Ranskill Primary School

The school has provision for children with mild to moderate learning difficulties and specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. We can make provision for children who may have a speech and language impairment. The school can also accommodate children who have communication and interaction difficulties such as children who are on the Autistic spectrum.

 All of our pupils have a right to equal opportunities in education, irrespective of their social background, ethnic origin, gender, ability or any other characteristic. We recognise that children are individuals with their own learning needs. Experiences to meet those needs, appropriately differentiated, are offered. When providing support that is ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ we engage a graduated response. Any pupils who are falling significantly outside of the range of expected academic achievement in line with predicted performance indicators and grade boundaries will be monitored. Children exhibiting concerning behaviours will be recorded and appropriate action taken. Any parent who feels their child may have special educational needs should speak to their class teacher in the first instance.

There is an annual formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the school SEN provision and policy. The evaluation is carried out by the SENCo, Head Teacher and SEN Governor. Information is gathered from different sources such as child and parent surveys, teacher and staff surveys, parent’s evenings, consultation evening, feedback forms or school forums.

Pupil progress will be monitored on a termly basis in line with the SEN Code of Practice. This will include the mapping of SEN provision, and the monitoring, review and evaluation of interventions used to support pupils.

Information from provision management can be used to identify how effective provision (interventions) is in enabling pupils to achieve academic and wider outcomes.

Our aims are:

• To ensure that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum.
• To ensure all teacher's use adaptive teaching to continually assess the strengths and needs of learners and adapt their teaching accordingly to ensure all learners can meet expectations to the individual’s needs and ability.
• To ensure the identification of all pupils requiring SEN provision as early as possible in their school career.
• To ensure that SEN pupils take as full a part as possible in all school activities.
• To ensure that parents of SEN pupils are kept fully informed of their child’s progress and attainment.
• To ensure that SEN pupils are involved, where practicable, in decisions affecting their future SEN provision.
• To ensure that children within vulnerable groups achieve in line with their peers.

Pupils with SEN will be given access to the curriculum through the specialist SEN provision provided by the school as necessary and as far as possible, in line with the wishes of their parents and the needs of the individual. Teachers will use in-class provisions and support effectively to ensure that appropriate adaptations are made to ensure access for all. 

All pupils with SEND will have access to Element 1 and 2 of a school’s budget which equates to £6,000 per year. As a family of schools, we have agreed to use element 1 and 2 of a schools budget to provide up to 9.5 hours of support per child. Some pupils with SEND may access additional funding. This additional funding might be from a budget which is devolved to and moderated by the Elizabethan Family of Schools. For those with the most complex needs, additional funding is retained by the local authority. This is accessed through the Family of Schools.

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. Funding for individual pupils with SEND will be determined due to the nature of pupil need by the SENCO and Senior Leadership Team. This funding may include but is not limited to: timetabled support sessions in groups or individually, specialist equipment required to aid access to the curriculum, computer support programs for individual needs, specific resources to aid diagnosis and external support services such as counselling.

Resources for SEND are allocated by the SENCO, based upon the needs of the children involved, in consultation with the head teacher and class teachers. Funding can be received from other sources such as pupil premium.

The school aims to include all children with SEN in activities outside the classroom. We will make any reasonable adjustment in order for this to happen. Where any issues may arise, then parents will be fully consulted about potential changes.

Children access personal and social learning through the curriculum and PSHEE lessons. They also have the opportunity for 'circle time' to discuss issues relating to themselves and others. For children who have greater needs, appropriate intervention to support their personal development will be planned. This may involve small group work, nurture groups or social stories. The school has a trained mental health lead and an internal referral system to support children's mental health needs.  The school has a "Take Care" ethos and promotes profound personal development for all. After school activities and clubs are available for all pupils. A school wide system of "learning pals" supports children in building resilience and confidence.

We aim to take care of all the children within our school and your child will be treated with the same care and attention. If there are particular issues relating to their well-being we will work closely with parents to ensure the best possible outcomes.

The school SENCO is Jane Heald who can be contacted on the school telephone number - 01777 818468.

Overtime staff have had a variety of training including reading and writing interventions, using signs & symbols, manual handling training. The Local Authority advisor on training for managing risky is accessed when required and training from Bassetlaw Behaviour Partnership. Staff have completed NELI training. The school is taking part in interoception training run by School and Families Specialist Service and the good autism practice training run by the local authority communication and interaction team.  If a child’s particular special need creates a training need then there is money set aside to fund staff training. School accesses many specialist services as and when required, including Speech and Language Therapists, Bassetlaw Primary Behaviour Partnership, Physio Therapists, Occupational Therapists, School and Family Services Specialist Teachers and the Educational Psychologist via the Elizabethan family Springboard meetings.

The following services will be involved as and when is necessary:

• Healthy Family Teams
• Educational Psychology Team
• Early Help Unit
• Schools and Families Support Service
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
• Social Services
• Family Support workers
• Speech and Language Support Service
• Primary Social Emotional Development Team (PSED)
• Bassetlaw Primary Health Care Trust

Funding for individual pupils with SEN will be determined by the SENCo and the Senior Leadership Team, based on the nature of pupil’s needs. This funding may include, but is not limited to:

• timetabled support sessions in groups or individually
• specialist equipment required to aid access to the curriculum
• computer support programs for individual needs
• specific resources to aid diagnosis and
• external support services such as counselling.

The school is fully accessible in line with requirements of the Equalities Act 2010.

Parents are kept up to date with their child’s progress through; termly progress reports, parent’s evenings and annual reports. In the event of a parent having a concern about their child’s progress they can discuss this with their child’s class teacher and/or the SENCo.

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 SEN to the local authority Parent Partnership service where specific advice, guidance and support may be required.

We consult with parents through an annual questionnaire and take into account the views on Parent View. We also encourage views of parents at Review Meetings which happen at least three times a year. We have an open door policy and work very closely with parents of all our children. 

Children with SEN will have the opportunity to complete 'pupil voice' questionnaires to ensure they are involved in their own education. Older children are invited to attend structured conversation meetings with their parents and class teacher which allow them a chance to express their possible frustrations or barriers to learning. Children involved in interventions are encouraged to discuss their successes and failures with the adult who is delivering the intervention.

If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made by them to speak to the SENCo or head teacher, who will be able to advise on formal procedures for complaint.

The governing body has a link governor responsible for overseeing the SEN provision.  They work closely with the SENCO and Senior Leadership  Team to ensure that the school is meeting its statutory requirements for SEN provision.

Working in partnership, the governors and school secure access to additional support from outside agencies through the referral process. Pupils can be referred to the Early Help centre, local health services and other organisations to meet their individual needs. Termly Springboard meetings provide a support network with the local authority.

Representatives from voluntary organisations and other external agencies are invited to liaison meetings throughout the year to discuss SEN provision and progress and keep staff up to date with legislation.

For children joining our reception class we provide a full transition program to ensure that they arrive confident. The SENCo and class teacher will meet with early years providers in order for a clear communication of any identified children with SEN to happen.

Where practicable, a similar transition programme is in place for children who join at other stages in their primary education.  At all points, a phase transition will always be planned.

Transition of all children follows the guidelines issued in the transition policy. For children with SEN the school will outline additional support that is available to both the parents and the child.

In order to support a smooth transition we may share information regarding the child’s specific needs and their progress and attainment at school. In the case of children with SEN we may also share the child’s intervention and progress history and any barriers to learning that they may have.

In order to prepare children for their next phase of development, we endeavour to support them to become independent learners.

Further information can be accessed through the school website which is at www.ranskillprimary.co.uk

Additional information about the support and provision available in Nottinghamshire can be obtained through the SEND Local Offer, which can be found at:

www.nottinghamshire.sendlocaloffer.org.uk