Queen Eleanor Primary School

We are an inclusive school and each case will be judge on an individual basis, examples are Dyslexia, ASD, MLD.

We aim to identify children with special needs as soon as possible at Queen Eleanor Primary School. However, it is important to consider that all children enter school with different experiences, progress at different rates and attain different academic levels. Staff working directly with your child may raise a concern if he/she does not appear to be making the expected progress over a number of weeks. Perhaps they appear to be falling significantly behind the level of their classmates, despite working hard, or you yourself, may notice that they don’t appear to be improving in their learning.

The Head Teachers report includes a section updating issues relating to SEND which are discussed. This gives Governors the opportunity to contribute to any decisions related to evaluating the effectiveness of provision. Children are not identified by name. There is a designated SEND governor. Under the new Code of Practice we anticipate there will be about 10% of pupils on the SEN register. Children can be placed on, or removed from the register at any time throughout the year. At the end of each term, there is a discussion between all class teachers and the SENCo regarding the sufficiency of provision. A provision map is prepared for the coming academic year.

School staff have high expectations for all learners. Teachers monitor children’s progress on a day to day basis through a range of assessment types. For learners with the most significant needs, daily contact with families takes place, for example through informal conversation at the end of the school day or sometimes in home-school books. As a school, we measure children’s progress in learning against National expectations and age related expectations. It is the class teacher’s responsibility through discussion with Teaching Assistants to note areas of improvement and where further support is needed. We track pupil’s progress from school entry to Year 6, at the end of each half term. Children who are not making expected progress are picked up through discussion between teachers, teaching assistants, SENCO, Head teacher and parents. Individual tracker graphs showing smaller steps of progress within wider National Curriculum Levels are drawn up as a measure of progress. Information about pupil progress is shared with parents at two parent-teacher meetings. Parents with children on the special needs register are encouraged to attend additional appointments to discuss their child’s progress. If a child has not met a target on their plan, the reasons for this will be discussed, then the target may be adapted into smaller steps or a different approach may be tried to ensure the child does make progress. The annual school report is sent home during the summer term.

Our aim is for all children, regardless of their need, to be given the opportunity to take part in appropriate learning opportunities in an inclusive manner. Staff are expected to deliver high quality class teaching which is differentiated to meet the needs of all our learners.

Within the classroom setting you may find that your child:

• Uses alternative forms of recording their work
• Uses physical or mobility aids • Uses additional visual prompts
• Works in small focus groups with an additional adult
• Works 1:1 with an additional adult
• Takes part in an intervention programme, available to support children who require help in a specific area which goes beyond the work available in class
• Works with a specialist teacher, for example a Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Educational Physiologist, Behaviour Support Team or Schools and Family Support Services –who may support children with autism or dyslexia.

If your child receives significant, additional levels of support, an Educational Health and Care plan (EHC) will be created for him/her. This will detail the specific areas of learning, targets and strategies they are using to improve. You will receive a copy of this, so you are fully aware of how your child is being supported at school. The targets set are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time scaled), with the expectation that the child will achieve the target by the time it is reviewed. The plan is regularly reviewed and updated throughout the year and you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress at regular parent-teacher meetings and termly structured conversation meetings. You can, of course, access the Head teacher, SENCO or members of the support staff for updates at any time. (The SENCO is the named member of staff in charge of children on the special needs register). At Queen Eleanor Primary School each class writes a half termly Provision Map which outlines the additional support that is being provided for children with additional needs. This may be 1:1 teaching support, an intervention programme, targeted teaching assistant support and may take place in class or in a group withdrawn from class. The impact of the additional provision is reviewed at the end of the half term by the teacher in conjunction with the SENCo. The provision is then reviewed in the light of this.

Queen Eleanor Primary is a small school and staff pupil ratios are high. All work within class is pitched at an appropriate level so that children are able to access it according to their specific needs. Typically, this might mean that in a lesson there would be three different levels of work set for the class. Teaching Assistants are very experienced, and have the ability to deliver individually differentiated activities and use their initiative to intervene when learning objectives need to be broken down into even smaller steps. Class teachers are encouraged to discuss approaches to differentiation with specialist staff. Teachers/Teaching assistants attend sessions provided by outside agencies in order to ensure continuity of approach between visits. There are regular discussions between teaching assistants, class teachers and the SENCO regarding pupil progress.

When your child’s needs are initially discussed, the provision he/she needs will be agreed upon. It is important that the school, parents and pupils work together at this stage. If there are differences of opinion about the nature of support required, or very specialist support is suggested, the school may seek the advice of external agencies to help in the decision making process.

All pupils are included in all parts of the school curriculum and we aim for all children to be included on school trips/residential visits. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure everyone’s health & safety will not be compromised. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, school would firstly discuss the difficulty with parents to see if they could help, working in partnership, to facilitate a solution. Alternatively, we would try to provide activities which would cover the same curriculum areas.

Queen Eleanor Primary School is an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity. All staff believe that children having high self-esteem and the ability to communicate clearly is crucial to a child’s well-being. We have a caring, understanding team looking after our children. Pupils who regularly work with teaching assistants on a 1:1 basis always have chance to share their worries or concerns during these sessions. The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class, therefore this would be the parents’ first point of contact. If further support is required the class teacher liaises with the SENCO or Head teacher for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as Health and Social Services, Educational Psychology, and/or the Behaviour Support Team.

SENCo Jeremy Bingham contacted by the school office.

We have Teaching assistants who have had training in:

• Delivering Speech & Language programmes from Speech & Language therapists.
• Delivering reading spelling / phonics and numeracy programmes.
• Delivering specific programs to help support children’s gross/fine motor skills.
• Supporting children with ASD/dyslexia, BSED and ADHD.
• Manual Handling.
• MAPA training.
• Administering medicines and carrying out medical and flushing procedures.

SSFS, Education Psychologist, PDSS, Targeted Support and all other NCC services.

There is a budget set aside in school to support children on the special needs register. In order to make sure that learners with SEND have the required resources in each classroom, a proportion of the SEND budget is used towards class based provision. This might take the form of additional physical resources e.g. enlarged visual aids, additional ICT equipment, writing slopes, alternative seating etc. Class teachers are encouraged to discuss their resource needs with the SENCO and Head teacher.

School staff have high expectations for all learners. Teachers monitor children’s progress on a day to day basis through a range of assessment types. For learners with the most significant needs, daily contact with families takes place, for example through informal conversation at the end of the school day or sometimes in home-school books. As a school, we measure children’s progress in learning against National expectations and age related expectations. It is the class teacher’s responsibility through discussion with Teaching Assistants to note areas of improvement and where further support is needed. We track pupil’s progress from school entry to Year 6, at the end of each half term. Children who are not making expected progress are picked up through discussion between teachers, teaching assistants, SENCO, Head teacher and parents. Individual tracker graphs showing smaller steps of progress within wider National Curriculum Levels are drawn up as a measure of progress. Information about pupil progress is shared with parents at two parent-teacher meetings. Parents with children on the special needs register are encouraged to attend additional appointments to discuss their child’s progress. If a child has not met a target on their plan, the reasons for this will be discussed, then the target may be adapted into smaller steps or a different approach may be tried to ensure the child does make progress. The annual school report is sent home during the summer term.

At Queen Eleanor Primary School we encourage all pupils to have a viewpoint. Children who are on the special needs register discuss and set their child friendly targets with their class teacher/Teaching Assistant. They are encouraged to evaluate for themselves whether targets have been met and if not, what strategies they can use to improve. Periodically a pupil questionnaire is used, where we actively seek the viewpoints of children. Pupils are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult if they have a worry. If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan, (EHC Plan) their views will be sought before any review meeting. (Children with Current Statements will be transferred over to EHC plans in the next 1-3 years).

In the first instance contact the class teacher. If this does not achieve satisfaction then the SENCo or head teacher. As a last resort the complaints governor be contacted.

As a school we work closely with any external agencies that we feel are relevant to our children’s needs including: - Behaviour and Emotional Interventions; Health including – GPs, school nurse, play therapists, paediatricians, speech & language therapists; occupational therapists; social services including - social workers and Educational Psychologists. We also seek regular advice from our families of schools at regular SENCo meetings.

The school has a notice board outside the office with offers and services available.

• We encourage all new children to visit the school prior to starting when they will meet their teacher and classmates. They will also be shown around the school. For children with SEND we may encourage further visits to assist with the acclimatisation of the new surroundings. We would also be keen to visit them in their current school.

• When children are preparing to leave us for a new school, typically to go to Secondary education, we arrange transitions visits and additional enhanced transition visits when necessary. Our ‘feeder’ secondary schools all run a programme specifically tailored to aid transition. Transition Staff also come to talk to children.

• We liaise closely with Staff/SENCOs when receiving and transferring children to different schools, ensuring all relevant paperwork is passed on and all needs are discussed and understood.

• We encourage all new children to visit the school prior to starting when they will meet their teacher and classmates. They will also be shown around the school. For children with SEND we may encourage further visits to assist with the acclimatisation of the new surroundings. We would also be keen to visit them in their current school.

• When children are preparing to leave us for a new school, typically to go to Secondary education, we arrange transitions visits and additional enhanced transition visits when necessary. Our ‘feeder’ secondary schools all run a programme specifically tailored to aid transition. Transition Staff also come to talk to children.

• We liaise closely with Staff/SENCOs when receiving and transferring children to different schools, ensuring all relevant paperwork is passed on and all needs are discussed and understood.

In today’s world family circumstances can be extremely diverse. Here at Queen Eleanor Primary School we try to support families in a holistic way and appreciate that everyone faces problems at one time or another.

When extra support or guidance is needed, we are very happy to signpost parents and carers to a range of support services within Nottinghamshire:

Parent Partnership: 0115 948 2888 www.ppsnotts.org.uk

Autism Support Groups in Nottinghamshire: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/autism/support Indigo Kids.web.com norsaca.org.uk Helpline: 0115 976 1805

Nottinghamshire ADHD Awareness: 0788 164 5663

www.netmums.com email Naomi.sincalir.ntlworld.com

RUSH: http://www.rushadhdsupport.org

Dyslexia action Nottinghamshire: 0300 303 8350 nottingham@dyslexiaaction.org.uk