Information about the school’s Policies for identification and assessment of pupils with SEN

Come into school to speak in the first instance to the Class Teacher, who will explain the provision already in place in school to support your child and address their needs. If you require further advice or information, or are still concerned as to whether your child needs any further support, an appointment will be made for you to meet with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), Hannah Heyes.

In accordance with the school’s SEND policy, pupils are identified as having SEN, and their needs assessed, through :

• Information passed on from Nursery/KS1/KS2/previous schools;
• KS2 results, baseline testing and progress data;
• Feedback from teaching staff and observations;
• Pupil Premium interventions not showing impact;
• Referrals from parents
• Pupil referrals to specialist agencies, including Behaviour Support Service, Education Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Ladywood Outreach Service.

The school’s approach to teaching pupils with SEND

Brownlow Fold aims to be an inclusive school and actively seeks to remove the barriers to learning and participation that can hinder or exclude individual children or groups of children. All children with or without Special Educational Needs receive equality of entitlement to all activities, whether curricular or extra – curricular. Wherever necessary, special provision is put in place to ensure that this is met.

Provision for SEND pupils includes :

Nurture Groups where appropriate

Quality First Teaching, with appropriate differentiation in place;

Extra adult support in classrooms when appropriate;

Small group precision teaching when appropriate;

Personalised provision through time limited programmes;

Personalised provision through adapted resources and interventions.

1:1 work and small group work where appropriate

On-going monitoring takes place by teachers to identify pupils who are not making progress or who have additional needs which are affecting their ability to engage in learning activities. After discussion with key staff and parents, an individual provision map may be put in place. In consultation with the SENCo, the class teacher will agree key areas of learning or behaviour to address with specific targets by which progress can be measured. Where external agencies are involved, their advice and recommendations are included in these support interventions. The actions agreed take into account each child’s strengths as well as their difficulties.

In some cases teaching assistant support may be allocated. Under the guidance of the class teacher and SENCo, this support is deployed to ensure your child can engage in all lessons and wider school activities and to facilitate their independent learning. Additionally, for some children, a EHA (Early Help Assessment) may be put in place. An EHA is a document, written in consultation with the child, family and key members of staff, which documents a child’s strengths and areas of need. Within the EHA key actions regarding support/provision will be noted. Additional support may be put in place to provide enhanced resources and deliver targeted small group or individual support to help overcome any difficulties.

Support that is available for improving the social, emotional and mental health of pupils with special educational needs.

Pupils are well supported by :

• Whole school ethos setting out aspirations and expectations
• Whole School Positive Behaviour Policy
• A comprehensive anti-bullying policy
• Child Protection Policy
• E-Safety Policy
• Code of Conduct
• Whole School Reward & Traffic Light System
• Merit Treats half termly
• House Points
• Circle Time
• PSHCE Curriculum
• Playground Mentors
• School Council
• Pupil Voice
• ASPIRE consultancy provide the school with training and advice on building positive social, emotional and mental health
• A Family Liaison Worker supports children and families with identified social, emotional and mental health needs
• Targeted support for individual pupils by allocating a school mentor where appropriate
• Behaviour Support Service to work with individual children on self-confidence, self-esteem and positive choices
• Advice from Educational Psychology and external specialist agencies

Your child’s class teacher will be readily accessible for any child to speak to about anything which troubles them and will then work with the child to address their concerns, taking appropriate action as necessary. Any member of staff will be ready to listen to any child who needs support. The school has an Assertive Mentoring system in place alongside a well structured PSHCE curriculum (following best practice guidance from the PSHE Association) which enables children to develop self-awareness, the management of feelings, self-motivation, empathy and social skills. The planning and assessment for children experiencing special educational needs will take into account the type and extent of difficulty experienced by the child. A variety of means and activities will be used to promote their overall development. The teaching of PSHE and citizenship helps all children develop as individuals in a wider society. Residential experiences, visits and special visitors to school provide opportunities for children to plan and work together, and develop and maintain relationships under a variety of circumstances.

The arrangements for consulting parents of children with special educational needs about their child’s education.

Parents of any child at the school have the opportunity to discuss their child’s education at any point in the year by meeting with the class teacher, key stage leader or SENCo. Parents are invited into school on a very regular basis to discuss the learning and next steps of your child.

Regular Coffee Mornings also enable us to engageengage in effective liaison and communication with parents and carers.

At the start of each year, staff hold welcome events to enable parents to meet the teacher. During the Autumn and Spring terms, Parent Conferences are held, and a formal written report is sent at the end of the Summer term.

Brownlow Fold Primary school operates an ‘open door’ policy. Parents and carers are very welcome to discuss the individual needs of their children with either the class teacher, SENCO or member of the Senior Leadership Team, who will be delighted to help.

Arrangements for assessing & reviewing pupils’ progress towards outcomes, including opportunities available to work with parents & pupils as part of this assessment and review

These arrangements include :
• Graduated approach (Assess Plan Do Review)
• Data tracking for pupil progress meetings
• Support plan and EHCP reviews
• Observations and follow-up meetings
• Parents meetings
Partnership with parents plays a key role in enabling children with SEND to achieve their potential. The school recognises that parents hold key information and have knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of a child’s needs and the best ways of supporting them. All parents of children with special educational needs will be treated as partners and supported to play an active and valued role in their children’s education. Parents will be informed where the child is in need of SEND support. In some cases an individual provision map or a EHA (Early Help Assessment) will be written to establish provision and meetings will be held to discuss and review provision and progress towards the set outcomes, at least termly. Where a child has a Statement or Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP), a Local Authority Annual Review will also be carried out.

There are a number of ways parents and children are consulted, these include:

• Personal Interviews
• Review Meetings, to which the child is invited if appropriate
• Parent Conference, attended by parent/carers and child
• Reviews, held between the class teacher and the child
• Pupil Voice surveys
• School Council representatives, voicing the views raised by class members

Regular meetings, alongside the parent conference process, ensures wherever possible that children are involved in meetings arranged with parents to discuss and agree desired outcomes and to review progress made towards these. In the termly parent conference meetings, teachers discuss outcomes with the child individually and set new targets. At Brownlow Fold, every child has specific targets set at their own ability level in Reading, Writing and Maths. These are put in their books and referred to regularly. Every child is made aware of these targets and teachers refer to these constantly when working with the child or within marking and feedback.

How adaptations are made to the curriculum and the learning environment of pupils with SEND

The curriculum/learning environment may be adapted by :

• Groupings that target specific levels of progress
• Differentiated resources, teaching styles and activities
• Appropriate choices of texts and topics to suit the learner
• Access arrangements for tests and or examinations
• Additional adult support

Our teachers are skilled at adapting teaching and learning to meet the diverse range of needs in each class. Daily planning takes into account individual children’s needs and requirements. Differentiation is approached in a range of ways to support access and ensure that all pupils can experience success and challenge within their learning experiences.

Grouping arrangements are organised flexibly to maximise learning opportunities for all. Additional adults are carefully targeted to help groups and individual pupils achieve their targets in the short term and develop independent learning skills as a longer term goal. Monitoring takes place to avoid pupils becoming over reliant/dependent on this adult support.

We use external agencies to seek advice and support to ensure the needs of all children are fully understood and met. These include:

Community Paediatrician

Early Years Foundation Stage Team

Ladywood Outreach Service

Health Visiting Service

School Nurse

Early Intervention Team

Educational Psychologist

Behaviour Support Service

Aspire Behaviour Support Consultancy

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

Occupational Therapy

Physiotherapy

Parent Partnership Service

Children’s Social Care

PCSO’s

Our staff are highly trained, with a number specialising in Speech, Language and Communication Needs Strategies

All our EYFS staff are trained in Paediatric First Aid and all staff are Basic First Aid trained.

Specific staff are also trained in EpiPen, use of Hydrocortisone, Lego therapy and have undertaken Feeding Tube Training led by specialist nurses. Our SENCO undertakes regular training, including dyspraxia, dyscalculia and dyslexia. She also holds the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination.

We work closely with Ladywood Special School to ensure all children’s needs are met

Bolton Parent Partnership Service
Lowndes Street
Bolton
BL1 4QB
Telephone: 01204 848722 (8.30 – 17.00)

Aspire North West (deliver parenting programs)
5 Tottington Rd
Truton
Bolton
BL7 0HS
Email info@aspirenorthwestltd.co.uk
01204 853443

Kidz2gether (ASD Kids and parent support)
Horwich Resource Centre
Beaumont Road
Horwich
Bolton
BL6 7BG
Jacqueline – Tel: 07919 864784
Email: info@kidz2gether.org.uk

Breaking Barriers NW ASD Kids and Parent support
4th Floor
St. George’s House
St. George’s Road
Bolton
BL1 2EE
Tel: 07717 434 840
Email: breakbarriers3@gmail.com

Zacs Bar (children and families with learning difficulties)
Farnworth Centre (Head Office)
71 Market Street, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 7NS
Open for activities as per timetable plus office hours 9am – 6pm, Mon – Fri
Tel: 01204 706200
Email: office@zacsyouthbar.co.uk

Information on where Bolton’s Local Offer is published:

https://www.bolton.gov.uk/sendlocaloffer/

If parents/carers of a child with SEND have concerns about progress or provision, they should consult the class teacher first. If parents/carers feel that concerns are not addressed, they can consult with the key stage leader, the SENCo or the Head Teacher. If the problem is still unresolved the complaint should be addressed by the SEND Governors, Councillor Thomas and Mrs. Vepari, who will deal with the complaint following the statutory procedure.

A copy of the school SEND policy is always available from the school office in hard copy. It is also published on the school website – Here