Broughton Primary School

Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

Assessments of children’s progress takes place constantly in school and all staff look carefully at how each individual child interacts with others and meets the targets that have been set for them; this will help teachers and teaching assistants decide if a child is having difficulties or needs additional help and support. All staff work extremely closely with parents and carers encouraging them to speak to the class teacher if they have any concerns as they are the first point of contact. The class teacher can then discuss any concerns with the school Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), who will be able to contact and work alongside outside agencies to support the child if necessary. Parents will be fully informed and involved with all decision making and planning for the needs of their child. Other agencies and referrals would only be made if parents, teachers and the SENCo felt this was necessary.

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

Your child’s class teacher will work very closely with you as parents, the SENCo and the Headteacher to ensure that a manageable and achievable plan can be put into place in school for your child. The needs of your child will be clearly identified and outcomes and targets will be set and reviewed regularly with the child, parents and professionals. Depending on the support and resources needed, your child may be working with teaching assistants trained in specific special needs areas. We can then access your child’s skills to help them to progress and be fully included in school life and the curriculum. Before any of these decisions are put into practice they will be discussed with you as parents/carers. At Broughton Primary School we have the resource of a teaching assistant working in each class every morning. A Senior Teaching Assistant works with children who need additional support in order that they can access the whole school curriculum during the afternoon, either on a 1:1 basis or in small groups. If it is deemed necessary we will contact the Local Authority for additional funding to provide extra support in class for your child.

 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

We feel it is vital to ensure all children can achieve and succeed in a happy and safe learning environment. All children will have work set for them by their class teacher that will be differentiated to meet their individual needs. We aim to be inclusive in all areas of our curriculum, however from time to time children who require additional support may work on a specifically designed programme of study to help boost their understanding of reading, writing and number work. This is sometimes delivered in small groups or on a 1:1 basis, within or outside their classroom. This can help a child grow in confidence and give them the skills they may need to access the rest of the curriculum successfully with their peers.

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

Your child’s class teacher and the Headteacher are always available to speak to you first thing in the morning or at the end of the school day. If greater confidentiality is needed then a more private appointment can easily be made by contacting the school office. All children will have targets set for them in Reading, Writing and Numeracy. Behaviour and personal development targets can sometimes be set for them if the class teacher and parents feel that this is an area to develop. These targets are reviewed within the class and are shared with parents. Children are continually assessed as part of classroom best practice and are assessed formally each half term. These results are entered into our school tracking scheme ‘I Track’ and progress is then discussed with all teachers in school and the Headteacher. The Headteacher will speak to every Key Stage 2 child in school following these assessments and discuss their progress with them and how they can best achieve their next targets. If we have a concern regarding your child’s attainment and progress the class teacher will contact you following these half termly assessments to keep you fully informed. You may be contacted earlier if your child is having difficulties meeting their individual targets that have been set for them within the classroom. 

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

Broughton Primary School has very recently been classed by OFSTED as ‘Outstanding’ for Behaviour and Safety. Our curriculum is designed to support children to know how to keep themselves safe from harm and lead healthy lifestyles. We see each child as an individual who have their own talents to offer. Children behave well in our school as standards and expectations are high. Support is immediately offered if a child is finding aspects of behaviour management difficult. We have an excellent support team as well as the class teachers to help a child grow in confidence and develop the skills they need to become a responsible young person who is able to make the right choices. If we feel that we have an issue with either behaviour or attendance then we will ask you to arrange a meeting with the Headteacher and SENCo to discuss our strategies to support you and help your child. We will always do our best to listen to you and your child’s concerns and take these into account.

If your child needs medication during the school day then you must share this information with the class teacher. You will be asked to complete a health care plan and a permission form to allow your child’s teacher to administer the medication. The health care form must be returned to the class teacher and the permission slip given to the school office. Any medication must be brought into school and will be stored in a secure safe place. Please check the date on the medication as it is your responsibility to ensure that this is replaced once the medication has expired.  

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

The SENCo is Mrs Anna Bewsher who is also a full time class teacher of Year 5/6 in school and has release time each week to deliver to SENCo role. 

Mr Darron Cookson is the Director responsible for SEND and can be contacted via the school office. We have many teaching assistants who specialise in reading intervention, delivery of phonics, behaviour management, pastoral care and working with autistic children. If we feel that our strategies have not met the needs of a child in our care, we will access specialised skills and support from other sources such as the Local Authority when we begin to plan for a child with a specific special educational need. 

We work alongside Educational Psychologists, Special Advisory teachers, Early Years specialists, Speech Therapists, Audiologist, CAHMS and the school nurse. We also work closely with the young disability team and social care. 

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

Our staff development programme allows staff the chance to share information, train and keep updated with current educational development. There is also a support group for SENCOs within the Local Consortium of Schools who meet regularly to share good practice and support to each other.

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

The school is fully inclusive and all children are involved in activities outside the classroom including school trips and residentials.

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

As our building is not completely wheel chair accessible we have recently submitted a bid to our funding agency, the EFA, to build a new, accessible main entrance to school. Disabled access is available at the rear of school. We have parking for disabled visitors and two disabled toilets within school, one of which contains a changing bed.

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

Before any child joins our family at Broughton, we would encourage you to bring them into school and meet our staff, the class teacher and their peers. Many children choose to spend a day with their class before they join our school to get to know us and understand the school routine. If your child is moving to our school we ask their current school to provide us with all data, paperwork, targets, medical history, care plans, SEND Support Plans, etc before your child arrives. Often the teacher will contact the child’s former teacher and, if possible, arrange a meeting to receive a full briefing on the child and their progress and development. To support transition to secondary school we will arrange meetings with the SENCo at the receiving school to discuss the needs of your child and what provision needs to be in place to ensure that transition runs smoothly. If needed, extra visits over and above the usual transition arrangements can be made to help ease anxieties about the new school. Our curriculum also supports your child’s personal and social development e.g. residential trips beginning at Year 2 which encourage your child to develop independence. All this will support them on transition into secondary school and the world beyond.

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

School’s resources are allocated based on the priority of needs of the children in our care. The school follows the SEND Code of Practice 0-25 years January 2015, to ensure that we meet our statutory duties for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. It is our duty of care to use funding allocated by the Education Funding Agency and the Local Authority to meet the targets and objectives outlined in the SEND Support Plan/Behaviour Plan/Care Plan. Children with an EHCP (Education and Health Care Plan) will be prioritised first, as outlined in the Code of Practice.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

The decision will be made based on the needs of each child, the funding available, parental and child’s views and the professional opinions of the agencies involved with providing support for the child. Identified children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities will be allocated funding and resources as recommended in their Educational and Health Care Plan. This may manifest in many ways e.g. additional support in class, physical resources to support learning or specialists working alongside the child and family.

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

Parents can be involved via 'Kids at Broughton School' (KABS) which is our Parent/Teacher Association.  All parents are more than welcome to join this Association.

Parents, subject to a successful DBS application are also welcome to help in school wherever that help is needed.