SEND Policy

 Lord Blyton Primary School

Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy and Guidelines

Head Teacher: Ms J Atherton

Date of next review: July 2021

 Lord Blyton Primary is an inclusive school, catering for a wide range of SEND. Pupils have a broad range of special educational needs.

We are committed to ensuring that all children make progress irrespective of their level of need and the barriers to learning they might encounter. We have high expectations for all our pupils and want them to achieve the best that they can. We believe that all teachers are teachers of children with SEN and it is therefore a whole school responsibility to ensure that these children’s needs are addressed. Supportive working relationships with parents and involvement of pupils in all aspects of their learning help us to deliver the best opportunities for the future.

Special Educational Needs Team:

SENCO: Jo Atherton

Child and Family Pastoral Manager: Alison Quinn

Early Years: Rebecca Hall

Chair of Governors: Cllr Edward Malcolm

Designated Governor for SEN: Joanne Burnett

All Teaching Assistants also have responsibility for working under the direct supervision of the class teacher to administer the Provision Maps.

Links to other Documents, Guidelines and Policies

This document should be read in conjunction with the following:

  • Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2014)
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (2013)
  • LA Policy and Guidelines
  • Inclusive Schooling: Children with SEN (2001)
  • Accessible Schools (2002)
  • School specific policies on:
    • Teaching and Learning
    • Assessment
    • Behaviour
    • Child Protection
    • Anti-Bullying
    • Equal Opportunities

Aims

We have a responsibility to encourage excellent SEN practice throughout Lord Blyton Primary School, for the benefit of all pupils.  To encourage excellent practice we are committed to the following principles:

  • To ensure that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum.
  • To provide a differentiated curriculum appropriate to the individual’s needs and ability.
  • To ensure the identification of all pupils requiring SEND provision as early as possible.
  • To ensure that pupils with SEND take as full a part as possible in all school activities.
  • To ensure that parents of pupils with SEND are kept fully informed of their child’s progress and attainment and supported in the best way possible.
  • To ensure that pupils with SEND are involved, wherever practical, in decisions affecting their SEND provision.
  • To provide appropriate CPD training for all staff
  • To enlist the support of qualified others who will help the school to ensure a high quality team approach to meeting pupil need;
  • To establish a working partnership with parents to support pupil learning and development;
  • To provide a framework for the monitoring, and evaluation of policy, practice and provision;

We recognise that many pupils may struggle with different aspects of learning and believe that the first step in supporting them is in ensuring that teachers are fully involved in regular assessment of their development and set appropriate challenging learning tasks. Through our everyday practise we provide many additional intervention groups, we do not believe that because a child accesses these that they are SEN, rather that if they do attend and continue to struggle to make progress they may then be assessed further and parents consulted at this stage.

Our overall aim is to ensure that all children are supported as necessary in order that they may work confidently towards reaching their full potential. In implementing this policy, which reflects the philosophy and fundamental principles of the Code, we believe that pupils will be helped to overcome their difficulties.

Close regard is paid to the three key principles of inclusive education:

  • Setting suitable learning challenges
  • Responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs
  • Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.

To achieve our main aims it is necessary to:

  • adopt a whole school approach to identification, assessment and provision for children with special educational needs
  • view our special needs provision as an ongoing, developing process
  • provide appropriate support for children with an EHCP, which enables all children to have access to the whole curriculum, including the National Curriculum
  • provide appropriate in-class support (be that through differentiation or appropriate personnel) which enables all children to have access to the whole curriculum, including the National Curriculum
  • incorporate special educational needs procedures including Provision Maps into curriculum planning
  • develop an effective partnership between school, parents and outside agencies
  • encourage children and parents/carers to participate in decision-making about provision to meet their special educational need
  • ensure that the assessment and record-keeping system provides adequate means of recording attainment and achievement and gives sufficient information for carefully planned progression at every stage
  • involve the Governing Body and all staff, both teaching and non-teaching, in the regular review, development and evaluation of policy and guidelines
  • ensure all those involved with children with special educational needs work as a team with the school’s main aim in mind
  • monitor those procedures which have been put into place to ensure children with SEND make significant progress as they move through the school
  • Definitions

“The Code sets out guidance on policies and procedures aimed at enabling pupils with SEN to reach their full potential, to be included fully in their school communities and to make a successful transition to adulthood. For the vast majority of children their mainstream setting will meet all their special educational needs. Some children will require additional help from SEN Services or other agencies external to the school. A very small minority of children will have SEN of a severity or complexity that requires the LEA to determine and arrange the special educational provision that their learning difficulties call for”.

(SEN Code of Practice, Paragraph 1:2)

Definition of Special Educational Needs in the SEN Code of Practice

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

A child of compulsory school age or a younger person has a learning difficulty if they:

have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; or

have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in mainstream schools or post-16 institutions

Special educational provision means:

for children aged two or more, special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age by mainstream schools, maintained nursery schools, mainstream post-16 institutions or  by relevant early years providers.

(See Introduction, Special educational needs, xv. Special Educational Needs and

Disability Code of Practice 2014)

Definition in the Disability under the Equality Act 2010

“a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on there ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”

Equality Act 2010

A child may be covered by either one or both of the above definitions.

The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice

Lord Blyton Primary School will have due regard for the SEND Code of Practice when carrying out duties towards all pupils with SEN and ensure that parents are notified when SEND provision is being made for their child.

Areas of Need

The SEND Code of Practice identifies four distinct areas of special educational needs. Children may have needs that fall within one area or have needs that fall across two or more. The nature and severity of the needs will impact to varying degrees upon the child’s ability to function, learn and succeed.

The identified areas of need are:

  • communication and interaction
  • cognition and learning
  • social, emotional and mental health difficulties, and
  • sensory and/or physical.

Children whose difficulties are solely due to the home language differing from the language in which she/he is taught are not identified as having SEND.

Communication and Interaction Difficulties

Children may have speech and language delay, impairments or disorders, specific learning difficulties e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, hearing impairments or autistic spectrum disorder.

Cognition and Learning Difficulties

Children may experience general or specific learning difficulties and require systematic programmes to aid progression. Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Such requirements may also apply to some extent to children with physical and sensory impairments and autistic spectrum disorder.

Specific learning difficulties include, for example, dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

Children may be withdrawn or isolated, disruptive or disturbing, over-active, impulsive or lacking in concentration, have immature social skills or present challenging behaviour.

Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties

Children may have profound and permanent deafness, may be blind or partially sighted or suffer lesser or temporary levels of loss. They may have physical impairments arising from physical, neurological or metabolic causes and require access to specific facilities or equipment. Their difficulties may cause them emotional stress or physical fatigue.

Children experiencing difficulties in any one or a combination of these areas may be registered on either the school’s Medical Register or SEND List or both.

Admissions

The Governing Body believes that the admission criteria should not discriminate against pupils with SEND and has due regard for the practice advocated in the Code of Practice.  (Ref: SEND Code of Practice, Section 6, 6:8)

Inclusion

We believe that the special educational needs of children should normally be met in mainstream schools where possible or settings and that all children have an entitlement to a balanced, broadly-based curriculum.

This policy reinforces the need for teaching which is fully inclusive

Allocation of Resources

The Governing Body will ensure that resources are allocated to support appropriate provision for all pupils requiring SEND and in meeting the objectives set out in this policy.

Arrangements for the funding of pupils with a Statement of SEND will vary.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Governing Body

The Governing Body, in consultation with the Head Teacher, determines the school’s general policy and approach to provision for pupils with special educational needs, establishes the appropriate staffing and funding arrangements and maintains a general overview of the school’s work.

The Governing Body, having regard to the Code of Practice:

  • ensures appropriate provision is made for any child with SEND
  • reports annually to parents on the school’s policy for children with SEND
  • ensures all children, including those with SEND have access to a broad, balanced and appropriately differentiated curriculum
  • appoints a representative of the Governing Body to oversee SEND provision
  • ensuring that pupils with SEND are fully involved in all school activities
  • ensure they are fully involved in developing and subsequently reviewing SEND policy
  • reports to parents on the school’s SEND policy including the allocation of resources from the school’s devolved/delegated budget.

The Head Teacher

The head teacher’s responsibilities include:

  • the day-to-day management of the school including the SEND provision
  • keeping the Governing Body well informed about SEND within the school
  • working closely with the SENCO/SEND team
  • informing parents of the fact that SEND provision has been made for their child
  • ensuring that the school has clear and flexible strategies for working with parents, and that these strategies encourage involvement in their child’s education.

The Child & family Pastoral Manager/Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)

The Child & Family Pastoral Manager /SENCO plays a crucial role in the school’s SEND provision. This involves working with the Headteacher and Governing Body to determine the strategic development of the policy.

Other responsibilities include:

  • overseeing the day-to-day operation of the SEND policy
  • co-ordinating the provision for pupils with SEND
  • liaising with and giving advice to fellow teachers
  • managing teaching assistants (TAs)
  • overseeing pupils’ records
  • liaising with parents
  • contributing to the in-service training of staff
  • liaising with external agencies, LA Support Services, Health and Social Services, SEND team
  • to lead, in consultation with SEND specialists, on the development of Provision Maps at SEN Support
  • ensuring liaison with parents and other professionals in respect of children with SEND
  • advising and supporting other practitioners in the setting
  • ensure that relevant background information about individual children with SEND is collected, recorded and updated
  • collaborating with teaching staff to ensure all available resources are used to maximum effect.

The Class Teacher / Subject Teacher

The SEND Code of Practice clearly acknowledges the important role fulfilled by the class or subject teacher, whose responsibilities include:

  • being aware of the school’s procedures for the identification and assessment of, and subsequent provision for, pupils with SEND
  • working with the SENCO to decide the action required to assist the pupil to make progress
  • working with the SENCO to collect all available information on the pupil
  • in collaboration with the SENCO, develop Provision Maps for pupils with SEND.
  • working with SEND pupils on a daily basis to deliver the individual programme set out in the Provision Map
  • developing strong relationships with parents
  • encouraging pupils to participate in decision-making
  • being involved in the development and review of the school’s SEND policy

Class teacher’s will follow the following procedures where there are concerns:

ConcernTalk to TA, previous class teacher, start to build a picture of the child.
Gather EvidenceProvide data for regular data meetings with Pastoral manager and headteacher. Provide observations of the pupil and evidence of learning.
Meet with SENCOShare evidence, together decide on course of action.
Consult ParentsAll parents need to be consulted prior to receiving any SEN provision. Meeting to be led by SENCO / Child & Family Pastoral Manager with class teacher present. Provision Map shared and agreed with parents.
Provision MapAll school action Provision Map’s to be written by Class Teachers in consultation with TA  where appropriate. Provision Map are written and Class Teacher places them in the appropriate folder in the staff shared drive.
Carers SignatureClass Teacher ensures that each Provision Map is signed by the guardian of the child and a copy provided for them. The original signed copy is passed onto the SENCO/Child & Family Pastoral Manager to be filed in the child’s paper file.
DifferentiationIt is important that once a Provision Map is produced that the Class Teacher considers it when planning for each and every lesson and provides appropriate activities for the child. Requests for additional TA support to be made at wing meetings.
Pupils ViewsEach child will have the Provision Map explained to them by Class Teacher or TA and will be aware of their targets. They may wish to make target cards for each child.
Termly ReviewEach Provision Map is reviewed with parents, and if appropriate the child, and new targets set. Class Teacher adds to the outcome section of Provision Map and completes the review page of the Provision Map, including the child’s views form. A new Provision Map is agreed on by all parties. All children under SEN support will have Provision Map meetings take place as part of normal parent evening meetings. EHCP children will have additional reviews where all appropriate bodies meet. These are convened by the SENCO and are additional to the Class Teachers review of Provision Map s. SENCO informed when a review is completed and Provision Map  updated.

If you continue to have concerns regarding the progress of a child a Provision Map cycle can be repeated, but can be reduced to a two – four week period with high impact support put in place.

If it is found that with the second Provision Map progress has been limited highlight this to the SENCO who will work with the child and meet with parents at the Review of the Provision Map and discuss the possibility of referral.

With children with an EHCP reviews convened by the Child & Family Pastoral Manager /SENCO the Class Teacher will produce a written report see Professional Resources- Education Views form. This will be saved in the child’s electronic folder.
It is essential that strong bonds are made with pupils and parents – they need to be continually updated on progress made and consulted regularly to ensure the individuals needs are met.
At SEND Support the class teacher is responsible for the intervention strategies implemented and the appropriate direction of additional support.

Identification, Assessment and Provision – Whole School Approach

At Lord Blyton Primary School we have adopted a whole school approach to SEND policy and practice. Pupils identified as having SEND are, as far as is practicable, fully included in mainstream classes. The school makes every effort to ensure pupils with SEND have full access to the National Curriculum and that they are actively involved in all aspects of school life.

The SEND Code of Practice makes it clear that all teachers are teachers of pupils with special education needs. We recognise that all teachers are responsible for identifying pupils with SEND and, in collaboration with the SENCO, for ensuring that those pupils requiring different or additional support are identified at an early stage.

Identification and Assessment

The school recognises the importance of early identification, assessment and provision for children with special educational needs. To assist in the early identification of these children, the school uses a variety of assessment and screening tools, which, together with National Curriculum assessment, enable the school to assess children’s achievement and evaluate their progress. The school is responsive to any information or expressions of concern passed on by parents/carers.

The school will carry out screening and assessment and monitor pupil progress using:

  • Evidence obtained by teacher observation/assessment
    • Up to date data
  • Continuous Teacher Assessment
  • National Curriculum Assessment – using optional SAT throughout KS2
  • Age related outcomes
  • Records of Achievement
  • Monitoring Reports
  • Information from other schools
  • Information from parents/carers
  • Information from children

SEN Provision

On entry to Lord Blyton Primary School Foundation Stage each child’s attainment will be assessed. This will help to inform the school of a child’s aptitudes, abilities and attainment and will be used to ensure continuity of learning as a child moves through Key Stages.

The records provided help the school to design appropriate differentiated learning programmes. For pupils with identified SEND the SENCO/class teacher will use the records to:

  • provide starting points for an appropriate curriculum
  • identify the need for targeted support within class
  • assess learning difficulties
  • ensure on-going observations/assessments provide regular feedback on achievements/attainment and inform future planning
  • involve parents in a joint home-school learning approach
  • involve pupils in planning/agreeing their own targets

The Range of Provision

The main types of provision made by the school are:

  • full-time education in class with additional support through a differentiated curriculum
  • short periods of withdrawal to work with a support assistant for a specific purpose
  • in-class support with adult assistant
  • support from specialists within class or as part of a planned withdrawal programme (usually SEND Support)

Monitoring Pupil Progress

Teaching pupils with SEND is a whole-school responsibility. The core of a teacher’s work involves a continuous cycle of planning, teaching and assessing, while taking into account the differences in pupils’ abilities, aptitudes and interests. Some pupils may need increased levels of provision and support.

Progress is the crucial factor in determining the need for additional support.

Adequate progress will vary according to individual needs and differences but may include progress that:

  • narrows the attainment gap between pupil and peers
  • prevents the attainment gap widening
  • is equivalent to that of peers starting from the same baseline but less than the majority of peers
  • matches or betters the child’s previous rate of progress
  • ensures full access to the curriculum
  • shows an improvement in self-help, social or personal skills
  • demonstrates improvements in the pupil’s behaviour
  • is likely to lead to Further Education, training or employment

Where teachers decide that a pupil’s learning is unsatisfactory, the SENCO will be consulted. The SENCO and teacher will review the strategies and approaches that have been adopted. Where support additional to that of normal classroom differentiation is required, it will be provided through Early Years/SEN Support.

If, after further consideration, a more sustained level of support is needed, it will be provided through Early Years/SEN Support. Where concerns remain despite sustained intervention at Early Years/SEN Support, the school will consider requesting a Statutory Assessment.  Parents will be fully consulted at each stage.

The school also recognises that parents have a right to request a Statutory Assessment.

Individual Records

The setting/school will record the steps taken to meet pupils’ special educational needs. The SENCO will maintain the records and ensure access to them. In addition to those records that are in place for all children, the pupil’s profile will include:

  • information from previous school/phases
  • information from parents
  • information on progress/behaviour
  • pupil’s own perceptions of difficulties
  • information from health/social services
  • information from other agencies

The SEND Code of Practice advocates a graduated response to meeting pupils’ needs. When pupils are identified as having SEND, the school will intervene through SEN support as described below.

Assessing and Meeting Needs through SEN support

SEN support in the early years

It is particulary important in the early years that there is no delay in making any necessary special educational provision.

If we make special educational provision for a child with SEN we must inform the parents. Following the Code of Practice we will adopt a graduated approach with four stages of action: assess, plan, do and review.

The graduated approach should be led and co-ordinated by the SENCO working with and supporting the individual practitioners in the setting and informed by EYFS materials, the Early Years Outcome guidance and Early Support resources.

Assess

In identifying a child as needing SEN support, the early years practitioners, working with the setting SENCO and child’s parents, will have carried out an analysis of the child’s needs. This initial assessment should be reviewed regularly to ensure that support is well matched to need.  Where there is little or no improvement in the child’s progress, more specialist assessment may be called for from specialist teachers or health, social services or other agencies beyond the setting. Where professionals are not already working in the setting, the SENCO should contact them, with the parents’ agreement.

Plan

Where it is decided to provide SEN support, and having formally notified the parents, the practitioner and the SENCO should agree, in consultation with the parent, the outcomes they are seeking, the interventions and support to be put in place, the expected impact on progress, development or behaviour, and a clear date for review. Plans should take into account the views of the child. The support and intervention provided should be selected to meet the outcomes identified for the child, based on reliable evidence of effectiveness, and provided by the practitioners with relevant skills and knowledge. Any related staff development needs will be identified and addressed.

Parents should be involved in planning the support and, where appropriate, in reinforcing the provision or contributing to progress at home.

Do

The early years practitioner, usually the child’s key person, remains responsible for working with the child on a daily basis. With support from the SENCO, they should oversee the implementation of the interventions or programmes agreed as part of SEN support. The SENCO should support the practitioner in assessing the child’s response to the action taken, in problem solving and advising on the effective implementation of support.

Review

The effectiveness of the support and its impact on the child’s progress should be reviewed in line with the agreed date. The impact and quality of the support should be evaluated by the practitioner and the SENCO working with the child’s parents and taking into account the child’s views. Any changes to the outcomes and support for the child in light of the child’s progress and development should be agreed. The parents should have clear information about the impact of the support provided and be involved in planning the next steps.

This cycle should be revisited in increasing detail and with increasing frequency, to identify the best way of securing good progress.

Where a child has an EHCP, the local authority must review that plan as a minimum every twelve months.

Involving specialists

Where a child continues to make less than expected progress, despite evidence- based support and interventions that are matched to the child’s area of need, practitioners should consider involving appropriate specialists, for example, health visitors, speech and language therapists, Portage workers, educational psychologists or specialist teachers, who may be able to identify effective strategies, equipment, programmes or other interventions to enable the child to make progress towards the

desired learning and development outcomes. The decision to involve specialists should be taken with the child’s parents.

(all of the above taken from SEND Code of Practice 2014, section 5)

SEN support in schools

Where a pupil is identified as having SEN, schools should take actions to remove the barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place.

This support should take the form of the four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs through the graduated approach.

Assess

In identifying a child as needing SEN support the class teacher, working with the SENCO, should carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. This should draw on the teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil, their previous progress and attainment, as well as information from pupil progress, attainment, and behaviour. It should also draw on the individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data, and the views and experiences of parents and the pupil. As a school we will take any concerns raised by parents seriously.

This assessment should be reviewed regularly. This will help ensure that support and intervention are matched to need, barriers to learning are identified and overcome, and that a clear picture of the interventions put in place and their effect is developed. Where professionals are not already working in the setting, the SENCO should contact them, with the parents’ agreement.

Plan

Where it is decided to provide SEN support, the parents must be formally notified, although parents should have already been involved in forming the assessment of needs as outlined above. The teacher and the SENCO should agree in consultation with the parent and pupil the adjustments, interventions and support to be put into place, as well as the expected impact on progress, development or behaviour, alongside a clear date for review.

All support staff who work with the pupil should be made aware of their needs, the outcome sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. The will also be recorded on the school’s pupil progress tracking.

The support and intervention provided will be selected to meet the outcomes identified for the pupil, based on reliable evidence of effectiveness, and will be provided by staff with sufficient skills and knowledge.

Parents should be fully aware of the planned support and interventions and, where appropriate, plans should seek parental involvement to reinforce or contribute to progress at home.

Do

The class teacher will remain responsible for working with the child on a daily basis. Where interventions involve group or one-to-one teaching away from the main class, they will still retain responsibility for the pupil. They should work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved, to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and how they can be linked to classroom teaching. The SENCO will support the class teacher in the future assessment of the child’s

particular strengths and weaknesses, in problem solving and advising the effective implementation of support.

Review

The effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress should be reviewed in line with the agreed date.

The impact and quality of the support and interventions should be evaluated, along with the views of the pupil and their parents. This should feed back into the analysis of the pupil’s needs. The class teacher, working with the SENCO, should revise the support in light of the pupil’s progress and development, deciding on any changes to the support and outcomes in consultation with the parent and pupil.

Parents should have clear information about the impact of the support and interventions provided, enabling them to be involved in planning next steps.

Where a child has an EHCP, the local authority must review that plan as a minimum every twelve months.

Involving specialists

Where a pupil continues to make less than expected progress, despite evidence- based support and interventions that are matched to the pupil’s area of need, the school should consider involving specialists, including those secured by the school or from outside agencies.

Schools may involved specialists at any point to advise on early identification of SEN and effective support and interventions. A school should always involve a specialist where a pupil continues to make little or no progress or where they continue to work at levels substantially below those expected of pupils of a similar age despite evidence-based SEN support delivered by appropriately trained staff. The pupil’s parents should always be involved in any decision to involve specialists.

(all of the above taken from SEND Code of Practice 2014, section 6)

Support Available

SEND Staff: All teaching assistants are trained and experienced in working with SEND children.

Children with a EHCP/STATEMENT OF SEN: receive additional in school support which is directed in accordance with their statement objectives.

Nature of Intervention

The SENCO in collaboration with the class teacher/department leader will decide the action required to help the pupil make progress.

Action could include:

  • deployment of additional staff to provide in-class support
  • provision of alternative learning materials/special equipment
  • group support
  • provisions of additional adult time in devising interventions and monitoring their effectiveness
  • staff development/training to undertake more effective strategies
  • access to LEA support services for advice on strategies, equipment or staff training

The targets focusing on the child’s SEND and the action agreed will be recorded in an Individual Education Plan

Requesting an Education, Health and Care needs assessment

SEN support should be adapted or replaced depending on how effective it has been in achieving the agreed outcomes. Where, despite the school having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the SEN of the child, the child has not made expected progress, the school or parents should consider requesting an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.

(An EHCP may also be requested by a parent or outside agency.)

Prior to making a request for an EHCP assessment the school will have the following information available:

  • the action followed from SEN Support
  • the pupil’s Provision Map
  • records and outcomes of regular reviews
  • information on the pupil’s health and relevant medical history
  • Attainment levels (including reference to P-levels where appropriate)
  • English/Maths attainments
  • other relevant assessments from specialists such as support teachers and educational psychologists
  • the views of parents
  • the views of the child
  • where appropriate, reports from external agencies (e.g. Social Services, Education Welfare Service)
  • information about any other involvement by professionals
  • costed provision maps
  • Evidence that where progress has been made it has only been due to additional support and intervention

The school acknowledges that a request for an EHCP may not always be agreed by the LA and, even if agreed, does not inevitably lead to a Education Health Care Plan (EHCP).

Annual Review Procedures

For a child who has an EHCP, the LA has a statutory duty to review his/her plan, at least annually.  The SENCO will organise these reviews and invite:

  • the child’s parent(s)
  • the child (for at least part of the meeting if appropriate)
  • the class teacher
  • the SENCO
  • a representative of the LEA
  • any other professional either the LA or Headteacher consider appropriate
  • any health care professionals involved with the child

The SENCO, in consultation with the Headteacher, will:

  • maintain a calendar of review dates
  • determines who should be invited to attend each meeting (at a minimum this would include the SENCO, the parents/carers, an LA representative and the designated medical officer)
  • plans Annual Review meetings and contacts professionals
  • seeks the views of the child
  • sends out formal invitations to parents/carers by letter, giving as much notice, as possible advising them that they may bring a friend or relative to the meeting

The review will:

  • assess the child’s progress towards meeting the long term targets within the EHCP;
  • assess the child’s progress towards meeting the short term targets within the EHCP;
  • review the educational progress made by the child;
  • consider the effectiveness of the EHCP in the light of the child’s progress;
  • set new short term targets for the coming year;
  • determine whether amendments to the long term targets are necessary
  • record information which the school and other professionals can use to plan provision and support for the child

The Annual Review Meeting

The meeting will consider the following questions:

  • What are the child’s current levels of attainment in English and Maths?
  • What progress has the child made towards meeting the long term targets of the overall EHCP?
  • What progress has the child made over the past year, especially in relation to each SEND?
  • What are the parents’/carers’ views of the past year’s progress?
  • What are the child’s views of the past year’s progress?
  • How successful has the child been in meeting the short term targets?
  • Is the current provision appropriate to the child’s needs?
  • What targets should be set for the coming year?
  • Have there been any significant changes to the child’s circumstances?
  • Have there been any significant changes in the child’s special educational needs?
  • How will the child’s progress be assessed?
  • Are there any particular strategies that have led to improvement?
  • Are there any particular requirements to promote inclusion?
  • Are any amendments to the EHCP necessary?
  • Should the LA be recommended to cease to maintain the EHCP?
  • If a parent/carer is unable to attend the review how and when will the outcome of the meeting be conveyed to them?

Reviews in the chronological year prior to secondary transfer must indicate the provision required in secondary school. Records of these reviews will be submitted to the LA no later than 30 November each year to enable the LA to amend each child’s EHCP as necessary and name the appropriate secondary school before the deadline in mid-February.

School Transfer

When children move schools whether at a phase transfer or at any other time, primary schools are required to transfer school records for all pupils within 15 days of the child ceasing to be registered at the school. At Lord Blyton Primary School we strive to ensure that all relevant SEND documentation and IEPs are received by the new school within this time limit. It is also hoped that during cross-phase transfer to secondary school during the Summer term, that the SENCO at Lord Blyton Primary School will be able to make contact with the SENCO at the receiving school and consult with he/she regarding the specific needs of the child they are receiving.

In-Service Training

The Special Educational Needs Policy and Guidelines are subject to regular whole school review and evaluation. When particular issues related to SEND arise, a staff meeting agenda will be set aside to deal with them and relevant external professionals will be invited to contribute, as appropriate.

The SENCO (head teacher or representative) will attend relevant courses and will ensure that all staff are familiar with developments in relation to SEND. Standards Fund allocations in respect of SEND will be utilised to the full.

Training, for both teaching and non-teaching staff will be provided as necessary and the SENCO will ensure that all staff are aware of training available within the LA Continuing Professional Development Programme as well as from outside agencies. Priorities for training in relation to SEND will be specified within the School Improvement Plan.

The designated Governor will give feedback to the whole Governing Body on SEND provision at termly governor’s meetings and also to parents at the Annual Parents Meeting.

Governors will be given the opportunity to attend professional training days including those that focus on SEND.

All staff will be encouraged to attend courses that help them to acquire and further develop the skills needed to work with pupils with SEND.

Partnership with Parents/Carers

We firmly believe in developing a strong partnership with parents/carers and that this will help children and young people with SEND to achieve their potential. The school recognises that parents have a unique overview of a child’s needs and how best to support them and that this gives them a key role in the home/school partnership. The school will make available, to all parents of pupils with SEND, details of the Parent Partnership Service available through the LA.

Pupil Participation

When monitoring a child under SEN Support, we will endeavour where appropriate to:

  • involve the child in decision making about the methods for meeting their individual needs
  • discuss the purpose of the assessment arrangements and the implications of the Provision Map with the child
  • encourage the child to set at least one target for themselves to be included in their Provision Map
  • encourage the child to comment on his or her SEND provision through an appropriate medium
  • encourage the child’s active participation in the implementation and monitoring of the Provision Map
  • invite the child to attend all or at least part of review meetings, as appropriate, preparing them carefully to enable them to contribute effectively
  • aim to further develop the child’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

Links With External Agencies/Organisations

The school recognises the important contribution that external support services make in assisting to identify, assess and provide for pupils with SEND.

When it is considered necessary, colleagues from the following support services will be involved with pupils with SEND:

  • Psychological Service
  • SEN Support Service (SEND)
  • The Health Trusts
    • Health Visitors/ School Nurse/Speech therapists
    • Physiotherapists
    • Emotional Resilience Team

In addition, strong links will be maintained with the following organisations:

  • Education Welfare Service
  • Sure Start
  • Emotional Well Being Team CAMS

Complaints Procedure

The school’s complaints procedure is outlined on the School Website. The SEND Code of Practice outlines additional measures the LA must set up for preventing and resolving disagreements.  These will be explained to parents if required.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Review of the SEND Policy and Guidelines

This document is subject to annual review as part of the cycle of whole school self- evaluation. The outcomes of this review are used to inform the School Improvement Plan. All staff are involved in the review, development and evaluation of the SEND policy and guidelines including the school’s procedures for identifying, assessing and providing for children with special educational needs. Its effectiveness is considered in the light of the following performance indicators:

  • levels of differentiation by task and by outcome reflected in weekly planning and evident in lesson observations
  • measurable progress made by individual children
  • monitoring reports on classroom observations prepared by Head Teacher and Deputy Headteacher
  • Meetings with parents and carers

In reading this policy, account should be taken of the following statements:

Equal Opportunities and Racial Equality

The Governors and staff are committed to working with all members of the community to ensure that everyone has equality of opportunity and no one will suffer or be disadvantaged by direct or indirect discrimination.  We ensure that all pupils have equal access to the full range of educational opportunities provided by the school.

We have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children. We will make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services to prevent them being disadvantaged. We have a duty to prevent discrimination and we promote equality of opportunity and foster good relationships.

Disability Statement

Lord Blyton Primary School is committed to the principles of inclusion. We have a caring, supportive ethos that seeks to value all individuals. Our school promoted equality of opportunity to people with a disability; pupils, staff, parents, carers, visitors, governors and others who use our school.

By promoting a positive attitude towards people with a disability we aim to eliminate discrimination and harassment related to disability and thereby fulfil an essential component of our ethos.

We will involve people with a disability in forming the direction that our school takes to promote equality of opportunity and accessibility to the school environment. We will also seek to encourage full participation of disabled people in the school community even if this requires more favourable treatment.

Date of implementation: July 2020

Date of review: July 2021

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