Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Parklee School S.E.N.D Information Report
At Parklee Community Primary School we believe that every child matters and we are committed to offering an inclusive, broad and balanced curriculum for all children, including those with special educational needs.
As parents there are many questions you may have about what our school is able to do to meet your child’s needs when choosing a school for your child. We aim to answer many questions about how school will contribute to the Local Authority Local Offer as possible here but should you have any other questions please contact Miss Wood (SENDCo) in school. Further detail about our provision for children with additional needs can be found in our Inclusion policy which is on the school website.
The Local Authority Local Offer can be found at www.wigan.gov.uk/sendlocaloffer
How does school know if a child needs extra help?
All children are assessed on entry to the school, whether that is starting school in Reception or joining school at any point in the year. Assessments are also carried out on a weekly and termly basis. Further assessments may be carried out if additional needs are identified or if the class teacher has concerns about the progress a child is making. The class teacher, in consultation with Miss Wood (the SENDCo), will then put into place a programme of support for that child. This provision will be discussed with parents and will be reviewed regularly by the class teacher and Miss Wood. Depending on the progress that the child makes, school may then decide to identify the child as receiving SEND Support.
What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
First, share your concerns with the class teacher, who will discuss with you the support, or interventions your child is already receiving and the progress they are making. The class teacher will then share your concerns with Miss Wood and discuss next steps for your child. When extra support or help is put into place, this will be talked through with you.
How will school support a child who has been identified as receiving SEND Support?
If a child receives SEND Support, then provision will be put into place by the SENDCo which provides the child with support and interventions from both the class teacher and teaching assistants (TA’s). The provision will be personalised to meet the needs of the child. The class teacher and Miss Wood will talk through this support with parents, including what interventions their child is receiving, who will deliver them and how often, and parents will be kept informed of the progress their child is making. Progress will also be monitored by Miss Wood. As part of the support, a passport plan will be written for and with the child, which sets out the child’s targets, linked to the interventions they access, and the support they will receive to help them achieve these targets in a specified timescale. The passport also informs other adults what works best for that child - parents have an big part in helping teachers write this. Provision and support for children who are identified as having SEND Support across the whole school is monitored half termly by Miss Wood and their progress measured and reports detailing the impact of the interventions on progress and attainment are shared with the Senior Leadership Team and Governors.
Our school also provides a differentiated curriculum to ensure that the needs of every child are met. The revised SEND Code of Practice 2014 is based on a Graduated Approach where the focus is on quality first teaching for all children, which is differentiated accordingly to match the needs of all children. This also includes ensuring that all children will be able to take part in activities and trips, by differentiating activities and providing extra support and assistance where needed. Parents and carers will be consulted regarding any arrangements we make for trips or special activities. This means that all children should be able to access the curriculum as fully as possible.
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
School receives a special educational needs budget which is used to provide children with support and resources, over and above what they would usually receive in school. The SENDCo, in consultation with the SLT, will make a decision about how much support a child receives, based on their individual needs and the resources needed to meet these needs. As a child’s needs change, then the provision and resources they receive will also change. Advice will be gathered from a range of outside agencies to ensure that the resources allocated are appropriate for that child’s needs. All provision will be discussed with parents and carers, including the impact of the support. When the impact of individual interventions and support is measured and evaluated, they will be adapted as necessary. If a child has been receiving support for 2/3 terms and there are still concerns over the lack of progress a child is making, then the child will be assessed against specific criteria. If the child meets these criteria and school feel they need more than 15 hours support, then an application to the Local Authority for an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) may be considered, which would, if successful, provide the school with extra funding to meet that child’s needs. This extra funding would be used for specific support as well as purchasing resources which the child needs to fully access the curriculum.
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
School staff are trained in Adaptive Teaching methods and a variety of interventions that support pupils’ learning, social, emotional and mental health and their medical needs.
Interventions include:
- WELLCOMM
- Sounds Write
- Rapid Phonics (Bug Club)
- Hand on Maths
- Talking Tables
- Dyslexia Support
- Drawing and Talking Therapy
Alongside 1:1 and small group interventions, we also run a Nurture group, with trained staff, to support children with social and emotional needs.
If, after a term, the child is still not making expected progress, it may be that external specialist services become involved. This could include a referral to the Educational Psychologist, Targeted Educational Support Service, Speech and Language, Sensory/ Hearing/ Vision Support, Physical Disability Support and Occupational Therapy. We also work with the School’s Outreach Support, who will provide advice and training, in addition to working with children.
How will I know how well my child is doing?
In addition to the termly parent’s evenings and end of your report, your child’s class teacher will meet with you once a term (or more frequently if necessary) to discuss their progress against the targets set for the child and the age-related expectations for their year group. During these meetings, future interventions and support and next steps will be discussed and new targets set. We will also discuss strategies and activities which can be done at home in order to consolidate the learning they are doing in school. We want to support our parents in helping their children by providing some activities in school, such as stay and play (Early Years) and other workshops, and also by providing parents with information and advice about where they can access training or support in order to help their child.
At Parklee we encourage parental involvement as much as possible. We hold an annual Parent Consultation in November, where the views of our parents are gathered and reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team to discuss any possible actions from the outcomes of such evaluations. We hold regular coffee mornings throughout the year and parents are also invited to drop into their child’s classroom at various points through the year to talk to the class teacher and look at the books. Parklee has an open door policy, this means that parent/carers are welcomed into school to arrange appointments or pass messages to any staff in school. Parents are welcome to discuss a child’s progress, provision and assessment.
What support will there be for my child’s overall well being?
All classes in school have a cohort file, where important information about that child is recorded and can be accessed by the class teacher and Senior Leadership Team. Information will include medical needs, up-to-date Health Care Plans and information about any health or therapy services the child may access. If your child has a medical need, a Health Care Plan will be completed by the Learning Mentor, alongside external agencies and staff will be briefed as to the child’s needs. All staff receives Emergency First Aid training every 3 years, a number of staff receives extra First Aid training and all Early Years members of staff are Paediatric First Aid trained. Medication can be given in school if it is essential that it is given at a specific time of day.
The SENDCo works closely with the Learning Mentor, who is in charge of pastoral support across school, attendance and is the Nurture Group lead. This provides support, care and guidance to both pupils and their families to ensure that all children’s social, emotional and mental health needs are met.
School offers one-to-one and small group support for children who need extra help to develop the skills needed to get along and work with other children. We know that parents and families know their children best and work closely with you to ensure this knowledge contributes to the support that your child is given.
Here at Parklee, we will pursue every avenue of support possible to ensure that all children’s needs are met and that they are able to overcome any social, emotional and behavioural barriers. We also feel that exclusions are only used when all other support has been ineffective.
How accessible is the school environment?
Parklee is fully wheelchair accessible. There is a lift which gives access to the first and second floor. There are two accessible toilets and a hygiene room complete with a shower. Most classrooms are equipped with a sound field system and the environment has been developed to accommodate children with hearing and visual impairments, including HD C-touch screens.
At Parklee we have a number of children for whom English is not their first language. We work closely with the EMTAS team to ensure that all EAL children are assessed when they first start school and support is provided by specialist staff where needed. The EMTAS team will provide translators during induction visits and also for meetings with school staff or other outside agencies. School will translate letters for parents when needed and staff have access to Google Translate, the EMTAS website and other methods to ensure both important and general information is communicated with parents effectively in their first language.
Where specialist equipment or facilities are needed as part of a support plan, these can be provided for children with special educational needs. However, parents will need to sign an agreement for the loan of these items and they will be securely stored in school, unless otherwise agreed.
What extra-curricular activities are provided in school?
School provide free clubs from 8.30am until registration, there are a range of activities children can attend Lego, colouring, IT, reading and board games. There is a wide range of after school clubs available for children, including gymnastics, art club, multi-skills, football, craft, running, drama, yoga and boogie bounce. We also have a Year 4, 5 & 6 residential.We also offer alternative therapies to support the needs of our children on a case by case basis, as an Emotionally Friendly School we are committed to our Therapeutic Schools and Trauma Informed approaches.
How will school prepare and support my child to join the school and transfer to high school?
Before your child starts school in Reception, we hold a series of sessions where parents and children will have the opportunity to take part in a number of activities with school. School also holds transition meetings with pre-school providers to share information about your children. If you have any concerns or worries about your child starting school we encourage you to make an appointment with either the class teacher or Miss Wood to talk through any issues.
In Year 6, the children will have the opportunity to visit all the local high schools for taster sessions in September, before they apply to high schools. Once your child has been allocated a high school, they will then take part in further transition days at the high school where they experience lessons and find out more about the school. For children with special educational needs, there will be extra visits to the high school to meet with the staff that will support them. During these times, pupils can be accompanied by a member of our staff to ensure that they are fully supported in the transition to high school. Information will be provided to any new school (primary or secondary) a child moves to.
Who can I contact for further information?
Miss Wood is the school’s SENDCo. If any parents or prospective parents wish to discuss any concerns they have regarding their child’s additional needs, please contact the school to arrange a meeting with Miss Wood. In addition, the Learning Mentor is also responsible for the pastoral welfare of your child and will welcome meetings with any parents to discuss concerns. Furthermore, your child’s class teacher is available to discuss your child’s progress and development. Miss Wood can also provide details of external agencies who parents can contact for support or advice.