St Osmund's Catholic Primary School

St Osmund's Catholic Primary School

Love for God - Love for each other - Love for learning

St Osmund’s Catholic Primary School SEN/D Information Report

Definition of Special Educational Needs (SEN/D)

A child has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

A child of compulsory school age has a learning difficulty or disability if they:

  1. have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
  2. have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if they fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above, or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.

Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.

(SEN CoP 2001, 1.3)

 Aims

At St. Osmund’s Catholic Primary School, we aim to provide all children with a broad and balanced curriculum, regardless of ability and have high expectations for all our children. As outlined by our School Mission Statement “Love for God ~ Love for Each Other ~ Love for Learning.”

Principles

A person centred approach- At St Osmund’s Catholic Primary School we will try our best to provide what your child needs. This will look different for each child and different strategies and adaptations might be employed for each child to be successful in order to maximise their progress. Staff adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils through appropriate differentiation within an inclusive setting. Wherever possible the views of the child will be considered so that they feel part of their learning.

A Plan Do Review approach – teachers plan for individual children alongside group planning, deliver in an inclusion friendly environment and set new targets in response to learning.

Parental Involvement - We consider it essential that parents are included in decisions made for their children and value your support.

We provide an inclusive education for:

  • Cognitive and Learning needs
  • Communication and Interactive needs
  • Sensory and /or Physical Needs
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

How is St Osmund’s Catholic Primary School accessible to children with SEND?

Our building is a mix of the old and the new. Our upstairs classrooms are accessed by three different stairways. In the event that we have a child who needs a frame or wheelchair we would accommodate their needs by relocating classrooms to the ground floor. On the ground floor there are ramps and wide doors meaning that nearly all of the classrooms are wheelchair friendly. The doors which access the main corridors are double and sprung. They can be held open by magnetic catches which will close in the event of a fire.

  • We have a disabled toilet with handrail on the ground floor.
  • Play areas are accessible for wheelchair and walking frame users with the exception of the timber trail and Key Stage 1 playframe.
  • We try to ensure that all equipment used is accessible to all children regardless of their
  • After-school activities are accessible for all children including those with
  • Extra-curricular activities such as school trips/residential trips are accessible for children with SEND.
  • Disabled parking is available in the main car park and in the car parks in the Friary for which a St Osmund’s parking permit can be purchased.

 Securing Specialist Equipment to support children with SEND

If a child is need of specialist equipment to support their health, learning or participation at our school we will seek advice from Wiltshire County Council’s specialist services to source the necessary equipment.

Identifying Needs - Our Graduated Response Wave 1 - Initial Concern

When we have an initial concern, it is most likely that your child’s class teacher will approach you informally or at one of our parent – teacher meetings we have each year. At this stage we discuss our concerns and how we are using quality first teaching within class or additional small group activities to support your child. Please contact your child’s class teacher if you have any initial concerns of your own.

Quality First Teaching - Every child will be offered Quality First teaching involving inclusion friendly lessons. Differentiated curricular targets are set in each class for ability groups and at a more individual level for certain pupils. Quality first teaching means making reasonable adjustments to classroom practice for any pupil and will include differentiating and scaffolding tasks for children with specific or less specific need e.g. visual timetables, seating arrangements, overlays for reading etc.

After a child has been given time to settle in a class, if they are not making sufficient progress or there is an on-going concern regarding their behaviour or there is a change in their emotional well-being the class teacher will make some alterations or additions to their classroom provision. If no improvement is seen the class teacher will seek the view of the SENDCO’s and the child’s parents. The GRSS document Wiltshire Graduated Response to SEND support (which replaces the WIPD document) may be used to help to identify what support to access. Our school will then offer the most relevant intervention or support to help that child increase their potential in either/both their learning/behaviour. It is at this point a decision will be made as to whether the child has SEN/D need or whether there could be another reason for their under-achievement or whether we need to seek more information to guide our next steps.

Wave 2

If the school decides that a child may have a specific or a more general learning difficulty they will be put onto the SEN register, this is a requirement by the school and helps the school to track the progress of vulnerable learners. Although some parents may have a concern about their child being placed on the SEN register, the school continues to have high aspirations for them and they will still be included alongside their peers for the vast majority of the time. Generally, children who are placed on the SEN register will remain listed as such but can be removed if the difficulty they have has been overcome (this is more common where the Speech and Language Therapy Service have been involved and sometimes as the child matures). Although the school makes the decision as to whether the child should be placed on the SEN register, we welcome parents’ views and support.

The teacher, with support from the SENCO, will continue to be responsible for planning more specific in-class support and may decide that additional small group or individual support outside of class may be required for your child.

It may be decided that the school (with permission from parents) asks for advice and support from Wiltshire Learning Support who may attend school to observe the child in class and possibly carry out some specific tests in order to advise the school in how better to support your child.

Parents are informed about the level of support at each stage during our parent- teacher consultations, however, informal consultations throughout the year are welcome and you can contact the SENDCO for an appointment by calling or emailing St. Osmund’s administration office.

 Wave 3

My Support Plans

If it is thought that a child has a more complex or severe learning need then a My Support Plan may be required, if agreed by the parent/carer. This gives an in-depth look at a

child’s strengths and weaknesses and is reviewed at least 3 times a year. If this has been in place for a certain amount of time but the school are still struggling to meet a child’s needs the school, with parental support may consider applying to Wiltshire County Council for an ‘Education and Health Care Plan’.

 Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP)

This used to be called a ‘Statement’ and is quite a long process where information about a child’s learning needs is gathered together and given to Wiltshire Council for a panel to consider if extra funding is required to help a child to better access the school curriculum. If a child has an EHCP their progress will be reviewed throughout the year (probably by the class teacher but may also include the SEN/D co-ordinator and other professionals if necessary) with a bigger annual review on the anniversary of the start date of the plan.  This is a long-term support system and usually continues into secondary school.

 How Your Child May Be Supported

  • Focussed support within lesson time by the class Teacher or a Teaching
  • Removal from the class to focus on a particular skill (e.g. extra phonics practise, speech therapy targets etc.).
  • Visual support; timetable, transition cards, Task
  • Classroom organisation so that key children are placed appropriately to support their vision, hearing, and emotional
  • Makaton signing for children who need this to support their
  • Class Provision Map to plan out what support is needed throughout the class.
  • ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) to support children who may be having trouble managing some of their emotions or struggling with social skills, this may be a specific, short time intervention or for a longer time period as necessary. This is additional to the pastoral care that will be given to every child by their class

We do not believe in having TA’s ‘attached’ to specific children for the majority of their time as this can alienate them from their peers and prevent them from becoming independent learners, however this is very occasionally necessary for specific needs (usually identified during the EHCP process). Instead TA’s are used to support the teaching of all children within a class, which may mean that they take an individual or small group out of class who needs intervention but equally they may be used to support non-SEN children to allow the Teacher more focussed time with children with SEN.

It is extremely important to us at St Osmund’s that children with SEN are included within all activities as much as is possible. This is to ensure that children with SEN are given the same opportunities as their classmates and are not separated from their peers unless deemed necessary for a specific reason.

Reviewing the provision given to pupils with SEN

Progress of children with SEN is reviewed regularly so that the school can be sure that any provision put in place is effective. If it is not shown to be effective the school will consider whether the provision will be continued as it is or altered in the pursuit of greater effect.

Progress of all children is regularly reviewed by the Class Teacher, Senior Leadership Team and the SENDCO.

 Outside Agencies

Outside Agencies may be accessed (with parental permission), or may work with children from an external referral, for SEN and sometimes for non-SEN children. These may include:

  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Specialist SENs Support
  • Educational Psychologist
  • School Nurse
  • Paediatrician
  • PCAMHS (Primary Child and Mental Health Service),
  • Occupational therapy
  • Spurgeons (Young Carers/Children’s Centre)

At the beginning of September 2023, St Osmund’s Catholic Primary School had 209 children on role and out of that figure 34 children are on the SEN register. The majority are at SEN support level, and 5 of these pupils have Education and Healthcare Plans (EHCP) with 4 more in the application process.  The main types of need that we have catered for include Speech and language difficulties, specific learning difficulties, general and global developmental delay, ADHD, ASD, and emotional and social needs.

Other lower-achieving pupils are also supported through Pupil Premium funding and through Quality First Teaching within the classroom. All children who are at risk of falling behind their age expected attainment are considered to be ‘Vulnerable Learners’ and are added to the Class Provision Map and monitored carefully.

We try to ensure children have a smooth transition from Key stages and we have effective communication with feeding pre-schools and Secondary schools and relevant staff from these establishments are always invited to key meetings related to specific children and their needs on entry to our school or their Secondary school. If a child who is planning to join our school has a known or suspected learning need or disability, we would ask that the parents/carers inform us as soon as possible. This allows us to put systems, resources and training in place to best support children so they have the most positive experience when joining our school.

 Medical Needs

It is extremely important that the school has up to date medical information about the children in our care. Training is updated regularly for First Aiders including Epipen (and such like) training for those children with severe allergies. Where a more complex/severe medical need is identified a risk assessment needs to be carried out and so that the school can assess how best to care for your child, which may result in an action flowchart to support staff in caring for a child. We are dedicated to children having access to the full curriculum despite any medical need wherever possible. Please see our Medical Needs Policy in more detail. If your child needs prescribed medication for a short, or for a longer-term condition, please contact the school office to sign a medicine form. This medication needs a dispensing label on it with the child’s name and dose clearly displayed before we will agree to administer it to them. If your child has had to take time off school to recuperate after a serious illness or accident please keep in contact with the school office so we can best plan for their safety when they return to school.

 Who to contact

Your class teacher is the first point of contact, as well as Mrs Sambrook the SENDCO, Mr Sanderson (Headteacher) and Mrs Downer the SEN/D Governor. Regular parent meetings are held where you can discuss your child and aspects such as support and progress. We also have an open-door policy where you can make an appointment for either a quick chat or a longer sit-down discussion with school staff as you need it.

If you are a prospective new parent then please feel free to arrange a visit and meet the staff at our school.

 Complaints and concerns

If you have any concern about your child, please contact your child’s teacher in the first instance. As they know your child well they are often in the best position to help you and your child. They may ask for support from a different member of staff in helping. If for any reason you feel that you do not want to approach your child’s class teacher about your concern please ask at the office to make an appointment to see either the SENDCO or the Headteacher. If you continue to be dissatisfied you may want to consider asking the office about contacting the Governors

 Further Advice and Information

The Wiltshire County Local Offer is a great source of information for parents/carers about what support is available in the local area to support children and families, http://www.wiltshire.org.uk/local-offer as well as the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council, www.wiltshireparentcarercouncil.co.uk 

 Evaluation

Our SEND information report will be updated annually and sometimes more often. Extra information can be found within our SEND school policy.