St Mary's CE Primary School
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St. Mary’s Church of England C of E Primary School offer you a warm welcome from all the staff, children and trustees. All our staff are committed, enthusiastic, skilled practitioners who ensure children are happy, work hard and achieve the highest standards possible. Christian principles underpin everything we do, so that good manners, good discipline and respect become part of everyday life; this was evidenced in our recent, 'excellence' grading from SIAMS. Every child here is valued as a unique individual. We support families with a fantastic Family Support Unit and offer fantastic provision for SEND children and are happy to do so, because to us 'Every Child Matters!' We all want the best for our children and we know that children achieve more when parents and school work together. Parent evenings, newsletters, workshops, parents joining their children in learning, induction meetings and weekly celebration assemblies create opportunities to work in partnership. We believe that the teaching of Jesus: to love one another, is what makes our school such a warm, calm and welcoming place. |
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| Contact name | Mrs K Cooke |
| Contact position | SENCo |
| Contact telephone | 01782 235337 |
| Contact email | office@stmarysce.org.uk |
| Second email | kcooke@stmarysce.org.uk |
| Venue name | St Mary's C of E Primary School |
| Ladywell Road | |
| Tunstall | |
| Stoke on Trent | |
| ST6 5DE | |
| Date | Open from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm |
| Website | https://www.stmarysce.org.uk/sen/ |
| School's extended local offer response |
What kinds of SEND does the school provide for?The school accommodates all SEND in line with The Equality Act 2010 and provision is available for all four areas of need as outlined in the 2014 SEND Code of Practice: Communication and interaction - difficulty in communicating with others, including children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger’s Syndrome, who may have difficulties with social interaction, language, communication and imagination. Cognition and learning - where children may learn at a slower pace than their peers. Children may also have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia. Social, emotional and mental health difficulties - children may display challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour which may reflect underlying social, emotional and mental health issues. The school will seek to recognise and identify these underlying issues through our knowledge of the child. Other children may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) or attachment disorder. Sensory and/or physical needs - where children have a disability which prevents them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided and includes children with visual impairment, hearing impairment or a multi-sensory impairment. They require specialist support and/or equipment to enable them to access learning and all the opportunities that are available to their peers. The SENCo team and contact details are: Katie Cooke- SENCo: kcooke@stmarysce.org.uk Debbie Challenger- SENCo Assistant: dchallenger@stmarysce.org.uk 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?‘A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision that is different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.’ (SEND Code of Practice, 2014) Pupils are only identified as SEN if they do not make adequate progress once they have had intervention/adjustments and good quality personalised teaching. The purpose of identification is to work out what action the school needs to take to support the child. The school identifies the needs of pupils by considering the needs of the whole child, not just the special educational needs. Assessment is a continual process that can identify pupils who may have special educational needs. We measure pupils’ progress through:
The teacher and SENCo team consider all the information about the pupil’s progress, as well as national data, expectations of progress and the child’s views. This includes accurate assessment using standardised tests and early assessment materials. This information is then used to decide whether special educational provision is needed. The school may also ask for more specialised assessments from external agencies and professionals. If pupils are identified as having SEN they are placed on the Special Needs register at SEN Support with a primary need or an secondary need. If a child continues to show significant cause for concern, the Educational Psychology service will be involved and asked for advice. A request for statutory assessment may be made to the Local Authority (LA) and a range of written evidence about the child will support the request. The LA will then decide whether to carry out a formal assessment of the pupil and will then decide if an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is needed to enable the child to make progress and access learning. Parents will be consulted and asked for their views throughout the assessment process. Half termly progress meetings are used to explore barriers to learning and actions steps to support children facing difficulties. Any concerns are discussed with parents at an early stage so that they are involved and informed and continue to be so throughout. Parents are encouraged to share concerns with the class teacher who will arrange a meeting with the Senior Assistant SENCo. If concerns continue despite class teacher intervention, staff will discuss next steps with you which may involve you child receiving School Support, meaning being entered on the Special Educational Needs (SEN) register. This means that they have needs that require intervention that is greater than or different from their peers. How will the setting support my child/young person?Children identified as needing extra support will have access to quality first teaching, small group support and if needed specific interventions delivered either one to one or in small groups- graduated approach. Children on School Support will have their needs identified on a Pupil Passport to which will identify their strengths and areas needing development, along with specific targets and actions needed. They may receive interventions in small groups and also one to one. If a child has an Education and Health Care Plan, they will receive additional support and specific interventions to match the outcomes stated on their plan. Progress made is documented in each intervention session and overall progress is reviewed each half term by the SENCo team. This review may mean that interventions may change in order to achieve the best outcomes for the child. Children whom are looked after are clearly supported by staff and the Senior Asssistant SENco/HSLW who regulary liaise with staff to support any need whether it be academically or social/emotionally, with the strictive of confidence. At St Mary's we do not tolerate any form of bullying, this would be addressed in-line with the schools bullyig policy. How will teaching approaches and the curriculum be matched to my child or young person's needs?We aim to provide an inclusive, creative, child led curriculum that will equip children to be successful in life. Staff have high expectations of all children. Skilled teachers will differentiate the content of the curriculum to ensure that all children are included but feel successful. Their individual targets will be carefully planned for in lessons and tools of support or strategies of support will be in place to support achievement- positive outcomes. If a child is identified as needing School Support, the SENCO team may involve external agencies for further support. How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support their learning?Here at St Mary’s, all staff have a clear idea of how each child is achieving. All children have progress and attainment tracked through a school tracking system called target Tracker. This shows each child’s progress against their personal targets. Joint school/parent meetings (three times a year) enable parent, child and teacher to discuss together progress against the child’s targets. Further evidence is logged on the schools database called Target Tracker. All English and Maths books have a record of progress on the cover so each child knows where they are in relation to appropriate stage for their age. As a parent, you can find advice on how to help your child at home through our leaflets on entry to school, also discussions with the class teacher will support you in what to do at home to support your child. If your child has an SEN or Disability they will receive additional monitoring through the use of diagnostic and standardised assessments which give more detailed information about what support you child may need. Also children with Education and Health Care Plan will receive an annual review to enable all involved to be clear on progress, measured against their targetted outcomes under section E in their plan. All children receiving SEN support will have a Pupil passport which outlines the child’s strengths and weaknesses and how to support them and what strategies are in place, with personalised targets to achieve the best outcomes. What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall wellbeing?It is important to us that children feel safe and have good relationships with adults and their peers. We aim to promote a positive view on learning. As a Christian school with a Christian ethos, we very much view each child as an individual. The teaching of Jesus- treating each other as we would wish to be treated, is at the heart of all we do. All staff care for and nurture all children in our care. In addition our Home School Link Worker (Lisa Winkle) is a source of support for children and families. She is also able to sign post parents to external agencies for support and continually supports and mentors children. In addition, as a school, we follow the Citizenship programme of study which supports children’s social and emotional needs. If your child is identified as having a social or emotional need, they may receive interventions to support this, or support from outside agencies. If your child has a medical condition they will have a care plan in place, developed by the school nurse and SENCo team. If your child requires medication during the school day, a parent will need to sign to give permission for a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) to administer it. St Mary’s adopt a positive behaviour system which uses a range of rewards to engage children. Regular praise, certificates, stickers and a collection of smiley faces can be traded for rewards. Through the use of consistent routines and clear high expectations of behaviour, we expect that the children will make the right choices. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting?The school has access to a number of agencies and professionals who support the school in promoting achievement for children and young people with SEN. The school receives consultation, advice and guidance from the LA’s Inclusion Services (Educational Psychology Service and SEND services) which is outlined in a Service Level Agreement each year. The school receives additional support, where necessary, from:
Our Home School Link Worker has links with social care to ensure the safety of children in our care. What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND have had or are having?Training needs are identified by the school’s Senior Management team. Examples of training recieved in school in the last two years are: Application of Maths. Maths Masters Changes to the Code of Practice Speech and Language Autistic Spectrum Disorder Awareness Training Talking Partners Talking Maths Child Protection – Level 1 Targetted ASD Awareness SENCO Award Rapid read/write/maths/phonics Dyslexia training Inference for reading School readiness, to support early identification of language difficulties within Early Years. Social, emotional & Mental health training Training is provided for the whole staff and governors in relation to SEN as part of the school’s INSET training programme. This training may be provided by the Local Authority's (LA) advisory staff, the SENCo or other members of the teaching staff or outside training providers. The SENCo team also attend courses to ensure that information in relation to SEN is regularly updated. Both teaching and support staff are trained in various teaching strategies and intervention programmes, this depends on the varying needs of the pupils with SEN. A number of support staff are trained in specific interventions such as Teaching Talking, Nuffield nursery/reception Program and Better Reading Partnership. All staff receive Stoke Speaks Out Level one. How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?As a school we ensure equal opportunities for all children, including access to all out of school clubs and activities. If a member of staff notices a particular talent, he/she will be encouraged to join groups that will nurture this. Risk assessments are carried out if health and safety issues could arise for some children. Staff to child ratios are adhered to. We will always aim to make reasonable adjustments to ensure inclusion for all. St Mary's now have an active farm, in which groups of pupils access daily to support learning, SEMH and language needs. How accessible is the environment?Our school has two floors and an outside Pod; Nursery, Reception and Key Stage one on the ground floor and Key Stage two on the first floor. We have a lift in order to access the second floor and a disabled toilet. We have disabled parking spaces in front of our school reception for easy access. Further information can be found in the school’s Accessibility Plan. How will the setting prepare and support my child/young person to join the next stage of education and life?St Mary’s has close links with local nursery settings and we make it a priority in Summer and early Autumn to engage in positive transition work, including discussions with staff. For children joining nursery for the first time, home visits take place to ensure a smooth transition into school. Should a child join us mid-year transition is conducted with the previous school, to ensure that all information is shared and we have a clear picture of the child as a whole and the correct support is put in place according to the child's needs. Transition between year groups starts three weeks before the end of the summer term, providing time for children to adjust to their new classroom and teacher. Children with SEN will have transition meetings and their transition will be planned to suit their particular needs. When transferring to high school, the children will visit and experience their new environment and meet new staff. Again those will SEN may require a more personalised plan to be in place. How are the setting's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?When a child’s needs are assessed, resources are allocated on a priority needs basis. Children with an Education and Health Care Plan with have support commensurate with the outcomes stated on the plan by the local authority. Children identified as needing School Support, in addition to that provided in class, will receive support from within the schools budget. The resources used will be at the discretion of the Head teacher, governing body and SENCo team to best meet the needs of all learners. Resources may include use of iPads, computers, talking tins, additional adults, equipment and teaching arrangements. How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?Any decision regarding the support your child will receive is made with the advice of school, families and outside agencies. Discussions will take place in which needs are identified and appropriate strategies are suggested. Our school form a graduated approach and will provide SEN Support children with up to the equivalent of fifteen hours support. If the child still needs further support an Educational Psychologist will be invited into school to offer advise and investigate if applying for additional funding/support through an Education and Health Care Plan. It is then at the discretion of St Mary’s to decide how available resources are deployed to best meet the needs of all learners, taking account of advice from outside agencies pupils and parents views. How will our child and young person be involved in the decisions about their learning?Our children appoint a school councillor for their class who ensures that the children’s voices are heard. Any ideas or concerns are then passed to the school senior leaders and so their ideas do inform the school systems and policies. Children self-assess their learning and take an active role in their progress. During the review process of a child's pupil passport, a meeting takes place with the class teacher, parents, Assistant SENco and the child, to ensure all views are taken into account. How will we be involved in the decisions about the learning of our children and young people?Here at St Mary’s parent voice is important and we aim to respond to all comments or concerns. We have a parent voice board to display our interactions or responses to parents. Throughout the SEN process parents are asked their views and permission before actions are taken. We believe that an open and honest approach allows us to ensure a good outcome for the children. How are parents involved in the setting? How can I be involved?This school values its good relations with parents and carers. Parents are encouraged to join the life of the school through invites to special assemblies, concerts, parents evening or sports days. Day to day contact takes place in diaries and discussions with staff. We now have appointed three parents to represent the views of the the parents (parent voice). Regarding children who have SEN, parents are involved at all levels, for example at the early identification stage; determining the level of support and the barrier to learning; at the review stage and at the transition stage from school to school and on to the next phase of education. The staff at St Mary’s work hard to engage parents in all areas of school and are welcome to join the PTFA. Termly SENco Forums take place once a term with a specific focus led by the parents - all parents with children who have a special educational need receive a personal invite. What do I do if I want to make a complaint?If parents are concerned about their child’s progress in school they should first discuss their concerns with the class teacher, then a further meeting may be arranged with the SENCo or other member of the Senior Leadership Team. Following this meeting, the Head Teacher and the governing body may then be involved as necessary. If parents have a major complaint then they should contact the Head Teacher immediately. What other support Is available to parents and how can I contact them?Parents are welcome to contact our SENCo team (Mrs K Cooke/Miss Debbie Challenger) or our Family Support Worker (Lisa Winkle). 01782 235337 SENMAS - 01782 231863 or SENMAS@stoke.gov.uk Also follow the link for SENDIASS (SEND Information, Advice and Support) Website:www.sendiass-stoke@co.uk for more advice. |