How does the school know if pupils need extra help?

We use a range of information to help us decide when extra support may be required. For example:

• The progress of all pupils is monitored regularly by class teachers and the Senior Leadership Team. So, when a pupil is not making expected progress in a particular area of learning, the school can quickly identify the need for additional support and plan appropriately. All additional support is reviewed half-termly.
• The SEND Team meet with teacher 4 times a year for In School Review (ISR) meetings.
• If parents/carers have concerns about the progress or attainment of their child they should speak to the class teacher to discuss their concerns in the first instance. There may be a need for other staff to become involved such as the SENCo or the Family Team.
• When a pupil is new to the school we receive information from the pupils’ previous school/Nursery. This helps to identify any additional needs and support that may be required.

How will the school and I know how well my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?

We encourage parents to talk to us at any time regarding their child’s progress. Regular reviews of progress are undertaken, including support from Outside Agencies where they are involved. Whilst parents are included in these meetings, there is also more frequent contact between school and parents. This may be through regular, face-to-face contact, a daily handover book, or telephone conversations. In addition, there are the standard school meetings such as Parents Evenings, held throughout the year. The ways that parents can support their child are discussed and any additional reports or plans from outside agencies are shared.

All children with SEND have a ‘Provision Plan’ which is written by the class teacher with the support of the SEND team. These identify needs, show support given and targets set. They are reviewed three times a year and a copy will be sent home. Parents are encouraged to speak to the class teacher and/or SENCo about the Provision Plans and how they can continue the support at home.

What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

Speak to your child’s class teacher and discuss your concerns with them. They will be able to reassure you, explain how your child is progressing in school, and offer suggestions about what to do next. They might provide some activities for you to do at home with your child or suggest meeting at a later date with the SENCo.

How will the curriculum be matched to meet my child’s needs?

When teachers plan their lessons they take into account where a child is with their learning, such as how they did in the previous lesson, and identify the next steps in their learning to move them on. Any individual needs are taken into account and planned for. Lessons are differentiated according to the next steps required in a child’s learning. Additional adults are used to support learning in class as well as providing targeted interventions at other times. We make use of additional equipment and resources where appropriate. In addition to our teaching assistants, we also have a team of ACE mentors who support by helping to remove barriers to learning in the classroom as well as additional interventions linked to social, emotional, and mental health.

How will I know how my child is doing?

You are welcome to discuss your child’s progress with their class teacher at any time. There will also be Parent’s Evenings during the year as well as their annual report.

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• Each year group will provide information for parents about the topics they will be covering every half term in year group newsletters.
• There are workshops for parents, held throughout the year on a range of topics.
• Children bring home reading books for you to enjoy hearing them read regularly.
• Each half-term break, class teachers will set creative and enjoyable homework activities for them to complete.

What support will there be to support my child’s overall well-being?

At Northdown Primary School we have a wide range of pastoral support through our Inclusion and Community Outreach Team. This includes our Family Team, ACE mentors, NELFT Wellbeing Practitioner, Counsellor and Play Therapist. A range of interventions are used to support pupils with social skills, behaviour management and emotional wellbeing. If you are concerned about your child’s emotional well-being please speak to their teacher or a member of the Inclusion and Community and Outreach Team.

The Community and Outreach Team can be contacted on:
Sally Potter: 01843 226077 Option 2

The Inclusion Team can be contacted on:
Christina Goldsmith: 01843 226077 Option 2
sen@northdown-tkat.org

What specialist services or expertise are available at, or accessed by the school?

We work with a range of professionals and other agencies for the benefit of our pupils and their families. This includes Educational Psychology, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, CAMHS, Advisory Teachers, Behaviour Support Service, and Social Services. We have ensured that there is good access to the school with a range of facilities including disabled parking bays, automatic doors to the main entrances and a fully accessible toilet/shower room.

What training have staff supporting pupils with SEND had, or are receiving?

A continuous program of training is in place for all staff and may be delivered by school staff or other professionals, depending on the subject. Training may be delivered to all staff or individuals, depending on their role and the needs of the children they support. We access training from Speech and Language Therapists, Thanet Inclusion Services, Educational Psychology, Behaviour Support Service and Outreach services from our local specialist provisions.

How will my child be included in activities outside of the classroom?

All children are included in all activities wherever possible. This may mean that some special arrangements have to be made or a risk assessment carried out beforehand. Parents will always be consulted if staff are concerned that there may be difficulties with a particular activity. For example, parents may be asked if they would like to accompany their child on a trip, to provide support.

How accessible is the school environment?

The school is always looking at ways to improve the school environment by making it more accessible to pupils, parents and visitors. This allows pupils to become more independent. We have sloped access into the school buildings, accessible toilet facilities and have soft-touch taps in classrooms and children’s toilets. In some cases, we can provide pupils access to individual laptops enabling greater access to their learning. There is sloped access to the playground. Disabled parking spaces are available and the main entrance doors open automatically.

How will the school support my child in starting school and moving on?

In the summer term, before pupils start in Foundation Stage, they have the opportunity to visit the school with their parents and spend time playing in the reception classrooms, during three drop-in sessions. This also allows parents to meet key staff and discuss any concerns they may have. Staff also meet with the Nursery to gather information. After the summer holidays, teachers carry out home visits so they can meet the children and parents in familiar surroundings. When children join our Nursery, home visits are carried out before the children start.

When pupils transfer from one year group to the next, they will have had opportunities to meet their new teachers and spend time in their classrooms. Any pupils who are identified as having particular anxieties about moving on will be supported through a transition group run by the Inclusion and Community Support Team and may also be provided with a Social Story.

On transfer to secondary school, staff liaises with each school to ensure that key information is passed on. Each school arranges its own transition days but extra visits can be arranged for pupils who are particularly concerned about the move to Year 7. Where a child has additional needs, parents are supported with choosing an appropriate school and school staff can support visits with the parents.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to pupil’s SEND?

A range of information is used to allocate extra support. The class teacher may feel that a pupil needs some support in the next lesson after marking a piece of work. This support may be from the class teacher or teaching assistant and could be very short term – just one or two lessons.

Termly assessments may indicate that there are gaps in learning which may need a longer-term approach. This could be weekly sessions with a teaching assistant using a particular intervention for a set number of weeks, either individually or in a small group. These are reviewed regularly and will stop when a pupil has closed the gap in their learning. Intervention from the Community Support Team and ACE mentors is used according to presenting needs.

How are decisions made about how much support my child will receive?

This will depend on the type of support that is needed. Some are one session a week others maybe three times each week. The length of each session varies as well from 15 minutes to an hour. Support ranges from reading, handwriting, fine motor skills, PE, coordination skills, maths, writing, social skills, behaviour etc. Some interventions will continue for a set period of time eg. 10 weeks, others are immediate and short-term.

How will I be involved in discussions about, and planning for, my child’s education?

Formal meetings may be held but day-to-day contact with class teachers is just as important. Key staff such as the SENCo and Community Support Team are always happy to meet with parents at other times or have a quick chat over the phone if that is easier. Please feel free to contact the school office to arrange this.

Who can parents contact for further information?

The school should always be the first stop for information but there are many groups available for support if needed. The Inclusion and Community Support Team is always happy to put parents in contact with groups and other professionals, so please ask. Again they can be contacted through the school office.

In addition, Kent County Council’s Local Offer has a wealth of information to support parents.

The website address for this is:
https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs/about-the-send-local-offer

What should parents of children with SEND do if they have a complaint?

We encourage parents to speak to us if ever they are unsatisfied with arrangements for their child. This allows us the chance to listen to all involved (including the child) and the opportunity to make changes or put things right. However, if at any time you have a complaint about the provision your child is receiving please refer to the school complaints procedure policy found on the school website.