SEND

At Ashbrook Junior School, we use a ‘graduated response’ to identifying and supporting children with Special Educational Needs. We take the following steps:

• Quality first teaching – All children have a basic entitlement to quality first teaching in the classroom. Sometimes, if a child has fallen behind in school, their needs can be met by differentiated teaching approaches. This is our first step in supporting children. Each class teacher is accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support from Teaching Assistants.
• We 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.
• Listening to the views of parents/ carers and child - If a child does not make progress or there is a concern about a possible Special Educational Need, the class teacher will have a discussion with the SENDCO (Mrs Johnstone) and parent/ carer about the additional support or provision needed.
• If necessary, a meeting will be held with the child, parent/ carer, teacher and SENDCO to develop an Inclusion Passport. Here, we listen to the views of the child, parent/carer and teacher before working together to develop some targets and outlined provision for the child. These targets are reviewed at least three times per year.
• External agencies and other professionals - If the child continues to struggle to meet their targets or more support is needed, additional support may be needed from outside agencies. Parents/ carers can also request that referrals are made. At all stages, Parents/ Carers will be involved and made aware of any additional provision.

Outside Agencies which may be involved in working with children in school include:

• SSSEN (Support Service for Special Educational Needs)
• Educational Psychologist
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Visual Impairment Service
• Sensory and Physical Support Service for Children and Young People who are Deaf or Hearing Impaired.
• Sensory and Physical Support Service
• Behaviour Support Service
• School Nurse Service
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Voluntary Agencies

More details about the support which children with SEND can access can be found as part of Derbyshire’s Local Offer at: www.derbyshiresendlocaloffer.org

As with all children at the school, you will receive a report three times per year. At these times, you will be invited to discuss your child’s progress with the class teacher.  

In addition to the normal reporting process, children with SEND will take part in the ‘Inclusion Passport’ process.  At the heart of this system is your child’s views about their progress and your input about their strengths and areas for development.  The Inclusion Passport is written as a working document as part of a meeting between yourself and the class teacher.  The SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator) may also attend these meetings to offer advice and strategies to support your child.  Together, targets are written and support arranged for your child.  The Inclusion Passport is reviewed three times per year and new targets are set.  Your input is vital in this process and you can request for the Inclusion Passport to be reviewed more regularly if you feel that this is necessary.  At the meeting, school staff will discuss with you which strategies can be used at home to support your child’s learning.

If you would like more information about your child’s progress, please feel free to make an appointment, via the school office, to see your child’s class teacher or the SENDCO.  You can also communicate with your child’s teacher through the Communication Book your child will be given.  

A range of assessment methods are used within school to identify how well your child is learning.  This includes:

• teachers’ observations of learning within a lesson
• teachers’ assessment of how your child has performed in a lesson through the marking process
• formalised (summative) assessment tests
• standardised tests to assess progress in particular skills, e.g. to assess reading/ spelling/maths ages; to assess social and communication skills. 

The SENDCO and the class teacher will use the full range of methods to assess your child’s learning and to assess their progress.

At Ashbrook Junior School, we adapt the teaching methods we use according to the needs of each pupil.  If your child has Special Educational Needs, discussions will take place at the Inclusion Passport meetings about the approaches school staff could use in school.  As always, we value your input and insight into approaches to best suit your child.  We will also discuss these approaches with your child.  

Alongside talking with yourself and your child, teachers, Teaching Assistants and the SENCO meet regularly to discuss any concerns.  Observation records or samples of work may be discussed along with a discussion about suitable strategies to use.  We make use of Derbyshire’s Descriptors of Special Educational Needs provision, alongside many other forms of guidance and support available in school, to structure our plans. 

Some children may have professionals from external agencies working with them.  At these times, multi-agency meetings may be carried out (parents will be invited).  A Multi-Element Plan (MEP) may be drawn up to structure the advice and support being offered for your child. 

Your child will access the curriculum alongside his/ her peer group.  However, the way in which they access the curriculum may be differentiated.  This could involve (amongst many other approaches): support prompts and materials; alternative methods for recording their learning or differentiated levels of work on this topic.  Some children may require support from a Teaching Assistant in order to access the work.  This may involve support within particular lessons or as an additional activity designed to support your child’s particular needs.  Often, this support can be delivered as part of a small group, alongside your child’s peer group.  At times, your child may need to take time away from the classroom in order to carry out activities designed to meet the targets on their Inclusion Passport.    Reasonable adjustments to the learning environment may also need to be made, according to your child’s needs. 

When teachers plan their lessons, they consider the needs of every pupil in their class.  They consider activities which will support your child in meeting the targets on their Inclusion Passport and therefore to make progress in their skills.

Parents/ carers will be involved in discussions about the type and how much support children receive. Discussions about this usually take place as part of the Inclusion Passport review process although we welcome your input at other times – please make an appointment to see your child’s class teacher or the SENCO at if you would like further information or you have any concerns. 

Support is assessed on an individual basis.  Teaching Assistants are allocated to each class during morning sessions in order to support groups of children, including those with Special Educational Needs.  Intervention groups are also used to support children with similar gaps in learning or skills.  These can involve the development of Literacy and Numeracy skills and may also involve the development of social skills.  Some children may need some one-to-one support from an adult in order to focus on the development of skills which are specific to their needs. Each type of support is reviewed regularly by the child’s class teacher and the SENCO in order to evaluate its effectiveness.  Support may be short or long-term, depending on the needs being addressed and how well your child responds to the support. 

Children who have an Educational Health Care Plan (EHC Plan) will have additional one-to-one support in order to meet the objectives from the plan.  Additional meetings will also be carried out in order to structure the support given to these children.

We aim to include all children within school trips and activities outside the school.  As with all areas of the curriculum, we make reasonable adaptations in order to support your child to access these activities.  Your input is vital in planning for these activities.  You may be asked to support the school in developing a plan for these types of activities.  Adaptations range from having an adult assigned specifically to your child in order to support them in an unusual situation to using a specific form of transport for children who use a wheelchair. 

Within school, your child may require additional support at the start or end of the school day.  This may be provided through Teaching Assistant support.  If your child requires additional support at lunchtimes, this may be provided in a number of ways, including the ‘Lunchtime Club’ or an additional focus from a Mid-day Supervisor.

Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions

Ashbrook Junior 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 children with medical conditions may also have Special Educational Needs.  They 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.  Children who do not have a statement or EHC plan will be given a Health Care Plan which will be written alongside parents within school.  This may include provision for personal care when necessary.

The school has a duty under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements for supporting pupils at school with medical conditions.  The school’s arrangements for pupils with Medical Conditions is set out in more detail in our policy: ‘Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions’.  

Behaviour

Issues with behaviour may be related to a child’s Special Educational Needs.  As with all aspects of support, staff at Ashbrook Junior School will work with children and families in order to devise a structured programme of support if this is required.  We aim to use reward strategies and approaches in order to promote more positive behaviour from the children.  

If a child’s behaviour is a risk to themselves or other members of the school community, a risk assessment may be completed.  Parents/ carers and school staff will meet together to agree these arrangements.  This will include strategies to prevent the escalation of risky behaviour and agreed approaches if the behaviour occurs. 

If a child becomes at risk of exclusion, additional support from external agencies (such as Derbyshire’s Behaviour Support Service) may be requested by the school.   

Attendance and After-School Clubs

We monitor the attendance of pupils with SEND and, if issues with attendance occur, we work with families to find solutions.  In some circumstances (when attendance falls well below expected levels), support may be requested and attendance will be monitored within school and regular meetings held, in line with our attendance policy.

All pupils are encouraged to participate in extra curricular activities at school and we actively promote the engagement of pupils with SEND at these clubs.  Discussions about what is available for your child may be held at the Inclusion Passport meeting and you may receive additional letters with guidance about the clubs on offer.  All of the after school clubs are prepared to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and we will work with external providers in order to ensure that children with SEND are able to access these arrangements.

Every teacher is accountable for all children in their class, including the children with SEND.  

The SENDCO (Mrs Johnstone) is responsible for co-ordinating the additional provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities at the school.  As part of this role, she is the line manager for the SEN Teaching Assistants.  She is also responsible for managing the school’s responsibility for meeting the medical needs of pupils.  Mrs Johnstone is fully qualified with the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination (NASENCO). 

All staff receive appraisals and through this, the training needs of staff are identified and planned.  All staff are encouraged to partake in training to develop their awareness and skills for supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.  Teaching Assistants and teachers benefit from a regular programme of training provided by the SSSEN service.  Further training is also provided by other outside agencies as required.  These include:

• Educational Psychology
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Visual Impairment Service
• Sensory and Physical Support Service for Children and Young People who are Deaf or Hearing Impaired
• Sensory and Physical Support Service
• Behaviour Support Service
• School Nurse Service
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Voluntary Agencies

Other agencies, charities and voluntary groups may be contacted for support in a situation where a child has needs beyond the experience of school staff.

All of the teachers at Ashbrook Junior School are qualified and our school strives to provide high quality teaching and learning for all children, including those with SEND. Training needs are continually being identified and addressed. This may include whole school training on SEND issues or to support identified groups of pupils in school, such as autism, dyslexia, etc. Teachers and support staff also attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class. Our Teaching Assistants also have a range of expertise in a variety of specialised areas including autism, complex needs and behavioural needs.

We are members of NASEN (the ‘National Association for Special Educational Needs’) and make use of their resources to keep staff up to date with changes and developments within SEND.

The school is accessible for wheelchairs both inside and outside.  We have a lift available to access the hall and there are ramps to the entrance and playground. A disabled parking space is also provided.  Any alterations required to adapt to the needs of individual pupils will be considered by the school and Local Authority. Please contact the school if you require further information about this.

At Ashbrook Junior School, we believe that the involvement of parents/carers is vital to your child’s learning. 

Parents/carers of each child receive a copy of a report regarding progress three times per year.  These reports coincide with Parents’ Evening arrangements so that you have the opportunity to discuss the report with your child’s class teacher.  If you require further information, guidance or wish to arrange a meeting, please contact the school office (01332 673785) or contact your child's class teacher or the school's SENDCO (Mrs Johnstone) via Class dojo.

Parents/carers of children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities will be invited to other meetings to review their progress towards targets on their Inclusion Passports.  This forms part of a cycle of assessment and action known as the ‘Assess-Plan-Do-Review’ Cycle.  Assessments are made regularly.  These can be formalised assessment tasks or activities, or records of observations.  As a result of these assessments, plans are made which are normally recorded as part of the child’s Inclusion Passport.  At this time, parents/ carers views and those of the child form the basis of the provision made to support the child in moving forward with particular areas of difficulty.  Once particular interventions have taken place, progress is reviewed and new targets are set.  Inclusion Passports are reviewed with parents/ carers and children at least three times per year.

Throughout the year, there are many opportunities to come into school, including: enterprise mornings and events; Christmas Crafts morning; performances and concerts and many more.  These events are published in advance on the school newsletter.  

Our school SENDCO offers 'drop in' sessions regularly and the details of these are given on Class Dojo.  Any parents/carers are welcome to attend.

We welcome parents/carers support in school.  If you feel that you could spare time to listen to readers or that you have a particular skill which could help us, please contact the school office.  The PFA (Parents and Friends Association) is also active within the school, arranging fund raising activities, social arrangements and supporting the school.  All parents/carers are welcome to join and attend meetings.

Every teacher is accountable for all children in their class, including the children with SEND.  The class teacher should be the first point of contact for all questions and queries regarding the provision for your child.  Appointments can be arranged via the school office (01332 673785). 

The SENDCO (Mrs Johnstone) is responsible for co-ordinating the additional provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities at the school.  As part of this role, she is the line manager for the SEN Teaching Assistants.  She is also responsible for managing the school’s responsibility for meeting the medical needs of pupils.  

In line with the recommendations in the SEN Code of Practice 2014, the SENCO’s key roles and responsibilities include: 

• overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy;  
• coordinating provision for children with SEN;  
• liaising with the relevant designated teacher where a looked after pupil has SEN; 
• advising a on graduated approach to providing SEN Support;  
• advising on the deployment of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet pupils’ needs effectively; 
• liaising with parents of children with SEN;  
• liaising with early years providers, other schools, educational psychologists, health and social care professionals, and independent or voluntary bodies; 
• being a key point of contact with external agencies, including the LA and LA support services;  
• liaising with potential next providers of education to ensure a young person and their parents are informed about options and a smooth transition is planned; 
• working with the head teacher and school governors that the school meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act (2010) with regard to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements;  
• ensuring that the school keeps the records of all children with SEN up to date. 

The SEND Governor (Glyn Stenson) meets the SENCO on a termly basis to keep up-to-date with SEN developments within the school and to review the implementation of the SEN policy on an ongoing basis.

Parents can consult with Derbyshire Information Advice and Support Service for Special Educational Needs and Disability (formerly known as ‘Parent Partnership’) at any point to request advice. Details can be found at: www.derbyshireiass.co.uk. Parents who wish to contact the school concerning an SEND issue should in first instance contact the class teacher and then the SENDCO - Mrs Johnstone. 

In cases where parents/carers find that the action taken is unsatisfactory, or that they have further cause for complaint they can also contact in this order: 

• Headteacher 
• Governor for SEN 
• Chair of Governors 
• Local Authority 

Please see the complaints procedure for more details. 

Further information regarding support for children with SEND in the local area can be found via Derbyshire’s Local Offer website: www.derbyshiresendlocaloffer.org

At the transition from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2, the SENCO and the Year 3 teachers meet regularly with the SENCO and teachers at the Infant School to discuss the needs of any children with SEND who will be moving to the Junior School.  Additional transition arrangements are made to support the child’s transition to Junior School.  This could include: additional visits, making a photo book with information about the school; additional meetings with parents/ carers, etc.  

At the transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3, the SENCO and Year 6 teachers meet throughout Year 6 with the teachers at the local secondary schools.  Additional transition arrangements are made with the secondary school to support children with the move to secondary school.  Meetings will also be held with parents/ carers to discuss the best way to support their child in this important move.  

If a child is moving to a new school for other reasons, similar arrangements will be made to those mentioned above.  School records regarding the provision given to support your child at school (including Inclusion Passports) will be passed onto the child’s new school. 

Further information regarding schools and other support available in the local area for children with SEND can be found on Derbyshire’s Local Offer website: www.derbyshiresendlocaloffer.org.

Children with SEND are included in all pupil interviews and surveys when we seek feedback from the children.  Alternative methods of communication are used if needed so that all children are able to share their views.  At each review of your child's Inclusion Passport, pupil's views and aspirations from the centre of the process and careful attention to this is made by your child's class teacher and the SENDCO when provision is organised.

Ashbrook Junior School always strives to reflect, improve and adapt its provision for SEND.  Regular discussions are held with Transform Trust and also as part of our Network meetings through Derbyshire's Support Service for SEN.  Parent/carer views are also sort at every Inclusion meeting and drop in sessions with the SENDCO also allow for other discussions as needed.  All school staff have regular programmes of professional development in order to adapt and improve our provision to meet the needs of the children in school.