SEND

Welcome to the Special educational needs and disabilities page.

Miss Pearce is our SENCo.

Please refer any questions to her via the school office admin@pitton.wilts.sch.co.uk or by phone 01722712322

Always talk to your child's class teacher first with any provision questions or concerns. 

Inclusion at Pitton newsletter

Each long term, we provide a newsletter with updates and information. Inclusion at Pitton provides information on how Pitton Primary School supports pupils' needs and guidance on how to support your child. 

Please look back at previous Newsletters as each can offer insight into the support provided at Pitton Primary School, information and support. 

Parent/ Carer workshops and courses 

Across the website, newsletters and class dojo Pitton Primary school provide and share a variety of webinars, literature and access to courses to support parents and carers.

Below are the links to the other areas of our website which explicitly share webinars and family and community learning opportunities. Other pages, such as our page all about Little Wandle, share information and videos to support families to understand how our children are taught and how you can follow this up at home. 

Webinars from our Educational Psychologist are also shared on this page through either a leaflet (also in school entrance, Class dojo and if you miss one you can always access these via a link to the webinar its self (below) 

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

Information Report

(last updated Term 4 2023/24)

INTRODUCTION

Our school vision 'Friendship, Family and Fulfilment' reflects our shared ethos that 'Life in all its fullness' (John 10v10) encapsulates every dimension of living – spiritual, moral, social, academic, creative, physical, and overall well-being.

In keeping with our church school values and the school ethos, we believe in providing every possible opportunity to develop the full potential of all children and developing every individual as a whole person. All children will have the right to a broad and balanced curriculum, including extra-curricular activities where appropriate and full access to the National Curriculum. All children are valued, and their self-esteem promoted.

We work in close partnership with parents/carers who play an active and valued role in their child's education. Our aim is that all children with special educational needs and disabilities participate in activities compatible with the effective education of other children and the effective use of resources. Provision for pupils with SEND is an integral part of the School Improvement and Development Plan and the school's self-evaluation process.

Every school is expected to publish an information report on all services relating to young people with SEND. This page is our school’s information report and follows a question and answer format for ease of access.

Our policy for Special Educational Needs and accessibility policy can be found below

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

How many children are in the school and What Percentage have SEND needs?

There are currently 67 pupils on roll in total. There are three classes in the school: Wrens (Reception/Year 1/ Year 2), Hawks (Year 3/Year 4) and Kites (Year 5/ Year 6).

What percentage of the school has SEND needs?

At present, 28.6% of the school has SEND. With 25.4% on SEN support and 3% with an EHCP

Due to the small scale of the school breaking down this information further into year groups or key stages could result in identifiable information.

What kinds of SEN that are provided for?

Our school currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:

Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum disorder and speech and language difficulties

Cognition and learning,

for example, dyslexia

Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments and processing difficulties,

Moderate/severe/profound and multiple learning difficulties

Identifying pupils with SEN and assessing their needs

How does the school know if my child needs extra help and what should I do if I think my child might have SEND?

We are committed to early identification of special educational needs to ensure your child remains included in all areas of the curriculum. We use a graduated response to meeting their needs in line with the 2014 SEND code of practice which outlines four areas of special educational need that include a range of difficulties and conditions;

· Communications and interaction.

· Cognition and learning

· Social, emotional and mental health.

· Sensory and/or physical.

We will assess each pupil’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, which will build on previous settings and Key Stages, where appropriate. Class teachers will make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:

Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline

Fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress

Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers

Widens the attainment gap

A range of evidence is collected through regular and ongoing progress checks, the school quickly identifies those children who may not be making the expected progress, This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEN.

When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.

Assessing and reviewing pupils' progress towards outcomes

Children who are having intervention are monitored by our SENCo through discussions with Teachers and Staff, Assessment Monitoring and Class Provision Maps. The school uses an Assess plan, do review cycle for all interventions at every level of additional support/ intervention and strategy to carefully monitor what support works best for the individual child and what may need adjusting to promote good progress.

There is no need for pupils to be registered or identified as having special educational needs unless the school is taking an additional or different action. Needs may have been identified in another setting and this information is passed on during transition meetings.

If you have a concern about your child’s progress or believe they have a special educational need, this should be first discussed with the class teacher. We will always work with you to ensure that your child is not disadvantaged in any way by their SEN if it is at all possible.

Assessing and reviewing pupils' progress towards outcomes

We will follow the graduated approach and the four-part cycle of assess, plan, do, review.

The class or subject teacher will work with the SENCO to carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. This will draw on:

The teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil

Their previous progress and attainment or behaviour

Other teachers’ assessments, where relevant

The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data

The views and experience of parents

The pupil’s own views

Advice from external support services, if relevant

The assessment will be reviewed regularly.

All teachers and support staff who work with the pupil will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided, and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress.

Communication with Parents/Carers

Consulting and involving pupils and parents

We will have a discussion with the pupil and their parents when identifying whether they need special educational provision. These conversations will make sure that:

Everyone develops a good understanding of the pupil’s areas of strength and difficulty

We take into account the parents’ concerns

Everyone understands the agreed outcomes sought for the child

Everyone is clear on what the next steps are

We will notify parents when it is decided that a pupil will receive SEN support.

Please note all children with a Specific learning disabilities such as a diagnosis of dyslexia must be placed on the SEN register.

Other diagnosis are only placed on the SEN register if this is impacting on the education of the child. With the exception of Specific learning disabilities, children can be placed on and removed from the SEN register based on progress and need.

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

There are two formal parent consultations during the year, an annual report and opportunities to discuss it.

During parents consultations, those children with an IEP or MSP will be given a 20 minute session to support the reviewing of targets and updates to the Plan. These children are also able to have an additional meeting to put in place targets additionally to these consultations.

Children with the statutory ‘Education, Health Care Plan’ have an annual review additionally to these meetings in which progress on individual targets are reviewed and an updated plan is put in place.

Where necessary the SENCo and class teacher may request additional meetings such as when setting up a plan (IEP or MSP). Where possible we try to coordinate the update of these plans around Parent consultations and the Annual school report.

What support is there for parents/carers?

The teachers are always available for discussions and to offer support after school and by appointment. The class teacher is the first point of contact for any queries.

The SENCo runs information sessions for parents. If after discussing with the child’s class teacher there are further concerns or queries, The SENCo can be contacted via the school office. There is a dedicated SEN Governor who can be contacted via the school office; in addition, the school can put parents in touch with specific groups that support SEN.

Our approach to teaching pupils with SEN

How will the setting support my child to achieve their potential?

In collaboration with parents and pupils, the school sets targets to help pupils to achieve their potential. The school may support your child in a variety of ways depending on their individual needs.

The first way is within the classroom. Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class. High-quality teaching is our first step in responding to pupils who have SEN. This will be differentiated for individual pupils. Learning will be scaffolded to your child’s needs (overseen by the class teacher).

An additional provision may be through targeted small group work that takes place out of the classroom. The school uses a wide range of strategies and specialist support programmes to enable your child to make progress.

A further level of provision may involve your child working individually with a member of staff to meet specific targets. These targets may be set out in an IEP (Individual Education Plan), IBP (Individual Behaviour Plan), MSP (My Support Plan), EHCP (Educational healthcare plan) or be recorded on the school’s Provision Map. These detail support that is additional to or different from that provided as part of the School’s usual differentiated curriculum These strategies and support programmes are reviewed and revised on a regular basis and pupils’ progress is closely monitored. Your child’s targets will be set by the class teacher in collaboration with the SENCo.

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

Our school strives to provide an engaging and exciting curriculum for all children. Your child’s class teacher will plan for a variety of needs in the classroom by providing appropriate tasks and achievable outcomes to consolidate and extend children’s learning. To ensure that every child with additional needs receives the correct amount and type of support, the following graduated approach is in place:

Early Intervention (EI) (included in Wave 1 classroom support)

At this stage, the class teacher may have identified a low-level need. Some children within class may need a ”boost”, which may be as simple as learning recapped or scaffolded further to support their learning. The child will receive support and monitoring within normal classroom activities and will not need individual targets. Alternatively, the child might be invited to receive 1:1/ small group support from a Teacher or TA during the school day. Children at the EI stage can also be supported in class groups by the Teacher or TA, and sometimes by parent helpers. If the child is not making progress in these  sessions, the SENCo will monitor intervention in place and assessment data to help support to effectively bring the child back ‘on track’. 

"How will I know?"

Your child’s teacher may ask you to come in at an early stage to discuss your child’s progress. However, it is likely they will discuss this with you during the usual course of parent meetings. The teacher will probably not even mention “Early Intervention”, as it is more useful for you to be aware of your child’s needs. The teacher will tell you what is being done in school and is likely to offer suggestions as to how you can help at home.

SPECIAL NEEDS SUPPORT (SEN SUPPORT or Wave 2)

Children who are experiencing significant and on-going difficulties with one or more areas of their education, (despite the “boosting” support given at the EI stage), will move onto further levels of support. The Wiltshire Graduated Response will be used to guide staff into next steps for your child.

Your child may have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) drawn up for them by their teacher and TA. This is an ‘in house’ plan which will give a clear view of all support given across school life and consist of two or three small targets to work towards. Your child will receive support in the form of a small focused group or one to one , as well as many other opportunities to work on their area of need.

“How will I know?”

If your child requires an Individual Education Plan (IEP) you will be invited to come and discuss your child’s IEP and progress each long term.

In some situations the SENco may feel it is beneficial for a MSP (My Support Plan) to be put in place. This format is used across Wiltshire. Your child will be involved as much as possible in the writing of the MSP so it is in a ‘child-friendly format’. The MSP will be drafted by the class teacher and overseen by the SENCo. After this initial draft, you will be invited in to add further information to the Plan and your opinions at this time are most welcome and written into the plan. A copy of this will be given to you to refer to at home. With Permission, a copy of the MSP is sent to Wilshire SEND team.

Some children's needs may be specifically surrounding behaviour and in these instances, an IBP (Individual Behaviour Plan) may be put in place with small targets to work on however based specifically around behavioural needs.

All children at this level of support also have a Pupil Passport. This is a child-centred one-page Profile written (as much as possible) from the child’s voice within the school environment. This gives all staff who work with your child an overview of your child’s needs at a glance.

FORMAL STATUTORY ASSESSMENT (EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE PLAN also known as Wave 3)

In a few circumstances, a child’s needs may be severe and on-going and they may require the assistance and guidance of the Local Authority to assess their needs more formally. 

The EHCP, which means the Education and Health Care Plan, is a document which sets out the education, healthcare and social care needs of a child or young person for whom extra support is needed in school, beyond that which the school can provide. This is can be applied for by Health services, Education or by parents themselves. 

Parental involvement at this stage is very important and full guidance will be given from the SENCo at every stage of this procedure.

Before this stage is reached there are many support avenues which can be accessed through the Wiltshire Local Offer and Health Services. 

Adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment

We make the following adaptations to ensure all pupils’ needs are met:

-Differentiating our curriculum to ensure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1:1 work, teaching style, content of the lesson, etc.

-Adapting our resources and staffing

-Using recommended aids, such as colored overlays, visual timetables, larger/ specific font, seat wedges, desk raisers etc.

-Differentiating our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.

-Please see the accessibility plan for further information

Additional support for learning

We have 3 teaching assistants who are trained to deliver interventions. Teaching assistants will support pupils in class, small groups and at times 1:1

Expertise and training of staff

Our SENCo has 2 experience in this role and has worked as a Unit Manager of a Respite Centre for a variety of Special Educational needs and disabilities as well as a Nursery SENCo.

They are allocated 1 afternoon per week to manage SEN provision.

We have a team of 3 teaching assistants, who are trained to deliver SEN provision.

What training do members of staff receive on supporting children with SEND?

The School has an experienced SENCo. Teachers and Teaching Assistants have training in school and attend courses run by outside agencies. Class teachers and Our SENCo regularly have Pickwick Academy trust cluster meetings as well as Inset events with The Pickwick learning alliance. This is evaluated and updated by the Governors and Head teacher.

Staff within the school received training in the following:

· Blast 1 (Speech and Language)

· Blast 2 (speech and language)

· Teaching students who have suffered complex Trauma

· Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Approaches to supporting learners with SEND in computing.

· Working together for children: Stirling

· Looking globally the future of education

· Dyslexia Awareness: In partnership with Made By Dyslexia

· Dyslexia Awareness Part 2, in partnership with Made By Dyslexia

· Literacy Tools for Inclusive Classrooms

· SEND Code of Practice 2015

· The Big Transitions for Autistic and SEND pupils after lockdown

· Preparing Autistic & SEND Children for going back to school

· Understanding ADHD: Current Research and Practice

· Diabetes training (Small group training by the NHS)

· Epilepsy Awareness

We also have a trainee ELSA who, supported by the Wiltshire Educational Psychology department will receive regular supervision training.

Our SENDCo has recently completed the National Award for SENDCo’s

Securing equipment and facilities

How are the school's resources allocated and matched to children’s SEND?

Every child’s needs are carefully assessed and decisions are then made based on the ability of the child to access the curriculum and make progress. The school SENco will work closely with you and all staff to discuss relevant interventions, adult support and advice from specialist services to make the best use of available resources. We regularly assess the impact of any additional support and resources and report children’s progress to parents.

Evaluating the effectiveness of SEN provision

We evaluate the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEN by:

Pupil Progress Meetings

Reviewing pupils’ individual progress towards their goals each Assess -Plan – Do - Review cycle

Reviewing the impact of interventions after a scheduled number of weeks (intervention dependent)

Using pupil voice

Monitoring by the SENCO

Using Provision maps/ IEPs/ MSPs to measure progress

Holding annual reviews for pupils with EHC plans

How will you support my child’s emotional and social development?

Children’s social development is developed through their curriculum activities and play times. For those pupils who need additional support, the school has members of staff who are trained in running Social Skills groups. Outside agencies may also be involved.

Our ELSA Trained TA sees children on a weekly/ fortnightly basis in small groups and 1:1 where necessary. She also runs a weekly ASD group to provide ongoing provision to those who need additional support to manage social needs, changes in routine and emotional support. The school ELSA offers Golden time activities for those children who feel they need follow up time with the ELSA once their sessions have been completed as well as the awareness that they can ask her for a catch up when they need. At the end of the ELSA, provision cycle activities will be sent home as a follow up to the provision. Having completed the ELSA Sessions the child will be reassessed a term after the provision ends and during this time the ELSA may carry out drop-in sessions where necessary.

What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?

Ofsted has identified the school as having a particularly caring ethos with outstanding behaviour. As a small school, all pupils are known to all staff, including our Midday Supervisors. We are committed to sharing information amongst staff about pupils who have been identified as needing additional support. For children who need additional support for their well-being, we have a TA who is training as an ELSA (Emotional Learning Support Assistant). Their role is to support children in school through small group sessions or individually depending on the need of the child. Children are supported during play times with organised games and equipment. Our ELSA is also present during lunchtimes to offer extra help for those children who need it. For children who may need further support and with the full consultation and support of the parents we would refer a child to the CAMHS (The provision of Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services which is part of the NHS Foundation Trust).

Working with other agencies

What specialist services and expertise are available to my child?

· Medical needs – the school can make referrals to the Community Paediatrician and the school's Nurse.

· Specialist Advisory Teacher – Physical & Medical

· Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists may visit by arrangement with the school.

· Sensory – The school can make referrals to the sensory impairment team

· Speech Therapy – The school can make referrals & implement programmes designed by the Speech and Language service

· The school has access to an Educational Psychologist

· The SSENS Cognition and Learning Team: support for children with literacy, numeracy and learning difficulties, generally, as well as those with identified Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia and dyscalculia (please note this is not a diagnostic team )

· Behavioural support team

· The SSENS Communication and Interaction Team:

support for children with language and/or social communication needs such as difficulty interacting with others, or understanding classroom language and routine, high anxiety levels and difficulty managing their emotions and behaviours

· CAMHS – referrals can be made

- Educational Psychology - The school has scheduled solution surgeries with an educational psychologist through out the year.

The local offer has details of local services, events and information for children and young people aged 0 - 25 years who have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

Supporting pupils moving between phases

Transition

What transition arrangements are in place between Key Stages and moving from Pre-School/Nursery to Primary School?

As a small school, we can be very flexible about the amount of time your child may need to make a transition to a new class. We arrange for them to spend time in their new classroom prior to moving and teachers liaise closely with each other to ensure a smooth transfer between classes.

The SENDCo/Class Teacher meets with Pre-Schools prior to children moving school and have as many familiarisation days as appropriate.

How well does the school prepare and support my child to move on to secondary school?

Once you know which secondary school your child will be attending, the SENCo contacts the SENCo of that secondary school and initiates a transition process. This can include your child being visited in school by staff from their new setting and additional visits to the school, accompanied by a member of our school staff.

Where necessary we use tailored transition activities allowing children to take ownership of the change ahead and feel excited about their next step. Secondary schools are usually very amenable to additional visits to ensure that your child feels happy about their change to a new school. Secondary school provision can be either mainstream or specialist according to your child’s needs.

Accessibility and Inclusion

There are no barriers to children with SEND enjoying the same activities as other pupils within our school.

How accessible is the setting environment?

The school has full disabled access, including disabled toileting facilities. The school could be adapted to accommodate specific needs.

Can my child school lunch requirements be accommodated if they have a special diet?

Our caterers HC3S provide a meat and vegetarian option each day and are able, with advanced notice, to adapt for specialist diets.

How will my child be included in activities outside of the classroom including educational visits?

We are an inclusive school and ensure that pupils are able to participate fully in school life. We liaise with parents when arranging educational visits (including residential) to ensure that the correct level of supervision and provision is in place. All parents are welcome to accompany their child on activities outside of the classroom.

What social / out of school opportunities are there?

We have a number of before and after school clubs, including sport, drama and music. A popular activity is the weekly Golden Time, in which children from different year groups mix freely while participating in a wide range of activities run by the teachers and support staff. There are special events including themed days and social activities (such as discos) run by FOPs (Friends of Pitton School).

All of our extra-curricular activities and school visits are available to all our pupils, including our before-and after-school clubs.

No pupil is ever excluded from taking part in activities because of their SEN or disability.

Complaints about SEN provision

What can I do if I am unhappy with the school’s provision for my child with SEND?

In the first instance, arrange a meeting with the class teacher. If you feel your concern has not been addressed please make an appointment with the SENDCo. If you still feel that your concerns have not been fully addressed, please make an appointment with the Head teacher. If you still feel that your specific issues are not being addressed by the school, you can contact the SEN Governor and/or the Chair of Governors through the school office. Please refer to the school’s complaints policy.

The parents of pupils with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if they believe that our school has discriminated against their children.

They can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:

Exclusions

Provision of education and associated services

Making reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services

Contact details for raising concerns

Who can I contact for further information or if I have concerns and how?

You can contact the SENCo or Head teacher at the school on 01722 712322 or email the school office admin@pitton.wilts.sch.uk

Data 

23/24 

At present, 25% of the school has SEND. With 22.1% on SEN support and 2.9% with an EHCP.

Please note due to the size of the year groups we can not currently provide a breakdown of SEN in this way as this may unintentionally identify pupils. 

National is currently a total of 16% with 13.5% SEN support and 2.5% with an EHC plan

Previous Year Data

22/23 

 62 pupils on roll in total. 21% of the school had SEND. With 17.7% on SEN support and 3.2% with an EHCP

Due to the small scale of the school breaking down this information further into year groups or key stages could result in identifiable information.

Below is an example of the breakdown we provide when the school has larger numbers and children are less identifiable when the data is broken down in this manner.

2020-2021

The table below indicates the number of our pupils receiving interventions. 18% of our pupils are reported as having SEN

BSE         Behaviour, Social & Emotional

CL           Cognition and Learning

M             Medical

SLC         Speech, Language and Communication

Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in place receive interventions on a daily basis and are supported 1:1 or in small group

Pupils on SEN Support receive interventions on a daily basis with teacher/TA support and IT-based programmes, to address particular areas of need.

Pupils receiving Early Intervention are currently receiving or have received interventions in the last 12 months to support learning gaps in specific areas.

3.8% of the school are EAL. These pupils are monitored as to academic progress to the same degree as those identified as being reieving Early Intervention. These pupils are not recorded in the SEN data above.

Previous workshops and webinars available to parents/carers

A snap shot of some of the webinars and workshops we have had available to parents in the past. 

Many of the internal webinars of these we may still have links to and so please email or ask in the office if you would like access to a previously available webinar!