Underwood C. of E. Primary School

SEND Information Report 2023

Who is our SENDCo?

Our Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator is Ms. Clare Thorne.

Our lead teaching assistant for SEND is Mrs. Jenny Ball.

What kinds of Special Educational Needs can be met at our school?

If any pupil in our school has a barrier to learning, we will make sure that there are the best opportunities for them to take part in every aspect of school life.

Barriers to learning include:

• Communication and Interaction (Speech and language difficulties or Autism Spectrum)
• General learning difficulties both moderate and severe, and including, for example, dyslexia
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties such as ADHD or attachment disorder
• Problems with sight or hearing, or other physical disabilities

Alternatively, your child may have a different less common disability that causes a barrier to learning.

How does the school identify and assess children with special educational needs?

It is important to us to get information from parents/carers, other professionals and previous settings where available about a child’s special educational needs before they start their time with us where this is already identified.  We regularly review progress, talk to parents/carers and children, and make observations on how your child is doing in class. These all help us to see any difficulties your child might have and would generally lead to informal chats first with all involved before a more formal process is started where needed.

More details can be found in the school SEND policy, Section 8

How do we assess and provide for children with SEND in our school?

Within the whole class:

The class teacher is the first, most important person in making sure each pupil has the right levels of work and support. Careful checking of progress leads to different approaches, supported work, and use of practical equipment where needed.

All children in school should be getting this as a part of excellent classroom practice when needed.

Within a smaller group:

We want all our children to learn how to be independent learners. But sometimes the teacher will find a specific or general gap in learning that needs some extra teaching in a small group in or outside the classroom. This will be with a Teaching Assistant or the teacher. Sometimes the pupil’s disability means that we need to provide a Teaching Assistant more often to help them to access what is happening in school. This may occasionally be on a 1:1 basis.

Support from outside school

Sometimes we might need to work with professionals from outside the school. These may be from the Local Authority or from Health. We would always talk to you first before talking to any of these professionals.

More information about the kind of professional support we might have is in the School SEND policy, Section 17.

What if your child has a more complex, long term need or disability?

For a very small number of children assessment and provision may be provided through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The following steps will lead to this:

• The school or the parent asks that the LA considers whether there is a need to formally assess your child’s needs
• Information is gathered by the LA from parents, school and any other agencies involved
• A decision is made about whether an EHCP is needed or not
• Either an EHCP is written with support and long/short term targets agreed or the support already provided by our school is sufficient to meet the needs of your child

How do we know if we are doing the best we can for your child?

• We review and track your child’s progress regularly
• We talk to you and your child and listen to your views
• We take advice from any professionals involved

How will we support a child with special educational needs with emotional and social development?

We want each child to make progress socially, emotionally and with their learning. We will always talk to parents and children if extra activities are needed in the short or long term. This may lead to giving some extra 1:1 or group work provided through one of the following possibilities:

• Precision teaching Intervention
• School Nurse
• Learning Mentor
• Socially speaking groups
• Nurture groups
• Breakwell Assault Cycle (helping children to understand and deal with their emotions)
• ELSA (Social and emotional aspects of learning)

Who are the best people to talk to in this school about my child’s difficulties with learning?

As parents/carers know the child best, we want you to share any information and concerns you may have with us.

Class Teacher

The first person to chat to is your child’s class teacher as they are responsible for making the day to day provision and for making sure that the school’s SEND policy is followed in their classroom.

SENDco

Sometimes the class teacher will want to take your concerns to the school’s SEND Coordinator, Stephanie Eves.

The SENDCO is responsible for making sure that your child’s SEND needs are met, and that you are involved in supporting your child’s learning and reviewing how they are doing. Contact can be made through the school office. 

For more information about the role of the SENDCO across the school see the school SEND policy, section 2.

Headteacher
If your child has a specific learning or physical disability, and you would like your child to come to our school, the best person to talk to initially is the SENDCo (Stephanie Eves) or the Headteacher, Ian Baxter. We will work with you to make sure that we can meet your child’s needs.

How are staff supported and trained where needed to meet the needs of your child?

Within our family of schools, once each term we meet to discuss our training needs. The Family SENCO organises training events across the schools either in-house or using external providers. 

The SENCO supports all staff and will organise individual training or support where necessary. Sometimes this may involve seeking the advice from external agencies or professionals. We always welcome parental help in identifying the most appropriate external support.

More information can be found in the SEND policy, Section 13

How does school make sure my child with SEND can access the building and equipment?

Our school is committed to making reasonable adjustments wherever possible. This may include:

• Contacting the local authority to see if adaptations to the building are required
• Ensuring that the right equipment is available to meet every child’s needs
• Where specialist equipment is needed, contacting the Local Authority Physical Disability Support Service (PDSS) team to assess needs and provide advice and/or equipment.

How will the school involve me in my child’s progress, provision in school and how I might help at home?

We want parents to feel fully involved in every stage. Sharing information is vital and will be done through:

• Regular more formal contact to discuss progress including parent’s evenings, additional review meetings and written school reports
• Informal chats or phone contact and an invitation to come into school if needed if something arises between more formal meetings
• Sharing ideas about how you can help your child at home

 Who will listen to my child and make sure their views are considered?

All children are given opportunities to talk about how they feel they are doing and what would help them most. For your child with SEND in addition there will be times to chat with a member of staff, informally during or at the end of supported work with a teacher or TA, or at other times when the child feels they need to talk.

More formally during review meetings

What should I do if I have concerns about how my child is supported?

Where appropriate, the first person to speak to is the class teacher. Occasionally you may need to speak to the SENCO directly. We always try to resolve any concerns as soon as they are raised.

Should it be difficult to resolve concerns, the more formal process outlined in the Complaints Policy should be followed. 

What support is available for you as a parent of child with SEND?

We want to work as closely as possible with you and to support you where we can. Sometimes you may want signposting to other organisations or support networks outside school. The SENCO will give you information we have available in school but in addition, the LA Local Offer Website provides links to all of these organisations across the authority.

How parents and children with SEND supported during transition times?

We understand that special preparations may be needed when children with SEND start at a new setting, move between classes or schools, or when they move into adult life. We aim to make this as smooth and reassuring as possible through:

• careful planning with the next setting,
• sharing of information with parents/carers including the opportunity to meet new staff before the move
• additional visits to the new setting
• home visits prior to starting school
• transition booklets (Passports) prepared in school around your child for the next setting

For more details see the SEND policy section 4.

What else is available for my child with SEND in this area?

There are lots of different organisations, networks, support groups and charities that offer advice, play activities, support and information. You can find what is available in this area at: www.nottinghamshire.sendlocaloffer.org.uk.

Parents/carers can gain advice and support from Parent Partnership: www.ipsea.org.uk.