SEND Information Report

At Leigh St Peter’s CE Primary School we are continually assessing and monitoring both the academic and social welfare of all children within our school to ensure that all children can access the curriculum and achieve their potential. School staff make continuous observations of all children in their care, both academically and in their wider school lives. These observations, along with various assessment data, may highlight issues or concerns for children. Where this is the case, in the first instance, the Class Teacher will speak with parents/carers to see if this is a shared concern. A discussion with the pupil is also had to gain some insight through pupil voice (if appropriate).

Class Teacher will check that they have been implementing the Graduated Approach (Stage 1 | Universal Offer( in a positive way).

If the pupil is still experiencing barriers to learning, an Initial Concern form will be completed by the class teacher and given to SENDCO (Mr Robinson). This MUST include strategies implemented, the pupil’s progress data, an estimation of Birmingham SEN Toolkit (BST) bands that the pupil is working at, pupil voice (where appropriate) and records of conversations.

The school SENDCo will then observe the pupil to look at provision and monitor the pupils work. Together, the Class Teacher and the SENDCo will decide what the next steps are. The SENDCo will provide advice and support. A decision will be made whether to add the pupil to the SEND register or the monitoring register.

External referrals are made where necessary.

Through effective transition procedures with nursery and other settings we will be aware of a child’s needs at the earliest stage.

Class Teachers make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:

• Fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress.
• Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline.
• Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers.
• Widens the attainment gap.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEND.

Pupils are identified for the SEND register according to criteria in the SEND Code of Practice. Other children who may be a cause for concern are kept on a Monitoring register which is reviewed each term at pupil progress meetings.

All pupil’s progress is monitored closely throughout the year through a variety of methods. At the end of each term, the pupil’s progress data is collected and analysed. Each class teacher meets with the Headteacher and other senior leaders to discuss the progress of individuals in Pupil Progress meetings. The information that is collected is reported to parents at two parent’s evenings and an end of year report.

Alongside this, we follow a four-part cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review; this is the graduated approach to SEND needs.

School may feel the need to contact parents to arrange additional meetings to discuss a pupil’s progress. School will work in partnership with parents and/or carers to develop a plan to ensure the pupil receives the right level of support.

It can sometimes be thought necessary to involve outside agencies to support a pupil’s learning. This will only be done with informed parental consent.

Should a pupil be added to the SEND register, a letter of notification will be sent to the parents.

In collaboration with parents, outside agencies and school staff, we will assess a pupil’s special educational needs. We will set personalised targets and goals for the pupil. Then we will put a plan in place for the provision that is needed to achieve those targets. This may involve withdrawal from class for 1:1 or small group interventions which provide effective academic and/or social and emotional support, precision teaching programmes and/or early involvement of external agencies, including sometimes support, advice and staff training from Special school’s outreach service e.g. for strategies to support pupils diagnosed with autism or crisis behaviour management.

We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions, and their impact on the pupil’s progress, which in turn informs future provision planning. Parents remain informed throughout by means of parents’ evenings, formal meetings and Early Help reviews if applicable.

For more information on the Graduated Approach follow link: https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Business/Professionals/SEND/HEFA/Chap-4.aspx

Class Teacher

Responsible for:

• Checking on the progress of the pupil and identifying, planning, and delivering any additional help that the pupil may need (this could include targeted work, additional support) and liaising with the SENDCo regarding progress.

• Contributing to programmes of work and sharing and reviewing these with parents/ SENDCo.

• Reading all reports and relevant information provided by outside support and agencies: TESS, EP, SALT to aid in the planning of work.

• Contributing to all EHC(P) annual reviews.

• Ensuring that all staff working with the pupil in school are helped to deliver the planned work/programme, 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 SEND policy is followed in every classroom and for all the pupils the class teacher teaches.

SENDCO (Mr Robinson)

Responsible for:

• Coordinating all support for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and developing the school’s SEND policy to ensure all children receive a consistent, high-quality response to meeting their needs in school.

• Writing individual APDR’s for all pupils on the SEND register including those with an EHCP plan and supporting the teachers to ensure that parents are involved in supporting the pupil’s learning are kept informed about the support the pupil is getting, and involved in reviewing the pupil’s progress.

• Liaising with all professionals who may come into school to help support the pupil’s learning e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology etc…

• Updating the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring all SEND needs of pupils in this school are known) and making sure that there are effective records of the pupil’s progress and needs.

• Providing support for teachers and support staff in the school – so they can help pupils with SEND in school achieve the best progress possible.

Headteacher

Responsible for:

• The day-to-day management of all aspects of the school, this includes the support for pupils with SEND.

• Overseeing provision for pupil’s with special educational needs.

• Keeping the Governing Board fully informed of any issues in school relating to SEND.  

• Working closely with the inclusion manager to coordinate provision.

• Holding teachers accountable for quality first teaching of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEND).

The Governing Board

Responsible for:

• Making sure that the necessary support is made for any pupil who attends the school who has SEND and liaising with the school SENDCo to kept informed.

• Keeps up to date with current and new legislation for SEND.

• The dedicated Governor responsible for SEND, Mrs. Halliwell, is knowledgeable about the SEND provision, including how funding, equipment and personnel resources are deployed.

• Ensure that SEND is an integral part of the school improvement plan.

• Has regard to the SEND Code of Practice when carrying out duties towards all pupils with special educational needs.

If any parent has concerns about a pupil’s learning or development, please arrange to meet with firstly the child’s class teacher who will then liaise with the SENDCO (Mr Robinson).

Both the class teachers and the SENDCO can be contacted via the school office or at 01942 671 442.

There are various different types of support at Leigh St Peter’s CE Primary School. These include high-quality ‘quality’ first teaching:

Specific group work within a smaller group of children/ Quality First Teaching for All: (Universal):

This group, often called Intervention/Target Groups.

• Pupils will engage in group sessions with specific targets to help them to make more progress.
• A Learning Support Assistant/ Class Teacher would run these small group sessions using specific plans.
• Planned, targeted support, delivered in the classroom or outside in the resource area, with work carefully planned by the teacher/ other professional to meet the needs of the children.
• Delivered by a teacher or a teaching assistant who has had training to run these groups.

If any outside expertise is needed, Mr Robinson will arrange this.

SEND Support

A pupil will have been identified as needing further support the class teacher/SENDCO (or parents / carers will have raised worries) as needing more specialist input in addition to quality first teaching and intervention groups.

• A parent / carer will be asked to come to a meeting (often at parents’ evening) to discuss their child’s progress and to help plan possible ways forward; an individual plan for the pupil will be written (APDR) with specific targets.
• A parent/ carer may be asked to give their permission for the school to refer a child to a specialist professional e.g. Educational Psychologist / TESS/ Sensory support etc. This will help the school to understand a child’s particular needs better and be able to support them better in school.
• The specialist professional may work with the child to understand their needs and to make recommendations. For example:
  • Making changes to the way the child is supported in class e.g. some individual support or changing some aspects of teaching to support them better, resources (essential provision) to meet their needs.
  • Support to set better targets which will include their specific expertise.
  • A group run by school staff under the guidance of the outside professional e.g. a social skills group.
  • A group or individual work with an outside professional.

This type of support is available for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through quality first teaching and small intervention groups.

SEND School Support + / Specified Individual High-Level Support (Specialist):

1:1 bespoke intervention targeting specific needs as directed by TESS/Educational Psychologist/Health Professionals.

This level of need can be assessed by the Local Authority and is usually provided via an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means the pupil will have been identified by the class teacher, SENDCO, external professionals as needing a particularly high level of individual or small group teaching, which cannot be wholly provided from the budget available to the school. Usually, the pupil will also need specialist support in school from a professional outside the school e.g. Targeted Education Support Service or the Educational Psychologist. The professionals will firstly make recommendations that will be implemented, monitored, and evaluated. Then at a review meeting, if it is decided that support needs to continue and that the cost of support needed for the pupil goes beyond £6000. The school or parents/carers can apply to the Local Authority for an Educational Health Care Assessment, if they feel this is appropriate.

For a child this would mean:

• The school (or parent / carer) requests that the Local Authority carry out a statutory assessment of a pupil’s needs. This is a legal process which sets out the provision for the pupil.
• After the school / parent carer has sent in the request to the Local Authority, the LA will decide whether they think the pupil’s needs, seem complex enough to need a statutory assessment. All professionals involved with the pupil will write a report as part of the assessment outlining the pupil’s needs. After the reports have all been collated, the Local Authority will decide if the pupil’s needs are severe, complex and lifelong. If this is the case and is agreed at a Local Authority professional panel, they will write an EHC Plan. If this is not the case, they will ask the school to continue with the support provided.
• The EHC Plan will outline the provision that the pupil will receive. It will also have long and short-term outcomes for the pupil. An additional adult may be used to support the pupil with whole class learning or provision may be made in small groups. The provision made is all dependent on the pupil’s complex needs and the outcomes written by the LA in the EHC Plan.

We firmly believe in the early identification of children with SEND and at Leigh St Peter’s CE Primary School we identify four broad areas of need: Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties; Sensory and Physical Needs (as outlined in the Code of Practice); however, we give priority on assessing each pupil’s individual needs rather than placing them into specific categories.

The school has a training plan for all staff to improve the teaching and learning of pupils including those with SEND (Teachers and Learning Support Assistants). This includes whole school training on SEND issues such as ASC and Speech and Language difficulties, and the categories of need outlined above.

Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific pupils in their class. Professionals may work closely with individual teachers and advise them on strategies to use.

The SENDCO contacts and liaises with outside agencies where necessary to support a pupil’s individual needs.

Depending on the needs of the child, they may work with either or both an educational service or the health service. A child will have access to these services through school or through referral by the parents / carers. The following is a list of some of the agencies school works with.

School Pastoral Mentor: Mrs Ainscough

At school we believe that support should be provided for all children to improve their emotional and social development. Within school, the Pastoral Mentor works with those children who have health, mental health or behavioural difficulties; her training enables her to offer opportunities for children to process their feelings and develop coping strategies. Mrs Ainscough ensures the children who need specific well-being / mindfulness sessions are allocated this provision and she will liaise with the parents accordingly. Mrs Ainscough also works closely and supports the parents, families and carers of children who may have specific barriers to learning and / or SEND. This is often through Early Help Meetings.

A number of external agencies work in school to support pupils, including:

Targeted Education Support Service – Outside expertise from the Local Authority that can provide specific support based on the child’s individual needs. Our school is allocated a TESS professional – Joanne Kennedy.

Educational Psychology Service – Referrals are made by the SENCo according to need. Our school is allocated an Educational Psychologist – Rebecca Halliwell.

Speech and Language Therapy – provided by the Health Care Service or privately purchased SALT interventions.

Empathy Northwest Play Therapist – Counselling sessions provided by school.

School Nurse / Health Visitor – provided by the Health Care Service they work closely with the SENDCo and Pastoral Mentor to support families / pupils. Our School Nurse is Allison Murphey.

Specialist Nurses – for specific medical conditions

Mental Health Support Team – Our school is allocated a MHST worker – Omari Thomas

CAMHS – (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)

Outreach / Inreach – Professionals from specialist provision (Rowan Tree, Landgate, Willow Grove, Behaviour Outreach, etc) supporting pupils and teachers with specific strategies.

Occupational Therapy – supporting pupils and teachers with strategies for physical / sensory needs.

Physiotherapy – supporting children and teachers with strategies for physical needs.

Three Towers Alternative Provision Academy.

Engagement Centre – offering targeted specialist educational support for young people who are having difficulties in school, including -Lack of engagement, students with additional needs that require extra support & behavioural issues.

WN7 Outreach CIC – provide support to pupils with Autism Spectrum Conditions, Asperger Syndrome, Moderate and Severe Learning Difficulties, Social, Emotional Mental Health and Complex Needs.

Social Care / Startwell – supporting children and families. Mrs Ainscough is the school link for social care and Startwell.

We believe that quality first teaching is our first step in teaching pupils who have SEND. We have high expectations of all pupils, we are inclusive and we acknowledge that all teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class.

As a school we are action research driven in our approach; the Educational Endowment Fund has produced an evidence review which highlights five strategies that raise attainment among pupils with additional needs:

For further information: https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/guidance-reports/send/EEF_High_Quality_Teaching_for_Pupils_with_SEND.pdf

1.) Explicit instruction is linked with our adoption of Rosenshine’s principles; every lesson follows the ‘I do, we do, you do approach.’ By explicitly modelling we are supporting our pupils with SEND.

2.) Cognitive and metacognitive strategies: By understanding how pupils learn we are able to adapt our teaching effectively to ensure all pupils are included in the learning process. Chunking information, displaying information in a visual way and pre-teaching are examples of this method.

3.) Scaffolding: This means breaking up the lesson into chunks and providing the pupils with a scaffold to support them at every step, for example, this could be a modelled example in maths or a writing frame in writing.

4.) Flexible grouping: Pupils are not sat in ability groups; pupils are in flexible groupings which can change depending on the assessment for learning that the teacher has made through questioning and observing etc. Some pupils will work in small groups or 1:1 but they will also join whole class flexible groupings as well.

5.) Using technology: We use technology to advance teaching for example we use interactive apps to practice key skills.

The use of adaptive teaching/ differentiated work, along with different and appropriate teaching styles to meet the needs of all pupils. Planning and teaching may be adapted if needed and reasonable adjustments made to meet your pupil’s learning needs; this is documented on the pupil’s agreed individual plan (APDR).

The encouragement of peer support through mixed ability grouping and paired and group reading and writing activities.

The development of pupils’ self- esteem through praise, rewards, TrackIt Light points and a caring ethos in the class and throughout the school.

The use of learning support assistants to provide extra individual or small group attention. Specific resources and strategies (reasonable adjustments / essential provision) will be used to support a pupil individually and in groups, based on a pupil’s individual needs.

Liaison with parents to share in the pupil’s learning and to discuss the pupil’s work.

The use of target setting and individual planning: APDR, class teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of pupils in their class and will ensure that a pupil’s needs are met. Assessments will be made through the Birmingham SEND Toolkit to highlight small steps of progress and evidence-based interventions.

Before school provision and extra- curricular activities are accessible to children and best endeavours are made to enable all to access them safely.

In some cases, additional risk assessments may be required for school trips, for example, when mobility aids such as a wheelchair are needed. If a pupil requires support from a learning support assistant or carer during the school day, they will usually be supported in the same way during trips. The school is committed to making all educational visits as inclusive and accessible as possible. In certain circumstances, parents or carers may be invited to attend the trip to help ensure the safety and well-being of their pupils.

Occasionally some conditions can call for extra risk assessments on school trips, e.g. if a wheelchair is needed etc. If your pupils’s circumstances call for a learning support assistant or carer, then they may also attend most trips. The school endeavours to be as fully inclusive as is possible.

A pupil’s progress is continually monitored by the class teacher through ongoing formative assessments.

The pupil’s progress is reviewed formally every term and an outcome of: at the expected level or below / above the expected level for the year group given in the core subjects.

A pupil with additional needs may also be tracked using the schools Birmingham SEND Toolkit alongside assessing the targets set on the APDR to provide more information of smaller steps of progress.

Children at SEND support level will have an individual plan with specific targets for the child – this is called an APDR – this will be reviewed with parental / pupil involvement.

The progress of pupils with an EHC Plan is formally reviewed on an annual basis with the pupil, parent/carers and all professionals involved with the pupil’s education.

The Headteacher (Mr. Robinson), Assistant Headteacher (Miss. Taylor) will also check that a pupil is making good progress through monitoring the progress and attainment that pupils are working at and in discussion with the class teachers every half term (pupil progress meetings-one of which is specifically dedicated to the progress of pupils with additional needs)

SATS: At the end of each key stage (i.e. at the end of year 2 and year 6) all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). This is something the government requires all schools to do and the results are published nationally. All other classes complete end of year assessments, these could be optional SATs, or other formal assessments, these are given to the senior leadership team and to the next class teacher so there is a continuous understanding of the child’s progress, attainment and areas of need. If the child is not yet working within National Curriculum age related expectations a more sensitive assessment tool may be used which shows smaller but significant steps of progress. Teachers ensure that they follow current advice from the DfE Statutory Guidance concerning formal assessments.

The Headteacher decides on the budget for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of need in the school.

The Headteacher and the SENDCO, discuss all the information they have about SEND in the school. They then decide what resources/training and what support is needed alongside considering the budget required.

All resources/training and support are reviewed regularly, and changes made as needed.

The LA provides support for children and parents with SEND. This is called SENDIASS. They offer a free and impartial advice and support to families and young people 0-25 who have SEND. They can be contacted on 01942 233323.

The class teacher is available to discuss a pupil’s progress or any concerns and to share information about what is working well at school so similar strategies can be used at home. Planning for the pupil will be reviewed with parent / carers involvement (APDR) Homework may also be adjusted as needed to meet a pupil’s individual needs.

A regular home/school message through a diary may be used to support communication when this has been agreed to be useful. The SENDCO/Headteacher are available to discuss a pupil’s progress or any concerns or worries. The Pastoral Mentor is also available to meet with parents and carers to discuss any concerns or worries. They can be contacted via the school office.

The building is accessible to pupils with a physical disability. All areas can be accessed without the use of stairs. There is a disabled toilet for those pupils with a physical disability (for further information, see the school Accessibility Plan). Risk assessments have been completed for areas in school (for further information see Health and Safety Policy).

Equipment used is accessible to all pupils regardless of their need. Reasonable adjustments and essential provision is made when needed as detailed on the pupil’s APDR. For those pupils with hearing needs / visual needs equipment is provided for support through the sensory service.

Before school provision is accessible to all pupils including those with SEND.

Extra-curricular activities are accessible for pupils with SEND.

For those parents whose first language is not English, every endeavour will be made to ensure all information is understood. This usually involves consultation with the EMAS team / school / parents carers/ pastoral mentor to consider how to communicate appropriately based on need.

Our school has a comprehensive pastoral system which aids the holistic approach of the school.

Nurture support is not limited to the nurture group, as all the school embed the nurturing principles and practice at a whole school level, providing appropriate support for all pupils attending This includes:

Pastoral Mentor support, focusing on social and emotional development, delivered 1:1, paired or in a group as appropriate, either in or out of class.

Tailored intervention programmes.

Intervention from Empathy Northwest Play Therapist for pupils on referral delivered in school.

Intervention from the Mental Health Support Team on referral delivered both in school and in the home.

Intervention from the LA for pupils and their parents/carers on referral, delivered both in school and in the home.

Intervention from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for pupils and their parents. Intervention from the School Well Being sessions / Mindfulness sessions, based on the pupil’s individual need.

Pre-school meetings are held in the summer term (May/June) prior to the child beginning school in the September – this enables staff to learn more about a child’s needs and for parents to provide any information they would like to share.

A home-school meeting will be organised with the parent / carer, child and the reception teacher, so that there is a further opportunity to discuss a pupil’s needs.

A transition meeting is held between the nursery staff and the reception teacher/ SENDCo so that information can be passed on and discussed in detail before a pupil begins school.

A meeting is held between the Local Authority Early Years Leader and / or the SENDCO and the reception teacher, prior to a child beginning school so that any SEND information can be shared.

As each child begins a new class, a pupil profile meeting is completed between the existing teacher and the next teacher so that SEND children can be discussed in detail, to ensure there is a smooth transition and that the child’s individual needs are shared.

As each child progresses to secondary school, the Year 6 teacher shares all relevant information with the Head of Year and the Pastoral Manager of the chosen secondary school so that there is a smooth transition between schools and to ensure the child’s individual needs are shared. The Class Teacher and SENDCo shares all the SEND information at planned transition meetings.

There are several occasions where the pupils visit their secondary school so that they are more confident when they begin the next stage of their education. The Pastoral Mentor also completes a number of activities with the pupils to prepare them for the next stage in their education.

Further visits to the pupil’s secondary school can be arranged if needed, and meetings with the parent / teachers/ Pastoral Mentor /SENDCO can be made to share further relevant information as required and for parents to share any concerns/ worries they may have. For those pupils who join or leave school mid- year information will be shared via the transfer system and consultations with previous settings.

For any concerns about the provision or progress of a pupil please initially contact the pupil’s teacher who will be more than willing to discuss them.

The SENDCO/Headteacher can then be contacted.

If you are still not happy the SEND Governor can be contacted.

All the above can be contacted through the school office or on 01942 671442.

The ‘Virtual School Team’ work with every school that is educating a child looked after by Wigan Council. Every school has a designated teacher tasked with tracking, supporting and promoting the educational achievement of those children. The designated teacher is Mrs Metcalfe.

https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Education/Educational-support/Virtual-School-Team.aspx

The needs of all the pupils who may have special educational needs either throughout, or at any time during, their time at Leigh St Peter’s CE Primary School will be met and provided for in the most suitable and appropriate way. Those pupils who are classed as ‘looked after’, because they are not living with their parents, will be monitored and tracked carefully. Their progress will be reported to the Headteacher, assessment lead and Governors.

A designated teacher (Mrs Metcalfe) attends Local authority meetings where further information is given on how best to provide for this group of children. Mrs Metcalfe monitors the provision and progress for looked after children including those with special educational needs.

All children who are’ Looked after’ with SEND working at SEN support or with an EHC, will have a Personal Education Plan, this is reviewed regularly supported by Mrs Metcalfe.

The Local authority have published further information (the Local Offer) as to the services they provide for families of children with SEND, these can be accessed here:

https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Education/Special-Educational-Needs-and-Disability/Local-Offer/Parent/index.aspx

Leigh St Peter’s CE Primary School SEND Policy