SEND and Local Offer
MANOR PARK SCHOOL & NURSERY
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS & DISABILITY POLICY
Policy Development
This policy has been drawn up with the support of school stakeholders; including members of the school Pastoral Team, the Pastoral Sub-Committee of the Governing Body, the SEND Governor, pupils and parents. The Policy along with Manor Park’s Local Offer will be available to all parents via the school web-site on the dedicated SEN page.
Definition of SEN and Disability (SEND)
At Manor Park School we use the definition for SEN and disability from the SEND Code of Practice (2014). This states the following:
SEN: A child or young person has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A learning difficulty or disability is a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age. Special educational provision means educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for others of the same age in a mainstream setting in England.
DISABILITY: Many children and young people who have SEN may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010- that is’..a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’
Inclusion
At Manor Park Primary School we seek inclusive practice for all members of the school community. In practice we see this as enabling all pupils to participate in and enjoy school life. We strive to work with individuals in a way that best suits their needs. We adhere to the values of ‘Every Child Matters’.
The Purpose of the Policy
The SEND policy should be read in conjunction with the Manor Park Local Offer and the school Behaviour Policy. The Local Offer enables parents/carers to see what Manor Park Primary School provides for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability. Children may have special educational needs throughout, or at any time during their school career. These documents provide a framework for the identification of and provision for children with special educational need and/or disabilities. They are written for all members of the school community to ensure that all are aware of the principles underlying identification and provision and all are committed to the agreed strategies.
School Values and Aims for SEND:
- To ensure the needs of all pupils with SEN are met through a positive culture, good management and appropriate deployment of resources
- To ensure that all pupils with SEN are enabled to reach their full potential, taking into account targets based on prior attainment and teacher assessment
- To ensure that all pupils are enabled to enjoy their time at Manor Park School & Nursery
- To identify any pupil’s SEN as early as possible in order to put in place appropriate interventions and resources
- To enable full participation alongside other pupils where practicable to the taught curriculum and the ‘non-taught’ curriculum
- To ensure that pupils with SEN, where there may be a vulnerability, are kept safe at all times within the school environment, and are enabled to integrate as fully as possible with the school population and have equal opportunities
- To correspond to all SEN requirements and provisions contained in the SEND Code of Practice 2014
- To ensure all working practice is kept in line with current local and national policies relating to SEN and Disability
- To work in partnership with parents, educational professionals and external agencies to enable ‘best practice’ to meet SEN
- To access and utilise all available resources, training opportunities and funding in order to provide up to date and appropriate resources.
School Aim & Educational Inclusion
As a school and learning community we aim to recognise the needs of each individual child. We aim to respect their intellectual, physical and emotional development. We aim to raise the aspirations and expectations for all our SEN pupils and have a clear focus on the outcome for each pupil through clearly identified support and intervention.
At Manor Park we aim to achieve inclusion through the removal of barriers to learning. Through appropriate curricular provision we respect the fact that children:
- have different educational and behavioural needs and aspirations
- require different strategies for learning
- acquire, assimilate and communicate information at different rates
- need a range of different teaching approaches and experiences
Objectives
- To provide a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator who will work with the SEN Inclusion Policy
- To provide support and advice for staff working with SEN pupils
- To identify pupils who have special educational needs as soon as possible
- To assess the need and plan action to meet the need
- To monitor, record, evaluate and review the action taken
- To involve the child if appropriate
- To involve parents/carers every step of the process
- To inform parents/carers of the Cheshire East Information Advice and Support (CEIAS)
- To consult with outside agencies for advice and support
- To provide the appropriate resources for the child
Identification of Special Educational Needs
We recognise that there are four broad areas of need (SEND Code of Practice 2014). The purpose of identifying need under these categories is to ensure that the correct actions are taken to support a pupil not merely to categorise them. At Manor Park we consider the needs of the whole child not just the special educational needs of the child.
Communication and interaction
Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives. Children and young people with ASD, including Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others.
Cognition and learning
Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD), where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), where children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment. Specific learning difficulties (SpLD), affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical
symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.
Sensory and/or physical needs
Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time. Many children and young people with vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI) or a multi-sensory impairment (MSI) will require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning, or rehabilitation support. Children and young people with an MSI have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties. Some children and young people with a physical disability (PD) require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their learning.
At Manor Park we acknowledge that there will be situations when children require additional support but that the individual child may not be identified with SEN. These situations may have an impact on progress and attainment and as such require additional support to be provided.
These may include:
- Disability where as a school a reasonable adjustment needs to be made for a pupil to access learning
- Attendance & Punctuality
- Health & Welfare
- Pupil Premium
- Cared For Child
Graduated Approach to identifying children with Special Educational Needs
In line with the SEND Code of Practice Manor Park follows a graduated approach using the Assess, Plan, Do and Review (APDR) cycle to address a pupil’s SEN. We have a person-centred approach to information gathering and therefore both pupils and parents are involved throughout all stages of the cycle. The process begins by accessing the Cheshire East SEND Toolkit for advice and support. This suggests strategies and resources and signposts teachers to appropriate support agencies. The Toolkit must be used alongside APDR documentation to gather evidence of how a child with SEND is supported in school.
ASSESS
Pupils are regularly assessed and their progress and development is tracked and compared to their peers and to national expectations. On-going teacher assessments and termly pupil progress meetings with the Senior Leadership Team identify those making less than expected progress, given their age and individual circumstances. Particular care is taken when assessing those pupils with English as an additional language (EAL).
PLAN
Step 1
At Manor Park class teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all pupils in their class, including pupils that access support from teaching assistants and/or specialist staff.
High quality, personalised teaching is differentiated for groups and individuals within the class and is the first step in responding to pupils who may have SEN. Any additional intervention and support does not compensate for lack of high quality teaching.
Class teachers ensure any support plans are implemented in the classroom. They liaise regularly with parents/carers and the SENCO. They deploy additional adults effectively. They identify SEN provision on their class plans and write and review targets for their SEN pupils. They access the Cheshire East SEND Toolkit for advice and support at each stage of the graduated approach.
Step 2 - First Concerns
When a child is making insufficient progress in relation to his/her peers and a gap in learning begins to form or when there are concerns regarding a child’s social, emotional or mental health, the Class Teacher meets with parents/carers to discuss their concerns. A Discussion Form is completed and signed by parent/carer. The SENCO is informed and plans are made to provide appropriate support for the child. This might include specific resources and programmes, additional adult support or specific approaches and strategies. This is recorded on ‘First Concerns’ documentation and A First Concerns Profile is written.
At this stage the child is listed on a school register of First Concerns. At this stage the child is not necessarily considered to have Special Educational Needs and will therefore not be placed on a SEN register. Every effort is made to remove barriers to learning and to stop the gap widening between the child and his/her peers.
The child’s progress is monitored closely by the Class Teacher and the SENCO and parents/carers are kept informed. Meetings can be requested at any time by parents/carers.
If in spite of effective quality first teaching including differentiation, interventions and strategies the child fails to make progress and there are serious concerns due to the complexity of the child’s needs then a further step is taken after discussion with parents/carers. This could be after 2 terms of additional support. Thus far all support is school based. When a pupil is progressed to the next step support can be sought from outside agencies which widens the support around the child, reflecting the greater needs of that child.
Step 3: SEN Support
The child’s class teacher and SENCO (where necessary) will write a SEN Support Plan (SSP) for the child with more complex/severe Special Educational Needs. The SEND Toolkit is used for advice and support. In general these children will be those who need several hours of additional support in class. This plan will be written annually in collaboration with class teachers, parents/carers and pupil. This plan will relate to a clear set of outcomes which reflect the views and feelings of the child and their family. It will have stretching and relevant academic and developmental objectives. When a child has an SFP he/she is placed on school’s SEN Register.
The School Focussed Plan will:
- include evidence-based intervention
- record progress, outcomes and support
- be reviewed regularly, at least 3 times per year
- include support which is planned and reviewed by the Class Teacher in collaboration with the SENCO, Parents/Carers and the pupil (where appropriate).
· include Parent/Carer and Child views
- include tracking data
- include a Provision Map (if deemed necessary)
SEN support may be in the form of:
- an individual learning programme
- evidence based intervention programme
- additional support from a teacher or a teaching assistant
- making/adapting/maintaining resources or equipment
- supporting a pupil in a small group
- observing a child in class or at unstructured times
- assisting/enabling a pupil to participate in a class activity
- encouraging a pupil to ask questions and to try at tasks they perceive as difficult
- checking understanding by asking questions
- helping a child develop social relationships at break or peer relationships in class-work
- supporting a child with personal care and physical difficulties such as eating, moving around school safely, toileting and dressing
- access to school’s Learning Mentor, Miss Jacqui Moreland
- access to lunchtime facility for eating or socialising
- access to Breakfast Club
Involvement of Specialists
At any update where a pupil is making less than expected progress, despite evidence based support and effective interventions, school will involve specialists who will impact further on effective teaching approaches, equipment, strategies and interventions. The ‘Complex’ section of the SEND Toolkit is used to gain advice and support.
Parents/Carers will be notified and included in this involvement. Specialists include Educational Psychologists, the Cheshire East Autism Team, Speech & Language Therapists, Vision/hearing Impaired Specialists, the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, School Health Team and the Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy Services. Early Years specialists are consulted for pre-school children.
If, after the involvement of specialists, there are still serious concerns about a child’s progress then school will discuss with parents/carers applying for a Statutory Education, Health & Care Plan (EHC Plan). Information will be gathered from all those involved with the child with parental consent. EHC Plans will only be issued for children with complex or severe needs or those with exceptional medical or social conditions.
School collates information on the child’s needs and outcomes on an Integrated Needs Assessment Form (NA Form). This includes information on education, health and social care. This is done in collaboration with parents/carers. The Cheshire East SEND Toolkit supports staff in gathering the relevant paperwork for the NA application.
Step 4: Education, Health and Care Plans
A meeting is held with parents/carers and the child. Parents can be supported by an independent supporter. In this meeting views of the child and parents/carers are recorded. The Integrated Needs Assessment Form is completed and signed by parents/carers.
The request for an Education, Health & Care Plan is sent to the Statutory Assessment Team for consideration together with relevant reports and Toolkit documentation. This marks the start of a 20 week process.
The Assessment Panel meet to assess the Integrated Assessment Form and the reports provided to decide whether to proceed with an assessment or to initiate a ‘Step Down Process.’
If assessment is not agreed parents/carers are informed and reasons are given as to why it is not proceeding. Right of appeal information is given to parents/carers. A further Family Meeting is offered to discuss how the child’s needs can be met through school’s Local Offer and the School Focussed Plan.
If the assessment is agreed then the Statutory Assessment Team may request further information for example from an Educational Psychologist.
This group meet monthly to assess the original request and any additional reports they have requested.
The group decide to issue an EHC Plan or to initiate a ‘Step Down’ process. Parents/carers are informed with explanations given if the Plan is refused. Right of appeal is explained. A further Family Meeting is offered to discuss how the child’s needs can be met through school’s Local Offer and SEN Support Plan.
If an EHC Plan is agreed then a draft copy is sent to school and parents/carers. A Co-Production Meeting is offered. This is a Person-Centred meeting around the child. The child’s needs, aspirations, outcomes and provision are discussed. Personal Budgets are explained if appropriate. Any change in placement will also be discussed at this meeting. The SEND Toolkit advises in the ‘Specialist’ section if it is felt a child needs more specialist provision. When provision is agreed the Final EHC Plan is issued. Parents/carers are given information regarding right to appeal through Informal Mediation. If still unsatisfied they can request Formal Mediation leading to Tribunal. Throughout the whole process parents/carers can receive support from an independent supporter.
DO
The class teacher is responsible for working with the pupil on a daily basis. She/He will also liaise closely with TAs or Specialists who provide support set out in the plan and monitor the progress being made. The SENCO will provide support, guidance and advice for the teacher and continue to assess pupils when deemed necessary. The teacher will follow the advice in the Cheshire East SEND Toolkit.
REVIEW
The plan will be reviewed each term. The impact of the support and interventions will be reviewed and next steps will be taken. When a plan is successful a pupil may be removed from SEN support. For pupils with an EHCP an annual review of the EHCP takes place in addition to termly reviews.
Exit Criteria
Staff regularly assess pupil progress and aim to remove children from SEN provision when appropriate. We use a ‘step down’ process; e.g. if a pupil is on a SEN Support Plan (SSP) and good progress is seen with the pupil reaching their potential or attainment is in-line with their year group their plan will step back down to First Concerns. This allows the staff to monitor the progress closely and to check progress is maintained before removal from the First Concerns record.
Supporting Pupils and Families
Manor Park’s Local Offer and the Cheshire East Local Offer provide further guidance and support for parents. Links to these can be found on our Web-Site within the dedicated SEN Page.
Manor Park liaises with a wide variety of agencies to support families and school staff attend multi-agency meetings including Common Assessment Framework (CAF) meetings.
Admission of children with SEND follows the Local Authority Admissions Code; and will not discriminate against children with special educational needs.
Transition between classes and phases are planned for with individual children and families being supported with clearly identified bespoke packages as required. Action for Inclusion meetings are held. Manor Park has excellent liaison with Knutsford Academy when Year 6 transfer to Year 7.
Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions
At Manor Park we recognise that pupils at school with medical conditions can require additional support to access full time education, including school trips and physical education.
The school staff access regular training relating to medical conditions and liaise closely with pupils medical staff to implement care management plans e.g. Diabetic Management Plan, Epilepsy Management Plan etc...
The school has a detailed ‘Administration of Medicine Policy’; this can be accessed on our school web-site or in our Local Offer.
Monitoring & Evaluation
The Head teacher and Senior Leadership Team regularly monitor and evaluate the quality of provision for all pupils. The impact of SEN provision is measured through analysis of pupil tracking and test results. Progress is measured against national data and based on pupils’ age and baselines. Intervention progress, individual targets, book scrutiny and pupil voice are also referred to. The SENCO meets 4 times annually with teachers to analyse data and discuss the progress of every child who has an SSP.
Training and Resources
In order to maintain and develop the quality of teaching and provision to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils, all staff are encouraged to undertake training and development.
Training takes place on a regular basis for staff in school. In-house training is used during weekly staff meetings where identified areas of SEN & need can be explored e.g. SALT, Autism, ADHD, dyslexia etc... Staff also attend training programmes offered by specialist providers; these may be specific to the needs of individual pupils or could be related to one of the four broads areas of identified need.
The SENCO also attends Educational Psychologist and Cheshire East Autism Team consultations every half term where the most complex SEN pupils are discussed.
The school budget is utilised to provide support & resources for pupils identified with SEN; alongside this the school can access ‘high needs top up funding’ for pupils with more complex needs. THE SENCO is allocated a yearly budget to purchase resources to support pupils. The expenditure of this is monitored by the Finance Committee of the Governing Body.
Roles and Responsibilities
The SEND Governor – Stewart Gardiner. His role is to ensure that the necessary provision is made for any pupil who has special educational needs, through meetings with the school Senior Leadership Team and the SENCO; to monitor provision; to have an overview of the progress of pupils identified with SEND within the context of the SEN Code and Practice 2014.
The SENCO – Janet Hazeldine is a member of the school Pastoral Team and has responsibility specifically for pupils with SEN and the provision for them in school to access the correct interventions and support. Her role includes supporting all staff, class teachers and teaching assistants in identifying pupils with additional need; observing and assessing SEN pupils; developing then monitoring the correct provision; providing and allocating resources; collating paperwork; maintaining individual pupil records; acting as a link with all external agencies, parents/carers and other schools; arranging EHCP reviews and completing documentation and Needs Assessments.
The Designated Teacher for Safeguarding, Cared For Children(CFC) and Medical Needs –Simon Cotterill, Head Teacher, is responsible for documentation regarding these pupils. As the designated teacher for safeguarding, CFC and medical needs, he ensures that training is accessed regularly.
Storage and Managing Information
All pupil information is stored securely and is confidential; only accessible on a ‘need to know’ basis. Records are maintained by the Head teachers, SENCO and class teachers. Records will be passed on when a child moves to another school
Relevant Policies
Other policies that support pupils with additional needs can be accessed on our school web-site:
www.manorpark.cheshire.sch.uk
or by contacting Mrs Cobham in the school office – 01625 568837
Relevant Policies and Procedures:
- Access Plan
- Behaviour Policy
- Anti-Bullying Policy
Complaints Procedure
As a school we are always willing to discuss any issues that arise and try to resolve situations as quickly and smoothly as possible. In the first instance please contact the class teacher or the SENCO. If complaints still are not satisfied then an appointment can be made to see the Head teacher.
However, if parents/carers feel an issue has not been resolved the Complaints Procedure can be accessed on our school web-site:
or by contacting Mrs Cobham in the school office – 01625 568837
This policy has been updated in December 2017.
It will be reviewed in December 2020 unless further SEN changes are made by the government requiring it sooner.
Janet Hazeldine (SENCO)
Agreed by:
Governor: ____________________________________________________
Head teacher: __________________________________________________
Date ___________________
Review: Autumn 2020
