St. Mary's C. of E. Primary Academy

St Mary’s CE Primary and Nursery Academy

Special Educational Needs Information

(Local Offer)

At St Mary’s School we are committed to ensuring that all children become independent learners and reach their full potential. We aim to identify children’s individual and specific areas of need early and make provision to meet their needs.

 

 

 

1. What kinds of support do we offer for children with Special Educational Needs?

 

• Quality First Teaching
• Small group targeted intervention
• Individual targeted interventions

 

• Cognition and Learning

The types of SEN that we support at St Mary’s are:

-     How your child thinks, learns and understands their world.

• Communication and Interaction

-     How your child talks to, listens, responds, plays and learns with other children and adults.

• Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties

-     How your child shows their feelings, negotiates and solves problems in different situations and handles changes of routine.

• Sensory and/or Physical needs

-     How your child responds to their environment and learning using their senses and any diagnosed medical issues.

We support children through Quality First Teaching

This means that:

• The teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
• All teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and understands.
• Different ways of teaching are used so that your child is fully motivated to be involved in their learning.
• Your child’s progress is constantly checked to ensure that the teaching and any additional resources meets their needs.
• Working in small group sessions on specific targets or objectives to support their progress.
• These sessions are usually led by a Teaching Assistant, under the direction of the Class Teacher, or the Class Teacher with advice from the Senco.
• Progress is constantly monitored to ensure that this small group work meets the group’s needs.
• Working 1 to 1 on specific targets to support their progress.
• These sessions are usually led by a trained Teaching Assistant, under the direction of the Class Teacher, or the Class Teacher with advice from the Senco and any outside agencies involved.
• Progress is constantly monitored to ensure that 1 to 1 interventions are meeting the child’s needs.
  • Firstly contact your child’s class teacher
  • Senco/Inclusion Manager
  • Assistant Head Teacher or Deputy Head Teacher
• Regular discussions with parents/carers about any concerns with your child’s learning or progress.
• Class Teachers will raise concerns with parents/carers and the Senco following day to day teaching and observations or end of term assessments.
• Class Teachers, Senco and Senior Managers will identify children who are not making expected progress from the schools tracking system. This is carried out at least three times a year.
• Advice is requested from appropriate outside agencies to identify specific needs using specialist assessment.
• Set and review individual targets three times a year.
• Check that additional support the child receives is planned and monitored carefully by the class teacher and Senco.
• Have regular meetings between Class Teachers, Senco, Teaching Assistants and Senior Managers to discuss children’s progress and provision.
  • Class Teachers will meet with parents/carers at least on a termly basis, this could be part of Parent’s evening or as a review of termly targets to discuss and review your child’s needs, support and progress.
• The Senco is available for further information and discussion.
• Children with a Statement/Education,Health Care Plan will have annual reviews.
  • Precision Teaching
  • Direct Instruction
  • Executive Function
  • All staff have been trained at level 1 for Autism.
• Open door policy to listen to parents/carers about their concerns.
• Regular review meetings
• Parents evenings
• Annual reviews for children with statements
• Class assemblies, some specific class workshops
  • Developing and achieving targets
  • Attending parents’ evenings with parents
  • Self-assessment and evaluation
  • All children are encouraged to speak to members of staff if they have a concern or are worried about anything.
  • Learning mentors
  • Pupil Voice/School Council
  • Annual Review Meetings
  • IEPs
  • One page profile
  • Visit to existing school or home visit where relevant.
  • Transition days – staggered at times of the day to meet the needs of the child eg after school, during class time.

We support children through targeted group work.

 

This is where your child works with a smaller group of children, who are at a similar place in their learning, often called an intervention or booster group.

For your child this would mean:

We support children through targeted individual work

For your child this would mean:

2. How are Special Educational Needs identified?

 

How do parents/carers raise concerns?

 

Talk to us:

We pride ourselves on listening to and building positive relationships with our parents/carers.

How does the school identify a child’s Special Educational Need?

3. How will school monitor the progress of children with SEN?

We:

Who will explain this to me?

4. What extra-curricular activities can a pupil with Special Educational Needs access at school?

St Mary’s is an inclusive school and all activities are available to pupils with SEN. If appropriate reasonable adjustments will be made to meet the needs of the individual child so they can participate.

Class teachers will be able to tell you what before and after school clubs/activities are available.

5. Who are the best people to talk to about SEN?

 

We always encourage you to speak to your child’s class teacher about any concerns you may have about your child. However, if you have a specific concern about your child’s learning, special educational or additional need then the Senco/Inclusion Manager can be available to speak to you.

The Senco is a teacher who is responsible for supporting members of staff, parents/carers/carers and pupils in meeting the additional needs of all children. They have specialised training in co-ordinating SEN across the school.

The name of our Senco is:

Mrs Booker

The name of our Inclusion Manager is:

Mrs Booker

They can be contacted by arranging an appointment through the school office.

6. What training does the staff in school have to support children with Special Educational Needs?

To ensure our staff have the skills and knowledge to support children with SEN there is a programme of on-going training, both in school and off-site.

Recent training has included:

7. How does the school get more specialist help?

 

At St Mary’s if we feel a child needs more specialist help we can work with a range of outside agencies. We may need your permission before some specialists will become involved with your child.

Agency or Service	Who they work with
Educational Psychology Service	Children with more significant and complex learning needs. Provide school staff with advice on teaching strategies, resources, individual and whole school training
Pupil and School Support (PSS)	Provide school staff with advice on teaching strategies and resources, individual and whole school training to support pupils with difficulties in Language, Literacy and Maths. Individual assessments of pupils who are not making progress in Language, Literacy and Maths and advice on next steps.
Speech and Language Therapy Service (SaLT)	Children who are referred by the GP or school who have specific speech or language needs. Provide school with advice on work that can be carried out in school as well as providing specific programmes in clinic.
Communication and Autism Team	Children with social and communication difficulties or a diagnosis of Autism. Provide individual and whole school training for staff with advice on teaching strategies, resources for pupils with Autism.
Sensory Support Service	Children with visual or hearing impairments. Provide school with advice regarding resources and strategies to support children with sensory impairments
Wilson Stuart Outreach	Children with gross motor skill difficulties. Provide school with advice regarding resources and strategies to support children with physical difficulties.
City of Birmingham School (Behaviour support)	Children with challenging behaviours. Provide school staff with advice on teaching strategies, resources, individual and whole school training
Health professionals	Provide advice and support for staff working with individual children with health needs. School Nurse Occupational therapist Physiotherapist Child Development Centre
CAMHS	Children with specific mental health issues e.g. anxiety/ depression.

8. How are the parents of children involved in the education of pupils with Special Educational Needs?

 

9. How are pupils with Special Educational Needs involved in their own education?

 

All pupils are involved and encouraged to take part in their own learning journey, for example:

Children identified with SEN additional needs are also involved in:

10. How is the governing body involved in supporting families of children with Special Educational Needs?

 

At St Mary’s we have a designated governor with responsibility for SEN who liaises with the Senco/Inclusion Manager to ensure that the Governors are informed about provision, progress and well-being of our children with SEN. To ensure confidentiality any feedback or reports do not name individual children.

If you have concerns about how school deals with your child regarding any SEN issues you can discuss these with the Deputy Head Teacher in the first instance, the Head Teacher or the Governing body.

The name of our SEN Governor is:

Mr Bagley

If you want to discuss any issues with our SEN Governor, he can be contacted by arranging an appointment through the school office.

11. What support services are available to help Parents/carers with children with Special Educational Needs?

 

Our school SENCO will be able to advise you on the support services available to you, both locally and nationally.

It is recommended that you contact your GP to discuss any concerns you may have about your child’s needs and to seek medical support, guidance and assessments if appropriate.

Parent Partnership Services are a support service we also recommend to you. They can offer independent and unbiased advice and information about the assessment procedures and educational provision for your child.

12. How will we support your child through transitions?

 

Before your child starts at our school:

When they are moving to a new school:

• Additional visits to the new school for children with specific needs
• Contacting key personnel at receiving school.
• Reviews centred on the needs of your child involving yourself, staff and relevant agencies when appropriate (Person Centred Review).
• All relevant documentation about your child shared with new setting.

When children are moving into the next class:

• Your child’s new teacher will be informed of your child’s likes, dislikes and what works best for them (One Page Profile).

You can find the Birmingham Local Authority’s local offer by clicking on the link below,