SEND Information Report
Important Information
SEND Information Report Covid-19
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What is SEND and SEND support?
SEND stands for special needs and, or a disability. The Code of Practice 2015 states that: ‘A student has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, that is different from or additional to that normally available to CYP of the same age.’
Many children will have Special Educational Needs of some kind during their education. Schools and other organisations can help most children overcome the barriers they face in their learning quickly and easily. A few children will need extra help for some or all of their time in school.
Who are the best people to talk to at Ridgeway about my child’s difficulties with learning?
In the first instance, please speak to your child's class teacher if you have any concerns. They have responsibility for:
- Checking on the progress of your child
- Identifying, planning and delivering the differentiated curriculum for your child in class as required
- Personalising the teaching and learning for your child
- Ensuring that the school’s SEND Policy is followed in their classroom
Key Contacts:
SENDCo: Mrs K Reardon-Golding
krgolding@ridgeway.derby.sch.uk
Lead SEN TA: Mrs M Sanderson
msanderson@ridgeway.derby.sch.uk
Learning Mentor: Mr R Simpson
rsimpson@ridgeway.derby.sch.uk
SEND Governors: Mrs L Reid and Mrs M Cockroft
The above people are responsible for:
- Developing and reviewing the school’s SEND Information report/policy
- Co-ordinating all the support for children with Special Educational Needs or disabilities
- Updating the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring that all the SEND needs of children in the school are known) and making sure those records of your child’s progress and needs are kept up to date and are confidential
- Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school so that they can help children with SEND to achieve the best possible progress
They are also responsible for ensuring that you are:
- Involved in supporting your child’s learning
- Kept informed about the support your child is receiving
- Involved in reviewing how your child is doing and liaising with all other agencies which may be involved with your child; e.g. Educational Psychology, Behaviour Support Service, Social Care and Health Service
The kinds of SEND provided for at Ridgeway are:
When identifying the nature of a child’s Special Educational Needs, the following four areas of need are taken into account:
- Communication and interaction
- Cognition and learning
- Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
- Sensory and/or physical needs
At Ridgeway, we recognise that some children may need support in more than one of these areas and therefore make sure that each child is supported through a personalised plan.
How are children with SEND identified at Ridgeway?
Referring to the ‘SEND code of practice: 0-25’ (2015), a child has SEN ‘where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, that is provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age’.
Class teachers make regular assessments of progress for all children. From this, the school is able to identify children making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances. Other factors including attendance, punctuality and health are considered.
When deciding whether to make special educational provision, a meeting will be arranged between the SENDCo and Class Teacher to consider all the information gathered from within the school. Parents/carers will be notified and the following will be discussed:
- The child’s areas of strengths and difficulties
- Any parent/carer concerns
- Plan any additional support your child may receive
- Discuss with you, any referrals to outside professionals, to support your child’s learning
Following this meeting and if it is decided that the child will be added to the SEND list, individualised targets will be set and reviewed each term. Parents/carers will be given the opportunity to be part of this process at termly meetings.
What are the different types of support available at Ridgeway?
All teachers have the highest possible expectations for all children in their class. The quality of teaching and learning is reviewed regularly to ensure the highest possible standards are achieved consistently. For children with SEND, teachers:
- Adapt planning to support the individuals needs of children
- Use a variety of teaching styles and cater for different learning styles to allow children with SEND to access the curriculum
- Work collaboratively with other adults in the room to provide targeted support according to the individual needs of children
- Ensure they are fully involved in learning
- Implement strategies which may be suggested by the SENDCo or other professionals working with your child to ensure your child received the support they need
Specific group work intervention:
- This could be for speaking and listening, reading, phonics, spelling, numeracy and social skills. These could be delivered by a teacher or TA’s.
It may be necessary to adapt the curriculum or learning environment for specific children to remove barriers to learning. This may include;
- Sitting at the front of the classroom
- Using enlarged resources
- Use of ICT
- Sensory breaks
- Use of colour overlays
- Visual timetable provided
- Access arrangements for National Curriculum Testing
Outside Agencies
You may be asked to give permission for your child to be referred to a specialist professional; e.g. Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapists or the Community Paediatrician. This will help the school and you to understand your child’s needs better and so support them more effectively. The specialist professional may work directly with you and your child and may make recommendations on support strategies to be used at home and in school. We will always ask for your consent before any external agency observes or works with your child.
How we measure progress?
Children’s progress is continually monitored by the Class Teachers and Teaching Assistants, Data Manager (DHT), HT and SENDCo. Progress is reviewed at regular intervals and formally once each term. If your child is at SEND Support or has a EHC Plan, you will be invited to a formal termly review meeting in addition to parents/carers consultations. The progress of children with a EHC Plan is formally reviewed annually. The DHT & SENDCo will also monitor that the child is making good progress in any targeted work while also monitoring the effectiveness of the provision or interventions.
Evaluating Effectiveness
The SENDCo and School Leadership Team will use the four part cycle (Assess, Plan, Do, Review) through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the child’s needs and of what supports the child in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This is known as the graduated approach. 6.44 CoP
What support is there for my child’s overall wellbeing?
We recognise that some children have extra emotional and social needs that need to be developed and nurtured. These needs can manifest themselves in a number of ways, including behavioural difficulties, anxiety, and struggling to communicate effectively.
- All classes follow a structured PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education) curriculum to support this development. However, for those children who find aspects of this difficult we offer small group work for children to learn how to co-operate with one another and to be responsible for others
- Social skills groups to develop emotional language and literacy, and the skills needed to initiate friendships and interact socially with their peers
- A range of extra-curricular groups which all children are invited to join
- Lunchtime and playtime support through planned activities and groups
If your child still needs extra support, with your permission the SENDCO/Learning Mentor will access further support through the Early Help Assessment.
How is SEND support allocated to children at Ridgeway?
The school budget is received from Derby City Local Authority, which includes funding to support children with SEND. The Headteacher decides on the budget allocation for SEND in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of needs within the school. The Headteacher, School Business Manager and SENDCo discuss information they have about SEND including:
- Children already receiving extra support
- Children needing extra support
- Children who have been identified as not making as much progress as expected
All resources/training and support are reviewed regularly and changes made as necessary. Children will be taken off the SEND register if and when targets/outcomes have been achieved.
Who else could support your child with SEND?
Within school, the following people could support your child (funded from the school’s budget):
- Teachers
- Teaching Assistants
- Educational Psychology Service
- Specialist Teachers – ASD
Paid for centrally by LA/Health Service:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Behaviour Support Service (LA)
- SENDIASS
- Support Services for the Hearing, Physically & Visually impaired
- Community Learning Disabilities Team
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- Social Care
- School Nurse
- Physiotherapy Service
Voluntary Sector:
- Umbrella http://www.umbrella.uk.net/
- Fun8bility http://www.stjamescentrederby.co.uk/fun-abili8y
- Disability Direct http://disabilitydirect.com/derby/
- Derby City Parent and Carer Forum http://www.derbycityparentcarerforum.org.uk/
- Contact a Family https://www.sendirect.org.uk/providers/contact-a-family/myservices/contact-a-family-derby-east-midlands/
. . . and many more. For more information go to www.derby.gov.uk/sendlocaloffer
What support do we have for you as a parent/carer of a child with SEND?
This section is also appropriate for children and young people who are looked after by the Local Authority (corporate parent)
- Class Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Learning Mentor Team and the Leadership team are available to discuss issues, as appropriate to their roles in school
- Your child’s targets will be reviewed three times a year and we will work with you to review and plan these. If we involve outside agencies to provide your child with ‘enhanced’ support you will also be invited to a meeting to assess progress, make plans for the next academic year and talk about how you can support your child at home
- We will hold meetings with outside professionals from Education, Health and Social Care where and when appropriate
- We will share information with you about parent/carer support groups
How does Ridgeway support children with medical conditions?
The school follows ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions Statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools and proprietors of academies in England’ April 2014. The school has a policy regarding the administration and management of medicines on the school site. Some children may also have a care plan in place. Staff will be updated on conditions and medications affecting individual children and be given access to external training, where appropriate, so that they are able to manage medical situations. It is important that you update us regularly of any changes so that we are able to inform staff.
How is Ridgeway accessible to children with SEND?
Please see our Access Policy Statement and Plan.
- The school is fully compliant with Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) requirements
- All classrooms can be accessed on single level entry; there are external stairs to the school hall in the main school building
- Lift access is available into the hall
- The front entrance is wheel chair friendly and has double door into the school building
- There is one disabled toilet in the main school building and one in the terrapin building
- We ensure where ever possible that equipment used is accessible to all children regardless of their needs
- Extra-curricular activities are accessible for children with SEND
- A Sensory Room is provided for children who need a space to support their emotional needs
All children have an equal opportunity to go on all school visits. Extra support is provided if required. Educational visits will only be planned to locations accessible to all. Risk assessments are carried out prior to any off site activity. Individual risk assessments for identified children may be written in consultation between Class Teachers, SENDCo, the Leadership Team and Parents/Carers.
How will we support your child when they are joining Ridgeway? Leaving the school? Or moving to another class?
We recognise that transitions can be difficult for a child with SEND, and we take steps to ensure that any transition is a smooth as possible.
If your child is joining us from another school:
- The SENCo/Reception Leader will visit pre-schools when appropriate and attend annual reviews for pre-school children
- If your child would be helped by a book/passport to support them in understand moving on, and then one will be made for them with information about their current placement and their new school
- Your child will be able to visit our school. You may be given an opportunity for additional visits where appropriate to help to prepare your child for their move to the school
- Parents/carers will be invited to attend an information meeting
If your child is moving to another school:
- We will contact the school’s SENCo and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child. Where possible, a planning meeting will take place with the SENCo from the new school
- We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible
- If your child would be helped by a transition book/passport to support them in understand moving on, then one will be made for them
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. Target Plans will be shared with the new teacher
- If your child would be helped by a book/passport to support them in understand moving on, then one will be made for them
- Your child will participate in a transition week with his/her class peers and will be able to visit the new class more frequently if needed, to prepare them for the move
In Year 2:
- The SENDCo, Learning Mentor, Senior SEND TA and class teacher will discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENDCo of the child’s junior school. Where appropriate, a transition review meeting to which you will be invited will take place with the SENDCo from the new school
- Your child will participate in focused learning relating to aspects of transition, to support their understanding of the changes ahead
- Where possible, your child will visit their new school on several occasions, and in some cases staff from the new school will visit your child in this school
- If your child would be helped by a book/passport to support them in understand moving on, then one will be made for them
How will my child be able to share their views?
We value and celebrate each child being able to express their views on all aspects of school life. This is usually carried out through regular meetings of the School Council. If your child has a statement/EHC Plan, they will be involved in writing and reviewing their own outcomes as appropriate to the age and communication abilities of the child.
How are teachers at Ridgeway supported to work with children with SEND, and what training do members of staff have?
The SENDCo’s role is to support the class teacher in planning for children with SEN.
- The school provides training and support to enable all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children, including those with SEND. This includes whole school training on SEND issues, such as Specific Learning Difficulties, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and speech and language difficulties
- Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class, e.g. from the Specialist Teaching Team or the Local Authority
- The SENDCo holds the National Award for SEN Coordination
- TAs receive a wide range of training as part of their ongoing CPD and to respond to the needs of the individual children they are working with. Several members of staff have basic training in Autistic Spectrums Conditions. Other training includes Precision Teaching, Social Stories, Makaton and a course on teaching Children with Down’s Syndrome
- Some staff members are trained specifically in de-escalation strategies and positive handling techniques where appropriate
Other training activities will be planned as the need arise.
What if I want to complain?
Children, staff and parents/carers are expected to listen carefully and respectfully to each other. Where an issue arises, parents/carers should, in the first instance, make an appointment to speak with their child’s class teacher and seek to resolve any concerns. If a parent/carer believes that their concern has not been resolved to their satisfaction or is of a more serious or sensitive nature, an appointment should be made to see the Headteacher, who will investigate and report back on the results of the investigation. Where an issue is not satisfactorily resolved, parents/carers should then take up the matter with the Chair of Governors.
Documents referred to in this report can be found below: