Who are the best people to talk to in this school about my child’s difficulties with learning/ Special Educational Needs or disability (SEND)?
Inclusion Team
- Coordinating all the support for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and developing the school’s SEND Policy to make sure all children get a consistent, high quality response to meeting their needs in school.
- Ensuring that you are:
- involved in supporting your child’s learning
- kept informed about the support your child is getting
- involved in reviewing how they are doing
- Involved in setting new targets
- Liaising with all the other people who may be coming into school to help support your child’s learning e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology, Specialist Inclusion Support Service etc...
- Updating the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring all the SEND needs of pupils in this school are known) and making sure that there are excellent records of your child’s progress and needs.
- Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school so they can help children with SEND in the school achieve the best progress possible.
Class Teacher
- Ensuring that all children have quality first teaching and that the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils
- Checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be things like targeted work, additional support) and discussing any changes with the Inclusion Team know as necessary.
- Writing Individual Education Plans (IEP), and sharing and reviewing these with parents at least once each term and planning for the next term.
- Ensuring that all staff working with your child in school are helped to deliver the planned work/programme for your child, so they can achieve the best possible progress. This may involve the use of additional adults, outside specialist help and specially planned work and resources.
- Ensuring all staff working with your child in school are aware of your child’s individual needs and/ or conditions and what specific adjustments need to be made to enable them to be included and make progress.
- Ensuring that the school’s SEND Policy is followed in their classroom and for all the pupils they teach with any SEND.
Teaching Assistant and Learning support Assistant
- A Teaching Assistant (TA ) will work with small groups of pupils in English and Maths lessons in lower school and work directly with the class teacher to support children (some of whom may be on the SEND register) to target areas that will support good pupil progress.
- A Learning Support Assistant (LSA) may be allocated to a pupil with exceptional special educational needs and/ or disabilities. They play a valuable role in the development of your child and we encourage regular dialogue between them and parents/ carers. However, we ask that questions related to your child’s progress are directed at the Class Teacher or the Inclusion Team.
Headteacher
- The day to day management of all aspects of the school, this includes the support for children with SEND.
- She will give responsibility to the Inclusion Team and class teachers but is still responsible for ensuring that your child’s needs are met.
- She must make sure that the Governing Body is kept up to date about any issues in the school relating to SEND.
SEN Governor
- Making sure that the necessary support is made for any child who attends the school who has SEND.
What are the different types of support available for children with SEND at CBJS?
Class teacher input via excellent targeted classroom teaching also known as Quality First Teaching.
- That the teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
- That all teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
- Different ways of teaching are in place so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve things like using more practical learning or using a range of resources that will meet the needs of your child.
- Specific strategies (which may be suggested by the SENCO or outside staff) are in place to support your child to learn.
- Your child’s teacher will have carefully checked on your child’s progress and will have decided that your child has gap in their understanding/learning and needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.
Specific group work with in a smaller group of children.
What does this mean for your child?
- Class teachers identify children who need more targeted support in addition to classroom teaching. The gaps in their knowledge will be identified and used to form a short programme to support your child making more rapid progress.
- The teaching assistant will run these small group sessions using the teacher’s plan or a recommended programme which will support your child fill the gaps in their knowledge.
Specialist Support run by outside agencies e.g Speech and Language therapist or Specialist Inclusion Support Service (SISS)
- Your child will have been identified by the class teacher/Inclusion Team (or you will have raised your worries) as needing more specialist input instead of or in addition to quality first teaching and intervention groups.
- You will be asked to come to a meeting to discuss your child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward before referrals are made
- You may be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional e.g a Speech and Language Therapist or the Specialist Inclusion Support Service. This will help the school and yourself understand your child’s particular needs better and be able to support them better in school.
- The specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations, which may include:
- Making changes to the way your child is supported in class e.g some individual support or changing some aspects of teaching to support them better
- Support to set better targets which will include their specific expertise
- A group run by school staff under the guidance of the outside professional e.g a social skills group
- A group or individual work with outside professional
- The school may suggest that your child needs some agreed individual support in school. They will tell you how the support will be used and what strategies will be put in place.
Children on the Stage of SEN Code of Practice: School Action Plus
which means they have been identified by the class teacher/Inclusion Team as needing some extra specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. This may be from:
- Local Authority central services such as the ASD Team or Sensory Service ( for students with a hearing or visual need)
- Outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy (SALT) Service.
Specified Individual support
Usually your child will also need specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. This may be from:
- Local Authority central services such as the ASD Team or Sensory Service ( for students with a hearing or visual need)
- Outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy (SALT) Service.
- The school (or you) can request that the Local Authority carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s needs. This is a legal process which sets out the amount of support that will be provided for your child.
- After the school have sent in the request to the Local Authority (with a lot of information about your child, including some from you), they will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to need a statutory assessment. If this is the case they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s needs. If they do not think your child needs this, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus.
- After the reports have all been sent in the Local Authority will decide if your child’s needs are severe, complex and lifelong and that they need more support in school to make good progress. If this is the case they will write a Statement of Special Educational Needs. If this is not the case, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus and also set up a meeting in school to ensure a plan is in place to ensure your child makes as much progress as possible.
- The Statement may outline the number of hours of individual/small group support your child will receive from the LA. It will state how the support should be used and what strategies must be put in place. It will also have long and short term goals for your child.
- The additional adult may be used to support your child with whole class learning, run individual programmes or run small groups including your child.
This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are: Severe, complex and lifelong
What strategies are used to support the specific needs of my child?
Communication and Interaction
Autistic Spectrum Disorders
-
Provision of individually tailored visual support pack for specific children including individual timetables, checklists and task boards.
-
Provision of sand timers where appropriate
-
Support and strategies suggested by the school’s ASD team implemented and communicated with parents/ children.
-
Intervention from the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) for children and their parents/carers on referral, delivered at CAMHS or in school as appropriate.
-
Intervention from the Meadow Centre for children and their parents/carers on referral, delivered at in school as appropriate.
Support / supervision at unstructured times of the day including personal care:
-
Play leaders initiating and supporting activities during lunch breaks.
-
Individual lunchtime support where specified in a statement
Speech, language and Communication Needs
-
Assessment by and intervention from the school speech and language therapist. Recommendations and support put in place by teaching assistants/ learning support manager.
-
Delivery of individual SALT programmes by the school speech and language therapist.
Cognition and Learning Needs
Moderate Learning Needs
-
Regular access to computers using supportive computer programmes
-
Small group reading support in class through guided reading and individual reading support out of class for targeted readers.
-
Small group literacy support in class from class teacher or LSA.
-
Additional individual and small group literacy support, delivered weekly by additional teacher or Senco.
-
Use of support materials e.g., Cuisenaire rods etc
-
Provision of resources to enhance independent learning including high frequency word lists, Scaffolding e.g. writing frames, story maps
-
Provision of table top resources to ensure that learning is multi-sensory and practical.
Severe Learning Difficulties
-
Referral made to the CLD team for assessment where appropriate. Recommendations put in place to support specific need.
-
Specific programmes put in place to support learning needs e.g Read, Write Inc
-
Provision of resources to enhance independent learning including coloured overlays, use of dyslexia friendly coloured paper and font.
-
Provision of specific resources and equipment eg., non-fidget cushion and writing slopes.
-
Use of support programmes and materials e.g., Numicon, Cuisenaire rods etc.
Behavioural, Emotional and Social development Needs
Behavioural Needs
-
Consistent school wide implementation of the school’s behaviour policy which is predominantly based on a positive approach.
-
SEN registration of those children whose behaviour difficulties are persistent and constitute a barrier to learning. Parents will be invited to collaborate with the class teacher to agree a programme of support; home/school books may be set up for daily/weekly communication and behaviour overseen by Senco as appropriate.
-
Referral to the ESBD team where appropriate with recommendations and strategies out in place.
-
Where recommended support given 1:1 with the ESBD specialist.
Emotional Health and wellbeing
-
Circle Time / Bubble Time
-
Meeting and greeting of parents/carers at the end of each day by Teaching assistants/ LSAs
-
Open door policy by leadership team for all parents/carers throughout the day and by class teachers through appointment.
-
Child and Family Worker for children referred to the targeted family support service.
-
Collaboration and communication with all external professional involved with children, as appropriate
-
Designated teacher with responsibility for child protection.
-
All staff trained in child protection at regular intervals.
-
Risk assessments ensure that action is taken to increase the safety and inclusion of all pupils in all activities.
-
The school provides effective pastoral care for all pupils.
Social Need
-
Learning Mentor support focusing on social and emotional development and promoting positive peer interaction delivered 1:4 or 1:6 based on needs of child.
-
Wide range of pastoral support to support children’s behaviour in and beyond the classroom including use of LSA and Learning mentor and individually tailored programmes e.g circle of friends
-
Outdoor learning offers a different approach to the curriculum, which supports social, emotional and behavioural needs.
-
Assembly themes include social and emotional aspects of learning.
Sensory and Physical Needs
Hearing Impairment
-
Staff work alongside the hearing impairment team to support any recommendations they give e.g best place to sit in the classroom
Physical and medical needs
-
Entrances to school enable wheelchair access. Modificatons are made as recommended by the SPI team for children with physical needs.
-
Provision of resources to enhance independent learning including pencil grips, easy-grip scissors, and rulers, specialist cutlery.
-
Implementation of individual OT support and intervention programmes when recommended.
-
Staff trained in the use of epi-pens. Details and children’s photos in staff room and with medication.
-
Liaison with medical professionals providing ongoing treatment to children in school.
-
Individual protocols for children with significant medical needs.
-
Staff trained in first-aid.
How can I let the school know I am concerned about my child’s progress in school?
-
If you have concerns about your child’s progress you should speak to your child’s class teacher initially.
-
If you are not happy that the concerns are being managed and that your child is still not making progress you should speak to the Inclusion Team or the Headteacher
-
If you are still not happy you can speak to the school SEND Governor.
How will the school let me know if they have any concerns about my child’s learning in school?
If your child is then identified as not making progress the school will set up am meeting to discuss this with you in more detail and to:
-
listen to any concerns you may have too
-
plan any additional support your child may receive
-
discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child’s learning
How is extra support allocated to children and how do they move between the different levels?
-
The school budget includes money for supporting children with SEND.
-
The Head Teacher decides on the budget for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of needs in the school.
-
The Head Teacher and the Inclusion Team discuss all the information they have about SEND in the school, including:
-
the children getting extra support already
-
the children needing extra support
-
the children who have been identified as not making as much progress as would be expected
-
From this information it is decided what resources/training and support is needed.
-
All resources/training and support are reviewed regularly and changes made as needed.
Who are the other people providing services to children with an SEN in this school?
-
Learning Mentor – Donna Williams
-
Child and Family Worker – Rebecca Davidson
Solihull Specialist Inclusion Support Service:
-
Communication and Learning Difficulties (CLD) Team
-
Autism (ASD) Team
-
Emotions, Socials and Behaviour difficulties (ESBD) Team
-
Sensory and Physically impaired (SPI) Team
-
Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)
NHS Services
-
School Nurse
-
Occupational Therapy
-
Speech and Language Therapy
-
Child and Adolescent Mental health Service (CAHMS)
-
Meadow Centre - a multidisciplinary assessment advice and support for children and their families with significant and complex medical, developmental and/or social needs.
-
Educational Psychologists
How are the teachers in school helped to work with children with an SEND and what training do they have?
-
The Inclusion Teams job is to support the class teacher in planning for children with SEND.
-
The school has a training plan for all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children to ensure that teachers and support staff have appropriate skills and knowledge in areas that will improve their teaching and support of children with SEND. This includes whole school training on SEND issues such as ASD and Dyslexia.
-
Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class
-
The school also seeks advice and guidance from local special schools to review, evaluate and develop provision for pupils who have the most complex needs.
How will the teaching be adapted for my child with SEND?
-
Class Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class, and will ensure that your child’s needs are met. Daily planning takes into account individual child’s needs and requirements. Differentiation is approached in a range of ways to support access and ensure that all children can experience success and challenge in their learning.
-
Grouping arrangements are organised flexibly with opportunities for both ability and mixed setting to maximise learning opportunities for all.
-
Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and in groups.
-
Support staff can adapt the teachers planning to support the needs of your child where necessary. Additional adults are used flexibly to support groups and individual pupils; the long term goal is to develop independent learning skills. Monitoring takes place to avoid pupils becoming over reliant and dependent on this adult support.
How will we measure the progress of your child in school?
-
Your child’s progress is continually monitored by his/her class teacher.
-
His/her progress is reviewed formally every ½ term and a National Curriculum level given in reading, writing, and Maths. Science is formally assessed termly in the same way.
-
If your child is not yet at a National Curriculum level, a more sensitive assessment tool is used which shows their level in more detail and will also show smaller but significant steps of progress. The levels are called ‘P levels’.
-
At the end of each key stage (i.e. at the end of year 6) all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). This is something the government requires all schools to do and are the results that are published nationally.
-
Children at School Action and School Action Plus will have an IEP which will be reviewed with your involvement, every term and the plan for the next term made.
-
The progress of children with a statement of SEND is formally reviewed at an Annual Review with all adults involved with the child’s education.
-
The Inclusion Team will also check that your child is making good progress within any individual work and in any group that they take part in.
What support do we have for you as a parent of child with an SEND?
-
The class teacher is regularly available to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have and to share information about what is working well at home and school so similar strategies can be used.
-
The Inclusion Team is available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns/worries you may have.
-
All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you with the person involved directly, or where this is not possible, in a report.
-
IEP’s will be reviewed with your involvement each term.
-
Homework will be adjusted as needed to your child’s individual needs.
-
A home/school contact book may be used to support communication with you, when this has been agreed to be useful for you and your child.
How is CBJS accessible to children with SEND?
-
The building is accessible to children with a physical disability. There are toilets that are suitable for wheelchair users.
-
We ensure that equipment used is accessible to all children regardless of their needs. Where required specialist equipment is bought to meet the needs of that child.
-
After school provision is accessible to all children including those with SEND.
-
Extra-curricular activities are accessible for children with SEND.
-
When specialist programmes/ days are supported by the local authority we ensure that those targeted children have the opportunity to take part
How will we support your child when they are entering/ leaving this school? OR moving on to another class?
We recognise that transitions can be difficult for a child with SEND and take steps to ensure that any transition is a smooth as possible.
-
If your child is moving child to another school:
-
We will contact the school SENCO and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child.
-
We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
-
-
When moving classes in school:
-
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. All IEP will be shared with the new teacher. Children have a meet the teacher session before the end of the academic year.
-
If your child would be helped by a book to support them understand moving on then it will be made for them.
-
-
In Year 2:
-
A number of activities are planned between the Infant and Junior School through the Spring and Summer terms of Year 2.
-
The Inclusion team will attend a Transition Meeting with the Infant staff to discuss the specific needs of your child. The Inclusion Team will attend any reviews in the Summer term form children attending the Junior School in the September.
-
Class teachers from both schools meet when classes are finalised to pass over information about your child.
-
-
In Year 6:
-
The Year 6 leader meets with the staff from feeder schools to organise transition activities for the whole year group.
-
The Inclusion team will attend Transition Meetings with the Inclusion Staff from feeder Schools to discuss the specific needs of your child. At this meeting, appropriate additional transition events are put in place for individual children.
-
Where possible your child will visit their new school on several occasions and in some cases staff from the new school will visit your child in this school.
-
Useful Contacts
Solihull Parent Partnership: http://www.solihullparentpartnership.co.uk/ Telephone: 0121 733 7290
School Nursing Team: 0121 746 4551
Solihull Autistic Spectrum Support and Information: http://www.solihullsassi.co.uk/Telephone: 0121 444 8584
