SEN Information Report

The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Information Report is a duty on schools to report information to parents under section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014. The report reflects schools Curriculum Intent, Vision and Values. A copy of the current  Special Educational Needs (SEN) Information Report can be found here.

What are special educational needs (SEN) or a disability?

At our school we use the definition for SEN and for disability from the SEND Code of Practice (2015) which states:

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. Special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age.

A child of compulsory school age 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 facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.
1. The kinds of SEN for which provision is made at the school

Newlands Primary School is a mainstream setting (not a special school). At Newlands Primary School we will ensure that all children are valued equally, regardless of their abilities and/or social, emotional or behavioural needs. The school recognises that all children are entitled to have access to a broad and balanced curriculum which is differentiated to meet their individual needs.

The SEN Code of Practice places responsibility on Class Teachers and support staff to identify and provide help for Intervention (SEN) pupils within their classrooms.  Planning for different types of needs is the responsibility of Class Teachers.  All Teachers are teachers of pupils with SEN.

2. How does school know if children need extra help?

We know when a pupil needs help if:

  • Concerns are raised by parents/carers, external agencies, teachers, the pupil’s previous school or the pupil themselves, regarding concerns relating to inadequate levels of progress or inclusion.
  • Screening, as a result of a concern being raised, indicates gap in knowledge and/or skills.
  • Whole school tracking of attainment outcomes indicates lack of expected rate of progress.
  • Observation of the pupil indicates that they have additional needs.
3. What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

If you have concerns about any aspect of your child’s education please speak to the Class Teacher in the first instance.  In addition to raising concerns in this way the operates an open policy and you can contact the school office to book an appointment with the Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)/Headteacher.

4. How will school staff support my child?

All pupils will be provided with high quality teaching that is differentiated to meet the needs of all learners. The quality of classroom teaching provided to pupils with SEND is monitored through a number of processes that include:

  • Classroom observation by the senior leadership team, the SENCo, external verifiers.
  • Ongoing assessment of progress made by pupils with SEND.
  • Work sampling and scrutiny of planning to ensure effective matching of work to pupil need.
  • Teacher meetings with the SENCo to provide advice and guidance on meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.
  • Pupil and parent feedback on the quality and effectiveness of interventions provided
  • Attendance and behaviour records.

In addition Newlands’s undertakes continuous assessments in all year groups as part of our whole school assessment procedures. This helps us identify those pupils who are either underachieving or achieving at a rate slower than their peers.

Action relating to SEN support will follow an assess, plan, do and review model:

  • Assess: Data on the pupil held by the school will be collated by the class/subject teacher/SENCo in order to make an accurate assessment of the pupil’s needs.
  • Plan: If review of the action taken indicates that “additional to and different from” support will be required, then the views of all involved including the parents and the pupil will be obtained and appropriate evidence-based interventions identified, recorded and implemented by the class/subject teacher with advice from the SENCo.
  • Do: SEN support will be recorded on a plan that will identify a clear set of expected outcomes, which will include stretching and relevant academic and developmental targets (this may include targets around preparing for adulthood) that takes into account parents’ aspirations for their child. Parents and the pupil will also be consulted on the action they can take to support attainment of the desired outcomes. This will be recorded and a date made for reviewing attainment.
  • Review: Progress towards these outcomes will be tracked and reviewed termly with the parents and the pupil.

If progress rates are judged to be inadequate despite the delivery of high quality interventions, advice will always be sought from external agencies regarding strategies to best meet the specific needs of a pupil. This will only be undertaken after parent permission has been obtained and may include referral to:

  • Local Authority Support Services
  • Specialists in other schools e.g. teaching schools, special schools.
  • Health partners such as School Nurse and Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service

N.B. For a very small percentage of pupils, whose needs are significant and complex and the SEN Support required to meet their needs cannot reasonably be provided from within the school’s own resources; a request will be made to the local authority to conduct an assessment of education, health and care needs. This may result in an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan being provided.

5. How will pupils be involved in decisions regarding provision that can better meet their needs?

Children with SEN have a number of opportunities to be involved in their education. Children are encouraged to have an input into their statutory review meeting through identifying their strengths and areas for development and suggesting how improvements can be implemented. In addition, there is a school council which contributes ideas and suggestions for school improvement.

6. How will the school evaluate the effectiveness of the SEN provision made for pupils?

The effectiveness of SEN provision will be measured using both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data will gather the views of parents and pupils on how successful the provision has been in enabling them to attain their outcomes. Quantitative data will examine both progress and attainment levels compared to those achieved nationally for pupils with the same level prior learning level. This data will be shared with governors and be judged by external moderators such as Ofsted.

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

All of our pupils participate in our broad-based curriculum.  All Class Teachers and Support Staff at Newlands’s understand that all pupils must achieve the highest possible standards across the curriculum.  Some children will require aspects of the curriculum to be differentiated (work is changed to match their needs) in order to achieve their targets.  Class Teachers will plan for this as part of their weekly planning.

8. How will both you and I know how my child is doing? How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

Class Teachers will invite parents into school at the start of each academic year to share with you what the learning will be for that year and their expectations for the children. Soon after there will be the first of two formal invitations (parents evenings) into school to meet with your child’s teacher. During the year parents can initiate a meeting with staff via the school office. During the year there will be a number informal opportunities to visit the school to explore your child’s learning.

Every child will receive a written report giving you a clear indication of the progress they have made both academically and in a wider contribution to school life. For all pupils this will be sent home in the Summer Term. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 will receive their end of key stage results

A consultation with the SENCo will, as a matter of course, include advice & suggestions which will support your child’s learning.  We believe that we are in a partnership with parents, and we recognise parents’ unique ability to support their child’s learning. This is enshrined in our vision and values.

9. What support will there be for my child’s overall well- being?

A  Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculum is delivered to all pupils, which aims to provide pupils with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to enhance their emotional and social knowledge and well-being.

Our Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead is responsible for the whole school approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing. Pupils are encouraged to discuss their mental health openly and regular assemblies/events are held to discuss mental health and wellbeing topics. If there is a concern around a pupil’s mental health parents are invited to discuss any concerns about their child with the Class Teacher and Senior Mental Health Lead. If further support is needed, an initial well-being meeting is arranged with our Senior Mental Health Lead and all relevant stakeholders are invited to attend. From this meeting a wellbeing plan is created to support the individual pupils needs. Support in the plan may include: 1:1 Wellbeing Sessions, Parent Wellbeing Coaching, Small Group Wellbeing Sessions, in class support or referral to external agencies or counselling services.

10. What training have the staff supporting children with SEND had or are having?

The SENCo along with completing the National Award for SEN Coordinators, also has specialist access to the most common aspects of SEN SpLD (Dyslexia), Cognitive Difficulties, ADD/ADHD, ASD, Emotional/Behavioural Difficulties and Speech/Language & Communication Difficulties.

The SENCo is responsible for attending regular update meetings and briefings, and shares these will all members of staff in school. The team of Learning Support Assistants also meet regularly with the SENCo for training purposes. Key messages and essential information are communicated and shared through these meetings regarding key pupils, intervention strategies, and relevant research and policies.

At Newlands we are committed to ensuring that staff are trained to meet the needs of pupils with additional needs and their knowledge is updated when necessary. Recently, whole school training has been delivered by the Hampshire Educational Psychology Service to Teachers, Learning Support Assistants and Lunchtime Supervisors.

As a school we work closely with a range of external specialist services which are relevant to our pupils’ needs. These may include Speech and Language Therapists, Behaviour Support Workers, Parent Support Advisors, Social Workers, Paediatricians and Educational Psychologists. In addition the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and Head Teacher are able to consult with Hampshire County Council for advice and support. We also have specialist ELSA support (emotional literacy support) which is supervised by the Hampshire Education Psychology Service.

All staff are subject to an annual review (Performance Management) which identifies training needs which will be addressed either internally or externally.

11. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

All Class Teachers have to administer Risk Assessments for their rooms, immediate environments, access to communal areas such as toilets, eating areas, PE & assembly areas & playgrounds and playground equipment.  In addition, Risk Assessments are applied to all school trips and one off activities.  From these, steps are taken to ensure all children are able to be included in external activities. If there are specific requirements for pupils on the Intervention Register, we will undertake a specific risk assessment.

12. How accessible is the school environment?

Newlands Primary School is mainly a single storey building with all the classrooms having easy access to indoor communal areas (such as the library or hall) and outdoor provision. There is ramp access to the grass areas on the playground. An accessible toilet is available on the ground floor along the main corridor of our school. Our car park contains a designated disabled parking bay by the front entrance.

13. How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school or transfer to a new school?

We work closely with Yateley School, our main ‘feeder’ school, to ensure all pupils are familiar with their new setting. The children will have up to three opportunities to visit during Year 5 and 6, as well as working alongside teachers from Yateley School who visit Newlands during the Summer Term. We also work alongside the Learning Support Team from Yateley School who runs an additional support programme specifically tailored to aid transition for more vulnerable pupils.

14. How are the settings resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

Resources are allocated according to need. Trained Learning Support Assistants support learning in class as well as delivering specific interventions with supervisions from qualified professionals when needed detailed on Pupils’ Success Plans.

15. How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

All children at Newlands are entitled to inclusive high quality teaching. Should your child require additional support the Class Teacher will discuss the child’s needs with the Special Needs Co-ordinator. Different children will require different levels of support in order to narrow the gap between your child and their peers. This may include small group work or focused tasks, or more personalised learning delivered on a one-to-one basis.

16. How are parents involved in the school? How can I be involved?

At Newlands we strive to create a sense of community and the parents/carers of our pupils are a key part in this. Parents can get involved in the school in a number of ways including getting involved with our Parents’ Association “Friends of Newlands (FONDS)”, helping with school trips and visits or offering a special skill or interest. If you want to help with the pupils’ learning, you can always volunteer to help in a classroom.

Prior to joining our school parents are invited to visit, and for those with children starting in Year R a New Parents’ Evening is held annually. There are two formal parents’ evenings where you and your child have a chance to meet with the Class Teacher.

17. Who can I contact for further information?

Headteacher & SENCo – Mr William Neighbour  Tel: 01252 871188

Information on Hampshire’s Special Educational Needs & Disability Local Offer – www.se7pathfinder.co.uk

Impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support (SENDIASS) in Hampshire – www.hampshiresendiass.co.uk

Or, go to the DfE website – www.education.gov.uk