Pelham Primary School

SEN & Disability Policy/SEN Information Report 2022-2023

This policy is written in line with the requirements of:- Children and Families Act 2014

SEN Code of Practice 2015

SI 2014 1530 Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014

Part 3 Duties on Schools – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators Schedule 1 regulation 51– Information to be included in the SEN information report

Schedule 2 regulation 53 – Information to be published by a local authority in its local offer

Equality Act 2010

Schools Admissions Code, DfE 1 Feb 2012

SI 2012 1124 The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 SI 2013 758 The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

This policy should be read in conjunction with the following school policies: Behaviour Policy, Equalities Opportunities Policy, Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, Anti Bullying Policy, Accessibility Plan, Complaints Policy.

This policy will be reviewed annually.

Definition of SEN

A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty if he or she:

1. Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
2. Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions. SEN Code of Practice (2015, p 15)

Definition of disability

Many children and young people who have SEN may also have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 – that is ‘…a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. This definition provides a relatively low threshold and includes more children than many realise: ‘long-term’ is defined as ‘a year

or more’ and ‘substantial’ is defined as ‘more than minor or trivial’ SEN Code of Practice (2015, p16)

1. The kinds of special educational need for which provision is made at the school

At Pelham Primary School we can make provision for every kind of frequently occurring special educational need without an Education, Health and Care Plan, for instance Dyslexia; Dyspraxia; Speech and language needs; Sensory Impairments; Autism; ADHD; Behavioural difficulties and Learning difficulties. There are other kinds of special educational need which do not occur as frequently and with which the school is less familiar, but we can access training and advice so that these kinds of needs can be met.

The school also currently meets the needs of pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan with the following kinds of special educational need: Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment, Diagnosed Language Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Global Developmental Delay. Decisions on the admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan are made with the Local Authority.

The admission arrangements for pupils without an Education, Health and Care Plan do not discriminate against or disadvantage disabled children or those with special educational needs.

1. Information about the policy for identification and assessment of pupils with SEN

At Pelham Primary School we monitor the progress of all pupils six times a year to review their academic progress. We also use a range of assessments with all the pupils at various points including, but not limited to, Development Matters in EYFS, Year 1 Phonics Screening, Year 2 Phonics Screening, Reading age and Spelling age, KS1 SATs, Year 4 Multiplication Test, KS2 SATs. This is alongside continuous assessment by class teachers regarding the progress of their pupils.

Where progress is not sufficient, even if a special educational need has not been identified, we put in place extra support to enable the pupil to catch up. Examples of extra support are; targeted teaching focus groups identifying and addressing misconceptions daily. Targets are set within the supported learning groups and pupil’s progress towards targets is monitored daily. Teaching assistants liaise with class teacher targets so that ongoing assessment addresses identification of need, next steps and evidence for SEN Plans and further assessment.

Other examples of extra support include: Little Wandle (phonics) catch up groups, Chatterbox, 5 minute box maths intervention, BLAST 1, BLAST 2, Talk Boost, Dough Disco, Clever Fingers, Jump Ahead, Lego therapy, Black Sheep Press programme, Memory Magic, attention bucket, social skills, Anger Gremlin, touch typing, ELKLAN speech & language, Colourful semantics, Sensory circuits, Dog Mentors, Draw and Talk, Nurture provision and Therapeutic Play.

In addition to this, in our HI Provision we offer interventions to support having a secure deaf identity, deaf awareness (whole school), BSL, a total communication approach, SSE (sign supported English), visuals, WIDGET, radio aids, pre and post teaching and vocabulary work.

Some pupils may continue to make inadequate progress, despite high-quality teaching targeted at their areas of weakness. For these pupils, and in consultation with parents/carers, we will use a range assessment tools to determine the cause of the learning difficulty. At Pelham we are experienced in using the following assessment tools; NELI assessment programme, Dyslexia Screening, SDQ, Boxall assessment. In our Specialist Resource Provision we also use specific HI and Speech and Language assessment tools for assessment, these include GAEL-P, CELF and BPVS. We also use B squared to give a further breakdown of progress into small steps. In addition, we have access to external advisors and practitioners who are able to use an extensive range of assessment tools, these include Speech Therapists, Specialist Speech Therapy Service, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, school nurses, Sensory impairment teams - HI and VI advisory team and the ASD advisory team.

The purpose of this more detailed assessment is to understand what additional resources and different approaches are required to enable the pupil to make better progress. These will be shared with parents/carers, put into a SEN plan and reviewed twice a year, and refined / revised if necessary. At this point we will have identified that the pupil has a special educational need because the school is making special educational provision for the pupil which is additional and different to what is normally available.

If the pupil is able to make good progress using this additional and different resource (but would not be able to maintain this good progress without it) we will continue to identify the pupil as having a special educational need. If the pupil is able to maintain good progress without the additional and different resources he or she will not be identified with special educational needs. When any change in identification of SEN is changed parents/carers will be notified.

We will ensure that all teachers and support staff who work with the pupil are aware of the support to be provided and the teaching approaches to be used.

1. Information about the school’s policies for making provision for pupils with special educational needs whether or not they have EHC Plans, including

3a How the school evaluates the effectiveness of its provision for such pupils

Each review of the SEN support plan will be informed by the views of the pupil, parents/carers and class/subject teachers and the assessment information from teachers which will show whether adequate progress is being made.

The SEN Code of Practice (2015, 6.17) describes inadequate progress thus:

• • 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 rate of progress
  • Widens the attainment gap

For pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan there will be an annual review of the provision made for the child, which will enable an evaluation of the effectiveness of the special provision. The collation of all annual review evaluations of effectiveness will be reported to the governing body.

3b the school’s arrangements for assessing and reviewing the progress of pupils with special educational needs

Every pupil in the school has their progress tracked six times per year. In addition to this, pupils with special educational needs may have more frequent assessments etc. The assessments we use at Pelham Primary School are listed in Section 2.

Using these it will be possible to see if pupils are increasing their level of skills in key areas.

3c the school’s approach to teaching pupils with special educational needs

High quality teaching, adapted for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching. Schools should regularly and carefully review the quality of teaching for all pupils, including those at risk of underachievement. This includes reviewing and, where necessary, improving,

teachers’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils and their knowledge of the SEN most frequently encountered SEN Code of Practice (2015, 6.37)

In Pelham Primary School the quality of teaching is judged to be good in our last Ofsted inspection. We are continually working to improve and sustain outstanding practice.

We follow the Quality First Teaching and Special Educational Needs Support Toolkit: Assess, Plan, Do, Review model, to ensure that our teaching conforms to best practice. In our HI provision we adhere to and follow the Quality Standards as published by the NDCS (National Deaf Children’s Society).

In meeting the standards the school employs some additional teaching approaches, as advised by internal and external assessments e.g. precision teaching, mentoring, pre/post teaching, use of ICT software learning packages, use of specialist equipment, PECS and language programmes.

3d how the school adapts the curriculum and learning environment for pupils with special educational needs

At Pelham Primary School we follow the advice in the Mainstream Core Standards/ Quality First Teaching and Special Educational Needs Support Toolkit on how to adapt the curriculum and the learning environment for pupils with special educational needs. We also incorporate the advice provided as a result of assessments, both internal and external, and the strategies described in Education, Health and Care Plans.

As part of our requirement to keep the appropriateness of our curriculum and learning environment we review our Accessibility plan regularly. Staff have received training on many different areas of SEN, this has included: KCSiE training, First Aid training, Allergy training and care plans, Asthma, Epilepsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Fire Warden training, Health and Safety in the workplace, Speech and Language training programmes, BLAST, Precision Teaching, TalkBoost, Black Sheep Press, NELI, Lego therapy, Memory magic, Chatterbox, PECS, ASD training, Dyslexia awareness and strategies, Draw & Talk, Therapeutic Play, Colourful semantics, ADHD strategies, Child Bereavement (Lead by the Borough Mental Health Lead), Further Mental Health training - cognitive behaviour therapy, adverse childhood experiences.

If a recommendation has been made by any professional to implement a programme for a pupil we will seek training/support e.g. an OT individual programme will be modelled/disseminated in school. The school SENCo delivers SEN toolkit training for teachers and TAs - the SENCo revisits this training regularly to address key areas.

We have two qualified Teachers of the Deaf running the HI provision day to day and the SENCO has the strategic overview of the provision. We also have specialist full time HI TAs who work alongside our HI children in school.

Health care plans and risk assessments are written and reviewed regularly with the parent/carer and relevant care professionals. Adjustments to the learning environment are made and specialist equipment is bought in by the school to ensure all pupils have a fully inclusive learning experience. Planned improvements are included in the Accessibility plan.

3e additional support for learning that is available to pupils with special educational needs

As part of our budget we receive ‘notional SEN funding’. This funding is used to ensure that the quality of teaching is good in the school and that there are sufficient resources to deploy additional and different teaching for pupils requiring SEN support. The amount of support required for each pupil to make good progress will be different in each case. The learning support programmes we can offer are listed on our provision map (see attached). In very few cases a very high level of resource is required. The funding arrangements require schools to provide up to £6000 per year of resource for pupils with high needs, and above that amount the Local Authority should provide top up to the school. The level of funding that the Local Authority supplies towards Higher Needs funding is related to the needs of the individual pupil. This is set out under a banding system by Bexley Local Authority (see Bexley Local Offer).

3f how the school enables pupils with special educational needs to engage in activities of the school (including physical activities) together with children who do not have special educational needs

All clubs, trips and activities offered to pupils at Pelham and are available to pupils with special educational needs either with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan. Where it is necessary, the school will use the resources available to it to provide additional adult support to enable the safe participation of the pupil in the activity.

3g support that is available for improving the emotional and social development of pupils with special educational needs

At Pelham, we understand that an important feature of the school is to enable all pupils to develop emotional resilience and social skills, both through direct teaching for instance, our PSHE curriculum, our RSE curriculum, our SMSC programme. We strive for an ethos of care and kindness within our school community, as well as, celebrating equality and diversity. We encourage the development of empathy in all our pupils. We ensure that all pupils feel that they can talk to an adult, that they will be listened to and heard. We have a strong emotional/behavioural support system in school.

For some pupils with the most need for help in this area we also can provide the following 1:1 support from the emotional/behavioural support team as a mentor, Draw and Talk, Therapeutic Play, nurture provision, Dog Mentoring or a referral to CAMHs and CHeWs.

For some families that feel that they need additional parental support, we may refer or sign post the family to external services such as, Family Lives, Family Well Being, Purple parenting, Living with Autism, Bexley Voice, SNAP (see Bexley Local Offer).

For some pupils they may feel supported through strategies such as a time out setting, a workstation, activities based club. We work with our pupils to identify the support that helps them to feel safe and able to manage their feelings.

Pupils in the early stages of emotional and social development because of their special educational needs will be supported to enable them to develop and mature appropriately. This will usually require additional and different resources, beyond that required by pupils who do not need this support.

1. The name and contact details of the SEN Co-ordinator

The SENCO at Pelham Primary School is Nicola Wiltshire, who is a qualified teacher and has been accredited by the National Award for SEN Co-ordination. You can contact Nicola Wiltshire through nwiltshire@illuminateminds.org.

1. Information about the expertise and training of staff in relation to children and young people with special educational needs and how specialist expertise will be secured

Teachers and teaching assistants have had the following awareness training: SEND Toolkit training, ASD training (J Ratcliff Advisory teacher for ASD), Dyslexia awareness and strategies, Understanding child mental health, Child bereavement (Bexley Mental Health Training), Cognitive behaviour therapy, adverse childhood experiences, Child Emotional Wellbeing.

We have also provided the following enhanced and specialist training to members of our staff:

BSL level 1 training is offered to all staff. BSL level 2 training

BSL level 3 training

Talk and Draw

Therapeutic play

Speech and language courses

PECS

Chatterbox

BLAST – two teaching assistants

Nelli Screening and intervention programme

Chatty champions

Delivering care plans

Lego therapy

Active listening

Speech tracking

Jump Ahead

Sensory Circuits

Precision teaching

Dog mentor training

Where a training need is identified beyond this we will find a provider who is able to deliver it. Training providers we can enlist include Educational Psychologist, (SLA) Speech and Language therapist, (SLA), Occupational therapists, Specialist teaching services, Autism Advisory Teaching service amongst others. The cost of training is covered by the notional SEN funding.

1. Information about how equipment and facilities to support children and young people with special educational needs will be secured

Where external advisors recommend the use of equipment or facilities which the school does not have, we will purchase it using the notional SEN funding, or seek it by loan. For highly specialist communication equipment the school will seek the advice of external agencies and advisory teams.

1. The arrangements for consulting parents/carers of children with special educational needs about, and involving them in, their education

All parents/carers of pupils at Pelham are invited to discuss the progress of their children on two occasions a year and receive a written report once per year. In addition we are happy to arrange meetings outside these times as we encourage parents/carers, pupils and teachers working together. As part of our normal teaching arrangements, all pupils will access some additional teaching to help them catch-up if the progress monitoring indicates that this is necessary; this will not imply that the pupil has a special educational need. All such provision will be recorded, tracked and evaluated on a Provision Map.

If following this normal provision improvements in progress are not seen, we will contact parents/carers to discuss the use of internal or external assessments which will help us to address these needs better. From this point onwards, the pupil will be identified as having special educational needs because special educational provision is being made and the parent/carer will be invited to all planning and reviews of this provision. Parents/carers will be actively supported to contribute to assessment, planning and review.

In addition to this, parents/carers of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan will be invited to contribute to and attend an annual review, which, wherever possible will also include other agencies involved with the pupil. Information will be made accessible for parents/carers.

1. The arrangements for consulting young people with special educational needs about, and involving them in, their education

When a pupil has been identified to have special educational needs because special educational provision is being made for him or her, the pupil will be consulted about and involved in the arrangements made for them as part of person-centred planning. Parents/carers are likely to play a more significant role in the childhood years with the young person taking more responsibility and acting with greater independence in later years.

1. The arrangements made by the governing body relating to the treatment of complaints from parents/carers of pupils with special educational needs concerning the provision made at the school

The normal arrangements for the treatment of complaints at Pelham are used for complaints about provision made for special educational needs. We encourage parents/carers to discuss their concerns with the class teacher, SENCO

Deputy Headteacher or Headteacher to resolve the issue before making the complaint formal to the Chair of the governing body.

If the complaint is not resolved after it has been considered by the governing body, then a disagreement resolution service or mediation service can be contracted. If it remains unresolved after this, the complainant can appeal to the First–tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), if the case refers to disability discrimination, or to the Secretary of State for all other cases.

There are some circumstances, usually for children who have an EHCP plan where there is a statutory right for parents/carers to appeal against a decision of the Local Authority. Complaints which fall within this category cannot be investigated by the school.

1. How the governing body involves other bodies, including health and social services bodies, local authority support services and voluntary organisations, in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and in supporting the families of such pupils

• • A Service Level Agreement with the Educational Psychology service for 16 days per year
  • A Service Level Agreement with the Early Intervention Team (EIT)
  • A service Level Agreement with Education Welfare
  • A service Level Agreement with Speech and Language Services
  • Link to Disabled Children’s Service for support to families for some pupils with high needs
  • Access to Occupational Therapy Services / Physiotherapy Services / Oxleas services for pupil with requirement for direct therapy or advice
  • Membership of professional networks for SENCO e.g. NAS, SENCO forum, NASEN etc.

1. The contact details of support services for the parents/carers of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and children and young people with SEND up to age 25 (Code of Practice 2015, 6.39)

Bexley Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) provides a free and confidential information, advice and support service, for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or a disability from birth to age 25. Trained staff can provide impartial legally based information and support on educational matters relating to special educational needs and disabilities, including health and social care. The aim is to empower parents/carers, children and young people to fully participate in discussions and make informed choices and decisions. Also to feel confident to express their views and wishes about education and future aspirations. IASS services provide information and advice about:

• • How special educational needs are assessed by schools, colleges and the Local Authority (LA)
  • Who parent/carers and young people can talk to in school, college or within the LA about any concerns
  • The SEN Code of Practice, the Equality Act and the Care Act
  • The Statutory Assessment process for Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessments
  • EHC Plans & Annual Reviews
  • EHC Plan Appeals and Tribunals
  • Parents/carers rights and responsibilities
  • Meetings and reviews about a child or young person’s needs

• • What parent/carers can do if they are not happy with a decision made about their child’s SEN

The IASS can be contacted on: HELPLINE: 0203 045 5976

Email: bexleyIASS@bexley.gov.uk Website: www.bexleyIASS.co.uk

1. The school’s arrangements for supporting pupils with special educational needs in transferring between phases of education or in preparing for adulthood and independent living

At Pelham we work closely with the educational settings used by the pupils before they transfer to us in order to seek the information that will make the transfer as seamless as possible. Transfer of information form PVI into Early Years begins in the preceding summer term. The EYFS Lead and SENCo will attend a transition meeting where information is handed over to the school. We work with the Nursery settings and parents/carers to produce a visual booklet for children which lays out their new school, staff and class. The children use this over summer to familiarise themselves with their new setting. Where a child has an identified need or the involvement of professionals, including, for instance the Educational psychologist or speech and language therapist, these persons will be invited to attend a transition meeting with the parent/carer. Where possible a visit to the school will be arranged for the spring/summer term. Alternatively, parent/carers will attend an interview with the class teacher prior to the start date and the child will be invited to explore their new learning environment. We do offer a graduated start, however, for the majority of pupils this will move swiftly to full days. Where a child has a particular support strategy we will work with the parent/carer and the previous setting to continue this support where appropriate.

For all pupils transferring into the school who have a medical/additional need we will hold a care plan/transition meeting. Professionals will be asked to attend alongside the parent/carer/pupil and adults who may have care of the pupil. We will ensure that all relevant staff have the required training/knowledge of the child’s needs prior to their start date.

We also contribute information to a pupils’ onward destination by providing information to the next setting. This will include Education and Health Care plans, SEN plans and information that may support emotional well-being. We take care in planning for a positive transition to secondary school. We support parents/carers/pupils in considering their secondary school choices and making their applications. In the spring term the SENCo and year 6 class teachers complete pupil profiles for all pupils, the pupils are rag rated according to their level of need and additional support needed.