SENCO Surgery

Special Educational Needs Information Report

Special Educational Needs Information Report (Academic Year 2023 to 2024)

Contact: Miss A Hulse
SENDCo@stberns.bham.sch.uk

The school's SEND information report sets out what we provide for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) throughout their time with us. It explains how we support them with the next stage of their education. This report should be read with the SEND Policy.

St. Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School is an inclusive school which offers a range of provisions to support children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school.

Birmingham Local Offer website www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk

It includes information about the wide range of services available to support all areas of a child’s life (0-25 years), especially those with a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND). This includes support with education, physical and mental health, social care, leisure activities and moving towards independence and adulthood.

Every local authority in England has a duty to provide children and young people (0-25 years) with support if they have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities - this is known as the Local Offer. Every local authority has to publish what support is available on a website: this is called the Local Offer Website.

This Local Offer website gives information about the support the local authority expects to be available across education, health and social care. The information on the website is clear and easy to find. It says who a particular service is for, how to apply, and how decisions are made about who gets that service.

Background

Children and Families Act 2014

The Children and Families Act takes forward the Government’s commitments to improve services for vulnerable children and support families. It underpins wider reforms to ensure that all children and young people can succeed, regardless of their background. The Act aims to reform the systems for adoption, looked after children, family justice and special educational needs. The Government is transforming the system for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including those who are disabled, so that services consistently support the best outcomes for them. The Act has extended the SEN system from birth to 25, giving children, young people and their parents/carers greater control and choice in decisions and ensuring needs are met. It has taken forward the reform programme set out in Support and Aspiration: A New Approach to Special Educational Needs and Disability: Progress and Next Steps by:

​

•  Replacing statements and learning difficulty assessments with a birth- -to-25 Education, Health and Care Plan, extending rights and protections to young people in further education and training and offering families personal budgets so that they have more control over the support they need;

•  Improving cooperation between all the services that support children and their families and

particularly requiring local authorities and health authorities to work together;

•  Requiring local authorities to involve children, young people and parents/carers in reviewing and

developing provision for those with special educational needs and publishing a ‘local offer’ of support.

What is the Local Offer?

•  The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011) as a local offer of all services available to support disabled children and children with SEN and their families. This easy-to-understand information will set out what is usually available in schools to help children with lower-level SEN and the options available to support families who need additional help to care for their children.

•  The Birmingham Local Offer was published in September 2014 and has been reviewed since. It aims to provide parents/carers with information about how to access services in their area and what they can expect from those services. With regard to Education, it will let parents/ carers and young people know how schools will support them and what they can expect across the local settings. This document outlines how St Bernadette’s Primary School intends to demonstrate its local offer to support children with SEND.

​

The information you should be able to find on a Local Offer Website includes:

•  Sources of support, advice and information for children, young people and families, including support groups and forums.

•  Special educational, health and social care provision for children and young people with SEN or disabilities

•  Arrangements to identify and assess children and young people with SEN, including how an assessment can be requested.

•  Other educational provision, for example, leisure activities, sports or arts provision,

•  Information about provision to assist in preparing children and young people for adulthood, including post-16 education and training provision

•  Arrangements for travel to and from schools, post-16 institutions and early years providers

•  Childcare, including suitable provision for disabled children and those with SEND

•  Support available to young people in higher education, particularly the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) and the process and timescales for making an application for DSA

•  Arrangements for resolving disagreements and for mediation, and details about making complaints

​

Who are the people I need to talk to in this school about my child’s difficulties with learning/ Special Educational Needs or disability (SEND)?

​​

The School SEN and Disability Coordinator: Miss Hulse
Telephone: 0121 783 7232 (option 3)
Email: SENDco@stberns.bham.sch.uk

Please telephone or email to book an appointment.
The SENCO will:

1) Co-ordinate the support for all children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)
2) Develop the school’s SEND Policy to ensure all children get a consistent, high-quality response to meet their needs in school.
3) Update the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring all the SEND needs of pupils in this school are known) and make sure that there are detailed records of your child’s progress.
4) Provide specialist support from outside agencies for teachers and support staff in the school so they can help children with SEND achieve the best progress possible.

Ensure that you are:

• Involved in supporting your child’s learning.
• Kept informed about the support your child is receiving through Support Plans.
• Involved in the review of progress through parents/carers consultation meetings with their subject teacher and/or SENCO.

The SENCO will liaise with all the other people who may be coming into school to help support your child’s
learning.

Our outside agencies include The Speech and Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist, Family support workers, Social Care, Pupil and School Support, Communication and Autism Team, Paediatricians, GPs, Occupation Therapists (referral through NHS professional only), Physiotherapist, Physical Difficulties Team, Sensory Services- Hearing / Visual Impairment Support Service and any other service we can access.

The Class/Subject Teacher is responsible for:

1) Making sure that your child is making progress by identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be things like targeted work or additional support) and letting the SENCO know as necessary.

2) Writing Pupil Support Plans and sharing and reviewing these with parents/carers using the parent consultation form or by direct meeting if required. We will offer the SENCO appointments for parents/carers to discuss targets and support.

3) Ensuring that all staff working with your child in school are supported to deliver the planned intervention/programme for your child so they can achieve the best possible outcomes. This may involve the use of additional adults outside specialists as well as planned interventions and resources/equipment (provided we have the resources available for this)

4) Ensuring that the school’s SEND Policy is followed in the classroom and for all the SEND pupils taught per the policy and this report.

The Head Teacher is responsible for:

The day-to-day management of all aspects of the school includes supporting children with SEND. She will give responsibility to the SENCO and class teachers but is still responsible for ensuring that your child’s needs are met.

She must ensure that the Governing Body is kept up to date about any issues in the school relating to SEND.

The SEN Governor is responsible for:

SEN Governor: Mr A Carroll (0121 783 7232)

Making sure that the necessary support is made for any child who attends the school and has SEND.

Parent Link - Advice & Support for Parents about their child and what support is available. ParentLinkService@birmingham.gov.uk
Or Telephone: 0121 303 8461

It is in everyone’s interest that concerns and complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage. Many issues can be resolved informally without the need to use the formal stages of the complaints procedure. St. Bernadette’s Primary School takes concerns seriously and will make every effort to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. We will respect your views if you have difficulty discussing a concern with a particular staff member. The SENCO may refer you to another staff member or the Senior Leadership Team in these cases.

If you are not happy with how your child is supported, and you have pursued this with the SENCO and the Headteacher without a satisfactory resolution, then please contact:

Birmingham City Council Assessment and Review Team for Special Educational Needs.
If you wish to discuss the Statutory Assessment of your child or an application for an Education Health Care Plan, contact the Principal SENAR Officer.

Website: www.mycareinbirmingham.org.uk

SENDIASS - Birmingham Special Educational Needs & Disability Information, Advice and Support Service.

The Birmingham Special Educational Needs & Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) has been established to provide information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and their parents and carers. SENDIASS staff work for the Local Authority but are expected to offer impartial and confidential advice at ‘arms-length’ from other LA services.

To contact SENDIASS
Telephone: 0121 303 5004
E-mail: sendiass@birmingham.gov.uk

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

How do we identify individual special educational learning needs?

• When pupils have an identified Special Educational Need or Disability before they join our school, we attempt to work closely with the people who already know them from their previous setting and use the information made available to identify what the possible barriers to learning are so that within our school setting we try to plan appropriate support strategies.

• It is essential that you tell us if you think your child has a Special Educational Need. Then, we will discuss this with you and plan accordingly.

• If there is enough evidence, then these assessments may be carried out by the school, which sometimes seeks advice from more specialised services such as Educational Psychology, Pupil, School Support, Speech & Language Therapy and other agencies which are relevant – we always share our findings with you and discuss the next steps we need to take. Please bear in mind that these services are only sought in situations with considerable concerns; some criteria need to be met before we involve these services.

• If teachers feel that your child has a Special Educational Need (which should be brought to your attention by the teacher), this may be because they are not making the same progress as other pupils because of an underlying difficulty. We plan to monitor the child's progress on a termly basis and set targets and additional strategies to support in the classroom. The earlier we identify and modify our provision, the sooner we help children close the gaps in their learning.

• Our teachers will observe your child’s learning characteristics and how they cope within our learning environments; we will assess their understanding of what we are doing in school and, where appropriate, use tests to pinpoint what is causing difficulty. This will help us to decide what is happening and why; your child’s teacher will then discuss this with you and set targets to try to close the gaps that may be a concern).

• If the school become concerned about your child, you will be contacted as soon as possible by their class teacher in the first instance and then by the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

How do we involve pupils and their parents/carers in identifying Special Educational Needs?

• We are child and family-centred and involve you in key decisions; however, some support we feel is necessary will be put in place if it is felt that it will help your child make progress.

• When we assess Special Educational Needs, we endeavour to discuss this with you so that you are informed how we will support your child and how you will play a vital role in supporting your child at home.

• Where appropriate, we will write and review Support Plans with pupils and parents/carers, a copy will always be available for you to discuss.

• We review the provision every term, allowing all school staff and other professionals to share information, celebrate progress and achievement, and plan the next steps. We will inform parents/carers and pupils in person, if appropriate and/or in writing, about what support might be available for your child.

• We use homework to rehearse and embed new learning; homework plays a vital part in education. If you have any concerns about homework, please see your child’s subject teacher or make a note in the Communication Diary.

• Our school can support parents/carers to access a wide range of support services; we can signpost you to relevant services. Some of these are provided by Birmingham City Council or agencies that St. Bernadette’s Primary School works with and national websites offering guidance and support.

• Our teaching staff are available by appointment to discuss any concerns you may have about your child or to share information that either party feels would be useful to the other; please get in touch with the office to make an appointment.

• Each child has a reading/homework diary where teachers will write comments for parents/carers to read at home, and we encourage parents and carers to add observations/feedback.

How do we support pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities?

​

• Our Pastoral Leader, Mr. Carroll, leads a team of talented staff trained to support pupils with a wide range of educational, social and emotional needs. Staff training is ongoing throughout the academic year. Our staff have had opportunities to learn about a wide variety of needs from various sources, including training courses offered by Birmingham City Council, outside agencies, universities, and colleges.

• Mr Carroll analyses pupil performance data termly to ensure every child makes the best possible progress. This information is used to provide target help to children who may need additional support through Year Band Pupil Progress meetings.

• We have a Speech and Language Therapist, an Educational Psychologist, a Communication & Autism Teacher and a Pupil and School Support teacher who visit our school to observe and assess pupils and offer advice and support to both home and school; these agencies are made available where it has been identified that there are exceptional needs.

The following link to the videos is suitable for schools and parents: https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/patients-public/children-and-young-people/services-parent- portal/birmingham-slt/slt-videos/
(Parents on a package of care with SALT will have already seen them/been to a workshop as part of their therapy.)

Learning Mentor/Teaching Assistant support, focusing on social and emotional development, may be delivered in some situations as 1:1, paired or in a group if appropriate, either in or out of class; this resource is very limited as many of the Teaching Assistants have small groups throughout the day.

Programme of outreach support provided by Communication and Autism targeting those pupils who have more complex social communication difficulties or a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition.

The advice provided by the Educational Psychologist (Educational Psychology for Everyone) for teachers, children and their parents/carers, as appropriate where there are exceptional needs and classroom-based interventions has not been successful.

Intervention from the Family Support Service (Mrs. Shalvey & Mrs. Payne) for children and their parents/carers supporting attendance and family support.

Intervention and Strategies provided by Forward Thinking Birmingham for children and their parents/carers on referral, delivered either in or out of school as appropriate.

Mental Health Services for 0-25yrs – we make referrals to Forward Thinking Birmingham, https://forwardthinkingbirmingham.org.uk/
Telephone - 0300 300 0099

Access to a supportive environment – IT facilities/equipment/resources:

• Availability of visual support in and out of class to support understanding and facilitate access to your child's school environment and learning (Visual Timetables, Now and Next Boards, Widgets, ICT, tablet technology, etc.)
• Pre-teaching new concepts and vocabulary to enhance learning – Pre-tutoring if available (delivered by TAs and sometimes by the Speech and Language therapist).
• Use of interactive whiteboards to ensure learning is a journey involving pupils and staff.
• Provision of specialist equipment where advised, e.g. Specialist equipment will be made available as required for any child who has any physical mobility needs; this advice will be provided by Medical Teams or PDSS (Physical Disability Service)
• Provision of individually tailored support for children who need it, including individual timetables and behavioural support charts (Behaviour books, Reward charts, stationary stickers – please refer to the school’s behaviour policy).
• Provision of resources to enhance independent learning and Quality First teaching if required including sand- timers, easy-grip scissors, writing slopes, finger spacers, finger grip rulers, clipboards and table top writing packs containing finger spacers, phonics sound mats and high frequency word lists. Each class teacher has a variety of support aids that can be used in order to promote inclusive teaching practices.

Strategies / Programmes to support speech and language:

We have a designated Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) who comes into school part-time each week. The Speech and Language Therapist is from the NHS Traded Services and will provide an interleaved service and collaborative working with the Core NHS services. She will assess and provide intervention strategies for teachers to use in class as well as providing her own therapies. A formal referral from a parent, class teacher or the SENCO can be made if assessment is required – all requests initially will be seen by the SENCO and a decision will be made if the case will be referred to the SALT based on our in-house screening package and feedback from class teachers.

Provision of small group speaking and listening skills support is provided by the Speech and Language Therapist, this service is limited and it is beneficial for parents/carers to ensure they have been to see their GP or their Health Visitor in order to get a referral to the NHS Core Speech & Language Service.
Support for children with EAL status –Quality First Teaching strategies provided to Teachers (English as an Additional Language) Co-ordinator Miss Bowden.

Mentoring – Mrs Payne from the Pastoral Team is available to see some pupils who are a high priority for some 1:1 work. These services are in extremely high demand and there is often a waiting list to be seen, children are placed on the waiting list in order of priority.

Other Strategies used are as follows:

• Use of talk partners during whole class and group learning sessions.
• Trusted Pupils to support vulnerable children at the school with issues that are affecting them.
• Buddy systems for support during playtimes, lunchtimes, and class.
• Implementation of individual Occupational Therapy/physiotherapy support and intervention programmes by allocated school staff, trained as appropriate, for those children in receipt of these services if a referral by a GP or Paediatrician has been made (Schools are no longer able to refer to the Occupational Therapy (OT) or Physiotherapy Service, this must be through your medical professional such as the GP).
• Provision of specific resources and equipment, e.g. Specially designed chairs and grab rails, if advised by the Physical Difficulties Team (PDSS).
• Meeting and greeting of parents/carers at the start and end of each day by school staff; any concerns can be raised here and a follow up meeting can take place.
• Attendance and family support officers who with the families of persistent absentees offer support and guidance.
• An Educational Psychologist who works closely with referred children (Learning & Cognition) and their parents/carers, and provides ongoing support to them in the form of school-based assessments and meetings, telephone / face-to-face consultations or work with the family.
• Collaboration and communication with all external professionals involved with children, as appropriate, eg. Hospital consultants, Paediatricians, GPs and Forward Thinking Birmingham practitioners and any other agencies who may be involved through the school or family.
• All of our staff are trained to Level 1 Safeguarding of Children annually.
• Almost all staff are trained to AET Level 1 Autism and Communication awareness (2019).
• Almost all staff are trained in Emotion Coaching delivered by the LA Educational Psychology Service, ADHD Awareness, Attachment and other Mental Health concerns.
Strategies to support/develop literacy including reading:
• Smaller setting groups with a tailored curriculum and a focus on closing gaps in English skills in each year group.
• Small group reading support in class through guided reading, and individual reading support (Jackanory and Lunchtime Supervisors)
• Phonics Groups within Year bands in Foundation Stage and KS1.
• Precision Teaching (improving Reading, Spelling and Maths for Targeted Pupils- this can be seen as part of the Support Plan)
• NESSY Program currently for KS2 pupils (dyslexia traits).
• Targeted literacy support strategies devised by the Educational Psychologist or by Pupil and School Support
• Services and implemented by the teaching staff, SENCo or class teachers as appropriate.
• Use of Dyslexia Portfolio / Online Screener to assess for Dyslexia, use of Language Link, Speech Link and
• Wellcomm Assessment to look at Speech and Language Development, and subsequent implementation of support & strategies as required.

Strategies to support/develop Maths (The following support is available and is dependent on staffing levels):

• Targeted small group support as organised by Maths Teachers.
• Interventions for small groups or individual children for additional Maths support by Teaching Assistants.
• Smaller setting groups with a tailored curriculum and a focus on closing gaps in Maths skills in each year group.
• Third Space Learning intervention

Strategies to support concerns relating to Mental Health exhibited in behavioural issues:

• Consistent school-wide implementation of the school’s behaviour policy.
• Special Educational Needs registration of those children whose behavioural difficulties (Social, Emotional, Mental Health SEMH) are persistent and constitute a barrier to their learning progress. (The New Code of Practice highlights that certain behaviours are symptomatic of an underlying mental health need);
• Intervention will include close collaboration with parents/carers on an agreed programme of support, home/school books to ensure daily communication between home and school, daily behaviour oversight by school staff and learning mentor support as appropriate, Behaviour Book / Monitoring Cards.
• Happy Minds Programme implemented across the school.

Provision to facilitate/support access to the curriculum:

• Whole class / Small group support in class from class teacher/teaching assistants.
• Facilitating access to learning through the appropriately differentiated tasks and activities. Provision of specialist equipment or modified resources as required.
• Use of visual support as recommended / required.
• Implementation of specifically tailored support strategies and programmes, eg. Devised by the Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist.
• Strategies/support to develop independent learning:
• Provision of individual/visual timetables and checklists.
• Provision of timers where appropriate to help child time manage.
• Pre-teaching of new concepts and vocabulary (pre-tutoring by Year Band Teaching Assistant). Implementation of specifically tailored support strategies and programmes, eg. Devised by the Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist.
• Staging of themed days to promote quality independent writing and mathematical problem solving. Support/supervision at unstructured times of the day including personal care:
• Trained midday lunch supervisor and teaching staff supporting in the lunch hall / playground. Lunch time staff initiating and supporting activities during lunch breaks.
• Drop-ins and a Buddy system for children new to the school or those who require support with friendships or schoolyard issues – Mrs Shalvey and Mrs Payne offer this support.
• Individual lunchtime supervision where specified within an Education Health Care Plan.
• Provision of specialist equipment as advised by the Physical Difficulties Team, e.g. A specifically designed chair in the lunch hall for a child with a disability, and provision of a grab rail in the toilets.
• Support by individual members of staff for children with special toileting requirements. Targeted support and supervision in the outdoor areas for children with disabilities.

Planning and assessment:

• School/ Class provision mapping informs us what provision we have in place for each child. Support Plans for Children with an EHCP to help set appropriate targets and monitor progress. Support Plans for the remainder of pupils on the Special Educational Needs Register.
• Differentiated learning activities to suit the individual needs- Quality First Teaching by own teacher. EHA (Early Help Assessment) referrals to external agencies/social care as required.
• Co-ordinated planning between class teachers and teaching assistants for children with an EHCP. Strategies and recommendations for the teachers of those children he/she works with who require additional / specific literacy strategies to support their learning in class- these are normally from external agencies such as pupil and school support services.
• Incorporation into teachers planning any advice or guidance provided by external professionals supporting individual children.
• Underlying ability assessments using the St. Bernadette’s Curriculum Tracking in Classroom Monitor in order to inform teaching.
• One Page Profiles in classrooms for specific pupils who have high needs or where a profile will support the teacher and pupil.
• Dyslexia Screening using the Dyslexia Checklist and then the Portfolio as required/advised.

Liaison/communication with professionals/parents, attendance at meetings and preparation of reports:

• Early identification of needs requiring additional support.
• Team around the Child (TAC) meetings / Early Help Assessment convened where a child’s/family’s needs are assessed as significant.
• Termly communication and information sharing with a range of external agencies to include Parent and child as appropriate.
• Specialist meetings with parents/carers, for which detailed reports are prepared by outside agencies. Sharing of professional reports with parents/carers to ensure effective communication- reports are normally posted, emailed or handed to the carer/parent at home time by the teacher/ teaching assistant.
• Implementation by school staff of recommendations made and strategies devised by external professionals to support children and/or their families.

Access to Medical Interventions / Support:

• An initial meeting with carer/parents of children with medical issues to establish child’s needs in school and, where appropriate, draw up care plans with the involvement of school nursing/NHS.
• Staff training has been delivered to all staff in the administration of support and/or medication for conditions including epilepsy, diabetes and allergies including the use of an epi-pen.
• Liaison with medical professionals, e.g.: GPs, hospital consultants and mental health practitioners, providing ongoing treatment to children in the school.
• Posters with photographs of the child detailing the child’s condition and, where relevant, required medication displayed the child’s classroom and the school kitchen. A photo is required to ensure that staff who do not know the child’s name can identify children as health and safety overrides GDPR.
• Implementation of risk assessments.
• Designated staff trained in First Aid, almost all of the Teaching Assistants are trained in paediatric First Aid.
• For children with complex SEND, the frequency of such provision may result in the school applying for additional funding to support a child, known as Top-Up Funding. Top-Up funding is only available to children who are in receipt of an EHCP or have a funded Provision Plan. Top-Up is only available in exceptional circumstances.
• Class teacher provide support via excellent classroom teaching - also known as Quality First Teaching. Every teacher is a teacher for every child to include those children who have Special Educational Needs or Disability.

For your child this would mean:

• The class teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class. That all teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand. Different styles of teaching are in place so that your child is fully involved in learning in class.
• This may involve things like using more practical learning where possible.
• Specific strategies (which may be suggested by the SENCO or outside agency staff) can be put in place to support your child to learn more effectively.
• Your child’s teacher will have carefully checked on your child’s progress and will have decided if your child has a gap in their understanding/learning and needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.
• All children in school should be getting this as a part of excellent classroom practice as and when needed
• Specific group work groups are often called Intervention groups by schools may be run in the
classroom or outside by a teacher or most often a teaching assistant who has had training to run these groups.
• Stage of SEN Code of Practice: School Support - which means they have been identified by the class teacher as needing some extra support in school this may be on a varying degree of levels (Universal Support, Targeted Support or Specialist Intervention). This will be decided as a part of the Plan, Do, Assess, Review Cycle so the support in place is always in response to an assessment for the best possible outcomes.
For your child this would mean:
• He / she will engage in group sessions with specific targets to help him/her to make more progress.
• A teaching assistant/teacher or outside professional (like a Speech and Language Therapist may run these small group sessions.
This may be from:
• Local Authority central services such as the Autism Team or Sensory Service (for students with a hearing or visual need).
• Outside agencies such as the Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) Service through Traded Services or NHS Core Services.
For your child this would mean:
• Your child will have been identified by the class teacher/SENCO (or you will have raised your worries) as needing more specialist input instead of or in addition to quality first teaching and intervention groups.
• You may be asked to come to a meeting to discuss your child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward and also how you can help at home.
• You may be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will help the school and yourself understand your child’s particular needs better and be able to support them better in school.
• The specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations, which may include:
• Making changes to the way your child is supported in class e.g. some individual support or changing some aspects of teaching to support them better.
• If there is inadequate progress then the child will then be assessed in order to decide if further provision could be made available. The SENCO and agencies involved as well as the parent/carer will consider at this point if it would be appropriate to apply for an Education Health Plan and hold a Team around the Child meeting or a Person-centred Review.
• This means your child will have been identified by the teacher/SENCO/Educational Psychologist as needing a particularly high-level of individual or small group teaching, which cannot be provided from the budget available to the school or may need an alternative type of provision.
For your child this would mean:
• The school (or you) can request that the Local Authority carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s
• needs. This is a legal process which sets out the amount of support that will be provided for your child.
• https://www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk/parents-and-carers/the-graduated-approach-sen-support-and- education-health-and-care-plans/
• After the school have sent in the request to the Local Authority (with a lot of information about your child, including some from you), they will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to need a statutory assessment. If this is the case they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s needs. If they do not think your child needs this, they will ask the school to continue with the support that is available within the notional budget available to the school.
• After the reports have all been sent in the Local Authority will decide if your child’s needs are severe, complex and lifelong and that they need high levels of specialist support in school to make good progress. If this is the case they will write an EHC (Education Health Care) Plan (these have replaced “Statements” since September 2014). The school will then set up a meeting in school to ensure a plan is in place to ensure your child makes as much progress as possible.
• The EHC Plan will outline the type of support your child will receive from the Local Authority and how the support should be used and what strategies must be put in place. It will also have long and short-term goals for your child. (Targets to be achieved in 1 year and also in 3 years time).
• The additional adult (if funding is made available by the Local Education Authority) may be used to support your child with whole-class learning, run individual programmes or run small groups including your child.
• This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong and requires extensive support in school and up to the age of 25 Years.
How we use specialist resources to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities? (these are dependent on staff levels)
 Teacher may make bespoke individual resources for pupils with special educational needs that support their specific learning targets and needs, and reflects the learning undertaken by their peers.
 Our teachers are trained to identify difficulties with Speech & Language and then use a range of resources to help them develop the children’s language and communication skills.
 We have a wide range of reading material (books, digital stories, magazines, newspapers) to appeal
to both aural and visual learners, and specialist ‘catch-up’ schemes to revise lost learning.
 We have a wide range of ICT equipment available to help motivate pupils and access learning.
 We use workstations, picture and symbol timetables and equipment such as countdown timers for pupils who need it.
 We seek advice and equipment from outside agencies as and when the need arises, such as specialist seating, or handrails and steps in toilets if required.
 We us a range of software on our school learning platform to help pupils engage with subjects they find difficult, to practice basic skills and work towards becoming independent learners.
 Children with communication difficulties are provided with a home-link book if required and if the Home-School Reading Record is not sufficient. This tells you about the sort of activities your child has been undertaking at school, so that you can discuss these at home.
 Each child has a reading / homework diary. Teachers will write comments for parents/carers to read at home, and we encourage parents and carers to add observations of their own.
How we modify teaching approaches for individual pupils?
 The majority of our staff are trained in a variety of approaches which means that we are able to adapt to a range of SEN: - specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia); Autistic Spectrum Disorder; speech, language and communication needs; and mental health, social and emotional difficulties.
 We are an inclusive school, wherever possible children are taught alongside their peers in clear
differentiated groups. Teachers adapt their teaching constantly in order to cater for their pupils’ needs, and plan tailored timetables where necessary. When appropriate, staff are deployed to give children additional support in small groups outside the classroom. In core subjects such as Maths and English the children are in setting groups (in ability groups) according to their ability with targeted support in the setting groups where there are children with learning needs.
 All our staff are trained to adapt resources to either offer a greater level of support or to make learning more challenging so that every child is able to achieve their very best.
 We adapt current schemes/materials to ensure tasks set are always at the right level for pupils with special educational needs.
 We run a few specialist interventions for children who are in danger of falling behind their peers, these are run by Teaching Assistants and Intervention Teachers.
We sometimes use personalised visual timelines or object timelines to help children understand what activity or part of the day is coming next, class visual timetables are in every classroom and follow the same formatting.
How we assess pupil progress towards the outcomes we have targeted for pupils. How we review this progress so that pupils stay on track to make at least good progress (including how we involve pupils and their parents/carers)?
 In the Foundation Stage we track progress against the Early Years Foundation Stage ages and stages of child development. We also use the Wellcomm tool (language and communication) as well as the Language Link where needed to ensure we are fully informed of any gaps which may prevent access to the curriculum. These are addressed in small groups.
 Some children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Condition are accessed using the SCERTS model.
 In Key Stage One we use the St. Bernadette’s Curriculum as well as standardised tests to ensure we are working towards their targets. This is updated every term so progress and targets are made available for parents/carers at each parent consultation meeting / reporting.
 We gather views of parents and carers at our parent evenings for maths and English and pass on concerns to the SENCO.
 Parents/carers have an opportunity to chat with the SENCO at pre-arranged meetings or make an appointment to discuss provision for their child with the class teacher or during the parents evening.
 The Year band and Senior Leaders track the progress of every child each term, and these results are discussed with Year Band teachers during the Pupil Progress Meetings. Each teacher plans targeted interventions for all children whose progress is causing concern these are recorded as part of our ‘Close the Gap’ interventions. We adapt our teaching to suit the needs of the setting groups wherever possible.
 We provide opportunities for all teachers to assess anonymous pieces of work to check our judgements are correct (moderating).
 We set challenging targets that are based on nationally agreed guidelines on progress
What other activities are available for pupils with SEND in addition to the curriculum?
 We have educational visits, and many other visitors to school bring our curriculum to life. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are always included in these and we provide staff to support their full involvement if needed.
 We ensure that all of our clubs and extra-curricular activities are inclusive and available for all.
 The building is wheelchair friendly and is accessible for those with mobility issues.
How we support pupils in their transition into our school and when they leave us?
 Children who join our school in Reception / Nursery are welcomed into our school community, followed by a Welcome meeting in school. A series of parent and child ‘taster’ sessions follows in the second half of the summer term in preparation for their September start. A graduated induction takes place for children to adjust to their new setting.
 During the summer holidays before they start Reception, pupils collect a scrap book of memories and items of interest with their parents and carers to share with staff when they start school. Our SEND children may have been involved in making a transition book to get familiar with their new classroom and school.
 Transition to Reception, and then into each successive year-group, is supported by meetings, information leaflets and taster sessions in each new class take place.
 We liaise very closely with our partner schools in the cluster to ensure that the transition from primary school to the secondary school is as smooth as possible. The SENCO will liaise with the SENCO at the new schools to ensure a smooth transition.
 Parents/carers and children who are joining our school mid-term are encouraged to visit the school before they start.
 When we are aware that pupils joining us from other settings have identified special educational needs, we may arrange a visit or several visits to observe them in their familiar environment. If the children’s needs are unknown to us before they start, we will conduct early assessments if we suspect that the child has any additional support.
When moving classes in school:
 Information will be passed on to the new class teacher IN ADVANCE and in most cases a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher / SENCO.
 All Support Plans/Reports will be shared with the new teacher / school.
 If your child would be helped by a one page profile to support them understand moving on, then this can be arranged.
How additional funding works?
 Schools receive funding for pupils with special educational needs called the Notional Budget, this is a pool of funds which is used to help meet the needs of the individual children. The local authority will top-up funding for pupils with a high level of need using the EHCP/Provision Plan application process.
 If a pupil’s education, health and care plan identifies something that is significantly different to what is usually available, there will be additional funding allocated on application. Parents/carers can say how they wish this is used. This funding must be used to fund any agreed plan formulated by professional advisors, parents/carers and school.
How we involve pupils and their parents/carers in identifying special educational needs?
 We listen to what children tell us about how they like to learn. Their views and feelings are important to us and have an impact on our practice.
 Our children are made aware of the support that surrounds them in school. They know who to talk to if that are worried or have any concerns they want to share.
 We have duty staff at unstructured times such as lunchtime, to ensure children are well supervised and well supported. Dedicated supervisors involve children in play opportunities.
 The school always welcomes parents/carers into school and encourages them to discuss any issues however small they feel they are. A problem shared is a problem halved. A problem identified is a problem solved. Please ring the school and book and appointment if you are worried about your child, ask to speak to Miss Hulse (SENCO) or any other member of staff.
Where parents/carers can get extra support?
 Our inclusive philosophy aims to support parents/carers of children with special educational needs or disabilities so that their child’s journey through our school is smooth, successful and as anxiety free as possible. Our practice is enhanced by your views, it is important that people listen to them and that you are satisfied with what happens as a result of our collaboration.
 The Birmingham SEN Parent Partnership Service (SENDIASS) can offer advice and support to parents/carers of pupils with special educational needs or disabilities. Their contact details are as follows:
The SENDIASS team is available from 8:45am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
Telephone: 0121 303 5004 Email: sendiass@birmingham.gov.uk
Our SENCO can put parents/carers in touch with a wide range of support groups as appropriate to the specific needs of your child.
What parents/carers can do if they are not satisfied with a decision or what is happening?
 Your first point of contact is your child’s class teacher, who is mostly available at the end of every school day however you can book and appointment to meet them at the school office. In addition, our year band leaders are here to listen to your concerns. If you are not satisfied that your concern has been addressed, then you may speak to the Head of School by appointment. If she cannot solve your issues, then you may speak to any of our school governors. We have a governor responsible for SEND (Mr Carroll) who may be contacted via the school office.
 The local authority has a multi-agency panel who consider unresolved issues. You are entitled to appeal against any decision made about your child that you are not in agreement with. They may offer you an independent mediator if you are still not satisfied. The mediator may try to help you to agree a resolution with the local authority that you are happy with. The Birmingham Parent Partnership Service (now known as SENDIASS) Tel: 0121 303 5004 are able to provide this independent information and advice.
What kinds of different SEN does our school provide for?
Cognition and Learning - Children who find learning, thinking and understanding harder than most other pupils. Some of the things children with these difficulties might find difficult are:
 Take longer to learn important skills.
 Find it difficult to remember things such as the important words for reading and times tables.
 Find it hard to understand how to use letter sounds to read and spell words.
 May need more time to think about their answers.
Communication and Interaction - Children who find it difficult with interacting with the people and world around them. Some of the things children with these difficulties might find difficult are:
 Talking to other adults and or other children, especially when in a group.
 Talking about a topic they haven’t chosen to talk about.
 Making friends or keeping friends for a long time.
 Following rules made by someone else.
 Dealing with noises, smells or other sensations around them.
 Understanding what other people mean when they are talking.
 Getting equipment and books organised - especially homework.
 Any change to the normal routine.
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties - Children who find it difficult to manage their emotions and behaviour in a way that affects their daily life. Some of the things children with these difficulties might find difficult are:
 Following rules set by others.
 Sitting still for very long.
 Listening to and following instructions.
 Understanding how they are feeling.
 Making friends.
 Dealing with their difficulties in a way that does not cause harm to themselves or others.
 Taking responsibility for the things they do.
Sensory and/or physical needs - Children who have a disability that may make it difficult for them to manage their everyday life without changes to the environment or support. This may be because of hearing or visual difficulties, physical disabilities or other medical needs. Some of the things children with these difficulties might find difficult are:
 Hearing what others in the classroom or school setting are saying.
 Reading words on books, worksheets or whiteboards that are not made bigger or changed to help them.
 Moving around without the aid of a walking aid or wheelchair.
 Using pencils, scissors, knives and forks and other things that we need to use without changes or support.
 Taking medication without adults helping them.
Feedback from Parents/carers via the Consultation Forms.
“I just want to say I am very thankful for all your help and the support you have given to both me and (child’s name). It is really appreciated and has really made a huge difference in getting him sorted even through the difficult stages. You have been truly amazing and I can’t thank you enough.” Parent of child in Year 2 (2019)
“Very high standards of help and support and making the children happy and content meaning better behaviour and learning.” Parent of child in Nursery.
“So far I am impressed at how quick you act when you notice (name of child) requires extra help.” Parent of child in Year 4
“I'm extremely happy with everything and all the processes you have in place, thanks so much for all the support you provide for (name of child), it is so amazing!! Let me know if you need anything further from me!!” Parent of Child in Year 3
Additional Help and Links to useful websites.
Further information about the provision, services, support and resources available for children or young people with SEN and their families within the Birmingham Local Education Authority is available through the ‘Local Offer’. www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk
•Other organisations that may be able to help:
•Autism West Midlands
•Downs Syndrome Association
•Edward’s Trust (Bereavement counselling)
•British Dyslexia Association
•Dyspraxia Foundation
•Forward Thinking Birmingham (previously Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) Tel: 0300 300 0099
•Birmingham NHS Speech and Language Service
National Deaf Society for Children (https://www.ndcs.org.uk)
•Birmingham NHS ADHD Service (Nurse led service for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Tel: 0121 466 3425
• School Nurse Team, Hodge Hill Team, Birmingham
•Your own GP
www.bibic.org.uk bibic is a national charity offering practical help to families caring for children with onditions like autism, aspergers, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, developmental delay, brain injury, and pecific learning difficulties like ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. We specialise in understanding the causes of hallenging behaviour and can even offer support if your child has not been diagnosed with a condition.
Autism West Midlands http://autismwestmidlands.org.uk/