The St. Augustine's Academy

St Augustine’s SEND Information report questions for Nottinghamshire - updated September 2022

Last Updated

Record Last Updated On:

Contact Details

Contact Name
Katie Peters
Contact Position
SENCo
Telephone
01909 473473 01909 473473 01909473955 01909473955
E-mail
office@thestaugustines.co.uk
Website
The St Augustine's Academy
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Where to go

Name
St Augustine's School
Address
St. Augustine's School
Longfellow Drive
Kilton
Worksop
Nottinghamshire
Postcode
S81 0DW
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Time, Costs and Availability

Time / Date Details

When is it on
Monday to Friday - from 8.50am until 3.20pm
Session Information
Foundation 1: 8.30-11.30 mornings
12.30-3.30pm afternoons

Availability

Age Ranges
3 - 11 years
Additional Local Offer Information

Local Offer

Description

 

Contact Name
Katie Peters
Contact Telephone
01909 473473
Contact Email
office@thestaugustines.co.uk
Links

Schools Extended Local Offer Response

1. What kinds of special educational needs does the school/setting make provision for?
  • Cognition and Learning Needs
  • Communication and Interaction Needs
  • Sensory, physical and/or medical Needs
  • Anxiety Related Needs
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs
2. (For mainstream schools & maintained nurseries only) How does the school/setting know if pupils need extra help and what should I do if I think that my child may have special educational needs?

Definitions of special educational needs (SEN) taken from section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014. A child or young person has special education needs 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.

c) A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if they fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.

d) Receive additional input because they have exceptional ability in any area – please refer to the schools Gifted and Talented Policy

Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.

3.a) How does the school/setting evaluate the effectiveness of its provision for pupils with special educational needs?

In order to make consistent continuous progress in relation to SEND provision the school encourages feedback from staff, parents and pupils throughout the year. The SENCo in collaboration with the class teacher will decide the action required to help the pupil progress.

These actions might include:

  • use of different teaching and learning styles
  • suggestions for targeted support for teacher/TA to use with the pupil
  • provision of alternative learning materials
  • provision of specialist equipment
  • use of Wave 2 and 3 interventions
  • staff training/development in the use of more effective strategies
  • access to Local Authority support services for advice and guidance
  • Talk Therapy or ELSA sessions
  • Key Worker sessions
  • Use of BSquared to assess children's progress

All interventions will be recorded and monitored through the use of provision maps and Pupil Profiles.  This will allow the school to monitor the impact of any intervention, evaluate effectiveness and assess why an intervention may fail to move a child or young person forward.

Pupil progress of children identified as SEND and those identified as vulnerable to SEND will be monitored by the Head Teacher and Inclusion Leader on a termly basis in line with the SEN Code of Practice. Strategic meetings with class teachers are arranged to discuss and implement relevant interventions/support for those individuals or groups of children who are not meeting expectations.

Provision mapping is updated termly to reflect the above so that all staff are aware of the priorities for these children. These will be discussed with parents on a termly basis to identify and inform the main concerns for these children.

We are continuing to develop an annual formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the school SEN provision and policy. The evaluation will be carried out by the Head Teacher, Inclusion Leader, Forge senior leaders and information will be gathered from different sources such as child and parent surveys, teacher and staff surveys, parent consultation meetings, School Development Plan consultations and School Council feedback. This will be collated and published by the governing body of a maintained school on an annual basis in accordance with section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

Evidence collected will help inform school development and improvement planning.

3.b) How will both the school/setting and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will the school/setting help me to support their learning?

Termly reviews and/or parent meetings will be undertaken. The review process will evaluate the impact and quality of the support and interventions. It will also take account of the views of the pupil and their parents. The class teacher, in conjunction with the SENCo will revise the support and outcomes based on the pupils’ progress and development making any necessary amendments going forward, in consultation with the parents and the pupil.

Parents will be provided with clear information about the impact of support to enable them to be involved in planning the next steps.

Advice on how parents can help children at home is available at any time via class teachers or the Inclusion Leader.

 

The SENCo is available for extra meetings or discussions and can be contacted by phone or Dojo message.

3.c) What is the school's approach to teaching pupils with special educational needs?

We provide quality first teaching where the needs of the pupil are met, wherever possible within the classroom setting.  We aim to provide small teaching groups for the core subjects which are streamed, so all children's needs are met in the classroom.  Specific learning needs (e.g. ADHD) or specific learning differences (e.g. dyslexia) are catered to on an individual basis.

3.d) How will the curriculum and learning be matched to my child/young person's needs?

We provide quality first teaching and clear differentiation to specifically address and target the child’s area of need. Pupils with SEND will access the curriculum through the specialist SEN provision provided by the school as is necessary, as far as possible, in line with the wishes of their parents and the needs of the individual. Every effort will be made to educate pupils with SEN alongside their peers in a mainstream classroom setting. Where this is not possible, the SENCo will consult with the child’s parents for other flexible arrangements to be made.

3.e) How are decisions made about the type and amount of support my child/young person will receive?

All pupils identified with SEND will have access to Element 1 and 2 of the school’s budget which equates to £6000 annually. Some pupils with SEND may access additional funding. (AFN funding) This additional funding may be from a budget which is devolved to and moderated by the Worksop Family of Schools. The Family of Schools comprises of 16 primary schools in the local area.   The 2 local secondary schools are also included in this family.

For those with the most complex needs, additional funding is retained by the local authority, which is applied for by the SENCo, with support from other agencies who work with the child.  This is called HLN funding.

The Family SENCo will refer individual applications to a multi-agency panel, which is administered by the Local Authority, who will determine whether the level and complexity of need meets the threshold for this funding.

Children are monitored carefully in school and if they are displaying significant difficulties that are impacting on their education then the class teacher initially will meet with the SENCos. Together they look at the provision and environment that the child accesses and look for things that may be changed to see if this has an impact. After a graduated response has been considered, including consultation with parents, a support package is arranged. This may include support in the classroom, a referral to Springboard (a multi-agency support forum) or an application for extra funding.

3.f) How will my child/young person be included in activities outside the classroom, including school trips?

St Augustine’s is an inclusive school; no child is excluded from any part of school life. Where necessary, for example, on a school trip, specific travel arrangements may be made or parents may be invited to support their children where necessary.

Child specific risk assessments are rigorously followed through EVOLVE (Nottinghamshire County Councils online visit approval system). Any personnel at the visit site are made aware of any children with SEND and provisions are made as appropriate. 

3.g) What support will there be for my child/young person's overall well-being?

Every child’s well- being is the school's priority.  In class we follow the SCARF programme, which helps us deliver sessions on aspects such as keeping healthy to the children.  The SCARF Life Education bus also comes into school to deliver extra practical sessions.   

We train each class in 'Take 5 breathing' a practical activity which helps children to think about and regulate their breathing.  These sessions have aided children learn techniques in calming themselves down or managing stressful situations. 

For children with additional needs, parents and the child (if appropriate) are involved in the discussion to decide if an additional service is required to be involved in supporting a child, e.g. ELSA support or Talk Therapy.

4. (For mainstream schools and maintained nurseries) Who is the school/setting's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) and what are their contact details.

Katie Peters

SENCo

kpeters@thestaugustines.co.uk

office@theaugustines.co.uk

01909 473473

5.a) What training have staff supporting special educational needs had and what is planned?

All staff are kept up to date with relevant training and developments in teaching practice in relation to the needs of pupils with SEND. The Inclusion Leader attends relevant SEND courses, Family SEND meetings and facilitates/signposts relevant SEND focused external training opportunities for all staff.

We recognise the need to train all our staff on SEN and Inclusion issues and we have funding available to support this professional development. The Inclusion leader, with the senior leadership team, ensures that training opportunities are matched to school development priorities and those identified through the use of provision management. 

In the last and current academic year the school staff have had training on the following:

  • 1st Aid, Diabetes Insulin Support and administering epipen training
  • Peg feeding
  • Lifting & Handling
  • MAPA (Management of Actual or Potential Aggression)
  • Administering Buccal Midazolam (Epilepsy recovery medication)
  • Safeguarding & Child Protection
  • Providing Personal & Intimate Care
  • Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness
  • Domestic Violence & Abuse Awareness
  • Promoting Positive Behaviour
  • Pupil Premium – Closing The Gap, Leaders Network
  • CAMHS – Eating Disorders, Self-Harm, Suicide, Depression & Bereavement, Attachment.
  • ELSA training
  • Take 5 training.
  • DARE
  • How to be COVID compliant in schools
  • AET training
  • Autism awareness training
  • Dyslexia training
5.b) What specialist services and expertise are available or accessed by the setting/school?

School works very closely with a numb er of services, these include:

  • Educational Psychologists
  • School and Family Support Service
  • Medical officers
  • Speech Therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Hearing Impairment Services
  • Visual Impairment Services
  • Physical Disability Services
  • Social Services
  • School Nursing
  • Children’s Centres
  • Independent Counselling
  • Early Health Practitioners
  • PSED team
  • BPBP
  • C & I team
  • CAMHS
  • Family Service
  • Early Help Unit
  • Worksop Family SENCO
  • ICDS
  • General Developmental Assessment pathway personnel
  • Concerning behaviour pathway personnel including clinical psychologists
  • ELSA Counsellors in school
  • Talk therapist in school
  • HRET Team
  • Disability Nursing Team

We regularly organise Multi-Agency Meetings to review a child's provisions. 

6. How will equipment and facilities to support pupils with special educational needs secured? How accessible is the school/setting?

Referrals to the Physical Disability Service is made for any equipment that the child may need whilst in school, such as plinths and personal care requirements etc. The service also provides training for staff and support in writing health care plans, risk assessments and intimate care plans amongst other types of paperwork as required. Referrals for inclusive technology can also be made if the school feels we cannot meet the needs of the child with the existing school technology.

The school has the following specialist SEN facilities in place:

  • Wheelchair access
  • Stair lifts
  • Medical room and hygiene suites for personal care
  • Increased access to the curriculum and assistance during examinations
  • Highly qualified staff
  • High level of TA and care assistant support

Further information can be found in the Accessibility Plan available on the school website, written in compliance with paragraph 3 of schedule 10 to the Equality Act 2010.

Most of our school is on the ground floor, however there are 2 classrooms which are upstairs and installing a lift or other equipment is not possible, so children with severe mobility issues would not be able to access these classrooms.  We therefore move Year groups around to enable these children to access their classrooms safely.  

We have Nurture Group Provision at our school.

7. What are the arrangements for consulting parents of pupils with special educational needs? How will be I involved in the education of my child/young person?

The school seeks to form close working relationships with parents to ensure:

  • Early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND leads to correct intervention and provision
  • The continuing social and academic progress of children with SEND
  • Personal and academic targets are set and met effectively

Parents are kept up to date with their child’s progress through parent consultation meetings, provision reviews, reports and regular conversations with their child’s class teacher.

In cases where more frequent regular contact with parents is necessary, this will be arranged based on the individual pupil’s needs. The SENCo may also signpost parents of pupils with SEND to the Local Authority Parent Partnership service where specific advice, guidance and support may be required.

If an assessment or referral indicates that a pupil has additional learning needs the parents and the pupil will always be consulted with regards to future provision. Parents are invited to attend meetings with external agencies regarding their child and are kept up to date and consulted on any points of action drawn up in regards to the provision for their child.

8. What are the arrangements for consulting young people with SEN and involving them in their education?

The school attempts to ensure that all children, where possible and appropriate, are consulted on setting their targets and identifying their own areas of need.  This is done on their Pupil Profile.  They are also welcome to attend meetings if they and their parents wish them to do so. The views of the children are sought, again where possible and appropriate, when preparing for reviews with parents and other agencies.

9. What do I do if I have a concern or complaint about the SEN provision made by the school/setting?

If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made for them to speak to the SENCo in the first instance who will be able to advise on formal procedures for complaint.  The Senior Leadership Team can also be contacted.

10. How does the governing body involve other organisations and services (e.g. health, social care, local authority support services and voluntary organisations) in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and supporting the families of such pupils?

At St. Augustine's we believe that a close working relationship with parents is vital in order to ensure early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND. This is to ensure the correct intervention and provision is in place in order to continue to increase both the social and academic progress of children with SEND, ensuring personal and academic targets are set and met effectively.

Parents are kept up to date with their child’s progress through progress reports, parents' evenings, provision reviews, and end of year reports.   In cases where more frequent regular contact with parents is necessary, this will be arranged based on the individual pupil’s needs. The Inclusion Lead may also signpost parents of pupils with SEN to the Local Authority Ask Us service where specific advice, guidance and support may be required.

If we consider that a pupil has additional support needs requiring the involvement of an outside professional the parents,  and when appropriate the pupil, will be consulted with regards to future provision. Parents are invited to attend meetings with external agencies regarding their child, and are kept up to date and consulted on any points of action drawn up in regards to the provision for their child.

 

The school invites and seeks advice and support from external agencies in the identification and assessment of and provision for SEND.

The SENCo is the designated person responsible for liaising with the following:

  • Education Psychology Service
  • Behaviour Support Service
  • Speech & Language Service
  • Language and Learning Support Service
  • Specialist Outreach Services

The SENCo is a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and will liaise with the school’s other Designated People for Safeguarding when social care concerns are raised. Representatives from voluntary organisations and other external agencies are invited to liaison meetings throughout the year to discuss SEND provision and progress and keep staff up to date with legislation.

In cases where a child is under observation or cause for concern, focused meetings will be arranged with the appropriate agency. Parents will normally be invited to and informed about any meetings held concerning their child unless there are over-riding safeguarding issues.

11. How does the school/setting seek to signpost organisations, services etc who can provide additional support to parents/carers/young people?

Regular meetings attended by the SENCo provides knowledge to refer to or signpost parents to services/groups that are relevant for their child’s needs.

Review meetings held at school provide opportunities for parents and school to discuss the needs of the child. Parents can also access Nottinghamshire’s local offer website which contains information about services available to families. This can be found at http://nottinghamshire.sendlocaloffer.org.uk

12. How will the school/setting prepare my child/young person to: i) Join the school/setting?

Extra visits to familiarise with the setting and staff can be arranged. The school will consult with parents and previous teachers (where appropriate) to collect a clear picture of the child’s needs. Transition books/pictures/videos can be arranged so that the children can continue to familiarise themselves at home and share with key family members.

ii) Transfer between phases of education (e.g. early years to primary, primary to secondary etc)?

Extended internal transition visits to new classrooms and meetings with their new class teacher will be organised. The school will arrange meetings between key staff, parents and the Inclusion Leader to discuss the needs and provision that needs to be made.

The school will arrange, in conjunction with SEND officers at secondary school, extended transition programmes, which can take place over a number of weeks or months depending on how complex the needs of the child are. These can only be started once a place has been officially allocated.  Secondary school staff will be invited to visit the child at school and will also be invited to attend review meetings leading up to transition.

iii) Prepare for adulthood and independent living?

Not applicable at primary school.

13. Where can I access further information?

The school website at https://thestaugustines.co.uk/ or alternatively contact the Headteacher or SENCo on 01909 473473. We encourage and welcome visits to our school by prospective parents and families. Please contact the school office at the above number to make an appointment to meet with the school leaders and see our school at work.

The above report has been written in compliance with:

  • Section 69(2) of the Children and Families Act 2014
  • Regulation 51 and Schedule 1 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability regulations 2014
  • Section 6 of the “Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 years”

The St Augustine’s Academy is a school at the heart of a local community, made up of two main buildings separated by a playground.  We are part of the Forge Academy.  We have a 40 place nursery in a third building, which is attached to our local SureStart Children’s Centre. We have a strong belief in inclusivity, which can be evidenced through our close support of all children in the school.

Our strong staff team work together to ensure the children are given the best possible opportunity to achieve their individual potential. We offer a high level of expertise across all areas in school. Curriculum or extra-curricular expertise in any area from our parents or local community is always welcomed.

We place an emphasis on concrete, fun experiences and opportunities for our children, backed up by solid and useful learning, developing independence, stamina, problem solving and the building of skills.

We are sure that everyone associated with The St. Augustine's Academy endeavours to ensure our children are happy, safe and are given every opportunity to achieve success.

You can also access: https://askusnotts.org.uk

SEN Information Last Updated On: 29/09/2022

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