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St James Primary School

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InFORMATION REPORT

 What are the school’s arrangements for the admission of children with an Education, Health & Care Plan   (EHCP) or a disability?

St James Primary is a fully inclusive mainstream primary school, complying with the requirements outlined in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2014).  We make reasonable adjustments to our practice so as to comply with the Equality Act (2010).

For children, whose EHCP names the school, priority is given to siblings of children already at the school and to those children who live in the school’s catchment area.

We currently provide support for children with needs in the following areas:

Communication and Interaction

Cognition and Learning

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

Physical and Sensory 

Additional support for parents can also be found at https://www.sendadvicesurrey.org.uk/

 How does the school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think that my child may   have special educational needs?

We have rigorous monitoring in place that tracks the progress that our learners make in all areas of the curriculum.  After the completion of initial baseline assessments, pupil progress assessments then identify those children whose progress is significantly slower than that of their peers, or who fail to match or better their previous rate of progress.  They also identify those children who are failing to close the attainment gap between them and their peers.

Termly meetings are held with the class teacher and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to review and discuss pupil progress.  If a class teacher is concerned at any time that a child is not making expected progress, they will arrange to meet with parents to discuss this and consider next steps.  If parents have concerns, it is important that these are raised with the class teacher.  Following discussion with parents, it is possible that class teachers will then consult with the SENCo.

Parents are always welcome to contact the SENCo to discuss their concerns. Our SENCo is Liz Chambers.  She can be contacted on 01252 703248 or via email: senco@st-james-elstead.surrey.sch.uk

For further information please see our SEND policy:

https://www.st-james-elstead.surrey.sch.uk/docs/policies/SEND_Policy_July_2021_Revised_12_10_21.pdf

  How do school staff support my child?

Through high quality first teaching, our staff make reasonable adjustments to include all children, including those with Special Educational Needs.  The curriculum is adapted to meet need.  The children’s classroom environment is also adapted to ensure all children can learn.

Some children may be identified as needing additional support and this may happen through the provision of interventions which usually occur outside of the classroom in a small group or 1:1.  All the interventions that we put in place are research-informed or evidence based and are measured regularly to monitor impact against expected rate of progress.  Where progress is not as strong as expected, we are quick to respond and find alternatives through dialogue with the child, their teacher and their families.

If children are on the Special Educational Needs Register, they will have an Individual Support Plan which is reviewed termly and sent to parents.  The plan shows the arrangements in place to support the child, as well as the targets set for the term.  Staff meet regularly with the children to ascertain their views about school and their education; adjustments often occur as a result of these meetings.

With parents’ consent, the SENCo may refer a child to external agencies for additional advice on how to best support a child.

In a very few cases, it may be appropriate to apply for an Educational Health and Care Plan.

Our SEN Governor undertakes regular visits and meetings with the SENCo to monitor the quality of our special needs provision.

Disabled children are included in all areas of school life so that they can participate in everything alongside their peers. As well as adaptations to the curriculum, we have an Accessibility Plan and are committed to providing a fully accessible environment which values and includes all pupils, staff, parents and visitors regardless of their education, physical, sensory, social, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs. Specialist equipment is put in place when needed.

For children who are looked after by the Local Authority we have regular meetings with the professional responsible for their care to ensure that all their needs are being addressed, including any special educational needs. We are very aware of the emotional needs of such children and do our best to support these.  We involve outside professionals, as appropriate.

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

Class meetings for parents, at the beginning of each year, give an outline of the curriculum over the coming year and teachers offer ideas about the ways parents can support their children.  A Bringing Out the Best document is sent out twice a term; this outlines the curriculum covered in each class for each half of term.  It also indicates areas that parents can discuss with their children to support their learning.  Whenever class teachers or the Senco meet with parents, they will always offer advice on how their child’s learning can be supported at home.

We have two parent consultations each year, as well as a written mid-year interim report and an annual report of progress and achievement at the end of the year.  P arents of children with Special Educational Needs are offered longer appointments and a further consultation at the end of the summer term.

In line with the SEND Code of Practice, we operate an Assess, Plan, Do, Review graduated approach.  If a child requires additional support, there will be an initial assessment of what is needed and then appropriate additional support is planned and put in place.  The child’s progress is assessed and the plan is reviewed. Appropriate adjustments are then made to the plan for the following term and, if progress has not been made, alternative approaches considered.  For children on the Special Educational Needs Register, this process is communicated via the Individual Support Plan.

Parents are welcome to discuss their child’s progress at any time.

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

Safeguarding of the children in our care is our main priority and regular training is provided for all staff,

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads are:

Valerie Elliott

Campbell McArthur

Debbie Jenkinson

Stuart Gardner

Jess Olver 

They can be contacted via the school office on 01252 703248.

Mental Health is also a high priority for the school.  The ethos of our school ensures that all staff provide a high standard of pastoral support and all staff are trained to support emotional needs.

Our acts of worship explore Christian values and how they can be reflected in the daily life of the school. 

Our Personal Social and Health Education curriculum addresses, in a progressive way, issues that will help children to become more aware of their own well-being as well as that of others.

We use Trick Box throughout the school; through this scheme, children learn and practice a variety of ways to help themselves with their mental health.  We have a school dog who many children respond to if they are struggling.

The school has an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant who delivers short term interventions with some children who have a particular need around social or emotional well-being. We also consult with a Mental Health worker from Camhs on a regular basis.

Some children each year are referred to the Nurture Farm, Huckleberries.  They spend a day a week there for 6 weeks. Qualified staff work with them on targets identified by the school.

We take bullying very seriously and have a variety of measures in place to prevent it happening in our school. Awareness is raised through all areas of the school curriculum, particularly in PHSE and through circle time.  All reports of bullying are fully investigated.  Where appropriate, staff will work with the bully to modify the behaviour and work with the victim to give them the power and confidence to challenge bullying behaviour.  For further information https://www.st-james-elstead.surrey.sch.uk/docs/policies/Bullying_2018.pdf

Pupil voice is central to our ethos and this is encouraged in a variety of ways, such as through school council and pupil interviews. 

We have a home school link worker, Helen Owen, who supports families and liaises between them and school.

 What qualifications and training do the staff supporting children with SEND have?

Our Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) is a qualified teacher and has many years experience supporting children with SEN.

Our SENCo advises teachers when they are planning for their children with special educational needs.

Teachers and support staff regularly attend courses that enhance their knowledge regarding the support of children with special educational needs.  Staff have recently attended courses on communication difficulties, ASD and Downs Syndrome.  I n staff meetings, our staff are regularly updated on matters pertaining to special educational needs and disability.

The Senior Leadership Team regularly observes in lessons and the SENCo also observes interventions. Feedback is given in order to improve practice.  Performance Management is conducted with all staff in order to identify targets for professional development.

 What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

Our staff all receive regular training to meet the specific needs of the children that are in the school.  All our class teachers hold qualified teacher status. 

We have a member of staff with qualifications in behaviour who advises all staff on behaviour issues, in line with our Behaviour Policy.

We have staff who are Elklan trained who support children with speech and language needs.

We have several staff who have completed the Mental First Aid training.

If it is felt appropriate to involve an outside agency, the SENCo, with the consent of parents, will make a referral. We work closely with Language Learning Support, Behaviour Support and the Educational Psychology Service provided by Surrey.  Outreach teachers from Freemantles School visit regularly for consultations.  We also work closely with speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

All external partners we work with are vetted in terms of safe guarding and, when buying in additional services, we monitor the impact of any intervention against cost, to ensure a value for money service.

 How will my child be enabled to join in all the school’s activities together with children without SEND,   including physical activities and trips?

Our Equalities Policy promotes involvement of all our learners in all aspects of the curriculum, including activities outside the classroom, such as educational visits and residential trips.  Where there are concerns regarding safety or access, further adjustments are made to ensure needs are met. When appropriate, parents/carers are consulted and involved in planning. Risk assessments are put in place and these are shared with parents.

We endeavour to include all children, whatever their need, in all activities as much as possible. Involvement in extracurricular clubs is monitored to ensure that all children are participating in the opportunities offered by the school.

 How accessible is the school environment?

Our Accessibility Plan is updated annually and is available on the school Policies page of  the website. We have made adaptations to the school environment for particular children and consider our environment to be fully accessible to current pupils and parents.  We are vigilant about making reasonable adjustments where possible. Our policy and practice adhere to the Equality Act 2010. We try to ensure any home-setting communications are available in the relevant languages and, when required, translators are sought to attend meetings. Some staff have been trained in British sign language.

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

We have a robust Induction programme in place for welcoming new learners to our setting. In the summer term before starting in reception, all children have several visits to school. In September, staff visit the children at home before the term starts. It is possible for some children to attend initially on a part time basis.

If children with Special Educational Needs join the school at a later stage, we endeavour to visit them in their current setting and also arrange visits for them to spend sessions at our school to meet staff and their new class.

We have a transition programme in place for children transferring to new classes each year.  This begins after half term of the summer term and enables the children to become familiar with the staff, who will be working with them the following year, and to become accustomed to their new classroom.

When children leave St James Primary, we are very aware of the importance of a successful transition.  We have transition arrangements in place whereby staff from local secondary schools visit us and the children spend time at the school to which they are transferring. If we feel Year 6 children have a more specific need, parents are involved and additional transition activities, tailored to the child’s needs, are arranged with the receiving school. We also provide small group sessions for some Year 6 children which gives them an enhanced opportunity to understand more about the move to secondary school.

We have very good relationships with feeder schools and nurseries, as well as with the schools that the children may move on to. There are regular meetings between the different SENCOs of these schools to ensure a smooth transition for all children. All documented information is passed on securely to the receiving school.

 How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs or   disability?

Our finances are monitored regularly by the leadership team and governors. SEND resources are reviewed regularly to support the strategic aims and improvement priorities of our school as well as meeting individual learners’ needs.

The school receives a notional allocation within the school’s general budget for all children including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).  Additional support needs must be met from this, including the cost of equipment. The Local Authority may contribute more funding if the cost of meeting an individual child’s needs is more than £10,000 per year.

Everything that is put in place to meet a child’s needs is regularly reviewed and assessed for impact and then modified, as appropriate. This is done in consultation with parents and the child. 

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

Decisions about the type and quantity of support received by a child are made by the class teacher, often in consultation with the Senco and with parents. For children on the Special Educational Needs Register, desired outcomes are identified and targets are set to ensure the child’s progress towards these outcomes. These are all detailed on the Individual Support Plan which is sent home at the beginning of each term. At the end of each term children’s progress on the targets is reviewed and next steps identified; this is communicated to parents. Parents are offered meetings to discuss their child’s progress.

All interventions are overseen by the SENCo and the impact of interventions is measured at the end of each term. Adjustments are then made to meet the child’s individual needs.

Parents are always welcome to make appointments to discuss any concerns about their children’s progress with class teachers. Meetings are held with parents throughout the year to review progress and to discuss the support that is in place.

In the event that a parent is unhappy about the SEND provision for their child, it is important to speak initially to the class teacher. It is also advisable to speak to the SENCo or head teacher. If it is felt that a complaint needs to be made, the schools complaint procedure will apply.  This can be found on the school’s website.

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

We whole-heartedly believe in partnering parents in a two-way dialogue to support children’s learning, needs and aspirations. We operate an open door policy and take every opportunity to strengthen this dialogue. Covid restrictions allowing, parents are invited to contribute though a number of means such as listening to children read, helping with craft activities, talking to a class about a particular interest or event, running clubs and accompanying trips.

It is also possible to become involved in our wider school community through our very active Parent Teacher Association, who help to improve school resources and activities.

Parents can join the leadership of the school by joining our governing body as a parent governor.

 How is the effectiveness of the provision made for children with SEND evaluated?

Surrey’s SEND guidance is used to support and evaluate decisions about the allocation of resources.

Monitoring historic data and tracking current data allows us to assess, and if necessary adjust, the provision made for children with special educational needs.

Each term the support that is put in place is evaluated for impact and measured against cost. This information is given to the governors. The SEND governor meets regularly with the SENCo to monitor provision. 

 What is the school’s contribution to the Local Authority’s Local Offer and where is the Local Offer published?

The school’s contribution to Surrey’s Local Offer forms the main part of this report and is set out in the responses above.

The Surrey Local Offer, which contains additional information about how the Local Authority manages its SEND provision, is published online at: https://www.surreylocaloffer.org.uk/kb5/surrey/localoffer/home.page 

 Who can I contact for further information?

Please contact the Senco, Liz Chambers, for further information. She can be contacted via the school office on 01252 703248 or by email senco@st-james-elstead.surrey.sch.uk 

The following services also provide support for parents:

Surrey's Local Offer Team

Contact them on 0300 200 1004 if you would like help in finding out what support is available to you.

SEND Advice Surrey

Send Advice Surrey offer support to parents and can be contacted via  https://www.sendadvicesurrey.org.uk/

Surrey SEND Team

If you have a SEND-related enquiry or concern, you can call the Learners Single Point of Access (L-SPA) on 0300 200 1015.

If your child has an EHCP, or one has been requested, you can contact the case officer via the South-West SEND Team. Email: swsen@surreycc.gov.uk 

Surrey Early Support Service

The service provides early support for children aged 0 to 5 years old with disabilities and special needs. Contact them at earlysupport@surreycc.gov.uk 

Family Voice Surrey (FVS)

Family Voice Surrey is the Parent Carer Forum for families of children and young people (0-25) in Surrey with any kind of Special Educational Need or Disability. It is run by parents for parents. 01372 705708 or contact@familyvoicesurrey.org