Special Educational Needs and Disability ( SEND) Information Report
2019 -2020
At St Winifred’s we are committed to inclusion and we strive to maintain a loving and caring school community where everyone feels welcome, secure and valued. Supported by close co-operation with the home, parish and wider community, our children will grow into fulfilled, educated people ready to take the Christian message into the world.
Inclusion Manager
Fiona Cullen
02088578792
- What kind of Special Educational Needs are provided for at St Winifred’s?
Additional and/or different provision is made in school for children whose needs may fall into one or more of the four categories identified in the 2014 SEND Code of Practice:
- Cognition and Learning ( moderate learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyspraxia)
- Sensory, Medical and Physical ( hearing impairment, sensory processing difficulties, epilepsy)
- Communication and Interaction ( Autistic Spectrum Condition, selective mutism, speech and language difficulties)
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health.
- How do we identify children with SEND and assess their needs?
Parents and carers are encouraged to inform us of any learning needs their child has. Children’s needs may be identified from school visits, or from previous settings, before the child starts school. Whole school assessments are carried out each term by class teachers, which enables them to identify learning needs and ensure appropriate support is given.
Each term pupil progress meetings are held between class teachers, the head teacher and the Inclusion Manager to review pupil progress and attainment and agree on future support.
Additional assessment tools may be used in school by the Inclusion team staff to obtain further understanding of a child’s learning difficulties.
These include:
- Dyslexia Portfolio
- British Picture Vocabulary Scale III
- Ravens Coloured Progressive Matrices
- Active Literacy Kit & Units of Sound.
When a child is identified as needing support the class teacher provides interventions which are additional to and different from those provided as part of the usual differentiated curriculum. If further support is required, following agreement with parents and carers, we may refer a pupil for further assessment of their needs to outside professionals or support agencies. These include:
- Community Paediatrician
- Communication Clinic
- Occupational Therapist
- CAMHS ( Child and Adolescent Mental Health services)
- School Nurse Service
- Visual and Hearing impaired
- Speech and Language Therapy service
- Specific Learning Difficulty Team (SpLD)
- Educational Psychologist
- Educational Welfare Service
- New Woodlands Outreach
- Children’s social Care
- Drumbeat ASD outreach
- Targeted family support
- SENDIASS
- How do we Consult parents of pupils with SEND and involve them in their child’s education?
We believe parents have a vital role to play and they should be involved as much as possible in their child’s education and inclusion. We develop a working partnership between parents and the school, in which parents are encouraged to be open and confident, as they have a unique knowledge and information to impart. Parents are informed of the interventions their child will receive on a termly basis through individual Provision Maps.
Parent’s evenings are held in the autumn, spring and summer term each year. Throughout the year parents are welcome to meet Class Teachers and the Inclusion Manager to discuss their child’s needs. In the summer term parents receive their Child’s Annual School Report showing progress, attainment and future steps.
Meetings are arranged between parents and professionals from external agencies who have assessed pupils, to share information and discuss the support needed by the child.
As well as speaking to the class teacher about their child, parents can contact the Inclusion Manager in person, by phone or email. We have an open door policy and always make ourselves available to discuss a child’s needs.
- What arrangements are there for assessing and reviewing children’s progress towards outcomes?
Termly pupil progress meetings are used to assess and review the progress of children. The class teacher will also continually be reviewing pupils’ learning throughout lessons and interventions which will shape future learning. This includes marking of work, discussions with and observations of pupils. Where necessary we use a range of further assessments to assess dyslexia, speech and language and mathematical difficulties. For some children external agencies may carry out specific assessments and reviews.
Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are formally reviewed annually at a meeting between parents, staff and on occasion an SEND Case Officer from the local authority.
- What arrangements are there for supporting children moving between phases of education?
We personalise transition arrangements for pupils according to their needs. The types of support arranged include:
- Visits to prior settings ( nurseries, playgroups)
- Meetings with parents or carers
- Visits to new classroom and to meet the new teacher.
- Transition booklets with photos. ( copy for home and school)
- Secondary transfers are arranged in year 5 for children with an EHCP.
- Visits to receiving school of pupils leaving St Winifred’s.
- What is our approach to teaching children with SEND?
We recognise that pupils learn at different rates and that there are many factors affecting achievement, including ability, emotional state, age and maturity. We believe that many pupils, at some time in their school career, may experience difficulties which affect their learning, and we recognise that these may be long or short term.
Class teachers and support staff ensure they know pupil’s needs and strengths and that children feel secure and know that their contributions are valued. Our curriculum is designed to reflect the different cultures, religions and races in our school and one which is challenging and provides enrichment. Pupils with SEND are taught in class with their peers and take part in extra-curricular activities. Some pupils with SEND will benefit from small group or individual support outside of the classroom for part of the day. This is planned according to pupils’ needs.
- How are adaptions made to the curriculum and learning environment of children with SEND?
Quality First Teaching provides for most pupils’ needs and learning styles. Planning ensures work is set at the appropriate level for different pupils’ abilities and needs. All classroom environments are planned, organised, and managed in order to make resources readily available to promote independence and stimulate learning. Resources for additional needs and inclusion are purchased as appropriate and are matched to needs throughout the school. Specific individual resources are purchased where this is viable and are used to support other children where this is appropriate. Some pupils will work outside of the classroom for a lesson or part of the lesson, with a higher degree of adult support.
- How do we ensure the expertise and training of staff to support children with SEND, including specialist expertise, will be secured?
Continuous professional development is arranged according to the School Development plan and the needs of the pupils. Staff have access to a wide range of professional development opportunities to enhance their knowledge and expertise in supporting pupils with SEND. Training may be provided by external trainers, delivered in house, or staff may attend specific training courses run by outside agencies.
We purchase a service level agreement each year with the Educational Psychology Team, Specific Learning Difficulty team, Drumbeat Autistic Spectrum Outreach Team. Staff work closely with these agencies to consistently review and improve practice.
- How do we evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for children with SEND?
Pupils are reviewed termly to ascertain the additional and extra interventions needed to enable them to make progress. Termly pupil progress meetings evaluate the provision formally and future support is then planned according to pupils’ needs and the impact of the interventions.
- How are children with SEND enabled to engage in activities available to pupils in school who do not have SEND?
We run many afterschool clubs across the whole school and children with SEND are encouraged to attend. Parents and carers are invited to attend a school trip if this ensures access.
- What support for improving emotional and social development do we offer?
We recognise that some children have extra social and emotional needs that need to be developed and nurtured. Staff at St Winifred’s are caring and have the wellbeing of all children as their top priority. We ensure we know our children and are available to listen to them. We are alert to any changes in behaviour and we offer support when needed. We work in partnership with parents and carers to offer support to pupils and their families at times of difficulty. At St Winifred’s pupils emotional and social development is supported by the following:
- Robust safeguarding procedures
- Good liaison between all staff to ensure we are alert to and can respond promptly to children’s needs.
- Class circle times.
- Social skills groups.
- Circle of friends – an intervention that supports children with social skills.
- Playground buddy system.
- Drawing and Talking therapy.
- Personalised transition arrangements.
- We will seek external professional help when needed from CAMHS and our link Educational Psychologist.
- Who are the other professionals who may be involved with my child in school?
After assessment and discussion with parents or carers and staff, pupils may be referred to an external professional or support service. For many referrals, parents will work with the Inclusion Manager to complete a referral form to forward to the external agency. External professionals will meet parents or carers at St Winifred’s as part of the assessment process of their child. Please see point 2 for a list of professionals and agencies.
- How do we support children with SEND looked after by the local authority?
We aim to work closely with social services and carers and regular meetings are held between school, carers and local authority agencies involved with the children. We are sensitive to the children’s family situations and support them as needed to fulfil their potential. An Annual Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting is held with key personnel to carefully track the progress of the pupil to support them to achieve and academic progress will be reported to the governing body.
- What are the contact details of support services for children with SEND?
Lewisham Local Authority has published its own Local Offer, which can be accessed by the link below:
http://www.lewishamlocaloffer.org.uk/
Special Educational Needs
32 Kaleidoscope Child Development Centre,
Rushey Green
SE6 4JF
TEL: 02030491475
Email: sen@lewisham.gov.uk
ASD Support
Drumbeat Brockley School
Revelon Road
London
SE4 2PR
Tel: 02076359022
Email: outreach.admin@drumbeat.lewisham.sch.uk
Family Information Service and Family Information Directory
The Family information Service (FIS) provides information on local services available to children, young people and families in Lewisham.
They can assist with:
- Registered childcare providers
- Help towards childcare costs
- Free early education
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/education/special-educational-needs/Pages/default.aspx
Contact a Family
Contact a Family Lewisham supports families living in Lewisham who have disabled children between the ages of 0 and 19. They offer a wide range of services to families with disabled children including GRAPEVINE a regular, free, newsletter which is available from their website.
Third Floor
1 Laurence House,
Catford Road
SE6 4RU
SENDIASS
Lewisham Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service or SENDIASS is a free, confidential and impartial service for parents and carers, children and young people (up to 25 years).
TEL: 02033192163
Email: Lewisham@kids.org.uk