SEND

Special educational needs and disability (SEND)

SENDCo: Mrs Melanie Capes

SEND Governor: Clare Greenhalgh

Ingoldsby Academy Local Offer:

 What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs (SEN+D)?

Contact your child’s class teacher to discuss any concerns.

Together you will decide on a plan of action.

The Special Needs and Disability Co-ordinator (SENDCo) will be informed and if appropriate, the child will be placed on the Special Needs Register.

Targets may be put together or outside agency may be requested.

Contact:  enquiries@ingoldsbyacademy.co.uk 

What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs (SEN)?    

• Contact your child’s class teacher to discuss any concerns.
• Together you will decide on a plan of action.
• The Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCO) will be informed and if appropriate, the child will be placed on the Special Needs Register.
• Targets may be put together or an outside agency may be requested.

How will the school respond to my concerns?

• Initial concerns may be discussed at parent consultations.
• Further meetings may take place with or without the SENDCO, depending on the needs of the child.
• Assessments or observations may be requested by external agencies to support with setting suitable targets.
• A termly support plan will be put together, if your child appears to have special educational needs, including specific targets.
• The plan will be shared with the pupil, parents and supporting adults.
• The targets will be reviewed with pupils and parents within three months.

How will the school decide if my child needs extra support?

• Decisions would be made based on both formal and informal methods including:
• Adult observations over a period of time (by class teacher, teaching assistants, midday supervisors)
• Monitoring data (collected and analysed every term)
• Pupil discussion - do they find something challenging ? (this could be academic, communication, social, emotional or behavioural, physical)
• Discussion with parents.

How does the academy know if children need extra help and what should parents do if they think their child may have special educational needs?

At Ingoldsby Academy children are identified as having SEN through a variety of ways including the following:

• Liaison with previous academy/setting
• Foundation Stage Assessments
• Conversations with staff following concerns with staff completing an SEN concern form
• Data tracking at each KPI point
• Pupil Progress Challenge Meetings (PPCM) following each KPI point with Senior Leadership Team to discuss academic progress and any concerns
• Weekly Key Marginal meetings with senior leaders
• Liaison with external agencies (e.g. Specialist Advisory Service, Educational Psychologist etc.)
• Identification through Child Protection Plans/meetings

Conversations with parents/ carers following concerns – open door policy for all parents/ carers

How does the academy support pupils with special educational needs?

 SEN Support for Cognition and Learning Needs – children in Foundation Stage, KS1 or KS2.  Small group/individual interventions. There may also be input by other appropriate agencies and their recommendations/programmes will be included as part of the child’s provision, such as: Specialist Advisory Service, Service for Hearing and Visually Impaired, Educational Psychology, Paediatric Services, Speech and Language

SEN Support for Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs – children in Foundation Stage, KS1 or KS2.  The TSP will include the facility for ‘Time Out’, and the opportunity to speak to a member of our Academic Support Unit (ASU). These children may also have a ‘daily diary’ which when completed in partnership with home provides an effective method of monitoring behaviour patterns. Within the school day, the child may also have a Brilliance Blog and/or Reward Rocket to focus on the positive elements of each day. Pastoral Support Programmes (such as Lego Therapy) may be implemented and these could include a modified timetable for attendance to support transition back into full time attendance should exclusions have been necessary. These are subject to review in line with TSPs or more frequently when appropriate.

SEN Support for Medical Needs – children in Foundation Stage, KS1 or KS2.  The child will have a Health Care Plan detailing their needs, medication, actions and contact phone numbers. The plans are held digitally on a secure system with any necessary medication being held in a locked cupboard within our medical room. The plans are written in conjunction with parents and healthcare professionals. They are updated when a change of condition/need arises. All adults within the academy will be fully aware of, and follow, the contents of the plan.  All Phases have named first aiders and two key staff in based in the Academy Office are responsible for administering medication.

Education Health and Care Plan - all children with an EHCP have a TSP which is written by the teacher in consultation with SENDCO, TAs and other agencies as appropriate. These detail the small steps which pupils need to achieve as progress towards their longer term EHCP targets. TSPs are reviewed at least termly.

What mechanisms are in place for supporting pupils’ overall wellbeing?

The administration of medicines is run by the academy office. Parents much complete a form regarding the medicine, dosage and personal details before signing it to state that they are happy for the medicine to be administered.  Medicines are kept in a locked cupboard within the medical room. We have first aiders across the academy including paediatric first aid, diabetes and Epipen training.

We have a whole academy approach to managing behaviour which is adopted by all staff. Children are aware of the behaviour policy and the consequences if they do not follow the expectations.

Attendance is monitored closely by the Principal and the Senior Leadership Team. Home visits and phone calls take place as required and the academy liaise with the local authority Education Welfare Officer (EWO) with Academy Attendance Lead meetings being held when necessary.

How will parents know how their child is doing?

Communications with parents are mainly established by the class teacher but may also be via SLT. The EWO, SLT may also carry out home visits.. Newsletters are sent home Monthly and our curriculum, children’s work and photographs are on the academy website/Twitter feed. 

Parents receive Mid-Year reports as well as an annual report and Parent Consultation meetings are held termly. Parents do not have to wait for a consultation meeting to be held – they can ask for an appointment any time as per our ‘open door’ policy.. Parents are also invited to join their child for a variety of events across the academic year.

Parents of children with an EHCP are formally invited to review meetings at least annually for the Annual Review. Parents of those children on the SEN Register have the opportunity to attend Parent Consultations termly and additional appointments are made as the need arises.

How are the academy’s resources allocated and matched to pupils’ SEN?

SEN funding is clearly allocated in our budget, as targeted funding for SEN, which is allocated for resources and training and is used to support any child with additional needs, including those children with EHCPs. The Principal is responsible for the SEND budget. 

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

Staff members of staff have been trained in Team Teach (Positive Handling).  The SENDCO has received Level 3 Autism training. We have first aiders across the academy including paediatric first aid and Epipen training. We access support from the Specialist Advisory Service, Speech and Language Service, Behaviour Outreach Support Service, St Francis LCC Physical Disability Outreach and other support services on a termly basis or as required.

How are pupils included in activities outside the classroom including trips?

All children have access to the National Curriculum through Quality First Teaching in all subjects. When needed, extra support and resources are provided in all subject areas, including trips, with parents being involved in planning these activities and trips to help consider what reasonable adjustments are required.

How does the academy prepare and support pupils to join the academy, transfer to a new academy or the next stage of education and life in order to ensure their well-being?

At points of transition, children spend at least a day with their new teacher before the summer break. Their new teacher will also discuss each child with the previous teacher and exercise books will move up with each child to their new class. Pastoral and academic needs are discussed. Specific plans for transition are put into place for children with SEN if needed.

Before joining a secondary academy, the children are visited by a member of staff before visiting their new academy. Staff from both settings liaise and transfer forms are filled in.  If it is needed, additional meetings are held for individual children and extra visits to the academy are arranged. 

 How does the academy support parents with special educational needs?

Parents are to make us aware if they have a special need and to let us know how we can best support or  make reasonable adjustments to procedures and policies, or provide aids to help access to our services, like putting information in accessible formats.