identified with SEN, detailing specific targets which are regularly reviewed
What arrangements for supporting children and young people in moving between phases of education do we have?
- Home visits when pupils enter Nursery or Reception
- Transition lessons with the new teacher when moving classes
- Handover of information as well as a handover meeting, records from one class to the next.
- Social stories/photos/books to aid transitions when needed
- Special Educational needs coordinator meets with relevant secondary coordinators to ensure each pupil receives the support they need and information is passed on to the secondary school.
- Additional transition days and visits to secondary schools for pupils where necessary.
How are adaptations made to the curriculum and the learning environment of children and young people with SEN?
- The curriculum is differentiated appropriately
- Targeted interventions e.g. Speech and Language
- Use of visual support
- Audio recordings
- Support from additional adults for safety in the playground.
- Additional equipment used where recommended by a professional e.g. Specific Learning Difficulty Team
- Additional equipment is installed on advice from a professional e.g. Occupational Therapist
How do we ensure the expertise and training of staff to support children and young people with SEN, including specialist expertise, will be secured?
- Speech and Language therapist/ EP plan and liaise with staff
- Support from outside agencies e.g. Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, where referrals have been made for specific difficulties or disabilities.
- Staff meetings allow for training from outside specialists as well as for sharing expertise in school.
- External Training courses e.g. Booster groups, Autism support, Catch Up Reading
How do we evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for children and young people with SEN
- Assessment at the start and end of interventions
- Progress in core subjects
- Ongoing class assessment for learning, formative and summative assessments
- Assessments by specialist teachers
- Assessments and reviews by outside agencies
How are children and young people with SEN enabled to engage in activities available with children and young people in the school who do not have SEN?
- Pupils are encouraged to participate in all activities – where necessary with additional adult support
- Every effort is made to meet a wide range of needs within general classroom teaching thereby minimising the need for withdrawal sessions
- A wide range of extra-curricular classes are run aiming to provide every child to find an area in which they excel e.g. Music (orchestra, instrument classes) and Sport (football, tennis, swimming etc)
What support for improving emotional and social development do we offer? This should include extra pastoral support arrangements for listening to the views of children and young people with SEN and measures to prevent bullying?
- Learning Mentor
- Sanctuary during breaktimes – a safe place to go
- School council – responsibility
- After school Clubs
- Home school links
- Restorative Justice approach
- PSHE curriculum
- Close working with Mental Health Support Team
- Animal Assisted Therapy and Outreach Inclusion Support taking place on site.
- Creating a culture within school based on strong relationships, where it is safe to share.
How does the school involve other bodies, including health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in meeting children and young people’s SEN and supporting their families?
Referrals may be done for the following outside services:
- Social Care
- Speech and Language
- Paediatrician
- CAMHS
- Mental Health Support Team
- Occupational Therapy
- Drumbeat Outreach Service (ASD)
- Parenting support e.g. Early help Team
In addition, please see the Authority Local offer.
How do we support children and young people looked after by the local authority who have SEN and how the curriculum has been made accessible?
- Liaise with Social Worker
- Meetings with Foster Carers
- Pupil premium used for additional support e.g. Drama club or additional Clubs after school
- Looked After Child meetings
- Personal Education Plan meetings – looked after child
- Additional curriculum support where needed
Holbeach Primary School is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
Please see Holbeach School Local Offer to see how the school budget is currently being used to fund additional support.
The Role of the Local Authority.
The Local Authority has a statutory duty to develop and publish a Local Offer which gives information about the provision they expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people in their area who have SEND, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.
The Lewisham Local Offer can be found here.
Date of Completion: 21/02/17
Reviewed and Updated: February 2018
Reviewed and Updated: February 2019
Reviewed and Updated: February 2020
Reviewed and Updated: February 2021
Reviewed and Updated: April 2022
Reviewed and Updated: April 2023