How We Support SEND
Esh Church of England Primary School prides itself in being very inclusive and will endeavour to support every child regardless of their level of need. All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented.
To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum there are some actions we may take to achieve this:
- Ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school activities.
- Help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have.
- Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs.
- Pupils to gain in confidence and improve their self-esteem.
- To work in partnership with parents/ carers, pupils and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs and disabilities.
- To identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional)
- To make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
- Ensure that all children with SEND are fully included in all activities of the school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement.
- To promote self worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels.
- To give every child the entitlement to a sense of achievement.
- To regularly review the policy and practice in order to achieve best practice.
Types of SEND
At Esh Church of England (Aided) Primary School, we have experience of supporting children and young people with a wide range of need including:
General Learning Difficulties – children whose learning progresses at a slower pace
Speech and Language Difficulties
Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties which can lead to Behavioural Difficulties
Developmental, Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD)
Dyspraxia (problems with motor skills, organisation)
Autism
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Down Syndrome
Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum
At Esh Church of England Primary School, we believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The Curriculum is all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development.
It includes not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum, but also the range of additional opportunities that the school organises in order to enrich the experiences of our children. Our curriculum also includes the social aspects that are essential for life-long learning.
For further information you can view the Teaching & Learning Policy in the School Policies section of our website.
How we identify and assess children with special educational needs
Most children and young people will have their special educational needs met in mainstream schools through good classroom practice. This is called Quality First Teaching.
At Esh Church of England (Aided) Primary School, we follow a graduated support approach which is called “Assess, Plan, Do, Review”.
This means that we will:
- Assess a child’s special educational needs
- Plan the provision to meet your child’s aspirations and agreed outcomes
- Do put the provision in place to meet those outcomes
- Review the support and progress
As part of this approach, we will produce a SEN Support Plan that describes the provision that we will make to meet a child’s special educational needs and agreed outcomes. Parents and carers will be fully involved in this process.
A small percentage of children and young people with significant learning difficulties might need an assessment that could lead to an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Full details can be found on the Local Offer website.
You can find details of how we adapt the curriculum and make it more accessible for pupils with SEN below:
All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. Our SEND philosophy places SEND children at the heart of personalised learning and our curriculum is tailored to meet individual pupils needs.
When a class teacher or the SENCO identifies a child with Special Educational Needs, the class teacher will provide differentiation through ‘Quality First Teaching’.
Each child’s teacher will be finding ways to support them including: Changing the way activities are planned and delivered, matching activities to the ability / need of each child (differentiation)
Adapting learning materials such as equipment and activities to suit each child’s needs.
Children may work in specific groups with other pupils of a similar ability. We offer small group support to promote skills identified in each child’s SEN Support Plan
Children may receive specialist group support from outside agencies e.g. Speech and Language Therapy or an Occupational Therapist or specialist in developing Fundamental Movement Skills.
We also provide specific individual support for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong. This may mean that your child is taught on a 1:1 basis or a 1:2 basis to promote skills identified in each child’s SEN Support Plan or Education, Health and Care Plan.
Staff use a range of teaching and learning styles to meet the needs of all pupils. This includes visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and tactile learning styles or a combination of some or all. Materials are differentiated as appropriate.
At Esh Church of England Primary School we have developed an innovative and supportive curriculum with Support Staff timetabled according to the needs of our pupils
At Esh Church of England (Aided) Primary School we provide a broad range of extra-curricular activities for all. This includes sports such as Cricket, Tennis, Hockey, Huff and Puff, Tri Golf, Dodgeball and Football. We also offer additional opportunities after school including joining Creative Club, Music Club, Art Club, Computing Club, Drama Club and Science Clubs. Clubs are rotated half termly to allow access for all.
Support for literacy and numeracy is provided by Class Teachers, Specialist Support Teachers and/or Teaching Assistants in whole class mixed ability groups or in identified and targeted small groups to promote skills and understanding as identified in each child’s Education Support Plan or Education, Health and Care Plan. At Esh Church of England Primary School we use Bug Club, Floppy’s Phonics , Accelerated Reader and Nessy among our literacy intervention programmes. We use Times Tables Rockstars, Numbots, Plus 1 and Power of 2 as numeracy intervention programmes.
Children with significant learning difficulties have needs assessed and planned for on an individual basis using the SEN Planning Tool available to school.
The current link to the LA Local Offer can be found at: County Durham Families Information Service website.
We offer support for children with physical needs and work closely with the Occupational Health service; referring children independently and through identification by the Educational Psychologist working with school, Amanda Marais.
Support for children with speech, language and communication needs includes making referrals to Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) planning monitoring visits and implementing advice appropriate to each pupil.
Support for children with a hearing, visual or multi-sensory impairment may include liaising with the Hearing Impairment Service and implementing recommendations as appropriate. This includes considering seating position, repeated instructions and whether pupils lip-read.
We support children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties consistently and continuously. At Esh Church of England Primary School it is the class teacher’s responsibility to ensure the overall well-being for every child in their class. As an inclusive school, we welcome and celebrate diversity. All the staff believe that having high self- esteem is crucial to a child’s emotional well-being and academic progress. With this in mind, we offer:
• Nurture groups
• Social skills group
• Pupil Voice and School Council
• A behaviour plan that focuses on pupils being rewarded for making correct choices
• A system that enables pupils to take medicine on site with written parental permission
Support for children with medical needs: The head teacher maintains a copy of the Medical Register as the responsible person. Copies are kept in the school office, easily accessible by first aiders and are available in other areas throughout school. The Medical Register may be amended throughout the year by the class teacher following consultation with their team leader. The SENCO will become involved should a child’s medical attention present a barrier to their learning.
Full details can be found on the Local Offer website.
Support for children with English as an Additional Language
We are committed to supporting pupils for whom English is not a first language. We use County Durham EAL support service that helps schools to improve educational outcomes of all minority ethnic pupils including those with English as an additional language (EAL) and provide additional support for children and young people who are at risk of underachieving. County Durham EAL support service team deliver individual and group support packages for pupils with EAL New-To-English and undertake raising achievement work for EAL pupils in the intermediate stage of learning EAL. They also liaise with minority ethnic parents/carers on the induction of their children into the English education system. Furthermore, the support team raise awareness of the needs of EAL pupils in schools, including those of refugees and asylum seekers. This involves carrying out parental interviews, interpreting, first language and initial English language assessments and monitoring of progress and support.
Support for Looked after Children with SEND includes SENCO attendance at PEP reviews and liaison with the appropriate Virtual School. This may include submitting assessment updates at termly interview so pupil progress can be tracked and monitored rigorously.
Esh Church of England Primary has a commitment to social inclusion of which Anti-bullying is a key issue.
It is essential that children feel safe and welcome in school as only then will they be free to learn effectively. Extra pastoral support arrangements for listening to the views of children and young people with SEND are in place with pupils able to talk to their Class Teacher, the Headteacher or a named adult in school and inform them of any concerns that they may have. We also have a school counsellor – Mrs Walton – available to support children’s emotional wellbeing, and further support from the Melrose Learning Trust MHWB Lead – Steph Jones.
Anti-Bullying
The Role of the Head Teacher
It is the responsibility of the Head Teacher to implement the school anti-bullying strategy and to ensure that all staff (both teaching and non-teaching) are aware of the school policy and know how to deal with incidents of bullying.
The Role of Governors
The Governing Body supports the Head Teacher in all attempts to eliminate bullying from our school. The Governing Body monitors the incidents of bullying that occur, and reviews the effectiveness of the school policy regularly. The Governors require the Head Teacher to keep accurate records of all incidents of bullying and to report to them on request about the effectiveness of school anti-bullying strategies.
The Role of the Teacher
Teachers in our school take all forms of bullying seriously, and intervene to prevent incidents from taking place. They record all notable incidents that happen in their class and that they are aware of in the school and where appropriate pass this information on to the Head Teacher. It is the teacher’s duty to support all children in their class and to establish a climate of trust and respect for all. By praising, rewarding and celebrating the success of all children, we aim to prevent incidents of bullying.
The Role of Pupils
We consult with pupils about their roles within the school eg. as Buddies and Mediators and develop these roles accordingly. Pupils are also involved in our Anti-bullying awareness activities, usually planning, organising and delivering assemblies and events. All pupils within school participate in a range of anti-bullying events and activities through PSHCE and RE lessons as well as additional organised events such as anti-bullying assemblies.
The Role of Parents
Parents who are concerned that their child might be being bullied, or who suspect that their child may be the perpetrator of bullying, should contact their child’s class teacher immediately. Parents have a responsibility to support the school’s anti-bullying policy and to actively encourage their child to be a positive member of the school.
How does Esh Church of England Primary School enable children and young people with disabilities to engage in activities and other educational provision e.g. sports and arts?
As an inclusive school we ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to enjoy every activity that our school offers. This means that activities outside the classroom and school trips are available to all regardless of SEND status.
With this in mind, we take particular care of our pupils by:
• Carrying out risk assessments for each trip that takes place
• Offer parents the opportunity of accompanying their child to ensure equal access to the activities
• Audit health and safety if appropriate
How does Esh Church of England Primary School track and monitor pupil progress?
The school offers support in many ways to involve parents in their child’s learning and track and monitor progress. It offers:
• Regular parents’ evenings to review progress
• An open door policy with teachers and Head
• Home/school liaison books (where appropriate)
• A school based plan created and shared with parents
• An interim progress report from class teachers
• An annual report from class teachers
• Reports from external agencies which are shared and discussed with parents
• Pupil progress meetings, held termly, with the HT, DHT and Class Teacher
• Twice-yearly progress updates using the school assessment system – Insight
Esh Church of England Primary School measures the progress of children with SEND in school by completing all of the above and in addition:
• Half-Yearly progress updates using the school assessment system – Insight measuring progress using P-Levels or Age-Related expectations.
• SEN review meetings on appointment
• Regular assessments and progress review meetings held jointly with the Educational Psychologist, parents or carers and Headteacher
How does Esh Church of England Primary School evaluate the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEND?
A SEND development action plan is written and reviewed at regular intervals throughout the year. Regular meetings take place to monitor the impact of interventions and SEN Provision.
If necessary, the SENCO, in partnership with parents and the child, may refer to outside agencies such as Educational Psychology or Specialist Support Teams for additional support.
Staffing and any Specialist Qualifications/Expertise
Miss Amy Lowes (National SENCO Award) is the MAT SENCO at Melrose Learning Trust.
As a school, we are continually reviewing our practice and ensuring that we have a skilled team to ensure coverage of the most common learning difficulties encountered in mainstream schooling. At present we have teachers or TAs with particular knowledge of:
• Speech and language (Miss Young)
• Makaton (Miss Young/Miss Hunter/Mrs James/Mrs Bell)
• ASD (Miss Young)
• Behaviour (Miss Young)
• Sensory needs (Miss Young)
• Motor skills (Miss Hunter)
Staff have recently attended training courses including: speech and language, positive behaviour management, autism, Lego Therapy, Epi-Pen Training, paediatric first aid and whole school Emergency First Aid at Work Training.
Training for staff is also completed on an individual basis, according to the needs of the child that they are supporting. Where specific skills are required they are advertised appropriately when vacancies arise.
If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.