The door is always open…

We help in lessons. – Sometimes children will need someone for curriculum support in lessons. The team will work with the teacher to help the children learn new things, practice skills and make progress.

We run small group interventions. – Some children find aspects of learning a little difficult. When this happens, we offer small group work to build skills and confidence. This can be for any area of need which could link to the curriculum or more personalised qualities to ensure the growth of the child.

Extracurricular clubs – both in and afterschool.

Hold multi agency meetings to support families and children making links and creating a team behind the child.

Class Teachers are responsible for:

• Ensuring that all children have access to Quality First Teaching and that the curriculum is adapted to meet your child’s individual needs (also known as differentiation).
• Checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be things like targeted work, additional support, adapting resources etc..) and discussing amendments with the SENDCO as necessary.
• Ensuring that all members of staff working with your child in school are aware of your child’s individual needs and/or conditions and what specific adjustments need to be made to enable them to be included and make progress.
• Ensuring that all staff working with your child in school are supported in delivering the planned work/programme for your child, so they can achieve the best possible progress. This may involve the use of additional adults, outside specialist help and specially planned work and resources.
• Ensuring that the school’s Inclusion Policy is followed in their classroom and for all the pupils they teach with any SEND.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator SENDCO is responsible for:

• Coordinating all the support for children with special educational needs (SEN) and or disabilities, and developing the school’s SEND Policy to make sure all children get a consistent, high quality response to meeting their needs in school.
• Ensuring that you are, involved in supporting your child’s learning, involved in reviewing how they are doing and is part of planning ahead for your child.
• Liaising with all the other people who may be coming into school to help support your child’s learning e.g. The Speech and Language Therapy Service, The Educational Psychologist.
• Making sure that there are accurate records of your child’s progress and needs.
• To provide specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school so they can help your child (and other pupils with SEN and/or disabilities in the school) to achieve their potential.
• Supporting your child’s class teacher to write SEND Support plans.
• Organising training for staff so they are aware and confident about how to meet the needs of your child and others within our school.

Teaching Assistants (TAs):

• A Teaching Assistant (TA) may be allocated to a pupil with exceptional special educational needs and/or disabilities and their duties may include:
• Supporting the child in class (sometimes on their own and sometimes in a group)
• Delivering specific intervention work as specified on an Provision Map
• Liaising with external agencies
• Pastoral and personal care support
• Recording and reporting on the child’s progress in lessons to the teacher and SENDCO
• Attending SEND Reviews

Headteacher is responsible for:

• The day to day management of all aspects of the school, this includes the support for children with SEN and/or disabilities.
• Making sure that the Governing Body is kept up to date about any issues in the school relating to SEND.

SEND Governors are responsible for:

• Making sure that the school has an up to date Inclusion Policy.
• Making sure that the school has appropriate provision and has made necessary adaptations to meet the needs of all children in the school.
• Making sure that the necessary support is made for any child who attends the school who has SEN and/or disabilities.

• The teacher will have the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
• All teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
• Putting in place different ways of teaching so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve things like using more practical learning or providing different resources adapted for your child.
• Putting in place specific strategies (which may be suggested by the SENDCO or staff from outside agencies) to enable your child to access the learning task.
• The teacher will keep in touch with you about your child and the progress they are making, you can also share any anxieties you might have about your child.

Specific small group work:

• Children’s progress is carefully monitored and If your child is struggling or has gaps in their understanding/learning they may need some extra support.
• The Teacher/specialist will plan group sessions for your child with targets to help your child to make more progress.
• A Teaching Assistant/teacher will run these small group sessions using the teacher’s plans, or a recommended programme.
• Groups may address learning and support with reading, writing or maths and also may support behavioural issues e.g. Nurture, Social Group, Buddy system Positive play

Referrals:

• If your child has been identified as needing more specialist input in addition to quality first teaching and intervention groups, referrals will be made to outside agencies to advise and support the school in enabling your child to make progress.
• Before referrals are made the Teacher/SENDCO will talk to you about your child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward.
• If it is agreed that the support of an outside agency is a way forward, you will be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will help the school and yourself understand your child’s particular needs better.
• The specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations, which may include:
• Making changes to the way your child is supported in class e.g. some individual support or changing some aspects of teaching to support them better
• Support to set targets which will include their specific professional expertise.
• Your child’s involvement in a group run by school staff under the guidance of the outside professional e.g. a social skills group or sensory circuit
• The school may suggest that your child needs some agreed individual support or group support in school. They will tell you how the support will be used and what strategies will be put in place.

• If you have concerns about your child’s progress you should speak to your child’s class teacher initially.
• If you are not satisfied that the concerns are being managed and that your child is still not making progress you should speak to the SENDCO or Headteacher.
• If you are still having concerns you can speak to the school SEN Governor.

Our system for early identification of SEND is that we begin by gathering evidence in the form of observations, which we record on an ‘Initial Concern’ form. We discuss our concerns with parents during our Parent Consultation Days, then if they are in agreement, we place the children on our Inclusion register and then on a provision map. We set short-term targets and put in place resources and support to enable them to progress, taking into account how the child learns best. We track the impact of these interventions on the provision map half termly and update the targets every 3 weeks.

If we feel that further support is required, we speak to parents, and we may refer to LSS/ EMHST or ACT. We arrange for parents to meet with the professional involved as required and then implement the recommendations of any report promptly.

Our system for early identification of SEND is that we begin by gathering evidence in the form of observations, which we record on an ‘Initial Concern’ form. We discuss our concerns with parents during our Parent Consultation Days, then if they are in agreement, we place the children on our Inclusion register and then on a provision map. We set short term targets and put in place resources and support to enable them to progress, taking into account how the child learns best. We track the impact of these interventions on the provision map half termly and update the targets every 3 weeks.

• The SENDCO’s job is to support the class teacher in planning for children with SEN.
• The school has a school identifies training needs for all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children including those with SEND. This may include whole school training on SEND issues or to support identified groups of learners in school, such as ASD and dyslexia.
• Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class.

• Class Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class, and will ensure that learning tasks are adjusted in order to enable your child to access their learning as independently as possible.
• Specially trained support staff can implement the teachers modified/adapted planning to support the needs of your child where necessary.
• Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and in groups.
• Planning and teaching will be adapted on a daily basis if needed to meet your child’s learning needs and increase your child’s access to what is on offer.

• Funding by the local authority for SEN is based on a formula which takes into account:

  • The number of students on roll.
  • The prior attainment of pupils at the school
   

  This funding is used to support all pupils with SEN whether or not they have a statement/EHC. The needs of individual students are assessed within the school’s monitoring systems and resources are deployed according to need. Needs may be met by in class support or by intervention programmes delivered individually or to small groups. A very small number of pupils who are identified as having significant needs are allocated special funding by the Local Authority (Exceptional Needs Funding). The school is responsible for ensuring that this funding is used to the benefit of the individual concerned.

• Your child’s progress is continually monitored by class teachers on a daily basis through their class work.
• A variety of assessment tools are used to keep track of their progress, which is discussed with senior staff at termly Pupil Progress meetings to ensure all of our children are making good progress. We also review the provision for individual children and if required this is then adjusted to meet their specific needs.
• We share children’s attainment and progress with parents at parent meetings.
• We will congratulate your child on their progress.
• We will tell you verbally if your child is doing well.
• At the end of Year 2 and Year 6 all children are formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS).
• At the end of Year 1 the children are formally tested using the Phonics Screening Check.
• In July your child will be provided with a written report which details their attainment.
• Your child may move off the SEND register.

• All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education. We feel that this has a greater effect on the child’s progress when school and home are working collaboratively.
• We can suggest activities and games that you can do with your child to support their learning.
• Parents meetings are held termly to allow parents to talk to staff about their child’s learning. Parents are always welcome to talk to staff about their child’s progress, or any difficulties they might be experiencing in between parents’ meetings.
• Where there are significant needs more formal review will be required, to which parents will be invited as well as informal discussions with the SENCOS and professionals from external agencies.
• We place great importance on the child’s and parent’s views, wishes and aspirations when setting provision and targets.

• At school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements and adapt our Access Plan as required so that it meets the needs of all of our children. At present in school we have:
• All classes are at ground level.
• Access ramps to the mains doors.
• We can access specialist equipment if required.

• Activities and trips are made as inclusive as possible and available to all children.
• Risk assessments are carried out prior to a trip and reasonable adjustments will be made where necessary to ensure all children can access the enrichment opportunities fully.
• Where necessary, individual risk assessments are carried out and procedures put in place to enable all children to participate. This may require 1:1 support from a teacher or teaching assistant.
• Thrybergh Primary has a variety of extra-curricular clubs that are available for every child to access regardless of need.

• If your child is moving to another school we will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
• Before children move classes they spend short periods of time with their new class teacher in their new classroom e.g. a story at the end of the day. Before the beginning of the summer holidays they spend a whole day in their new classroom with their new class teacher. Some children who we think may struggle with transition have many more visits so that they are familiar and feel comfortable in their new environment.
• In Year 6 the SENDCO will discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENCO of their new secondary school and up to date reviews will be sent. Staff from the secondary school will visit your child and begin to build relationships with them. Children will be invited to visit their new secondary school and SEND children will have extra transition visits to their new school. Parents are also invited to the secondary school to meet the SENDCO.

If your child is on the SEN register they will have a SEN review once a term. There may be many people involved in the education and support of your child: the class teacher, the SENCO, other professionals and you the parent or carer. It is essential that at the review all views are heard including your child.

A person-centred SEN review looks at:

• What we appreciate, like and admire about your child
• What are their aspirations for the future?
• What is important to them now
• What is important to them (and their assessed needs)
• What does good support look like?
• Questions to answer/issues we are struggling with
• What is working and not working from different perspectives
• Creating an action plan

When the review is complete you will receive a written copy of the SEN Review.

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling, pleased contact the school office to arrange a meeting with your child’s class teacher, the SENDCo or the Headteacher.  You may also wish to contact our SEND Governor.

CONTACTS

SENDCo: Kerry Levesley – klevesley@thryberghprimary.org

SEND Governor: Kerrie Dodds

Headteacher: Robyn Parry-McDermott

At Thrybergh Primary School, the admission of children with disabilities is considered in the first instance in the same way as non-disabled children.  Further considerations are made in the light of need and accessibility and the school would work with parents/carers and other agencies involved to ensure that appropriate provision could be provided.  It is the school policy to accommodate children with disabilities should parents wish and individual needs are planned for to prevent any children with disabilities being treated less favourably than other children. Staff organise human and physical resources within the school to increase access to learning and participation by all children.

Education does not only happen during lessons and during the school day.  Our teaching staff strive to provide a range of extra-curricular activities which are open to all students.

Subject to risk assessment, we ensure that all our students but particularly those with SEND are included in the activities available, accepting that sometimes this will mean additional arrangements to allow them to take part in activities.  For example, sometimes one-to-one support on trips may be provided, depending on the level of need.

Where specific access arrangements need to be made, we involve parents/carers by:

• discussing support and risk control measures with parents/carers;
• taking advice from the place to be visited in terms of their facilities and accessibility.

Existing facilities provided to assist access to the school by children with disabilities:

• Wheelchair access onto school grounds via the entrance.
• Car park has disabled access.
• Wheelchair access into the school.
• Carpeted classrooms to aid hearing impaired children’s learning.
• Exterior lighting to improve evening access.
• Routes to the main entrance are clearly signed and free from obstructions
• Disabled toilets throughout the building.