Mellis CE Primary School SEND Information Report 2017

What should I do if I think my child may have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND)?

Mellis Primary values inclusion and endeavours to identify any SEND as early as possible.If you have any concerns regarding your child, please don’t hesitate to speak to their class teacher. You may also like to speak with our SENCO Jessica Shaw. Mellis Primary has an Open School Policy and parents are encouraged to make appointments to see any member of staff at their earliest convenience. If your child is joining our school from another setting you will have already had the opportunity to discuss any concerns regarding SEND with the Headteacher and Special Educational Needs Coordinator.

How does the school know if children need additional support?

Pupil progress is monitored daily and tracked over each halt term. If a class teacher has a concern about a child and feels they may benefit from additional support then that child will be monitored more closely and the SENCO may be asked to carry out observations and/ or assessments. If intervention is necessary, the Class teacher will work together with the SENCO, Parents and the child personally, to plan and deliver intervention tailored for a child’s specific needs.Detailed information about the identification, assessment and interventions for SEND support, as well as how this is reviewed can be found in the SEND Policy. Arrangements for the admission of disabled children are also detailed in the SEND Policy.

How will the school support my child?

Children with SEND are placed on the SEND register. In addition to this, children who are not considered to have any SEND but do require short term additional support, are placed on a “close monitoring” register so that their progress can be tracked more closely. Having identified your child’s needs, we will then tailor intervention for them personally. All children receiving Special Educational Needs Support will have access to the following:

SEND Support Intervention plans, One page profiles and personal targets. These are written by the class teacher, parents and child if appropriate. Due to the fact that these are written collaboratively, children can choose the format that they prefer and is set out in clear, straightforward language. All documentation is easily accessible by school staff, parents and the children.

Depending on their area of need, we offer children the following:

Social and Emotional and Mental Health Need:

  • An individual intervention plan that targets the child’s specific area and level of need. (this will be reviewed termly with the parents and the child if appropriate)
  • Small group or one to one support at varying levels and for varying amounts of time in the day as appropriate
  • Individual rules and reward systems
  • Individual behaviour and/or Care Plan
  • Individual emotional profile focusing on feelings and management
  • Social Stories
  • Circle of friends
  • Additional arrangements for transition
  • Access to Inclusive Support Service/CAMHS/Health/Social Services as appropriate

Communication and Interaction:

  • An individual intervention plan that targets the child’s specific area and level of need. (this will be reviewed termly with the parents and the child if appropriate)
  • Small group or one to one support at varying levels and for varying amounts of time in the day as appropriate
  • Access to speech therapists/CAMHS/Thomas Wolsey ICT Assessment/Support
  • Social stories
  • Individual visual timetables/ feelings and worries box/book of happy thoughts
  • Circle of friends
  • Teaching talking
  • ICT support
  • Additional arrangements for Transition

Sensory and Physical:

  • An individual intervention plan that targets the child’s specific area and level of need. (this will be reviewed termly with the parents and the child if appropriate)
  • Small group or one to one support at varying levels and for varying amounts of time in the day as appropriate
  • Provision of specialist furniture and or equipment: Easy Breezy Chairs, support cushions, walking frames, sloped writing desks, non- slip steps, multiple pencil grip aids and easy grip pens, pencils and scissors.
  • The school building is accessible to all children with wheel chair access and separate disabled toilet facilities for both Early Years and Key Stage 1 and 2.
  • Referrals to Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist/ Other Health Professionals
  • Brain gym/Hand Gym
  • Individual ICT to support access to curriculum as appropriate
  • Additional arrangements for transition.

Cognition and Learning:

  • An individual intervention plan that targets the child’s specific area and level of need. (this will be reviewed termly with the parents and the child if appropriate)
  • Small group or one to one support at varying levels and for varying amounts of time in the day as appropriate
  • In school diagnostic tests to further pinpoint the child’s area and level of need: BPVS, PAT, Dyslexia Screening Test, Draw a Man test.
  • Referrals to outside professionals if appropriate: G.P, Educational Psychologist, School Nurse, Speech Therapist, Physiotherapist, Occupational Health Therapists, CAMHS,
  • Referrals to outreach services: Inclusive support service, counsellors, dyslexia schools, Thomas Wolsey ICT assessment/facilities
  • Possible intervention activities may include, Phonics catch up, Sequencing and memory activities, handwriting support, reading and spelling games, one to one SEN teacher support, Beat Dyslexia, Accelere-read, Accelere-write, Catch up Literacy, Addiional Maths Support Classes, ICT support
  • Additional arrangements for transition

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

We aim to ensure that all children are able to access the curriculum and make the maximum progress they are capable of achieving, whatever their area or level of need. All intervention is individually tailored to ensure that the curriculum is matched to a child’s needs as far as possible.

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

We work closely with all parents of the children we teach and place great value of the mutually supportive and positive relationship we have with the Parents of the children in our school. Regular meetings take place between Parents of children receiving SEND support and their class teachers. These are formal meetings, in order to review children’s progress against their targets and occur every term. More informal meetings may take place weekly, at the end of intervention teaching sessions outside of school hours. Parents can use these meetings to voice any concerns and if necessary the SENCo will be present at these meetings.

How accessible is the school environment?

Mellis School already provides disabled access to the school building, which is fully accessible for wheel chairs. We also have a disabled toilet for both the Foundation Class including a shower and a disabled toilet for the rest of the school including a hoist. Gene Touch boards are installed in every classroom and a bank of laptops which may be used to support pupils with physical or sensory needs are available. We also have a range of specialist furniture and equipment to support access to the curriculum which supports the needs of the children we teach and is detailed above.

In order to make the school further accessible, we will review the use of storage in the corridors in order to make them wider. This will provide access for larger wheel chairs. Other Sensory equipment for example bubble light tubes e.c.t will be purchased if they were to be needed by children in the school to facilitate their learning and progression.

How will Mellis Primary prepare and support my child to join the school?

Choosing the right school for your child’s needs is vital and we welcome parents and children to come and visit us.

The Foundation teachers, Mrs Shaw and Mrs Bates will liase with all Pre Schools and Nurseries that feed our school in order to meet the children that will be joining us. Home Visits are also arranged for all children who would like them. Mrs Shaw is also the SENDCO and will have specific transition meetings with children who may have SEND and their parents in their own home if required. Transition meetings will also take place with the SENCO or Manager of the Early Years Setting, the parents, and school SENCO. All records will be passed on and preparations made to ensure a smooth transition for your child.

How are the schools resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

Funding is sourced from the school budget and also from High Tariff funding (for those children with greater need who are entitled to it). We allocate support according to need. If your child has an EHC plan we will endeavour to ensure that we meet the provision stated in part 3.

All interventions are costed and evaluated. The effectiveness of our interventions are monitored by the SENCO who provides an annual report for governors.