Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs at Northfields School

Northfields School Local Offer SEND Information report 2024-2025 REVIEWED WITH PARENTS, STAFF AND SEN LINK GOVENOR January 2024

Introduction Northfields Infants and Nursery School is committed to supporting children with SEND, we aim to: Identify children with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND) as early as possible. Work with a child centred approach to help plan positive steps. Regularly monitorchildren s progress along with pupil progress meetings. Carry out additional assessment when needed to identify specific areas of difficulty with targeted teaching put in place and the child s progress monitored over time. Provide additional support when needed where parents will be informed and involved throughout the process. Reasonable adjustments may be needed in order to help your child be more settled in their environment. In the first instance: Parentswho are concerned that their child may have SEND issues should initially speak to the class teacher. This information report has been put together by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) with input from parents and the Special Educational Needs linked Governor.

How will school staff support my child? It is the class teacher s responsibility to provide for the children with SEND by using the school s approach to identify, assess and make provision to meet those needs. If a child is not making expected progress the first response is teaching - targeted at their areas of need. If progress continues to be less than expected the class teacher, in discussion with the SENCO, will organise additional support or targeted intervention. A range of teaching interventions may be used, this can be in a short daily session or in longer less frequent sessions each week, depending on the need of each child. If interventions involve teaching away from the main class the teacher still retains the responsibility for the child and works closely with support staff and the SENCo to plan and assess the impact of the intervention. The SENCo provides advice, monitors the impact of interventions and co-ordinates links with outside agencies. Transitions Some children will need enhanced transition support which means extra visits into their new classes/ new schools to familiarise themselves with the new surroundings and teaching staff. Other support can be put in place depending on the need.

Interventions In some parts of this information report we talk about Intervention . This is a term used by the school to describe ways in which we might make particular arrangements for children with Special Educational Needs. Interventions include thing such as: Speech and language programs WellComm program Lego club Stems/ Talking tins Learn IT group Visual timeline Social skills group Elklan interventions Small group play talk Communication & Interaction Phonics booster groups Whizzy words intervention UCAN mathsintervention Numicon Small group work Cut up sentences Tracks activities Phonological Awareness intervention Home learning support Cognition & learning Social emotional & Sensory & Physical Sensory room Artstart and Hand Gym activities Fine motor skills area in classrooms Write from the start Special pencils/ paper/ writing slopes Wobble cushions Ear defenders / chew toys/ fidget toys Specialist equipment Attention Bucket Visual timetable Now/ Next boards Class calm area and outdoor calm area Drawing and talking sessions Anxiety Busters intervention Social stories Sensory room Forest School EP consultations/ CAMHS step 2 mental health

The numbers of students we currently support or monitor are: Nursery Reception Year 1 Year 2 EHCP EHCP in progress 2 3 4 SEND support 6 6 6 7 Totals 6 12 6 10 Monitoring 4 8 2 5 Figures correct as of Autumn term 2024

How will I know how my child is doing? Teachers differentiate work to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to reach their full potential. If a child requires additional support early discussion with parents and the pupil should take place to understand the areas of strength and difficulty. The Assess/ Plan/ Do and Review format is devised to show how support will be provided for the child, and the expected outcomes. Support is monitored closely by the class teacher and SENCo and regular adjustments are made to sustain effective progress. Progress is reported back to the parents with the class teacher and the SENCo in an (Individual Education Plan) IEP review meeting. Outcomes of the interventions are discussed and next steps that need to be put in place agreed. A new IEP will be implemented if needed.

How will the learning and development provision be matched to my child s needs? The school uses a GRADUATED RESPONSE to SEND provision part of a cycle for evaluating decisions and actions and the most effective way of supporting the child to make good progress ASSESS the class teacher will analyse a pupil s progress before identifying the child as having a need that requires support. PLAN A child centred approach is used to decide on how to meet the identified needs of the child. If a child has very specific needs then an IEP may be written taking into account the views of parents/carers and where possible the views of the child. Advice of professionals will be sought at this point. DO The child is supported as agreed by all concerned. The class teacher remains responsible for monitoring the child and will regularly evaluate provision with the support staff and SENCo. REVIEW The effectiveness of the support will be reviewed by all adults concerned and the progress shared regularly (once a term).

What support will there be for my childs overall wellbeing? All staff are trained in safeguarding and take a caring, nurturing and supportive attitude to all pupils. Please talk to your child s class teacher if there is something you feel that we should know or information about your family circumstances which you believe may affect your child. Mrs Yates our Family Support Worker is able to act as a point of liaison between home and school. Mrs Yates our school SENCo is happy to go along to appointments, or contribute to them, at the child development centre (CDC) to support parents. If necessary and in discussion with you, your child may be offered the opportunity to take part in a range of interventions which will be discussed with you.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school? Northfields School is able to access the services and expertise of a range of professionals and agencies including - Educational Psychologist, Speech Therapist, Physical and Neurological Impairment specialist teachers, Communication Disorder Team, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, Early Years support team, Woolgrove outreach, NHPSS Behavioural support team, Visual Impairment Team, school nursing team, CAMHS. These professionals may become involved where appropriate to the needs of the pupil. If you are unsure of what services you think your child may need referring to, please talk to Mrs Yates. Currently the link school nurse is able to refer to different health services such as Child Development Centre and CAMHS. The SENCo can refer to the school nurse with your concerns (please call to make an appointment to talk to Mrs Yates). Northfields School can also signpost parents to their GP (ask for a supporting letter to take along with you from Mrs Yates SENCo).

How have the staff been trained to support SEND children? The SENCo has completed the National Award for SEN Co-ordination, an SEN qualification at Masters level, in October 2021. All staff whatever their experience will seek advice from the SENCo who in turn will be supported and advised by specialist agencies. We also have support staff who have received specialist training for pupils with more specific needs, such as social communication skills, literacy and maths interventions, speech and language development (Elklan) and physical disabilities. All Staff are trained in First Aid and Safeguarding. There are three designated staff (DSPs) for safeguarding concerns, Mr Dell, Miss Batcock and Mrs Cobb. Staff Training is on-going and related to the needs of the pupils currently in the school. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

How will you help me to support my childs learning? Parents are kept fully informed in the Autumn and Spring term of their child s progress through parents evening consultations. An annual report is written for each child in the Summer term. Parents are involved in IEP reviews where extra support has been put in place on a termly basis, and their views are sought at each opportunity to help with their child s learning. A meeting for parents and a PowerPoint presentation is shared on the school website at the beginning of each school year and information on the school website shows parents which topics will be covered. The Family Support Worker has access to a wide range of support from local agencies and is able to signpost parents appropriately. Philosophy for Children (P4C) promotes children s ability to have open ended discussions and that there is never a wrong answer.

How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child s education? There are formal occasions such as Parent s evening where you are involved in discussions about your child s education. Staff are able to speak to parents by arrangement if necessary. We also have an open door policy where you are usually able to speak to a teacher before or after school to pass on a message / piece of information, or plan a meeting date if a longer discussion is necessary. If a need has been identified a meeting will be arranged between parents and the class teacher, and where necessary, the SENCo or Family Support Worker, to share how to help your child to make progress, and the best ways to support your child both at school and at home. Home school communication books provide further opportunity for you and the school to exchange information.

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips? All parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns with either the class teacher or SENCo. For all school trips a risk assessment is undertaken to ensure that each child is kept safe from harm and, when appropriate, additional staff used. All children with SEND are included on all school trips and school staff take into account any additional requirements or adaptations necessary to access the activity. Parents are consulted to ensure full participation and active engagement of all children. The school encourages children of all abilities to be included in all events in school, such as sports days, where adjustments can be made to ensure every child is included. If you have any concerns about up and coming events and how your child will be included please talk to the class teacher or Mrs Yates SENCo.

How accessible is the school environment and how can it be adapted for my child's needs? The school is fully compliant with the Equality Act and reasonable adjustments are made for all children with SEND where necessary. The building is wheelchair accessible and has disabled changing and toilet facilities. Specific items of equipment can be provided, where appropriate, for children with SEND needs and staff will receive training when necessary. Advice is sought from the appropriate medical/health professionals to ensure all children s health and physical needs are catered for within the school environment. When necessary these professionals may provide specialist equipment for school to use with children with complex needs. Parents are invited to comment through questionnaires regarding accessibility and their views are taken into account when reviewing adaptations to the school environment.

How will the school prepare for transition? There is a transition programme in place for children new to the school, moving to new classes or leaving the school. The level of support offered is dependent on each child s needs, age and development. We liaise closely with our pre-schools and junior feeder school. We hold meetings with parents, the schools special needs coordinators and any relevant external agencies. Children with additional needs are offered the opportunity to visit their new class / school for several transition sessions in the summer term so they can become familiar with the setting and meet some of the adults they will be learning with. If you have any concerns that your child is worried about in terms of transition or moving on, please contact the class teacher.

How are the schools resources allocated and matched to children s special educational needs? The school has an amount identified within its overall budget called the notional SEND budget. This can be used for - resources to support the progress of children with SEND. employing Teaching Assistants to meet the needs of children with SEND. buying specialistequipment, books or stationary. providing specialised training for staff. Where a child requires provision which exceeds the nationally prescribed threshold, additional top up funding can be applied for through the Local Authority (Exceptional Needs Funding). The school may also receive funding as part of an EHC plan. Resources and support available for children with SEND can be found on the school website.

How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive? Decisions about how much support a child receives are made in collaboration with parents/carers, the class teacher supported by the SENCo and, where relevant, external agencies and professionals. Informationabout your child s strengths and areas for development will be used to plan the level of support needed. Interventions typically last 1 term with the emphasis being on early identification and targeted towards achievable outcomes. However, the support will continue for as long as your child requires it.

How can I find information about Hertfordshire county councils Local Offer of services and provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disability? The authority s local offer of services and provision for children and young people with SEND can be accessed at https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/the- hertfordshire-local-offer.aspx

Who can I contact for further information? Please talk to your child s class teacher with any initial enquiries. Please contact the following members of staff should you need further information: SENCo Mrs Yates senco@northfields.herts.sch.uk Head Teacher - Mr Dell Family Support Worker - Mrs Yates 01462 623388 admin@northfields.herts.sch.uk If you have a complaint that can not be resolved within school, please contact the Chair of Governors, Sarah Robertson, using the admin@northfields.herts.sch.uk email address.