Ash Green Primary Academy

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Ash Green is an inclusive mainstream primary school in Trentham, Stoke on Trent. We provide a broad and balanced curriculum to all children who attend our school, whatever their ability. We foster a caring and nurturing environment to promote all children to achieve the best they can.

Our motto is 'Achieving The Best Together'. We seek to develop compassion, resourcefulness, curiosity respect and confidence in our pupils.

We cater for all children who are able to access a mainstream school. We accept children with all types of SEND, including communication and interaction difficulties, cognition and learning, social, emotional and mental health difficulties and sensory/ physical disabilities. These include children with diagnosed conditions such as Downs syndrome and Autism as well as those with hearing and visually impairment needs. We can also cater for and implement Education and Health Care plans for children with additional medical needs.

What kinds of SEND does the school provide for?

We have previously/ currently support pupils with a range of difficulties including:

• Autism
• Speech and Language difficulties
• ADHD
• Specific Learning difficulties
• Downs syndrome
• Physical disabilities
• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia
• A range of medical conditions.
• Attachment disorder.

How does this setting know if their children/young person needs extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

At Ash Green Primary School we closely track the progress of all our pupils through teacher and standardised assessment. We use these assessments to regularly review their progress to see if a pupil may need extra help in any particular area, providing classroom based strategies and interventions to target specific areas of need.

Where the class teacher identifies that a child's needs are not being met through Quality First Teaching, they will approach the SENco for further advice and guidance. The SENCO will then meet with parents and may seek the advice of further external agencies.

Additionally, every half term, the SENCO and class teacher will review class provision maps and assessment data to ensure the correct pupils are identified as having additional needs. Further monitoring occurs through book and planning scans, lesson observations and staff training events.

Sometimes a pupil may enter school with special needs which have already been identified.  In this case the school works closely with other settings and support agencies, to be sure the correct help is in place when the child starts school. Similarly, your child's class teacher and SENco will also assist with extra arrangements such as meetings and visits, when transitioning to alternative provision and/or the next key stage.

If you feel your child may need extra help, ask to meet with the class teacher who will talk through your child’s progress and discuss ideas to help your child, both at home and at school.

You can also contact Jacqueline Jarvie who is the Special Educational Needs Coordinator for advice.

How will the setting support my child/young person?

We meet the needs of all children primarily through Quality First Teaching in the classroom.

If a child is identified as needing extra help, the class teacher will talk to you about ways they can help your child in the classroom and suggestions for you to help at home.

If a pupil continues  not to make progress, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator will complete a more full assessment along with the class teacher to see what kind of  support may be required, and what help can be given.

In some cases a pupil may be placed on the Special Educational Needs Register. A passport and Assess, Plan, Do, Review document will then be created in collaboration with the child, the parents and the class teacher, which will be a profile of the child and their needs.

In a very few cases, where a pupil has a high degree of difficulty,  school , in consultation with the parents and Educational Psychologist, may take the decision to apply for an Education Health Care Plan. If this is successful, additional funding will then be allocated from the Local Authority to provide support for the pupil. Parents will be informed and involved at every stage of this process.

How will teaching approaches and the curriculum be matched to my child or young person's needs?

The school follows the National Curriculum and prides itself on high expectations for all pupils including those with Special Educational Needs.

All teachers differentiate the curriculum to match the needs of their class; adapting lessons, resources and objectives to meet the needs of all pupils within a class.  Learning Support Practitioners or  Early Years Practitioners,  work alongside the teacher to help deliver different activities where appropriate, and to support pupils to meet their individual targets set out in their Assess, Plan, Do document.

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

All parents are invited to attend a Parents Evening 3 times a year, to discuss their child’s progress with the class teacher.

Where a child has Special Needs, it may be appropriate for the Special Educational Needs Coordinator to attend the meeting, and for a little more time to be allocated in order to ensure all SEN parents are able to discuss personalised targets and review progress.

Parents will be invited to help review their child’s passport and Assess, Plan Do document at least once per term and any pupil with an EHCP, will be further supported with a yearly review.

Parents will also receive an annual report at the end of the year, alongside a final assessment summary of progress and attainment which teachers complete for all SEN pupils.

Where a parent has concerns about progress, they can ask to make an appointment with the class teacher or the Special Educational Needs Coordinator.

We also try to give children  appropriate homework for you to help them with at home. Teachers are always willing to give advice on helping children with their homework.

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

We try to create a supportive and nurturing environment for all our children to feel happy. We actively promote kindness and resilience within our school values and promote a learning environment of acceptance and diversity.

We do not tolerate bullying and have anti bullying procedures in place to ensure that pupils and staff are clear on the consequences of any such behaviour.

For children with Social and Emotional Needs, we provide nurture group support as well as individual 1:1 support where deemed nessessary by the class teacher and SENco.

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

We access the support from Stoke LA and also access Educational Psychology services.  We also work with health services, including CAMHS, Younger minds and Speech and Language Therapy. We sometimes ask for support from outreach services from the local special schools.

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND have had or are having?

Training for the staff is ongoing.

Staff have received training in Attachment Issues and in the New Special Needs Code of Practice. The SENCO attends the termly SENCO forum when able and other conferences and courses to keep up to date with current practice. She is also completing The National award in SEN Coordination.

Support staff have been trained to deliver interventions such as Better Reading Partnership and Precision Teaching.Learning Support Staff have ongoing training to help to meet the needs of specific children, such as for Autistic Spectrum Disorder. We use a variety of organisations to deliver training including the Local Authority.

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

We attempt to include all children in all activities in line with our risk assessments.  We make every effort to provide support and care for pupils on school trips and make any special arrangements that might be necessary for their inclusion, such as additional staffing.

How accessible is the environment?

We are currently upgrading our disability access across both school buildings and mobile buildings. We have disabled toilets in KS1 and EYFS as well as downstairs in the KS2 building. There is also a stair lift in the KS2 building. We review accessibility through our ongoing Accessibility Plan. Please see the SEN Information Report for more guidance in this area.

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

Close links and good communication with local high schools enable us to make effective transition arrangements. High school teachers attend review meetings and visit children. Additional visits to the high school can be arranged and photograph books can be compiled. Where children have an EHC Plan, a Learning Support Provider will accompany the children on their visits.

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

The majority of Special Needs can be met through quality- first teaching and interventions from the resources in the classroom. Where a child needs additional support the school seeks to allocate this fairly, on a basis of need. All EHC Plans are fully adhered to and the stated level of support provided wherever possible.

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

Decisions about the type and level of support are made by the Senior Leadership Team in consultation with the SENCO, and with regard to the advice of outside agencies, such as the Educational Psychologist. The school seeks to allocate support fairly, on the basis of the needs of the children.  EHC Plans are always followed and the stated level of support provided. Parents will be involved in the review of provision and the type of support provided.

How will our child and young person be involved in the decisions about their learning?

Children are included in the writing of their passports and targets and are given regular feedback on their learning, including frequent feedback during marking in lessons, stickers and praise.

How will we be involved in the decisions about the learning of our children and young people?

Parents are welcome to make an appointment with their child's teacher to get feedback at any time. Parents are regularly invited into school for curriculum sessions and activities, as well as termly Parents Evenings and termly SEN open coffee mornings.

How are parents involved in the setting? How can I be involved?

Parents are involved in the school in many ways. Parents are represented on the Governing body. There is a thriving Parent, Teachers Association, which parents are encouraged to join. The school staff aim to work collaboratively with parents of children with Special Needs to provide the very best education for the needs of the child. We seek to work collaboratively with parents of children with SEND to provide the most appropriate education, and will regularly communicate with parents, including termly meetings.

What do I do if I want to make a complaint?

Please address your concerns with the class Teacher, SENCo or Head Teacher in the first instance. If your complaint is not resolved a copy of the procedure is available from The School Office.

What other support Is available to parents and how can I contact them?

SEND Information, Advice & Support Service (SENDIASS)

Tel: (01782) 234701 or 234847

E-mail: iass@stoke.gov.uk

Web: www.sendiass-stoke.co.uk

Stoke-on-Trent Safeguarding Children Board

Tel: (01782) 235100

E-mail: co-operativeworking.enquiries@stoke.gov.uk

Web: http://www.safeguardingchildren.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/portal/

Special Educational Needs Assessment and Monitoring Service (SENMAS)

Tel: (01782) 231863

email: SENMAS@stoke.gov.uk