Bramcote Hills Primary School Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy (SEND) Inclusion Manager: Miss Susan Clarke

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1 Bramcote Hills Primary School Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy (SEND) Inclusion Manager: Miss Susan Clarke Adopted: January 2017 Review date: Spring 18 Contents: 1 Introduction: New legislation, SEND Local Offer, SEND School Local Offer 2 Definition of Special Educational Need or Disability 3 Mission Statement 4 Aims and objectives 5 Responsibility for the coordination of SEND provision 6 Arrangements for coordinating SEND provision 7 Admission arrangements 8 Facilities for pupils with SEND 9 Allocation of resources for pupils with SEND 10 Identification of pupils needs 11 Access to the curriculum, information and associated services 12 Inclusion of pupils with SEND within the school community 13 Evaluating the success of provision 14 Complaints procedure 15 In service training (CPD) 16 Links to support services 17 Working in partnership with parents and pupils 18 Links with other schools 19 Links with other agencies and voluntary organisations Appendix 1: Role of the School Governors, Headteacher, Inclusion Manager + Assistant SENCo, Staff Members Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 1

2 1. Introduction 1.1 Legislation: The Children and Families Act (2014) enacted on the 13 th March came into force from the 1 st September 2014 reforming the way in which provision and support is made for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities in England. A new SEN Code of Practice also accompanies this legislation. One significant change arising from the reforms is that Statements of Special Educational Needs, for those children with the most complex needs, have now been replaced with a new Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. These plans are being supported by an Education, Health and Care Plan Pathway. More details about the reforms and the SEN Code of Practice can be found on the Department for Education s website: The SEND Local Offer is a resource which is designed to support children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families. It describes the services and provision that are available both to those families in Nottinghamshire that have an Education, Health and Care Plan and those who do not have a plan, but still experience some form of special educational need. You can view an animation describing this new pathway on Nottinghamshire s SEND Local Offer website: The SEND School Local Offer includes information about SEND provision and support offered for pupils and their families attending Bramcote Hills Primary School. This is available on the school website Definition of Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND) At Bramcote Hills Primary School, we identify children as having Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) if they have difficulties with one or more aspect of school life, which, as a result, require the provision of support and/or resources that are different from or additional to those generally provided for children of the same age. (Education Act, 1996) We use the definition offered in the SEN Code of Practice, 2014, for the identification and assessment of Special Educational Needs. Definitions of special educational needs (SEN) taken from section 20 of the Children and Families Act A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they: - have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or - have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions. A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if they fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them. Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught. Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 2

3 We also use the definition of disability as outlined in the Equality Act, A person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. (S6(1)) - substantial is more than minor or trivial - e.g. it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed - long-term means 12 months or more - e.g. a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection We recognise that disabilities may be obvious, such as a sensory impairment. However, some disabilities may be hidden, for example, a learning disability, diabetes or epilepsy. As a school, we are committed to ensuring that pupils with disabilities are not treated less favourably than nondisabled pupils. The school will liaise with parents, pupils and specialist agencies involved, wherever possible, to make reasonable adjustments to avoid putting disabled pupils at a disadvantage. (Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974, and Equality Act, 2010: advice for schools, 2013, 4.21) For further information, please refer to the school s Access Plan. 3. Mission statement Our Mission Statement Bramcote Hills Beliefs - commits Bramcote Hills Primary School to being an inclusive school so that all children can thrive. As a result, we seek to ensure that: All pupils are valued equally and participate fully in all aspects of our school community; and that they feel secure and supported, have opportunities to experience success and know that expectations of them are high. All pupils have access to a relevant, broad and balanced curriculum which stimulates their interest in a wide range of cultural, aesthetic, physical and environmental issues. This includes the National Curriculum in line with the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. Effective assessment and provision is in place with the greatest degree of partnership between children, parents, school, family of schools, federation, the LA and other agencies, to enable a child s needs to be met successfully. We share a whole school responsibility to provide all children with opportunities to achieve their full potential. 4. Aims and objectives Our overall school aims are: We believe in delivering an exciting and broad curriculum through high quality teaching and innovation We believe in having high standards We believe in developing and knowing children as individuals We believe in enabling pupils to become well-rounded, happy and confident children who achieve to the best of their ability We believe in being inclusive so that all children can thrive We believe in working in partnership with our community and other schools In order to promote these aims the Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy seeks to: implement a clear and consistent policy on the early identification and assessment of individual needs ensuring that the pupils needs are met as soon as is practicable by gathering information from parents, education, health and care services (where appropriate) and feeder schools or early years settings (where applicable) prior to the child s entry into the school. Maintain an accurate system of record keeping that tracks the progress of SEND pupils, informs expectations and sets appropriately stretching targets to ensure that they are able to reach their full potential. Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 3

4 Implement intervention strategies to target the underlying learning needs of individual pupils and ensure pupils with SEND have full access to the National Curriculum. (2014) This will be carefully monitored by the SENCo and Senior Leadership Team at Pupil Progress Meetings (termly) with regular reviews of a pupil s individual targets to ensure they are of good quality and meet the requirements outlined in the Code of Practice (2014). Encourage positive parental involvement at all stages of a child s education to gain a better understanding of their child, supporting them in terms of understanding SEND procedures and practices and providing regular reports on their child s progress. In addition, providing them with information on the provisions for pupils within the school as a whole (School Local Offer) and the effectiveness of the SEND policy and the school s SEND work. Ensure there is a clearly identified channel of communication and partnership links are maintained between staff members within this school, the family of schools, the federation and with Nottinghamshire LA in supporting children with SEND by developing a joint approach. White Hills Park Federation- in which two school families of schools are represented: The Bramcote School and Alderman White. We share the same Family SENCo enabling us to make links with a wider group of schools through the SENCO s support network. School Attendance and Behaviour partnership (South Broxtowe Primary/ Secondary SBAP) Schools in South Broxtowe work together to support provision for pupils with challenging behaviour. In addition, close links are also established with local Nursery/ Pre-Schools and other feeder Secondary schools to aid transition of pupils with SEND. George Spencer Teaching School Alliance a large group of schools who work together to share good practice and provide up to date training for key staff. Maintain an effective liaison with a range of external agencies in identifying, assessing and meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities when they cannot be met by the school alone. Create a school environment where pupils feel safe to voice their own opinions of their learning needs (including regular one to one meetings with a key worker, class teacher and /or SENCo), recognising that pupil participation is a right, as outlined in the SEN Code of Practice (2014) Make maximum use of the resources available for Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities, both human and material; Monitor, review and evaluate policy and provision on a regular and systematic basis. 5. Responsibility for the coordination of SEND provision Provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is a matter for the school as a whole, as stated in the Code of Practice, In addition, the Governing Body, Head Teacher, Inclusion Manager (SENCo) and members of staff all have important responsibilities: Head Teacher - Pete Taylor Chair of Governors - Richard Knightsbridge SEND Link Governor - Katherine Calder Inclusion Manager (SENCo) - Susan Clarke Assistant SENCo - Lesley Ireson Appendix 1 sets out the respective responsibilities of the governing body, the Head Teacher, the Inclusion Manager and all teaching staff. 6. Arrangements for co-ordinating SEND provision The school uses a graduated approach to the identification of SEND: SEND Concern Children identified as making slower than expected progress or exhibiting different or challenging needs for whom differentiated work, support or a specific intervention is needed. Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 4

5 SEND Support - Children have an identified SEND as defined by the 2014 Code of Practice. The SENCo will hold details of all SEND Support records, including Class Concerns and SEND Concerns records (See Identification of SEND provision, section 10) All staff can access: The Bramcote Hills Primary School SEND Policy; A copy of the full SEND Register, including School Concern pupils, those children raising concerns in aspects of their learning; Guidance on identification in the Code of Practice (SEND Support and pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans); Information on an individual pupil s special educational needs and/or disabilities, including copies of provision maps, individual targets, parental meetings and minutes of termly reviews, as well as any agency/ medical reports; Access arrangements for pupils with disabilities, including Personal Emergency, Evacuation Plans (PEEPs); Additional information on individual pupils and their special needs and requirements (e.g. Anxiety related issues re-children Looked After); Copies of other relevant information e.g. agency/ medical reports. Updated information of any new SEND pupils or any pupils causing concern(emotionally, socially and/ or well-being) through staff briefings to ensure an awareness of the pupil s needs and a consistent approach across the whole school; Information on current legislation and SEND provision on staffroom notice boards (where appropriate); Information available through Nottinghamshire s SEND Local Offer. This information is made available to all teaching/support staff, including supply teachers working with the children. In this way, every staff member will have complete and up-to-date information about all pupils with special needs and disabilities and their requirements which will enable them to provide for the individual needs of all pupils. A teacher s resource folder is kept in the top drawer of the filing cabinet in the SEND Central Resource Area for easy access from all teachers and assistants. This folder contains: information relating to the nature of various types of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, the symptoms expressed and strategies for providing for the need; contacts within the LA / other Advisory Body support services so that the work on behalf of a pupil with SEND can continue in the absence of the SENCo/ Assistant SENCo. All parents/carers can access: summary information relating to the School SEND Policy (School Local Offer) and have opportunities to participate in its making, as well as reflect on its effectiveness through Pupil Review Meetings, Parent Surveys/ Suggestion Box (At school reception)/it forums on FRONTER, or through regular channels of communication- as recommended in the Lamb Inquiry (2009) and DfE (2011). Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 5

6 7. Admission arrangements The admission arrangements for all pupils are in accordance with national legislation, including the Equality Act This includes children with any level of SEND; those with Education, Health and Care Plans and those without. These are managed by Nottinghamshire County Council s School Admission Team. At Bramcote Hills Primary School, we believe that children are entitled to have their needs identified, assessed and addressed at the earliest possible stage. On entry: Parents are asked to inform the school of any special needs their child may have. This is noted on the admission form and in the child s individual record folder. The school will assess each child s current levels of attainment, either by carrying out their own assessments, or by referring to information sent from the child s previous educational setting. Parents/carers will then be invited to meet with the class teacher and SENCo in order to develop an appropriate educational programme with additional support provided where necessary and appropriate. On-going observations and assessments will then form the basis for planning the next stage of learning. (See Graduated Approach, Section 11) The child s individual record folder will be set up to include: Notes on the Special Needs Overview sheet; Details of Category of Need and record for on-going communication; Data Overview Sheet (Home Liaison Sheet) including contact details of any external agencies; Notes on a Pupil Profile, including record of attendance at previous school/ education facility; any medical diagnoses/ relevant information or involvement from external agencies, plus notes on a pupil s strengths and areas of need; details of SEND support including Provision Maps, Individual Pupil Targets and Reviews, records of interventions; the most recent National Curriculum assessments/ Foundation Profile etc. Additional information, including Access Arrangements/ PEEPs etc. Latest Annual School Report. Transfer On transferring to another school, this information is sent within 15 school days of the child leaving (provided the child s new school is known). Discussion will take place, if necessary, to agree any transfer of funding that may be required. On transferring to secondary school In addition to the above, the SENCo will: Discuss issues relating to transition in Yr. 5 Pupil Progress Reviews in order to provide information about the process and answer questions they may already have. Organise a Transition Meeting in the Summer Term of Yr.6 inviting the child s current teaching team, parents/carers and the Secondary SENCo in order to exchange information about the pupil s needs and answer questions about concerns they may have. Liaise with the secondary school SENCo and SEND Team to organise a transition programme for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This may be personalised/adapted based on the child s individual needs. Raise the child s needs at the SBAP (Schools Behaviour and Attendance Partnership) in order to share information and provide the right support for successful transition. 8. Facilities for pupils with SEND The school has a range of specialist SEND facilities in place. These include: 1. Physical environment Indoors- lift access to upper levels; wheelchair access round the site and into all classrooms; ;adjustment to internal doors, toilets/ sinks; variety of seating/ desks to suit the needs of individual pupils with disabilities Outdoors- widened footpaths, railings, ramps are in place to improve access Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 6

7 2. Assistive technology including: laptops and computer software programs e.g. Tux Typing, Wordshark, Dragon, Talking Tins, 3. Increased access to the curriculum and assistance during formal assessments 9. Allocation of resources for pupils with SEND All pupils with SEND will have access to Element 1 and 2 of a school s budget which equates to up to 6,000. This is called Place Funding. Place funding is allocated to pupils requiring additional adult support and/or material resources to access the curriculum/ learning environment and close gaps in their attainment. Some pupils with SEND may access additional funding called Top Up funding Element 3. (The Senior Leadership Team and Inclusion Manager select pupils for this, following consultation with staff members at Pupil Progress Reviews. This additional funding might be from a budget which is devolved to our Family of Schools (AFN Additional Family Needs) for moderation by the SENCos within the School Family and is managed by the Family SENCo. Children selected to enter this process must meet the criteria outlined by the L.A. For those pupils with the most complex needs, additional funding is retained by the local authority (HLN High Level Needs). The School SENCo with the support of the School Family and the Family SENCO will refer individual applications to a Local Authority multi-agency panel, the High Level Needs Panel, who will determine whether the level and complexity of need meets the threshold for this funding. Other sources of Funding: Pupil Premium is included in the budget for each child who receives Free School Meals, or has ever been on FSM in the previous 6 years or are children of service personnel. Where a child is on FSM and has identified SEND, the Pupil Premium is used to further support staffing costs needed to help the child s learning. Pupil Premium Plus is included in the budget for children who are currently in care or who were adopted from care in the past. Where a child is Looked After and has identified SEND, the pupil Premium Plus is used to further support staffing costs needed to help the child s learning. Details of the Pupil Premium Funding and how it has been spent is on the school s website. Inclusive Technology: Children may receive laptops and software packages to enable them to access the curriculum or transfer their ideas more effectively. Referrals have been made with the support of the Occupational Therapy Support Service. (2013/14 2) 10. Identification of pupils needs -a graduated approach at Bramcote Hills Primary Emerging Needs and Quality First Teaching a) Any pupils who are falling significantly outside of the range of expected academic achievement in line with predicted performance indicators and grade boundaries will be monitored. b) Once a pupil has been identified as possibly having SEND they will be closely monitored by staff in order to gauge their level of learning and possible difficulties. c) The child s class teacher will take steps to provide differentiated learning opportunities that will aid the pupil s academic progression and enable the teacher to better understand the provision and teaching style that needs to be applied. d) The SENCo will be consulted, as needed, for support and advice and may wish to observe the pupil in class. e) Through (b) and (d) it can be determined which level of provision the child will need going forward. f) If a pupil has recently been removed from the SEND list, they may also fall into this category as continued monitoring will be necessary. g) Parents will be informed fully of every stage of their child s development and the circumstances under which they are being monitored. They are encouraged to share information and knowledge with the school. h) The child is formally recorded by the school as being under observation due to concern by parent or teacher but this does not place the child on the school s SEND list. Parents are given this information. It is recorded by the school as an aid to further progression and for future reference. Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 7

8 i) Pupil progress meetings are used to monitor and assess the progress being made by the child. The frequency of these meetings is dependent on the individual child s needs and progress being made. SEND Concern- The teacher identifies children causing concern e.g. lack of progress or exhibiting different /challenging behaviour in pupil progress meetings. These concerns are discussed with Parents/Carers at pupil review meetings and they are selected for intervention e.g. Diminishing the Difference Programmes. Children will be consulted about their learning needs if possible and appropriate targets/ strategies set. Recording These children are to be identified on the school tracking systems and on systems for evaluating Intervention programmes. N.B. Some pupils might benefit from some personalised strategies e.g. A child with communication and interaction issues might benefit from a friendship group. This could be recorded on an Individual Provision Map and Pupil Tracker. As part of the identification process, some formal assessments are routinely carried out at Bramcote Hills Primary School which may identify areas of concern: Rising Star Assessments SATs Non-verbal reasoning tests Baseline Assessments/Foundation Profile Where these assessments indicate areas of difficulty for pupils, the SENCo may: Offer advice to colleagues on further screening tests that can be carried out with children to clarify their particular needs; Carry out screening sessions with pupils using diagnostic tests, such as the Dyslexic Screening Test, auditory and visual tests and memory tests; Carry out classroom observations of pupils and provide feedback to teachers; Request support from The Designated Family SENCo to carry out further assessment of a pupil s needs; Request support from Targeted Support Services for children with complex and severe needs who are operating at attainment levels of approximately half their chronological age; Request support from other agencies to carry our further assessments, e.g. medical staff, CAMHs, Social Services or the Educational Psychology Service. Where the Inclusion Manager or a representative from an outside agency is going to be involved in assessing a pupil, parental permission will first be obtained and a date set to discuss feedback and the next steps. Staff may begin to suspect the child might have a Special Educational Need underlying their lack of progress or challenging behaviour and may begin to gather evidence / follow pathways and toolkits e.g. Notts. Concerning Behaviour Pathway. Recording The child will be recorded as SEND Concern on the register. An individual Provision Plan of difficulties and strategies may be put in place to support the child which help to gather evidence. These strategies are reviewed to monitor their impact and plan a future programme of support. SEND Support These children have an identified SEND as defined by the 2014 Code of Practice. Provision for these pupils will follow the Assess, Plan, Do and Review process to ensure that their support is appropriate and effective. Recording These children are recorded as SEND Support on the register and noted on the relevant stage on appropriate Pathways. Provision and targets should be clearly recorded and regularly monitored on school proformas e.g. Provision Maps with individual targets and Pupil Profiles. Evidence will be collated and stored in Pupil Case Study Files to be kept in the filing cabinet in the School Office when not being used by class teachers. Where it is determined that a pupil does have SEND, parents will be formally advised of this and the decision will be added to the pupil s school records. The aim of formally identifying a pupil with SEND is to help school ensure that effective provision is put in place and so remove barriers to learning. The support provided consists of a four part process: Assess Plan Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 8

9 Do Review This is an ongoing cycle to enable the provision to be refined and revised as the understanding of the needs of the pupil grows. This cycle enables the identification of those Wave 3 interventions which are the most effective in supporting the pupil to achieve good progress and outcomes. Assess This involves clearly analysing the pupil s needs using the class teacher s assessment and experience of working with the pupil, details of previous progress and attainment, comparisons with peers and national data, as well as the views and experience of parents. The pupil s views and, where relevant, advice from external support services will also be considered. Any parental concerns will be noted and compared with the school s information and assessment data on how the pupil is progressing. This analysis will require regular review to ensure that support and intervention is matched to need, that barriers to learning are clearly identified and being overcome and that the interventions being used are developing and evolving as required. Where external support staff are already involved, their work will help inform the assessment of need. Where they are not involved, they may be contacted, if this is felt to be appropriate, following discussion and agreement from parents. Plan Planning will involve consultation between the teacher, SENCo and parents to agree the adjustments, interventions and support that are required; the impact on progress, development and or behaviour that is expected and a clear date for review. Parental involvement may be sought, where appropriate, to reinforce or contribute to progress at home. Provision Maps All children at SEND Support are entitled to an individual Map of Educational Provision (Provision Map) outlining the support that is being provided, any particular teaching strategies/approaches that are being employed and the outcomes that are being sought. In addition, provision maps should name the member/s of staff responsible for delivering the programme/s of learning, as well as the pupil:staff ratio. At Bramcote Hills Primary School, children with SEND children will also have targets and progress recorded on a Pupil Tracker. Do The class teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a day-to-day basis. They will retain responsibility- even where the interventions may involve group or one-to-one teaching away from the main class /subject teacher. They will work closely with teaching assistants and /or relevant specialist staff to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and links with classroom teaching. Support with further assessment of the pupil s strengths and weaknesses, problem solving and advising of the implementation of effective support will be provided by the SENCo. Review Reviews will be undertaken in line with agreed dates. The review process will evaluate the impact and quality of the support and interventions. It will also take account of the views of the pupil and their parents. The class teacher, in conjunction with the SENCo will revise the support and outcomes based on the pupil s progress and development making any necessary amendments going forward, in consultation with parents and the pupil. Parents will be provided with clear information about the impact of support to enable them to be involved in planning the next steps. Referral for an Education, Health and Care Plan If a child has lifelong or significant difficulties, they may undergo a Statutory Assessment Process which is usually requested by the school but can be requested by a parent or Educational Psychologist. This will occur where the complexity of need or a lack of clarity around the needs of the child are such that a multi-agency approach to assessing that need, to planning provision and identifying resources is required. The decision to make a referral for a statement will be taken at a progress review. Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 9

10 The application for an Education, Health and Care Plans will combine information from a variety of sources including: Parents, Teachers, Inclusion Manager, Social Care and Health professionals. Information will be gathered relating to the current provision provided, action points that have been taken, and the preliminary outcomes of targets set. A decision will be made by a group of people from education, health and social care about whether or the child is eligible for an EHC Plan. Parents have the right to appeal against a decision not to initiate a statutory assessment leading to an EHC Plan. Further information about EHC Plans can found via the SEND Local Offer: or by speaking to an Education, Health and Care Plan Co-ordinator on: or or by contacting the Parent Partnership Service on: Education, Health and Care Plans [EHC Plan] a. Following Statutory Assessment, an EHC Plan will be provided by Nottinghamshire County Council, if it is decided that the child s needs are not being met by the support that is ordinarily available. The school and the child s parents will be involved developing and producing the plan. b. Parents have the right to appeal against the content of the EHC Plan. They may also appeal against the school named in the Plan if it differs from their preferred choice. c. Once the EHC Plan has been completed and agreed, it will be kept as part of the pupil s formal record and reviewed at least annually by staff, parents and the pupil. The annual review enables provision for the pupil to be evaluated and, where appropriate, for changes to be put in place, for example, reducing or increasing levels of support. 11. Access to the curriculum, information and associated services Access to learning and the curriculum: Pupils with SEND will be given access to the curriculum through the specialist SEND provision provided by the school as is necessary, and as far as possible, in line with the wishes of their parents and the needs and wishes of the individual. Every effort will be made to educate pupils with SEND alongside their peers in a mainstream classroom setting. Where this is not possible, the SENCo will consult with the child s parents for other flexible arrangements to be made. For this to happen: The school will ensure that all children have access to a balanced and broadly based curriculum and that curriculum programmes are flexible enough to meet every child s needs. No child will be excluded from any activity due to their impairment or learning difficulty, unless it is clearly of the benefit to that individual and leads towards inclusion; Learning opportunities will be absorbing, rewarding and effectively differentiated and the teaching styles will be diverse; Staff will work sensitively in a way to avoid the isolation of the children they are supporting and will encourage peer tutoring and collaborative learning; Schemes of work and policies for each area of the curriculum are in place and are differentiated to include appropriate learning outcomes for all pupils as the policies are reviewed. Each policy has an Inclusion Statement detailing access to that curriculum area for pupils identified with additional needs; Differentiation takes a variety of forms within teacher planning. Learning intentions are always made explicit and then activities may be adapted, or planned separately as appropriate. Alternative methods of responding or recording may also be planned for where it is appropriate. Children with sensory or mobility impairments or a specific learning difficulty will access the curriculum through specialist resources such as ICT where this is appropriate; The school will ensure that the hidden curriculum and extra-curricular activities are barrier free and do not exclude any pupils. Reasonable adjustments will be made as necessary and appropriate. Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 10

11 Details of the school s plans for increasing access to the curriculum with targets are contained in the Access Plan. Access to information: In order to ensure that pupils with SEND have access to information, the school makes every attempt to: adapt printed materials so that children with literacy difficulties can access them, or ensure access by pairing children/ extra adult support. provide alternatives to paper and pencil recording, where appropriate (e.g. access to a word processor) or provides access through peer/ adult scribing; use a range of assessment procedures within lessons, such as taping, role-play, drama, video and drawing to ensure children with additional needs are able to demonstrate their achievement appropriately. Arrangements for reviewing the school curriculum It is the responsibility of the SENCo and the School Curriculum Manager (Deputy Head Teacher) to review the content of the school curriculum and the programmes of study to ensure that pupils with SEND can participate fully as members of the school community and have access to all elements of the National Curriculum. Where this is not possible, they ensure that adjustments are made that are recognised by all stakeholders to be reasonable. For this to happen, parents will be consulted on their child s learning experiences at Pupil Review Meetings held termly. The views of the pupil will also be sort, where appropriate, and considered in the decision-making process, to ensure there is agreement on such matters. Whole School Map of SEND Provision The SENCo and SENCo Assistant will request updated information concerning pupils and any interventions taking place following termly pupil reviews and will have the responsibility of producing an overview document summarising whole school provision. Staff members engaged in delivering programmes of pupil interventions will be named, as well as the timings, frequency and pupil: staff ratio. Any training needs to fulfil teaching requirements as well as additional teaching resources will be discussed/ agreed among departments with the guidance of the SENCo/ Assistant SENCo and added to this document. Consideration will also be made regarding the most effective space in school for interventions to take place in order to maximise their success. This document will be circulated to all teaching staff with the purpose of: Keeping staff fully informed of the special educational needs of any pupils in their care including sharing progress reports, medical reports and teacher feedback; Providing regular training and learning opportunities for staff in all departments on the subject of SEND and SEND teaching. (It is recognised that staff should be up to date with teaching methods which will aid the progress of all pupils including those with SEND); Making use of all class facilities and space; Using in-class provisions and support effectively to ensure that the curriculum is differentiated where necessary; Making sure that individual or group tuition is available where it is felt that pupils would benefit from this provision; Setting appropriate individual targets that motivate pupils to do their best and celebrating achievements at all levels. 12. Inclusion of pupils with SEND within the whole school community The SENCo oversees the school s policy for inclusion and is responsible for ensuring that it is implemented effectively throughout the school working closely alongside and under the direction of the Head Teacher, Senior Management Team and School Governors through the Pupils and Personnel Committee. The school curriculum is regularly reviewed by the School Curriculum Manager (Deputy Head Teacher) together with the SENCo to ensure that it promotes the inclusion of all pupils. This includes learning outside the classroom. Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 11

12 The school will seek advice, as appropriate, around individual pupils, from external support services through the termly Springboard Network meetings, Early Help Unit and the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub and any others that are relevant, at the time, to our particular school e.g. SBAPs, Family SENCo. 13. Evaluating the success of provision In order to make consistent, continuous progress in relation to SEND provision, the school encourages feedback from staff, parents and pupils throughout the year. This is achieved in the following ways: pupil and parent surveys staff surveys Pupil Progress Review Meetings Parents Evenings and/or consultations (formal/ informal) Feedback forms e.g. School Trips Parent Forums SEND forums Suggestion Box in foyer Evidence collected will help inform school development and improvement planning. Success will be measured by the effect the policy has on the performance, attitude, behaviour and general inclusion of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Performance indicators used to evaluate the effectiveness of the SEND Policy include: the early identification of children who have SEND; the confidence of class teachers to identify SEND children; the effectiveness and manageability of the recording system; the extent to which individuals make progress and meet their targets; the extent to which gaps are closed for identified vulnerable groups of children the regularity of review meetings with staff involved; the monitoring of parental and pupil views; the involvement of relevant support agencies. Key personnel with responsibility for monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the SEND policy are the SENCo, the Head Teacher and the Governing Body. The LA have an additional responsibility to monitor the provision made for pupils with Statements. Pupil progress will be monitored on a termly basis, in line with the SEN Code of Practice, in order to identify how effective provision (interventions) is in enabling pupils to achieve academic and wider outcomes. There is an annual, formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the school SEND provision and policy. The evaluation is carried out by the SENCo, Head Teacher and SEND Governor and presented to the School Governors at the Pupil and Personnel Committee Meeting. This will be collated and published by the governing body on an annual basis in accordance with section 69 of the Children and Families Act, Complaints procedure If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made by them to speak to the Class Teacher, SENCo or the Head Teacher. If parents remain dissatisfied, they should follow the procedures laid out in the school s Complaints Policy which can be accessed via the school website. A parent leaflet explaining the complaints process is available from the reception. 15. In service training (CPD) Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 12

13 We recognise the need to train all our staff on SEND issues and we have funding available to support this professional development. The SENCo, with the Senior Leadership Team, ensures that training opportunities are matched to school development priorities and those identified through the use of provision management. The SENCo attends relevant SEND courses, Family SEND meetings (including Family Network Meetings) and facilitates/signposts relevant SEND focused external training opportunities for all staff. In addition to this, in-service training events are organised for staff in school that link to priorities outlined in the School Improvement Plan or that meet the specific needs of pupils as they arise. When appropriate, Governors and Support Staff are also invited to attend such meetings and inset training events in order to disseminate information and establish a whole school ethos. Opportunities to disseminate information from courses attended by staff members is provided at weekly staff meetings/ briefings, as well as at monthly TA meetings. All Staff members, including support staff and MSAs, are routinely asked, through annual staff audits, Pupil Progress Meetings and Appraisal Meetings, as to their training requirements. 16. Links to support services The school continues to build strong working relationships and links with external support services in order to fully support our SEND pupils and aid school inclusion and transition. Sharing knowledge and information with our support services is key to the effective and successful SEND provision within our school. Any one of the support services may raise concerns about a pupil. This will then be brought to the attention of the SENCo who will then inform the child s parents. The following services will be involved as and when is necessary: Educational psychology Service, Early Help Unit, Behaviour Support, Family SENCo and SBAP. 17. Working in partnerships with parents and pupils Parents Bramcote Hills Primary School believes that a close working relationship with parents is vital in order to ensure: a) early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND leading to the correct intervention and provision b) continuing social and academic progress of children with SEND c) personal and academic targets are set and met effectively The school is committed to involving parents in the decision-making processes at every stage. This is achieved by: welcoming parents from the outset and encouraging their participation e.g. Transition open afternoons/ meetings with teachers, Meet the Team and KITE events; ensuring that parents are informed when their child is identified as having additional learning needs and consulted at every stage e.g. Class Concerns, SEND Concerns or SEND Support; having structured conversations with parents of vulnerable children; inviting parents into school at least three times annually to discuss their child s progress and any future provision. In cases where more frequent, regular contact with parents is necessary, this will be arranged based on the individual pupil s needs. seeking parental permission before referring pupils to outside agencies for support; inviting parents to attend meetings with external agencies regarding their child and are kept up to date and consulted on any points of action drawn up in regards to the provision for their child. Sign-posting parents of pupils with SEND to the Local Authority Parent Partnership service where specific advice, guidance and support may be required. ensuring the school produces written information which is accessible and straight-forward for parents; Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 13

14 clearly identifying areas in which parents can support their child s learning at home; enabling parents to have access to the SENCo by appointment to discuss their child s needs; providing parents/ carers with opportunities to contact the school s SEND governor, Katherine Calder, to arrange a meeting in relation to SEND matters. establishing informal communication links as appropriate, e.g. home school diaries, parents talking to class teachers at the end of the school day to check progress. The school obtains feedback from parents in a variety of ways: parent surveys, parent forums, Pupil Progress Review Meetings, Parents Evenings and meetings and the Suggestion Box in reception. It endeavours to use this feedback to improve the quality of SEND provision during policy review (See Section 13) Pupil Participation Children, who are capable of forming views, have a right to receive and make known information, to express an opinion, and to have that opinion taken into account in any matters affecting them. The views of the child should be given due weight according to the age, maturity and capability of the child. Articles 12 and 13, The United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child The school is committed to ascertaining the views of pupils by: involving pupils in decision making processes where appropriate; encouraging pupils to make choices; ensuring that pupils are aware of agreed targets for development. This is achieved by: setting up Home-School agreements which ensure that pupils, as well as parents, understand their rights and responsibilities with regards to their school. inviting pupils to attend review meetings wherever possible; encouraging pupils to contribute to planning, reviewing and evaluating the provision made for them wherever possible; gaining and recording the views of pupils on their progress using appropriate communication strategies, such as the use of play, art and audio, as well as verbal communication; encouraging pupils with SEND to become representatives on the School Council (if they wish to participate) in order to reflect the views of all pupils in the school or, alternatively, encouraging them to voice their opinions through Class Council if that is their preference; providing clear, jargon free information to pupils about their SEND and the purpose of any assessment, individual targets or other intervention; if appropriate, ensuring that the pupils have access to a designated member of staff with whom they can discuss any difficulties or concerns; involving pupils in transition planning. The school recognises that there is a fine balance between giving the child a voice and encouraging them to make informed decisions, and overburdening them with decision making procedures where they have insufficient experience and knowledge to make appropriate judgements without additional support. (The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations, Vol. 6 Children with Disabilities (1991), HMSO) However, every attempt will be made to encourage their involvement. 18. Links with other schools The school is a member of the Bramcote School Family of Schools, feeding the White Hills Park Federation. This enables the schools to build a bank of joint resources and to share advice, training and development activities and expertise that support children with SEND. Close links have also been established with local Nursery/ Pre-Schools and other feeder Secondary schools to aid transition of pupils with SEND. It is also a member of the George Spencer Teaching School Alliance which allows it to access a significant amount of training and support for key staff. Transition Transition between schools is detailed in section 7 Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 14

15 Transition between year groups in school is also handled carefully. A range of strategies can be used including: Additional three way meetings between previous teacher, new teacher and parent. Additional time for the pupil to get to know their new teacher Passing on of records and targets included in the pupil s pupil tracker from teacher to teacher Analysis or performance data 19. Links with other agencies and voluntary organisations Bramcote Hills Primary School invites and seeks advice and support from external agencies in the identification and assessment of, and provision for, SEND. The SENCo is the designated person responsible for liaising with the following Notts. CC LA Services including: Education Psychology Service School Nurse and Community Paediatrician Physical Disability and Sensory Service; Occupational Therapy Service Behaviour Support Service Social Services Speech and Language Service Language and Learning Support Service Specialist Outreach Services Representatives from voluntary organisations and other external agencies are invited to liaison meetings throughout the year to discuss SEND provision and progress (including advice on strategies and resources for school staff to use) They also have a duty to keep staff up to date with current legislation and national guidance. In cases where a child is under observation or a cause for concern, focused meetings will be arranged with the appropriate agency. Parents will normally be invited to and informed about any meetings held concerning their child, unless there are over-riding safeguarding issues. Signed [Mr P Taylor] (Head Teacher) Date Signed [Miss S. Clarke] (Inclusion Manager) Date Signed [Mrs K. Calder] (SEND Governor) Date Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 15

16 Appendix 1 Roles and Responsibilities The Governing Body will have regard to the Code of Practice in all decisions regarding access to learning and the provision and progress of pupils with SEND, in particular: in developing and monitoring the school s policy, ethos and approach to meeting pupils special educational needs and disabilities; in setting up appropriate staffing and funding arrangements to ensure the necessary provision is made for pupils with SEND; in appointing a member of the governing body to have a specific oversight of the school s arrangements and provision for meeting special educational needs and disability; ensuring that where the responsible person (the Head Teacher or the appropriate Governor) has been informed by the Nottinghamshire LA that a pupil has Special Educational Needs, those needs are made known to those who are likely to teach them. in ensuring that teachers in the school are aware of the importance of identifying those pupils who have SEND as early as possible and ensuring that the pupils needs are met as soon as is practicable; in ensuring that pupils with SEND join in the activities of the school, together with pupils who do not have SEND, so far as is reasonably practical. (This should be compatible with the child receiving the special educational provision their learning needs call for and the efficient education of the pupils with whom they are educated, as well as the efficient use of resources); in reporting (at least annually) to parents information on the provisions for pupils within the school as a whole and the effectiveness of the SEND policy and the school s SEND work. in publishing information about the school s accessibility plans; in drawing up a statement (Local School Offer) on special educational needs and disability for inclusion on the school s website. The Head Teacher will: take responsibility for the overall management of all aspects of the school s work, including provision for children with SEND; keep the governing body fully informed of SEND issues; work closely with the Inclusion Manager with regular (monthly) meetings; provide time and resources for the Inclusion Manager to carry out his/her role. The Inclusion Manager will: work in collaboration with the head teacher and governing body to determine the strategic development of SEND policy and provision within the school in order to raise the achievement of pupils with SEND and monitor that achievement to ensure that expected rates of progress are achieved for all pupils, wherever possible; take day-to-day responsibility for the operation of the SEND policy; Special Educational Needs Policy (2017) 16