Hartpury C of E Primary School

Special Education Needs

Introduction

Hartpury C of E Primary School values the contribution that every child can make and welcomes the diversity of culture, religion and intellectual style. The school seeks to raise the achievement, remove barriers to learning and increase physical and curricular access for all. All children with SEN/SEND are valued, respected and equal members of the school.

As such, provision for pupils with SEN/SEND is a matter for the school as a whole. All teachers are teachers of pupils with SEN/SEND. The trust board, Headteacher, SendCo and all other members of staff have important responsibilities.

Our special educational needs co-ordinator (SENDCO) is Mrs A Philcox. She can be contacted through the school office or by emailing sendco@hartpury.gloucs.sch.uk.

Objectives

• To ensure that the culture, practice, management and deployment of resources are designed to meet the needs of all pupils with SEN/SEND.
• To enable pupils with SEN/SEND to maximise their achievements.
• To ensure that the needs of pupils with SEN/SEND are identified, assessed, provided for and regularly reviewed.
• To ensure that all pupils with SEN/SEND are offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum including the foundation stage and the National Curriculum as appropriate.
• To work in partnership with parents to enable them to make an active contribution to the education of their child.
• To take the views and wishes of the child into account.
• To ensure that the school will work to establish and maintain a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.
• Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.
• To make sure that all procedures in the Child Protection and Safeguarding of Children Policy are followed. (See Child Protection Policy).

Roles and Responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities in implementing the Policy for Special Educational Needs at Hartpury C of E Primary School:

The Governing Body

• Should, in accordance with the Headteacher, determine the school’s general policy and approach to provision for children with SEN/SEND establish the appropriate staffing and funding arrangements and maintain a general oversight of the schools’ work, using the SendCo Evaluation forms as a guideline of necessary and appropriate provision to follow.
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• Must report to parents annually on the school’s policy on Special Educational Needs.

The Headteacher

• Has responsibility for the day to day management of all aspects of the school’s work, including provision for children with SEN/SEND. The Headteacher meets with the SendCo regularly to discuss SEN issues and keeps the governing body fully informed. Tracking records are analysed during a designated meeting that takes place every term.
• The Headteacher and SendCo will be closely involved in the strategic development of the SEN/SEND policy and provision.

All teaching and non-teaching staff

• Should be involved in the development of the school’s SEN/SEND policy and be fully aware of the school’s procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for pupils with SEN/SEND.

The SendCo

• Working closely with the Headteacher, senior management and fellow teachers should be closely involved in the strategic development of the Policy and Provision that is made for pupils.
• The SendCo has responsibility for day to day operation of the School’s SEN/SEND policy and for co-ordinating provision for pupils with needs, particularly through School Action and School Action Plus.
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• Liaising with class teachers to review and develop new provision. The introduction of AFA, has also meant the implementation of Structured Conversations that take place between staff and parents, meaning that I.E.P.s are no longer in place for some children, but that provision is discussed between parents and teachers and implemented by the whole school.
• Maintaining /updating records of children on the Code of Practice.
• Liaising with external agencies.
• Working with children on the Code of Practice at School Action, School Action Plus and EHCPs..

Admission Arrangements

The Headteacher is responsible for the admission arrangements which accord with those laid down by the Local Education Authority. Hartpury is an inclusive school that welcomes children from all backgrounds and of all abilities. The school acknowledges in full its responsibility to admit pupils with already identified Special Educational needs, as well as identifying and providing for those not previously identified as having any needs. All children are welcome. The school follows the local authority admissions policy. It is keen to liaise with previous educational settings and to arrange support where needed. Provision may need to be in place before a child could start school in some cases.

Disability

Hartpury C of E Primary School is committed to ensuring equal treatment of all its employees, pupils and any others involved in the school community, with any forms of disability and will ensure that disabled people are not treated less favourably in any procedures, practises and service delivery. Furthermore our school will be proactive in securing the best provision possibly for members of our school community in order that they are able to access our provision and other provision on our site to the full.

(See Disability Equality Scheme.)

Accessibility

The school building is totally on one level and all areas are accessible by wheelchair dropped kerbs that are installed.

The playground is likewise accessible directly from the building, while a sloping path leads to the playing field.

The Nature Area is accessed via a pathway and it contains raised flowerbeds for easy access.

There is one toilet for people with disabilities in the building.

Recent improvements also include dropped kerbs at the front entrance and an allocated parking space.

Allocation of resources

The school employs a SendCo for 4.25 hours a week.

The Headteacher and SendCo are responsible for the operational management of the specified and agreed resourcing for Special Needs provision within the school, including the provision for children with statements of special needs.

The Headteacher informs the governing body of how the funding allocated to support special needs has been employed.

The Headteacher and staff consult with the SendCo to discuss resources needed. Funds directly related to Statements are discussed annually during finance meetings when budgets are allocated. The Headteacher and SendCo draw up the resources bid when the school is planning for the next improvement plan.

Identification, Assessment, Provision and Review

• Pupils may arrive in school with an identified need, which will be provided for and reviewed in the usual way.
• A special need may be identified through the course of regular, ongoing classroom assessments and observations.
• Tests are carried out at the beginning and end of each school year. These may take the form of
  • Reception; Foundation Stage Profile/ Phonics Assessments
  • Year 1; Teachers Assessment/ Phonics Assessment
  • Year 2; KS1 SATs/ Phonics Assessment
  • Year 3; Optional tests and reading Tests
  • Year 4; Optional tests and reading test
  • Year 5; Optional Tests, reading Test and CATS
  • Year 6; KS2 SATs and Reading Tests

Furthermore, teachers track progress through the use of APP in reading, writing and maths.

Reading and Spelling tests are carried out with all children on the Code of Practice to monitor Progress.

A Daniel and Diack Spelling Tests is completed when an outside referral is made to an outside agency.

• If a medical or physical need arises, a child may be referred to the school nurse or other relevant Health Professional.
• Once identified in class, a child will be referred to the SendCo for further assessment. LEA Descriptors will be looked at along with evidence from standard reading, spelling and comprehension tests, together with phonic awareness and free writing tests. Number assessment is also completed if required. If necessary, further specific tests such as BPVS (for language development) can be borrowed from the SendCo Cluster Group.
• The LEA Audit descriptors for the areas of Special Needs are used to place a child at School Action or School Action Plus. These are:
  • Communication and Interaction
  • Cognition and Learning
  • Behaviour/ Emotional/ Social
  • Sensory
  • Physical
  • Medical

Class teachers are to refer to the descriptors in their class Sen File.

• The School will then make provision for the child under the Code of Practice at School Action Stage. The class teacher and the SendCo will agree on the level of intervention to be taken.
• Any I.E.Ps that are written and any forms used to note provision used for a pupil, contains intervention details for that particular child. In particular they contain current targets for a specific time period and how the child may be expected to achieve them. The class teacher and the SendCo together are responsible for seeing that all provision is delivered and reviewed.
• In our school we encourage children to take responsibility and to make decisions. This is part of the culture of our school and related to children of all ages. The work in the Foundation Stage recognises the importance of children developing social as well as educational skills. Children are encouraged to make judgements about their own performance against their targets. We recognise success here as we do in any other aspect of school life.
• If a child is placed at School Action Plus, consultations will be arranged with the Educational Psychologist in the first instance. He/she will usually see the child in school, followed by the parents, with the class teacher and the SendCo. Outside agencies may also be involved, for example, Speech Therapy or Physiotherapy and the ATS. The school is keen to liaise and co-operates with outside agencies such as the NHS. The school then follows the advice given by these agencies.
• For pupils with statements, the terms of the statement usually set out the provision to be made, but the school may want to supplement this provision with in –house arrangements. Annual Reviews will be arranged by the SendCo in accordance with the Code of Practice. Pupil’s views will be sought prior to their Annual Review.
• The school works closely with parents in the support of those children with Special Educational Needs/ Disabilities. We encourage an active partnership through an on-going dialogue with parents and the introduction of AFA, Structured Conversations. The Home-School agreement is central to this.
• Pupils should be aware of their targets and their own strengths and weaknesses.

Access to the Curriculum

• All pupils have the entitlement to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. All pupils with SEN/SEND are taught for the vast majority of the week with their peers in mainstream classes by class teachers and study the age appropriate curriculum.
• Teachers use a range of strategies to meet the children’s Special Educational Needs. Lessons have clear learning objectives; we differentiate work appropriately and we use assessment to inform the next stage of learning.

By seeking advice from and the support of the SendCo, class teachers match the learning to the needs and abilities of the pupils. They use a range of strategies to develop the pupil’s knowledge, understanding and skills. Where appropriate, materials are modified or support is provided to enable pupils with SEN/SEND to access the learning or the assessment processes.

The school acknowledges that its practices make a difference. Because of this the school and teachers regularly review issues related to pupils with SEN and classroom organisation, teaching styles and methods, materials and tasks to determine how these could be improved.

The SendCo works with children placed at School Action and School Action Plus to provide additional support of their particular needs.

If required, applications are submitted for access arrangements in KS2 SATs.

Access to the Wider Curriculum

In addition to the statutory curriculum, the school provides a wide range of additional activities. These include both competitive and non-competitive sport, the wildlife Club, French Club, Computer Club, Colouring Club, Art Club, Music Groups, School drama productions, Residential and Non Residential Trips and a variety of competitions.

Pupils with SEN/SEND are encouraged to participate in everything and their participation in these activities are monitored carefully. Pupils with SEN/SEND who have particular talents are encouraged to participate.

Monitoring and Evaluating the Successes of the Education Provided for pupils with SEN/SEND.

The School, including the governing body, is committed to regular and systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of its work. Since January 2006, the governing body has provided a School Profile Document, which replaces the Annual report to parents. This includes reporting on the quality of education provided for pupils with SEN/SEND and their achievements. The school employs a series of methods to gather data for analysis including;

• Regular observations of teaching by the Headteacher, Governors and link advisers.
• Analysis of the attainment and achievement of different groups of pupils with SEN/SEND.
• System of monitoring interventions and teacher/parent support.
• Success rates in respect of SATs tests.
• Scrutiny of teacher’s planning and pupils’ work.
• The views of parents and pupils.
• Regular monitoring by the Governing Body/Sen Governor.
• Maintaining provision maps.
• Maintenance of assessment records such as reading and spelling age tests that illustrate progress over time.
• Regular meetings between Senco and class teachers and TAs.

As a result of the above, the school reports annually upon its successes and identifies aspects for future development.

Arrangements for dealing with complaints from parents.

The school is obliged to have procedures in place in case there are complaints by parents. If a parent is unhappy with the education that their child is receiving, or has any concerns relating to the Special Education needs, we encourage that person to talk to the class teacher and Senco immediately.

• In the rare circumstance that a complaint cannot be resolved informally, parents should follow the procedures laid out in the Complaints Policy. 
• Names of organisations that can provide advice to parents can be obtained from Shire Hall.

Arrangements for In-Service Training

All staff and governors in our school are entitled to professional development opportunities. These opportunities are linked to local and National priorities such as;

• Those identified within our school development plan.
• Appraisal as part of Performance Management System.
• DFES guidance for Newly Qualified Teachers.
• The SendCo attends the local SEN cluster meetings once a term and any other training days that are provided.
• The SendCo is available to give advice and share expertise with teaching and non-teaching staff ay any reasonable time.
• The SendCo will lead a staff meeting each term to discuss SEN/SEND matters and update staff.
• The SendCo will spend time with NQTs and new members of staff to induct them with regard to SEN/SEND in the school.

Links with other school, teachers or facilities

The School maintains close links with the following schools and organisations in order to benefit pupils;

• Little Oaks Nursery
• The Newent Group for early years Children
• Health Visitors
• Alderman Knight Special School
• Speech Therapist
• Physiotherapist
• Occupational therapist
• Newent Community School.
  Liaison with the Senco of the school ensures the smooth transfer into Year 7
• School Nurse/Doctor
• EP Service
• Advisory Service
• Educational Welfare Officer
• Child Health and Social Services
• Traveller Education Service
• Behavioural Support Team

The role played by Parents of pupils with SEN/SEND

In accordance with the Sen Code of Practice, the school believes that all parents of children with SEN/SEND should be treated as equal partners. The school has positive attitudes to parents, provides user-friendly information and strives to ensure that they understand the procedures and are aware of how to access advice.

Parents will be supported and empowered to;

• Recognise and fulfil their responsibilities as parents and play an active role in their child’s education. Concerns about a child’s progress will always be discussed with their parents before placing them on the Code of Practice. Parents are always consulted and involved in the decisions about referrals, provision and seeking advice from outside agencies.
• Provision and interventions are shared with parents and they are asked to support targets where possible. Parents are invited to meetings regularly and are kept informed of the child’s progress throughout the year.
• Have knowledge of the child’s entitlement with the SEN/SEND framework – when a child is placed on the Code of Practice, parents are informed about the Interventions, the targets set, the extra support their child will receive and how they can help their child at home.
• Make their views known about how their child is educated – parents are invited to share their views about their child, regarding strengths and their concerns.
• Have access to information, advice and support during assessment and any related decision making processes about Special Educational Provision.

List of Acronyms:

• SEND – Special Educational Needs & Disability
• SEN – Special Educational Needs
• SENCo – Special Educational Needs Coordinator
• AFA – Achievement For All
• IEP – Individual Educational Plan
• KS1/2 – Key Stage 1 / 2
• CATS – Cognitive Ability Tests
• SATs – Standard Assessment Tasks
• LEA – Local Education Authority
• TA – Teaching Assistant

*This policy is presently being updated inline with the new SEND Code of Practice 2014