Sandford Hill Primary

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At Sandford Hill our school motto is “Thoughtfulness and Respect.” It is important to us that the needs of every child are met.  At times in their school careers, individual children may need extra support, on a short term or long term basis. To enable us to meet those needs we have a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team which includes an Inclusion Leader, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator(SENCO), English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, Teaching Assistants across the school, a SEN Welfare Practitioner as well as a Parent Support Worker and an Inclusion Support Assistant.  Members of the team work closely with the children, class teachers and parents to ensure the best quality provision for the child.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Head Teacher                                                               Mr Wardle

Inclusion Leader                                                            Mrs Allen

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator(SENCO)       Mrs Drakeford

Special Educational Needs Welfare Practitioner           Mrs Greatbatch

Inclusion Support Assistant                                           Mrs Arnott

Parent Support Worker/Home-school link worker         Mrs Brennan

Bilingual support assistants                                         Miss Sardar

Special Educational Needs Governor                            Mr Christopher Austin (Vice Chair of Governors)  

It is important to us, that during the course of their learning journey at Sandford Hill, your child reaches their full potential.  The main way we achieve this is to deliver quality teaching.

However, there may be times that your child needs extra support.  If this is the case, then you will be contacted by the class teacher, who will then help to ensure that your child receives the support required to meet their needs.

We will keep you informed through regular information and/or meetings, as required and we will always be happy to meet with you, by arrangement, for any questions you might have.

What kinds of SEND does the school provide for?

We strive to be an inclusive school catering for a range of SEND children. We have had children who are visually/ hearing impaired, children with a range of learning difficulties, including language difficulties or specific learning difficulties

 The Special Educational Needs ‘Code of Practice’ (2014) states that there are four main areas of need. These areas are as follows:

• Cognition and Learning
• Communication and Interaction
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• Sensory and/or physical.

The school provides for a range of needs within these areas. Some pupils may have needs in more than one area and those needs can change  over time. Staff last year have received training for the use of Numicon, this year we are looking to improve our expertise within Dyslexia.

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?

All children are continually assessed across the school in order for the teachers to inform their planning and teaching within the classroom, starting with a baseline assessment. If through these assessments, or through everyday activities within the classroom, your child appears to be having difficulties then the teacher will be able to make a note of this within their lesson evaluation. Work is differentiated to meet your child’s needs, if then your child is still having difficulties, the class teacher will inform the Inclusion Leader or the SENCO who will then put into place any intervention (extra help) that may be required. Parents will always be asked to speak to the teacher before any formal intervention is put into place. As a parent if you are at all concerned about your child’s progress then the first step to take is to contact school to speak to the class teacher, you may also request to see the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) or the Inclusion Leader.

If you would like to get in touch please contact Mrs Allen or Mrs Drakeford on 235511 or email at sandfordhill@sgfl.org.uk

How will the setting support my child/young person?

At Sandford Hill Primary school our early years are some of the most important to us. We are keen to develop the whole child, socially, emotionally as well as academically. Independence is of the utmost importance. As children enter our foundation stage each one is individually assessed and work is set for their individual needs. Staff in the foundation stage often work alongside outside agencies for example Speech and Language therapists following through programs provided for the classroom.  Children are then placed in groups working on age/ability appropriate tasks as recommended by Speech therapists through the “School Readiness Project.”

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

Work within the classroom is designed to meet the child’s individual needs. Class teachers and teaching assistants may group children to provide support and enable children to succeed in being independent learners. In addition to this there may be and individual plan of work for your child or a provision map to ensure that all our child’s needs are met, be they academic or physical.

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

Regular feedback is given to parents at open evening where school support plans may be discussed with the class teacher or the SENCO.  For those children who have greater needs, the SENCO will meet with those parents more frequently as and when required.

However, we always try our best to have someone available to you, be it the teacher, Inclusion Manager or SENCO. They will be available to discuss progress at any point in the school year if as a parent/carer you were worried.

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

Pupils are continuously assessed for their emotional and social well- being throughout the school.  As in other areas of SEND teachers are always available to discuss this with parents that are concerned about their child’s well-being.  In addition to this we have an Inclusion Support Assistant who may also work with your child to support their confidence or overall wellbeing.  This may be facilitated by games, conversation or role play, fun ways to support and engage your child.

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

We have access to support from SEND services, Educational Psychology, School Nurses, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service), Boat House ASD(Autistic Spectrum Disorder) Team,  School Counselling Service, CAMHS(Children’s  Adolescent Mental Health Service) and  IFIS(family support worker). We are also able to provide support within school in including English as an Additional Language with two bilingual teaching assistants. Further to this we can guide parents to the IASS (Information, Advice and Support Service) this helps parents to have an independent voice about their child’s provision.

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

The training that staff takes part in changes from year to year depending on the needs of the children or any staff changes that may have taken place.  This year all staff has received training on the new Special Needs Code of Practice whilst SEN staff have been trained in strategies for helping children with Dyslexia, as we are working towards Dyslexia Friendly Status.  In addition to this our Support Inclusion worker and has attended sessions at Kemball special school in order to enhance learning for children with learning difficulties.

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

All children are included in the school trips, including a residential visit to Stanley Head for year 6 pupils.  Every child is ensured equal opportunities to take part, where special requirements are needed we endeavour to take the necessary steps.  Here at Sandford Hill Primary we pride ourselves in being a fully inclusive school.

How accessible is the environment?

There are some accessibility difficulties with the school as it is on 2 levels. There is a stair lift that can be used on one set of stairs. The KS2 top playground can only be accessed by steps although the bottom yard can be accessed via a ramp. The school has yellow handrails to support children accessing steps onto the playground and also highlighted steps for visually impaired children. There are outside areas which are covered to provide shelter from adverse weather, to ensure stability underfoot.

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

The next step for any young person in education is always an important one; we endeavour to ensure that this is as successful as possible with our transition procedures.  If a child has SEN and is admitted new to the school, the school's SEN team will support the child by spending time with the child with a tour of the school, meeting staff and children and supporting during breaks and lunchtimes. The child will spend time with the SEN team for assessments and a plan will be written following this. Transition changes each year are carefully planned and any key workers will attend these sessions with the child if required.

At the transition from KS2 to KS3 the SENCO will plan transition depending on the child. SENCOs from both schools will meet to discuss the requirements of the individual child.  As a result of this, a programme will be implemented which could involve the child/family attending sessions at the secondary school supported by the SENCO. But every situation is unique and therefore is tailored to the needs of the child, so it may be appropriate for the child to attend weekly sessions at the secondary school. Each step is worked alongside with the parents, working together as a team. 

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

The SEN team consists of an Inclusion Leader, SENCO, 2 SEN Welfare Assistants, 2 EAL (English as an additional language) assistants and an Inclusion Support Assistant. All children will have an individual School Support Plan(SSP) and this will identify the amount of time and strategies required to support the child. Currently we are working towards producing Pupil Passports which provide information for all staff to ensure continuity of care.

The teaching assistants in each class will also support children to ensure that the child can access the curriculum.

Special equipment is purchased if recommended by a specialist professional, for example sloping writing boards and specialist chairs. The department also maintains good quality teaching resources which are purchased after assessing the needs of the children e.g. Language programmes, phonics games, maths practical activities.

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

Decisions made about the amount of support a child needs are collective, not in isolation, they would include the class teacher, teaching assistant, the SENCO or the Inclusion Leader and, where it is appropriate, the child as well.  When outside agencies are involved, such as speech therapy we would include them too.  An Educational Health and Care (EHC) Plan may be put into place at the discretion of the local authority, when resources within the school’s budget are unable to meet the needs of your child.

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

Children have many opportunities to be involved about their learning in a variety of ways. All children are involved in the school’s Assertive Mentoring Assessment, where they are aware of the target they are working towards and what they need to do to improve, this is added to further by an excellent school council.  In a SEND setting children work together in partnership with an adult to produce a pupil passport, they tell us what they enjoy, their strengths/weaknesses, and what we can do to make learning fun as well as productive.   In addition to this in our SEND department we set smart targets (realistic bite sized learning targets) which are shared with pupils and parents on our School Support Plans.  We want our children throughout the school to be active decision makers in the learning process. 

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

We believe in a holistic approach to learning, as such good home/school communication is vital in order for the child to thrive. Throughout the school year parents of SEND children are have a number of opportunities to be involved in their child’s learning journey.

Open Evenings are held twice a year where the class teacher reports progress made by your child.  These can be tailored to suit your needs at any point in the school year if needed.

SEND coffee mornings are also held during the school day.  Parents/ carers have an opportunity to come into school take part in some of the learning activities with their child, see the classrooms, talk to staff delivering interventions, discuss their thoughts about work completed in school and share any concerns they may have.  Structured conversations are held and parents’ views are sought through the Annual Review Process for pupils with Statements of SEN or Education, Health and Care plans. Parents are invited to meet with professionals from outside agencies.

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

Parent’s views are greatly valued within school for example; parents are invited to open nights, discussion groups, World Book Day activities, class transition, coffee mornings and assemblies, contributing towards “our open door policy.” As a parent of a child with SEND you will be invited into school to discuss the support the school is providing, three times a year, but in addition to this we would want you to contact the school if at any time you wanted to talk about your child’s progress-we want to help.  We have a SEND Parents Working Group in school and are always happy for parents to join.

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

If you would like to make a formal comment or complaint about a service at our school then a copy of the complaints procedure is available from the office.

What is a comment?

A comment is when you would like to inform us about something and suggest how to make our service to you better.  All comments are logged and the suggestions made are discussed with the relevant departments.  Feedback from these discussions is given to the person making the comment.

What is a complaint?

A complaint is when you are unhappy with a specific service or services provided by the school.  Each complaint we receive enters Stage One of the Complaint Procedure.

Stage 1

When we receive your complaint we will send you an acknowledgement letter within three working days.  A nominated member of the Senior Leadership team investigates your complaint.  This person will then reply to your complaint within fifteen working days. (Not including non-term time and public holidays).

Stage 2

If you are unhappy with the response or outcome from Stage 1, please write to the Head teacher with the reasons why and the outcome you would like. The Head teacher will then investigate your complaint and respond to you within seven working days.  (Not including non-term time and public holidays).

Appeal Stage

If you remain unhappy with the outcome at Stage 2 you have a right to appeal.  Appeal Stage complaints are dealt with by the Chair of Governors.  Please put your appeal request in writing for the attention of the Chair of Governors at the school address:

Mr. Tim Moss

Chair of Governors

Sandford Hill Primary School

Clayfield Grove

Longton

Stoke on Trent

ST3 5AQ

An acknowledgment of the appeal request will be sent within three working days and the Chair of Governors will reply to your appeal within fifteen working days.  (Not including non-term time and public holidays).

If following the appeal you are unhappy with the outcome then the matter must be referred to the Department for Education.  Guidance on school issues can be obtained from the DFE public enquiries (0870 000 2288).  Complaints have to be made in writing and should only be made to the DFE once the above procedures have taken place.

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

Support is available from: Mrs Allen  - Inclusion Manager , Mrs Drakeford SENCO at Sandford Hill Primary tel no:  235511  

Special Educational Needs and Disability Monitoring and ssessment Service - SENMAS - By telephone 01782 231863 or via email at SENMAS@stoke.gov.uk 

To contact SEND Services:   By telephone 01782 232538 By email SEND@stoke.gov.uk

Write to us at: SEND Services, The Mount Education Support Centre, Mount Avenue, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7JU  

Special Educational Needs and Disability, Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) -  Mount Education Support Centre Mount Avenue Penkhull Stoke-on-Trent ST4 7JU   Tel: 01782 234701 Email: iass@stoke.gov.uk   Website:www.sendiass-stoke@co.uk

School Nursing Service Medical help 03001240362

CAMHS Child Adult and mental health service - 03001230977

Educational Psychology Service: assesses the needs of children advice to teachers and parents. Contact through school.

Dove Service Counselling service - 01782 683155

NYAS - information, advice, advocacy /legal representation to children, young people/ vulnerable adults.

01782 683150 or 07990 772088

MIND 01782 262100

North Staffs Asperger / Autism Association 01782 627002

Further agency support can be located on the Stoke on Trent Local Offer website.  The link is detailed below:   http://localoffer.stoke.gov.uk/kb5/stoke/directory/home.page