To be read in conjunction with the SEND Policy which can be found on the school website
https://arnetthills.herts.sch.uk/governors/policies
To be read in conjunction with the SEND Policy which can be found on the school website
https://arnetthills.herts.sch.uk/governors/policies
How does the school know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
- The attainment and progress of all pupils is monitored frequently and consistently. Children falling behind age appropriate expectations will usually be identified through meetings throughout the year. Those children will be highlighted to all adults working with them and the Special Educational Needs Co- coordinator (SENDCo). The school knows if a child needs help through classroom observation, marking and feedback or monitoring of the learner within the setting or through initial discussions with school staff, parents or other professionals. Close links with feeder nurseries ensure that visits are paid to nursery settings to gather information about new starters and any additional needs they may have.
- When pupils transfer from other schools, parents and the pupil are welcome to visit the school to discuss the pupils needs. The SENDCo contacts the previous setting to ensure a smooth transition of information.
- Parents will be informed of this at Parent consultations or earlier if necessary. If progress continues to be less than expected it may be necessary to put in place additional support and a thorough assessment of a child’s needs takes place. This will be supported by the SENDCo and includes views of the parents and child concerned. If there is an indicator of a range of learning difficulties, then the child will be recorded as having special educational needs (SEND). Parents will be informed and involved throughout this process. Parents who are concerned that their child may have SEN issues should in the first case talk to their child’s class teacher. At any time, parents/carers may request a meeting to see the class teacher or SENDCo to discuss any concerns they may have. This may be done by face to face request, TEAMS meeting, email, or telephone call to the school office. (Following points explain in further detail how the school identify pupils with an educational need). Covid 19 procedures must be adhered to.
How will school staff support my child?
- Firstly, through high quality teaching targeted at the areas of weakness. The child’s progress is monitored over time. (The class teacher may support the pupil through differentiated work to meet the needs of the child e.g. modified work, extra resources, enlarged text and small group support in the classroom from the teacher or a teaching assistant).
- Teachers will ask to meet parents if they feel that, through their classroom practice and observations, they have identified that the child has an educational need and that additional provision needs to be put in place
- By establishing good home school links, keeping parents/carers informed of how their child is supported and enlisting parents’/carers’ help at home
- It is the teacher’s responsibility to provide for children with SEN in his/her class and to follow the school’s procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision to meet those needs. Where the interventions involve teaching away from the main class the teacher still retains responsibility for the child and works closely with support staff to plan and assess the impact of the interventions and how they can be linked back to classroom teaching.
- The SENCO provides advice, monitoring, and links with outside agencies. There is a school governor for SEN who oversees the school’s work with SEN and ensures the quality of provision is regularly monitored.
How will I know how my child is doing?
- High expectations of each child coupled with skilled differentiation usually ensures that children are making at least expected progress and frequently higher than expected progress. However, some children still require additional support despite this. Where a child requires additional support, parents are informed and targeted intervention is put in place. This support is monitored closely by both class teacher and SENDCo and regularly modified. Most interventions take place over 1 or 2 terms and progress is reported back to parents at parent consultations or more regularly if needed by either class teacher or SENDCo.
- The effectiveness of the school’s provision for children with SEND is evaluated, reported to governors and monitored by OFSTED.
- SEN Support meeting/review with the class teacher and/or SENDCo where information about the child’s progress and attainment will be shared. Teacher and parents will complete an APDR (assess, plan, do, review) form which identifies barriers to learning and targets that address those barriers and move the child forward in their learning. These are reviewed in consultation with the parents.
- End of support/intervention update – this maybe a discussion or letter demonstrating what has been covered and achieved so that all can celebrate success and know which steps need to be taken from then on
The school will know how well a child is doing in the following ways:
- Through using previous tracking data to set targets
- Data is used to track pupils throughout the academic year to identify those on target, exceeding or not reaching their targets and what steps need to be made in order to support pupils at least termly
- Class provision maps and whole school register will be monitored by the SLT
- In order to monitor progress of all groups of learners the governors are kept informed of the progress of children who require SEN support through anonymised reports to the curriculum committee and through the SENDCo / SEN governor meeting
How will the learning and development provision be matched to my child’s needs?
Following identification of any barriers to learning, effective provision suited to the child’ need is put into place.
Discussions are held with parents/carers and teachers prior to seeking advice and support from specialist outside agencies. These typically include – Speech and Language Team, Educational Psychologists, Counsellors, Special Needs Outreach Worker, Laurance Haines (SpLD base), Autism Outreach Worker (Colnbrook), play therapist
Adults will seek the thoughts of pupils and those from parents or carers about what the learner enjoys and helps support their learning and what they are finding difficult in their learning. This feedback will inform future planning and provision and may be presented in a pupil passport or one-page profile.
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
Due to Covid 19 some of the following may not be offered.
- Behaviour policy published on school website
- Opportunity to talk 1:1 with adults – teachers or teaching assistants
- A range of extra- curricular activities – some activities put in place to support specific pupils
- The Buddy Stop
- School Council – a place where pupils can express needs and opinions. The school always tries to find solutions to problems raised
- KS2 play leaders to support younger pupils on the playground
- Yr 6 Lunchtime helpers
- Pupil questionnaires – to identify issues
- Curriculum – PSHE lessons e.g anti-bullying, internet safety, relationships
- Procedures in place for administering prescribed medicines. All medicine is kept in a secure place.
- Use of Single Service Referral to access agencies to support emotional and social development (Children’s Centre, South West Herts Partnership (Family Support Worker), CAHMS (Children and Adolescence Mental Health Services), access to the school nurse
- Regular monitor of attendance registers and prompt follow up contact as necessary
What training have the staff, supporting children with SEND, had or are having?
Training is refreshed regularly and all opportunities for training are sought. Staff have received a range of training including the following
- Autism Outreach training Tier 1 – most staff including MSAs and admin staff
- Safeguarding
- Designated Senior Person – Head teacher and Deputy Head teacher
- Laurance Haines (SpLD base) training
- Reading and spelling intervention – specific staff
- Epipen and Asthma training – most staff
- First Aid in the Workplace training – specific staff, General First Aid – specific staff and Paediatric First Aid – specific staff
- Behaviour management – most teaching and learning sport staff
- Attachment Aware and Trauma training
Staff and governors also have access to the Herts for Learning training modules on the internet
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
- Speech and Language Team
- The school has a named Educational Psychologist
- Outreach Teachers – Laurance Haines, Colnbrook School, Chessbrook
- Nurse Specialists as required
- Occupational Therapy Services
- Play Therapist in specific cases
- School Health Nurse as required
- School based Family Worker
- Childrens’ Centre Worker
- Social Services / CAMHS
The use of the above services are triggered following concerns raised by teachers/parents/carers. Typically, they are accessed through use of the SSR (Single Service Referral) mechanism or eCAF (electronic Common Assessment Framework) or equivalent.
How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
- The school holds termly parent consultations to explain progress and identify next steps (Autumn and Spring) and an annual report is written in the summer term to celebrate their child’s progress
- Reception parents reading and phonics meetings
- Termly curriculum newsletters explaining topics – sent by Parentmail and on school website
- SEN Support meetings with teacher and/or SENDCo
- A One Page Pupil profile
- Home link book for specific pupils if appropriate
- Homework projects, spellings, times tables and daily reading
- Sign posting to parental courses at the local Children’s Centre via email, newsletter and information boards
- Access to the Family Support Worker who can provide families with information about a range of local agency support
- Advice shared through the school website
How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?
Through:-
- Regular parent/teacher ‘next steps’ setting meetings
- SEN Support meetings (APDR) with class teacher and/or SENDCo – minimum 3 per year
- Termly parent consultations
- Annual EHCP review meetings as appropriate
- Meetings with external professionals where appropriate
- Completion of SEND questionnaire which will inform future SEND practice and policy
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
All pupils are included in school trips. Any reasonable adjustments needed for visits and visitors, for specific pupils are discussed with the parents of SEND children prior to the event(s). The school ensures the following:
- Adequate deployment of school staff
- Risk assessments completed prior to trip / activity
- Specific arrangements put in place as appropriate to ensure full or appropriate participation
- Specific preparation prior to the activity where appropriate (these may include social stories, books, photographs, discussions)
- Where there is involvement from an outside provider, a pupil passport / one page profile is used to inform the provider of a specific pupils needs so that all parties are fully informed
How accessible is the school environment?
The school is fully compliant with the Equality Act and reasonable adjustments, where necessary, are made for all children with SEND. The school is a single storey building and all classes have direct outside access. The Reception Year up to Year 4 have toilets within their classes. There are disabled toilet facilities, a ramp to playground and door width suitable for wheelchairs.
Who can I contact for further information?
- Headteacher (Mrs Holly Butcher) or SENDCO / Deputy Headteacher (Mrs Karen O’Neill) via the school office:
Arnett Hills JMI School, Berry Lane, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD34BT
admin@arnettthills.herts.sch.uk or 01923 720570
How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school, transfer to a new school or the next stage of education and life?
Highlighted areas may need adjusting in line with current Covid 19 restrictions
New Reception class intake
- Class teacher visits nursery settings for information sharing
- New parents’ induction evening
- New pupils’ induction morning
- Class teacher meets with any additional professionals involved with a SEND child prior to admission. This may include participation in EHCP draft writing or review
- Where appropriate welcome books, visual resources are prepared prior to the child starting so that parents may familiarise the child with the setting
- Welcome letters and booklets are sent home to families
All year groups have the opportunity to meet their new teacher and have a transition session in their new classroom during the summer term prior to moving up. SEND child may have additional experiences of this as appropriate for example they may visit the class for story time, to play during breaktime or free playtimes.
Year 6
- The school shares all relevant information with the receiving school (usually through the head of year 7 and/or KS3 SENDco school visit). The SENDCo transfers relevant all paperwork personally to the school
- SEND children have the opportunity to visit new setting (school offers to accompany parents/carers if required)
- New school is invited to meet the child in the Key Stage 2 setting
- Parental guidance and support as appropriate
How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
The allocated SEN share in the General budget (notional SEN budget) is used in the following ways:
- LSA hours required to support SEND children
- The purchase of or making of suitable resources to support learning
- Appropriate continued professional development for all staff
- Pupils primary needs are considered when allocating provision and support both in the context of the class and wider school
- Where the child requires provision which exceeds the local authority prescribed threshold, additional, top-up funding may be applied for through the Local Authority (Higher Needs Funding). This is in no way guaranteed and is considered by a termly panel on a needs basis across the county.
How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
The following are used to organise SEND support and are based on the pupils needs, barriers to learning, stages of development, discussions with teachers, parents, pupils if appropriate and the SENDCo. The school may also consider recommendations from external reports, evidence from classroom observations and pupil progress data. This support is regularly reviewed with amendments made as necessary. The length of intervention may differ depending on the need and the impact of the intervention.
How can I find information on the local authority’s Local Offer of services and provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disability?
The local offer can be found on the internet at www.hertsdirect.org/localoffer
Acronyms
| SENDCo – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator | eCAF – Electronic Common Assessment Framework |
| SpLD – Specific Learning Difficulties | EHCP – Education, Health and Care Plan |
| HNF – Higher Needs Funding |
Reviewed November 2021 Next review November 2022
