Sunny Bank Primary School

Definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability

We work to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (0-25 years) 2014, which states that: “A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her".

A child has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

 · Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or

 · Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or post 16 institutions.

The Special Educational Needs (SEND) Code of Practice: for 0 to 25 years identifies four broad areas of Special Educational Needs and we use these within school to categorise of SEN.

1. Communication and Interaction (How well am I communicating with others?)

2. Cognition and Learning (How am I learning?)

3. Social, emotion and mental health difficulties (How am I behaving and feeling?)

4. Sensory and/or physical needs (What additional physical needs do I have? Can I hear and see well enough? Do I need help to move about?)

Equality Statement 

The Equality Act 2010 and Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Regulations 2014 place certain duties on schools to ensure that pupils with SEND are able to take advantage of the same opportunities that other pupils have. 

At Sunny Bank Primary School, we offer the same rich learning opportunities within a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. Within our curriculum offer we;

• Set high expectations for all pupils by setting ambitious targets. 
• Remove barriers to allow all pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve those expectations. This is done through Quality First Teaching, accessible resources, differentiation, and reasonable adjustments. Specific interventions may be implemented by teachers or additional adults to ensure every pupil can meet their targets.

Who are the best people to talk to in this school about my child's difficulties with learning/ special educational needs or disability (SEND)?

The Class Teacher:

Responsible for

·        Checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be targeted work or additional support) and letting the Special Education Needs/Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) know as necessary.

·        Personalised teaching and learning for your child as identified on the school’s provision map.

·        Ensuring that the school’s SEND Policy is followed in their classroom and for all the pupils they teach with any SEND.

The SENDCo: Miss Johnson

Responsible for

·     Developing and reviewing the school’s SEND policy.

·     Co-ordinating all the support for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)

·     Ensuring that you are:

i) involved in supporting your child’s learning

ii) kept informed about the support your child is getting

iii) involved in reviewing how they are doing.

·     Liaising with all the other people who may be coming in to school to help support your child’s learning, e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology.

·     Updating the school’s SEND Information (a system for ensuring that all the SEND needs of pupils in this school are known) and making sure that records of your child’s progress and needs are kept.

·     Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school, so that they can help children with SEND in the school to achieve the best progress possible.

The Headteacher: Mr J. Gabrielides

Responsible for

·     The day-to-day management of all aspects of the school; this includes the support for children with SEND.

·     The Headteacher will give responsibility to the SENDCo and class teachers, but is still responsible for ensuring that your child’s needs are met.

·     The Headteacher must make sure that the Governing Body is kept up to date about issues relating to SEND.

 School contact telephone number:  0161 766 2121

How do we identify children who have Special Educational Needs?

Children are identified as having special educational needs through a variety of ways including the following: -

• Child performing below age expected levels.

• Concerns raised by parent.

• Concerns raised by teacher, for example behaviour or self-esteem is affecting performance.

• Consultations between class teachers and members of the leadership team when progress data is discussed.

• Liaison with external agencies e.g. Educational Psychology Service.

• Health diagnosis through a paediatrician.

• Liaison with previous school or setting, if applicable.

What are the different types of support available for children with SEND in this school?

a) Class teacher input, via excellent targeted classroom teaching (Quality First Teaching).

For your child this would mean

·     That the teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.

·     That all teaching is built on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.

·     That different ways of teaching are in place, so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve things like using more practical learning or utilising ICT to enhance learning.

·     That specific strategies are in place to support your child to learn with input from the class teacher and SENDCo.

·     Following rigorous formative and summative assessments, your child’s teacher will have monitored your child’s progress and will have decided that your child has a gap or gaps in their understanding/learning and needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.

Specific group work

Intervention which may be

·     Run in the classroom or a group room.

·     Run by a teacher or a teaching assistant (TA).

b) Specialist groups run by outside agencies,

What is the school’s approach to teaching children and young people with special educational needs?

Inclusion is integral to teaching and learning at Sunny Bank Primary School. With a caring and supportive ethos, we strive for the best for all children we teach. The school is committed to all children receiving a high quality education and realising their academic potential regardless of any challenges they may face. Children with an identified (SEND) Specific Educational Need or Disability are educated in the classroom as part of this inclusive strategy, but will also receive intervention and support on a personalised and individual level if necessary using a graduated approach.

Provision for children with an identified special educational need is initially planned by the class teacher through "Quality First Teaching". Quality First Teaching is identified as that which is differentiated and personalised and will meet the individual needs of the majority of pupils in the class. It is expected that teachers will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that the needs of all children in their class are met.

After progress has been monitored, it may be that some children will require further support and funding is then allocated through the Provision Map from the school budget for SEN. The Provision Map is a plan of all of the children's additional needs throughout the school and it is used to prioritise children for additional support and or funding.

Teachers plan interventions on the assess/plan/do/review cycle as detailed in the policy and this feeds into the whole school costed provision map that is managed by the SENCo. The children’s progress and attainment are regularly monitored and reviewed at half termly pupil progress meetings with a member of the SLT. The intervention/support may be carried out by the class teacher or a teaching assistant.

For a minority of children with severe and complex needs, the funding and support allocated through the school SEN budget may not be adequate. For these children additional funding can be sought from the Local Authority following the procedures set out in the SEND Code of Practice.

What could happen:

·     You will be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional, e.g. The Additional Needs Team or Educational Psychologist. This will help the school and you to understand your child’s particular needs better and be able to support them more effectively in school.

·     The specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations as to the ways your child is given support. 

c)  Specified Individual support

This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong.

This is usually provided via an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means your child will have been identified by professionals as needing a particularly high level of individual or small-group teaching.

This type of support is available for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through Quality First Teaching and intervention groups.

Your child may also need specialist support in school from one of the professional services as detailed above.

For your child this would mean

·     The school (or you) can request that Local Authority Services carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s needs. This is a legal process which sets out the amount of support that will be provided for your child.

·     After the request has been made to the ‘Panel of Professionals’ (with a lot of information about your child, including some from you), they will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to need a statutory assessment. If this is the case, they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s needs. If they do not think your child needs this, they will ask the school to continue with the current support.

·     After the reports have all been sent in, the Panel of Professionals will decide if your child’s needs are severe, complex and lifelong. If this is the case, they will provide top up funding to the school or provide an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). 

·  The EHC Plan will outline recommendations as to the level and type of support your child will receive, to include how the support should be used, and what strategies must be put in place. It will also have long- and short-term goals for your child.

How can I let the school know that I am concerned about my child's progress in school?

If you have concerns about your child’s progress, you should speak to your child’s class teacher initially.

If you continue to be concerned that your child is not making progress, you may speak to the Special Education Needs/Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo)

The school SEND governor can also be contacted for support.

How will the school let me know if they have concerns about my child's progress in school?

If your child is identified as not making progress, the school will set up a meeting to discuss this with you in more detail and to listen to any concerns you may have.

·     Plan any additional support your child may need.

·     Discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child.

Will my child be "labelled"?

There is no one in school qualified to make diagnoses of specific special needs and staff will only discuss a child's strengths and difficulties. Although we have specialist support teams who work with children, they do not diagnose children either. Diagnoses of particular syndromes or disorders, such as autism or ADHD come from medical agencies through a full assessment at a hospital. We discuss children in terms of their key area of need and the progress that they are making towards specific targets. We praise all children for "effort" and all children are rewarded for making progress no matter how small the steps.

How is extra support allocated to children and how do they progress in their learning?

The school budget, received from Bury LA, includes money for supporting children with SEND.

·     The Head Teacher decides on the deployment of resources for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, in consultation with the school governors on the basis of needs in the school.

·     The Head Teacher and the  SENDCo  discuss all the information they have about SEND in the school, including

·        the children getting extra support already,

·        the children needing extra support,

·        the children who have been identified as not making as much progress as would be expected.

From this information, they decide what resources/training and support is needed.

·     The school 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.

Who are the other people providing services to children with SEND in the school?

School provision

·     Teaching Assistants and HLTAs mainly working with either individual children or small groups.

·     ICT support, for example, a phonic reading programme, may be delivered by teaching assistants during small group or individual sessions, according to need.

·     Teaching Assistants or HLTAs offering support for children with emotional and social development through Friendship Groups.

·     Class teachers working with individual children or small groups within the class setting.

Local Authority Provision delivered in school

·     Educational Psychology Service

·     Additional Needs Team

How are the teachers in school helped to work with children with SEND and what training do they receive?

The SENDCo’s job is to support the class teacher in planning for children with SEND.

·     The school provides training and support to enable all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children, including those with SEND. This includes whole school training on SEND issues, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Dyslexia and speech and language difficulties delivered by specialist agencies, staff members after attending training courses, via after school meetings and PAD.

·     Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class, e.g. from the Additional Needs Team. 

·  Our teaching assistants are very proactive in accessing training and often work together to share good practice through regular TA meetings. Local authority specialist teams such as Behaviour Outreach team, CAMHS, IAPTs, Children’s Disability Team, Additional Needs Team, SEN Team, School Nurses, Educational Psychologist, CLAS Service, Hearing and Visual Impairment Service, CYPIC team and Social Services, may all be involved in the support of the children or in a consultative role. As a school, we are part of the Bury Primary Learning Collaborative and have regular access to specialist SEN training delivered by Bury Additional Needs Team via Primary SENCO Consultation Meetings.

.  Miss Johnson, the SENDCo, is a trained teacher and has experience in both mainstream and special educational settings. She is NASENCO qualified (National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination).

.  Our pastoral support worker in school, Miss O’Brien, is a trained counsellor and is mental health first aid trained.

.  Our pastoral support worker for the Trust, Mrs Schofield, is a trained counsellor and cognitive behavioural therapist (CBT).

How will the teaching be adapted for my child with SEND?

Class teachers plan lessons in line with mastery and inclusion. Learning is tailored to the specific needs of pupils and will ensure that your child’s needs are met.

·       Support staff, under the direction of the class teacher, can adapt planning to support the needs of your child where necessary.

·       Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and in groups.

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

·        Assess Plan Do Review targets will be set by the class teacher and reviewed termly. These are monitored by the SENDCo.

How will we measure the progress of your child in school?

Your child’s progress will be continually monitored by his/her class teacher.

·     His/her progress will be reviewed formally, through Pupil Progress Reviews, with the Acting Deputy Headteacher and SENDCo every term in reading, writing and maths.

·     At the end of each key stage (i.e. at the end of Year 2 and Year 6), all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). This is something the government requires all schools to do and the results are published nationally.

·     Where necessary, children will have a Support Plan or EHCP based on specific individual targets taking into account targets set by outside agencies specific to their needs. Targets will be designed to accelerate learning and diminishing the difference. Progress against these targets will be reviewed regularly, evidence for judgements assessed and a future plan made.

·     The progress of children with an EHC Plan will be formally reviewed at an Annual Review with all adults involved with the child’s education, using a child centred approach.

·     The SENDCo will also check that your child is making good progress within any individual work and in any group that they take part in.

·     Regular book looks, learning walks and pupil observations will be carried out by the SENDCo and other members of the Senior Leadership Team to ensure that the needs of all children are met and that the quality of teaching and learning is high.

What support do we provide for you as a parent of a child with SEND?

The class teacher is regularly available to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have and to share information about what is working well at home and school, so that similar strategies can be used.

·     The SENDCo is available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns/worries you may have.

·     All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you with the person involved directly, or where this is not possible, in a report.

·     Support Plans will be reviewed with your involvement every term.

How is Sunny Bank Primary School accessible to children with SEND?

The school is fully compliant with DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) requirements.

·     Although the school is on two levels all our classrooms are on the ground floor and are accessible for all.

·     There is a disabled toilet.

The school ensures that all extra-curricular activities are accessible for children with SEND.

How will we support your child when joining the school, leaving this school or moving to another class?

We recognise that transitions can be difficult for a child with SEND, and we take steps to ensure that any transition is a smooth as possible.

If your child is joining us from another school:

·     The SENDCo will visit pre-schools with the Foundation Stage Leader when appropriate.

·     Your child will be able to visit our school and stay for a taster session, if this is appropriate, and where required enhanced transition arrangement will be made.

If your child is moving to another school:

·     We will contact the school SENDCo and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child. Where possible, a planning meeting will take place with the SENDCo from the new school.

·     We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.

When moving classes in school:

·     Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance, where possible, and in most cases a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher. Support Plans will be shared with the new teacher.

In Year 6:

The SENDCo will discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENDCo of the child’s secondary school. In most cases, a transition review meeting to which you will be invited will take place with the SENDCo from the new school.

·     Your child will participate in focused learning relating to aspects of transition, to support their understanding of the changes ahead.

·     Where possible, your child will visit their new school on several occasions, enhanced transition, and in some cases staff from the new school will visit your child in this school.

·  If your child has an EHC Plan then a transition review meeting will be held in Year 5 to discuss the next steps for your child and ensure a clear plan for transition is in place.

What records are kept about my child?

Attainment data for all children is entered into the whole school assessment system. Children will no longer be given a national curriculum level, but will be assessed according to end of year expectations. You can ask your child's teacher about individual plans and they will be shared at parents' evenings. Smaller measurable targets may be set for some children and these are recorded on Pupil Passports.  These are reviewed by members of the Senior Management Team and class teacher to ensure that progress is made by all students.

For specific interventions, entry and exit data is recorded to measure the progress made by pupils. Information regarding progress data can be made available to parents if required.

External agencies and medical services usually send a copy of any medical reports or observations to school but it is always helpful if parents can bring in such information in case school has not been sent a copy. Miss Johnson oversees and organises the SEN records, ensuring relevant staff have copies of information relating to children in their class.

Safeguarding information is kept by Miss Gilmore, the designated safeguarding lead, and further information about this can be found in the Safeguarding Policy.

What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the school to ensure my child’s overall well-being?

There is a comprehensive safeguarding and pastoral system in place at Sunny Bank Primary School. We have a caring school ethos that nurtures the well-being of all children in our care.

Where necessary, we may support children and families in need by completing an Early Help Family Support Plan (EHFSP) and liaise with other services to ensure that the child’s needs are met through this process.

Through the curriculum, aspects of PSHE and Citizenship are covered for all students. We also invite agencies such as the Police, Road Safety Team, Paramedics, the School Nurse Service and the Fire Service into school to further support and advise children. This develops social well-being and ensures that children are responsible citizens.

The school entrances are staffed with adults who greet and welcome pupils and their families each morning. This ensures a smooth transition between home and school each day. The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class. If parents have any specific concerns, they should email the school office who will pass on any matters to the class teacher for their attention. Parents should telephone or email the school in order to arrange a meeting or telephone consultation with the class teacher. If further support is required, the class teacher liaises with the SENCO for advice and support. This may involve intervention from our Pastoral Support Worker, Miss O’Brien, or working alongside outside agencies such as Health and Social Services, and/or the Behaviour Support Service. Our pastoral support system involves both teaching and non-teaching staff. Throughout the curriculum the aspects of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are covered for all pupils and reinforced by friendship / social skills groups which run throughout the year.

 Vulnerable pupils may have named TAs and midday supervisors. Others have lunchtime monitor jobs/responsibilities or have access to lunchtime clubs which allows them to develop their social skills in a safe and supportive environment.

Medicines are administered only when prescribed up to 4 times daily and have to be signed for by parents at the school office. Asthma inhalers and Epi pens are kept in the child’s classroom. All children with asthma or a serious medical condition who require regular medication have a Care Plan developed by the SENCO and the child’s parents.  The SENCO liaises with the School Nurse and specialist nurses to provide staff with relevant training in the administering of medication for pupils with epilepsy, diabetes, nut allergies etc to ensure that the medical needs of pupils are met.