SEN Information Report/Local Offer

Billingborough Primary School’s SEN information Report

Here is information for parents about the SEND provision in our school.  If you have any queries about our school local offer please contact the SENDCo, Mrs V McLeary, at school.

What does Special Educational Needs (SEN) mean?

In the 0-25 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice 2014 it states:

‘‘A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.’

The 2014 Code of Practice identifies four areas of special educational needs.

These are:

• Communication and interaction e.g. difficulties with speech and understanding language.
• Cognition and learning e.g. learning and thinking at a slower pace than children of the same age.
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties e.g. displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour, anxiety.
• Sensory and/or physical needs e.g. mobility, hearing or vision.

Who is responsible for Special Educational Provision?

• The Headteacher, Mr Thorpe, is the overall responsible person for Special Educational Provision.
• The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo), Mrs V McLeary, is responsible for co-ordinating the day-to-day provision of education for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.  She monitors the provision, liaises with outside agencies, and provides advice for parents and staff.
• Class teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all pupils in their class, even where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff.
• Mrs J Crummack is the member of the governing body who has specific oversight of the school’s arrangements for SEN and disability.

What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs or a disability (SEND)?

• If you have any concerns about your child’s needs please contact your child’s class teacher to discuss your concerns. It is beneficial to identify a child’s needs early so please contact your child’s class teacher as soon as you have any concerns.
• If staff have concern about your child’s progress or needs, the teacher will contact you to discuss these concerns.
• Your child may express concerns about their progress or needs and these views will need to be shared with staff and parents.

What happens when a concern is raised?

When a concern is raised by a parent or teacher, the following procedure will be used:

High quality teaching, adapted for individuals, is the first step in responding to pupils who may have SEN.  Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having additional needs or SEN.

If concerns remain after initial discussions and interventions, and it is agreed that your child requires provision that is additional and different to that which is offered to all pupils, they will be registered and identified as having special educational needs.  Parents will be consulted with this decision.  The pupil will receive SEN support.

A Support Plan following the graduated approach of assess, plan do and review which is inline with the Code of Practice 2014 will be written. These will consist of short-term targets based on recent assessments, observations and may include targets from an outside agency.  These targets will be monitored by the class teacher and reviewed by the teacher, SENDCo, parent and pupil.  Pupils and parents are encouraged to be fully involved in the process.

A child is able to move between High Quality Teaching and Monitoring and SEN after discussion at a review with staff and parents.

If concerns remain, advice may be sought from specialist outside agencies.  This will only be carried out with parental consent.

If additional and different support exceeds the funding delegated to the school budget for SEN, an application for higher level funding can be requested from the Local Authority by either the SENDCo or parent.  An Education Health and Care Needs Assessment can be requested.  If the assessment is successful a pupil will receive an Education, Health and Care Plan.  If the assessment is refused, a pupil will continue to receive SEN support.  Parents can appeal the decision.

How will the school support my child if they have SEN?

Staff will assess your child’s needs and will include your observations.

Your child will receive a Support Plan containing targets which will be shared with the child, parents and any staff who support the child.

Your child may take part in or do specific interventions and receive support from teaching assistants, teachers or specialist outside agencies.

Staff will review your child’s progress with you and your child on a termly basis.

The process of providing support is called the ‘Graduated Approach’ and it includes:

Assess, Plan, Do, Review

Assess

• A child’s needs may be assessed formally through termly assessments as part of the normal school practice for monitoring progress.  This may include using the Birmingham Toolkit to show progress which is well below the child’s age related level.
• Outside agency specialist teachers may carry out assessments, with parental consent.
• The SENDCo or outside agencies may observe pupils in their learning environment.
• Observations from the class teacher, teaching assistants and parents may be gathered.
• The child’s view are obtained through discussions.  This might be with a teaching assistant, teacher, the SENDCo or headteacher.
• The headteacher or SENDCo will contact the previous school or setting to gather their observations if no information has been previously shared on transition.

Plan

Your child will receive an individual support plan containing targets.  These targets will be set by the teacher, with involvement from the child and parents and outside agencies if they are working with a child.  All targets will be child friendly and SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound.

The support plan will show:

• your child’s strengths and contain your views and those of your child. 
• your child’s areas of need
• previous levels of attainment and current levels after the interventions.
• Strategies and interventions to be put in place.

The plan will seek parental involvement to reinforce or contribute to progress.

 Do

Your child will receive intervention to work towards the targets on their support plan.  This could include:

In class support such as support with following instructions, completing tasks or refocusing.

Small group work, which may take place inside or outside the classroom e.g. working on a specific target or a social skills group.

Enhanced adult support which may be inside or outside the classroom focussing on an individual’s targets e.g. reading, speech and language activities, self-regulation strategies.

Specialist Outside Agegncy Support which is usually done on a 1:1 basis outside the classroom, focusing on the pupil’s specific targets.

Review

Your child’s targets and support plan will be reviewed at least 3 times a year.  Parents and pupils will be invited to attend the review process, as will any outside agencies who have provided advice or support.

The purpose of the review is to:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress.
• Decide if further support is still required.
• Decide if more specialist support is required.
• Decide on the next set of targets.

Who will support my child in school?

• There is a team of staff who support children with special educational needs and/or disability in school including:
• Your child’s class teacher
• Teaching assistants
• The SENDCo
• The Headteacher
• The SEND Governor
• Outside Agencies e.g. Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist.

What training and experience do staff have to support my child with their additional needs?

All teaching and non-teaching staff have been trained and are regularly up-dated on:

• Safeguarding
• PREVENT
• First Aid
• Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Online Safety

All teachers and teaching assistants are highly experienced in teaching children with a wide range of abilities. We have an experienced team of TAs and many of them have worked across all age ranges and for several years at Billingborough Primary School.  All teaching staff have Qualified Teacher Status and have undertaken regular SEND training in school.  This is delivered by the SENDCo or outside agencies. Individuals and groups have training in the following areas:

• Understanding and managing behaviour

• ADHD awareness
• ELSA – Emotional Literacy
• Autism awareness
• Sensory profiling and sensory awareness
• PDA
• Language for Thinking
• Attachment
• Strategies to help learning for SEN pupils
• Team Teach
• Team Around the Child
• Paediatric first aid
• Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellness
• Trauma awareness

The SENCO has completed the National Qualification for the Co-ordination of Special Educational Needs award.

Who else might be involved in supporting my child?

At Billingborough Primary School we are fortunate to receive advice and support from a range of Outside Agencies to support your child if needed.  These include:

• The Working Together Team
• The Specialist Teaching Team
• Occupational Therapist
• Educational Psychologist
• Social Workers
• The Behaviour Outreach Support Service (BOSS)
• Dyslexia Outreach Service
• Physiotherapist
• School Nursing Team
• Early Help Workers

What support will there be for my child’s emotional and social wellbeing?

We are an inclusive and welcoming school. All staff understand that the self-esteem and happiness of children is crucial to their well-being.

A range of techniques are used in lessons to promote speaking, listening, empathy and other social rules. Scenarios that the children may experience are also explored, and problem-solving strategies are developed.

Zones of Regulation are used throughout the school. Children are taught and encouraged to recognise, name and understand their emotions and learn tools to support them in handling their strong feelings.  Self-regulation strategies from the BOSS toolkit are also used to help children regulate their emotions.

We have a clear behaviour policy which is adhered to by all staff.

All child protection issues are reported to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Medical Needs

If your child has a long-term medical need, a Health Care Plan will be put in place.

The school has a policy for the administration and management of medicines on the school site. If medicine is prescribed by a health professional that need needs to be administered by the school, parents/carers are required to complete the appropriate form.

On the website have links to SEN policy

Liaise    https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Liaise

Lincolnshire Parent Carer Forum

If you are unhappy with any aspect of your child’s education and feel that after speaking to the school your concerns have not been resolved, please email John Moss, Chair of Governors, marked FOA of Mr J Moss, Chair of Governors at enquiries@billingborough.lincs.sch.uk