SEND Information Report
Willington Lower School
Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Information Report
January 2016
- What is the SEND Information Report?
The Children and Families Bill became law in 2014. From this date Local Authorities (LA) and schools were required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people. This is included in the Special Educational Needs & Disability Report. The LA Local Offer identifies how the different schools aim to meet the needs of SEND pupils as determined by school policy and the provision that the school is able to provide.
- The kinds of special educational needs for which provision is made at the school.
Willington Lower School is an inclusive mainstream lower school which will consider for entry all pupils, regardless of special educational need. All teachers at the school are teachers of children with special educational needs. Through collaborative working all staff at Willington are committed to supporting the progress of all pupils, regardless of need.
- How does the school know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs.
At Willington Lower School children are identified as having SEND through a variety of ways. This process begins with talking to parents and where possible, transition meetings with early years settings, in the summer term, before children start in Reception. On entry all children are assessed by the class teacher to identify any potential areas of need. Schools send transfer documentation with any pupils moving schools at different points of entry during the academic year.
Willington Lower School is a mainstream lower school. We are a very small rural school and all staff get to know all the children very well. The children are monitored closely and it quickly becomes apparent if the children are finding any aspect of school life challenging for any reason. Staff talk openly with you from your child’s first day and any concerns can be quickly identified. What happens after depends on the level of need – it may just be extra support for a short time or it may entail involving another professional from outside school – either way, we work closely with you, sharing information and keeping you fully involved in the process. If your child needs extra support, the teacher will inform the person responsible for coordinating the special educational needs provision in the school, the SEND Co-ordinator and we will write an action plan – setting out targets and how they will be met. A meeting will be arranged with you once a term to discuss targets and progress – these are extra to the Parent Consultation Meetings.
- The name and contact details of the SEND Co-ordinator.
Mrs Elizabeth Dun. Willington Lower School. 01234 838280,
email office@willingtonlowerschool.org
- Information about the school’s policies for making provision for pupils with special educational needs whether or not pupils have an Educational Health & Care Plan (EHCPs).
5a) How does the school evaluate the effectiveness of its provision for pupils with SEND?
All interventions and support offered to students is entered on to the Provision Map, regularly monitored and evaluated by the SENDCO. Adjustments are then made accordingly. Effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEND is evaluated in the following ways:
- Observations of teachers and teaching assistants
- Pupil Progress Reviews
- Analysis of student progress data
5b) How will you and I know how my child is doing?
There are a variety of ways in which you can find out how your child is doing. These include:
Informal meetings
Staff are always available before and after school for informal conversations in accordance with our open door policy. If a time is not convenient, an appointment can be made.
School reports
School reports are sent home every term, with a full Annual Report in the summer. From these reports you can see how much progress your child is making and if you are concerned can contact your child’s teachers.
Parents’ consultation meetings
There are 3 opportunities throughout the year for you to meet your child’s teachers, with a summer meeting being optional. At these meetings you can discuss your child’s progress and any concerns which you may have with their teacher. If you still have concerns you can contact the SENDCo (see section 4). Your concerns will then be discussed and if necessary additional support may be put in place.
Individual Education Plans
Some students will have an IEP which outlines any Special Educational Needs & Disabilities a student may have, strategies to support them in class and individual targets which have been set by their teachers. IEPs are reviewed three times a year and you are invited to attend these meetings, with your child if appropriate.
Education Health & Care Plans
If a student has complex SEND they may have an Education Health & Care Plan. This mean a formal review will take place each academic year. You and any agencies involved with your son/daughter will be invited to this meeting to discuss progress and the provision which is in place.
5c) How will the school staff support my child?
Your child’s teacher will plan your child’s learning on a daily basis and let you know how they are getting on through the formal and informal methods described above. Your child’s progress (ie how well they are moving on from their starting point) and attainment (ie how much knowledge they’ve acquired) is assessed regularly – the children are involved in this themselves too. This information is reported to the Governing Body at least once a term in order that the governors fulfil their responsibility to provide a good standard of education for all the children in their care. There is also a Governor with responsibility for SEND, and she is available to talk to if the need arises.
5d) How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s/young person’s needs?
Children have different learning styles so a range is offered to suit everyone’s learning needs. In time, this helps children learn to be adaptable and gain the skills to help them understand when they need to use one approach and when a different one may be more successful. Children also learn at different rates and some may have to go over a certain point a few times in order to fully understand it, whereas others may get it quickly and be ready to move on to the next stage. The teachers plan work to take account of all these issues, making sure that the children learn at their own pace whilst putting in sufficient challenge to keep the children wanting to know more!
5e) How is the decision made about the type and how much support my child will receive?
Staff consider which will be the most effective type of support:-
In class support
Students with statements of SEND are supported in class according to the requirements of the statement. Most support is provided through 1:1 or small group interventions where students will be withdrawn from lessons for the period of the intervention.
Interventions
Interventions are offered depending on the need of the pupil. Pupils are identified for interventions according to; the arrangements discussed in section 2; the progress they have made; recommendations by teachers and concerns raised by parents.
5f) What activities are available for pupils with special educational needs in addition to those available in accordance with the curriculum?
Activities outside the classroom including school trips.
Willington Lower School offers a wide variety of trips and extra-curricular activities for children. We aim to support all pupils to enable them to attend trips, visits and take part in extra activities where possible. A risk assessment will be completed for each trip and the needs of individual pupils are considered as part of this process. A decision will then be reached by the SENDCO, in collaboration with parents and class teachers, to decide whether or not it is possible for the pupil to attend. The safety and well-being of all concerned has to be considered as part of this process.
5g) Support that is available for improving the emotional and social development of pupils with SEND. What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?
All the staff know all the children well and everyone cares for each other. Willington Lower School is a Values School and everybody is made to feel welcome and treated equally – children, staff, parents, governors and visitors alike. Administration of medicines is managed according to our policy and any personal care needs are dealt with in an unobtrusive way so as to maintain dignity and independence. Our Behaviour Policy focuses on positive behaviour management and celebrates children trying their best. We aim to instil pride and self-discipline in our children so that they feel successful and ambitious for their own lives. Every child who achieves 100% attendance in a term receives a certificate in the End of Term Service. The School Council is elected to represent the views of all the children, but we also have a Suggestion Box in the entrance hall, which is checked regularly and suggestions followed up and acted upon.
- What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school? What training have the staff supporting SEND had or what training are they having?
The SENDCo is very experienced in her role and attends training and conferences on a regular basis to ensure we follow best practice. Our parent support worker holds a coffee morning every week in order for issues to be discussed and followed up. External specialist service referrals are available to the school if required depending on need.
- How accessible is the school both indoors and outdoors?
The building is wheelchair accessible, with all classrooms on the ground level, including a disabled toilet. We will work closely with parents and carers whose first language is not English and support both child and family as much as we can. We have a parent support worker attached to the school and can signpost parents to relevant agencies. We are fully committed to Inclusion and promote equality in all its forms. Please see our Inclusion Policy.
- How are parents involved in the school? How can I get involved? Who can I contact for further information?
Parents’ views are always welcome and notice is taken of our annual parents’ surveys. We encourage all our parents to join our Friends of the School Association and invite anybody interested to serve on our Governing Body. We keep parents up to date with monthly newsletters and welcome contributions. Please contact the school office for further information.
- The arrangements for consulting young people with special educational needs about, and involving them in, their education.
All students with SEND have an IEP, which is discussed with the student to allow them to contribute to the suggested teaching strategies and to advise them of its content.
All students with an ECHP have an annual review to which the pupil, relevant external professionals, parents and key staff are invited to discuss achievements since the last review and set new targets. The pupil is encouraged to contribute actively in this review.
Children are invited to complete pupil surveys on a regular basis and are encouraged to put suggestions in the Suggestion Box. Their views are also sought in monthly meetings of our School Parliament. Our Chair of Governors also meets with the School Council once a year, in order to provide them with a different audience.
- Any arrangements made by the governing body or the proprietor relating to the treatment of complaints from parents of pupils with special educational needs & disabilities concerning the provision made at the school.
Any complaints relating to the learning support provision should be directed to the SENDCO. All parties will involve other staff, and if relevant external professionals, as necessary to address any complaints received. Complaints can be made by telephone, in writing or in person.
A summary of the complaints procedure is available either as a hard copy from the office, or on the website, office@willingtonlowerschool.org
- How the governing body involves other bodies, including health and social services, local authority support services and voluntary organisations, in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and in supporting the families of such pupils.
Willington Lower School works alongside a wide range of external agencies to ensure all pupils are fully supported. Should you feel it is necessary for your child to be referred to an external agency please contact the SENDCO and they will advise you about the procedures for this and the role you will play in this process.
- The contact details of support services for the parents of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
Please talk to the SENDCo and she will support you with this.
- How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school, transfer to a new setting or to the next stage of education and life?
With your permission and agreement, relevant information about your child’s learning needs will be shared with the next setting. Preparation may also include extra visits from future staff to get to know your child in a familiar place and possible extra visits to the new setting in order to help your child settle in.
- Information on where the local authority’s offer is published.
Please visit the Bedford Borough website, or contact them with any questions at