Old Hutton Church of England School

Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

 

We have close relationships with parents/carers and our feeder nurseries. Class teachers are encouraged to raise concerns and have discussions with parents and relevant colleagues. All staff are aware of expected development at different ages and have expertise in identifying additional / special educational needs (SEN).

 

If you have a concern about your child’s development, please raise this with the class teacher in the first instance.

 

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

 

Class teachers are responsible for the education of all the children in their class. They plan the education programme for children who have or may have SEN with support from the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo). Where appropriate, children may be supported by an additional adult. For example, this support could be in class, in a small group outside the class or one-to-one.

 

The school has a nominated governor for Special Educational Needs who monitors the school’s SEN provision and reports directly to the full governing body at their termly meetings.

 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

 

High quality teaching which is differentiated for individual pupils is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. Additional intervention and support may also be appropriate in some cases.

 

This will enable your child to access the full curriculum.

 

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

 

            The progress of each child is carefully monitored and tracked on a regular basis. This informs staff and pupils of their next steps and targets. Progress and targets are shared with parents as part of our termly open afternoons, parents’ consultations and reporting arrangements. We also have an “open door” policy to enable more informal conversations with you and your child whenever they are needed. We encourage parents to have frequent conversations with those involved in their child’s education to discuss progress, any concerns etc. In some cases, your child may require a more detailed individual pupil plan (IPP) which will be drawn up in consultation with you and your child and reviewed regularly. This may only need to be in place for a short time, to support your child with a particular area of learning or need. For some children with profound and lifelong needs, an Education Health and Care Assessment may be requested with advice and support from external agencies. Where appropriate, parents are signposted to relevant agencies within the community that can offer further support to you and your child. Follow http://search3.openobjects.com/kb5/cumbria/fsd/home.page to view the Cumbria Local Authority’s ‘Local Offer’ Information Report which details their provision for children with identified special educational needs and how this supports our work in school.

 

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

 

Within the Christian environment of our Church of England school, it is our aim, in partnership with parents, the staff and governors, for our children to be happy, secure and prepared for life.  We achieve this through enabling all pupils who may or may not have SEND to access our special ‘learning for life’ curriculum, which is driven by our commitment to developing the whole child, including their health and spirituality. Our school has strengths in its provision of a wide variety of outdoor, environmental, adventurous and sport activities; weekly forest schools sessions take place in our beautiful wildlife area and extensive grounds. Our small size means that every child is known as an individual by all within our supportive school family; pupils take care of each other through our buddy system. The well-being of all pupils is supported through our core Christian Values, which are promoted by all, in everything we do: Friendship, Forgiveness, Peace, Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, Courage, Trust, Humility and Hope.  Focus on social and moral aspects of learning happens throughout our curriculum, but often most specifically in teaching and learning as part of class PSHCE (personal, social, health and citizenship education) lessons and activities. A wide range of small group interventions are used to further support the wellbeing of children and to promote positive behaviour, including weekly Circle Time, Nurture and Social Interaction groups. We have access to a Child Counsellor should additional social and emotional support be required. The school follows statutory guidance for the administration of medicines and provision of personal care. All statutory requirements are met in terms of ensuring that every child is safeguarded in school. In their most recent reports, Ofsted and SIAS church schools inspectors have graded as ‘Outstanding’ the quality of care, guidance and support which we provide for all pupils. Further information can be found in the relevant policies and reports on the school’s website.

 

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

 

There is a wealth of experience and expertise within the school staff in supporting pupils with a variety of SEND. A particular strength is our whole-school inclusive approach to supporting pupils with speech, language and hearing needs; we have staff trained in sign language (Signalong) and we use this daily across school. Other staff have training in Reading Intervention, Maths Recovery, Smart Moves, Team Teach and Paediatric First Aid. There is access to counselling and family support services for any child within the school provided by the KCP (Kendal Collaborative Partnership) Counselling and Family Support team. Referrals can also be made to other agencies including the school nurse, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Barnado’s, educational psychologists, specialist advisory teachers in areas of learning difficulty and speech/language and occupational health therapists.

 

 

 

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

 

Staff share expertise through collaborative training opportunities within KCP as well as accessing local and national training. Individual staff development needs are identified and met as required and as part of our performance management processes. For examples of areas of staff expertise see section above.

 

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

 

As detailed in our school’s Accessibility Plan (available on the website or via the school office), much of our school buildings and grounds are fully accessible to most users. Adaptations are made to the school environment wherever possible to meet any special needs. We have a specially adapted toilet and shower facility for disabled children and adults.  We have a graduated ramp up to our main entrance door. The main entrance hall, offices, library and 2 lower school classrooms, as well as our outdoor playgrounds and wildlife areas are accessible by wheelchair users.  At present, the upper school area (2 classrooms, toilets and staffroom) is only accessible via a short flight of steps; however, if the need to provide wheelchair access to these areas arose, school could make arrangements to have a ramp or lift fitted.

 

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

 

We have strong links with local nurseries and secondary schools and with other local primary schools. The initial move into Reception for our youngest pupils is supported through a programme of home visits and regular shared activities between Class 1 and Old Hutton Pre-School staff, pupils and families.  Pre-school pupils attend our shared Breakfast and After School Clubs. Yearly transitions within school are carefully managed to support children’s well-being. A range of transition strategies are put in place to support children at the end of key phases e.g. transition plans, extra visits, holiday activities. Where possible, staff from new schools are invited to attend transition meetings to share information about your child and to ensure a positive transition. In all cases there will be close liaison and communication between the schools.

 

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

 

            Old Hutton CE Primary is an inclusive school and all pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. Adaptations are made to the school environment and the curriculum modified to best meet the needs of all pupils. We aim to allocate resources appropriately to meet the needs of all children with special educational needs. Most children with short-term difficulties have their needs met from resources provided by the school. Some children’s needs are met through an Education Health and Care Plan/Statement with additional resources provided by the Local Authority. Each child’s provision is based on an individual assessment of their needs and desired outcomes. Highly trained, skilled and experienced teachers and support staff are deployed to best meet the needs of each individual child with SEND. We currently provide support for pupils (including children who are looked after by the Local Authority) with a wide range of SEND, including autistic spectrum condition, Global Delay, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, speech, language and communication difficulties.

 

 

 

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

 

The decisions about the type of support your child needs will be based on discussions between all interested parties, including you as a parent. The amount and type of support will be reviewed on a regular basis against the progress your child has made.