TREDWORTH JUNIOR SCHOOL

SEND Policy

Introduction

Tredworth Junior School values the contribution that every child and young person can make and welcomes the diversity of culture, religion and intellectual style.  Therefore the school will work to raise attainment, maximise achievement and promote inclusion for all children.

All children and young people with SEND are valued, respected and equal members of the school.  As such, provision for pupils with SEND is a matter for the school as a whole. All teachers are teachers of pupils with SEND.  The Governing Body, Headteacher, SENDCo and all other members of staff have important responsibilities.

This policy has been written with consideration to the following guidance and documents:

• The Equality Act 2010 and Schools; March 2014
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years; January 2015
• Children and Families Act 2014, Part 3
• Statutory Guidance on Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions;  December 2015
• The National Curriculum in England Key Stage 1 and 2 framework document July 2014
• Tredworth Junior School Safeguarding Policy 2020
• Tredworth Junior School Accessibility Policy and Plan 2020
• Teachers Standards 2012

It should be read in conjunction with the School Information Report which can be found on the school website:  https://www.tredworth-jun.gloucs.sch.uk/send/

Objectives

• To ensure that the culture, practice, management and deployment of resources are designed to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND.
• To provide an appropriate learning environment that meets the special educational needs of each child and enables them to work to their full potential.
• To ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified, assessed, provided for and regularly reviewed.
• To ensure that all pupils with SEND are offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum.
• To work in partnership with parents to enable them to make an active contribution to the education of their child.
• To take the views and wishes of the child into account at all times.
• To provide a staffing structure with clear lines of responsibility for SEND.

Definitions

A pupil has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.  They have a learning difficulty or disability if they have:

• A significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
• A disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools

Special educational provision is additional to, or different from, that made generally for other children of the same age by mainstream schools.

Roles and Responsibilities

At Tredworth School, the SENDCo, in collaboration with the Headteacher and Governing Body, plays a key role in determining the strategic development of SEND policy and provision in order to improve the achievements of all children with SEND.

With support from the Headteacher and colleagues, the SENDCo promotes effective teaching by:

• Identifying and overcoming barriers to learning

• Analysing and assessing children’s needs

• Monitoring the quality of teaching and the level of children’s attainment

• Setting targets for improvement, in collaboration with the Headteacher

With class teachers, the SENDCo seeks to ensure that children are given equal learning opportunities and that resources are used to maximum effect.

The key responsibilities for the SENDCo at Tredworth School include:

• Manage the day to day operation of the school’s SEND policy

• Audit need in Summer Term to map provision for September

• Audit need following reviews at key points in the school year

• Co-ordinating provision for children with SEND
• Liaising with and advising colleagues
• In collaboration with the Class Teacher and Headteacher, managing school based assessment and completing documentation required by outside agencies and the LEA
• Mentoring the team of Teaching Assistants to ensure effective support for children with SEND.
• Overseeing the records of all children with SEND
• Arranging and chairing all SEND review meetings for those children with a My Plan + and Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and completing all necessary paperwork
• Contributing to the in-service training of staff
• Liaising with external agencies including the LEA’s support and educational psychology services, health and social services and voluntary bodies
• Liaising with governor with responsibility for SEND
• Liaising regularly and closely with the Headteacher
• Purchasing and maintaining a range of teaching resources to enable appropriate provision to be made
• Teaching individuals and groups of children both in the classroom and by withdrawing the children from the classroom as appropriate
• Ensuring the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the provision for pupils with SEND including assessment of progress and attainment
• Working with class teachers to ensure they are aware of and meet their responsibility regarding provision made for SEND pupils
• Supporting teachers in the identification, assessment and provision made for children with SEND
• Supporting class teachers with the Graduated Approach.  The SENDCo is usually the lead person for My Plan + and EHCP
• Liaising with parents to inform, consult and encourage them to take a supportive role in their child’s learning

The key responsibilities for the Headteacher at School include:

• Day to day management of all aspects of the school’s work including SEND provision and evaluation of SEND across the school
• Managing the team of classroom assistants
• Liaising regularly and closely with the SENDCo

• Ensuring that the SENDCo:
  • manages processes throughout the school
  • is accountable for assessing progress/attainment of children on register with class teachers
  • is able to hold staff to account for provision made for SEND children
  • is the leading practitioner in terms of action/practice for staff

• The Headteacher will keep the Governing Body informed of all issues relating to SEND.

The Governing Body, working closely with the Headteacher, decides the school’s general policy and approach to meeting pupils’ special educational needs for those with and without EHCPs.  They set up appropriate staffing and funding arrangements and oversee the school’s work.

The Governing Body has appointed a governor to have specific oversight of the school’s arrangements and provision for meeting special educational needs.

The key responsibilities for the Governing Body at School include:

• Ensuring that the necessary provision is made for any pupil who has SEND
• Ensuring that the ‘responsible person’, in this case, the Headteacher, has been informed by the LEA that a pupil has SEND and that those needs are made known to all who are likely to teach them
• Ensuring that the teachers in the school are aware of the importance of identifying and providing for those pupils who have special educational needs
• Ensuring that  pupils with special educational needs join in the activities of the school together with pupils who do not have special educational needs, so far as is reasonably practical and compatible with the child receiving the special educational provision, their learning needs call for and the efficient education of the pupils with whom they are educated and the efficient use of resources
• Ensuring that parents are notified of a decision by the school that SEND provision is being made for their child

The key responsibilities of teaching and non-teaching staff:

• All teachers are teachers of children with SEND supporting the identification and assessment of pupils with SEND and making the appropriate provision.
• All teachers have responsibility of directing the work of Teaching Assistants to support pupils with special educational needs.
• Teaching Assistants work to support pupils with special educational needs under the guidance and direction of class teachers.
• The overall responsibility of the planning and delivery of the individual education plan is the responsibility of the class teacher.
• The My Plans for children on the SEND register are written and reviewed by the class teacher.
• At the My Plan + stage of the Graduated Approach the class teacher works with the SENDCo for further assessment and planning for the pupil. The delivery of the intervention recorded in the plan continues to be the responsibility of the class teacher.

Admission Arrangements

The Headteacher is responsible for the admission arrangements in accordance with those laid down by the Local Education Authority.  The school acknowledges in full its responsibility to admit pupils with already identified special educational needs, as well as identifying and providing for those not previously identified as having SEND.

The school has a current DES (Disability Equality Scheme) in line with the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) reviewed on an annual cycle to ensure disability equality is promoted in all aspects of school life.

Specialised Provision

• There is a ramp at the front and each end of the building to accommodate wheel chair users.
• Hand-rails have been fitted to aid access to the middle entrance of the school and upper school toilets.

• There are toilet facilities for individuals with disabilities.
• Where a child joins the school, who is a wheelchair user or has difficulties with mobility, the appropriate year group classroom would be accommodated at ground level.
• Provision of a medical room for those pupils with disabilities or medical needs requiring regular or emergency medical treatment.  Within the accessible toilet facilities, there are also facilities for intimate care. 
• In line with the expectations upon the school highlighted within the SEND and disability act, an Accessibility Policy and Plan is also available.

Allocation of Resources

The Headteacher is responsible for the operational management of the specified and agreed resourcing for special needs provision within the school.

In line with the school’s budget and School Development Plan, money will be allocated for resources, training and non-contact time for class teachers to write, in consultation with the SENDCo, individual My Plans and complete documentation required by outside agencies.  Allocation of resources is flexible in order to meet all the children’s needs.  The Headteacher and the SENDCo meet regularly to discuss how this may best be achieved.

The Graduated Approach

At Tredworth Junior School, we follow the Gloucestershire graduated approach to meeting the needs of all pupils to ensure that the right level of support is provided at the right time. 

We recognise that early identification and assessment of needs is essential and provision and support is planned in order to meet these needs through the setting of specific SMART outcomes.  The child and their parents / carers are involved at every stage of this process. We also recognise that a child’s needs may change and that the process should be dynamic to meet these changing needs so we have a rigorous process for reviewing outcomes and progress regularly.

The stages of this graduated response include:

Universal – My Profile provides the opportunity for all children to provide information about what is important to them, their hopes and goals, what helps them and what doesn’t help them.  This information is used by class teachers in planning, target setting and transition as well as gaining an understanding of the child’s own viewpoints. 

My Plan – This is a child centred plan which identifies and details the support put into place to meet any additional needs that a child may have.  SMART outcomes are devised together with the actions and resources which will be used to enable a child to achieve these outcomes.  The My Plan draws upon the information given by the child in their My Profile to enable the lead practitioner to plan appropriate provision and support for the child.  The My Plan is reviewed and updated on a regular basis and reviewed formally at the end of every term.  

My Assessment and My Plan+  – Where a child has more complex needs that cannot be met through a My Plan, a My Assessment may be used to draw together information from the child, family and a range of practitioners from additional agencies.  This information can then be analysed and a plan developed through a Team around the Child approach.  This plan is called a My Plan + and is regularly reviewed by all involved.   During this review process, decisions will be made regarding the Education, Health and Care process.

Education, Health and Care Plan – Some children with significant educational needs may require a higher level of support through a statutory Education, Health and Care Plan.

Identification and Assessment of Additional Needs

Early identification is vital

At Tredworth Junior School, we are aware that any child admitted to the school may have had their special educational needs identified and that some may not. For children transferring to our school, the SENDCo will check to ascertain any existing special educational needs that are going to require additional support or provision.

At present 29% of our pupils have been identified as having special educational needs (October 2023).

To help identify children with special educational needs that are going to require additional support or provision in our school, we measure children’s progress by referring to their performance monitored by the teacher and SENDCo as part of ongoing observation and also through assessment. This includes:

• Analysis of optional and Statutory assessments which highlight areas of concern at the end of each school year and helps to set targets for the following year
• The outcomes from termly and yearly assessments, used to measure progress including the New Group Reading Test, NFER Spelling Test and White Rose Maths assessments
• Outcomes of Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests in Year 4
• Pupils’ progress against the attainment targets specified in the National Curriculum
• For those pupils with attainment below that of the National Curriculum, Progression Steps and The Engagement Model are used. 
• The Gloucestershire Intervention Guidance
• Standardised screening or assessment tools, i.e. York Assessment of Early Reading, Comprehension, SENT R Maths Assessment and Lucid Rapid assessments

The key test of the need for action is that the current rates of progress are inadequate. The school is also open and responsive to expressions of concern by parents and takes account of any information that parents provide about their child. 

On entry to school, teachers assess each child’s current levels of attainment in order to ensure they build upon the pattern of learning and experience already established and provide starting points for the development of an appropriate curriculum. The school makes full use of all information passed to them by previous schools.

Assessment is not regarded by the school as a single event, but rather as a continuing process.  Classroom organisation, teaching materials, teaching style and differentiation are considered carefully so that each child is enabled to learn effectively. Ongoing observation and assessment provides feedback to teachers and parents about a child’s achievements and forms the basis for planning the next steps of the child’s learning.

The assessment of a child reflects as far as possible their participation in the whole curriculum of the school. The class teacher and SENDCo may break down the assessment into smaller steps to aid progress and provide detailed and accurate indicators.  Assessments may be conducted as part of a whole class, in a group or on an individual basis.

‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ Cycle

As detailed in the SEND Code of Practice 2015, support for pupils with SEND follows the four part cycle of ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’.  Within school, this process involves a team approach including the class teacher, SENDCo, Pastoral Team and also ensures that the views of parents and the child are taken into account at all times, as meetings follow on immediately from Parental Structured Consultation Meetings (see page 12).

Assess

The class teacher, with the SENCo, carries out a clear analysis of the child’s needs.  This draws upon the teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil, previous progress and attainment as well as current progress, attainment and behaviour.  It also draws upon analysis of the child’s development in comparison to their peers and national data, the views of the parents, the views of the child and also information provided by outside agencies. 

Plan

Where it is decided to provide a pupil with SEN support, parents will be fully involved in the process.  The teacher and the SENCO will plan the provision, intervention and support with the parent and the pupil and these will be detailed in the child’s individual plan either at a My Plan or My Plan + level.  SMART outcomes will be identified for the pupil and support and intervention planned to enable the pupil to achieve the outcomes.  Through the plan, information is given on how the parents can work with the child at home to help them achieve the outcomes.

SMART outcomes are those which are:   Specific

Measurable

Agreed

Realistic

Timed

Do

The class teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a daily basis and where interventions involve group or one-to-one teaching away from the main class, they still retain responsibility for the pupil.  The class teacher and SENCO work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved, to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and how they can be linked to classroom teaching.  The SENCO supports the class teacher in the further assessment of the child’s particular strengths and weaknesses, in problem solving and advising on the effective implementation of support. 

Review

The effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress is reviewed regularly.  This review informs the analysis of the child’s needs and support and outcomes are revised accordingly.  Parents are informed about the impact of the support and interventions provided and involved in planning the next steps. 

Where a pupil has an EHC Plan, the plan is reviewed at least every 12 months. 

SEN and EAL

At Tredworth Junior School, there are currently 42% of pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL).  While regarding bilingualism in a child as an advantage, the school recognises that the spectrum of children with special educational needs will include a proportion of EAL pupils.  The school recognises both the importance of and the difficulties involved in the early recognition of SEN in EAL pupils.  Assessment of SEN in EAL pupils involves the EAL lead teacher together with the SENDCo.  The nature of support for EAL pupils with SEN will be decided upon on an individual basis through consultation between the SENDCo, EAL lead teacher, class teacher, parents and children.  Provision of support will be jointly reviewed during termly reviews.  This support will take into account the child’s needs as an EAL pupil.

Access to the Curriculum

All pupils have the entitlement to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum.  All pupils with SEND are taught with their peers in class by class teachers.  All teaching and support staff strive to:

• Provide suitable learning challenges
• Meet the pupils’ diverse learning needs
• Remove the barriers to learning and assessment

With advice from and the support of the SENDCo, teachers match the learning to the needs and abilities of the pupils. They use a range of strategies to develop the pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills. Where appropriate, materials are modified or support is provided to enable pupils with SEND to access the learning or the assessment processes.

Special access arrangements are available for pupils on the Code of Practice to allow access to the year 6 SATs tests:

• Large print texts can be ordered for those children who will benefit from a larger font and clearly laid paper.
• Additional time is available for children who meet QCA criteria.
• One to one adult support can be given to assist with the reading of questions or the adult may act as a scribe or amanuensis, where allowed according to QCA guidelines.

Access to the Wider Curriculum

The school provides a wide range of additional activities.

Opportunities for pupils include art, drama, ICT, sports, gardening, games and music clubs, booster classes and cycling proficiency courses.

Pupils with SEND are given encouragement and support to join in and benefit from these activities and their participation is carefully monitored.

Monitoring and Evaluating the Success of the Education Provided for Pupils with SEND

The school, including the Governing Body is committed to regular and systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of its work.  The school employs a series of methods to gather data for analysis including:

• Regular observation of teaching by SMT/leadership team.
• Analysis of the attainment and achievement of different groups of pupils with SEND
• Review of outcomes through regular reviews of plans
• Scrutiny of pupils’ work
• The views of parents and the pupils
• Regular monitoring by the Governing Body/SEND governor
• Maintenance of assessment records (e.g. reading and spelling ages) that illustrate progress over time
• Regular meetings between SENDCo, class teachers and Teaching Assistants

As a result of the above the school reports annually upon its successes and identifies aspects for future development.

The role played by parents of pupils with SEND

In accordance with the SEND Code of Practice, the school believes that all parents of children with SEND should be treated as equal partners.  The school has positive attitudes to parents, providing user-friendly information such as a school newsletter and the SEN Information Report.  The class teachers produce a termly overview of each topic area for parents.  This gives details of topics and areas to be covered in the foundation subjects and science. 

A hugely important strand has been the development of family learning, which encourages the engagement of parents learning together with their children in a school based programme of exciting shared learning opportunities.

The school strives to ensure that parents understand the procedures and are aware of how to access advice.

Parents will be supported and empowered to:

• Recognise and fulfil their responsibilities as parents and play an active and valued role in their child’s education
• Have knowledge of their child’s entitlement within the SEND framework
• Make their views known about how their child is educated
• Have access to information, advice and support during assessment and any related decision making processes about special educational provision

Parent Structured Consultation Meetings

Parent Structured Consultation Meetings take place three times a year for all pupils in the school with an extended session provided for parents of children with Special Educational Needs.  “The purpose of the meetings is to:

• Establish an effective relationship between parent and the key teacher;
• Allow the parent an opportunity to share their concerns and, together, agree their aspirations for their child;
• Set clear goals and targets for learning and improvement in wider outcomes;
• Determine activities which will contribute to the achievement of those targets;
• Identify the responsibilities of the parent, the pupil and the school;
• Review Individual Education Plans such as a pupil’s My Plan

Perhaps most importantly, the structured conversation should help to establish a wider school culture of listening to the thoughts and aspirations of parents of young people with SEND.” (Achievement for All, 2009, Structured Conversation Booklet)

At all stages of the special educational needs process, the schools strives to involve parents and keep them fully informed.  We take account of the wishes, feelings and knowledge of parents at all stages. We respect the validity of differing perspectives and seek constructive ways of reconciling different viewpoints.

The SENDCo is available in school every day. Parents can contact the SENDCo directly however, sometimes a class teacher may indicate that a parent wishes to talk with the SENDCo and this is followed up promptly.

The Headteacher is willing to meet with any parent who has SEND matters to discuss. We also have regular informal discussions to share the progress of special needs children with their parents. We inform the parents of any outside intervention and share the process of decision making at every opportunity.  We discuss transition arrangements for SEND pupils nearing the end of KS2 with parents at Year 5 review meetings and offer to provide assistance and links with secondary schools as and when appropriate.  We also provide information and contact details to parents for organisations such as ‘SENDIASS’ and the ‘Family Information Service’.

Arrangements for dealing with complaints from parents

These arrangements can be found in the School’s complaints policy and have been agreed by the Governing Body. https://www.tredworth-jun.gloucs.sch.uk/policies/

Arrangements for In-service Training

• SENDCo attendance at local and national course/conferences.
• The SENDCo is a member of a cluster group who meet to discuss and address current issues in SEND. The purpose of this group is to develop the supporting role of the SENDCo with reference to enhancing pupil progress and supporting staff in school.
• The SENDCo is a member of NASEN (National Association of Special Educational Needs).
• Input to staff meetings from SEN advisory team and other outside professionals.
• Teacher and Teaching Assistant attendance at local courses.

Links with other schools

We realise the importance of close liaison with our main feeder schools and the SENDCo of both schools meet on a termly basis.  During the summer term, the SENDCo of Tredworth Junior School will:

• Meet with KS1 and Year 2 teachers to meet the children and discuss any needs the child might have.
• Attend My Plan + and EHCP reviews of the children transferring to Tredworth Junior School or any transition conferences to enable provision and support to be planned as appropriate
• Speak with parents already identified at the New Parents meeting and subsequently by appointment to discuss provision for their child.  School brochures and information regarding SEND provision are sent prior to the parents meeting and an open invitation is given to visit the school on an individual basis.

At the beginning of September, all KS1 records are passed to us from our feeder schools and information is used to plan provision for meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and / or disabilities.

When the children transfer at Year 6, meetings occur with the secondary schools.  Any children who are on our SEND register are discussed with the receiving schools to ensure that their needs can be planned for.  The SENDCo or Teaching Assistants are available to accompany Year 6 SEND pupils on their preliminary visit to their chosen secondary school, to assist the transition process.  SENDCOs from the receiving schools of the pupils who have an Education, Health and Care Plan are invited to attend the annual review in Year 5 and Year 6.  For those pupils with a My Plan +, SENDCos are invited to attend reviews leading up to transition. 

During the Summer Term of Year 6, a Transition Group is run in school with sessions running after school involving parents with their children.  Vulnerable children and / or those children particularly worried about their move to Secondary School, many of whom will be on the SEND register, are invited to take part in the weekly sessions which prepare them for their move.  Secondary Schools are invited to these sessions to meet and work with the children and their parents.  The children, together with their parents, produce a booklet about the child which tells their story and also any information that the family want to share with the school in order to encourage a successful transition.

Outside Agencies

All members of staff are requested to keep the SENDCo informed of any contact they have had with outside agencies. Likewise the SENDCo will relay any information received from and contacts made with outside agencies, back to the class teacher.

The SENDCo liaises with agencies such as:

• Educational Psychology Service (EPS)
• Advisory Teaching Service
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Occupational Therapy
• Visual Impairment Service
• Hospital Education Service
• Paediatricians
• School Nursing Service
• CAMHS
• Physiotherapists
• Playtherapists

Children and Families Worker

At Tredworth Junior School the Children and Families Worker works closely with the SENDCo to ensure that vulnerable children are receiving the support needed to make appropriate progress and that every child has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.  The Children and Families Worker provides a vital link between home and school particularly for our most vulnerable families or at a time of crisis. The Children and Families worker offers help and support to parents and children, signposting to outside agencies and assisting parents/carers to access support from other agencies working outside the school setting. The Children and Families Worker offers advice and support to parents/carers to enable them to offer the best level of support to their own children.

The previous CAF (Common Assessment Framework) has now been replaced by the single graduated pathway and a child’s needs will be met through a My Plan or My Plan +.

Please refer to the Safeguarding Policy for further information about the role of the Children and Families Worker.  https://www.tredworth-jun.gloucs.sch.uk/policies/

Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions 

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 of the children with medical needs may also have special educational needs (SEN) and may have a statement, or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision and the SEND Code of Practice (2014) is followed.

Tredworth Junior School’s Medical Conditions Policy can be accessed on the school website or by following the link below:

https://www.tredworth-jun.gloucs.sch.uk/policies/

Monitoring arrangements

This policy and information report will be reviewed by the SENCo every year. It will also be updated if any changes to the information are made during the year.

It will be approved by the Governing Body.

Links with other policies and documents

This policy links to our policies on:

• Accessibility policy and plan
• Behaviour
• Equality Statement
• Supporting pupils with medical conditions
• Policy for the Education of Children in Care