Coast Academies SEND Policy Key contacts for Coast Academies SENDCO s SEND Support Assistants Designated Academy Council Member Deb Mawbey (Assistant Head) Eden Park and Preston Philippa Roderick, Cockington Primary, although Caroline Kocur will cover Philippa s maternity leave. Jane Stead Charlotte Griffin Carrianne Toms (Deputy Chair Academy Council) Pastoral Staff MAT wide Deb Mawbey, Sue Killick, Jane Stead Pastoral staff - Eden Park site Pastoral Staff Preston site Carrol Stephens, Liz Thomas, Charlotte Griffin, Dee Bouyamourn, Kim Matthews, Pastoral Staff Cockington site John Paul Sharman, Philippa Roderick, Jo Hoare and Tanya Cunningham This policy has been written with regard to: Special needs and disability code of practice January 2015: 0 to 25 years chapter 6 Statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities January 2015 Keeping children safe in education September 2016 The Children and families Act 3014 section 69 paragraph 2 Equality Act, paragraph 3 of schedule 10 The Special Educational Needs and disabilities regulations 2014 regulation 51 and schedule 1. Our vision for children with special educational needs and disabilities is the same as for all children and young people that they achieve well in their early years, at school and in college, and lead happy and fulfilled lives. Edward Timpson and Dan Poulter
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as: protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. (Keeping children safe in Education September 2016) Principles The Trust will ensure that all children with SEND are able to access a curriculum in which they have been thought about and planned for. The Trust will not directly or indirectly discriminate against, harass or victimise disabled children and young people The Trust must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled children and young people are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. The Trust must have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations between disabled and non-disabled children and young people. The Trust should ensure decisions are informed by the insights of parents and those of children and young people themselves who will be fully involved and have regular meetings and updates The Trust should have high ambitions and set stretching targets for them The Trust will keep under review the additional or different provision that is made The Trust will promote positive outcomes in the wider areas of personal and social development, and ensure that the approaches used are based on the best possible evidence and are having the required impact on progress The Trust will work in a multi-agency way, liaising with external professionals from all areas connected to the child. Key staff/governors and Roles Link to Academy Council and Board of Directors The SENDCO provides information to the SEND Academy Challenge Team member who questions and clarifies understanding of current developments or issues, then writes and shares a SEND report with the Trust directors. This is done on a termly basis. Regular meetings are held between the Designated Council member and the SENDCo to review progress against key the priorities. Pastoral Care Across the Coast Academies Trust, we have a SEND/Pastoral team who support staff members to carry out their duties in meeting the needs of our most vulnerable children. It is this team s responsibility to liaise closely with other services and agencies such as Torbay SEND, School Nurse etc in order to co-ordinate best fit provision. Within the Pastoral Team there is expertise in various areas including autism, ADHD, Attachment disorders and learning difficulties.
The role of the SENDCO The Trust s SENDCO is part of the senior leadership team at both Trust Schools, whilst at Cockington the SENDCO reports directly to the pastoral lead, who is part of the SLT. It is the role of the SENDCO to: oversee the day-to-day provision for children with SEND, at Coast this is done through, observations of children, looking at provision, identifying specialist resources, involving and liaising with external agencies, checking and approving provision maps. advise on the deployment of the schools dedicated budget and other resources to meet pupils needs effectively. At Coast this is done through discussion of the child s needs with the entire team around the child, including teacher, TA, parent and child (if applicable) be a key point of contact with external agencies. At Coast we have built positive relationships with a wide range of health and specialist SEND professionals and we make good use of their services and advice. Update and review the SEND policy. Report to the allocated SEND designated member of the Academy Council and hold termly meetings with said member. Line Manage the Pastoral Team. The Role of the Teacher High quality teaching and learning for all pupils is expected in all of our classes within the Trust. All teachers expect to see a broad range of ability within each class and recognise that limited progress is not always an indicator of SEND. In fact it could be due to factors relating to gaps in education (perhaps due to changing schools, traveller lifestyles or refugee children seeking asylum) or difficulties that could be experienced by a child in care, a young carer, a child at risk of exclusion, a cross-gender transition, a child with English as an additional language (EAL), a child with a physical disability or medical need or even families seriously disadvantaged by poverty or social isolation. Where these children are mainly functional within a class environment and making progress they would not be considered to have SEND. Where these factors are identified as having a significant impact on a child s ability to function or to access learning then it is recognised as SEND. The MAT uses the graduated response as identified in the SEND code of practice, this is a continuous cycle of: assess, plan do review. This enables each cycle to become even more child focussed as professionals, parents and the children themselves develop greater understanding of the specific needs and what is required to remove barriers to learning. Teachers will plan for individual pupils and differentiate within their planning for the full range of abilities within their class and is responsible for planning specifically for the children with SEND who may require a personalised curriculum. During School Development Meeting sessions (SDMs at Preston/Eden Park and Team Meetings at Cockington) children are discussed within each phase group where SEND and potential SEND children are highlighted and discussed. They are then flagged up to the SENDCO through this process and suggestions are made for appropriate interventions, resources or particular programmes to try. Constant feedback and dialogue is encouraged between the class teacher, SENDCO and the parents so a full understanding of the child s needs can be
gathered. A provision map will then be put in place (Individual Support Plan at Cockington). This document lists everything that has happened or is happening with the child follows the child through the school. The teacher is responsible for updating the child s provision map and will be share it with parent s every time it is updated. If further professional advice needs to be sought, that is the role of the SENDCO. For more information on how this is transferred into practice see SEND school offer in appendix 1. The Role of Support Staff Support Staff are expected to use the teacher s planning and adapt it further for the specific needs of the child. This could mean the use of identified physical resources or breaking down the task into smaller chunks, providing brain breaks or using a visual prompt that promotes pupil independence. Support staff are expected to annotate planning to reflect how much progress is made in sessions, may suggest next steps and deliver interventions to further support the child s progress. As a MAT we promote independence in children through our core values and would only provide a 1:1 support assistant in exceptional circumstances. This provision would be kept under constant review as our aim would be to build the child s independence and resilience so they do not become over-reliant on constant adult intervention. Training The Trust also places high value on the use of JPD (Joint Practice Development) to enhance teacher pedagogy that develops their ability to deliver high quality lessons. This ultimately improves outcomes for all children including those with SEND. Alongside this we run more bespoke training for members of staff for certain children or groups of children e.g. Makaton, PIPS, Talk Boost, Read Write Inc, Counting for Calculating to name a few. Our staff have access to a number of assessment/diagnostic tools, e.g. dyslexia portfolio and dyscalculia assessment and a variety of high quality interventions. New Staff have a specific induction that involves Safeguarding and SEND information alongside opportunities to meet staff from other schools to share best practice. Managing Pupils with SEND In the process of identifying a child s SEND, the parents are regularly invited in for a review meeting and a provision map is set up or reviewed. In these meetings various members of the pastoral team as well as the class teacher and parent(s) talk through what the needs are and set smart, achievable targets designed to improve outcomes and measure progress. The parents will be asked to sign the provision map to state that they understand that their child will be added to the SEND register and that they are happy for us to share information with other external agencies who we might call in to support the child. This is then reviewed termly with the parents. If a child is showing sustained progress over time, including during times of transition, within their identified areas of need, it may be considered that they no longer need specialised individual support or planning and we would look to take them of the SEND register. Where, despite the MAT taking relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet a child s SEND and the child has not made expected progress, the MAT or parents may initiate a request for an EHCP assessment.
Children who do have an EHCP (or statement), these are reviewed annually in addition to the termly update meetings with teachers. Supporting Children with Medical Conditions and Disabilities Under the Equalities Act (2010) a condition which is long term (defined as a year or more) is considered to be a disability. This would include children with a hearing or visual impairment or long term health condition such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or cancer. Sometimes, in the instance of a child having a medical condition, the Health Service may create a health care plan and the MAT will coordinate this provision to best meet the needs of the child. These children may be held at SEND Support or have an EHCP depending on how significant the disability or medical condition is and also how able the child is to manage that need. This process will allow the MAT to plan ahead in order to prevent disadvantage or discrimination. The Trust will always endeavour to make reasonable adjustments and provide resources that will allow a child to flourish and succeed. Supporting Families and Children Families need to contact the class teacher in the first instance to seek advice and support. Where a need is identified, this will always be passed on to the Pastoral Team who will then be able to offer in house services or signpost parents to relevant external services. Where parents and carers feel that a situation has not been dealt with effectively they will need to follow the MAT complaints policy which can be found on the school website. We are happy to listen to and reflect upon the suggestions and views of parents and would always encourage them to come and talk to us. Multi-Agency Approach At Coast Academies we work closely with all partner agencies to promote quality outcomes for children. Within Torbay we have excellent links with the authority SEND team and make very good use of their expertise. We also work with the hospital team and have made strong links with the various departments used by our children eg paediatrics, speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, CHAMS etc. Our children also benefit from various outreach services provided within the Bay for example, Chestnut Outreach for behaviour/emotional support, Mayfield Outreach for Learning Needs and our newly commissioned in-house autism outreach service, which is Bay wide. The SEND Team has to work with several Local Authorities and has to tailor its approach to this dependent on the authority. We will always look to hold multi agency meetings wherever possible as this is the most efficient way of getting to the crux of the child s needs. However, if some external professionals are unable to attend we will always ask for a report to be written so their views can be considered. If requested, the schools will accompany parents to external agency meetings. Attendance All children follow the school Attendance Policy which can be found on the school website. Where there are complex medical needs we would ask for some evidence of this from the allocated medical professionals. Intimate Care The school has a separate intimate care policy. It aims to:
establish an agreed code of practice for children, staff and parents when dealing with matters of intimate care. provide guidance and reassurance to staff safeguard the dignity, rights and well-being of children and young people Re assure parents that staff are knowledgeable about intimate care and that their individual needs and concerns are taken into account. External Audit We invite a member of the Torbay SEND Team to a number of annual reviews. Alongside this all of our annual reviews are monitored, a report written and fed back to us by a designated member within the Torbay SEND Team. SEND Support children are regularly discussed with the Educational Psychologists (with parental permission) employed by Torbay Council. This helps us to be clear about what the child s needs are and whether there is anything else we need to put in place. School Offer A copy of the school offer can be found in the appendix below as well as on our website. Our Local offer can also be found at: http://www.torbay.gov.uk/schools-andlearning/send/send-and-disability-reforms/local-offer/ Policy Monitoring We will monitor and review our SEND Policy by: Ensuring accountability by placing ultimate responsibility for SEND and the implementation of this policy with the CEO. Ensuring that the Designated Academy Challeng Team member for SEND and the SENDCO have regular meetings, in order to monitor and assess the effectiveness of the school s response to SEND and promoting welfare, in line with this policy. As necessary, action plans will be formulated to address areas for development. This will happen as required or in any case, as a minimum, once every term. Identifying and responding to new/revised guidance issued by government bodies and the Local SEND TEAM, leading to review of this policy on an annual basis. Linked Policies The policy links to the following policies and plans: Attendance Policy First Aid Procedures Intimate Care Policy Single Equality Policy Admissions Policy Safeguarding Policy Anti-extremism policy Behaviour policy Complaints policy Early years Policy E-Safety Policy
This policy will be reviewed in September 2017 Appendix One Welcome to the Coast Academies Multi Academy Trust SEND School offer. This document has been written with due regard to: The latest update to the SEND code of Practice (May 2015) This document can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sendd-code-of-practice-0-to-25 The Children and Families Act 2014 This document can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/part/3/enacted Our Trust offer works alongside the T Local Offer which can be found here: http://www.torbay.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/send/send-and-disability-reforms/localoffer/ Our Vision and Philosophy as a trust Across the Coast Academy Trust we have a shared philosophy of high quality teaching and learning for all pupils, this isn t just about the classroom but also the range of clubs and enrichments we offer children to further enhance their ability to confidently interact with the World. As a Trust we have a vision based around a set of values which underpin everything we do. These values differ slightly in their terminology but the outcome remains the same. A high quality environment with shared values and a place for children to thrive. At Eden Park the values are: Respect, Teamwork, Creativity and Independence At Preston the values are: Respect, Responsibility, Independence, Teamwork, Creativity and Determination Inclusive Environment We aim to include every child in all that the Trust has to offer. Therefore where possible we will assess and adapt to meet the specific needs of the child. For example, on a recent phase group trip to the supermarket, children with sensory needs were planned for separately and specific adaptations made. For example planning ahead and sending photos home so the children were prepared in advance and taking specific items such as ear defenders to ensure that they didn t become overloaded by the noise. Every effort is made no matter what the child s disability to include them fully in the life of the Trust wherever possible. Accessibility At Eden Park the buildings can be accessed at different levels and so are suitable for wheelchair access. Ramps and lifts have been provided to aid manoeuvrability. There are designated disabled toilets and a shower room on each site. We take advice from specialist practitioners to ensure that children who are partially sighted can use either site with a good degree of independence. For example, coloured markings on the steps and in the playgrounds ensure that everyone accessing the school grounds can see the edges of steps and posts and can anticipate shifting levels. Textured ropes have been secured around posts to ensure that they can be spotted more easily. We try hard to provide good acoustic conditions
in all of our classrooms so that the effects for children with hearing difficulties are minimised for example, they have carpeted areas, curtains and quiet areas. We have also used the specialist hearing loop system when recommended for particular children. Does my child have Special Educational Needs? The definition from the code of practice (see link above on page one) states that: A child or young person has SEND 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. How does this work at Coast Academies and who is responsible for its provision? All adults at Coast Academy have a responsibility to provide for SEND children. However below you will find a list of the key people who have a designated responsibility for SEND. The Pastoral Team plays a major role for all vulnerable children not just the children with SEND. Their roles and responsibilities are listed below:
How SEND Provision Works within the Academy Trust Stage One parent or school staff raise concern over progress or a specific difficulty Child is discussed at weekly team meeting, phase share ideas about what could be done. Specific class based interventions are put in place. These could be English or maths based or Thrive based if it is an emotional need. It could also be use of a particular computer based programme for example Clicker 6. Situation is monitored over time at the beginning and the end to see if there is a difference to the child s confidence and understanding. The child will not be on the SEND register at this point as this is all part of everyday practice. Staff use the flow chart below to help them to focus on the needs of the child.
Stage Two If after a period of time, this is usually at least a term, the child is still making little or no progress, then we move to stage two. The child is now recognised as SEND support this means that their name will be held on the school SEND register and the child will have a personalised provision map which will be monitored termly by the SENDCO and SEND Support Assistant. This document is also a joint document between home and school. We want to have parent views on it as we are a team. We ask parents to sign these as we may need to share information with the hospital or external agencies. We may ask for specific external services such as outreach or the Speech and Language Service to come in and the reports they write will form part of the child s provision and be recorded on the map. These children are more closely monitored by the SEND Team and provision is checked in on for quality and kept under review.
Stage Three The child may have been referred to the John Parkes Unit, specialist medical services or specialist educational provision for further investigation. The child will have been seen or about to be seen by the Educational Psychologist. The child will have had some access to outreach provision depending on their needs. The family may have been referred to Early Help. There is a large and growing evidence bank of specific things being tried and monitored over a long period of time. A multi-agency meeting may have been called to look at the child in detail. An application for an EHCP plan will be considered for action.
The current code of practice outlines four main areas of need these are: 1. Communication and Interaction 2. Cognition and Learning 3. Social, emotional and mental health 4. Physical/and or Sensory Children may have multiple needs and be included in more than one category. Below are more detailed descriptions of each of these areas and what the Trust can provide for children with them. Communication and Interaction Being able to communicate clearly is an essential life skill. At a basic level a child who can communicate their needs and feelings is more likely not to feel angry or frustrated that their needs are not being met, because they can ask for what they need. We currently aid children with a wide range of difficulties to access school life to the best of their ability. This ranges from several non-verbal children who use technology and specialist APPS to communicate, to children with speech and language disorders who need daily adult input to improve speech clarity. Children with a need in this area may include children with autistic spectrum disorder. These children can often have difficulties around understanding social behaviour. Communication difficulties can often be part of a wider picture of learning difficulties but not always. More information on autism can be found here: http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/ Torbay council is currently striving towards becoming an autism friendly authority. Our Assistant head/ SENDCO is a member of the authority wide autism implementation group leading this strategic initiative. Lots of children can find particular speech sounds hard to pronounce, this could just be something that may correct itself with maturity, however if it doesn t the child may be considered to have Speech, language and communication Needs (SLCN) Our Trust has a particular expertise in speech and language development in young children and have a large team of adults who intervene daily to move things forward. They are helped by our Torbay Hospital Trust Speech and Language Therapist who provides intense speech and language support for our more severe children and dedicated personal programmes with resources for others which are school based team then run. More information can be found here: http://www.afasic.org.uk/ We also have children with EAL needs. These are children where English is not their first language. As part of our SEND offer we have bought into a specialist Speech and Language (and interpreter) service run by Jean Jackson. Jean is able to provide us with regular assessments of progress alongside lots of expert advice and resources to best meet the needs of these children. Further information here https://eal.britishcouncil.org/parents What can our Trust offer? An outreach service for T Schools (from 2-11) provided by the Academies Pastoral Team we were designated to do this by the Local Authority. A fully trained Early Bird Practitioner as part of the team. A cygnet trainer as part of the team. Our Educational Psychologist is an autism specialist. Expertise in strategic leadership of the management of autism as a school/trust. An enhanced provision for autism with space for 16 children who are capable of joining mainstream.
A designated autism champion The Trust is currently working towards the award for being a Makaton friendly environment. Many of our adults use makaton on a daily basis. Use of visual prompts and resources tailored around each individual child s needs. How to design and use Social Stories. TA s able to deliver a wide range of speech and language interventions, some of whom have enhanced qualifications such as the Elkland training. Expertise in the use of the speechlink programme of assessment. Close working links with the authority SALT Team. Specialist EAL Services. Cognition and Learning Some of the aspects of difficulty included in this area are: Moderate Learning Difficulty (MLD) Pupils with MLDs will have attainments significantly below expected levels in most areas of the curriculum despite appropriate interventions. Their needs will not be able to be met by normal differentiation and the flexibilities of the National Curriculum. They should only be recorded as MLD if additional educational provision is being made to help them to access the curriculum. Pupils with MLDs have much greater difficulty than their peers in acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills and in understanding concepts. They may also have an associated speech and language delay, low self-esteem, low levels of concentration and under-developed social skills. Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD) Pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) have significant intellectual or cognitive impairments. This has a major effect on their ability to participate in the school curriculum without support. They may also have difficulties in mobility and co-ordination, communication and perception and the acquisition of self-help skills. Pupils with severe learning difficulties will need support in all areas of the curriculum. They may also require teaching of self-help, independence and social skill Specific Learning Difficulties may include: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a complex condition that can seriously affect a child s concentration, behaviour and learning. The brain of a child with ADHD has been likened by a medical professional to that of an adult with Alzheimer s. Quite often messages become easily muddled and it is difficult for them to concentrate through a lesson without losing its purpose. A child with ADHD can appear to be bored or easily distracted, however sensory issues such as buzzing lights may seem minor to us but are quite intense for them making it impossible to concentrate properly. Further information can be found at: www.addiss.co.uk Dyscalculia Pupils with dyscalculia have difficulty in acquiring mathematical skills. Pupils may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Further information can be found at: http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia Dyslexia Pupils with dyslexia have a marked and persistent difficulty in learning to read, write and spell, despite progress in other areas. Pupils may have poor reading comprehension, handwriting and punctuation. They may also have difficulties in concentration and organisation, and in
remembering sequences of words. They may mispronounce common words or reverse letters and sounds in words. Further information can be found at: http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk Dyspraxia Pupils with dyspraxia are affected by an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement, often appearing clumsy. Gross and fine motor skills are hard to learn and difficult to retain and generalise. Pupils may have poor balance and coordination and may be hesitant in many actions (running, skipping, hopping, holding a pencil, doing jigsaws, etc). Their articulation may also be immature and their language late to develop. They may also have poor awareness of body position and poor social skills. What can the trust offer? A trained practitioner in 1,2,3 magic which is a highly regarded behaviour management system for home and school. It is particularly recommended for children with ADHD. Staff who have spent time researching around ideas such as growth mindset which empowers children to help themselves. Expertise in scaffolding learning to gain the best from everyone. An excellent understanding of the P scales and how to track them. Well-rehearsed strategies which help children to organise their learning in a way which suits them. A very successful method of enabling ADHD children to succeed, for example the use of planned brain breaks and the use of food to prolong medication. Use of APPS to enable children to remember their learning and reuse it. Dragon Dictate APP, Tell me everything, Clicker 6, named resource. Social, Emotional and Mental Health Children with these kinds of difficulties may exhibit extreme behaviours and find it hard to self-regulate. For example, where children and young people have difficulty in managing their relationships with other people, are withdrawn, or if they behave in ways that may hinder their and other children s learning, or that have an impact on their health and wellbeing. Attachment Disorder Children with attachment disorders or other attachment problems have difficulty connecting to others and managing their own emotions. This results in a lack of trust and self-worth, a fear of getting close to anyone, anger, and a need to be in control. A child with an attachment disorder feels unsafe and alone. Anxiety This can be triggered by a sensory difficulty, a bereavement, insecure attachments or feeling like you are not able to have some control over your environment. A child with anxiety can exhibit extreme behaviours, panic, seem withdrawn or quiet, may find change or transitions difficult. OCD Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviours you feel compelled to perform. If you have OCD, you probably recognize that your obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours are irrational but even so, you feel unable to resist them and break free. Like a needle getting stuck on an old record, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) causes the brain to get stuck on a
particular thought or urge. For example, you may check the stove 20 times to make sure it s really turned off, or wash your hands until they re scrubbed raw. Depression Signs and symptoms may be, irritable mood, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, change in grades, getting into trouble at school, or refusing to go to school, change in eating habits, feeling angry or irritable, mood swings, feeling worthless or restless. Frequent sadness or crying. What can the Trust offer? Fully trained Thrive practitioners. A PAWS B teacher who models the strategies throughout the Trust. All staff are trained in basic CBT. Links with the CAHMS PMHW s. Mindfulness for children. A member of the pastoral staff has more in depth training of CBT. Members of the pastoral team are bereavement trained. Physical and Sensory This includes children and young people with visual and/or hearing impairments, or a physical need that means they must have additional ongoing support and equipment. Visual Impairment: A visual impairment is generally defined as an eyesight problem that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses or by surgery Hearing Impairment: For educational purposes, pupils are regarded as having an HI if they require hearing aids, adaptations to their environment and/or particular teaching strategies to access the concepts and language of the curriculum. Multi-Sensory impairment: Pupils with MSI have much greater difficulty accessing the curriculum and the environment than those with a single Sensory impairment. They have difficulties in perception, communication and in the acquisition of information. Incidental learning is limited. Physical Disability: There is a wide range of physical disabilities and pupils cover the whole ability range. Some pupils are able to access the curriculum and learn effectively without additional educational provision. They have a disability but do not have an SEND. For others, the impact on their education may be severe. Medical Needs: Children and young people with medical conditions will include those with Asthma, Diabetes, Arthritis, Epilepsy and severe allergies. Incontinence, Eczema, Cystic fibrosis Tracheotomy, Colostomy and Ileostomy. The Trust operates a system of using intimate care plans, for children with specific needs around bladder and bowel. What can the Trust offer? Accessible well-lit classrooms and corridors. Ramps, steps and lifts in certain areas. Highlighted edges of steps in yellow. Upright posts are wrapped in rope to create a different texture. Excellent links to a wide range of external support services including:
The hearing support teacher The outreach teacher from WESC in Exeter. Bowel and bladder nurse Diabetic nurse Community nurse team School Nurse Team Disabilities Support Workers (accessed via the Early Help Referral process) Occupational therapy team Physiotherapy team Acquired brain injury nurse How much support will my child receive? All classes have general TA support which is used strategically for any child who needs help or intervention. We allocate TA support on a needs led basis and each child is planned for to support these needs. We want all of our children to have a good degree of independence and to learn skills which will equip them for future life. However there may be certain times or lessons where extra support will be necessary. We may also consider putting in more intense TA support but this would normally be for a short period of time and kept under review. We have access to a wide range of technology and resources to help our children to access their learning in a way which suits them. We make good use of IPAD APPS and writing programmes such as clicker 6. We will use the support of specialist external services if it is needed. How will the trust prepare and support my child with important transitions? Initial entry into school. Please let us know if your child has any already identified particular needs as they join us so that we can begin to have conversations around how we can meet them. Class to class: All children are given an opportunity to meet their new peers and class teacher in July during a class swap day. This is when photo books and any specific resources and health and safety issues can be identified and planned for. Phase to phase: Children are prepared for the move into the next part of the school by having tours of the building, joining the next phase for playtimes and working in different parts of the building at different times of the day. This is done with the support of familiar adults so the child can discuss their concerns and ask questions as necessary. School to school: Arrangements are made for parents to meet the SENDD Team from the local secondary schools at the beginning of the school year prior to transfer. In some cases the SEND/Pastoral Team will liaise with school and arrange additional transition sessions for children who will find the move stressful or difficult. All SEND records and reports are transferred to the secondary schools at the end of KS2 or to the receiving school if the child leaves before this. Safeguarding Procedures All new and existing members of staff at Academies have a safeguarding overview of Trust procedures on or as close to day one as is possible.
All new members of Academy Staff are sent on the basic level one safeguarding training provided by Kulinda Solutions at the local teaching school. All existing members of staff have a level 1 refresher safeguarding course once every three years. All level 3 trained staff attend a refresher course every two years provided by the TSCB The Academy Council member with the responsibility for Safeguarding and the DSL meet every term. From this meeting a report is written and evidence is provided, this is then shared with the academy council and directors. CLA children are closely planned for and monitored using an E-PEP system if they are a T child. Any out of county CLA children are monitored using the procedures provided by their home Local Authority. The CLA designated teacher and deputy attend all centralised training and report to the Academy Council Safeguarding Lead as part of the Safeguarding meeting. Other related Information: Anti-Bullying, SEND and Behaviour policies are available to view on the school website Thank you for reading our Trust SEND Offer. Below are some useful contacts: School Absence Line: Ring 01803 854011 and press option 1 School Absence e-mail: absence@eppsa.org.uk School Text: teachers to parents Pastoral Office (for SENDCO): 01803 855300 Torbay SEN Team: 01803 208274 Torbay Safeguarding Hub: 01803 208100
At Cockington our job is to ensure that your child achieves the very best they can, no matter what barrier there may be with their learning. Approximately one in five children will have special education needs at some time during their school career this may mean having a learning difficulty and/or physical difficulty that makes it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age. We have a team of staff who may be involved in supporting your child at Cockington. These include:- Your child s teacher your first port of contact for any concerns. They are available to you at the end of the day and often through booked appointments and manage the day to day provision and education for your child. Teaching Assistants who support all pupils in the class. We have several additional TAs who help support groups with their learning and/or maybe allocated to individual children with specific special educational needs. Licensed Thrive Practitioner & SEAL coordinator Tanya Cunningham who works with children who may be experiencing a particular period of trauma or emotional difficulty. Assistant to the Heads of Learning Jo Hoare who primarily works with child protection concerns, attendance issues and children with an emotional or social difficulty. SENCO Philippa Roderick who has the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination coordinates the provision of SEN in school and liaises with external agencies. The Academy Challenge Team as part of the Governance works with and monitors the role of the SENCo in school. Assistant Head with responsibility for pastoral care John-Paul Sharman Headteacher who has the day to day management of all aspects of the school, including special educational needs provision. In addition, we have a range of facilities and support that will be detailed below. Children within school will get support that is specific to their individual needs. This may be all provided by the class teacher or may involve other staff in the school, staff who visit from Torbay s central services or staff who visit from outside agencies such as the speech and language therapy service. 1. What criteria must be satisfied before children and young people can access this provision/service? What sort of needs would you have for us to be able to help you?
Cockington Primary School are an inclusive provider and will consider placements for any child aged 4 to 11 whose parents/carers wish them to join the school, regardless of their special educational needs, providing there is a space in that particular year group. The school follows the guidelines as set out in the Equalities Act 2010 and the SEN code of practice. If a child already has a statement of educational needs or an Education and Health Care Plan a meeting will be called during the application process for the parents and carers to discuss their child s needs and what specifically could be offered. 2. How do we identify the particular special educational needs of a child or young person? How do we work out what your needs are and how can we help? As a school we follow the guidance set out in the SEND code of Practice 2001 (and its revised version 2014). Class teachers will assess all children to identify their strengths, needs and any extra help they require. If they feel that they may need additional or different support than most children their age in terms of academic or emotional support, then with consultation with the SENCo they may be placed on the category of additional SEN support. This will be shared with the parents of the individual through a setting up of an ISP (Individual Support Plan). For those children where the needs are more an assessment will be set up with the Educational Psychology Service. For children new to the school and/or in the reception cohort there will be liaison with the nursery providers and previous schools. On entry to school at foundation stage a meeting is held with the parents to discuss their children and their specific needs with the class teacher. Other ways in which concerns can be raised about the needs of a child maybe through liaison with external agencies, discussions with parents or a health diagnosis through a paediatrician. Often changes in behaviour can signal that something is amiss. If your child s needs are complex or severe we may suggest that we ask the Local Authority for an Education and Health Care Assessment, which may lead to an EHC plans if there is sufficient evidence in place. (This replaces the Statutory Assessment of Special Educational Needs). This document will describe your child s SEN and the additional help required. This is a legal document. Parents are involved through all steps of this process 3. How do we consult with parents and/or children and young people about their needs? How do we find out about what you and your parents think you need help with?
The school recognises that parents have a crucial role to play in their children s education. For children new to the school and/or in the reception cohort there will be a meeting is held with the parents to discuss their children and their specific needs with the class teacher. New children that join within the year are invited round and their parents asked to complete a form asking for any relevant information. Of course as a school we welcome daily dialogue between parents, teaching assistants and parents on how a child s day has been. Home school diaries can also be set up if necessary. Children throughout the school are regularly made aware of their academic targets. Where appropriate children are invited into annual review meetings and involved in setting the targets on their ISPs (Individual Support Plan). Parents will also be made aware of these. The school council has a proportional mix of children from the school whose views are frequently sort and have also been involved in taking a pupil voice to ascertain the views of children with special educational needs within the school. Children are encouraged to express their views and worries with trusted members of staff. There are worry boxes positioned around the school where children can drop in a note sharing their worry, either by name or anonymously. These are then picked up by members of the senior team and dealt with appropriately. To support children in sharing concerns, there is a link(whisper) on the home page of the website Report an Issue- where children can contact members of the safeguarding team regarding worries. The following websites may be useful in supporting families with online safety. http://parentinfo.org (CEOP) http://www.net-aware.org.uk (supported by NSPCC) 4. What is our approach to teaching children and young people with special educational needs? How will we teach you?
All staff believe that children having high self-esteem and feeling safe is crucial to their well-being. We have a caring, understanding team looking after our children and promoting resilience, cooperation and perseverance. All children are given recognition, praise and understanding At Cockington we are very inclusive and believe that all children should be within the class as much as possible to grow and learn with their peers. We have an inclusion policy that states all children are treated equally. Through quality first teaching the curriculum is differentiated and personalised to meet the needs of and abilities within the class. ISP s are used to identify specific activities and learning or development objects that will be fitted into daily practice. Support staff are expected to be familiar with the medium and short term targets for children with SEN. They are expected to use teacher s planning and adapt it to suit the needs of the child. This might involve breaking work down into smaller chunks, initiating brain breaks, providing visual resources or supporting children in their organisational skills. 5. How can we adapt our curriculum for children and young people with special educational needs? What sort of things will you learn here? All pupils in the school receive quality first teaching, from teachers with the highest possible expectations so that every child is challenged to the highest level. This means that a range of teaching and learning styles are used and that appropriate learning objectives are set for all children with a curriculum matched to their needs. Work will be adapted/differentiated to an appropriate level for all children and/or systems for support and scaffolding given e.g. key words, practical apparatus. All teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand. All our classes are supported by teaching assistants, directed by the class teacher to work where the additional support is needed. All adults within the room will be aware of the child s needs and where advice from agencies has been sought this is followed through. Staff within our Early Years team and key stage one are trained in the use of Makaton and use this to help support the language development of all children. As a school we are also improving our use of ICT in the classrooms including ipads and use these to help all children be included within the lessons. 6. How will we ensure we get the services, provision and equipment that children and young people need? How will we make sure that you get all of the help that you need from different people?
In Torbay there are many different external experts that can be called on to help, including the Early Years Advisory Teacher. They can also help the school access specialist equipment that might not be in the school originally. There may be times when we might not have the resources and facilities to meet the specific needs of a child but every possible effort will be made to try and do so. 7. How is this provision funded? Who pays for this? The schools budget includes designated money for supporting children with special educational needs. The head teacher in conjunction with the school governors and school business manager decides on the budget on the basis of the needs of the children in the school. The majority of the funding provides our team of teaching assistants. The budget is allocated on a needs basis; those children with the most complex needs are given the most support. Children with an Education & Health Care plan are allocated an additional amount of funding to meet the provision needed over and above their peers. Some funding may come from the Pupil Premium a set of funds allocated to schools to work with children registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years. Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months and children of service personnel. Schools are made accountable for how this money is spent. All resources and support are reviewed regularly and changes made as needed. 8. What additional learning support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how do they access it? What else will we do to help you learn and how will this happen?
Most additional learning support is planned and resourced by the class teacher. This may include:- Specific group work this may be run in or outside the classroom, most often, but not exclusively by a teaching assistant. This will be planned by the teacher and will focus on an area where there is a gap in understanding or development that the group has in common e.g. handwriting, phonics, maths and literacy boosters. Specialist group work Talkboost small groups of children go out of the class to work on their communication skills with a teaching assistant. The school has invested in 3 different stages of TalkBoost which covers reception through to year 6. Children attend a 10-week course carried out 3 times a week. For more information see http://www.ican.org.uk/talkboost Dedicated specialist speech and language provision is available for individual pupils. Assessments are made by the Speech and Language Therapist and a trained assistant carries out the programmes. Dedicated specialist English as a Foreign language support is provided for children who are having difficulty with English. For children who need to develop their social and language skills the school is embarking on a Lego Therapy Intervention. Individual support - this will be directed by the class teacher to focus on an area where there is a barrier to learning. This may be regular or just as a booster for a couple of weeks. In some cases, children with severe or complex additional needs may have individual support to access all areas of the curriculum. Where interventions provided by the school do not have the desired outcome then specialist advice is sought. 9. How do we support and improve the emotional and social development of children and young people with special educational needs? How can we help you learn about your feelings and relationships?
Firstly, all staff involved with a child who may have emotional and social development needs are made aware of these. Within each year group a designated teaching assistant runs SEAL groups (Social, emotional aspects of learning) giving children the chance to talk and build relationships. For those children who have experienced trauma or have gaps in their emotional development we have a 1:1 trained thrive practitioner who offers a programme of therapeutic intervention. For more information, see https://www.thriveapproach.co.uk/challenge/ Members of staff are readily available for pupils to discuss issues and concerns. Where appropriate mediation sessions are carried out. Some children also need support at lunchtime. Our Thrive practitioner supports a small group of Key Stage One children who need different provision at lunchtime. Older children within the school have access to a supervised lunchtime area where games and activities are made available and for some children an allocated worker provides a structured lunchtime best suited to a child s needs. Those children known to find the school day challenging to manage have a school passport- this informs all staff working with these individuals of the triggers for emotional reactions and the best way to resolve these. As a school we have a positive approach to behaviour with a clear reward system that is followed by all staff and pupils. Attendance of every child is monitored on a daily basis and support given where needed. (See separate behaviour and attendance policies). For some individual children an individual positive reward system will be set up with opportunities for reward time. Working in partnership with parents is vital and parent contributions are welcomed and valued. For pupils with more complex emotional and social needs or where the provision has not yet impacted effectively advice may be sought from the Educational Psychology Service, Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAHMS) and Chestnut Behavioural Outreach. 10. How do we support children and young people with special educational needs moving between phases of education and preparing for adulthood? How can we help you to get ready to change to a different place or to leave here?
We are aware that changing schools can be a difficult time for a child with special educational needs and try to ensure that all transition is as smooth as possible. All new children are encouraged to visit the school prior to starting and buddies allocated when in class. The EYFS teachers visit the nursery settings of each new cohort in the summer term so the children can see a familiar face. The majority of our children transfer from the adjacent Acorns pre-school, with which we have a fantastic relationship and set up a transition process. The SENCO attends the pre-school ILDP meetings in the run up to transition. The SENCo of the preferred secondary school is invited to all year 6 annual reviews and a transition package agreed once confirmation of the place has happened. Additional visits between both schools are agreed. The SENco will attend the transition days to discuss the needs of your child with the secondary school. When moving schools within primary all relevant information will be passed on to the new class teacher and phone contact made. In some instances a period of transition has been agreed with children having additional visits building up to a full days visit. 11. What other support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how can they access it? What other help can we give you or help you to get?
We have regular opportunities to consult with support and health agencies through a multi-agency approach; which sometimes includes completing a Safeguarding Hub Enquiry Form to access support for the family as well as the child. The needs of the child will be discussed by those involved and advice given to support the child and their family. A range of support staff and midday meal supervisors have been trained in First Aid. Staff have also been trained in Epipen use. Other professionals that might be involved;- School Nurse works alongside us to advise and assess any medical needs. If a care plan is required, this would be done alongside the nurse and parents and reviewed annually. The School Nurse also supports us with hearing tests. Speech and Language Therapist works regular in school and alongside parents to help those children with speech and articulation problems. A referral can be made through the class teacher/senco. Educational Psychologist gives advice and completes assessments on children with special educational needs. A referral can be made after discussion with the class teacher and then SENCo; normally this is only with pupils who needs are felt to be quite considerable and have not responded well to previous intervention. Outreach Support from specialist schools such as Coombe Pafford and Mayfield School who can offer advice. Behaviour support is also available. Specialist Hearing and Visual Support - to offer advice and keep up to date assessments of children with sight and hearing difficulties. Accessed through the NHS. Your GP for any concerns that may be linked to a medical condition, your GP is the best person to offer advice and next steps. Please be aware that as an education setting we cannot diagnose a condition. CAHMS Child and Adolescence Mental Health Services Occupational Therapist Physiotherapist Visits from advisory teachers for hearing and sight. All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you, with the person involved directly or if this is not possible within a report. 12. What extra-curricular activities are available for children and young people with special educational needs? What other activities can you do here? All children can attend extra-curricular activities and, where needed, additional support will be provided. This includes school trips, where a risk assessment will be carried out to ensure the health and safety is not compromised. It may be appropriate for a parent/guardian to be invited on the trip to aid supervision. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in the activity alternative arrangements will be sought with the parent s consent. A comprehensive list can be found on the website.
13. How do we assess and review progress towards agreed outcomes, and how are parents, children and young people involved in this process? How do we know that the help we are giving you is working? How can you and your family tell us what you think? Children with EHC plans and a high level of additional need will have an ISP written by the class teacher. This will set out the provision agreed and measurable targets. These will be shared with parents, child and adults working with the child. If your child has not met the targets the reasons for this will be discussed, which may involve the target being adapted into smaller steps. All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you, with the person involved directly or if this is not possible within a report. Children may move off the SEN register or indeed have their EHC plan removed if they have made sufficient progress. Children with EHC plans will also have annual reviews arranged with all professionals involved. 14. How do we assess the effectiveness of our special needs provision and how are parents, children and young people involved in this assessment? How do we make sure that we are being the best that we can be? How can you and your family tell us what you think? The quality of practice is continuously reviewed with a yearly action plan set up. Specific interventions like Talkboost, Speech and Language and SEAL have an initial and post assessment to monitor the improvements seen. Success of literacy and numeracy work will be assessed through an increased rate of progress and monitoring points and through informal and formal discussions. The SEAL coordinator has half termly meetings with those involved with the intervention to discuss the impact it has had on the children within the groups. Other ways of monitoring may include increased attendance and decreased behavioural incidents. If a child is accessing any specific programmes the successes of this will be shared at annual or ISP reviews as well as parents evening.
15. How do we ensure that teaching staff and other staff have the expertise needed to support children and young people with special educational needs? How do we make sure that everyone that works with you has the right skills and can do the right things to help you? To ensure our staff have the skills and knowledge to support children with Special educational needs we access in house and external training provided by Torbay LEA and elsewhere as often as possible. Recent training has included an inset for the Teaching Assistants on brain development of children and also Makaton and Talkboost. Professionals including the ADHD nurse and specialist speech and language outreach workers have been invited in to offer training to all staff. Many of our staff have received positive handling training. Staff are also trained to deal with any medical needs that may arise by the school nurse. All staff are encouraged to observe the speech and language therapist and other professionals working with children within their class to ensure a thorough understanding of the children s needs. Our Thrive practitioner is part of a community group from other schools that mentor each other and keep each other up to date on training. The SENCo attends the majority of local network meetings to keep abreast of local initiatives and updates the staff and has also completed the National Award for SENco s qualification at Plymouth University. We have in place a lead teaching assistant who discusses training needs with the rest of the learning support staff and ensures all are up to date in their knowledge of the running of the school programmes. In the academic year 2015 16 all teaching assistants have completed a Foundation for Teaching Assistants Training. Several teachers and learning support assistants have attended ASD training and we have an Autism champion within the Mat who we seek advice from. Members of staff have attended Lego therapy training and workshops on Dyspraxia. 16. How do we keep parents informed where children and young people have special educational provision but do not have an Education Health and Care Plan? How do we make sure that your parents know how we can help them?
At Cockington the progress and attainment of all pupils is reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team. In addition, the SENCo charts the progress of all children with special educational needs, at which time provision may be adjusted to meet identified needs. The school also has a meeting for writing, reading and mathematics on a monthly basis to ensure all children are making good progress. Teachers are held accountable for those children who are not. You would normally be informed about your child s general progress and targets through the twice yearly parents evenings and annual report. At the end of each key stage (year 2 and 6) all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATs). The results are published nationally. In addition in Year 1 children sit a phonics screening test, the results of which are shared with you. 17. How can parents, children and young people make a complaint about our provision? What can you do if you are not happy about something that has happened here? If as a parent, you have a concern or complaint you should arrange a meeting with the class teacher in the first instance. If you feel the issue has not been resolved the next step would be to phone the school to arrange a meeting with either the head of Team or SENCo. In the event of a dispute, the school Governors, LA and head teacher will work closely with parents to resolve the matter. Parents are also encouraged to seek advice from the Torbay Parent Partnership: www.torbayppf.org.uk 18. How can parents, children and young people get more information about the setting? How can you find out more about us? If you would like to know what provision is in place for your child or you have any concerns that your child has some additional needs please speak to you class teacher who can put a plan in place. If you are not happy that your concerns are being managed you should speak to the Team Leader for that age phase or SENCo, contactable through the school office. If you are a new parent please ring the main school office to make an appointment with the SENCo or appropriate member of the leadership team.
19. How the school involves other bodies, including health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in meeting children and young people s SEN and supporting their families? How do we work with everyone else to help you? Parents seeking extra help at home for their children in terms of behavioural support can be referred by the school to social care and local authority support systems through the Early Help system. This may lead to access to parenting classes, the Family Intervention Team or the Intensive Family Support Service (see www.torbay.gov.uk/torbaysearlyhelpoffer.pdf) For children with a confirmed medical diagnosis a referral can be made to the Learning Disability Team who can tailor support around the more specific needs of a child. School will also support parents who are referred to the Early Bird or Cygnet programmes by the NHS when a diagnosis of autism is confirmed. If a young person with SEN has support from any of the above bodies communication will be sent between school and them. Invites will be sent to them for Annual Reviews. 21. Arrangements for supporting children who are looked after by the local authority and have SEN How do we help children who are looked after by Torbay Council? The SENCo also acts as the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Torbay protocols are followed with the child having termly Pupil Education Plans where both academic and social and emotional targets are set and reviewed. Looked after Children are entitled to Pupil Premium Plus funding. This has been used so far to purchase books to help work on targets, handwriting resources and support towards extra-curricular activities. Where possible the DT attends the Torbay LAC network meetings to keep up to date with any developments.