SEND

For what kinds of SEND does John Ball Primary School provide support?

John Ball Primary School recognises the value of being a truly inclusive school where all members of the school community feel valued as individuals and children learn, mix and become friends with others of differing abilities and from a range of different family backgrounds and circumstances.

The four areas of need identified in the code of practice 2014 are:

• Cognition and learning
• Communication and Interaction
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties
• Sensory and/or physical needs

Our school includes children whose needs may fall into any of these categories.

How do we identify pupils with SEND and assess their needs?

Class teachers use a wide variety of sources to identify children who may need additional support. If you have concerns about your child’s progress you should first speak to your child’s class teacher.

Teachers are continuously monitoring and assessing children’s learning and development.

Our school use an electronic tracking system called Learning Ladders to monitor the progress and attainment of all children; all children are discussed in half termly pupil progress meetings. Based on this wide range of information a child may be identified as needing additional support.

When a child is identified as needing additional support, the inclusion team will become involved and may carry out specific assessments or refer your child to a specialist for support either from within the school or externally. This would be discussed with parents and carers first.

How do we involve parents/carers and pupils in their education?

• We have an open door policy and we will always make ourselves available to discuss your child’s needs.
• We listen to what parents / carers tell us about their children and we use that information to make sure everyone who works with a child understands their needs.
• We ensure that review meetings and Team Around the Child / Family meetings are arranged at reasonable times.

In what ways do we assess and review progress?

• Through day to day teaching and learning, children are continually assessed and teachers’ planning responds to this.
• For particular children more in depth assessments may be required.  Some of these can be carried out by our inclusion team who have had specific training to do so. Sometimes we ask external agencies to carry these out.  This is particularly in the case for applying for an Education, Health and Care Plan – EHCP.
• EHCPs are formally reviewed annually and all adults involved in the education of the child invited.
• All children are formally assessed at the end of Early Years, Year 1 and 2 through statutory testing.

How do we support pupils to move between different phases of education?

• Transitions are carefully managed both within and across settings.
• Time is taken to ensure that the transitions can be made successfully.
• A programme of meetings and visits is organised and these will involve the child and parents/carers as well as professionals. The programme will vary according to the particular needs of the child but will usually involve a visit from the new setting’s staff as well as a visit to the new setting by the child.
• Transition books may be made, for example for children with ASD, providing photographs and visual prompts to support the process.
• Information is always transferred securely, either by internal or signed for mail.

What is our approach to teaching pupils with SEND?

• Class staff teams know the profile of their class and individual needs and learning activities are planned to match children’s learning needs.
• The environment is stimulating, supportive and well resourced.  Wall and interactive displays provide prompts and reminders to encourage children to learn and achieve independently.
• Each class has a teacher and some support from a teaching assistant.  If children have an Education, Health and Care Plan, there may be additional teaching assistance so that specialised support is available.
• Classes are well resourced and for children with additional needs, specialised equipment such as writing slopes, visual prompts are more specialised equipment.
• We will ensure that all staff know and understand the needs of all pupils.
• All staff will have access to training, advice and resources to enable them to contribute to developing fully inclusive practice.

How do we adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of your child?

In most cases, a child’s needs will be addressed through quality first teaching. We respond to children’s individual needs and adapt our teaching styles, environments, resources and groupings to meet these needs. This enables us to personalise the learning.

How are staff in the school helped to support pupils with SEND?

• The AHT for Inclusion, phase leaders, senior staff and the inclusion team support staff in planning for children with SEND.
• Staff training happens regularly on a formal basis or as ‘pop-up’ training, offered in relation to specific needs / aspects of SEND.
• Training may be from an external provider, tailored and delivered ‘in-house’ or delivered from link specialist outside agencies such as Educational Psychology or Drumbeat ASD outreach.
• Training needs are regularly audited.

How do we evaluate the effectiveness of provision?

We use the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ cycle for all teaching and learning. Reviewing provision is part of our everyday practice and takes place not only in our termly pupil progress meetings, but also in response to every lesson. We are continuously assessing, responding to what the children tell us and adapting our provision based on this.

How are pupils with SEND enabled to engage in activities available to pupils who do not have SEND?

In supporting children with SEN, we adhere to the guidance detailed in the Equality Act 2010. Whenever possible we provide additional support so that children can be as fully involved as possible. We will risk-assess and if possible make the adaptations needed in order to meet individual needs. Where appropriate, additional funding may be used to support families with the cost of trips and residentials. The accessibility of venues and the ability for all pupils to take part in trips is carefully considered during the planning stages.

What provision is available to support social and emotional development?

• Emotional well-being is supported by making sure that children who find change difficult are well prepared for any changes or transitions.
• To promote positive friendships, we may use a ‘circle of friends’ or ‘circle time’ involving the whole class.
• We have a professional counselling service based in house which provides some children with weekly counselling. Our Pastoral Care Manager also supports children and their families and provides pupils with a space to talk.
• Nurture groups may also be offered which may include sewing, gardening, forest school and social skills groups.
• During lunchtimes support is available through the mid-day supervisors.  On occasions, additional support may be provided.

Who are the other professionals who may be involved with my child at school?

After assessment and discussion with the school team, a range of services may be available to us. Referral is often via a CAF (Common Assessment Form). They include:-

• Education Psychology
• Drumbeat ASD outreach service
• Speech and Language therapy services
• Specific Learning Difficulties Team (SpLD)
• Visual Impairment Team
• Targeted Family support
• New Woodlands outreach service (for children Social, Emotional and Mental  Health difficulties)
• School Nurse
• Children Social Care
• Virtual School

Arrangements for handling complaints re: SEND

We value open communication and staff and school leaders are readily available to discuss areas of concern. It is our aim that most concerns can be resolved through talking together and working towards a position of mutual understanding. However we have a formal policy for dealing with more serious concerns and complaints if issues cannot be resolved through discussion. A copy of the school’s complaints procedure can be found on the school website under policies.

Click here to view our Accessibility Policy and Plan

Click here to view our Disability and SEN information report

Click here to read more on Lewisham’s Local offer

Click here to view our SEND Policy

Mrs Catherine McNearney, the SENDCo, can be contacted on cmcnerney@johnball.lewisham.sch.uk