SEND Report– 2022-2023

Name of Special  Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) – Lindsay Connor

Name of SEN Link  Governor  - Hannah Allen

 

Number of Pupils

• Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support – 55  (18.9% of the school population – the national average in 2021-22 was 12.2%)
• 20 of these children are considered to be high need and have a My Plan Plus Assessment and Plan in place
• 3 pupils are on an Education Health and Care Plan (1% of the school population / National average is 4%)

 

Identification of SEND

Under the SEND Policy pupils are identified by one of three assessment routes, all of which are part of the overall approach to monitoring the progress of all pupils:

a) All pupils are monitored at a termly progress meeting and, where they are identified as not making progress in spite of good Quality First Teaching and remain more than 18 months below peers in their attainment. They are discussed with the Senior Leadership Team and SEND Coordinator and a plan of action is agreed. (a My Plan)

b) Class teachers are continually aware of pupils’ learning. If they observe that a pupil, is making less than expected progress, given their age and individual circumstances, or a change in behaviours, they will seek to identify a cause. This can be characterised by progress which:

• is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline;

• fails to match or better the pupil’s previous rate of progress;

• fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers.

c) Parents sometimes ask school staff to look more closely at a pupil’s learning. We take all parental requests seriously and investigate them; initially using observation, a LASS / LUCID assessment. Frequently, the concern may be addressed by Quality First Teaching or some parental support. Otherwise, the pupil is placed on the SEND Register.

Although the school may identify a pupil’s special educational needs and disability, and make provision to meet those needs, we do not offer diagnoses. Parents are advised to contact their GP if they think their child may have ASD or ADHD, or some other disability.

Working with Parents / Children

We aim to have good and informative relationships with all parents. If a pupil is experiencing difficulties, parents will be informed either at parents’ meetings in the Autumn and Spring terms, or during informal meetings to discuss the pupil’s progress. It should not come as a surprise to a parent to learn that their child is being identified as having a special educational need or disability.

Once a pupil has been identified as having a special educational need or disability, the Class Teacher will invite the parents to a meeting to:

• formally let them know that their child is being placed on the SEN register;

• discuss assessments that have been completed;

• agree a plan and provision for the next term.

This is part of the graduated approach cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review, which is required in the Code of Practice. Depending on their age and interest, a pupil may be invited to add information to the plan. 

Parents of Children on MP+  are invited to a meeting at least once a term to review progress made, set targets and agree provision for the next term. This was done in September, February and June of last year. My Plan information is usually shared via the parent/teacher meetings or over the telephone.

Working with External Agencies

If the support we provide fails to result in suitable progress for the SEND pupil, we will request observation and assessment from a range of professionals (after obtaining parental consent).

During academic year 22-23, referrals have been made to:

✓ Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)

✓ Advisory Teaching Service (ATS)

✓ Families First and the Inclusion Team

✓ School Health (Community Paediatricians via the school nurse)

✓ SEMHS team

✓ Educational Psychology

✓ Play Therapist

Sadly, wait times have increased as the local Authority budget is further squeezed.

Issues Arising in 2022/23

• Parents misunderstanding of the graduated pathway, often caused by medical profession advice
• Parental expectation of an EHCP
• limited budgets

In order to overcome these issues we have written to the local GPs who now acknowledge their guidance is incorrect and have promised to change this. Schools do not provide EHCP's and EP time is limited and based on educational need.

An EHCP is difficult to get and all it will do is stipulate targets, to overcome the learning barriers identified. Often the school already has these in place. Budgets for SEND are very limited and national news has reported this as a problem recently. 

Achievement of pupils with SEND

The progress of all pupils is tracked regularly with detailed analysis taking place on a termly basis – this is reported to the Teaching and Learning Cte. The progress score for the SEN pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 is - 

Year 6 Leavers with SEND progress in 2023 (whole cohort avg progress)

               Reading -             1.5 (0.9)

               Writing –              2.6 (2.6)

               Maths -                0.1  (1.1)

The progress in reading is very pleasing to see and will provide pupils with the opportunity to learn well in secondary school.

SEND Funding – 2023-24

National SEN funding included in Schools Block - £120710

High Needs Top Up - £17410

The vast proportion of the funding received is spent on staffing to support pupils with SEN, either via in-class support or five specific Intervention TAs

Mrs Jones – Dyslexia Interventions - Y5 and 6 interventions

Mrs Dent – Y3 and 4 Interventions

Mrs Lane – Y1 and 2 Interventions

Mrs Elliot (Nurture and Counselling)

Miss Fielding (Thrive and ELSA)

 Currently, the process for awarding an EHCP is taking over 30 weeks from application to award. Applications can only be made after 2 terms of intervention at school level.

 

Staff Training

Mrs Connor completed the SENCO training award in 2019

Staff have received the following training to support SEND pupils;

NELI training – Reception TAs

Trauma informed practise (Ran by Clinical Psychologist and Play therapist)

Dyslexic Teacher Training award - Mrs Jones

SENDCO training

Attended SEN cluster sessions

SEND Policy

The SEND policy was updated in February 2023.