SEN Information Report

Introduction

All Warrington Local Authority (LA) maintained schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and are supported by the LA to ensure that all pupils make the best possible progress in school.

The four broad ‘areas of need’ are Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties, and Sensory and Physical Needs.

What is the LA Local Offer?

• Local Authorities and schools are required to publish and keep under review information about services for the children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) aged 0-25. This is the ‘Local Offer’.
• The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. It is also an important resource for parents in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area. Warrington’s Local Offer is available through the following link: http://warrington.fsd.org.uk/kb5/warrington/fsd/localoffer.page

The School SEN Information Report

This sets out what Twiss Green Community Primary School offers our children with a special educational need. 

At Twiss Green Community Primary School, we embrace the fact that every child is different; therefore, the educational needs of every child are different.

Please see the questions below for more information about how Twiss Green Community Primary School supports you and your child.

Who are the best people to talk to about my child’s difficulties with learning/Special Educational Need and/or disability?

Class Teacher

The class teacher should be your first point of contact in regard to a concern about your child’s progress. The class teacher will be able to discuss progress against your child’s targets. You can arrange an appointment with the class teacher or through the school office.

If less than expected progress is identified the class teacher’s first response is high quality teaching targeted at your child’s area of need. Through the teacher’s quality first teaching, their classroom organisation, teaching materials, teaching style and differentiation the teacher will target the relevant support. This may mean that your child is part of an intervention group, which targets support to a specific area of need. Details about the support will be planned on the class provision map, which is monitored by the school SENCo. Where progress continues to be less than expected, the SENCo, may then assess whether your child may have a particular area of difficulty. The SENCo may then advise upon further interventions or make a referral to an outside agency, such as, the Educational Psychologist. Your child may be identified as having a special educational need.

 SENCo

It may be that your child has been identified as having a special educational need and/or disability, and that you wish to speak with the SENCo. Appointments can be made via the school office.

Headteacher – Mrs Natalie Hughes

If you have spoken with your child’s class teacher and/or the SENCo and there are still concerns, appointments can be made to speak with Mrs Hughes via the school office.

SEN Governor – Miss Jennie Bailey

If you are concerned that your child is not receiving the necessary support then you can contact Miss Jennie Bailey via the school office.

School contact telephone number:  01925 762346

What are the different types of support available for children with Special Educational Needs and/or disability at Twiss Green Community Primary School?

a) Class teacher input, via targeted classroom teaching (Quality First Teaching).

For your child this would mean:

• The teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
• All teaching is built on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
• Different ways of teaching are in place, so that your child is fully involved in learning in class.
• Specific strategies, which may be suggested by the SENCo, are in place to support your child to learn.
• Your child’s teacher will have carefully checked on your child’s progress and will have decided that your child has a gap or gaps in their understanding/learning and needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.

 Specific group work

Intervention which may be:

• Run in the classroom or a group room.
• Run by a teacher or a teaching assistant (TA).

 b) Specialist groups run by outside agencies, e.g. Speech and Language therapy

This means a pupil has been identified by the class teacher/SENCo as needing some extra specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. This may be from:

• Local Authority central services, such as the SALT (speech and language therapists)
• Outside agencies such as the Education Psychology Service

 What could happen:

• You may be asked to give your consent for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional, e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will help school and yourself direct support effectively.
• The specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations as to the ways your child is given support.

 c)  Specified Individual support

This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong.

This is usually provided via a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means your child will have been identified by professionals as needing a particularly high level of individual or small-group teaching.

This type of support is available for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through Quality First Teaching and intervention groups.

Your child will also need specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. This may be from

• Local Authority central services.
• Outside agencies.

 For your child this would mean

• The school (or you) can request that Local Authority Services conduct an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment of your child’s needs.
• School, along with yourselves will write a report outlining your child’s needs.
•  The Education, Health and Care Panel will meet to decide whether to write an Education, Health and Care Plan for your child.
• The Education, Health and Care Plan will outline the support for your child.
• The Education, Health and Care Plan will be reviewed annually.

 How can I let the school know that I am concerned about my child’s progress in school?

Class Teacher

The class teacher should be your first point of contact in regard to a concern about your child’s progress. The class teacher will be able to discuss progress against your child’s targets. You can arrange an appointment with the class teacher or through the school office.

If less than expected progress is identified the class teacher’s first response is high quality teaching targeted at your child’s area of need. Through the teacher’s quality first teaching, their classroom organisation, teaching materials, teaching style and differentiation the teacher will target the relevant support. This may mean that your child is part of an intervention group, which targets support to a specific area of need. Details about the support will be planned on the class provision map, which is monitored by the school SENCo. Where progress continues to be less than expected, the SENCo, may then assess whether your child may have a particular area of difficulty. The SENCo may then advise upon further interventions or make a referral to an outside agency, such as, the Educational Psychologist. Your child may be identified as having a special educational need.

SENCo 

It may be that your child has been identified as having a special educational need and/or disability, and that you wish to speak with the SENCo. Appointments can be made via the school office.

Head Teacher – Mrs Natalie Hughes

If you have spoken with your child’s class teacher and/or the SENCo and there are still significant concerns, appointments can be made to speak with Mrs Hughes via the school office.

SEN Governor – Miss Jennie Bailey

If you are concerned that your child is not receiving the necessary support then you can contact Miss Jennie Bailey via the school office.

School contact telephone number:  01925 762346

Who do I contact if I think that my child has a special educational need?

Class Teacher

The class teacher should be your first point of contact in regard to a concern about your child’s progress. The class teacher will be able to discuss progress against your child’s targets. You can arrange an appointment with the class teacher or through the school office.

If less than expected progress is identified the class teacher’s first response is high quality teaching targeted at your child’s area of need. Through the teacher’s quality first teaching, their classroom organisation, teaching materials, teaching style and differentiation the teacher will target the relevant support. This may mean that your child is part of an intervention group, which targets support to a specific area of need. Details about the support will be planned on the class provision map, which is monitored by the school SENCo. Where progress continues to be less than expected, the SENCo, may then assess whether your child may have a particular area of difficulty. The SENCo may then advise upon further interventions or make a referral to an outside agency, such as, the Educational Psychologist. Your child may be identified as having a special educational need.

The four broad areas of need are detailed in the SEND policy and SEND parent handbook. Both can be found on the school SEN web page.

SENCo 

It may be that your child has been identified as having a special educational need and/or disability, and that you wish to speak with the SENCo. Appointments can be made via the school office.

Head Teacher – Mrs Natalie Hughes

If you have spoken with your child’s class teacher and/or the SENCo and there are still significant concerns, appointments can be made to speak with Mrs Hughes via the school office.

 SEN Governor – Miss Jennie Bailey

If you are concerned that your child is not receiving the necessary support then you can contact Miss Jennie Bailey.

School contact telephone number:  01925 762346

How will school let me know if they have any concerns about my child’s learning?

If your child is identified as not making the required progress, the class teacher/SENCo will arrange a meeting with yourselves, to discuss it further. The class teacher/SENCo will:

• Listen to any concerns you may have.
• Plan any additional support your child may need.
• Discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child.

 How is extra support allocated to children and how do they progress with learning?

• The school budget, received from Warrington LA, includes money for supporting children with SEN.
• The Head Teacher decides upon the allocation of resources for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of needs within the school.
• The Head Teacher, Leadership team and SENCo  discuss all the information they have about SEND within the school e.g the children currently receiving extra support and the children who have been identified as not making expected progress. From this information, they decide what resources/training and support is needed.
• The school identifies the needs of SEN pupils on a provision map. This identifies all support given within school and is reviewed regularly and changes made as needed, so that the needs of children are met, and resources are allocated as effectively as possible.

 Who are the people providing services to children with special educational needs and/or disability at Twiss Green Community Primary School?

School provision

• Teachers responsible for teaching intervention groups/individuals.
• Teaching Assistants and HLTAs working with either individual children or small intervention groups.
• ICT support in the form of writing, maths programmes and Nessy, a phonic reading programme, is delivered by teaching assistants.
• Teaching Assistants or HLTAs offering support for children with emotional and social development through a nurture group

 Local Authority Provision delivered in school

• Educational Psychology Service
• SALT (Speech and Language Therapy
• OT (Occupational Therapy) plans

 What training do the staff receive, in regard to working with children who have a special educational need and/or disability?

The SENCo’s role is to support the class teacher in planning for children with SEN.

• The school provides training and support to enable all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children, including those with SEN.
• Individual teachers TAs and HLTAs attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class, e.g. from the Speech and Language Team.

How will the teaching be adapted for a child who has a special educational need?

Class teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class and will ensure that your child’s needs are met.

• HLTAs/TAs, under the direction of the class teacher, can adapt planning to support the needs of your child where necessary.
• Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and when working as a group.
• Planning and teaching will be adapted, on a daily basis if needed, to meet your child’s learning needs.

 How will the school measure the progress of learning?

• Your child’s progress will be continually monitored by his/her class teacher.
• His/her progress will be reviewed termly during pupil progress meetings, in reading, writing and maths.
• BSquared may be used, which shows your child’s attainment in more detail – breaking learning into smaller steps.
• Reception class will be assessed against the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception Class. They will be identified as ‘Emerging, Expected or Exceeding.’
• Year 2 and Year 6 are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS).
• Progress will be measured termly using the schools 9 point scale. This will be monitored by the class teacher, SENCo and leadership team. Some children will be measured against P scales.
• The progress of children with an EHC Plan will be formally reviewed at an Annual Review with all adults involved with the child’s education.
• The SENCo will also check that your child is making good progress within any individual work and in any group that they take part in. This information will be recorded on the class provision map, by the class teacher.
• Regular book scrutinies and learning walks will be carried out by the leadership team and SENCo to ensure that the needs of all children are met, and that the quality of teaching and learning is high.

  What support is available for parents of children with special educational needs?

• The class teacher is regularly available to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have, and to share information about what is working well at home/school, so that similar strategies can be used.
• The SENCo is available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns/worries you may have.
• All information from outside professionals will be discussed with yourself.
• Personal progress targets will be reviewed with your involvement at least termly.
• Homework will be adjusted as needed to your child’s individual requirements.
• Further SEND support can also be found on the school SEND webpage e.g ADDvanced Solutions support for parents, the Warrington SEND offer.

There are ramps leading into some class learning bays and there is an adapted toilet outside the main office. Please see the school's accessibility plan for more information (on the school website).

Please also refer to the school SEND handbook and/or SEND Policy on the SEND web pages for how adaptions are made to the curriculum.

Twiss Green Accessibility Plan

How will Twiss Green Community Primary School support a child with special educational needs and/or disability when they are transferring to another class or setting?

We recognise that transitions can be difficult for a child with SEN, and we take steps to ensure that any transition is a smooth as possible.

If your child is joining us from another school:

• The SENCo will visit pre-schools with the Reception Class Teacher when appropriate.
• If your child would be helped by a book/passport to support them in understanding moving on, then one will be made for them.
• Your child will be able to visit our school and stay for a taster session, if this is appropriate.

  If your child is moving to another school:

• We will contact the school SENCo and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child.
• We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
• If your child would be helped by a book/passport to support them to understand moving on, then one will be made for them.

When moving classes in school:

• Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher. Provision Maps will be shared with the new teacher.
• If your child would be helped by a book/passport to support them to understand moving on, then one will be made for them.
• Your child will visit their new class and meet their new teacher during the summer term.

From Year 6 to High School:

• The SENCo and Y6 class teacher will discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENCo of the child’s secondary school. In most cases, a transition review meeting will take place with the SENCo from the new school.
• Your child will participate in focused learning relating to aspects of transition, to support their understanding of the changes ahead.
• Where possible, your child will visit their new school on several occasions, and in some cases staff from the new school will visit your child in this school.
• If your child would be helped by a book/passport to support them to understand moving on, then one will be made for them.

How will Twiss Green Community Primary School support a child’s social and emotional development?

We recognise that some children have extra emotional and social needs that need to be developed and nurtured. These needs can manifest themselves in a number of ways, including behavioural difficulties, anxiousness, and being uncommunicative.

All classes follow a structured PSHEE curriculum to support this development. We also offer:

• School nurture provision, run by teaching assistants/class teachers. This may be referred to as ‘Check-in’ time, where children can express any worries, concerns or views.
• Social groups based around the ‘Talkabout’ plans.
• Social Communication groups planned by Highly Specialised Speech and Language Therapists, and delivered by trained teaching assistants.