Brize Norton Primary School
Parent Council

All Oxfordshire maintained schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils
with Special Educational Needs and are supported by the Local Authority to ensure that
all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school.
All schools are supported to be as inclusive as possible, with the needs of pupils with a
Special Educational Need(s) and/or Disabilities being met in a mainstream setting
wherever possible, where families want this to happen.

December 2014

This School Offer is Reviewed Annually

About our School

Brize Norton Primary School strives to be an inclusive school and provides support for children with a wide range of special educational needs including those with:

· Communication and interaction needs; this includes children who have speech language and communication

difficulties including autistic spectrum conditions.

· Cognition and Learning needs; this includes children who have learning difficulties and specific learning

difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia.

· Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs

· Sensory and/or Physical needs; this includes children who have visual or hearing needs, or a physical disability that affects their learning

The range of support deployed will be tailored to individual need following thorough assessment by internal or external agencies. It is designed to promote students working towards becoming independent and resilient learners and should not be seen in isolation.

Information and Guidance:

Who should I contact to discuss concerns regarding the needs of my child?

Class teacher(s)

Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)

Mrs B. Winter

Can be contacted through the school office:

office.2250@brize-norton.oxon.sch.uk

She / he is responsible for:

· Adapting and refining the curriculum to respond to strengths and needs of all children.

· Checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any additional support through quality first teaching.

· Contributing to Pupil Profiles to prioritise and focus on the next steps required for your child to improve learning.

· Applying the school’s SEN policy.

If you have concerns about your child you should speak to your child’s Teacher first. They may then consult the SENCO.

She is responsible for:

o Coordinating provision for children with SEND and developing the school’s SEN policy

o Liaising with a range of agencies outside of school who can offer advice and support to help children overcome any difficulties

o Providing specialist advice and facilitating training to ensure that all staff are skilled and confident about meeting a range of needs.

o Ensuring that parents are:

· Involved in supporting their child’s learning

· Kept informed about the range and level of support offered to
their child

· Included in reviewing how their child is doing

· Consulted about planning successful movement (transition) to a new group or school (see transition policy)

Headteacher :

Mrs A. Fairhurst

01993 842488

The Head Teacher has overall responsibility for the day to day management of all aspects of the school, including the provision made for children with SEN.

Governors with SEND responsibility

In co-operation with the Head Teacher, the governors have a legal responsibility for

· Supporting Brize Norton Primary School to evaluate and develop the quality and impact of provision for children with SEN across the school.

· Developing & monitoring the school’s SEN policy and Inclusion policy as part of the school development plan.

· Review the school’s Access Plan and Equality / Disability Scheme annually.

· Report to parents on the implementation of the schools SEN policy annually.

How do we identify and give extra help to children and young people with SEN?

The school uses Oxfordshire County Council’s guidance ‘Identifying and supporting Special Educational Needs in Oxfordshire schools and settings’.

The guidance sets out:

· How we identify if a child or young person has a special educational need.

· How we assess children and plan for their special educational needs, and how we adapt our teaching.

· Ways in which we can adapt our school environment to meet each child’s needs

· How we review progress and agree outcomes and involve you and your child in this.

Click here to read it:

Assessment, Planning and Review

How can I find out about how well my child is doing?

On-going monitoring takes place by children’s teachers to identify those who are not making progress or who have other needs which are affecting their ability to engage in learning activities.

After discussions with key staff and parents, additional support will be put into place to provide enhanced resources and/or targeted small group and/or individual support to help overcome any difficulties. The views of the student or young person about their support will be given consideration at this stage.

This additional support is documented in a Pupil Profile, Provision Map or Behaviour Support Plan. In consultation with the SENCO and parents, outcomes are agreed which prioritise key areas of learning or behaviour to address and by which progress can be measured. Where external agencies are involved, their advice and recommendations are included in these support programmes. Actions agreed take into account each student’s strengths as well as their difficulties. All Provision Maps are evaluated for effectiveness and value for money by the SENCo and Head Teacher.

Formal review meetings are held three times a year. Parents, relevant external agencies and students are invited to review the provision made and their contribution is valued. The impact of support offered is considered along with the progress towards targets set. Support arrangements will be updated and revised accordingly. If not involved already, this might include referral to external agencies. The outcomes of these meetings will be formally recorded.

If your child is continuing to have significant difficulties, further external expertise may be requested. Additional funding is available for children who meet the criteria. This can be accessed using the Local Authority process and the guidance in the Banded Funding Criteria. Where this is agreed, the school’s Educational Psychologist and other professionals may be consulted where appropriate. Further details about this process will be explained in the Local Authority’s Local Offer. https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/special-educational-needs-and-disability-send

Specified Individual support for your child of more than 20 hours in school: This is usually provided via a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which has been approved by the Oxfordshire SEND inclusion officer. This means your child will have been identified as needing a particularly high level of individual and small group teaching (more than 20 hours a week), which cannot be provided from the resources already delegated to the school.

In some cases teaching assistant support may be allocated. This support is deployed to ensure your child can engage in lessons and wider school activities and to facilitate independent learning to support transition to adulthood.

Usually, if your child requires this high level of support they may also need specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. Evidence will need to be collected to support an Educational Health and Care Plan which replaces the Statutory Assessment (Educational Statement) process.

Tests and Examinations: Access Arrangements

For some students additional arrangements and adjustments can be made to enable them to fully access a range of tests. This might include additional time, modifications to test papers, rest breaks or the use of a scribe. The SENCO will inform you about eligibility and applications for these arrangements.

What should I do if I need more information or need to make a complaint?

Please speak to the class teacher in the first instance. If any issues have not been resolved, please make an appointment to see the SENCo. If you need to speak with someone further, please make an appointment to speak with the Head Teacher. If these actions have been followed and you still need to speak with someone, please make an appointment with the Chair of Governors.

For further information, please see our complaints policy on our website.

Curriculum and Teaching Methods (including groupings and interventions)

How will teaching be adapted to meet the needs of my child?

Teachers are skilled at adapting teaching to meet the diverse range of needs in each class. Daily planning takes into account individual student’s needs, requirements and learning styles. Differentiation is approached in a range of ways to support access and ensure that all students can experience success and challenge in their learning, whether they have additional needs or not.

Grouping arrangements are organised flexibly with opportunities for both ability and mixed setting to maximise learning opportunities for all.

Additional adults are used flexibly to help groups and individual students with a long term goal of developing independent learning skills. Monitoring takes place to avoid students becoming over reliant and dependent on adult support.

Intervention and access to learning and the curriculum

Children may receive additional support

· In core subjects

· In practical subjects

· For group work

· Literacy/maths interventions

· For behaviour / nurture programmes

· To support access to the curriculum

Strategies to support/develop literacy including reading

· Focused reading lessons, with group or paired reading

· Additional phonics support where required

· Small group intervention programmes

· 1:1 intervention programmes where required

Strategies to support/develop numeracy

· Small group intervention programmes

· 1:1 intervention programmes where required

Strategies/support to develop independent learning

· Visual timetables for class /and or individual students

· Making adjustments to curriculum materials to enable access for all

Strategies/programmes to support speech and language

· Speech and Language Therapist advice disseminated to and followed by teaching staff

· Speech Therapy group work delivered by support staff following speech therapy advice

· Use of a Speech Therapist when number of hours specifically stipulated

Pastoral Support

Strategies to support the development of students’ social skills and enhance self-esteem

· Clear rewards and sanctions

· SEAL resources and Circle Time

· Celebration Assemblies

· Small group programmes

· Behaviour and nurture interventions/support groups as necessary

Strategies to reduce anxiety/promote emotional wellbeing

· Regular contact and liaison with parents

· Open door policy

· Transition support, visits and events

· Reduced /modified timetable when necessary

Strategies to support/modify behaviour

· School sanctions and reward system as set out in School Behaviour Policy

· Behaviour or Pastoral Support Plan

· Behaviour Support Services

· Behaviour and nurture interventions/support groups

Planning, assessment, evaluation and next steps

· Pupil Profiles (updated and reviewed x3 per year)

· Teacher/SENCo observations

· CAF (Common Assessment Framework) process

· TAC (Team Around the Child) reviews

Personal and medical care

· Care plans for students with medical needs

· Referrals and support from Occupational Therapists where necessary

· Referrals and support from Physiotherapy where necessary

· School Nurse support

· Pediatrician reports

· Liaison with GPs, Hospitals and School Nurse

· Referral to PCAMHs/CAMHS

Partnerships with External Agencies
What support from outside does the school use to support my child? The school works with a number of external agencies to seek advice and support to ensure that the needs of all children are fully understood and met. Some are directly funded by the school; others are paid for centrally by the Local Authority but delivered in school. We liaise and communicate with professionals and parents, attend meetings and prepare reports as required External Agencies include:
Agency	Description of Support
Educational Professional responsible for Looked after Children Virtual School for Looked After Children	Advice and support https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/virtual-school-looked-after-children-and-care-leavers-0-25
Educational Psychology Service EP: Fiona Fogg	Planning meeting, assessment, parent liaison, observations and advice following SENCo referral
Inclusion Officer / SEN Officer Darren Utonagon / Bridget Moore	Advice and support, Educational Health and Care Plans
Mulberry Bush Behaviour Outreach Service MBOX: Stephanie Davies	Observations, staff training, advice and support
Occupational Health Professionals	Assessment, advice and support following referral
PCAMHs/CAMHs	Assessments, advice and support following referral
Parent Partnership Service	Support for Parents with children who have special needs https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/support-parents-children-special-educational-needs
School Nurse	Advice, support and training
Special Educational Needs Support Service SENSS: Pat Hudson	Observations, training, advice and support following referral
Speech & Language Service (NHS) SALT: Pat Hudson	Assessments, advice, staff Support, termly sessions with specific children when appropriate.
Witney Early Intervention Hub	Support for staff and parents, courses, individualised support following referral.

Transition

How will the school help my child move to a new group/year group or to a different school?

When moving to another school: We will contact the School SENCO and share information about special arrangements and support that has been made to help your child achieve their learning goals

We will ensure that all relevant documents are passed on as soon as possible

When moving groups/forms in school: Information shared with new teacher

In year 6 - 7 transition: The SENCO will attend the primary/Secondary Transition day meetings to discuss the specific need of your child and the nature and level of support which has had the most impact. If needed, vulnerable children are invited to an extra transition day at the secondary school .

In some cases additional multi-agency meetings may be arranged to create a more detailed “transition” plan which may include more visits to the new school and/or additional visits from the new school.

Please see our Transition Policy for more details.

Staffing Expertise

An ongoing programme of training is in place to ensure that teachers and support staff have appropriate skills and knowledge in areas that will improve their teaching and support of children with SEN. Recent training has covered :

Team Teach, Safeguarding, Behaviour Management.

Our SENCO actively engages with local opportunities to share best practice and keep abreast of current local and national initiatives and policy to support students with SEN. She is currently undergoing study towards the National SENCo Award.

The school also seeks advice and guidance from local special schools to review, evaluate and develop provision for students who have the most complex needs.

We also have staff with specialised expertise and qualifications in school including:

First Aid Trained teachers and Teaching Assistants