SEN Information Report Agreed by Governors: September 2017 Date for Review: September 2018 Our purpose is to provide quality education for the whole child. We aim to provide a wide range of experiences so that all the children can achieve. We are a caring school committed to providing a happy, secure and stimulating environment, so all children can develop their full academic, physical, emotional and spiritual potential. Values and Vision at Churchtown Primary School RESPECT FOR ALL Churchtown is a school where we respect and value all individuals and are respectful of each other s individual needs. LOVE OF LEARNING At Churchtown creativity drives our love of learning. We believe that when learning is fun, purposeful, and when the voice and imagination of everyone is valued, we flourish. FRIENDSHIP & FAMILY The Churchtown family provides a safe, secure & friendly environment, where we all feel like we belong. We are kind & caring and build friendly relationships. FUN & HAPPINESS Churchtown is a school that nurtures positivity and happiness. SKILLS FOR LIFE At Churchtown we foster independence, determination and perseverance to build skills for life, helping our children become confident and ambitious young people. GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT Churchtown is a school where we encourage everyone to grow and be confident in their own abilities. We develop through hard work and co-operation in a caring, supportive environment. 1
COURAGE Churchtown is a school where we encourage everyone to show courage, grit and determination Churchtown is a large, mainstream, primary school. We admit pupils from the age of three to eleven. We pride ourselves on having an inclusive ethos. Our Ofsted rating is Good. Our most recent inspection was in May 2013 and the report is available on our website. Our Mission Statement Together we enable and empower all learners to succeed and contribute their full potential to the future. 1. How does your school ensure that children who need extra help are identified early? At Churchtown Primary School, children are identified as having SEN (Special Educational Needs) through a variety of ways, usually a combination, which may include some of the following: Child performing below age expected levels Use of tools for standardised assessment such as: Sandwell Numeracy, New Salford Reading Test, Single Word Spelling Test Concerns raised by parent Concerns raised by teacher, for example behaviour or self-esteem is affecting performance Consultations between class teachers and members of the leadership team where progress data is discussed (termly Progress Review Meetings) Liaison with external agencies e.g. Sefton SEN and Inclusion Service (SENIS), Speech and Language Therapy Service Health diagnosis through a pediatrician or other health professional Liaison with previous school or setting, if applicable Occasionally, some children have had many of their needs identified prior to starting our school. Where this is the case, they may join us with a Statement / EHCP (Education Health and Care Plan) or High Needs Funding already in place. They receive an enhanced transition through a multi-agency approach. 2. What should a parent do if they think their child may have special educational needs? Talk to us in the first instance contact your child s class teacher; if you still have concerns you can contact our SENCO and Assistant Headteacher Sue Anderson, or Assistant SENCO, Mrs Tina Godfrey. Appointments can be arranged in person, by phone or by e-mail. We pride ourselves on building positive relationships with parents. We are open and honest with parents and hope that they are able to share information in a similar way with us. 2
3. How will the school support my child? 3a Who will oversee, plan and work with my child and how often? Our Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion oversees all of the out of class support and progress data of any child who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) across the school. The class teacher will oversee, plan and work with each child with special educational needs or disabilities in their classroom to ensure that progress in every area is made. Class work is pitched at an appropriate level so that all children are able to access it according to their specific needs. Typically, this might mean that in a lesson there would be three different levels of work set for the class, however on occasions a fourth level is added to ensure the lesson is accessible for an individual child. We call this enhanced quality first teaching. The benefit of this type of differentiation is that all children can access a lesson and learn at their level. The class teacher may ask the Teaching Assistant who is attached to the class to work with an individual or small group on a specific task or sequence of activities if they feel this is necessary. Where children require support that is additional and different to the rest of their class (that is beyond standard classroom differentiation and reasonable adjustments) they are given a Churchtown Learning Passport which contains a support plan to show the steps we will take to enable their progress. Some of the teachers and teaching assistants in school have been trained to deliver specific targeted intervention programmes, which are delivered for a time limited period to boost progress and raise attainment. These interventions have been chosen based on their proven track record of delivering measurable impact on learning and progress. Parents are informed if their child is selected for an out of class intervention and pre and post intervention data is gathered and shared with all parties. This year the following interventions will be available to those children who require them: Numbers Count (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) First Class @ Number (Year 1 and 2) First Class @ Number 2 (Years 3, 4 and 5 ) Towards Better Reading (Years 3 and 4) Early Reading Intervention (Reception, Years 1 and 2) Reciprocal Reading (Years 5 and 6) Pirate Crew Writing Intervention (Years 2,3 and 4) HELP Programme (targeting fine and gross motor skills as well as language development) We will use a provision map to set out the support your child is receiving outside of the classroom and evaluate the success of any interventions. 3b. Who will explain my child s needs and progress to me? The class teacher will meet parents at least on a termly basis (this could be as part of Parent s evening) to discuss your child s needs, support and progress. 3
Class teachers are always happy to discuss your child s needs if you have questions or concerns between more formal meetings. Please speak to them directly to arrange this. The Assistant Head for Inclusion /SENCO and the Assistant SENCO are available to discuss support in more detail. Where children are receiving support through a time limited out of class intervention programme, we will aim to provide feedback and information from the member of staff who has delivered the programme. We will share your child s Learning Support Passport with you on a regular basis. (e.g. at Parent s Evenings) 4. How are the Governors involved and what are their responsibilities? The Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion reports to the Governors every term to inform them about the progress of children with special educational needs or disabilities; this report does not refer to individual children and confidentiality is maintained at all times. One of the Governors, Simon Ward, is responsible for special educational needs and meets regularly with the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion. They also report to the Governors to keep them informed on an annual basis. The Governors agree priorities for spending within the special educational needs budget with the overall aim that all children receive the support they need in order to make progress. 5. How are the school s resources allocated and matched to children s special educational needs? We ensure that all children with special educational needs are provided for to the best of the school s ability with the funds available. Occasionally a child s needs are more complex and require the school to spend more than 6,000 from our own resources in order for them to make progress. On these occasions, we make an application to The High Needs Funding Panel in Sefton. We submit a plan to the panel that details how we deploy our own resources for this child and what is needed beyond this to meet the child s needs throughout the school day. When this happens, we involve parents/carers and include their views on their child s learning within the application. We believe that wherever possible, a child s needs should be met within their classroom through an enhanced level of quality first teaching, provided primarily by the class teacher, who works in partnership with the teaching assistant. This ensures that the child remains in touch with class learning, their aspirations and self-esteem remain high. Out of class interventions are layered on top of this in response to the needs of individual children. The Assistant Head monitors the attainment data from each intervention and adjusts the interventions provided to ensure that costs of delivery and outcomes for each child represent value for money and sensible use of the school s resources. The budget is allocated on a needs basis. The children who have the most complex needs are given the most support. 4
6.How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive? The Class Teacher and the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion will discuss the child s needs and what support would be appropriate. Different children will require different levels of support in order to help them make progress and achieve their potential. 7. How does the school judge whether the support has had an impact? By reviewing children s progress each term. Children will work towards achieving small step objectives taken from an appropriate level of the National Curriculum and will make progress at different rates. It is expected that each child is likely to achieve a different number of objectives across each term and this will be monitored by the SENCO to ensure that all children are making progress and that good practice in learning and teaching is shared across the school. The objective sheets that children are working towards are kept at the back of their books and will be shared with parents at Parent s Evenings. We know that support has had an impact when: Personalised SMART targets set in the child s Learning Passport are achieved The child is making progress academically against national/age expected levels, or against small step B Squared objectives. Progress will be discussed at Pupil Progress Meetings, attended by Class Teachers, and a member of the Senior Management Team. The child demonstrates he/she is able to work with greater independence and requires less prompting and support to access the curriculum Pre and post intervention data shows progress Verbal or written feedback from the teacher, parent and pupil identifies small steps of progress. Children may be taken off the Special Educational Needs register when they have made sufficient progress. 8. What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child s progress? We believe that your child s education should be a partnership between parents and teachers therefore we aim to communicate with you regularly. You will be able to discuss your child s progress at parent s evenings. You are also welcome to make an appointment at any time to meet with either the class teacher or Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion and discuss how your child is getting on. Mrs Anderson and Mrs Godfrey will meet with all parents/carers of pupils with individual support on a termly basis. 9. How will you help me to support my child s learning? The class teacher or the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion can offer advice and practical ways that you can help your child at home. The class teacher can provide a home / school communication book which your child will bring home daily so that comments from parents and teacher can be shared. 5
If your child is on the special needs register they will have a Learning Passport which will be shared with you at Parent s Evening. Parents are also able to view the B Squared objectives that their child is working towards and can have a copy for home use upon request. If your child has complex special educational needs or a disability they may have a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health Care Plan (EHCP), which means that a formal meeting will take place annually to review your child s progress. Recommendations from external agencies e.g. a speech and language therapist, will be shared with you so that strategies can be implemented at home and school. If a class teacher needs to discuss an issue with you, it will be done privately and strategies to support your child will be offered. We also hold Parent Workshops in school, where we explain how we teach certain areas of the curriculum and offer support to parents in supporting their child s learning at home. 10. How do you measure my child s progress? As a school we measure children s progress in learning against national age related expectations. Where children are making small steps of progress; class teachers refer to the B Squared Year Group objectives, which have been broken down into smaller, component elements. The class teacher continually assesses each child and notes areas where they are improving and where further support is needed. We track children s progress from their admission through to Year 6, using a variety of different methods, including National Curriculum levels and some standardised tests, as appropriate. Children who are not making expected progress are identified through the termly Pupil Progress Meetings. In this meeting a discussion takes place about those pupils experiencing difficulties and what further support can be given to aid their progress. 11. What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the school to ensure my child s overall well-being? We have a caring, understanding ethos and are an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity, and believe that high self-esteem is crucial to children s well-being. As a nurturing school, all our vulnerable pupils are known to staff. Learning Passports are shared with all staff and supply teachers who visit the school regularly. The school entrances are staffed with adults who greet and welcome pupils and their families each morning. This ensures a smooth transition between home and school each day. The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class; therefore, this should be your first point of contact. If further support is required, the class teacher liaises with the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as our School Nurse, other 6
health professionals and Social Services, and/or the Sefton SEN and Inclusion Service (SENIS). Our school has a Learning Support Mentor Mr. Bateman, who works with groups and individuals on alternative curriculum projects aimed at developing social interaction skills, independence and organisational skills and problem solving skills. Many of these pupils attract Pupil Premium funding and have been identified through our data analysis or by class teachers as needing additional support and nurturing. Our school runs a lot of extra-curricular clubs both after school and at lunchtime. The lunchtime Board Game Club, and the Welcome Inn club have been established specifically for those pupils who may feel more socially vulnerable at lunchtimes and who find it more difficult to sustain friendships during the longer lunchtime playtime. 12. How does the school manage the administration of medicines and personal care? We have a policy regarding the administration and management of medicines on the school site. Mrs. Wilson (Assistant Headteacher) has overall responsibility Parents need to contact the school office if medication is recommended by Health Professionals to be taken during the school day. The school office will arrange for Mrs. Wilson to meet with parents to complete relevant paperwork to enable medication to be administered by school staff during the school day. Staff have regular training regarding conditions and medication affecting individual children so that all staff can manage medical situations if the need arises. If a child requires personal hygiene care this will be managed through an individual care plan, which is drawn up with parents and advice from relevant health professionals. 13. What support is there for behaviour, avoiding exclusion and increasing attendance? We have a positive approach to behaviour management with a clear Behaviour policy that is followed by all staff and pupils. We are an inclusive school and we make every effort to include all pupils in learning sessions with their class. We also take every opportunity to include pupils socially at break and lunch times. The attendance of every child is monitored on a weekly basis by one of the Assistant Headteachers. This information is included in the Headteachers report to Governors. Each week the class within each year group with the best attendance record is awarded the title Attendance Champions. Each term rewards are given to children who achieve 100% attendance, (certificate, stickers and pencils and in school treats such as ice cream on the field. We are looking to further develop our reward system this year with the arrival of our school mini bus. 7
After any serious behaviour incidents we will inform you about what has happened. We would then expect the child to reflect upon their behaviour with you; this helps to identify why the incident happened and what the child needs to do differently next time to change and improve their behaviour. 14. How will my child be able to contribute their views? We value and celebrate each child s views on all aspects of school life. This is usually carried out through the School Council. Each topics starts with class teacher and pupils mind mapping together, looking at what the children know already and what they would like to find out. We start each topic with a WOW event, to hook children in and kick start their learning. This enables pupils to choose some of what is taught and how it is delivered, thus children take some responsibility for their own learning. Children at Churchtown who have SEN or a disability, contribute to their Learning Passport where age appropriate. They talk to their teacher about how they think they learn best and what their teacher can do to help them, as well as discussing how they think they could help themselves. A selection of children who are on the SEN register meet with Mrs Anderson each term to share their views on how the support and provision available feels to them. If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health Care Plan their views will be sought at the review stage, if appropriate. 15. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school? The Assistant Head Teacher for Inclusion is a former employee of Sefton s SEN and Inclusion Service and has a breadth of experience of working with children with a range of special educational needs. The school currently has two teachers, Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Samra who are training to be Numbers Count Teachers We also work closely with any external agencies that we feel are relevant to individual children s needs within our school. These may include: GP, School Nurse, Clinical Psychologist, Pediatrician, Speech & Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist, Inclusion Consultant, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Social Services. The Sefton Local Offer is available at https://www.seftondirectory.com/kb5/sefton/directory/localoffer.page?local offerchannel=0 16. What training have the staff supporting children with special educational needs, had or are currently having? We have two teachers training to be Numbers Count Teachers A teacher and Teaching Assistant are currently being trained to deliver the 1 st Class @ Number Intervention for children in Years 1 and 2 A Teaching Assistant trained to deliver 1 st Class @ Number 2 for children in Years 3 and 4 8
In Years 2, 3 and 4 all classes have a Teaching Assistant who is trained in Towards Better Reading. In Year 1, all classes have a TA trained in Early Reading Intervention Teaching Assistants in Year 5 and 6 have been trained in Reciprocal Reading Intervention. This is used both as an intervention and also to develop comprehension through class Guided Reading sessions. School have invested in the IDL on-line literacy intervention for this academic year. This will begin during the Autumn term, and will target pupils from Year 3 upwards who are working below the expected level in reading and writing. Parents will also be given a log in password to enable further use of this intervention at home. A number of teachers and teaching assistants are Team Teach trained to safely support and isolate children demonstrating unsafe behaviour (these incidents are always recorded). The Kids Skills Intervention will also be introduced this year, to strengthen the interventions we offer children with social, emotional and mental health needs 17. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including day and residential trips? We aim for all children to be included on school day trips and residential stays. We will provide the necessary adaptations, having consulted with you, to ensure that this is successful. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off-site activity to ensure everyone s health & safety will not be compromised. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, then alternative activities, which will cover the same curriculum areas, will be provided in school. Where an activity is assessed as being unsuitable, or too stressful for an individual child, the school will make all reasonable adjustments to provide an alternative activity for the child. 18. How accessible is the school environment? The ground floors of both school buildings are wheelchair accessible. There is lift access to the upper floor of the main school building There are two accessible toilets in the main school building, the toilet on the upper floor contains a changing bed and a built in ceiling tracking system for hoisting wheelchair users onto the changing bed. There is an accessible toilet in the Early Years Building which contains a height adjustable changing bed. Class teachers deploy a range of strategies from Sefton s Dyslexia Friendly Classrooms Handbook to promote curriculum access Visual resources are provided in the classroom for those children who require them For further details, our Disability Equality Plan is available on the school website, and the views of interested stake holders are always most welcome. 9
19. How will the school prepare and support my child when joining the school or transferring to a new school? We encourage all new children to visit the school prior to starting with us. For children with special educational needs or a disability, we may facilitate a phased transition to help your child to acclimatise to their new surroundings. We would also visit them in their current setting if appropriate. We prepare transition booklets with children to help explain and prepare them for any major transition. When children are preparing to leave us for secondary school, we arrange additional transition visits to their High School to boost their confidence. We also deliver the High School Ready intervention during the final half term of Year 6. We liaise closely with staff when receiving and transferring children to different schools, ensuring all relevant paperwork is passed on and all needs are discussed and understood. If your child has a Statement or an Education, Health Care Plan and is changing to a new school we will, whenever possible, arrange a review meeting with relevant staff from the receiving school. 20. How are parents involved in school life? We have Curriculum Evenings during which parents are invited to offer their comments and opinions. Parents are also welcome to help out as volunteers, for example, listening to readers. Parents of pupils with SEND are invited to attend the monthly CHIEFS (Churchtown Inclusion Effective Family Support) meeting. The meeting aims to provide support, guidance and advice on a range of SEN and disability issues, with external speakers attending to raise awareness of local services in Sefton that parents may wish to access. For children with special needs or a disability, parents are often invited to help support their child on a school trip. Parents are also invited to regular class assemblies and concerts. 21. Who can I contact for further information or to discuss a concern? The first point of contact would be your child s class teacher to share your concerns. You could also arrange to meet with the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion. Look at our Special Educational Needs policy on our website. Sefton SEN and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) is an organisation that provides independent advice and support for parents and families 0151 934 3334 seftonsendiass@sefton.gov.uk 22. Who should I contact if I am considering whether my child should join the school? Contact the School Office to arrange a meeting and tour of the school. 10
If your child has a special educational need or a disability you could contact Mrs Anderson or Mrs Godfrey, who will discuss how the school could meet your child s needs. 11