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Wilstead Primary School

Wilstead Primary School values the uniqueness of all pupils offering a broad and balanced curriculum for all. We are committed to giving every child the opportunity to achieve the highest standards by taking into account pupils varied life experiences and needs. We believe in promoting the individuality of all of our children regardless of disability, gender or background enabling all children to reach their full potential.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Mrs Catherine Hogben
Contact Position
SENDCO
Telephone
E-mail
chogben@wilstead.school
Website
www.wilsteadschool.co.uk

Where to go

Name
Wilstead Primary School
Address
Cotton End Road
Wilstead
Bedford
Beds
Postcode
MK45 3BX
Get directions

Time / Date Details

When is it on
Mon-Fri

Other Details

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?

We understand that early identification of special needs is vital, therefore, all children are assessed when they join the school.

•All children’s abilities are assessed against their age related expectations.

• We use the initial assessment to build upon the child's prior learning. The class teacher will identify, plan, and deliver any additional help your child may need (this could be targeted work or additional support). If necessary, an IEP would be raised with SMART targets and shared and reviewed with pupils and parents termly.

•Any child may have a special need during their school life. This may be for learning, social, emotional or physical reasons.

•We work closely with parents/carers to discuss any concerns they may have regarding their children.

•If you have concerns you can speak to the class teacher and SENDCo.

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

•In school your child will be supported in the first instance by the class teacher, whatever their needs. The class teacher will plan and deliver the curriculum for their class. The curriculum can be adapted to meet the needs of small groups or individuals.

•If the class teacher feels your child needs additional support they may raise an IEP (Individual Education Plan) which would detail specific targets for your child to work towards. This IEP would be discussed with and agreed by parents, and reviewed every term.

•Teaching assistants and HLTA' s will work with individual children or groups directed by the teacher on a daily basis.

•If required specialist input from outside agencies can be organised by the SENDCo e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Sensory and Communication Team, Psychology team etc.

•Specific individual support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong. This is usually provided via an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). This means your child will have been identified by professionals as needing a particularly high level of individual or small-group teaching. This type of support is available for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through Quality First Teaching and intervention groups.

•All arrangements made for support will be discussed fully with the parents by either the class teacher or the SENDCo and reviewed regularly.

•The Head teacher reports on SEND within the school to the Governing Body each term. The SENDCo and Governor with responsibility for SEND hold regular meetings.

•The Senior Leadership Team analyse the progress of all children to ensure that progress is made, and that additional support is put in place where needed.

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

• At Wilstead Primary School the curriculum is organised to meet the needs of all our pupils.

• We aim to provide a personalised curriculum which encompasses different learning styles and is stimulating so that children are keen to learn and are able to progress.

•Each class teacher, via excellent targeted classroom teaching (Quality First Teaching) plans and differentiates lessons according to the specific needs of all the children in their class this ensures the lesson is accessible to all pupils.

• Your child’s teacher will continually assess and monitor your child’s progress and decide if your child has a gap or gaps in their understanding/learning that needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.

•This extra support may take the form of an intervention, run in the classroom or in a group area. The intervention may be run by a teacher or an appropriately qualified Teaching Assistant.

•A mixture of whole class, group learning, paired and individual learning will be used. By working together, the children develop their understanding and social skills.

•We aim to make the learning environment a place where children are encouraged to be ‘challenged’ and are able to become resilient and successful learners.

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 promote a close working relationship with all the families and carers of children at Wilstead Primary School. This starts with our reception staff making a home visit to meet you and your child before they join us.

•When a child joins our school a baseline assessment is made. Each term updates are provided during Parents Evenings.

•Children's work and progress towards targets is carefully tracked against national expectations, and against their personalised targets. At the end of each Key Stage, all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). This is something the government requires all schools to do and the results are published nationally.

•At the end of each term you will receive a report detailing your child's progress and achievement.

•You can arrange to meet with your child's class teacher or the SENDCo at an appropriate time if you have any concerns that you wish to discuss.

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

•The school has a reward system which recognises effort, achievement and behaviour which is accessible to all children. All children who contribute to the school community in a positive way will earn end of term rewards.

•Celebration assemblies take place every week. Parents will be invited to join us to celebrate their child’s success.

• All classes follow a structured PSHE curriculum, however, for those children who find aspects of this difficult we offer, in addition, nurture groups.

•The school has qualified First Aid staff who are available throughout the day. If required, parents will be informed that their child has received First Aid in school. Medicines are managed in school in accordance with our Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs in School Policy.

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

•We employ a range of staff to meet the needs of individuals and/or groups of children.

•Additional services can be accessed to support our children. A referral to these services is made with the informed agreement of parents/carers. These services include: Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology Service, Sensory and Communication Team, Child Development Centre (including Early Years Support and Paediatric services), CHUMS Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being Service, Early Help Service, Multi Agency Support Hub, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy

•The range of agencies with whom the school works with at any given time reflects the requirement of the individual children in our school and will change accordingly.

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

•We have specialist staff working in the school trained to meet the needs of individuals and/or groups of children. The needs of these children also impact on the planning and securing of any additional staff training.

•Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class.

•All staff receive regular training from the school nursing team around key medical issues which could arise for children.

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

• All our extra-curricular activities are inclusive.

• All educational visits are inclusive. All visits are risk assessed to ensure they are suitable for all our pupils. Parents are consulted if extra equipment i.e. a wheelchair is needed for the visit to ensure all equipment is available. The Educational Visits Policy is available on request.

•Breakfast and After School Clubs can be accessed by all pupils via Wilstead Pre-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?

•A New Parents Meeting is held at Wilstead Primary School before your child starts to give you an opportunity to meet the Head teacher and the Reception staff and receive all the information you need.

• Reception staff visit all children at home before they start. This is an opportunity for the children to meet the staff and for parents to discuss any concerns or questions they might have. The SENDCo will liaise with pre-schools and be involved in home visits when appropriate.

•Children joining Reception have the opportunity to visit school in the term before they start as part of the transition process.

•Visits to the school are welcomed, if you make contact with the school an appointment can be made for you to be shown round the school.

•Towards the end of the academic year children take part in ‘shuffle up’ day where they have the opportunity to spend time in their new classroom and meet the teaching staff. Prior to this day the SENDCo will brief the new teacher regarding specific support needs for individual children.

•We will support your child on transition days to their new setting. Where possible your child will visit their new school on several occasions and in some cases staff from the new school will visit your child in this school.

•The SENDCo will liaise with the SENDCo at the new setting to ensure all relevant information is passed on and hold transition meetings where appropriate.

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

•The class teacher knows your child's learning abilities within school best and plans for differentiation and resource allocation within the classroom. Any additional support required is planned and discussed with the SENDCo.

•All additional support is monitored and reviewed. The teacher will involve the child being supported, their parents or carers, the SENDCo and any other specialists involved.

•The Head Teacher and the SENDCo discuss all the information they have about SEND in the school, including the children already receiving extra support, the children needing extra support and the children who have been identified as not making as much progress as would be expected. From this information, they decide what, if any, additional resources/training and support is needed.

•If a child requires specific resources as identified by assessments of special needs, these will be acquired through the budget allocated to SEND.

•Pupil Premium funding is also used to support children and help close the gap between them and their peers.

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

These decisions are made in consultation with class teacher, SENDCo and Headteacher.

• Decisions are based upon information from termly pupil progress meetings and may also be as a result of assessments by outside agencies.

• During their school life, if further concerns are identified due to the pupil’s lack of progress or well-being then the relevant interventions will be arranged.

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

• Wilstead Primary School operates an open door policy.

•Parents are able to volunteer to help in school if they so wish to.

•Parents are welcome to speak to their child’s teacher, the SENDCo and the Headteacher regarding any aspect of the school.

•Any additional support provided for children in our school is based on consultation and dialogue with parents/carers.

•The school have an active Parent Teacher Association.

•There are parent members of the Governing body.