Additional Educational Needs

Inclusion and Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

We are committed to inclusion and all stakeholders have a shared vision and responsibility.

At Southborough C of E Primary School we endeavour to make every effort to achieve maximum inclusion for all pupils whilst meeting their individual needs. We aim to engender a sense of community and belonging, and to offer new opportunities for learners who may have experienced previous difficulties.

Inclusion Overview

Our school welcomes and celebrates inclusion and diversity, supporting the needs of children and their families from a wide range of backgrounds and those with a range of needs.

We support every child with their social, emotional and mental wellbeing development by providing targeted support from; in-class support with teachers considering and catering for all in the education provision and curriculum to specific intervention on a one-to-one basis or groups of children.

This does not mean that we will treat all learners in the same way, but that we will respond to learners in ways which take account of their varied life experiences and needs as we believe that every child has a right to ‘be the best they can be’. 

We use a range of specialised provision strategies to support pupils with Special Educational Needs, as well as our high-attaining pupils.

Our school is committed to:

• follow the graduated approach outlined in the DfE’s ‘SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years’
• monitor the progress of all pupils to aid the earliest possible identification of SEND.

Our Graduated Approach (Quality First Teaching - QFT)

This is the essential foundation of all teaching, assessment, and intervention for all pupils.

• Seeks to engage and support the learning of all children and young people.
• Builds on pupils’ prior learning and responds appropriately to the ‘pupil voice’.
• Builds from the skillful design of learning.
• Is re-constructed as children and young people progress in their learning.
• Involves a curriculum that is methodically constructed and renewed to deliver small and efficient steps of progression.
• May need teacher directed class-based interventions.

Additional School Intervention and Support (building on QFT):

An assessment and intervention process which is co-ordinated by the SENDCo working alongside other school staff. Interventions at this stage will be additional from and different to those provided through classroom support.

• Teaching Assistants are trained to deliver a range of interventions to support pupil access to the curriculum. Provision maps identify which interventions are suitable for each pupil based on the area and level of need
• Support for learning might include Teaching Assistants supporting pupils on a 1:1 basis and in small groups.

External Support:

Generally characterised by the school requesting the involvement of relevant external services in more detailed assessment and development of intervention programmes for a pupil. This level of intervention is for pupils with more complex and/or enduring difficulties and whose progress is considered insufficient, despite carefully planned interventions at the previous levels. If schools seek extra provision beyond their own resources, or an assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan, there must be clear evidence that appropriate intervention has been put in place and reviewed at the previous levels of the graduated approach.

The graduated approach will support schools in meeting pupil’s needs by:

• Establishing a clear assessment of the pupil’s needs.
• Planning, with the pupil’s parents, the interventions and support to be put in place, as well as the expected impact on progress, development and behaviour, along with a clear date for review.
• Implementing the interventions, with the support of the SENDCo.
• Reviewing the effectiveness of the interventions and making any necessary revisions.

Adaptations:

We make adaptations to ensure all pupils’ needs are met, some of these are listed below:

• Differentiating our curriculum to ensure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1:1 work, teaching style, content of the lesson
• Adapting our resources and staffing
• Using recommended aids, such as laptops, coloured overlays, visual timetables, larger font.
• Differentiating our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud

All children are valued and respected in the school whatever their needs may be. For some children additional programmes and support are needed to support or to extend their learning.

The term Additional Educational Needs (AEN) includes the following:

• specific learning needs such as dyslexia or dyscalculia

• social, emotional and mental health needs

• physical or medical needs

• sensory needs

• social communication difficulties

• children for whom English is an additional language

• children who are vulnerable

We aim:

• to identify, at the earliest opportunity, all children who need special consideration to support their physical, sensory, social, emotional, communication or cognitive development.

• to ensure that all children are fully included in all school activities in order to promote the highest levels of personal achievement.

• to promote self worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independent learning at all levels.

• to support children to have a growth mindset and reach their potential.

In addition to the broad, balanced and vibrant curriculum that we offer to all our pupils we also employ a range of short term intervention groups to boost children's attainment where necessary.

We hold Pupil Progress Review meetings three times a year where children in the school are discussed, attainment and progress are tracked and the register of AEN is reviewed and updated, ensuring that all children are correctly identified. Following these meetings our short term, targeted, intervention groups are evaluated and new ones established.
 

In addition, our school provides specific support for the following groups of children:

• Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Children with medical conditions
• Children with English as an additional language (EAL)
• Children in receipt of Pupil Premium (PPG)
• Children who are looked after or previously looked after (LAC)