SEND Information Report

Class teachers are the first point of contact for parents/carers who may wish to express a concern about some aspect of their child's progress or learning. The class teacher must have knowledge of every child's skills and abilities, and find ways of providing appropriate access to the curriculum for each child.

If a class teacher has concerns that a child may have additional learning or social emotional needs, they will complete an ‘inclusive practice record’ and the child is placed on the school SEN monitoring register. The Inclusive Practice Record document details additional provision that is implemented in class and the impact of this is reviewed and discussed with the SENDCOs.

The SENDCOs may carry out classroom observations of a pupil, conduct screening assessments and/or refer to external professionals for further assessment.

Termly pupil review meetings are held by: class teachers, SENDCos and the Headship Team to monitor the progress of all pupils. This is another opportunity for class teachers to raise concerns about the academic or social emotional progress of any of their pupils.

In collaboration with class teachers, and other professionals where appropriate, and in consultation with parents/carers, the SENDCo decides if a pupil who is causing concern needs to be placed on the SEND register. Each child is registered under his/her main presenting or predominant need.

The SEND Co-ordinators (SENDCo) are Charlotte Hingston and Amanda Duda, who are also responsible for SEND across the school.

To contact the SENDCo please telephone 01293 537158 or email senco@miltonmount.co.uk

The school works in close partnership with parents/carers. We do so by:

• enabling parents/carers to play an active and valued role in their child's education.
• keeping parents/carers informed, offering support during periods of assessment and any related decision-making process about SEND provision and placement on the SEND register.
• working effectively with all other agencies supporting children and their parents/carers.
• working to ensure that parents/carers are confident that the school will listen to their views and concerns and act on these appropriately and immediately.
• ensuring that all parents/carers can access information provided by the school.
• focusing on developing the child's strengths as well as areas of additional need.

We follow the Graduated Approach to SEND Support which takes the form of a four-part cycle referred to as 'Assess-Plan-Do-Review'. Children on the SEND register have a termly ‘Individual Learning Plan’ written by their class teacher. These plans have specific, measurable targets addressing the child’s individual needs and these are shared with parents.

Parents are encouraged to contact the SENDCos via telephone or email at any time in order to arrange a meeting to discuss any questions about their child’s SEND provision and/or their child’s progress.

We recognise that all pupils have the right to be involved in making decisions and exercising choice. Wherever possible, pupils are involved in monitoring and reviewing their progress.

The views of the pupil are included in parent/teacher consultations, either through involving the pupil in all or part of the discussion itself, or gathering their views as part of the preparation.

At the end of each term, class teachers review the Individual Learning Plan outcomes for each child on the SEN register.

The review of each outcome informs the targets set for the following term.

The SENDCos also monitor the academic progress of each SEND pupil using the Target Tracker software and this progress is discussed at the termly pupil review meetings.

Effectiveness can be measured in many ways, including the following:

• The children are successful in meeting ILP targets (academic and social/emotional).
• The child is making progress academically against national/age related expected levels and the gap is narrowing – they are catching up with their peers or expected age levels.
• Verbal feedback from the teacher, parent and pupil.
• Children may move off the SEND register when they have 'caught up' or made sufficient progress.

If a child has an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP), there will also be an Annual Review of their progress against the outcomes set in the plan. All professionals involved with the support of the child, are invited to this meeting alongside the SENDCos and child’s parents/carers.

We recognise that 'moving on' can be difficult for a child with SEND and are committed to working in partnership with children, families and other providers to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible.

Pre-school transition:

• Initial contact is made with the setting previously attended and with the parents, as soon as we are notified that a pupil is transferring into our school.
• For Pre-school pupils, home-visits are conducted in order to discuss the transition and any related concerns.

If your child is moving to another school:

• We will contact the new school's SENDCo and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that needs to be made for your child.
• We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.

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. All IEPs will be shared with the new teacher.
• Children will have opportunities to meet their class teacher work within their new class in the Summer Term prior to transition.

In Year 6:

• The SENDCo and Year 6 staff will meet with the High School SENDCo/representatives to discuss the specific needs of your child and what provision needs to be made.
• 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.
• When children are preparing to leave us, a series of transition opportunities are organised as part of the transition process throughout the year, i.e. Science days, as well as the more formal 'transition day' at the end of the Summer Term.
• High School SENDCo/representatives facilitate additional opportunities specifically targeted at the more vulnerable pupils.

Milton Mount Primary School is an inclusive school and we believe in participation for all. We want all adults and children to participate in all areas of learning and we celebrate all members of our community. We work closely with the West Sussex Virtual School to support and achieve positive outcomes for children who are looked after by the local authority and have SEND.

We have high aspirations of all children and aim to create a learning environment which is flexible enough to meet the needs of all members of our school community and which supports them to make the best possible progress and achieve well regardless of their individual need.

To accomplish these aims, we offer a broad and balanced curriculum with high quality teaching. We provide effective support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, starting from our first contacts with parents and carers when a child enters our school. We make sure that additional needs are identified early and we offer a range of provision according to identified needs. We work with a range of other professionals to make sure that all children receive the support they need to do well at school.

We value high quality teaching for all learners and actively monitor teaching and learning in the school. For more information on our approach, please see our teaching and learning policy.

We continually assess progress and attainment of all learners, ensuring that learning is taking place. Our whole school system for monitoring progress includes regular pupil progress meetings and coaching.

The staff at Milton Mount has a responsibility to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. The national curriculum is the starting point for planning a school curriculum which meets the specific needs of individuals and groups of pupils, and is modified by class teachers to provide effective learning opportunities for all pupils, through differentiation in planning and implementation. Such differentiation allows for the development of a more inclusive curriculum which provides all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging learning, so addressing the diversity of individual learning needs in the school.

Pupils with SEND will be enabled to access the curriculum through the specialist SEND provision provided as appropriate to their needs, taking into account their individual wishes and those of their parents/carers. Every effort will be made to educate pupils with SEND alongside their peers in the classroom where this is reasonable for their needs.

The range of provision includes:

• class-based small group support from the class teacher and/or learning support assistant (LSA)
• individual or small group interventions out of class from an LSA, learning support teacher or teacher.
• differentiation of resources.
• alternative methods of recording including use of ICT
• provision of specialist equipment according to need.
• THRIVE-promotes positive mental health and emotional wellbeing for children
• Team Around the Child Champion (TACC)- pastoral support for children and their families.

The school recognises the importance of continuing professional development for all teaching and support staff to ensure the progress of all pupils, including those with SEND. SENDCos deliver training for both teachers and LSAs on a regular basis to ensure that staff are informed on a range of SEN teaching strategies that can be implemented in the classroom. Milton Mount Primary School has received specialist whole-school training in Trauma-aware practice. In-class provision and support is deployed effectively to ensure that learning is differentiated appropriately and that progress is maximised.

For some learners we may want to seek advice from specialist teams. We have access to services universally provided by West Sussex County Council, which are described on the Local Offer website.

As a school, we also employ Learning Support Assistants who deliver some of the interventions as co-ordinated by our SENDCo and Class Teachers.

Parents/carers are given copies of any specialist assessment reports and can discuss them with the SENDCo.

If a child has a complex special educational need or disability they may have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This plan specifies the type and level of support needed for the pupil. The local authority is responsible for creating the plan through liaison with parents/carers, the pupil, SENDCo and other professionals.

All learners should have the same opportunity to access extra-curricular activities and School activities including residential visits. Access to after school clubs is provided as of right and individual support is organised where required. It is a requirement that any independent provider of after-school clubs must cater for pupils with SEND. School trips are accompanied by a high ratio of adults to children and more individualised support is arranged where necessary. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to ensure participation for all, so please contact the school to discuss specific requirements.

The 2010 Equality Act legislation places specific duties on schools, settings and providers including the duty not to discriminate, harass or victimise a child or adult linked to a protected characteristic defined in the Equality Act and to make 'reasonable adjustments'.

The Equality Act 2010 definition of disability is:

"A person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if (s)he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities."

Section 1 (1) Disability Discrimination Act 1995

This definition of disability in the Equality Act includes children with long term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and cancer. Children and young people with such conditions do not necessarily have SEND, but there is a significant overlap between disabled children and young people and those with SEND. Children and young people may therefore be covered by other SEND and disability legislation.

We are an inclusive school and welcome diversity. All staff believe that high self-esteem is crucial to a child's well-being. We have a caring, understanding team looking after our children.

The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of each child in the class, therefore this is the parents' initial point of contact. If further support is required, the class teacher liaises with the SENDCo for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as Health practitioners and Children's Services, and/or the Learning Behaviour Advisory Team.

We have a qualified THRIVE practitioner and an Team Around the Child Champion (TACC) who work with children in school to improve outcomes for children with significant social and emotional needs. We also run a ‘champion’ strategy in school, where pupils are assigned a staff member who will support their emotional well-being.

Bullying is not tolerated at Milton Mount Primary School. We recognise that bullying can be present in different forms and we follow the procedures in our Behaviour Policy for preventing and dealing with incidents of bullying.

The school works proactively with health and social care bodies, the local authority (LA) support services and voluntary sector organisations. The SENDCo is responsible for liaising with outside agencies if further support is required.

In the first instance, parents’/carers’ complaints about the provision or organisation of SEND are dealt with through the procedures outlined in the whole school complaints policy.

If there continues to be a disagreement with regard to the SEND provision, the LA/other advisory body should make arrangements which include the appointment of independent persons, with a view to avoiding or resolving disagreements between the parents/carers and the school.

More detailed information can be found in the SEND Code of Practice 2014.

The parents of pupils with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if they believe that our school has discriminated against their children. They can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:

• Exclusions
• Provision of education and associated services
• Making reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services