Sutton Bonington Primary School

At Sutton Bonington Primary School, we welcome and accept all children and families including those who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As an inclusive school, we aim to ensure that all children are appropriately challenged, supported and empowered to be happy and successful. We have experience of working with children with the following range of conditions including: hearing impairments or who require mobility aids; speech and language difficulties; global developmental delay; autistic spectrum condition; emotional difficulties; ADHD; and specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Additionally, we are always willing to adapt and make appropriate provision for children, and make sure that staff are trained about educational needs that are new to us.

First of all, talk to us - to your child's class teacher, or the SENCo, Katherine Chubb, or Headteacher, Lee Shilton. We will listen to your concerns and discuss ways forward.

Children may be identified as having SEN through the following:

• discussion with parents
• concerns raised at pre-school settings or previous schools
• medical professionals
• concerns raised by class teachers due to a child's performance or behaviour in class
• pupil progress meetings between the Headteacher and class teachers or the SENCo (We track the progress of all children throughout their time at school, and regularly review this.)
• tools such as the ‘Dyslexia Friendly Schools’ screening tool.
• external agencies

The school will monitor the child as appropriate and gather any relevant information. Any concerns will be discussed with parents informally or during parents' evening, although children will not automatically be placed on the SEN register at this point.

Where it is determined that a pupil does have SEND, parents will be formally advised of this and the child will be added to our SEND support register. This formal identification helps us ensure that effective provision is put in place and aims to remove barriers to learning.

The support provided consists of a four – part process (known as The Graduated Approach):

This cycle enables the identification of those interventions which are the most effective in supporting the pupil to achieve good progress and outcomes. The SENDCo monitors provision and progress of pupils, and discusses both with class teachers and the Headteacher.

There is an annual formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the school SEND provision and policy. The evaluation is carried out in the Autumn term by the SENDCo, Headteacher and SEND governor, and information is gathered from different sources such as review meetings with parents, pupil interviews, parent surveys and forums and staff feedback. This is collated and published by the governing body on an annual basis in accordance with section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

Reviews of a child’s progress will be made regularly. 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, where necessary, their parents. The class teacher, in conjunction with the SENDCo/Headteacher, will revise the support and outcomes based on the pupil’s progress and development, making any necessary amendments going forward, in consultation with parents and the pupil.

If your child is placed on our SEND Register, you will have termly feedback about how they are getting on, either at a Parents' Evening meeting, or at a termly 'Review Meeting'. A Pupil Profile will be drawn up, outlining your child's strengths, difficulties, any strategies that are effective, and any individual targets they may be working towards. Children with a Statement or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) will have a formal Annual Review.

At Sutton Bonington Primary School, we believe in the importance of good quality classroom teaching in order to meet the needs of our learners. Where a child is identified as having a potential special educational need, we follow a graduated approach where we will assess, plan, implement and review our approach to teaching them in order to better understand their needs, support them to make good progress and help secure good outcomes for them. During this 4 stage cycle of assess, plan, do and review, we may decide that a child needs increasingly personalised provision which may include them taking part in carefully planned small group or 1 to 1 interventions.

In our school we have experience of supporting children with a wide range of needs. We are committed to whole school inclusion and will seek support and training from specialist SEND services where appropriate.

All work within class should be pitched at an appropriate level so that all children are able to access and be challenged accordingly. For example learning resources may be enlarged or transcribed into Braille in order for a child with a visual impairment to access them. Teachers may differentiate work by the content, process, product or the learning environment. In the event of another school closure, parents of children with SEN will be contacted regularly to ensure that children’s outcomes are kept at the forefront and that their emotional needs are being met. Teachers and TA’s will be mindful that any remote learning work set can be accessed and will take in to account the needs of the children in their class.

Usually, decisions are made through discussion between the class teacher, SENCo and Headteacher. It is the responsibility of the senior leadership team, SENCo and governors to agree how the allocation of resources is used.

All pupils with SEN will have access to Element 1 and 2 of a school's budget, which roughly equates to £6,000. Some pupils with SEN may access additional funding. This additional funding might be from a budget which is devolved to and moderated by the Family of Schools. (The Family of Schools comprises of East Leake Academy and its feeder primary schools).

For those with the most complex needs, additional funding (HLN or high level needs) is retained by the local authority. The SENCo in consultation with the Family SENCO will refer individual applications to a multi-agency panel, which is administered by the Local Authority. The panel will determine whether the level and complexity of need meets the threshold for this funding.

SEN development decisions are usually based on current pupil needs and can be linked to our whole school development plans. Recent training has covered ‘Attachment and Trauma’, ‘Lego Therapy’, ‘Using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to deal with stress, anxiety and negative thoughts and behaviour’ and ‘Whole Word Reading Approach’. One member of staff is trained as an ‘Emotional Literacy Support Assistant’ and attends regular supervisions. All training is undertaken in order to improve the quality of our provision for specific pupils as well as across the whole school.

All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum as well as on school trips. Risk assessments are carried out prior to off site visits and individual risk assessments are undertaken where necessary.

As an inclusive school, we are keen for all children to be included in the whole range of extra-curricular activities, including the school council. 

Our school motto is “Together we’re learning for life-every child, every chance, everyday”. We are concerned about the 'whole' child and will do what we can to ensure that they are happy and settled at school. To achieve this we ensure that Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, has a high priority in our curriculum. Resources that support our pupils’ emotional and social development have been uploaded on to the school website under Parents/Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Where children need extra support we may: set up small groups (e.g. Circle of Friends); plan work to be carried out 1:1 with a trained Teaching Assistant (we are also very fortunate to have a pastoral Teaching Assistant two days a week, who primarily works with children to develop self-esteem, social skills as well as support children's emotional well-being and mental health needs); make referrals to outside agencies such as CAMHs (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) or the Educational Psychologist. We also have a Teaching Assistant is training as an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant.

Kate Armstrong

office@suttonbonington.notts.sch.uk

Tel: 01509 672661

We aim to keep all school staff up to date with relevant training and developments in teaching practice in relation to the needs of pupils with SEND.

Staff have recently had training on:

• Attachment and Trauma
• Metacognition and Learning
• Executive Functioning
• Mental health leaders
• Using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to deal with stress, anxiety and negative thoughts and behaviour
• Whole Word Reading Approach’

In the next academic year we will be working on gaining our Dyslexia Friendly Schools Award. Our SENCo, Kate Armstrong, is currently undertaking the National Award for SENCo’s at Nottingham Trent University.

The school continues to build strong working relationships and links with external support services in order to fully support our SEN pupils and aid school inclusion. We may seek advice concerning individual pupils, from external support services through the termly ‘Springboard meetings’, Early Help Unit, the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub and the Rushcliffe Primary Behaviour Partnership.

Advice will be sought from the Rushcliffe Primary Behaviour Partnership Service where there are difficulties or concerns about behaviour. Where a behavioural incident warrants an exclusion, schools have a duty to inform this service.

Sharing knowledge and information with our support services is key to the effective and successful SEN provision within our school. Any one of the support services may raise concerns about a pupil. This will then be brought to the attention of the SENCO, who will then inform the child’s parents. At the moment, some support services are not able to enter school (due to Covid-19) and are carrying out consultations remotely.

We ensure that the needs of all children with SEN are met to the best of the school’s ability with the funds available. We work closely with specialist services when children need adaptations and specialist equipment including assistive technologies.

The school is situated on one floor and can be accessed by wheelchair. We also have a recently built hygiene suite. Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists will be involved in the assessment of any other resources needed in order for us to ensure ease of access and safety for all. An Accessibility Plan is evaluated annually in order to monitor the plan’s effectiveness and ensure that it covers access to the curriculum, written information and the school estate.

We are proud of our relationships with parents and are keen to listen to you, as you know your children best. Children also learn best if parents are involved in their education. You are welcome to discuss your child's progress with their class teacher, the SENCo or the Headteacher.

At Sutton Bonington Primary School we have taken on the principles of ‘The Structured Conversation’ approach following our involvement in the Achievement for All programme and we regard mutual listening as a way of establishing effective relationships with parents of children at our school.  

Reviews of a child’s progress will be made regularly. 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/carers. The class teacher, in conjunction with the SENCo/Headteacher, will revise the support and outcomes based on the pupil’s progress and development, making any necessary amendments going forward, in consultation with parents and the pupil. 

As mentioned above, if your child is placed on our SEN Register, you will have termly feedback about how they are getting on, either at a Parents' Evening meeting, or at a termly 'Review Meeting'. A Pupil Profile will be drawn up, outlining your child's strengths, difficulties, any strategies that are effective, and any individual targets they may be working towards.

Children with a Statement or EHC Plan will have a formal Annual Review.

Before review meetings, children are asked for their views on what is going well, what isn't going well, and what helps them to learn or get on better. In some cases, children are invited to contribute at the beginning of their review meeting which might involve them sharing a piece of work which they are proud of or a short video clip of them sharing their views.

The SENCo may carry out informal discussions with children about the impact an intervention is having on their learning. 

First of all, please speak to your child's teacher, or the SENCo, or Head teacher. If this does not resolve your concern or complaint, the Headteacher or the SEN governor, Sarah Saunders, will be able to advise on formal procedures for complaint.

Sarah Saunders is the governor with special interest in provision for children with SEN. She meets with the SENCo and is updated on changes, needs in school, current concerns and budget. The Governors are then also able to agree priorities for spending within the SEN budget with the overall aim that all children receive the support they need in order to make progress.

Sutton Bonington Primary School works closely with a wide range of organisations and services; we are able to refer children to relevant agencies that provide additional support. We follow the Nottinghamshire ‘Concerning Behaviours Pathway’ where necessary in order to ensure that the relevant agencies are involved.

Further information on support groups are available to parents through Nottinghamshire SEND Local Offer website (www.nottshelpyourself.org.uk )

Other websites that contain some useful information include:

Be U Notts – Free mental health counselling service for 0-25 year olds (https://www.beusupport.co.uk/)

NottAlone (https://nottalone.org.uk )

Contact a family (www.cafamily.org.uk )

SEND Gateway (www.sendgateway.org.uk )

Autism East Midlands (https://www.autismeastmidlands.org.uk )

Autism East Midlands East Leake Hub- (www.autismeastmidlands.org.uk/family-child-services/family-support-hubs/east-leake-autism-hub )

Small Steps Service: Nottinghamshire (Small Steps Service Nottinghamshire | Notts Help Yourself

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Parent Partnership Service (www.ppsnotts.org.uk)

The noticeboard in the foyer also contains further information on services such as the ‘Small Steps Service’. The school SENDCo, Mrs Armstrong, will also happily help with further signposting.

Pupils due to start school each September are normally given the opportunity in the preceding Summer Term to visit the school for three sessions, allowing them to meet SEND Information Report Questions for Nottinghamshire 2020/21 their new class teacher, become familiar with the school environment and routines, and to experience school life. The class teacher or class teaching assistant will visit children in their current setting and liaise with their keyworkers there. Where children are already identified as needing provision that is different from or additional to that which is normally provided for a child of a similar age, parents will be contacted to arrange a home visit so that the child's needs can be discussed.

Each summer term, the current class teacher meets with each child’s next teacher to discuss individual needs and progress. Pupils’ profiles are shared. If we feel that a child will benefit from extra transition arrangements, we put those in place (e.g. transition books or photos). New class teachers are invited to Summer Term review meetings.  

The SENCo and Class Six teacher liaise with staff members from a range of secondary schools. Most secondary schools offer a couple of transfer days to Year Six children. Again, if a child will benefit from extra transition arrangements, we put those in place.

This is encountered by all children, at an age-appropriate level, as part of our ongoing PSHE programme of study, covering themes of health and well- being, relationships, and living in the wider world. For instance, children will learn about their rights and responsibilities as members of families, other groups and ultimately as citizens, to be a productive member of a diverse community, about where money comes from, keeping it safe and the importance of managing it effectively, and a basic understanding of enterprise. Sometimes, children with SEND will be given additional small group or individual learning opportunities to enhance such ‘life skills’, in readiness for their transition to secondary school and beyond.

Further information can be obtained by visiting the school website or by contacting Kate Armstrong (SENCo) or Katherine Chubb (Acting Head Teacher).

Last Updated: September 2022

The information in this report is updated annually and will next be updated in September 2023