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    • SEN

    Please find below the attachment relating to our SEN Information Report.

    If you have any further questions, please contact our SENCO team (Mrs K Cooke/Miss D Challenger).

    More information can be found at http://localoffer.stoke.gov.uk/kb5/stoke/directory/service.page?id=Go4UMRne96s&localofferchannel=2 where the Local Authority has detailed their Local Offer.

    Also, follow the link for SENDIASS (SEND Information, Advice and Support) http://www.sendiassstoke.co.uk for more advice.

    Children and Families Act 2014

    The Children and Families Act takes forward the Government’s commitments to improve services for vulnerable children and families. It underpins wider reforms to ensure that all children and young people can succeed, no matter what their background. The Bill reforms the systems for adoption, looked after children, family justice and SEN.

    The reform programme is set out in Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability: Progress and next steps by:

    Replacing statements and learning difficulty assessments with a new birth to 25 Education and Health Care (EHC) Plan—the Local Authority has responsibility for transitioning existing statements to EHC plans by 2018 and with immediate effect for new applications.

    Improving cooperation between all the services that support children and their families

    Who is the best person to talk to at St Mary's about a child's educational difficulties and/or special needs?

    Class teachers, supported by the senior leadership team, are responsible for:

    • Making regular assessments and gathering evidence of progress of all pupils in their class.
    •  Identifying pupils making less than expected progress.
    • Providing high first quality teaching targeted at a pupil’s needs.
    • Ensuring that the needs of pupils with SEN within their class are met by providing an appropriately differentiated curriculum.
    • Consulting with the SENCo team for advice on assessment and strategies/interventions for pupils.
    • Making themselves aware of this policy and procedures for identifying, assessing, monitoring and providing for pupils with SEN.
    • Listening to parents when they express concerns about their child’s development.
    • Meeting with parents of pupils with SEN to develop a good understanding of the child’s areas of strength and difficulty.
    • Meeting with parents to discuss appropriate provision and agreed outcomes for their child.

    Learning support staff/teaching assistants:

        Under the guidance of the class teacher or SENCo team to:

    • Carry out interventions and learning programmes planned by the class teacher or SENCo team, after receiving training on how to deliver the intervention effectively.
    • Carry out assessments of pupils, as requested by the class teacher or SENCo team, after receiving training on how to carry out the assessment.
    • Keep records of support/interventions that are being delivered.
    • Liaise with the class teacher or SENCo team to ensure that they know what progress is being made.
    • Support pupils in class or by withdrawing individuals and small groups.
    • Attend INSET, training and courses where appropriate.
    • Be fully aware of the school’s SEN policy.

    The Head Teacher and SENCO/SENCO Assistant are responsible for:

    • Coordinating the support for children with special educational needs (SEN) and / or disabilities, and developing the school’s SEND Policy to ensure that all children receive a consistent, high quality response to their individual need.
    • They must also make sure that the Governing Body is kept up to date about any issues in the school relating to SEND.
    • Following a graduated response appropriate to the needs of the individual child.
    • Liaising with all the other people who may be coming into the school to help support your child’s learning e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapists, Educational Psychology etc...
    • Updating the school’s SEND register and making sure that there are excellent records of your child’s progress and requirements.
    • Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school in order for your child (and other pupils with SEN and/or disabilities in the school) to achieve their full potential.
    • Supporting your child’s class teacher to write Pupil Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that specify the targets set for your child to achieve.
    • Organising training for staff so they are aware and confident about how to meet the needs of your child and others within our school.
    • Identifying strategies and evidence based interventions to be used to accelerate progress.
    • Supporting and advising colleagues in devising strategies, drawing up Pupil Passports, setting targets appropriate to the needs of the pupils and advising on appropriate resources and materials for use with pupils with SEN and on the effective use of materials and personnel in the classroom.

    How can I talk to someone about my child if I need to?

    You can contact your child’s class teacher or the SENCO by telephoning or visiting the Academy to make an appointment.

    As a school we welcome regular communication between parents and ourselves to discuss any matters of concern.

    What links does the school have with Agencies and LA Services?

    The school has access to a number of agencies and professionals who support the school in promoting achievement for children and young people with SEN. The school receives consultation, advice and guidance from the LA’s Inclusion Services -Educational Psychology Service and SEND services) which is outlined in a Service Level Agreement each year.

    The school receives additional support, where necessary, from:

    • the Hearing Impairment Service
    • specialists in cognitive and learning disorders
    • the Speech and Language Service
    • the Visual Impairment Service
    • the Physical Impairment service
    • specialists in autistic spectrum disorders
    • Specialists in social, emotional and mental health difficulties.
    • NHS hub
    • Behaviour Support
    • Educational Psychology services

    What are types of Special Educational Need?

    There are four main areas of special educational need: -

    Communication and interaction- difficulty in communicating with others, including children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger’s Syndrome, who may have difficulties with social interaction, language, communication and imagination.

    Cognition and learning- where children may learn at a slower pace than their peers. Children may also have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia. Social, emotional and mental health difficulties- children may display challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour which may reflect underlying social, emotional and mental health issues. The school will seek to recognise and identify these underlying issues through our knowledge of the child. Other children may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) or attachment disorder.

    Sensory and/or physical needs- where children have a disability which prevents them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided and includes children with visual impairment, hearing impairment or a multi-sensory impairment. They require specialist support and/or equipment to enable them to access learning and all the opportunities that are available to their peers.

     
    What provision is available for pupils with SEN? 
    Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress of the pupils in their class, including those on the SEN register or where pupils have support from teaching assistants or specialist staff. The first step for pupils who may have SEN is differentiated, high first quality teaching. The school regularly and carefully reviews the quality of teaching for all pupils, including those at risk of underachievement. 
     
    All children have an entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Children with SEN are fully included in whole class and cross-curricular activities, which are differentiated to meet their needs and reasonable adjustments are made to ensure that they are included. (Equality Act 2010) A variety of strategies and approaches are used and differentiation may be by task, by
    outcome, or by the different levels of support offered to the children. We support children in a manner that acknowledges their entitlement to share the same learning experiences as their peers.  

    Who can I contact for further information?

    If you wish to discuss any aspect of your child’s education, please contact:

    • Your child’s class teacher
    • The SENCO ( Mrs Cooke)
    • The SENCO Assistant (Miss Challenger)
    • Head Teacher ( Mrs Morton )

    Please contact the school if you have any further questions.

    Tel: 01782 235337

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