Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

Our school works closely with the following:

• Close links with Meadowhead Community Infant School. including transition
• Pupil Wellbeing Coordinators (Infant and Junior school)
• SEND Support Service (including hearing and visual impairment/physical difficulties)
• St Thomas’s PRU and The Heights Free School
• Community Paediatrician
• Educational/Clinical Psychologists
• School Nurse
• Speech and Language Therapy team
• Children’s Services
• Educational Welfare
• ELCAS (East Lancashire Child and Adolescent Services)
• Lancashire Mind
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

As a school, we provide training and support to enable all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children, including those with SEND (Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities).

Recent training has included how to develop vocabulary, mastery learning (keep up not catch up), Read Write Inc. and epilepsy training. 

Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class.

All staff receive safeguarding training. Staff follow policies regarding physical difficulties and or medical needs.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

We use a range of sources of information to establish a clear view of a child’s needs. This could include:

• The views and experience of the parents/carers,
• The child’s own views,
• Liaison with the child’s previous school,
• Teacher’s assessments (including KS1 results) and experience of the child,
• The child’s  progress, attainment and behaviour,
• A change in the child’s behaviour, including emotional needs,
• Involvement of the Pupil Wellbeing Coordinator to share concerns from the family,
• Child’s individual development in comparison with their peers,
• Assessments carried out by the teacher or SENDCo to identify potential gaps in learning,
• Advice from outside agencies such as the SEND Support Service or medical teams.

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

Initially, talk to the class teacher. This could be just before or after school, a phone call or by making an appointment.

Alternatively, contact the SENDCo, Mrs Cottam, either by visiting school or by phone.

If you think there may be a medical need, make an appointment with your doctor. 

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

Teaching staff differentiate lessons in school appropriately for each child.

HLTAs provide targeted support for groups of children to ensure they make good progress in school. 

SSAs spend part of their time in the classroom, giving targeted support for groups or individuals. They also work with groups or individuals using intervention strategies, for example, Speech and Language Therapy.

Children may also be offered mentoring sessions before or after school, targetting reading, writing or Mathematics.

Children with physical or social and emotional difficulties are supported at break and lunchtimes.

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

Meadowhead Community Junior School strives, at all times, to be a fully inclusive school and give every child a wide range of opportunities and experiences.

Our curriculum lends itself to a creative approach, encouraging children to think independently and ask questions.

We also encourage children to use the outdoor environment to enhance their learning.

The curriculum is carefully differentiated to meet your child’s needs and enable them to make good progression.

This takes into account the results of any assessments carried out and strategies given by the SEND Support Service or other outside agencies, for example, breaking tasks down into smaller steps, using alternative methods of recording, for example, using ICT.

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

Class teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class and ensure that your child’s needs are met.

Planning and teaching is adapted, on a daily basis if needed, to meet your child’s learning needs.

SSAs, Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) provide targeted support for groups of children to ensure they make good progress in school. 

Specialist Support Assistants (SSAs) for example, Speech and Language Therapy.

Children with physical or social and emotional difficulties are supported at break and lunchtimes.

In addition, classrooms are dyslexia friendly, for example, using a coloured background on whiteboards.

Classrooms are also arranged so that children who are visually or hearing impaired or have another physical difficulty, have full access to learning.

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

Assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics are carried out termly, using National Curriculum Year Group Expectations and PIVATS (Performance Indicators for Value Added Target Setting), where appropriate.

We track progress in Reading and Spelling ages throughout the year.

As well as the more formal assessments, teachers assess progress on a daily basis to inform next steps in learning.

Parents and carers are welcome to discuss their child’s progress at any point during the year, with the class teacher and /or the SENDCo.

In addition, the school holds parents evenings each term and sends home an annual report.

If your child has an Individual Pupil Profile plan (formally known as an IEP), these will be given to you at least termly.

We also hold multi-agency meetings with parents/carers as appropriate to discuss the progress and needs of your child.

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

As a school, we have an open door policy. We actively seek the involvement of parents/carers because we recognise the importance of this vital link when supporting all children in our school.

If parents have any worries or concerns, we encourage parents to share these as soon as possible with school so we can respond quickly and effectively.

Points of contact could include the class teacher, the SENDCo, The Pupil Wellbeing Coordinator or the Head Teacher.

At parents evenings we will discuss together your child’s needs and how best to support learning at home. This will include support in reading, spelling and mathematics.

Our Pupil Wellbeing Coordinator provides an invaluable link between home and school and is available for discussions around attendance, parenting skills and is also able to signpost families to a range of other services.

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

Each half term, the school follows a PSHE topic, using a programme of work known as ‘Jigsaw’.

This begins with a whole school Jigsaw assembly followed by lessons in classes. Topic themes include how to deal with change and how to prevent bullying.

The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class. Therefore, if you have any concerns, please talk with the class teacher.

The SENDCo is also available for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as SENDSS, the school nurse or the Community Paediatrician.

Our Pupil Wellbeing Coordinator works closely with families to ensure emotional wellbeing, both at home and at school.

We also have SSAs who have ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) training and Drawing and Talking training.

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

As an inclusive school, we aim for all children to be included on school trips and in extra-curricular activities. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful.

A risk assessment is carried out before any off-site activity to ensure everyone’s health and safety will not be compromised.

School trips are planned to enhance and enrich our creative curriculum and range from day trips to an overnight stay in school to residential trips.  

Extra-curricular activities change throughout the year, but may include activities such as football, gymnastics, netball, archery and the school choir.

Children have also taken part in an inter-school Paralympics competition and the National Pan Disability Schools Boccia League.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

We maintain close links with Meadowhead Community Infant School.

Children from Year 2 have extra visits to the junior school in the Summer term, where they meet their new teacher, before to joining us in September.

The Year 2 and Year 3 teachers meet to discuss each child. The SENDCos from the infant and junior schools also meet to discuss the needs of children with SEND so that a smooth transition can be made.

The SENDCo and Pupil Wellbeing Coordinator visit the infant school to meet with children who may need further support with transition.

Our school holds a new parents evening, where you can meet your child’s teacher and see the Year 3 classrooms.

We also maintain close links with our secondary schools.

Preparation for the move to secondary school (Transition) begins in Year 5, where children are invited to watch school productions or take part in activity days.

In Year 6, children who may find transition more difficult may be invited to join a MOTHS (Moving On To High School) project, run in our school by high school staff.

Staff from high schools may also work with some Year 6 children in our school in the Summer term.

In addition to the transition day(s), where all Year 6 pupils visit their high school, we arrange for extra visits, where appropriate, for children who need further support.

Our SENDCo meets with high school SENDCos to discuss the needs of children with SEND.

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

The school budget, received from the Local Authority, includes money for supporting children with SEND.

The SENDCo, after consultation with class teachers, identifies the needs of SEND pupils on a provision map.

This identifies all support given within school and is reviewed regularly and changes made as needed, so that the needs of children are met, and resources are deployed as effectively as possible.

Specialist resources and equipment may be provided by the SEND Support Service.