Updates from the children's autism and ADHD assessment service - Gloucestershire County Council

Updates from the Children’s Autism and ADHD Assessment Service | Gloucestershire County Council

At Bream C of E Primary School, we believe that every child should be nurtured and guided towards reaching their full potential. Every child is entitled to quality first teaching alongside exposure to a wide range of enriching experiences. To allow all children to achieve this, we will provide the necessary support to meet every individual need. 

What do we mean by SEND?

SEND or Special Educational Needs and Disability is when pupils need additional or different provision to enable them to achieve their potential. It is when one or more of the following is a barrier to their learning:

• Language and Communication
• Social, Mental and Emotional Health
• Cognition & Learning
• Medical, Physical or Sensory Needs

At Bream C of E Primary School, the progress and attainment of all pupils is reviewed every term by the senior leadership team and teaching staff, at which time provision may be adjusted to meet identified needs. If a child continues to have difficulty after such interventions or has a high level of difficulty when they join us, they may be considered to have special educational needs (SEND) and be placed on the SEN register.  If you have concerns, as a parent, first speak to your child’s class teacher and, afterwards, you may wish to contact the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) for more information and support.

All relevant parties, including the child and parents, are consulted as part of the school’s decision to place a pupil on the register.  We value the dialogue between staff and parents and implement regular formal and informal meetings where all parties may discuss concerns and plan positive steps to support the individual children.

If your child goes onto the SEN register, a My Plan will be created by their class teacher. This document will include targets for your child, as well as information as to how all adults, including parents, can help the child to achieve them.

The My Plan is reviewed a minimum of 3 times a year in consultation with children, parents and the class teacher. The SENCO Lead will attend a review meeting when asked to do so by parents or teachers. If you would like the SENCO to attend your parents' evening appointment, please let the class teacher know.

If multiple agencies are involved in providing support/guidance to help your child, a My Plan+ may be written. This would be carried out by the SENCO, with parents, the child and class teacher contributing.

If your child does not make progress after receiving the graduated support, we will discuss with you the possibility of putting your child forward for an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP).

An outcome of this process may be that objectives will be set for your child and some additional funding may be available to support his/her learning in school. School will support you through this process, but we will also advise you of other independent agencies who can also provide additional support to you.

What does SEND support look like?

The most important level of support for your child is quality first teaching, provided by their class teacher in their classroom. But should they need additional provision, the SEND and Inclusion Lead will work closely with the class teacher to plan and oversee this. Additional provision may include small group or 1:1 teaching, additional or different resources or strategies used to support their learning. We have TAs and teachers trained to deliver various intervention programmes. These include:

• Little Wandle same day intervention and/or catch up.
• Precision teaching – a teaching method carried out on a 1-1 basis for children who may struggle with short-term memory to aid them to learn facts, such as times-tables, phonic sounds or high-frequency words.
• Drawing and Talking – a therapeutic approach delivered 1-1 to support social emotional and mental health needs.
• Fizzy – a fine and gross motor co-ordination programme, carried out in small groups.
• S.C.I.P. (Social Communication and Interaction Programme) – carried out in small groups.
• Talk Boost – for supporting children with language and communication needs, carried out in small groups.

The school employs a part-time ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support person) who works with children 1-1 or as part of a group.

The school employs a part-time SENCO, who has completed the National Award for SENCOs. They are supported by the Inclusion Lead for SEN for the Academy Trust.

All teaching staff are kept up to date with best practice to support pupils with SEND, and in-house training or courses which enhance the expertise of staff, are arranged according to the needs of our pupils.

If your child has an Education Health Plan (EHCP) with funding attached, the provision provided will be discussed and planned for in meetings with parents and possibly other outside agencies (see next section for details).  The funding may be spent on TA support for the child in school or in other ways to meet the needs of the ‘whole’ child.

Should your child struggle with, for example, reading, staff in school may apply for additional time for the child to access the Year 6 SAT’s. They may also complete tests on a 1:1 basis. Each child’s needs would be assessed, and appropriate support provided, following national guidance.

To enable access for those who are disabled, our site is all on one level, with ramps to and from the playground. The school is looking to improve the fluctuating levels in the playground, by having it resurfaced. There is an adapted toilet ensuring accessibility for disabled children and visitors. There is a medical space within the disabled toilet, with a locked cabinet should medicine need to be stored securely.

 What if more is needed to support my child?

When a child needs additional provision that we are unable to provide through the school’s resources, we may consider putting your child forward to work with outside agencies. This could involve working with the Educational Psychology Services or Advisory Teaching Teams as well as other outside agencies. This would only occur with parental permission and you will be kept fully informed throughout.

These agencies may include:

• School Nurse
• Educational Psychologist (EP)
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Occupational Therapist (OT)
• Consultant Pediatrician (referred via G.P.) or SCAAS (Social Communication and Autism Service)
• Advisory Teaching Service (ATS)
• Children and Young People Mental Health Service (CAHMs 2gether NHS)

Should your child have a specific learning difficulty, their provision will be looked at and planned for on an individual basis. If your child has one of the following learning difficulties, their provision may include some of the following:

Autistic Spectrum Disorder – visual timetables, social stories and home/school books.

Hearing Impairment—Talk Boost and Speech and Language intervention resources, such as Black Sheep.

Visual Impairment—enlarged worksheets, background colours adjusted on boards and adjustments to the physical space of the school if needed.

Should your child have social and/or emotional needs, we may look at the structures in place and the physical space of the classroom. Additionally, we use social stories to support your child with understanding any changes or school trips or other life events.

Should any child need medical or personal care, this is treated with sensitivity by all staff involved, ensuring the dignity of the child is maintained. In consultation with parents, staff are trained by relevant professionals to undertake necessary tasks, following the child's care plan. Children with medical or personal care needs are likely to need additional support when on school trips and/or residential trips. This would be planned carefully and full risk assessments written, along with the staff to pupil ratio being modified if necessary.

When a child on the SEN register transfers to our school or joins us from an Early Years Setting, discussions with the former setting are held, and their pupil records are shared with us. As parents, you can contact the school and share any concerns you may have with your child's class teacher. Similarly, your child’s class teacher may also discuss concerns with you and, together, set suitable short-term targets for your child. If your child is transferring to another school, all records will be delivered to the receiving school and a meeting or discussion with this school will be arranged. When children are transferring to secondary school at the end of key stage 2 and have an EHC plan, a transfer review is held during year 5. During this review meeting, parents and children meet relevant staff from the receiving school and the needs of the child are discussed.

We recognise that having a child with additional needs can be challenging at times. We aim to support you and your child and strive to work together to achieve the best possible outcomes for every child at our school.