What is the name of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo) at Morpeth All Saints CE First School and what is their role?

SENDCo:  Mrs. C. Thompson.    telephone: 01670 512803 ext: 4

 

The SENDCo is responsible for:-

• Overseeing the provision for your child and ensuring that plans and progress are regularly reviewed and targets reset.
• Supporting class teachers and support staff in meeting the needs of children in their care so that they make the best possible progress.

Co-ordinating all the support for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and developing the school’s SEND Policy to make sure all children get a consistent, high quality response to meeting their needs in school.

 

The kinds of SEND that MAS provide for

MAS currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:

· Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), speech and language difficulties

· Cognition and learning, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia,

· Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social anxiety

· Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties,

· Moderate/severe/profound and multiple learning difficulties

 

 Identifying pupils with SEND and assessing their needs

Along with dialogue with parents and other professionals, we will assess each pupil’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, which will build on previous settings and Key Stages, where appropriate. Class teachers will make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:

· 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 the child and their peers

· Widens the attainment gap

 

This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEN but they remain indicators that we ill consider.

 

When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.

 

Consulting and involving pupils and parents

At MAS we believe in fully informing, and involving, parents/carers in their child’s education journey.  We will have an early discussion with the pupil (where appropriate) and their parents when identifying whether they need special educational provision.  We strongly believe that early intervention is the key to success These conversations are recorded on an Initial Concerns Form and we will make sure that:

· Everyone develops a good understanding of the pupil’s areas of strength, as well as any difficulties

· We take into account the parents’ concerns

· Everyone understands the agreed outcomes sought for the child

· Everyone is clear on what the next steps are

Two rounds of interventions/adjustments will be made at this point and reviewed after a set period of time.

We will inform parents of the outcome of these interventions.  If it is then felt that outside agency support is required we will request permission before we make any referral or name the child with those working in those agencies.

 

Assessing and reviewing pupils’ progress towards outcomes

We will follow the graduated approach and the four-part cycle of assess, plan, do, review (APDR).

The class teacher will work with the SENCO to carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. This will draw on:

 

· The teacher’s assessment and observations of the pupil in the learning environment

· Their previous progress and attainment and behaviour

· The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data

· The views of parents

· The pupil’s own views

· Advice from external support services, if relevant

 

The assessment will be reviewed initially after two weeks and then at the end of the intervention.

All teachers and support staff who work with the pupil will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided, and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. This will be detailed in their Individual Learning Plan (ILP)) and their impact on the pupil’s progress will be recorded.  New targets will then be set if needed, and parents informed of the progress.

 

Supporting pupils moving between phases and preparing for adulthood

We will share information with the middle school or other setting the pupil is moving to. A meeting takes place in the term before they move classes, or schools, to provide the teachers for the following year to be fully informed of the child’s needs.

When changing classes within the school, the child will have 1:1 meeting with their new class teacher and a ‘Passport To my New Class’ booklet will be made and taken home over the summer holidays.  All staff complete the SEND Transition Sheets for the next teacher.

 

When transferring to middle school we pass all paperwork to the relevant SENDCo.  This is signed for as evidence that we have passed on the information.  We also inform the schools via email, details on all children transferring to them.  This will be information on all previous interventions that the child has taken part in, as well as current provision.  Extra transition days are also offered.

 

Our approach to teaching pupils with SEN

Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class.

Quality First Teaching (QFT) is our first step in responding to pupils who have SEN. This will be differentiated for individual pupils.

We will also provide the following interventions:

· Boys’ Writing Groups

· Speech and Language provision

· Plus 1 (Maths Intervention)

· Power of 2 (Maths Intervention)

· Read Write Inc

· Precision Teaching

· Lego Therapy

· Nurture Group

· Rapid Maths

· Number Sense

· Bespoke 1:1 learning packages designed by teachers for specific needs

· Precision Teaching

· Circle of Friends

 

Adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment

We make the following adaptations to ensure all pupils’ needs are met:

· Differentiating our curriculum to ensure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1:1 work,    teaching style, content of the lesson, etc.

· Adapting our resources and staffing

· Using recommended aids, such as iPads, laptops, coloured overlays, visual timetables, larger font, radio aids, Babble Guards etc.

· Differentiating our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.

· Marking the environment clearly

 

Additional support for learning

At MAS we have 6 teaching assistants who are trained to deliver various interventions such as Lego Therapy, Precision Teaching, Read Write Inc, Speed Up, Plus 1, Power of 2, Number Sense and Circle of Friends.

Teaching assistants will support pupils on a 1:1 basis when we are recommended to do so by outside agencies and to support pupils to be fully inclusive in all aspects of the curriculum.

Teaching assistants will support pupils in small groups when there are a number of children with similar needs.

We work with the following agencies to provide support for pupils with SEND:

 

· Educational Psychologists

· Speech and Language Team

· ASD and Behaviour Support Team

· Literacy Support Team

· Visual Impairment Team

· Hearing Impairment Team

 

Expertise and training of staff

Our SENCO, Mrs. Thompson Is allocated approximately 3 hours a week to manage SEN provision within school.

We have a team of 5 teaching assistants, and 1 higher level teaching assistant (HLTAs) who are trained to deliver SEN provision.

 

We provide training to all staff throughout the academic year.

 

Securing equipment and facilities

Each child is entitled to £6000 of the notional budget to be spent on them to provide them with equipment and provision that is needed to facilitate their learning.

If it is deemed that an additional amount of money is needed for a short term intervention, then Northumberland’s STAR funding will be applied for.  For needs that require ongoing support a COSA application will be completed.

 

Evaluating the effectiveness of SEND provision

We evaluate the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEN by:

 

· Reviewing pupils’ individual progress towards their goals each term

· Reviewing the impact of interventions after 2 weeks to ensure that it is effective in the first instance

· Using pupil questionnaires

· Monitoring by the SENCO

· Holding annual reviews for pupils with statements EHC plans

· Reporting from teachers

 

Enabling pupils with SEN to engage in activities available to those in the school who do not have SEN

All of our extra-curricular activities and school visits are available to all our pupils, including our before-and after-school clubs.

All pupils are encouraged to go on our residential trip to Robinwood in Year 4

All pupils are encouraged to take part in sports day/school plays/special workshops, etc.

No pupil is ever excluded from taking part in these activities because of their SEN or disability.

 

Here is the link to our Accessibility Policy

 

Support for improving emotional and social development

We provide support for pupils to improve their emotional and social development in the following ways:

· Pupils with SEN are encouraged to be part of the school council, Eco School Committee and The Sports Council

· Pupils with SEN are also encouraged to be part of Lego club to promote teamwork/building friendships etc.

· Pupil questionnaires

 

We have a zero tolerance approach to bullying and all staff complete annual, online training to raise awareness of signs of bullying in relation to SEND

 

Working with other agencies

We work very closely with the outside agencies named above.  We welcome them into school regularly.  We host the SENDCo Network meeting once a year and Mrs. Thompson works closely with SENDCos from other schools and attends meeting every half term led by our Educational Psychologist.

 

Complaints about SEN provision

Complaints about SEN provision in our school should be made to the SENDCo, Mrs. Thompson or Headteacher, Mr. N.W. Reeson in the first instance.

 

You will then be referred to the school’s Complaints Policy.

 

The parents of pupils with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if they believe that our school has discriminated against their children. They can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:

· Exclusions

· Provision of education and associated services

· Making reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services

 

Contact details of support services for parents of pupils with SEN

There are a number of services available within our local area to support parents and pupils with SEND.

 

Please find the link to Northumberland Family Services Directory here:-

https://northumberland.fsd.org.uk/kb5/northumberland/fsd/localoffer.page

 

Contact details for raising concerns

Please contact Mrs. Thompson in the first instance on 01670 512803 ext: 4 if you have any concerns regarding SEND at Morpeth All Saints.

 

The Governor responsible for SEND is Mrs. S. Alexander.

 

The local authority local offer

Our local authority’s local offer is published here:  http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/SEND-Local-offer.aspx

 

To be reviewed annually.
Next Review Date:   September 2022