Information Report 2018/19

SEN Information Report 2018/19
Crowle Primary Academy has a strong ethos of inclusion and welcomes pupils with disabilities or special educational needs. Every child has the right to equal access to and participation in the school community and to an education which will enable them to access the curriculum and achieve their full potential.

Below are Crowle Primary Academy’s response to some key questions about SEND;

1. How does the academy know if children need extra help? What do I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

Where concern is expressed that a child may have a special educational need, the class teacher takes early action to assess and address the difficulties. Discussions about every child’s progress take place at termly progress meetings where strategies are discussed and adaptations suggested. This means the pupil’s progress will be closely monitored and extra help will be given as necessary within class or as an intervention. The SENDCO is part of the progress meetings for all year groups to support with strategies and recommendations.

If a parent has concerns at any time about their child’s progress, they can speak to their child’s teacher who will take appropriate action.

2. How will the academy staff support my child?
Where the difficulty appears more severe, the teacher will liaise with and seek guidance from the SENDCO as appropriate. The teacher will assess the pupil further and the SENDCO may decide to place the child at SEN Support. At this point a SEND Support Plan will be written by the teacher who will share it with parents, other agencies and the SENDCo. This will then be reviewed on a termly basis.

The teacher will work on the targets set within the classroom and the child may also access intervention sessions with a Teaching Assistant as appropriate.

Children with Dyslexia are well supported at Crowle Primary Academy.

If a teacher has concerns, a child can be screened and the results of the screen are passed onto parents.

If your child is dyslexic, you may wish to visit the Dyslexia Action website at www.dyslexiaaction.or.uk for further advice.

We also have a book you can borrow called 'Dyslexia: A Complete Guide for Parents' by Gavin Reid. If you wish to borrow it, please contact the academy. 

3. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
Lessons are differentiated across the curriculum to ensure that all pupils are challenged and supported effectively. Learning will be planned to ensure they are able to make good progress.

4. How will I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?
Parents are able to meet with the teacher once a term and at other times as requested. Parents are supported to make sense of attainment and progress in relation to their individual child and in comparison with national standards.

Children’s progress is analysed regularly. The Leadership Team discuss this with teachers termly to ensure that gaps in learning are addressed. Classroom provision and interventions are monitored on a regular basis and designed to meet individual needs.

Parents are made aware of how best to support their child’s learning at home. Training for parents around the curriculum is offered regularly, including phonics and the teaching of reading.

Children’s views are taken into account, particularly as they get older and become more able to share their opinions. They are involved in setting and reviewing their targets for SEN Support plans.

5. What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?
All staff are fully aware of the need to meet a child’s overall well-being. Staff are extremely caring and make time to talk to and listen to children throughout the school day. Those deemed as being vulnerable for a variety of reasons are given particular attention and may be part of a nurture group or access an intervention targeted to meet their pastoral and social needs.

Staff and the SENDCO liaise closely with key professionals regarding medical needs. Staff are trained in supporting personal care. Individual Healthcare Plans are used to support children with medical needs (see policy).

In terms of behaviour, staff follow academy policy and seek the advice of the SENDCO as needed to further encourage good behaviour. Advice is sought from external agencies as appropriate. Behaviour is monitored closely which allows us to intervene quickly when issues arise.

6. What specialist services and expertise are accessed by the academy?
Staff currently consult with the following professionals as needed:

• Educational Psychologists
• Occupational Therapists
• School Nurse
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Physiotherapists
• Autism Outreach
• St. Luke’s Outreach
• Behaviour Support Team and EPU
• Leading Dyslexia professionals
• Child Development Unit
• Other medical support

If advice from elsewhere was needed, the academy would not hesitate to consult with the appropriate body.

7. What training have the staff had recently and what training is planned for the future?
We value our staff and ensure they have up to date training in supporting children. Staff have regular training on SEND areas, keeping their practice current. Many of our TAs have been trained to specialise in areas (i.e. Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language, Dyslexia and Autism).

Recent training for all staff has included: Epilepsy training and diabetic/insulin training.

Recent training for key staff has been: SENCO Network, SENCO Action/Reflection Day, Team Teach, Anti-Bullying, Mental health first aid training and Mental Health Champions.

Training planned for the future includes: Dyslexia Screening and interpreting reports and autism training.

8. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including trips?
At Crowle Primary Academy, a variety of after-school clubs are offered to all children. The academy’s aim would always be for all children to participate in trips. We ensure inclusion and will seek advice from parents to help plan activities and trips around children’s needs.

9. How accessible is the academy’s environment?
The whole building is single-storey and wheelchair friendly. There is a disabled parking space, disabled changing and toilet facilities, including shower.

10) How will the academy prepare and support my child to join the school or to transfer to a new school?
Staff will prioritise meetings with parents and key professionals to ensure a smooth transition to and from our academy. A transition programme will be set up to cater for a child’s individual needs to ensure they are prepared to move onto the next stage.

11) How are the academy’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
The academy ensures we meet the requirements of statements, allocating TA hours to support individual children and ensure we have a SENDCO in place.

A team of support staff are employed to meet the needs of individuals, to provide learning, nurture and well-being support.

Funds are allocated to purchase necessary resources (i.e. BSQuared, Dyslexia Assessments).

Funds are also allocated to purchase external support to advise (i.e. Behaviour support, Educational Psychology).

12) How is the decision made about what type and how much support a child will receive?
The academy will adhere to recommendations made within an Education and Health Care Plan or a Statement. Other additional support is allocated according to need, which is decided by the SENDCO and Leadership Team, often based on recommendations and advice from external support. Parents will be involved in this.

13) Who can I contact for further information?
The child’s class teacher would be the first point of contact, but parents are also able to speak to the SENDCO or a member of the Leadership Team if they wish. If a parent is considering whether a child should join the academy, the Business Manager, Michelle Temperton should be contacted initially.

To locate our academy policies for SEND, accessibility and supporting children with medical needs please visit the policies page.