SEN Information Report

Bordesley Green Primary School SEN Information report

Our Local Offer

The Local offer explains the services available to support children with Special Educational needs and disabled children (SEND) and their families. This document provides parents/carers with information about how to access services in the local area, and what they can expect from the services.

Our school is supported by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. All schools are supported to be as inclusive as possible, with the needs of pupils with a Special Educational Need/s being met in a mainstream setting wherever possible, with reasonable adjustment, where families want this to happen.

 How does Bordesely Green Primary School know if children need extra help?

             We know when pupils need help if:

• Concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or from a pupil’s previous school.

• Tracking shows little or no progress through teacher assessment.

• There is a change in their behaviour.

• Completing an audit continuum to see if they are meeting the age related targets.

• If a pupil asks for help.

How does Bordesley Green Primary school make a decision to monitor my child as having SEND?

• If a child is one or more stages (or bands in EYFS) behind the expected stage in maths and/or English, we will moitor your child's progress to establish if there is an SEND need and provide appropriate support within the classroom.

• If we feel your child needs to be monitored for SEND, we will inform you by letter and invite you in to talk about how school will support your child and to provide startegies for you to use at home. 

What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

• If you have concerns about your child then please contact your child’s class teacher and they will complete a cause for concern form or contact the school SENCO, Miss Dovey.

How will I know how Bordesely Green Primary School supports my child?

• Each pupil’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) or subject targets will be planned for by the class teacher alongside the teaching assistant who works closely with that child. It will be differentiated accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs, setting and individual targets. A copy of the targets will be shared with parents either in a letter or in a meeting when requested by parents or the school. This may include additional general support by the teacher or teaching assistant in the class or use of particular resources (e.g. writing slope, specialised ruler etc.)

• If a pupil has needs related to more specific areas of their education or social skills, such as spelling, handwriting, numeracy and literacy skills etc. then the pupil may be placed in a small focus group. You will be notified of this by the class teacher. These small intervention groups will be run by the learning mentor or teaching assistants in our school.  The length of time of the intervention will vary according to the need but will generally be for up to a term.  The interventions will be regularly reviewed to ascertain effectiveness of the provision and to inform future planning to allow for adaptation.

• Our interventions will be recorded on the school provision map (for each year group). This is a record of the interventions and timings of the intervention. The impact of the intervention is recorded separately  and discussed during Pupil Progress Meetings. If you have any queries related to the interventions please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher or the SENCO.

• Review meetings are held up to three times a year for children who are on high focus IEP’s or have Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) previously known as a statement. Parents will be invited in to talk to the SENCO and the class teacher and/or teaching assistant and any outside agencies which may be involved with your child.

• Pupil progress meetings will take place at least four times a year, this is a meeting where the class teachers meet with their Assistant Head Teacher to review targets and progress of all children. This is a shared discussion which may highlight any potential problems in order for further support and targets to be planned.

• Parents evening will also take place three times a year to enable you to discuss your child’s progress and talk about any addition support they have been receiving.

• Occasionally a pupil may need more expert support from an outside agency such as the Pupil and School support services for learning and cognition, the Educational Psychologist or the Communication and Autism team.  Referral forms are then completed in conjunction with parents/carers and forwarded to the most appropriate agency. After a series of assessments, a programme of support is usually provided to the school and parents/carers.

Our current agencies involved:

• Pupil and school support service for cognition and learning (PSS)

• The communication and autism team (CAT)

• The Educational Psychologist (EP)

• Occupational Therapists (OT)

• Speech and Language Therapists

• Teacher of the deaf- Supports children in school with different levels of improvement.

• The Physical Difficulties Support Services- (PDSS)

• School nurses- We also have our own school nurse who attends every other Tuesday for the afternoon.

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

• Teacher’s at Bordesely Green Primary School plan for children’s stage of learning, differentiating work to closely match children’s ability and learning needs.  When a pupil has been identified with special needs their work will be further differentiated by the class teacher to remove barriers to learning and enable them to access the curriculum more easily.

• A teaching assistant may be allocated to work with the pupil either 1:1 or in a small focus group to target more specific areas of need.

• If needed specialist equipment may be given to the pupil e.g. writing slopes, trackers, concentration cushions or pencil grips.

How will I know how my child is doing?

• At Bordesely Green Primary School we have 3 parents evenings every academic year. You will be able to discuss your child’s progress at Parents Evening.

• Class teachers are regularly at the school doors or on the playground at the end of the day if you wish to raise a concern. Appointments can be made to speak in more detail to the class teacher or SENCO by visiting the school office.

• Targets are usually set by the class teacher with input from the teaching assistant, these are also monitored by the Inclusion team. 

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• Teachers suggest ways of supporting all children’s learning through the curriculum newsletters (sent out termly. The class teacher may suggest additional ways of supporting your child’s learning at parent’s evening or by arranging a meeting with you.

• Outside agencies or the Educational Psychologist may suggest advice or programmes of study than can be used at home; we will forward any information to you which we are given.

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

Bordesely Green Primary School offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

These include:

• Members of staff such as the class teacher, teaching assistants, SENCO, Specialist teaching assistants and our learning mentors.

• The Learning Mentors and the specialist teaching assistants run well-being groups and 1:1 sessions for specific pupils, targeting social skills, self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and anger management.

Pupils with medical needs

• If a pupil has a medical need, then a detailed health care plan is compiled by the school nurse in consultation with parents/carers.  These plans are then discussed with all staff who are involved with the pupil.

• Where necessary and in agreement with parents/carers medicines are administered in school where a signed form is put in place. Antibiotics may be given in some circumstances where it needs to be taken 4 times a day on discussion with the school medical staff and on completion of a medication form.

• A large proportion of  staff at Bordesely Green Primary School are qualified to administer the epi-pen for those children who require it.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive their specialist expertise.

The agencies used by the school include:

• Communication and Autism team

• Child protection advisors

• Educational Psychologist

• Behaviour support service

• The hearing/visual impairment team.

• Forward Thinking Birmingham

• PASS (Physical and Sensory service)

• Social Services

• PSS (Pupil and School support)- for cognition and learning.

• School nurse

• Physiotherapists

• Occupational therapists

An Educational Psychologist is allocated to each school. They would normally only work directly with pupils whose needs are felt to be quite servere and have not responded well to the interventions previously put in place for them.

In order to help understand the pupil’s educational needs better, the psychologist will generally meet with the parent and give feedback after the assessment has been completed.

They will then offer advice to the school and parent/carers on how to best support the pupil in order to take their learning forward.

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND having or had?

Staff have received training related to SEND.

These have included sessions on:

• Level 1 Autism training and three staff have received lead practitioner training.

• Course from PSS, including supporting staff with assessing P-Levels, reciprocal reading, precision teaching, Dyslexia Awareness and Cued spelling.

• The SENCO has also delivered training on Dyslexia and Dyspraxia awareness, Words first and Anne Locke.

• The school SENCO has completed a postgraduate certificate at the University of Birmingham in Special Educational Needs Co-ordination.

• We all receive Epi-pen/Allergy and Asthma training annually and Epilepsy in-line with LA expectations.

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

Activities and school trips at Bordesely Green Primary School are available to all.

• Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate.

• If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required, a parent or carer or designated teaching assistant will be asked to accompany the child during the activity in addition to the usual school staff.

How accessible is the school environment?

As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements.

We have an accessibility plan on our school website. Click here to see the BGPS school accessibility plan.

How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Bordesely Green Primary School or transferring to a new school?

Bordesely Green Primary School understands what a stressful time moving schools can be therefore many strategies are in place to enable the pupil’s transition to be as smooth as possible.

• On entry:

• A planned programme of visits for the summer and Autumn terms for pupils starting nursery and reception in September to familiarise themselves with their new environment.

• Parents/Carers are invited to the transition meetings at the school so they know what to expect when entering nursery, reception and year one.

• The school SENCO will discuss any concerns about the children moving up, either with the previous settings SENCO, staff completing visits or/and parents.

• Secondary transition

• Our learning mentor works with year 6 children who are anxious about the move to secondary school and to discuss any concerns they may have.

• Secondary school staff visits pupils prior to them joining their new school.

• The school SENCO meets or has phone conversations relating to the children with a SEND to pass on important information.

• Children attend a transition day at their new secondary school in the summer term.

• Additional days are planned for those children who are deemed to be more vulnerable.

• A transition pack is created for the more vulnerable pupils so they can familiarise themselves with their new setting over the summer holidays.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

• The SEN budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependant on the individual’s needs.

• The additional provision may be allocated after discussion with the class teacher at pupil progress meetings or if a concern has been raised by them at another time during the year.

• Further support or resources may be allocated to your child following assessments by school staff or outside agencies.

• Funding may be used to buy specialist equipment or support.

• Individual pupil premium payments are used to support the pupil’s learning.

How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

• Each year group along with the support from the teaching assistants will decide and agree the level of support needed. This may take the form of additional individual or small group support in class or in other focus groups tailored to the pupils needs.

• During their school life, if further concerns are identified due to the pupil’s lack of progress or well-being then other interventions will be arranged.

• Parents/carers will be notified at parents evenings about any additional support a child may need or is having.

How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?

All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education.

This may be through:

• Discussions with the class teacher

• During parent’s evenings

• During discussions with the school SENCO, head teacher, deputy head and other professionals.

• Parents are invited to high focus and EHCP reviews to add their comments to plans.

Who can I contact for further information?

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling please contact one of the following:

• Your child’s class teacher

• The head teacher – Mr K Holmes

• The deputy head – Miss L Burgess

• The assistant head teachers- Mrs C Denton (Nursery, Reception  and Year 1), Miss C Dovey (Year 2 & 3) and Miss E Pennington (Year 4, 5 & 6)

• The inclusion leader/SENCO- Miss C Dovey

        Appointments can be made with any of the people through the school office.

TEL: 0121 772 1601

I hope these have answered any queries you may have but do not hesitate to contact the school if you have further questions.

To find out about the Birmingham Local offer for Special Educational Needs (SEN) visit the Birmingham Local offer website.

We aim to ensure that SEND at Bordesley Green Primary school reinforces the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. These articles apply to the teaching and provision of SEND.

Article 3 All adults should do what is best for you. When adults make decisions, they should think about how their decisions will affect children.

Article 13 You have the right to find out things and share what you think with others, by talking, drawing, writing or in any other way unless it harms or offends other people.

Article 23 You have the right to special education and care if you have a disability, as well as all the rights in this Convention, so that you can live a full life.

Article 28 You have the right to a good quality education. You should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level you can.

Article 29 Your education should help you use and develop your talents and abilities. It should also help you learn to live peacefully, protect the environment and respect other people.