Priory Primary 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?

We know when pupils need help if:

• concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or the child

• limited progress is being made

• there is a change in the pupil’s behaviour or progress

If you have a concern about your child’s development the class teacher is the initial point of contact.

In addition Miss Wilde, who is the SENDCO, can also be contacted via the school office.

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

• The learning needs of every child are catered for in the class teacher’s planning. It will be differentiated accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs. This may include additional general support by a teacher or teaching assistant in class.

• If a child has needs related to more specific areas of their education, then they may be placed in a small group. This will be run by the teacher or teaching assistant. The length of time of the intervention will vary according to need and how much progress has been made.

• Occasionally a pupil may need more expert support from an outside agency. A referral will be made, with your consent. The school will implement any advice given as far as is possible within a mainstream setting.

• Governors monitor the effectiveness of the provision in place for pupils identified with SEND and they will receive regular reports from the SENDCO on the progress of pupils with SEND.

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

• When a child has been identified with special needs their work will be differentiated by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily.

• If appropriate, specialist equipment may be given to the child to enable access to the curriculum.

• If a child is working outside the range of their peers, advice will be sought from specialists and the curriculum individualised as appropriate.

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?

Parents play a vital role in the education of their child and are welcomed into the school where their advice and support is welcomed.

This may be through:

• Discussions with the class teacher.

• During parental consultations.

• During discussions with Miss Wilde or other professionals.

 

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

The whole school ethos is committed to developing all aspects of a child’s wellbeing in an environment which is safe and secure and with a curriculum that is broad and balanced. In addition, the school offers a wide variety of support for children who are encountering difficulties either at home or at school.

These include:

• Members of staff such as the class teacher, attendance and admissions manager and SENDCO will support children to develop a range of life long skills, including resilience.

• If a child has a significant behavioural issue a plan of support is put in place.

• If staff recognise that there has been a change in a child’s behaviour or social and emotional wellbeing, we will discuss this with parents and plan the next steps to support the child.

• At an age appropriate level, children are encouraged to express their views so that they feel that their opinions are valued.

• Good attendance is actively encouraged by all staff. The attendance and admissions manager has a specific role in supporting individual families to achieve good attendance.

• If a pupil has a medical need then a detailed Care Plan is compiled with support from the school nurse in consultation with parents/carers. These are discussed with all staff who are involved with the pupil.

• Where necessary, and in agreement with parents/carers, prescribed medicines are administered in school, but only where a signed medicine consent form is in place to ensure the safety of both child and staff member. These medicines should have a current prescription and be in their original packaging.

 

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

At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive their more specialised expertise.

The agencies used by the school include:

• Sensory and Visual Impairment Team

• Educational Psychologist

• Early Years Support Team

• CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service)

• CHUMS (Child Bereavement, Trauma & Emotional Wellbeing Service)

• Educational Welfare Officer

• Social Care

• Speech and Language Therapy Team

• Occupational Therapy

• School Nurse

• Early Help Team

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

All staff receive regular training to increase their knowledge of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Our Teaching Assistants hold NVQ Level 3 qualifications or the equivalent.

During the last year staff have received training about our new Maths Scheme (Maths No Problem), developing the language skills of pupils and maximising the impact of teaching assistants.

 

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

We recognise the need to enable all children to participate in all aspects of school life, providing it can be made safe for them to do so and it will not cause undue distress to the pupil. Therefore:

• Activities and school trips are risk assessed and reasonable adjustments are made to enable children to participate safely:

• The school has an Educational Visits Coordinator

• If required, a pupil may have an individual risk Assessment;

Some pupils are supported 1:1 during the visit.

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?

Many strategies are in place to enable every child’s transition to be as smooth as possible.

These include:

• Home visits are carried before nursery children start school in the autumn term.

• Discussions between the previous or receiving schools prior to the pupil joining/leaving.

• All pupils attend a transition session where they spend some time with their new class teacher.

• Additional visits are also arranged for pupils who need extra time in their new school.

• Miss Wilde is always willing to meet parents/carers prior to their child joining the school.

• Information is shared with relevant members of staff at each transition point.

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

The SEND budget is allocated each financial year and allocated appropriately.

• The headteacher and inclusion teacher meet each half term to discuss the individual needs of pupils and allocate support based on the changing needs of children.

• Regular meetings are held with parents/carers to discuss any additional support that is being provided for their child.

• The progress of every pupil is carefully monitored so that we know the impact of additional support and resources are targeted effectively.

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

•The progress of children is tracked carefully by both class teachers and Senior Leadership Team each half

term. In addition, children who have SEND or are having difficulty making progress in some areas, are also

monitored by the SENDCO.

 •If the school has a concern about a child’s progress in any area of learning, the class teacher will invite the

parents in to school to discuss it.

•The class teacher, pupil and parents will decide on some targets which will help the child to make progress. They will also decide what they will each do to help the pupil achieve them.

•A date will be set for reviewing progress towards the targets, usually after a maximum of one term.

•There may be times when advice is sought from an external specialist such as a Speech and Language

Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will always be done in consultation with parents.

•All discussions are treated as confidential by staff and paperwork and electronic data are stored securely.

•For a very small number of children, it may be necessary for the school to make a request to Bedford Borough Council for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment. The SENDCO will always discuss this with parents first and only proceed with their permission.

•At any point parents can contact the Bedford SENDIASS. This service offers free confidential support for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street,  Bedford  MK42 9AP

Tel: 01234 276 267

Email: sendiass@bedford.gov.uk

 

 

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

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

• We have a variety of parent training and learning events that change termly. These are advertised via our newsletter and website.

• In addition, we hold coffee mornings to give parents the opportunity to get to know each other and local community support workers.

• Parents can stand to become parent governors.