SEND at Alexander First School

Special Educational Needs & Disability

At Alexander First School we pride ourselves on developing the individual. This encompasses all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Mrs Haslett leads the area of Special Educational Needs alongside Miss Khokar and Mrs Corcoran at Alexander First School and passionately believe that every child, of every ability should have equal opportunities to achieve, to develop and to believe that they can do and be anything they wish. Through careful identification, high quality first teaching and targeted support at Alexander we strive to meet the needs of all children in an inclusive environment. Teaching staff training, outside agency and expert support, apt resourcing and highly positive relationships between staff and children all help our children to make progress, particularly for those who are finding the curriculum challenging. Parents are considered key additionally, and through parent partnerships and our open-door policy, we are able to act quickly, have open and honest dialogue and offer relevant support to our children and their families when supporting their educational journey.

What kinds of SEND do we provide for?

The school accommodates all SEND in line with the Equality Act 2010 and provision is available for all four areas of need outlined in the 2014 SEND Code of Practice.
The types of SEND the school caters for include:
1) Speech, Language, Communication
2) Learning, cognition
3) Social, Emotional, Mental Health Difficulties
4) Physical, Sensory
 

Below is a glossary of the most common SEN terms
ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD: Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity Disorder
ASD: Autistic Spectrum Disorder
BESD: Behavioural Emotional & Social Difficulties changed to
EMH: Emotional and Mental Health
HI: Hearing Impairment
MLD: Moderate Learning Difficulty
PS: Physical, Sensory
SEMHD: Social, Emotional, Mental Health Difficulties
SEN: Special Educational Needs
SEND: Special Educational Needs & Disability
SENCo: Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
SLCN: Speech, Language, Communication Needs
SpLD: Specific Learning Difficulty
VI: Visual Impairment

How do we know if a child needs extra help and what parents/carers can do if they think their child may have special educational needs and/or disabilities?

Our school will know when pupils need help if:

• concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or the child
• if limited progress is being made
• if there is a change in the child’s behaviour or progress

The primary contact is your child’s class teacher who will monitor to ensure that children are making progress and meeting age related expectations through apt assessment. Mrs Haslett alongside Miss Khokar and Mrs Corcoran manage SEND at Alexander First School.

How do Early Years staff support our children?

They will ensure that there are:

• Apt, differentiated activities that engage all children, factoring in their interests and needs.
• A range of indoor and outdoor learning environments will foster love of learning early, and begin to develop the individual.
• A daily dialogue with parents/carers to ensure each child is well supported.
• Regular progress checks to ensure that children are meeting age related expectations.
• One Page Profile (previously IEP’s) will be devised if a child needs additional SMART targets to ensure that they are supported well and able to demonstrate progress which will be shared with parents / carers.
• All staff have the highest available training in order to deliver high quality first teaching at all times, with relevant planning and assessment links to the EYFS profile.
• SEND Policy to be followed within class as necessary at all times.

How will the curriculum be matched to a child’s needs?

As above.

• Class teachers will all deliver high quality first teaching and hold high expectations of children in order to ensure that all needs are met.
• Teaching will be based on building upon what a child already knows through the utilisation of an enquiry based curriculum that starts with children’s cultural identity and interests.
• Teachers then plan to meet the needs of individuals/classes/cohorts in-line with their interests and the National Curriculum, adopting differing teaching styles/activities to encompass all learners, including those who may need additional practical or visual resources.
• Specific strategies may be employed (as suggested by SENCo or outside agencies) to support learning.
• Progress will be reviewed and identified gaps in learning or understanding will be met through additional support or intervention as necessary.

Depending on your child’s needs they may access one or more of the following types of support with their learning:

• Targeted small group work. This group work (often called intervention group work) may be delivered in the classroom or outside in a quiet area.
• Delivered by a teacher or most often a Learning Support Assistant who has had training to deliver this type of intervention learning.

School based Special Educational Needs & Disabilities support

This means a child has been identified by the class teacher as needing some extra support in school in addition to intervention group work/
 

For a child at Alexander First School this would mean:

• A child will have a One Page Profile (previously IEP’s).
• He/she will engage in individual work and/or group sessions with specific focus to help him/her to make more progress. Supported by the teacher or teaching assistant.
• This type of support is available for any child who has specific gaps in their understanding of a subject/area of learning.

Specialist SEND support

This means that a child has been identified by the class teacher/SENCo as needing some extra specialist support in school from a professional outside of the school (of less than 20 hours in school). This may be from:

• Local Authority central services such as the ASD Outreach Team or Sensory Service (for students with a hearing or visual need)
• Outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy Service or the Early Years Speech and Language Therapy Service (SALT or EYSLES).

For a child this would mean:

• The child will have been identified by the class teacher/Inclusion Manager (or you will have raised your concerns) as needing more specialist input instead of, or in addition to, quality first teaching, School Action provision and intervention groups.
• Parents/carers will be asked to come to a meeting to discuss their child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward to aid their progress.
• Parents/carers may be asked to give their permission for the school to refer their child to a specialist professional e.g.  a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will help the school and parents/carers understand the child’s particular needs better and be able to support them better in school.

The specialist professional will work with a child to understand their needs and make recommendations, which may include:

• Making changes to the way a child is supported in class e.g. some individual support or changing some aspects of teaching to support them better
• Support to set better targets which will include their specific expertise
• A group delivered by school staff under the guidance of the outside professional e.g. a social skills group
• A piece of group or individual work with an outside professional

The school may suggest that a child needs some individual support in school. School will discuss with parents/carers on how the support will be used and what strategies will be put in place.

Support provided through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP or previously as Statement of Special Educational Needs)

This means that a child will have been identified by the class teacher/SENCo/specialist professional as needing a particularly high level of individual or small group teaching (more than 15 hours a week), which cannot be provided from the budget available to the school. This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong.

Usually a child will also need specialist support in school from a professional outside of the school. This may be from:

• Local Authority central services such as the ASD Outreach Team or Sensory Service (for students with a hearing or visual need)
• Access to Learning Team – behaviour support team
• Outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy (SALT) Service.
• Paediatrician

For a child this would mean:

The school (or parent/carer) can request that the Local Authority carry out a statutory assessment of a child’s needs. This is a legal process which sets out the amount of support that will be provided for a child.

After the school have sent in the request to the Local Authority (with a lot of information about a child, including some from parents/carers), they will decide whether they think a child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to require a statutory assessment. If this is the case, they will ask parents/carers and all professionals involved with a child to write a report outlining a child’s needs. If they do not think a child needs this, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus.

After the reports have been submitted to the Local Authority they will decide if a child’s needs require more than 15 hours of support in school to make good progress. If this is the case they will write a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an EHC Plan. If this is not the case, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus and also set up a meeting in school to ensure a plan is in place to ensure a child makes as much progress as possible.

The Statement or EHC Plan will outline the number of hours of individual/small group support a child will receive from the Local Authority and how the support should be used and what strategies must be put into place. It will also have long and short term goals for a child.

An additional adult may be used to support your child with whole class learning, deliver individual programmes or carry out small groups including your child.

A specialist teacher may be employed to work with your child if recommended in the Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHC Plan.

This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong and require more than 20 hours of support in school.

How will both the school and parent or carer know how a child is doing and how will we help families support their child’s learning?  

We ensure there are opportunities for:

• Daily dialogue with staff through an open door policy to support positive relationships between school and home. Additionally, appointments can be made to see class teachers or the Inclusion Manager if a concern needs to be raised by visiting the school office. Strategies can be shared between school and home to ensure that children are able to make the maximum progress.
• Parents’ evenings are completed in the Autumn term and Spring term to discuss how a child has settled and their rates of progress, as well as their current achievements.
• Parents’ workshops are offered to support parents/carers in understanding current policy and processes used in school.
• Sharing of achievements through celebration assemblies happen on a weekly basis and parents/carers are invited to share their children’s successes in and out of school.
• Relevant reporting through end of year reports as well as termly topic diaries that offer links to learning in school will be provided.
• The Inclusion Manager is available to meet with parents/carers to discuss progress or concerns as necessary.

What support is there for a child’s/young person’s overall wellbeing?

• High quality relationships with children based on positivity and good rapport.
• All children will have support from class teachers, learning supports assistants, lunchtime supervisors etc. to encourage open and honest relationships.
• PSHCE curriculum supports developing the whole child as an individual.
• A challenging, interwoven curriculum which enables children to engage deeply in their learning, making links to real-life and as result, beginning to prepare them for the wider world.
• A wide range of therapeutic interventions such as music therapy, Nurture, ELSA, sports therapy.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by Alexander First School?

Inclusion Learning Services, Educational Psychologist, CAMHS etc. are all accessed as necessary, as are outreach services, for example, The Autism Outreach Team who support regarding children with ASD. Services are contacted/referrals are made as necessary. Please refer to the Local Offer for further details of support services/agencies.

What training do the staff supporting children with SEND have or are having?

Previously staff have received training for:

• Manual handling
• Safeguarding
• ASD support
• Speech and Language
• Attachment theory
• The Word Wasp and Hornet Literacy Primer training
• SEMH challenges and support

On-going training is delivered based on the needs of the children and staff.

How are children included in activities outside the classroom (including school trips)? 

Alexander First School is an inclusive environment for all and so as such, all children are fully included in out-of-school activities/trips.

• A Local Authority approved risk assessment is carried out prior to any educational visit taking place.
• Consideration will always be given to children with SEN/medical conditions to ensure that all potential issues have been assessed with apt risk assessment and that clear procedures are in place should an issue arise.
• Additionally, ratios of staff to pupils are always within statutory requirements, and where necessary, for parents/carers or children’s benefits, if 1:1 support is required, parents are invited to support their children on out-of-school activities/trips to ensure that all children are able to attend

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How accessible is Alexander First School?

• Alexander First School is accessible for all children, including those with specific needs relating to walking or wheelchairs.
• Signage inside and outside of school is clear and well-posted.
• There is a disabled toilet and a changing table located in the school.
• Staff are trained/undertake training as necessary to support children with specific or medical needs.
• Laptops are all available to children as well as adults as requested.
• Children have a range of teaching styles with classrooms arranged to meet needs.
• Teachers and learning support assistants are deployed aptly to meet needs both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Lunchtime supervisors and playground leaders support engagement with school environment.

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How does Alexander First School prepare and support children to join the next stage of education and life?

As a school with a high proportion of Service pupils, we are well versed in supporting pupils with their educational transition. At Alexander First School this looks like:

• Transition is carefully monitored and planned as children progress through year groups/key stages/schools.
• Transition days/weeks occur prior to children changing year groups as do intensive handovers between teaching and support staff, to ensure that all staff are aware of the needs of the children within their class/the school and they are able to plan to further develop the individual on entry.

If a child is joining our school:

• We will contact the previous school/setting to discuss a child’s individual needs and any special arrangements or support that they are currently receiving.
• We will obtain all records about a child and request that they are transferred as soon as possible.

If a child is moving from Alexander First School to another school:

• We will contact the school and SENCo if necessary to ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that has been made for a child.
• We will make sure that all records about a child are passed on as soon as possible.

When moving classes in school:

• Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and in most cases, a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher. All One Page Profile (previously IEP’s) will be shared with the new teacher.
• If a child requires further support with their transition into their new class specific arrangements will be made. E.g. photographs of new members of staff to take home, extra sessions with new members of staff.

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How are Alexander First School resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

• Our school aims to meet needs and demands as they arise through apt budgeting, resourcing and through/in line with the whole school development plan.
• Whole school actions are detailed within Equality and Diversity policy and SEND Service Level Agreement supports access to SEND services and outreach facilities.
• As necessary, whole school/small group/individual training needs are met through attendance on courses, in-house delivery or shared good practice as well as by procuring relevant training materials or resources to support children’s learning.
• All needs are reviewed regularly through discussion with the class teachers/SENCo/SLT/ HT as necessary.

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How is the decision made about what type and how much support a child will receive?

Children will receive in-house support in the initial stages when special educational needs are noted. Appropriate SMART targets are set, reviewed and amended as necessary and on a regular basis. Teachers and support staff will attempt to meet needs of children within class/school.

If children’s needs are not being met, outreach services or referrals to relevant specialists will be sought, following collaborative consultation with children/parents/teachers/support staff/SENCo/ Headteacher or Senior Leadership Team as necessary.

Outcomes of referrals will then be acted upon with immediacy in school (for example, findings of Educational Psychologists reports, ASD specialist advice, S&L programmes etc.) to further support children. If necessary, more referrals or requests for Statutory Assessment/Education and Health Plans will be made.

How are our children and young people involved in decisions about their learning?

Pupils are involved at every opportunity through regular discussion of their learning, progress and targets. Pupils are involved specifically when reviewing their targets on their One Page Profile and are asked about what helps them to learn on a day-to-day basis. Pupils are consulted and asked for their views as part of the Annual Review process if they have a Statement of SEND or an EHCP. Pupils contribute ideas and say what they would like to find out about when planning the learning of a new topic in their class.

How are parents involved in decisions about the learning of our children and young people?

All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education as noted above and below. This may be through:

• Discussions with the class teacher
• During parents’ evenings
• Comments in home/school diaries
• During discussions/meetings with Inclusion Manager or other professionals
• School questionnaires
• Termly One Page Profile (previously IEP’s) review meetings
• Annual Review meetings for Statements of SEND and EHCPs

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How do our parents/carers get involved?

At Alexander First School we encourage positive relationships between parents/carers, pupils and staff.

• Open door policy encourages frequent, open and honest dialogue and all parents/carers are encouraged to have an active role in their child’s education, as well as through home-school diaries and regular letters/newsletters.
• Parents’ evenings, One Page Profile (previously IEP) reviews, further discussions relating to progress and achievement.
• Parents/grandparents are encouraged to come into school for parents’ evening, Families in School Days and workshops to support learning.
• Additionally, parents are asked to support their children during celebration assemblies and sports days as well as out of school activities like choir or sporting events.
• The PTA encourages participation in school events, such as Christmas or Summer Fayres, as well as the Year 4 disco.
• The school has an up-to-date website with access to all relevant information as well as a Class Dojo app that can be downloaded on to smart phones or tablets.

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What do parents/carers do if they want to make a complaint?

Any complaint is dealt with sensitively and promptly.
 

1. The initial point of contact is the child’s class teacher.
2. Appointments may also be made with the SENCo initially, if further concerns remain, then a meeting can be held with the Headteacher.
3. If any person feels that their complaint has not been dealt with adequately by the school staff, they are able to contact the Chair of Governors, Clive Haines, who will report their concerns to the Governing Body.

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What other support is available to parents/carers and how can they contact them?

Contact the SENCo or Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher for leaflets/information about a range different support groups and additional services available to support the parents/carers of children with SEND. A vast array of information can be accessed via: https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/local_offer this includes support and advice from Independent School Services (ISS) and well as SEND local area newsletters.

Additionally, please note that the school SEND Policy and the Local Offer are both linked on the school website and should provide further information relating to special educational needs.

English as an Additional Language  ‘EAL’

At Alexander First School, almost all of our children speak English proficiently alongside their home language but some children who arrive at school may require additional support with English, particularly some of our Service children arriving from overseas. 

As a result, our teachers are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to provide in-class support to help children learn, develop and apply new vocabulary and sentence structures. We also provide small group intervention sessions to ensure effective opportunities for speaking and listening, reading and writing.

We are extremely proud of the fact that, on average, children are able to reach age-expected levels within 11 months of starting school with little or no English.  This is an incredible achievement across all boards and a testament to the collaborative hard work of the children, staff and parents.