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Great Denham Primary

At Great Denham Primary School, we are committed to the inclusion of all pupils in all areas of primary school life. Every child deserves a broad and balanced education. We have a highly inclusive culture in our school and we are responsive to the diversity of children’s backgrounds, interests, experience, knowledge and skills.

We recognise the diverse and individual needs of all of our pupils and take into account the additional support required by those children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We value high-quality teaching for all learners and monitor both teaching and learning in the school. We strive to create a learning environment, which is flexible enough to meet the needs of all members of our school community.

Who to contact

Telephone
E-mail
enquiries@gdps.uk
Website
www.greatdenhamprimary.org.uk/

Where to go

Name
Great Denham Primary School
Address
Great Denham Primary School
Greenkeepers Road
Great Denham
Bedford
Postcode
MK40 4GG
Get directions

Other Details

Costs

Details
Breakfast club £4.50 per day After school club £3.50 for the Early session (3.15-4.15pm) £6.50 for the Late session (4.15-5.30pm) which includes a snack £7.50 for the Late session (4.15-6.00pm) which includes a snack.
Age Bands
0-4 years old
5-10 years old

Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

At Great Denham Primary School students are identified as having SEN through a variety of ways including the following:

  • Liaison with nursery schools/previous school
  • Identification of children performing at below age expected levels
  • Concerns raised by parents
  • Concerns raised by teachers - if, for example, behaviour or self-esteem is affecting performance
  • Liaison with external agencies
  • Health diagnosis through paediatrician

 Standardised intake assessments

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

WHO WILL OVERSEE, PLAN, WORK WITH MY CHILD AND HOW OFTEN?

  • Our SENCo oversees all support and progress of any child requiring additional support across the school.
  • The class teacher will plan and oversee work for each child with SEN in their class to ensure that progress is maximised in every area.
  • There may be a Teaching Assistant (TA) working with your child either individually or as part of a group.

 

WHO WILL EXPLAIN THIS TO ME?

  • The class teacher or SENCo will meet with parents once a term to discuss and review any support needs.

 

HOW ARE THE GOVERNORS INVOLVED AND WHAT ARE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES?

  • The Head Teacher reports to the Governors every term to inform them about the progress of students with SEN; this report does not refer to individual children and confidentiality is maintained at all times.
  • One of the Governors is specifically responsible for SEN and there is a dedicated team of governors that meets regularly.
  • The Governors agree priorities for spending within the SEN budget with

 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

WHAT ARE THE SCHOOL’S APPROACHES TO DIFFERENTIATION AND HOW WILL THAT HELP MY CHILD?

  • In Reception we allow children time to settle in to school, but through the EYFS- a comprehensive set of developmentally graded milestones we can quickly identify where children may need extra support or experiences to make age related expectations by the end of their time in Reception.
  • All work in the classroom is pitched at an appropriate level so that all children are able to access the curriculum according to their specific needs. Teachers and support staff will use the IEPS to inform their planning for each lesson.
  • In each session the work will be differentiated carefully according to the individual needs in the class. The benefit of this type of differentiation is that all children can access a lesson and learn at their level.
How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?
  • We offer an open-door policy where you are welcome any time to make an appointment to meet with either the class teacher or SENCo and discuss how your child is getting on.
  • We can offer advice and practical ways that you can help your child at home. Parents are welcomed into school.
  • We believe that your child’s education should be a partnership between parents and teachers; so, we aim to keep communication channels open and communicate regularly, especially if your child has complex needs.
  • We operate a home / school link planner which your child will bring home daily so that comments from parents and teacher can be shared and responded to when needed. This can be particularly useful for effective communication, for example if there has been a stressful or anxious start to the day at home, or to celebrate successes.
  • If your child is on the SEN list they will have an IEP. This contains information about how we will be supporting your child in the school and how you can support them at home. These documents are discussed and agreed in termly scheduled meetings with parents.

In addition, if your child has an EHCP or Statement of SEN, a formal meeting will take place once a year with parents, local authority representative and external agencies to discuss your child’s progress and a report will be written to summarise the meeting and recommend any changes to the plan or statement itself.

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

WHAT IS THE PASTORAL, MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOL?

• We are a very inclusive school. We welcome and celebrate diversity. As a staff we believe passionately in our wonderfully stimulating immersive curriculum that is great fun and personalised, which creates maximum enjoyment for all children as they work. This curriculum is crucial to promoting high self-esteem and in turn supports the well being of everyone. We have an experienced, caring, supportive and understanding team looking after our students.

 

The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in his or her class; therefore, this would be the parents’ first point of contact. If further support is required the teacher liaises with the SENCo for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as Health and Social Services, and/or the Behaviour Support Team.

• The school also has a Family Support Worker who will work with vulnerable children and their families and liaise with External Agencies where appropriate.

• We are lucky to have a drama therapist on staff that works therapeutically with children identified as having support needs as appropriate.

 

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL MANAGE THE ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES?

• The school has a policy regarding the administration and managing of medicines on the school site.

• Parents need to contact the office staff if medication is recommended by Health Professionals to be taken during the school day and fill in a form.

• On a day-to-day basis the medicines coordinator (a trained First Aider) will oversee the administration of any medicines.

• As a staff we have regular training and updates of conditions and medication affecting individual children so that all staff are able to manage medical situations.

 

WHAT SUPPORT IS THERE FOR BEHAVIOUR, AVOIDING EXCLUSION AND INCREASING ATTENDANCE?

• As a school we have a very positive approach to all types of behaviour with a clear behaviour system that is followed by all staff and students.

• The school’s Inclusion Team meets on a weekly basis to discuss individual students who need a variety of support to access the full curriculum.

• The Head teacher monitors attendance of every student on a daily basis. Lateness and absence are recorded and analysed to ensure that support is directed to students and families where needed. The Family Support Worker will work with families to promote good attendance.

 

HOW WILL MY CHILD BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR VIEWS?

• We are very supportive of Student Voice where we value children having opportunities to express their views on all aspects of school life. This is usually carried out through the School Council, which meets regularly to discuss issues identified by the students in school. There are also opportunities to participate in Eco-Club and Safety Squad and the chance to be a Head of Family, Prefect or Librarian.

• Children with SEN are involved in the creation of their IEP, which will allow them to share their views on all aspects of their learning needs.

• If your child has an EHCP or Statement of SEN their views will be sought before any annual review meetings.

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?
  • SENCo
  • Sensory Circuits (daily)
  • Music Therapy
  • Drama Therapy
  • Play Therapy
  • Nurture Support
  • A specialist TA for Dyslexia
  • Family Support Worker- helping vulnerable children and their families access school in the most positive way possible
  • Education Welfare Officer
  • Autistic Advisory Support Team
  • As a school we work closely with any external agencies that are relevant to individual student’s needs within our school including: Educational Psychologists, Behaviour Intervention; Health including – GPs, School Nurse, Hemihelp Paediatricians, Speech & Language therapists; social services, Hearing and Sensory impairment Team, AdoptionPlus, Visual Impairment Team.
What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?
  • All of our staff receive regular training through internal and external providers, this is targeted towards the needs of the pupils they work with as well as their own professional development.
  • We have access to expertise through advisory teachers and specialists who undertake training with staff.
  • We also are very lucky to have a number of staff who have specific training in specialist areas such as dyslexia, speech and language and autism. We try to use this expertise to support children with specific learning needs and encourage adults to share their knowledge with other members of the team.
  • Where a child has specific needs we will ensure that the staff members working closely with them will receive appropriate training to enable them to manage their needs and care, as necessary, to ensure they are happy, safe and able to access their learning.
How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?
  • All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum and we aim for all children to be included on school trips. 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, then alternative activities, which will cover the same curriculum areas, will be provided in school.
How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?
  • Transition meetings with local nurseries and preschools inform us of the needs and support that your child requires.
  • For children with SEN we encourage visits to assist with familiarisation to new surroundings. We would also visit them in their current setting if possible.
  • If your child has complex needs or an EHCP or Statement of Special Educational Need then the SENCo will attend a review meeting in nursery, preschool or school. This will help to inform and aid planning and preparation for successful transition.
  • We would also encourage attendance at our series of information/ experience days including “Stay and Play” and Transfer days. To support the transition of the most vulnerable students we offer additional sessions if required.
  • We liaise closely with Staff when receiving students and transferring them to different schools ensuring all relevant paperwork is passed on and all needs are discussed and understood.
How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?
  • We ensure that the needs of all students who have Special Educational needs are met to the best of the school’s ability with the funds available.
  • We have a large team of TAs who are funded from the SEN budget and support children on a 1 to 1 basis.
  • The budget is allocated on a needs basis. The children who have the most complex needs are given the most support.
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?
  • When a child is first identified as having Special Needs the school will work through 3 stages of intervention to gauge their needs. If a child is still not making progress or accessing learning they move on to the next stage. Each stage may last from 6-12 weeks to allow impact to be measured. We will involve parents in discussion of each stage, the support their child is receiving and how this is impacting on their learning.
    • Stage one is to ensure that the child is receiving quality first teaching.
    • Stage two is to provide high-quality differentiated teaching which target the pupil’s areas of need  and makes adaptations to allow them to access their learning. This may include short-term interventions individually or in groups, in or out of class as necessary.
    • At Stage 3 more rigorous interventions may be offered and expertise from external agencies may be sought to advise on how best to meet a child’s needs.
How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?
  • We have a regular Parent Forum, which meets to discuss key issues, and help the school make informed decisions.
  • We have an open-door policy where you are welcome any time to make an appointment to meet with either the class teacher or SENCo and discuss how your child is getting on. We can offer advice and practical ways that you can help your child at home.
  • There are parent consultation meetings held at key points in the academic year where you are able to discuss your child with their class teacher or other key members of staff.
  • Parents are able to join the Friends of Great Denham group which fund raises and organises family fun sessions throughout the school year