COVID-19

Covid-19

As part of the response to coronavirus (COVID-19), educational settings have been

asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children and young

people:

• those who are vulnerable (including children who have EHCPs)

• those whose parents/carers are critical to the coronavirus (COVID-19)

response.

The government encourages vulnerable children and young people to attend

educational settings unless they have underlying health conditions that put them at

severe risk. However, if parents choose for their child not to attend educational

settings the following provision will be made available:

• Weekly correspondence with SENCo for children with EHCP’s and fortnightly

correspondence for SEN support children. Contacts details and email of

school provided to parents to get in touch if they require support immediately

or their circumstances change. Call log will be recorded alongside notes of

support offered.

• Dedicated area on the school website for children with SEND, resources and

useful websites are uploaded on a weekly basis.

• Work pack sent home on a fortnightly basis (by SENCo) that is closely

matched to the EHCP targets.

• Work provided by class teacher is differentiated to support individuals needs

and are closely matched to EHCP targets.

● School to signpost external services via the school website.

SEND Information Report

The School’s SEND information Report is part of the Worcestershire Local Offer for learners with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). You can find Worcestershire’s Local Offer by following the link here.

All governing bodies have a legal duty to publish information on their website about the implementation of the governing body’s or the proprietor’s policy for pupils with SEND. This information is updated annually.

At Carnforth School we welcome your comments on our offer, so please do contact us. The people to contact are:

Head of School – Mrs Sara Wood                                                

Inclusion Lead/Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) – Mrs Vicky Smith who can be contacted by emailing vsmith@carnforthschool.org

The SEN Governor: Ms Gill Ellis

Our Approach to Teaching Learners with SEND

At Carnforth School we ensure that all pupils are equally valued by having access to a broad and balanced curriculum which is matched to meet individual needs and abilities.

We have effective management systems and procedures for SEND, taking into account the current Code of Practice (2014).

All stakeholders communicate regularly and this includes: teachers, teaching assistants, children with SEND, parents, specialist support and outside agencies. We acknowledge and draw on parents’ knowledge and expertise in relation to their own child to inform their support. Children are encouraged to take an active role in their review cycle to ensure that their voice is heard.

We are committed to developing the knowledge and skills of all staff to manage the range of needs in the school, and to ensure that all support is of high quality. We have an effective review cycle that allows us to monitor, review and plan for next steps of development.

Identifying the Special Educational Needs of pupils

At different times in their school life, a child or young person may have a special educational need. The Code of Practice 2014 defines SEN as follows:

“A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special education provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

  • has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others the same age, or
  • has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post‐16 institutions.”

Where pupils’ progress is significantly slower than that of their peers, or fails to match their previous rate of progress, despite high quality teaching targeted at specific areas of difficulty, it may be that the child has SEND. Information will be gathered, including seeking the views of parents and the pupil, as well as from teachers and assessments. Pupil progress meetings are held termly between Senior Leadership, class teachers and the SENDCo to review children’s progress and determine key priority groups for intervention in the next half term.

Identification of SEND

The ’SEND Code of Practice’ 2014 states that there are four main areas which cover Special Educational Needs. Children may show more than one area.

Behavioural difficulties do not necessarily mean that a young person has a SEND and should not automatically lead to a pupil being registered as having SEND.

There are 4 broad areas of SEND:

  1. Communication and Interaction

A child may have a delay or disorder in one or more of the following:

  • Attention/Interaction Skills
  • Understanding/Receptive Language
  • Speech/Expressive Language
  • Autistic Spectrum Disorders
  1. Cognition and Learning

A child may have a significant difficulty, delay or disorder affecting the skills needed for effective learning. This can include:

  • Moderate Learning Difficulties
  • Specific Learning Difficulties (including dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia.
  • Memory and Reasoning
  • Problem Solving and Concept Development Skills
  1. Social, mental and emotional health 

A child may have difficulties with their social and emotional development which may include:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Attachment disorders
  1. Sensory and/or physical 

A child may have a medical or genetic condition that could impair their access to the curriculum without adaptation or consideration, which may include:

  • Physical
  • Medical
  • Visual
  • Hearing

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s progress or well‐being, then please speak to your child’s class teacher. If you are still concerned then please speak to Vicky Smith (SENDCO). Appointments can be arranged via the school office to discuss any concerns you may have. The school nurse Sarah Elsworth is also available via appointments made through Mrs Vicky Smith (SENDCo) and/or Mrs Nicola Sheeran-Ball (Deputy Headteacher).

Support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

If a learner is identified as having SEND, we will provide support that is ‘additional  to’ or ‘different from’ the matched approaches and learning arrangements normally provided. This support is set out in the Local Authority document ‘Ordinarily Available’, which can be found here.

When providing support that is ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ we follow the ‘Graduated Approach’ for supporting children with SEND.  Through the ‘assess, plan, do review’ cycle we ensure we are identifying the best way of ensuring we meet the needs of all of our learners.

Assess – this involves taking into consideration all the information from discussions with parents or carers, the child, the class teacher and assessments.

Plan – this stage identifies the barriers to learning, intended outcomes and details of what additional support will be provided. Decisions will be recorded on an Individual Provision Map and will form the basis for termly review meetings, which will involve Parent/Teacher Consultations and Children/Staff conversations.

Do – providing the support for learning or learning aids in order for the child to make progress – as set out in the Individual Provision Map.

Review – involves measuring the impact of support provided and considering whether changes to that support need to be made. All of those involved – learner, their parents or carer, teacher and SENDCO – contribute to this review. This stage then informs the next cycle, if necessary.

This additional support, ‘intervention’ will be tailored to meet the child’s needs, and will target the area of difficulty. This support may be provided in class or in another area of the school on a 1:1 basis or as part of a small group of learners with similar needs.  These ‘interventions’ may be run by a teacher or a trained teaching assistant. The support provided, and its impact in class, will be monitored and shared with the child and with their parents or carers.

If throughout this process it is determined that a child has a Special Education Needs (in consultation with parents), children will be placed on the schools SEND register and will receive SEN support. If a child continues to require significant individualised support then an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) may be requested. There are two levels of SEND:

  • SEN support
  • Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

SEN Support

If a child is identified as having Special Educational Needs, you will be advised by the class teacher and invited to a meeting with the class teacher to agree targets. These targets will form part of an IPM (Individual Provision Map) and will include details of the intervention and arrangements needed to support participation and progress. IPMs are reviewed regularly and decisions made on how much progress has been made, what new targets are needed and what additional provision the child will need. Parents and children are fully involved in this process.

Education Health Care Plan

Some children are supported in mainstream schools with an EHCP (previously known as a Statement of Educational Needs). EHCPs give details of specific individual provision which may include a higher level of support and/or specialist intervention, which cannot reasonably be provided from resources already within school. EHCP/Statements are reviewed annually with parents.

Support for learners with SEND at Carnforth School

At Carnforth School we ensure that our teaching and learning for all pupils reflects the Local Authority’s ‘Ordinarily Available’ document that describes the entitlement of all pupils no matter what school they attend across Worcestershire. The ‘Waves of Intervention’ model describes how different levels of intervention are used to support children at Carnforth School.

Wave 1 is good quality, inclusive teaching which takes into account the learning needs of all the children in the classroom. This includes providing matched work and creating an inclusive learning environment.

Wave 2 outlines specific, additional and time-limited interventions provided for some children who are falling behind the age expected level. Wave 2 interventions are often targeted at a group of pupils with similar needs.

Wave 3 is targeted provision for a small percentage of children who either require a high level of additional support/specialised provision in order to address their needs or is for children who have been identified for an intervention designed to accelerate progress.

The following pages highlight the strategies, provision and interventions (at Waves 1, 2 and 3) that children receive at Carnforth School across the different areas of SEND.

Communication and Interaction
Wave 1

(Quality inclusive teaching for all children)

 Wave 2

(Specific, additional interventions for some children)

 Wave 3

(Targeted support)
·       Differentiated curriculum planning, activities, delivery and outcome. E.g. simplified language, short simple instructions.

·       Clear success criteria and learning outcomes displayed.

·       Increased visual aids/modelling inc Widget

·       Visual timetables

·       Signalong

·       Communicating Print symbols for specific topic based vocabulary.

·       Structured school and class routines.

·       Opportunities for talk (partnered/group).

·       Language Link – Receptive screening programme.

·       Access to talking tins, postcards, easi-speak.

·       Use of a variety of different ways for pupils to respond in class other than oral responses to show their thinking.

·       Give cues/gesture/re phrase if instruction or concept is not understood.

·       Extend vocabulary through categorising.

·       Use of ICT to record including podcasts and films.

·       Emotions boards/ key rings, fans.

·       Learning walls – Literacy, Numeracy and phonics.

·       Word Aware approach used consistently across the school.

·       Good listening cards displayed and used.

·       Attention and listening games-Teaching children to listen.

·       No pens Wednesday events.

 

·       In-class additional targeted teacher support

·       In-class additional teaching assistant support within class teaching

·       Pre-teaching of vocabulary and concepts

·       Opportunities for embedding learning

·       Additional interventions to include Word Aware, Language Link, Language for Thinking and Black Sheep Press Narrative.

 

·       Additional use of visual and practical resources

·       Task management boards.

·       Ear defenders.

 ·       Individual Provision Map written with SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time)

·       Assessments, advice and recommendations from outside agencies: SALT, LST PRU.  Targets on reports to feature on IPMs and be the focus for individual intervention.

·       SEND teacher, teaching assistants and Communication TAs provide interventions (one to one and small group support) for reading, reading comprehension, spelling and maths

·       1:1 speech and language support.

·       EHCP if required.

·       SALT support to implement recommendations and advice.

·       CNN support to advise.

·       EP support.

·       Referral to Umbrella pathway.

 

 

Cognition and Learning
Wave 1

(Quality inclusive teaching for all children)

 Wave 2

(Specific, additional interventions for some children)

 Wave 3

(Targeted support)
·       Differentiated curriculum planning, activities, delivery and outcome.

·       Increased visual aids/modelling

·       Multi-sensory approaches.

·       Use of practical and real life examples

·       Visual timetables.

·       Use of writing frames

·       Access to a range of concrete apparatus (eg Numicom, Base 10).

·       Use of equipment such as number squares/number lines.

·       Build on and consolidate understanding of basic concepts.

·       Whole class/small group teaching.

·       Processing/thinking time.

 

 ·       Visual timetables and cues.

·       Literacy interventions-Phonics, Fresh Start, small RWI groups.

·       Colour overlays.

·       Writing slopes.

·       Reading rules.

 ·       Individual Provision Map written with SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time)

·       Specialist teacher (Specific Learning difficulties) interventions (one to one & small group support) for reading, reading comprehension, spelling and maths

·       Impact of intervention measured

·       Additional use of special needs visual and practical resources

·       One to one provision by Special Needs teaching assistants.

·       1:1 phonics.

·       Dyslexia pathway.

·       Educational psychologist report.

 

Social, Emotional, Mental Health
Wave 1

(Quality inclusive teaching for all children)

 Wave 2

(Specific, additional interventions for some children)

 Wave 3

(Targeted support)
·       Whole school behaviour policy.

·       SEMH toolkit.

·       Whole school/class rules including zone boards, stickers Class/School reward systems including rainbow points.

·       Praise assembly

·       Time out/thinking areas within the classroom.

·       Emotions boards/ key rings, fans (depending on age of child).

·       Different activities/ areas available during lunchtimes supported by Pastoral assistants.

·       E-safety.

·       Restorative approach to dealing with behaviour and finding solutions.

·       Anti-bullying week.

 

 ·       Individual reward charts

·       Monitoring by Class Teacher

·       Prompt and reminder cards

·       Home/school diary

·       Time out

·       Individual working station

·       Social skills programme

·       Self-esteem programme

·       Anger management programme.

·       Catch me cards.

·       Meet and greet.

·       The Nest.

·       Emotional resilience groups.

·       Protective behaviour groups.

·       Friendship groups.

 ·       Behaviour interventions led by 1 to 1 TA

·       Buddy support

·       Behaviour Support Service- advice, recommendations, work with parents/carers

·       Parenting Courses

·       Educational Psychologist-assessment, advice & recommendations

·       Child And Mental Health Service (CAMHS)- assessment, advice & recommendations.

·       Thrive.

·       Play therapy.

·       EHCP if required.

 

Sensory and/or Physical
Wave 1

(Quality inclusive teaching for all children)

 Wave 2

(Specific, additional interventions for some children)

 Wave 3

(Targeted support)
·       Adaptations to school site as required to increase accessibility such as lift, chair lift and fluorescent edging on edge of steps.

·       ICT is used to increase access to the curriculum where appropriate.

·       Finger gym activities.

·       Alternative ways of recording – including flow charts, mind mapping, use of ICT.

·       Variety of writing equipment in each classroom e.g. rulers, pencils, scissors, pens, pencil grips, writing slope/A4 file.

·       Use of Sassoon Infant or comic sans text.

·       Use of coloured background especially when using the whiteboard (making sure it is not white to prevent glare).

 

 ·       Advice/recommendations from school nursing team/ medical team/ sensory support team.

·       Health Care plan /Risk assessment in place.

·       Training for named staff for administration of medication.

·       Staff follow recommendations from medical team.

·       Jumbo fun box.

·       Move and sit cushions.

·       Weighted blankets.

·       IPM.

 

 ·       Involvement of outside services for advice and recommendations: school nurse, GP, Paediatrician, occupational therapist, Hearing /Visual Impairment team etc.

·       Dyspraxia pathway.

·       Creation of sensory diets.

·       EHCP if required.

How will the teaching be adapted for learners with SEND?

Teachers are skilled at adapting teaching to meet the diverse range of needs in each class. Learning is planned so that it is matched to each child’s stage and level of development,  Daily planning takes into account individual pupils’ needs and requirements.

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

National Award for SEN Coordination

The SENCo (Mrs Vicky Smith) is a fully qualified teacher and is supported by the Black Pear Trust SENCo (Miss Laura Weston) who is also a fully qualified teacher and has completed the National Award for SEN Coordination (2015).

Speech and Language

Carnforth School have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Speech and Language Service. This means that a dedicated Speech and Language therapist works in school for one afternoon a week. She works alongside staff supporting their knowledge and implementation of interventions and with children.

The Balance System

This is a whole school approach to improving outcomes for children and young people across a range of speech, language and communication needs.

Communication TAs

We have nominated a teaching assistant, Lucy Guilding to become our’ Communication TA’ within school. She attends termly training to support the development of SLCN and plays a vital role in sharing current and up to date initiates with members of staff.

  • Ecat (Every Child a Talker) –In Early Years, practitioners are trained and skilled in raising children’s achievement in early language through the ‘Language for Learning’ project.

Assessing the Impact of Intervention

The progress of all learners is continually monitored by the class teacher. Progress is reviewed formally every term in reading, writing and numeracy during pupil progress meetings.

In EYFS children’s progress is tracked using the ‘Learning outcomes’ and then assessed at the end of Reception against the Early Learning Goals. Children who require additional support are monitored using the ‘Worcestershire Early Support’ documents. Children are assessed using Language Link as they enter Reception class and then retested at the end of the year, and their progress measured. At the end of each key stage (i.e. at the end of year 2 and year 6), all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS).

Supporting emotional and social development including learners overall wellbeing

All staff at Carnforth School appreciate the importance of young people having high self-esteem and other appropriate social and emotional skills. Children need to achieve positive wellbeing to maximise learning opportunities. A child’s wellbeing is supported at different levels and in a variety of ways:

  • Rainbow points will be rewarded to children who make good choices in learning and behaviour
  • Certificates each week during our celebration assembly when children are rewarded for showing resilience, achievement and kindness.
  • Restorative approach to dealing with conflict and resolution.
  • PSHE/circle times
  • Play Therapy
  • Friendship groups
  • Thrive
  • Emotional Resilience groups
  • Zone boards – Each class has a zone board which children ‘move’ between the different areas.
  • Support from BST

Behaviour

As a school we have a very positive approach to all types of behaviour with a clear reward system that is followed by all staff and pupils. If a child has behavioural difficulties a Pastoral Support Plan (PSP) is written alongside the child and parents to identify the specific issues, put relevant support in place and set targets.

The Restorative Approach: At Carnforth School, incidences of negative behaviour are dealt with in a fair, respectful and appropriate way, with the key focus on individuals taking responsibility for their behaviour, repairing any harm done, rebuilding and restoring relationships. The key principle when dealing with issues is to give all the people involved a chance to have their say and become actively involved in the process. All members of staff and children know that issues will be dealt with fairly with a ’no blame’ approach.

 

For pupils with medical needs:

  • A detailed Care Plan is written with parents/guardians and if necessary the school nurse. These are discussed with all staff who are involved with the child and the first-aiders.

 

  • Staff may receive specialist training delivered by the school nurse.

Attendance and punctuality

Attendance of every child is closely monitored by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Claire Hubbard (Education Welfare Officer).

Attendance and punctuality are actively encouraged throughout the school and rewarded on a regular basis (see attendance policy).

Roles and Responsibilities

Class teachers Each class teacher  is responsible for:

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

 

Checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivery of any additional support.

Contributing to devising personalised learning plans to prioritise and focus on the next steps required for your child to improve learning.

 

Applying the school’s SEND policy.
SENDCo Vicky Smith The school’s SENDCo is responsible for:

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

 

Ensuring that parents are:

Involved in supporting their child’s learning and access.

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 class or school.

 

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

 

Providing specialist advice and facilitating training to ensure that all staff are skilled and confident about meeting a range of needs.
Head Teacher: Sara Wood She is responsible for:

The day to day management of all aspects of the school, including the provision made for pupils with SEND.
SEN Governor:  Gill Ellis Is responsible for:

Supporting school to evaluate and develop quality and impact of provision for pupils with SEND across the school.

Working with outside agencies

Where difficulties persist despite high quality interventions and appropriate adjustments, advice and support may be requested from other professionals, with the parent’s consent. Carnforth School works in a collaborative partnership with many different agencies. This means that your child may receive specialist and targeted support to meet their needs both in and out of school. The class teacher and/or SENDCo will discuss this with you and will gain your consent before any referrals are made.

Listed below are some of the outside agencies with whom we work collaboratively:

Worcester Special Educational Needs Team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Visual Impairment Service, Educational Psychologists (EPs), Hearing Impairment Service, Speech and Language Team (SALT), Behaviour Support Team (BST), Learning Support Team (LST), CCN Team, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist (OT), Pediatricians, School Nurse, Family Support Worker.

Educational Psychologist

The Educational Psychologist regularly visits Carnforth School to provide support that includes:

  • Observing pupils in the classroom environment
  • Assessing children dependent on their individual needs
  • Discussions with parents
  • Discussions with class teacher to provide and support the implementation of additional strategies/provision.

Learning Support Team

LST regularly visit Carnforth School and provide support that includes:

  • assessing and working with pupils to provide personalised provision (reading, writing, maths)
  • providing advice and recommendations for class teachers to implement
  • delivering staff training

 Speech and Language Therapy

The Speech and Language team visit Carnforth School (once a week) to provide a wide range of support that includes:

  • Observing pupils in the classroom environment
  • Assessing pupils individual communication needs and supplying school / home with an individual SALT plan identifying targets to be worked towards
  • Providing advice, games and activities for school / or home to work on with the children
  • Staff training
  • Delivering parents workshops

Behaviour Support Team (BST)

BST support Carnforth School in a range of ways that include:

  • observing individual pupils and providing additional strategies to implement within class.
  • recommend additional interventions that could take place
  • deliver direct teaching/interventions with children, this can include targeted work around transition, classroom skills, emotional regulation and protective behaviours.

Preparing for Transition for SEND Learners

Transition is a part of life for all learners, whether that involves moving to a new class or moving to a new school.  We recognise that transition is an important time for all children, but especially so for a child with SEND. Consequently, we work closely with parents, children and staff to ensure these transitions run as smoothly as possible.

When entering EYFS

  • Parents are offered home visits from EYFS staff
  • Learning journeys are shared between settings to build on children’s prior learning.
  • Extra transition can be arranged if required.

When Transferring from KS1 to KS2:

  • During the Summer term a timetable of visits and class swaps allows all children to meet their new teacher and spend time in their new classroom.
  • When required children create ‘passports’ and ‘photo books’ to take home over the summer to remind them of their new classroom and teacher.

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 records are passed on as soon as possible
  • When required, children create their own passports for their new teacher telling them about themselves.
  • Transition groups such as ‘Moving on up’ are arranged and run by the Behaviour Support team for children who have additional concerns about moving to high 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.

Concerns

If you feel that the School’s offer is not being delivered or is not meeting your child’s needs, your first point of contact should be the class teacher to share your concerns. You may also consider contacting the SENCO Vicky Smith, Black Pear Trust Inclusion Manager Laura Weston, the Head of School Sara Wood, the Deputy Head Teacher Nicola Sheeran-Ball or the Principal Emma Pritchard.

Carnforth School’s Information report for SEND has been written with close regard to the following: