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 agencies:

• Local Nursery schools to ensure a successful transition
• Inclusion Support Service (including with advisory teachers for children with hearing and visual impairment/physical needs)
• Community Paediatrician
• Educational/Clinical Pyschologists
• School Nurse
• Speech and Language Therapy team
• Children’s Services
• Educational Welfare
• ELCAS (East Lancashire Child and Adolescent Services)
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Secondary schools to ensure a successful transition

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

Our teachers receive regular updates about strategies to use for different types of special educational needs. This can range from information sharing about an individual child or updates about a specific need/useful strtategy or resource.

They also develop their knowledge and understanding of different needs through staff meetings/INSET sessions delivered by the SENCo or advisory teachers. The content of these sessions is driven by findings from assessments, monitoring and the needs of individuals in school.

In addition to this, teachers gain additional expertise following advice from advisory teachers, if a referral to the SEND Support Service is made or other professionals (Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language therapists, Physiotherapists, Clinical Psychologists). 

Teaching Assistants delivering any intervention will be trained to deliver that particular programme and evaluations and assessments are regularly monitored.   They also (along with the class teacher)  attend training relevant for specific children they are working with.

All staff undertake training in relation to safeguarding and part of their induction schedule includes a session about S.E.N.D systems in our school. All appropraite adults are updated and have copies of care plans for specific children and are trained (as necessary) by outside agencies such as a Diabetes Nurse. 

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

We use a variety of ways to identify the needs of our children. These include the following sources

-the views of the child during everyday interactions

-the opinions and experience of parents/carers

-Early Identification screening

-individual assessments carried out by our SENCo after concerns

-half-termly Pupil Progress meetings with our Headteacher

-Teacher Assessments

-Teacher/adult observations

-the monitoring of progress and attainment each half-term

-any changes in behaviour and rate of progress

-advice from other agencies 

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?

Any initial concerns or issues should be discussed with your child's class teacher.

Alternatively, if you would like to discuss S.E.N.D or provision for your child, please contact our SENCo Leanne Brown, by telephoning the school office.

Our Governing Body has a designated S.E.N.D Governor, Sharon Rhodes, responsible for reviewing practices and supporting the SENCo.

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

If your child is having particular difficulties in one area, they may work with the class teacher or the support assistant in class more frequently or be involved in an intervention to meet their particular needs.

Through our monitoring processes (for more information please refer to our S.E.N.D policy), children who require support are identified. The support received will depend upon the need of your child. This support may be at a class level, with teacher identifying specific targets for a child to work upon (recorded in their Learning Passport) and providing opportunities for the child to meet this target (by working with a Teaching Assistant or the Class Teacher one-to-one or as part of a small group until the target has been achieved).

The support maybe involvement in an intervention that is timetabled and delivered by a trained member of staff, for a specific number of weeks.

Support maybe suggested by an Advisory Teacher, Educational Psychologist or a Health Professional for school to put into place.  For some children, additional provision that requires funding from the Local Authority will be necessary. This type of support is provided through an Education, Health and Care Plan (please refer to our S.E.N.D Policy for more information).

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

Children make progress at different rates and have different ways in which they learn best. When planning lessons, your child's teacher will take account of this, by looking carefully at how they organise their lessons, classroom, resources and additional aids/equipment. The teacher will then plan suitable ways to help your child learn to meet their individual needs using a range of activities (often described as 'differentiating the curriculum' or 'adaptive teaching').

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.  Teachers and Teaching Assistants may use specific resources and strategies to support your child individually or in small groups.

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 half-termly, using progress towards end-of-year expectations and PIVATS (Performance Indicators for Value Added Target Setting), where appropriate. 

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 SENCO. In addition, the school holds parents evenings twice a year and sends home an annual report and two interim reports. If your child has a Learning Passport, they are updated as and when targets are met and new strategies developed, these will be shared with you each term (at parents' evening during your extended appointment). Your views and your child's views will be added to the document.

We also hold multi-agency meetings with parents/carers as appropriate to discuss the progress and needs of your child and annual reviews for all children with an EHCP.

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

You will be informed of the targets your child is working on through their target plan. The strategies will often be suitable for use at home and can be used in any work you complete with your child.

Homework will be differentiated for your child.

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?

The wellbeing of your child is at the heart of our school. Our open- door policy, careful monitoring and pro-active approach to identifying children’s needs enables St. Joseph’s to provide a happy, safe and caring environment for your child.

If your child has a medical need then a care-plan will be prepared in consultation with you and the appropriate medical practitioners. Most of our staff are trained in first aid- all EYFS staff hold full paediatric first aid qualifications.  

We also work with the Mental Health Support Team and can make referrals directly to our link professional if necessary.  

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

Activities outside of the classroom and educational visits are available to all children in our school.

A risk assessment is always carried out for any visit and procedures or adjustments will be put in place to ensure that your child can participate.

All staff has an overview of each child; and a brief description of their needs and strategies to use outside of the classroom. For example, at break times and lunchtimes.

We also have a range of clubs that take place at lunchtime or after school, which your child is welcome to join. 

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

During the Summer term prior to your child starting school, the Reception class teacher will visit your child’s nursery to observe your child and have a meeting about your child and their needs. An induction night will be held at school and will provide an opportunity for a discussion with your child’s class teacher. The class teacher and/or the SENCo will attend any further meetings that Nursery consider necessary to aid your child’s transition.

During the first two weeks of school, all children are supported in their transition according to their needs. 

When moving to a new class or a new phase, all children are involved in a Moving Up period, where children spend time with their next class teacher. Previous class teachers also share Learning Passports- please refer to our S.E.N.D policy- and put into place any additional transition work required. For example, a transition book to take home over the holidays or allowing a child to spend time on their new playground.

When moving up to high school, your child will have the opportunity to visit their new school for three days and experience travelling to school (where appropriate). Prior to this a transition, a meeting will be held with your child’s new school, involving yourself, all agencies and the SENCo from the receiving school. Additional support, according to your child’s needs, will be discussed and organised. For example, additional days or sessions maybe put into place or any support your child maybe receiving (if a human resource) will visit school and begin to build a relationship with your child. Any appropriate records will be forwarded to the new school and discussed again with the class teacher and Head of Year 7 at their information gathering meeting (held for all children).

If your child has an Education, Health and Care plan a ‘Transfer Review’ meeting will be held early in the Summer term for all children moving phases.

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 SENCO & Headteacher, after consultation with class teachers, identifies the needs of SEND pupils. 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 Inclusion Support Service.