All Saints Babbacombe Church of England Primary School (Torquay)

SEN Information

What special education provision is available at our setting?

At All Saints Babbacombe C of E Primary School, we are committed to offering an inclusive curriculum to ensure the best possible progress for all of our pupils, whatever their needs or abilities. In addition to ‘quality first teaching’ we provide the following facilities and support:

• Qualified SENDCO (NASCO)
• Nurture sessions for identified children to support emotional and social development
• Weekly SEAL small group work for children who require additional help with the social and emotional aspects of learning
• Bereavement Counselling with a trained Bereavement Counsellor
• Weekly 1 hour sessions with School counsellor for identified children who need specialised support with self-esteem, managing behaviour, social skills and friendships
• Speech and Language therapist and S&L teaching assistants
• CLL trained teaching assistants who deliver tailored programmes of support
• Designated areas for 1:1 sessions and small group work
• Educational Psychologist for advice and assessments
• Use of diagnostic assessments
• Primary Consultant for Learning and Inclusion
• Health Visitors and Social Workers
• Early years Advisory Support
• Access to Chestnut/Mayfield and WESC Outreach
• iPads and other ICT access technology
• Literacy and Maths Interventions delivered by trained teaching assistants i.e. Rapid Readers, Rapid Writers, Rapid Maths
• Braille Resources as provided by WESC (if required)
• Specific Learning Difficulties interventions e.g. Toe by Toe, Word Wasp, Write from the Start
• Dyslexia friendly Access Strategies (Mind mapping, word banks, writing frames, coloured backgrounds on Smartboard, coloured worksheets)
• Advice and support from School Nurse and other specialists e.g. diabetic nurse, physiotherapist
• Flexible individual timetabled provision for specific needs

What criteria must be satisfied before children and young people can access this provision/service?

Parents or carers seeking the admission of a pupil with mobility difficulties are advised to approach the school well in advance so that consultations can take place and provision made. The school does not have a special unit. As a primary school which is committed to offering an inclusive curriculum we:

• are an inclusive Provider who will consider placements for any child from aged 4 – 11 years whose parent(s)/carer(s) wish them to access our provision
• are committed to following the guidance as laid out in the Equalities Act 2010
• will discuss with parent(s)/carer(s) the needs of their child and how we will meet their needs working in partnership with any other parties/agencies
• establish the child’s needs and then seek advice, access training and/or resources to make every reasonable effort to enable the child to access our provision

 

How do we identify the particular special educational needs of a child or young person?

The school is committed to early identification of special educational need and adopts a graduated response to meeting special educational need in line with the Code of Practice 2015.

The procedure is as follows:

1. A range of evidence is collected through the usual assessment and monitoring arrangements: if this suggests that the learner is not making the expected progress, the class teacher will liaise with parent(s)/carer(s) and consult with the SENDCO in order to decide whether additional and/or different provision is necessary.
2. Initial additional provision can include: 1:1 tuition, additional adult support from teaching assistants, small group intervention for learning or self-esteem. Progress is closely monitored.
3. Where progress and attainment continues to be less than expected, further consultation and advice will be sought from external agencies such as the Primary Consultant for Inclusion, Educational Psychologist, paediatrician, school nurse, Speech and Language therapist.

Provision/action that is additional to or different from that available to all will be recorded in an Individual Support Plan (ISP) or Individual Behavioural Plan (IBP). This will be written by the teacher but in consultation with pupils, parent(s)/carer(s).

How do we consult with parents and/or children and young people about their needs?

Consultation about needs takes the following form:

• Families are welcome to visit the school and are encouraged to discuss their child’s needs and ask questions about our provision.
• Prior to admission, a Multi-agency meeting can be arranged when required to ensure good continuity of care. At this meeting the class teacher and SENDCO gathers information and documents from parent(s)/carer(s), other professionals (such as Speech and Language therapists, school nurse, paediatrician, physiotherapist) and providers from the previous settings. This information is used to establish the child’s needs and plan appropriate provision in consultation with the child, parent(s)/carer(s) and other professionals.
• A phased transition may be required in some circumstances and this can be accommodated e.g. pre-visits, reduced or amended timetable.
• Daily and weekly communication between school and parents can take place as required through home -school books, verbal exchanges, learning diaries, email, the school’s communication app and phone calls.
• Each half term class teachers, support staff, parents and the SENDCO discuss attainment, progression and provision for all pupils, including those identified with having additional needs (SEND pupils). Class teachers meet with parents and students to discuss progress, attainment and provision at least termly. At these meetings EHCPs, ISPs and IBPs are reviewed and new targets are set.

For children with statements/Education & Health Care Plans (EHCP), annual reviews take place to monitor and evaluate the continued effectiveness and relevance of the provision set out in the statement/EHCP.

Pupil questionnaires are currently used to gather the child’s view of their progress. Parents are encouraged to provide their own views in writing prior to the annual review, or these views can be recorded at the meeting itself.

 

What is our approach to teaching children and young people with special educational needs?

All Saints Babbacombe Primary School has high ambitions for all of its students and expects them to participate and achieve in every aspect of school life.
Our commitment to equal opportunities is driven by the National Curriculum Inclusion statement. The school aims to:

• Provide all pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum, differentiated and adjusted to meet the needs of individual pupils and their preferred learning styles.
• Commit to an inclusive curriculum and to removing barriers in every area of the life of the school.
• Provide equal opportunities for all.

Provide effective learning opportunities for all pupils by:

1. Setting suitable learning challenges
2. Responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs
3. Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment

As an inclusive school we are committed to ensuring pupils with SEND can engage in activities with their peers.

Where a child is identified as having special educational needs we aim to provide the appropriate resources to meet these needs. We work with other professionals and follow their advice to create Individual Support Plans for children with additional needs.

Where a child’s needs are very complex, requiring high levels of support, specialist equipment and expertise, a mainstream school may not be the most appropriate setting to meet the child’s needs and enable them to reach their full potential.

Discussions with parent(s)/carer(s) SENDCO, other professionals and the Local Authority may conclude that a special school or specialist provision attached to a mainstream school would meet the child’s needs more effectively.

How can we adapt our curriculum for children and young people with special educational needs?

At All Saints Babbacombe we believe all children have a right to a broad, balanced and relevant education, which provides continuity and progression, and takes individual differences into account.

Children in the Foundation Stage (in Class R) follow the Foundation Stage curriculum for 3 to 5 year olds, which provides continuity in their learning from nursery and pre-school. This Early Years curriculum is based on first hand experiences and lots of planned play opportunities to enable children to make progress in all areas of the curriculum. For children with SEND the ISP will differentiate and adapt the EYFS curriculum to ensure accessibility through:

• Small group support in class from teacher or TA
• Differentiated tasks and activities
• Extensive use of visual support
• Provision of individual visual timetables and checklists
• Scaffolding e.g. writing frames, story maps
• ICT programmes to adapt learning activities to enable access
• Pre-teaching of vocabulary

For children in Years 1 to 6, the National Curriculum programmes of study form the core of what is taught, including maths, English, science, computing, design technology, art, music, history, geography, MFL, PE and RE. Learning is planned in several short, focussed learning experiences each half term; sometimes
a specific subject may be taught in a block. Within this broad curriculum we also put great importance on learning the basic skills of literacy and numeracy.

For children with SEND the focussed learning activities will be differentiated to meet specific needs, with resources and apparatus to support learning provided (e.g. word banks, ICT). Where required, intervention learning programmes will also be developed and used. Monitoring of progress will take place through regular teacher assessment and termly pupil conferences.

How will we ensure we get the services, provision and equipment that children and young people need?

All Saints Babbacombe School, in addition to the Head teacher, Class teacher and classroom support staff who monitor provision and progress, we have the following support systems for the children in our care: 1:1 tuition, SENDCO, school counsellor, pastoral workers (Nuture, Seal), bereavement counsellor, friendship mentor and SEND governor.

When a child does not make expected progress, despite intervention programmes and support, in-school diagnostic assessments are used to identify more precisely the child’s learning difficulties. Diagnostic materials used are: Dyslexia Portfolio (reading), British Picture Vocabulary Scale (cognition), NFER Reading test, Vernon spelling test, Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT).

In addition All Saints Babbacombe liaises with other professionals and agencies e.g. School Nurse, paediatricians, Primary Consultant for Inclusion, Speech and Language, Educational Psychologist, SEND outreach, Social Services, CAMHS, WESC outreach etc. The SENDCO and class teacher then coordinate advice, support and assessments from these agencies to ensure that the child and his/her parent(s)/carer(s) get the support they need. This may also include the loan of specialist equipment to the school (e.g. WESC monitors for Visually Impaired children).

 

How is this provision funded?

Provision for meeting the needs of children with special educational needs is funded by the school’s notional SEND budget. In addition, some children access Pupil Premium funding, which is provided to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils from reception to year 11.

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/raising-the-achievement-of-disadvantaged-children/supporting-pages/pupil-premium

Children with more complex special educational needs and/or disability who have an Education Health and Care Plan (previously a Statement of Special Educational Needs) have a personal allocation for additional support to meet identified needs. This is monitored by the Local Authority.

The inclusion budget is monitored by the Headteacher, governing body and SENDCO. Resources are allocated according to need.

 

What additional learning support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how do they access it?

In addition to having access to classroom based resources such as mind mapping, visual time tables, ICT programmes, Rapid Reading, Rapid Writers, Rapid Maths, multi-sensory resources and Numicon, children with SEND receive support from teaching assistants for small group work and on occasions, may have 1:1 sessions. Friendship mentors and pastoral care programmes are available when required.

The SENDCO will also signpost, encourage and support parent(s)/carer(s) to engage with services such as:

• Speech and Language
• Health Visitors & Social Workers
• Support groups for Families
• Action for Children

Advice from Early Years Advisory Support and Primary Consultant for Inclusion is used to develop child friendly ISPs to enable SEND children to access the curriculum.

We are committed to involving other bodies, including Health and Social Care, Local Authority support services and voluntary sector organisations as appropriate in meeting pupils’ SEND and supporting their families.

How do we support and improve the emotional and social development of children and young people with special educational needs?

All Saints Babbacombe has the following additional support available to improve the emotional and social development of all children, including those with SEND. Members of staff have been trained to deliver the following:

• Nuture (to include anger/behaviour management)
• SEAL small group work
• Bereavement counselling

Additional support includes:

• Alternative lunchtime arrangements e.g. Lego Club, ICT Club, Gardening Group
• Friendship mentor
• Social Stories

We also employ a qualified Counsellor who meets with identified children on a weekly basis for 1:1 counselling

 

How do we support children and young people with special educational needs moving between phases of education and preparing for adulthood?

At All Saints Babbacombe School children are supported at every stage as they move between phases of education as follows:

Starting Primary School
Information is gathered from preschools, nursery settings and parent(s)/carer(s). This is collated with any information received from outside agencies e.g. hospitals, social services.

Moving to the next class
Transition arrangements take place in the summer term so that children are able to meet their new teacher and become accustomed to new routines. Teachers, SENDCO and support workers liaise to ensure transition is smooth and that the child is confident about moving to the next class.

Transition to Secondary School/Moving settings
Children with special educational needs who are transferring to secondary school or moving settings have an enhanced transition programme. The SENDCOs from both settings will liaise and make appropriate arrangements, which will include additional visits to the school, over several weeks if required. Parent(s) and carer(s) are consulted and involved in the transition process at every stage.

Whether the child is changing setting or moving on to secondary education, we encourage and can arrange for future teachers to meet the child in the current setting. All documentation is completed e.g. ISPs, EHCPs and sent securely to the new school.

 

What other support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how can they access it?

To inform parents and carers about other support available, we keep them informed by:

• Providing leaflets
• Promoting Events and Services
• Recommending the Torbay Directory for ideas available on support and services

 

What extra-curricular activities are available for children and young people with special educational needs?

Extra-curricular activities at All Saints Babbacombe are fully inclusive and wherever possible, all children are encouraged to take part; many of them are free.

The extra-curricular activities vary each term and may include:

• Craft Club
• Cookery Club
• Guitar Club
• Samba
• Football
• Drama/performing arts
• Multi-sports
• Choir

 

How do we assess and review progress towards agreed outcomes, and how are parents, children and young people involved in this process?

Progress is assessed and reviewed by the following:

• Regular monitoring of progress through learning diaries and assessment tasks; where necessary adjustments are made to provision to meet needs
• Ongoing dialogue with parents and carers and the child, daily/weekly as necessary to share information and discuss provision
• Termly review meetings with parents and carers and children to review targets and set new ones in ISPs.
• Termly parents’ evening
• Monitoring of children with statements/EHCPs by the Primary Consultant for Inclusion (at least annually)
• Meetings with Early Years Advisors

How do we assess the effectiveness of our special needs provision and how are parents, children and young people involved in this assessment?

We ensure the special needs provision for SEND children is effective by monitoring and reviewing our provision through the use of SEND audits, self-assessments and action plans to monitor provision.

In addition to termly SEND review meetings and annual reviews for pupils with statements/EHCPs, the Inclusion Policy and Local Offer is reviewed annually, which includes consultation by the SENDCO and SEND governor with pupils, parents and staff.

OFSTED also inspects and reports on the provision, progress and attainment of pupils with additional needs. All Saints Babbacombe’s most recent inspection in January 2014 reports that:
‘Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make particularly good progress because they are given activities that suit their individual needs.’

Parents are encouraged to share feedback about the effectiveness of the provision with class teachers, the SENDCO and Headteacher.

How do we ensure that teaching staff and other staff have the expertise needed to support children and young people with special educational needs?

Staff at All Saints Babbacombe School regularly attend relevant training sessions as part of Continuing professional Development (CPD) to ensure skills are current. The SENDCO attends SEND Conferences, SENDCO and Forums and has the National SENDCO Award qualification. Our teachers, teaching assistants, learning support assistants and mealtime assistants have a wide range of qualifications, training and experience of working with children with a varied range of needs including:

• Hearing Impairment
• Visual impairment
• Specific medical conditions including asthma, eczema, ADHD, diabetes, hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy
• Autistic Spectrum Disorders including Asperger’s
• Speech, Language and Communication needs
• Emotional difficulties including attachment disorder, oppositional defiance disorder, bereavement, parental divorce
• Developmental disorders

Where a training need is identified to support a particular pupil, professional development for that member of staff is accessed through the CPD Coordinator.

Deployment of support staff to individual children and year groups is carefully tailored to meet the need and regularly reviewed.

How do we keep parents informed where children and young people have special educational provision but do not have an Education Health and Care Plan?

All children on the SEND register have a personal plan (EHCP, ISP or IBP) which is reviewed at least termly with parent(s)/carer(s), child, teacher and SENDCO. Progress and attainment over time is discussed, the effectiveness of the provision is considered and new targets agreed. The plans will be amended to reflect current needs and to help the child achieve future targets.

Should there be a concern the class teacher will contact the parent(s)/carer(s) by telephone or email and arrange a meeting. Likewise, if the parent(s)/carer(s) need to contact the class teacher this can be done via a note in the home-school book, telephone call, the school’s communication app or email.

How can parents, children and young people make a complaint about our provision?

Should there be a concern about provision, we welcome communication and the following steps should be taken:

• Contact the class teacher to arrange a meeting to discuss the concerns.
• Further support can be sought from the SENDCO Liz Curran.
• Arrange a meeting to speak to the headteacher.
• Information about making a formal complaint can be obtained via the school office.
• Parents and carers can also seek advice from SENDIASS Torbay www.sendiasstorbay.org.uk

How can parents, children and young people get more information about the setting?

If your child has a disability or a Special Educational Need and you would like more information about what we offer at All Saints Babbacombe School, contact us on 01803 329131 to arrange a visit.

You can also visit the school website http://www.allsaintsbabbacombe.org or email us at admin@allsaintsbabbacombe.org

All Saints Babbacombe School welcomes pupils of all abilities and needs but may not be able to accommodate a child’s needs if the year group is full, or it already has a high number of pupils with specific or complex special educational needs.

How the school involves other bodies, including health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in meeting children and young people’s SEN and supporting their families?

Staff at All Saints Babbacombe School liaise with health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations through regular scheduled meetings, alongside further consultations, emails, telephone conversations and staff training as and when required - this in turn allows a varied and flexible approach towards supporting our pupils with SEND and their families according to the child’s needs.

The SENDCO holds scheduled meetings (usually termly) with the:

• School nurse
• Educational Psychologist
• Local Authority advisory teacher  
• Speech therapist
• School SEND governor

Involvement of other bodies including local authority support services, health and social care also take place through:

• Multi-agency meetings
• Staff training e.g. school nurse epi-pen training
• Referrals to/reports from Occupational Therapy support
• Referrals to & reports/goal summaries from Speech & Language Therapy services
• Liaisons with/reports from paediatricians and GPs.
• Telephone consultations
• In school consultations e.g. ADHD consultation meetings
• Outreach support from Chestnut/Mayfield schools
• ICT outreach support

What arrangements are in place for supporting children who are looked after by the local authority and have SEN?

The school has a designated teacher (DT) for looked after children, who liaises with the child’s carers, social worker and family (if appropriate), to ensure that any additional needs are identified and met. Advice and training from a range of support services, including the Virtual School, may be accessed as appropriate.

Each looked after child has a PEP (Personal Education Plan), identifying academic and social & emotional targets, and these are monitored and reviewed termly in the PEP meeting; any additional provision is identified and costed within the plan.