The Carlton Infant Academy

The Carlton Infant Academy celebrate and value the differences between each child and adult. Within our school community, we have pupils with a wide variety of special education needs and disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Condition, attachment and trauma, allergies, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and Speech, Language and Communication difficulties. Some pupils have a clear diagnosis and others do not but all pupils receive the support they require to make good progress and do not always require an EHC plan to access support.

All children are welcome to attend The Carlton Infant Academy and if there is a Special Educational Need or Disability, we will endeavour to acquire the skills and knowledge to support the child and their family to the best of our ability, making reasonable adjustments that are supported by the Local Authority. We work closely with a variety of agencies to ensure smooth transitions and implementations of care plans. These include the Healthy Families Team, Schools and Families Specialist Services, Gedling Area Partnership, Speech and Language Therapists, the Early Help Unit, Paediatricians, Children’s Centres, GPs and the Educational Psychologist.

We adopt the legal definitions of Special Educational Needs (SEN) taken from section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:

a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or

b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.

A child is not regarded as having learning difficulties solely because their home language is different from the language in which he/she will be taught.

All teachers are responsible for identifying pupils with SEND and, in collaboration with the SENDCo and outside agencies when appropriate, will ensure that those pupils requiring different or additional support are identified at the earliest opportunity.

The school adopts a graduated approach to this process based on High Quality Teaching. A child will be recognised as a ‘SEN Support’ pupil when they require a level of intervention or adaption to basic teaching approaches in order to maintain rates of progress, which may also be slower than peers and minimise gaps with their non-SEND peers, which are beyond the provision for the majority of the class. At this stage, provision is funded by the school. Further to this, pupils may be supported by external agencies when a greater level or more specialised/bespoke programmes are required. Progress gaps with peers may be more profound due to slower rates of progress, even with clear learning support. Provision is more likely to be maintained with additional funding applied for by the SENDCo from the ‘Additional Family Needs’ funding stream. At this level, intervention strategies are bespoke to the child’s specific needs and the provision pathway may be supported by outside agencies.

Should a parent/carer have concerns about their child in relation to SEND, they may either contact the class teacher, who will discuss concerns and possible strategies with the SENDCo or Rachel Clarke (0115 9100887) directly. We would then devise a strategy of support/monitoring in partnership with the parent/carer and the pupil.

In order to ensure the best outcomes for pupils with SEND, the school undertakes a programme of monitoring and evaluation.

Monitoring will focus on:

• Attainment of age related expectations.
• Progress from baseline assessment data.
• Quality of teaching.
• Work scrutinies
• Lesson observations
• Child questionnaires
• Record keeping
• Appropriate Target Setting.
• Relationships with parent/carers and their involvement in provision.
• Effectiveness of intervention through data analysis and observations.
• Half-termly pupil progress meetings with all staff.

Monitoring will inform future planning for improvement and CPD for staff.

Successful provision aims to:

• Narrow the attainment gap between pupils with SEND and their peers.
• Prevent the attainment gap widening.
• Equal or improve upon the pupil’s previous rate of progress.
• Ensure that a child enjoys full curricular access.
• Show an improvement in a child’s social/life skills.
• Show improvement in a pupil’s behaviour/attendance.

Monitoring will take place at least half termly through a variety of pathways such as: lesson observations, work/planning/record keeping scrutiny, pupil interviews, learning walks, target monitoring and governor visits. The SENDCo will undertake monitoring of pupils with SEND and report to Head teacher and Governors at least annually.

Pupil progress is monitored on a half-termly basis supported by the SENDCo, head teacher class teachers and teaching assistants. Data is analysed by the Head teacher and Assistant Head half termly to identify focus children for interventions such as nurture, ELSA and subject booster classes. Case studies are generated for children not making progress and all class teachers contribute to them.

The Carlton Infant Academy operate an open door policy. Informal chats are welcomed at the beginning and end of the school day. If a parent/carer has a specific query or concern then a meeting will be set up at the earliest mutually convenient time. The parents of children in the Foundation Stage are welcome to attend workshops. Key Stage One also host open mornings with different focuses throughout the year.

Formal parent’s evenings are held twice a year. This gives an opportunity for books to be looked at, successes celebrated and targets set.

Half-termly meetings are held for children that have agency involvement and need additional support in school. Everyone meets at school to review progress and to devise an action plan for the upcoming half term.

Our school has a nurture facility and ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) leads. Parents/ carers of children on the SEND register are on a structured conversation programme with an evidence book to track progress.

Pupils identified as having SEND are, as far as is practical, fully integrated into mainstream classes. Every effort is made to ensure that they have full access to the National Curriculum and EYFS materials at their level and are integrated into all aspects of the school. The SEN Code of Practice 2014 makes it clear that all teachers are teachers of pupils with special educational needs. Where adjustments are required, specific strategies and resources will be put in place.

The school teaches from the National Curriculum in Key Stage One and the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This encompasses planning and organising tasks, support and resources. It also includes scaffolding questioning and how feedback is given to the pupil about progress and steps to improvement. Pre key stage standards and the Engagement Model are used where relevant in Key Stage One and B squared in the Foundation Stage.

Curriculum scaffolding is the responsibility of every teacher, supported by the Curriculum Leaders. The curriculum is reviewed annually and adjusted by the Curriculum Leaders with the SENDCo to ensure that it promotes the inclusion of all pupils. This includes learning outside the classroom.

The SENDCo, in collaboration with the class teacher, TA, pupil, parents/carers and where appropriate outside agencies, will decide the actions required to help the pupil progress. Based on the results of previous assessments of ability and attainment the actions might be:

• Full-time education in classes, with additional help and support from class teacher/TA through a scaffolded curriculum.
• Deployment of a TA to work with the pupil 1:1 or in small groups.
• Provision of alternative learning materials/special equipment including ICT or sensory equipment.
• Bespoke programmes of work implemented by the teacher.
• Staff development/training to undertake more effective strategies such as Autism training.
• Access to Local Authority (LA) support services for advice on strategies, equipment, staff training, carrying out specific assessments and report to parents/carers.
• Programmes of work advised by outside agencies to support whole child development such as Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy.

It is expected that wherever possible, all children will be included to attend out of school visits. A pre-visit by a member of staff will take place to assess the suitability of the venue and to complete a risk assessment. Nursery children will have a higher ratio of adults on trips.

• Our school has an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) that supports children’s social skills, emotions, bereavement, friendships, anger management and self-esteem.
• A nurture facility for small groups of children to work on their emotions/ social skills.
• Alternative lunch time provision is available for children that find it tricky to integrate with the whole school.
• Pupil voice is a big focus at The Carlton Infant Academy. The happiness and wellbeing of the children is the main priority.
• Our school PSHE lessons focuses on children’s Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning.

Mrs Clarke – r.clarke@thecarltoninfantacademy.org.uk  

Available in school Monday to Friday 0115 9100887.

Governor for SEND – Aimee Utting

• Autism awareness courses.
• Attention Autism
• ADHD training
• PDA training
• Engagement Model training.
• Emotion Coaching training.
• Attachment and Trauma training.
• Comic strips and social stories.
• Language Lead training.
• CRB training
• Intensive Interaction
• Joint CPD with other schools.
• Boxhall Profile training.
• Pupil Premium training.
• Emotional coaching
• Brakewell Cycle
• Learning Sandwich
• Talking Table
• Copy Box intervention
• Blanks level of understanding.

We also have medical training specific to identified pupils’ needs such as allergies that require an Epipen to be administered.

The SENDCo is a Redhill Lead in Education (RLE) for SEND. She delivers training to students and facilitates networks with other SENDCos.

The SENDCo attends the family of schools’ Springboard meetings three times a year to request support for specific pupils from outside agencies. The SENDCo is also able to make emergency/additional requests outside Springboard although the outside agencies apply their own criteria for access to support.

We have numerous partnerships such as:

School Nursing and Paediatrics, Education Psychologist, Autism Team, Early Years Team, Speech and Language Team, PSED Team, CAMHS, Children’s Centre Services, Flexible Short Breaks, MASH, Family SENDCo, Schools and Families Specialist Services, Gedling Area Partnership Nottinghamshire, LAC Teams and Women’s Aid.

We have changing bed facilities in our disabled toilet to allow privacy for the children. Extra fencing around the school site has been installed. There is outdoor wheel chair access. Advice and funding to support pupils with physical needs is gained from the Local Authority and the Physical Disability Specialist Service.

See Questions 3b,e and g

The designated teacher of LAC ensures that appropriate support is provided and support provision and information is shared in PEP and LAC reviews.

Pupils are also asked to contribute to pupil voice questionnaires and help to devise their own academic and pastoral targets. Staff use child-led learning and interests in order to stimulate them and attain the best outcomes.

In the first instance, it is important to contact the SENDCo as she has overall responsibility for provision of the pupils with SEND. Mrs Clarke is always willing to listen and support issues, making amendments where possible to ensure the very best outcomes for pupils and their families. Should a resolution not be found, the Head of School Miss Scrivens can be contacted through the school office.

If no resolution is found after following this pathway, it is recommended that parents/carers follow the school’s complaints procedures, set out in the policy available directly from the school, or on the website.

The governing body has appointed a SEND Governor, Aimee Utting who works closely with the SENDCo, to support her role and relationships with outside agencies. The SENDCo summarises her work with outside agencies and reports key information to this governor.

Parents are made aware of useful websites, courses and services via SEND section of the school website.

https://www.nottshelpyourself.org.uk/kb5/nottinghamshire/directory/service.page?id=SwknOYTfdlE

Coffee mornings for parents with children with SEND are held focusing on different areas of need. Most recent ones have had representatives from an Community Paediatrics, CAMHS and a men’s mental health charity.

We also signpost to the Nottinghamshire Local Offer website.

• The SENDCo or Foundation Leader Rebecca Martin will contact the feeder nursery settings prior to children transitioning to our school at Reception age. Miss Martin
• Where possible a visit will be arranged to visit the children in their setting and discussions had with the current class teacher or SENDCo. Cluster meetings happen so that information can be shared.
• Extra transition visits or a staggered transition for children with additional needs is encouraged.
• An admission meeting is held at school for parents/carers to meet staff and arrange a home visit if required. This enables the child to show their environment to the adults that will be in their class.

A detailed transition plan is in place for movement across Key Stages and to the Junior school. Children visit their new classes and all key information is passed between the staff. Extra transition visits are made for the children that require them.

By contacting the SENDCo, Mrs Clarke or the Head Teacher Miss Scrivens 0115 9100887 or accessing the SEND policy on our website: http://www.thecarltoninfantacademy.org.uk

Our school’s Local Offer can also be viewed on this page. https://www.nottshelpyourself.org.uk/kb5/nottinghamshire/directory/service.page?id=SwknOYTfdlE

Please see our website for our Accessibility Plan.

http://www.thecarltoninfantacademy.org.uk/about-our-school/policies

On our display boards in and around school.

In our termly newsletters.