Information Report

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITY (SEND) INFORMATION REPORT

What types of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can the school make provision for?

St. Cuthbert’s RCVA Primary School is a single-form entry, mainstream primary school, catering for children aged 4-11 years. We believe that every child is an individual and as such we provide a learning environment where every child’s needs are addressed.

How does the school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child has Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

At St Cuthbert’s Primary School children are identified as having SEND in a variety of ways including the following:

Liaison with pre-school / nursery or the previous school attended by the child
Teacher assessments or tests show that the child is performing significantly below age-related expectations
Concerns raised by class teachers, for example behaviour or self-esteem is affecting performance
Concerns raised by parents and carers
Liaison with external agencies, for example Educational Psychology, Speech & Language Therapy, Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy
Health diagnoses through the Paediatrician or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

As a parent, how will I raise concerns if I need to?

Talk to us – firstly contact your child’s class teacher. Concerns can then be raised with Mrs Lambert the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) .
We believe partnership with parents is really important and we value your knowledge of your child. We want to be open and honest with you about our observations in school and hope that you will talk openly with us about your observations from home

How will school support my child?
Who will oversee, plan and work with my child, and how often?

Mrs Noble and Mrs Lambert set the extra provision for individual children who require additional support. Each child’s progress is monitored closely on a half- termly or termly basis, using both Teacher Assessment data, results from standardised tests (e.g. for reading, maths and spelling) and observations from home and school
Class teachers are responsible for organising and timetabling the delivery of this provision, in consultation with the SENCo. The class teacher will ensure that class work is adapted to meet the child’s needs and that what the child is learning in their extra provision is reinforced in class work. Class teachers discuss the progress of individual children with the SENCo and Head teacher on a half termly / termly basis, for example through Pupil Progress Meetings (PPMs)
Teaching Assistants (TAs) are assigned to all classes for general support, but are also deployed at times to work with specific children, either individually or as part of a group. Children with a Statement or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) may have an identified adult or adults to support them in achieving specific targets. The aim of these sessions, who will be providing them and their regularity etc. will be explained to you when the support begins
If it is deemed to be necessary / appropriate, a child will be placed on the SEND register and further assessment, support and monitoring of progress will be undertaken. If a child is to go onto the SEND register, a full discussion will take place between the SENCo and parents to ensure a clear understanding of this process. Children remain on the SEND register until they no longer have an additional special educational need

Who will explain this to me?

The class teacher will meet parents at least on a termly basis, although the frequency of these meetings is determined by the level of a child’s needs. This could be part of a Parents’ Evening discussion, via a telephone discussion or at a separate meeting arranged at a mutually convenient time. The aim will be to discuss the child’s needs, support being put in place, their current targets and progress towards these

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
What are the school’s approaches to differentiation and how will that help my child?

All work within class is pitched at a variety of levels to ensure that all children are able to access the work at their own level. In a typical lesson there will be at least 3 different levels of work offered and children are grouped flexibly according to their need as per the focus of the lesson aims and goals. This ensures all children can access a lesson and learn at their level. In some lessons children are able to pick their own level of challenge from those offered by the teacher. Where necessary work will be specifically differentiated or adapted for individual children.
Where children have specific needs the work and resources will be adapted as directed by the SENCo or on advice from outside agencies (pencil grips, specialist scissors, individual work stations, visual timetables, simplified instructions etc.)

How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?

What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child’s progress?

We offer an open door policy where you are welcome any time to make an appointment to meet with either the class teacher or SENCo to discuss how your child is getting on. We will also, where possible, offer advice and practical ways in which you can help your child at home, in order to support what we are doing in school
We believe that your child’s education should be a partnership between parents and teachers. We therefore aim to keep communication channels open and communicate regularly, particularly if your child has complex needs. This could be through informal discussions before / after school with the class teacher, a telephone discussion, an email or by scheduling a more formal meeting. In some cases we operate a home / school link book which your child will bring home every day so that comments from parents and teacher / TA can be shared and responded to when needed. This allows positives to be shared too and any specific targets can be addressed by home and school working together in partnership. Reading cards / diaries are also useful as a home-school link
If your child is on the SEND register they will have a Provision Map or a Behaviour Education Plan (BEP) which will include 3-4 individual targets. This is discussed on a termly termly basis and parents are given a copy of the Provision Map. The targets set are SMART (Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Time-Specific) targets with the expectation that the child will achieve the target by the time it is reviewed. Children may move on and off the SEND register at any time in accordance with the progress they have made and this decision will always be made in discussion with parents
· If your child has a more complex SEND they may have a Statement or an EHCP, which means that a formal meeting will take place each year to discuss your child’s progress and a formal report will be written. School can request statutory assessment, which, if successful, now leads to an EHCP. Through this process more formal meetings involving external agencies will take place to discuss your child’s progress and identify possible barriers to learning and a written report will be submitted to county

How does the school know how well my child is doing?

At St. Cuthbert’s Primary School we measure children’s progress in learning against national expectations and age-related expectations
The class teacher continually assesses each child and notes areas where they are improving and where further support is needed. As a school we track children’s progress from entry in Year R (using the Early Year’s Foundation Stage Profile) through to Year 6 (using a variety of different methods, including achievement against national age-related expectations, age-standardised test scores and reading, spelling and maths ages).
Children who are not making adequate progress are picked up during PPMs and are discussed between the class teacher, the SENCo or the Head teacher. Any potential barriers to learning will be identified and the support given to the child will be adjusted as necessary. Further support from outside agencies will also be considered if, as a school, we feel this would enable us to make better provision for your child
When the child’s Provision Map is reviewed comments are made against each target to show what progress the child has made to date. If the child has not met the target the reasons for this will be discussed. The target may then be adapted into smaller steps or a different approach may be tried to ensure the child is enabled to make progress. Parents are then invited into school to review progress and, along with their child, discuss and agree the new targets.

What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing? What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the school?

We are an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity. Children need to be emotionally and socially secure in order to learn and all staff believes that a child’s self-esteem is crucial to a child’s wellbeing. We have a very caring and understanding team looking after our children
The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class, therefore the class teacher would be the parents’ first point of contact. If further support is required the class teacher liaises with the SENCo for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as health, Social Services and / or the Behaviour Support Team

How does the school manage the administration of medicines?

The school has a policy regarding the administration and management of medicines on the school site
Parents need to contact the class teacher and fill in a form in the School Office if medication is recommended and prescribed by health professionals to be taken during the school day
On a day to day basis the Admin Staff / TAs / Lunchtime Supervisors generally oversee the administration of any medicines
As a staff team we have regular updates and training (for example from the School Nurse) on conditions and medication affecting individual children so that all staff are able to manage medical situations effectively

What support is there for behaviour, avoiding exclusion and increasing attendance?

As a school we have a very positive approach to all types of behaviour with a clear reward system that is followed by all staff and pupils
If a child has behaviour difficulties a Behaviour Education Plan (BEP) is written alongside the child and parents to identify the specific issues, put relevant support in place and set targets. Exclusions are extremely rare as early intervention usually helps a child to address their issues
Staff will keep records of behaviour incidents and these are then analysed to identify any patterns or possible triggers
After any behaviour incident, we expect the child to reflect on their behaviour with an adult. This helps the child to identify why the incident happened and what the child needs to do differently next time to change and improve their behaviour
As an inclusive school we promote empathy and tolerance. Some behaviours are features of particular individual needs and medical diagnoses and we work with a child’s peers to develop a greater understanding of difference. Similarly, we encourage all parents to share our inclusive principles
The attendance of every child is monitored on a daily basis by the Admin Staff. Lateness and absence are recorded and reported upon to the Head teacher who reports on this termly to Governors. Good attendance is actively encouraged.

How will my child be able to contribute their views?

St. Cuthbert’s School considers it important that each child is able to express their views on all aspects of school life. Pupil-led action groups allow all children to contribute their views (for example School Council, and House Groups) as class representatives feed back to their class and take their views back to meetings
All children review their progress towards their targets on a regular basis and children who have Provision Maps review their progress and set new targets on a termly or half termly basis with their class teacher and TA

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

Our SENCo is fully qualified and accredited
Our SENCo regularly attends SENCo network meetings, working closely with colleagues in other local schools
As a school we work closely with any external agencies that we feel are relevant to individual children’s needs within our school including:- Behaviour Intervention (for example The Behaviour Support Team and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service [CAMHS]) and Health (including the School Nurse, General Practitioners, Clinical Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists; Social Services). Other specialist external agencies can also be contacted as and when the need arises

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

The SENCo has completed the accredited National SENCo Training
All members of staff have regular safeguarding training and the school has a Child Protection Liaison Officer
All staff and administrative staff have Emergency Aid in Schools first aid training and, in addition, some of our TA’s are trained as Paediatric First Aiders

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum and we aim for all children to be included on school trips. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful
A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off-site activity to ensure everyone’s Health and Safety will not be compromised. In the highly 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

How accessible is the school environment?

The school site is wheelchair accessible with a disabled toilet large enough to accommodate changing.
There is 1 marked disabled parking bay in the staff car park.

How will the school prepare and support my child when joining the school and transferring to a new school?

Please refer to the information contained in our school brochure. The school follows the LA Admissions Policy. We recognise that successful transition is extremely important to our pupils with Additional Needs. St. Cuthbert’s work in partnership both with feeder nursery schools for transition to primary school and with secondary schools: the aim is to provide an enhanced level of transition for those who would benefit from this. This may take the form of additional visits for pupils and meetings with parents, children and staff. The period of transition depends on the individual needs of the pupil.

As well as successful transition from Nursery to School and then to Secondary School, we look carefully at moving between classes. Information will be passed on to the new class teacher IN ADVANCE and in most cases, a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher and SEN support team. All Provision Maps will be shared with the new teacher. If you child needs a book such as a Social Story to help them with transition, this will be made for them.

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

The class teacher alongside the SENCo will discuss the child’s needs and decide what support would be appropriate
Different children will require different levels of support in order to bridge the gap to achieve age-expected levels
This will be achieved through on-going discussions with parents and any outside agencies involved
Where children qualify for special access arrangements for exams, for example K.S.2 SATs, these will be applied for and requested as necessary (e.g. extra time, a reader or a scribe)

How do we know if it has had an impact?

By reviewing children’s targets on Provision Maps and ensuring they are being met
The child is making progress academically against national / age expected levels and the gaps with their peers is narrowing – they are catching up with their peers or expected age levels (as shown by the reading / maths / spelling age and their standardised score for reading, spelling and maths which takes account of their exact age relative to the other children in their year group)
Verbal feedback from the class teacher, parent and pupil
Samples of work from before and after the period of intervention
Children may move off the SEND Register when they have caught up or made good progress. This will be discussed with parents.
Where children are receiving additional support their attainment will be recorded both before the intervention begins and once it has been completed. This allows your child’s progress to be measured over a period of time.

Who can I contact for further information about services for my child and SEND support at St. Cuthbert’s Primary School?

The first point of contact would be your child’s class teacher in order to share your concerns
You could also arrange to meet Mrs Susan Lambert (SENCO)
From September 2014 every Local Authority is required to publish information about services they expect to be available in their area for children and young people with SEND and also services outside of the area which they expect children and young people from their area will use. This will be known as the ‘Local Offer’

Who should I contact if I am considering whether my child should join the school?

Contact the School Admin Office to arrange to meet the Mrs Noble our Head teacher who can willingly discuss how / whether the school could meet your child’s needs. They may refer you to Mrs Susan Lambert (SENCo) to discuss your child’s needs in greater detail

What steps should I take if I have a concern about the school’s SEND provision?

If you have a worry or wish to discuss something about your child or St Cuthbert’s approach to SEND the first point of contact should be your child’s class teacher. Your query or concern may then be passed on to the SENCo (Mrs Susan Lambert), or the Head Teacher (Mrs Nicola Noble)
The school is very keen to ensure good communication with parents and carers and takes all queries and concerns seriously. We will endeavour to resolve the issue as soon as possible

Agencies & Partnerships

St Cuthbert’s Primary School works closely with the following professionals in order to provide the highest level of support for pupils with SEND.

• Local Authority Special Educational Needs Inclusion Team

• Durham Educational Psychology Service

• Durham One Point Hub

• Health Agencies, particularly School Nurse Service.

• Central Durham Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

• Speech and Language Therapists

• Durham Autistic Spectrum Team

• Behaviour Support Services / Crisis Response.

• Durham Movement Difficulties Service

• Tree Tops Occupational Therapy Service for Children

• The Service for the Hearing Impaired

• The Service for the Visually Impaired

• Educational Social Workers

• School Parent Support Advisor

• Looked After Children Team

• Learning Difficulties and Disability Support Service

• Occupational Therapy

• Medical Practitioners