When a child first begins school the amount of information presented to parents can seem daunting, especially if their child has SEND. We have published a number of FAQs posted by parents relating to our school and SEND provision.
How can I find out what schools, social care and health should be providing for my child?
The new SEND code of practice sets out how decisions should be made for children and young adults with SEND. This is statutory guidance and all schools, local authorities and health providers must have regard to it when providing for SEND children/young adults. We will be adding a link to the Code of Practice document as soon as it’s available.
How accessible is your school?
Our school has ramped access to buildings directly from the main entrance and yards. Our school is built on one level giving easy access to all areas including the building and play areas. We have disabled toilet facilities and a selection of specialist furniture within school to meet the needs of a variety of physical conditions. If you would like further information please see our Accessibility Policy in the Policies section of our website
What specialist services are available at your school to meet my child’s needs?
We work with an extensive range of services and professionals to ensure we meet the needs of each individual child. We encourage these professionals to visit school as often as possible to work with our staff and share their expertise. Wherever possible, staff implement programmes of work linked to these professionals e.g. speech and language programmes, exercises recommended by physical therapies etc.
What training do staff supporting children with SEND have?
Members of staff have Paediatric First Aid and Safeguarding Level 1 qualification. In addition, our SEND support staff have a selection of training relating to, Movement Difficulties, Autistic spectrum disorder and behaviour support. The National Award for SEN Co-ordinator was completed by Mrs Bowmaker in 2012. Each year the needs of children within our school are carefully considered and training organised as necessary.
How will my child be included in activities outside of the classroom including school trips?
We ensure that all children are offered the opportunity to participate with activities outside of the classroom by making reasonable adjustments to the organisation of these. For example, we ensure SEND children have an appropriate level of adult support if going out of school, we organise transport that provides appropriate access and staff complete a comprehensive risk assessment of any excursion to ensure all children are safe and included. In addition, our SEND children are given the opportunity to participate in visits to settings that meet their specific needs e.g. sensory play.
How are parents involved with your school?
We are fully committed to encouraging parents to be involved with all aspects of school life. We welcome parents into school at the beginning and end of a school day and they are welcome to arrange additional dates to meet with the teacher to discuss progress and provision. We invite parents to school performances, our annual sponsored and Enterprise events, sports events and in certain year groups we also have phonics training sessions during the year. They are also encouraged to help with our school garden as part of an after-school club.
How will your school prepare my child for the transition to Secondary school?
Children with SEND are given an extensive level of support before they leave for a new school. Their teacher and SENDCo will discuss with secondary colleagues how many transition visits can be arranged over and above those offered to children without SEND. These additional visits to the new school will be carried out with the child and Secondary School Staff in the summer term. This ensures that bridges are built between schools, key information shared between staff and the child is given the opportunity to settle into a new routine with the support of a familiar adult. For further details see the SEND transition section.
If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.
