West Bridgford Infant School

West Bridgford Infant School is a large mainstream infant school that aims to be as inclusive as possible and tries to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. We aim to actively include children with a broad range of special needs. We aim to provide every child with access to a broad and balanced education. This includes the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and the National Curriculum in line with the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.

Identifying and supporting children with SEND happens in different ways.

• Early Years Schools and Families Specialist Service or other agencies may inform the school about a forthcoming admission of a child with SEND
• All children are regularly assessed and progress is tracked and monitored. Any pupils who are falling significantly outside of the range of expected academic achievement in line with predicted performance indicators and grade boundaries, have social or emotional difficulties, are vulnerable or have specific diagnosed needs will be monitored.
• Children are also assessed by outside agencies and specific diagnosis made. Where outside agencies are involved the school will work alongside them in collaboration with the family.
• If you feel that you are concerned or your child may have special educational needs then this should be raised with the class teacher and/or the SENDCO.

Intervention work is reviewed and tracked by the SENCO with class teachers and teaching assistants, using teacher assessments, results and observations to ensure it is effective. Pupil progress is monitored on a termly basis in line with the SEND Code of Practice. Termly progress meetings with the Head Teacher and Staff are held to monitor progress of different groups including children with SEND. This information is reported back to Governors by the SENDCo and Head Teacher.

The class teacher’s assessment and experience of working with the pupil, details of previous progress and attainment, comparisons with peers and national data, specific assessment tasks and tests as well as the views of parents and pupils is used to identify needs. Advice may also come from external support services. Parents will be offered a chance to discuss progress and how best to support their child each term

More regular meetings happen where staff and families feel necessary. Multi-agency meetings where support from other agencies is necessary will also happen as well as the termly individual progress meetings. A home-school communication book may also be set up where daily contact is needed. At the end of the year you will receive an Annual Report.

The approach for children with SEND varies from child to child, and is personalised according to need. We aim to provide all children with quality teaching. We may use interventions to support their learning. Interventions may involve group or one-to-one teaching both in class and away from the main teaching on specific pieces of work. It may also involve use of different equipment or the adaption of the curriculum. Children who have a special need and/or disability will have the targets and strategies they are working on recorded on a Special Educational Needs and Disability Support Plan. This will be reviewed termly and discussed with both the pupils and their families at individual progress meetings.

The report will include strategies on how families can best support their child. The SENDCO will be consulted as needed for support and advice. Parents will be informed fully of every stage of their child’s development and are encouraged to share information and knowledge with the school. A very small number of children will have exceptional needs that require the school to request support and additional funding from the West Bridgford Family of schools or Nottinghamshire County Council's Children and Young People’s Services.

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. Setting appropriate individual targets that motivate pupils to do their best, and celebrating achievements at all levels. The curriculum may be adapted through differentiation, using prompts, adapted resources and by support from teachers and teaching assistants.

In some cases specific pieces of work and/or interventions will be used. Examples of the interventions we may use include; English interventions such as Switch on Reading, additional phonics, 5 minute box and precision teaching. Numicon or pre-learning to support maths and interventions, for example NELI, to help with speaking and listening or FunFit to help with co-ordination, ELSA or Emotion Coaching to support with emotional learning or social and communication skills. 

The aim of formally identifying a pupil with SEND is to help school ensure that effective provision is put in place and so remove barriers to learning. Decisions on how support is provided consists of a four – part process:

Assess

Plan

Do

Review

This cycle enables the identification of interventions or provision which is the most effective in supporting the pupil to achieve good progress and outcomes. A few children may benefit from support and advice from other sources and specialists. A very small number of children will have exceptional needs that require the school to request support from the West Bridgford Family of schools or Children and Young People’s Services. At all stages of this process we welcome the support and views of families and children.

We will aim to include all children in extra activities. Where necessary we will work alongside families and support services to ensure children access a broad and balanced curriculum. We also aim to make sure all children have equal access to school life including clubs, school council, school visits and in the day to day roles and responsibilities in school.

We recognise that some children have extra emotional and social needs that need to be developed and nurtured. These needs can manifest themselves in a number of ways, including behavioural difficulties, anxiousness, and being uncommunicative. All classes deliver PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) curriculum to support this development. All classes have access to provision learning environments.

We offer a holistic approach to learning and we recognise the value of the individual and strive to provide equal access of opportunity for all. We have access to highly skilled TAs who provide good quality Nurture, play therapy and emotion well being programmes. As a school we committed to work alongside additional support services including: Rushcliffe Behaviour Support, Children's Centres, CAMHs and Health Practitioners.  Our school is a trailblazer for supporting children with their mental health, having access to the Mental Health Support Team who work with children and their families supporting children with low level worries and anxieties.

Further information about SEND at West Bridgford Infant School can be found in our SEND policy available on the school website and from the SENDCO: Gayle Cutts Please contact by telephone: 0115 9747885 or email gaylecutts@westbridgford-inf.notts.sch.uk

Many of our staff have attended specialist training including: Autism, signs and symbols, ADHD, play therapy, fun fit, attachment issues, Makaton, social and emotional wellbeing and positive behaviour management, and CRB physical intervention.

Our school operates the following training programmes:

• The SENDCO will attend specific SEND training events. Teaching Assistants also access training.
• Local Authority conferences
• Specialist Schools and Families Services training
• The Rushcliffe Primary SEMH Partnership provides training for teaching staff, TA’s and Midday Supervisors on behaviour management and social and emotional issues.
• The Educational Psychology Team also provides training for example on attachment issues.
• The West Bridgford family of schools work together to train staff. Individual staff also attend training to support specific needs.
• Our school is part of a collaboration of Infant and Junior schools, where we share good practice and support professional development.

West Bridgford Infant School invites and seeks advice and support from external agencies in the identification and assessment of, and provision for, SEND. We also access the expertise within our family of schools and within the Rushcliffe Schools Alliance.

The SENDCO is the designated person responsible for liaising with other agencies which include the following:

• Education Psychology Service
• Rushcliffe Primary SEMH Partnership
• Social Services
• Speech and Language Services
• Schools and Families Specialist Services
• Specialist Outreach Services
• CAMHs
• School Nurse/Health Visitor
• Healthy Family Services
• Community Paediatrician
• Ask Us Nottinghamshire (formerly Parent Partnership Service)
• Small Steps Service
• Early Help Unit
• Targeted Support
• Early Years Support
• Sensory Impaired Support

The school building has been partially adapted to accommodate children with a physical disability. The main entrance to the school building has a ramped approach and door suitable for wheelchair access to the ground floor. Both access doors have yellow handrails. There is 1 purpose built disabled toilet on the ground floor, with an area for changing. There is also 1 adapted toilet with handrails to the ground floor. Both stairways leading to the mezzanines and top floors have handrails. One of the stairways has 2 levels of handrail and yellow strips on the steps. We work alongside Health Practitioners and Physical Disability Services in any adaptions to our building or equipment that is suggested for children with SEND. In school we use assistive technology to support the children in a variety of ways. We use specific software for the laptops and apps for the iPads to support children with different needs. 

We believe that children do their best when staff and parents/carers work together.  Parents/carers have a unique knowledge of their child and we encourage them to share this knowledge with the class teacher and staff who work with their chi. Parents/carers are invited to review meetings to contribute to their child’s SEND Support Plan. Information on support agencies, including Ask Us Nottinghamshire, is available from the SENDCO (other information is also on our website).  Parents/carers receive a leaflet about Special Educational Needs at West Bridgford Infant School in their admission packs which is also available on the school website.

We can always be contacted for an appointment to discuss other concerns.

Parents can contact their class teacher at the beginning or the end of the day to make an appointment or by phoning or emailing the school office.

The SENDCO: Gayle Cutts can be contacted by phoning the school office or emailing: gaylecutts@westbridgford-inf.notts.sch.uk 

In cases where more frequent regular contact with parents is necessary, this will be arranged based on the individual pupil’s needs. The SENDCO may also signpost parents of pupils with SEN to the local authority Ask Us Nottinghamshire service (formerly the Parent Partnership service), children’s centre and other specialist organisations 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. The school’s SEND governor, Liz Plant, may also be contacted in relation to SEND matters.

Children, where able, are asked to contribute their views on their provision and how they feel they can be best supported. Where possible and appropriate, the teacher and/or teaching assistant will share with the children their learning targets and enable them to participate in decisions regarding their special need.

If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can initially made with class teacher and/or the SENDCO, who will try to resolve any difficulties and also be able to advise on formal procedures for complaint. The head teacher and senior leadership team will aim to resolve any complaints as soon as possible. The School complaints policy is on the school website or available on request from the school office.

Governors have a responsibility to ensure children with SEND can access services by:

• Determining school’s general policy
• Appointing the ‘person responsible’ for Special Needs (SENDCO)
• Having regard to the Code of Practice in all decisions
• Establishing the appropriate staffing and funding arrangements and maintain an overview of the school’s work
• Ensuring that where the ‘responsible person’ has been informed by the LA that a pupil has special educational needs, those needs are made known to all who are likely to teach him or her
• Ensuring that teachers in the school are aware of the importance of identifying, and providing for, those pupils with special educational needs
• Working with the governing bodies of other schools in the area where necessary to co-ordinate special educational and disability provision.
• Ensuring that necessary provision including accessing other services is made for any pupil who has special educational needs and that all pupils are fully included.

Organisations and agencies that may offer additional support to parents are identified at termly progress meetings. Occasionally courses/events for parents may be sent directly to parents by letter or electronically if school thinks it may be of relevance or interest.

Transition into school is carefully managed. The SENDCO will communicate with the parent/s, the current setting and any other professionals to gain as full a picture of the child as possible. The SENDCO and/or Reception teacher from school will visit the nursery/playgroup setting and gather information. A meeting may take place for all involved adults to share knowledge and essential practices that work well. A visual book/passport may be used to support the child with the new environment, staff and routines if appropriate. The SENDCO works with the settings to gather information necessary in order to secure funding where necessary. Additional visits to the school for the child may be needed before they start or a more phased entry in starting at school.

Transition between classes is carefully managed by all the staff. At the end of each year the class teachers hold meetings with the children’s new teachers. TAs also meet, at the end of each academic year, to pass on information about targeted children. Class teachers pass on all relevant information regarding children including details of any interventions, barriers or strategies etc. A visual book/passport maybe used again. Transition to the Junior School is planned carefully. Parents/Carers are invited to a transition meeting with staff from both the Infant and Junior school. All relevant information and details of interventions or individualised support is passed on. Meetings between both school SENDCO’s take place in the summer term, where additional visits for children maybe arranged and Year 3 teachers visit the Infant School.

All children are encouraged to be independent and responsible. All children receive access to a good quality education and a wide variety of key skills necessary for a successful educational career and future adult life.

Parents/Carers seeking more information can contact the following: Gayle Cutts school SENCO: Tel: 0115 9747885

School website: https://www.westbridgfordinfants.co.uk

Abbey and Lady Bay Children’s Centre: Abbey & Lady Bay Children's Centre | Notts Help Yourself Tel: 0115 9694480

Ask Us Nottinghamshire (formerly Parent Partnership Service): Ask Us Nottinghamshire (formerly the Parent Partnership Service) | Notts Help Yourself (openobjects.com) Helpline: 0800 121 7772 

Home Page - Autism East Midlands (formally NORSACA) Tel: 01909 506678

Information for children and young people with disabilities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire can also be found through Ask Us and Ask Iris website Home | Ask Us Nottinghamshire (askusnotts.org.uk)

Nottinghamshire Parent Carer Forum Useful Links – Notts Parent Carer Forum (nottspcf.org)

This is reviewed annually

Last review: October 2023