Camestone School

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?

Children with SEND are identified by one of three assessment routes, all of which are part of the overall approach to monitoring progress of all pupils.

- The progress of every child is monitored at termly pupil progress meetings. If children are identified as not making progress in spite of Quality First Teaching they are discussed with the SENDCO or a member of the Senior Leadership Team and a plan of action is agreed.

- Class teachers are continually assessing children’s learning. If they observe that a child, as recommended by the 2014 Code of Practice, is making less than expected progress, given their age and individual circumstances, they will seek to identify a cause. This can be characterised by progress which:

• is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
• fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
• fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers

Parents sometimes ask us to look more closely at their child’s learning. We take all parental requests seriously and investigate them all. Frequently, the concern can be addressed by Quality First Teaching, a short intervention programme or some parental support. Otherwise, the child is placed on our SEND register.

The purpose of identification is to work out what action the school needs to take, not to fit a pupil into a category. At Camestone School we identify the needs of pupils by considering the needs of the whole child, which will include not just the special educational needs of the child but also consider the impact of other areas such as;

• Attendance and Punctuality

• Health and Welfare

• EAL

• Behaviour

• Being in receipt of Pupil Premium Grant

• Being a Looked After Child

• Being a child of Service personnel

Parents and families of all children are welcome to discuss their child’s progress with the class teacher or SENDCO. They are actively encouraged to be partners in their child’s education and have opportunities to discuss their child’s progress through:

• informal discussions,

• termly Individual Education Plan (IEP) review meetings,

• telephone contact,

• meetings with the SENDCO and/or family support worker if needed,

• annual written reports,

• meetings with other professionals such as Speech Therapist or Educational Psychologist,

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

When a child is placed on the SEND register, the class teacher writes and reviews an IEP (Individual Education Plan), seeking advice from the SENDCO if necessary. IEPs are written 3 times a year, or more frequently if the child has achieved their targets. 

The SENDCo checks that targets are suitable and attainable before IEPs are finalised.

Staff supporting children with their IEP targets, gather evidence to show the progress made. Children are part of the review cycle where appropriate.

We want to work in partnership with our families, we share IEPs with parents/ carers and aim to work together to support children in meeting their targets. 

Accessibility of our service

All year groups have access to classrooms that are wheelchair accessible. Disabled changing and toilet facilities are available. Improvements have been made to the auditory environment to support the needs of children with sensory needs.

We can print letters and information in alternative languages if requested. We are always more than happy for families to bring along a friend or relative to translate any information during meetings.

Camestone is an inclusive school and will take all reasonable steps to make it accessible to all children.

How we include your child in the planning of their support

Where appropriate, children with SEND give their views about the progress they have made towards their targets during the review cycle of the IEP. We also carry out Pupil questionnaires to gain their views on the support and provision they receive within school. 

 

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

Class teachers adapt their teaching so that all children can access the curriculum, achieve and make progress. Children with SEND have teaching and targets matched to their needs. This may involve adapting the curriculum. For example, the content, the pace or the way that information is presented may be adjusted. 

At times children will be supported by other adults, such as teaching assistants, under the guidance of the class teacher. Specialists from other agencies, such as Speech and Language Therapy, may support your child with specific difficulties.

Resources and equipment are used to remove barriers to learning and build on the child’s strengths. 

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?

Please see above for the ways in which we assess progress and communicate this to parents.

The class teacher has a responsibility to plan for, teach and assess all children within their class. Teacher assessments are made each term. Your child’s class teacher will explain the expected progress your child should be making.

Children with SEND needs will be assessed against their personal targets as well as age related expectations. When necessary, children may also be assessed by outside agencies with specialist knowledge and resources. 

 

 

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

At Camestone School we look at the whole child and celebrate their strengths.

The behaviour policy promotes the emotional and social development of all pupils rewarding behaviour for learning and value based outcomes.

Children are supported by all staff and those children with heightened needs may also be supported by the family support worker. The family support worker works closely with families to improve and maintain attendance, attendance is celebrated through certificates.

In some circumstances, children may be supported by other agencies.

All pupils, regardless of SEND, are encouraged to take an active role in the school through opportunities such as joining the school council and attending clubs.

The school recognises that pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. Some children with medical conditions may be disabled and where this is the case the school will comply with its duties under the Equality Act 2010.

Some pupils with SEND may have a an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision. 

For more information on the arrangements in school to support pupils with medical conditions, please see our Medicines Policy.

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

Specialist Staff are trained in;

• Bereavement training

• First Aid

• SENDCo has achieved National Award for SEN (NASENCo award)

• Lift Off to language 

 

We seek the expertise and advice from other professionals such as;

• Speech and Language Therapists

• Occupational Therapists

• Play Therapists

• Children and Adult Mental Health (CAMH) service

• Educational Psychologists

• Behaviour Support team

• School Nurse

 

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

Within our school staff are trained in;

• Embracing Diversity,
• Sounds-Write
• Numicon
• Positive Behaviour Management
• Safeguarding
• Social Stories
• Autism
• Attachment Disorder

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

School trips and clubs are available to all children.

If necessary, any adults running clubs will meet with the class teacher or parents prior to the child starting a club to discuss the child’s needs.

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 arrangements from class to class, across key stages and to another school:

• Consultation with parents/carers in how we can best meet the academic, emotional, medical and social needs of the child.

• Consultation with teaching staff, support staff and other lead professionals as to how we can best support the academic, emotional, medical and social needs of the child.

• Opportunities for the child and parent to have supported visits to the new setting, both prior to starting Camestone School or on transitioning to secondary school.

• SENDCos and staff responsible for welfare, from both settings, will meet or have contact via telephone or email to ensure all information is sent and received, and strategies or advice are consistently applied.

• Within school transition meetings and opportunities for children to meet their new teachers happen each year before transferring up to the next year group.

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

The Senior Leadership Team, including the SENDCo, look at the needs of children across the school and allocate teaching assistant hours accordingly.

High quality teaching, differentiated for individual needs, is available to all pupils. Where the need is greater, interventions are put in place after discussions with the SENDCO. The effectiveness of this support is evaluated during pupil progress meetings. 1:1 intervention or specialist advice is sought then put in place and monitored.

The progress of all children is rigorously monitored each term and is analysed by the teachers, SLT and head teacher. Provision is adapted accordingly.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

All children benefit from ‘Quality First Teaching’; this means that class teachers are responsible for assessing, planning for and teaching all children at a level which allows them to make the best possible progress. In addition, we implement some focused interventions to target particular skills. In the first instance, class teachers allocate the resources available to them to support all children’s needs.

In each class there are a few children who have more significant barriers to learning and who don’t seem to be able to make progress even with the usual classroom differentiation. These are children who need some provision that is ‘different from or additional to’ the provision made for the rest of the class. These children are classified as needing Special Educational Needs Support.

Most children, including those with SEND, will make progress without additional resources being allocated.

Where additional resources are identified as being needed, decisions about allocating these are made by the Senior Leadership Team, including the SENDCo. In exceptional circumstances, an application can be made for and Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) through Bedford Borough Council.

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

• Parents are welcomed into the school to support with reading and school trips.

• Provision of workshops and information to help parents support at home.

• Parents are invited to parents’ evenings, class performances, concerts, fabulous finishes, decoration day and other special days throughout the year.

• Parents of all children are welcome to join the PTFA or support the school through sponsored events or Christmas and Summer Fayres.

• Parents are encouraged to support their child with homework activities.