Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

We know when pupils need help if:

Concerns are raised by parents/carers, the teacher or the child

Limited progress is noted at the Pupil Progress Review meetings.

If the school feels that your child is not making progress and may have SEN, then the class teacher, with the support of the SENDco, will discuss the school’s concerns with you. This may involve other agencies, if appropriate, and would require your consent. The class teacher will also discuss with you how you can support your child in achieving their targets.

The child’s teacher is the first point of contact for parental concerns regarding a child’s difficulties with learning.

Further concerns can also be discussed with the school’s SENDco, Miss Norris. Please ask the class teacher or at the school reception desk for an appointment.

Each pupil’s education programme is planned by the class teacher. It will be differentiated accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs. This may include general support by the teacher or teaching assistant in class or the purchase of specialist equipment.

When a child is found to be making little or no progress, then the teacher must consider whether he/she has a full understanding of the pupil’s learning profile to understand if any SEN is impacting on learning. If the school decides that additional and different provision is necessary for the pupil to make progress, they must contact the parents/carers and put effective special educational provision in place via a support plan, following the four stages of the Graduated Approach: Assess, Plan, Do and Review.

Pupil Progress Meetings are held each term. This is a meeting where the class teacher meets with the SLT to discuss the progress of pupils in order for future support to be planned for.

If a lack of progress continues, then Outside Agency advice may be needed to help the pupil. The need for this will always be discussed with parents/ carers and parental consent be sought. This may take the form of a referral to Education Psychology(EP), the Targeted Education Support Service (TESS), Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy etc. Referrals may also follow discussions from SEN planning meetings which take place twice annually with the EP, TESS and SENDco. After an outside agency has completed their assessments, school and parents/carers usually get a report that includes strategies to try, in order to promote progress. The class teacher will then incorporate these strategies into a further support plan, again following the four stages of the Graduated Approach: Assess, Plan, Do and Review.

At the Support plan review meeting, if it is decided that support needs to continue and that the cost of support needed for the child goes beyond £6000, then the school or parents/carers can apply for an Educational Health Care Assessment.

Children are given the opportunity to attend review meetings and are actively involved in setting targets on their child friendly individual support plans. Children with an EHCP complete their pupil views and discuss them as part of the annual review meeting.

Decisions regarding the allocation of support and resources to each child will depend upon the SEND budget which is set in April each year, along with termly tracking of pupil progress and discussions with specialists and parents/carers.

When a child has been identified as requiring additional support, work will be differentiated in order to meet their own personal needs.

Teaching assistants (TAs) may work with the children on a one to one, or small group basis, as well as the teacher to target their needs.

Interventions may be planned, where lessons are delivered in a small group and are in addition to normal lessons.

Any specialist equipment that is required will be provided by school.

Where school deems it necessary, outside agencies will be asked to carry out further assessments of a child and school will put their recommendations in place through in class support and interventions where appropriate.

At Nicol Mere all class teachers are available before school and after school to discuss any issues regarding your child. You will also be able to discuss your child’s progress at parent’s evenings.  If you would like a longer discussion, please make an appointment through the school office. The class teacher will invite parents/carers in, with the support of the SENDco if appropriate, to discuss concerns as they arise and how parents/carers can help school to support their child.

Parents/carers are expected to hear their children read every day. The children are provided with a Reading log that parents are asked to sign each night their child has read at home.  This allows communication between school and home regarding your child’s progress. 

If either the Educational Psychologist or Targeted Education Support Service teacher has undertaken assessments, then parents/carers are invited in for a meeting to discuss their observations and their suggested strategies for support.

Review meetings will provide the opportunity to discuss in depth, the progress of children with a support plan. This will determine whether what has been tried has worked and should continue for a while longer, or whether something different needs to be tried.

Parent/ carer workshops are regularly held in school which parent/ carers are welcome to attend.

Pastoral Needs

Promoting mindfulness and positive mental health for our pupil’s is of high importance at Nicol Mere Primary School. We regularly have mindfulness sessions in class, as well as whole school events such as ‘Nicol Mere Well Fest’.  Children are regularly taught strategies they can adopt to become more independent in looking after their own mental health.   Children are explicitly taught how to be resilient, as well as how to identify their feelings.  It is necessary for some children to access calming, sensory areas and these are developed across school for children to access when needed. 

School has links with the Educational Psychology Service and has a school CAMHS link worker, who can work with school to support children that may have a mental health need.  

An Early Help can be set up to support children and their families.  This allows all agencies involved, including school, to share targets and implement a plan of support. 

Medical Needs

We have strict procedures in place for the administration of medicines.  Medical forms must be completed and are available at the school office.

Medical care plans are created in consultation with parents and health care professionals where necessary.  All staff working with the child have access to the care plan and a list of children with medical conditions is kept by the class teacher. This is regularly updated and shared with staff.  

Careful procedures are in place for medical emergencies.   

• All staff are briefed about children with medical needs. Good ratios of staff with first aid training are maintained. 

• Staff are trained by outside agencies when required to support specific medical needs. For example, epi-pen training, peg feed, hearing aid care, epilepsy or diabetes. 

Miss L Norris has completed the National SENCO Award. The school buys into the Educational Psychology Service and also has support from the Targeted Educational Support Service (TESS).

Other services may be called upon when more specialist advice is required: 

• Social Care
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
• CAHMS
• Start Well
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Sensory Support Team
• Behaviour Support
• School Nurse Team
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Outreach Service
• Physical Disability Outreach
• ASD – (Landgate school)
• Epilepsy Nurse

We regularly provide in house training for all staff in a variety of areas. 

• Whole staff training by the TESS service on Social Stories

• SENDCo training on SLCN (feedback to whole staff)

• SENDCo training on Autism (feedback to whole staff)

• Whole staff training in SEN procedures in school delivered by SENDCo

• Whole staff training on Reading, Phonics and writing process

• Lego therapy 

• Talking Mats

• First Aid

• Encompass training

• All staff have had up to date Child Protection training.

• Peg feed training by nurse

• Mindfulness and positive mental health training.

Activities and school trips are available to all.

• Risk assessments are carried out and procedures put in place to enable all to participate.  However, if it is deemed that an intensive level of 1-1 support is required then a parent/carer may be asked to accompany their child.

• There are a wide range of after school clubs, some of which are targeted interventions as well as enrichment clubs.  These include sports, dance, sewing, choir, self -defence, History, Art and Cooking clubs.

At Nicol Mere we are happy to discuss individual access requirements. Our equality and accessibility plan is available in Reception. Facilities we have at present include:

Ramps into school to make the school accessible to all.

3 toilets adapted for disabled users.

Wide doors in some parts of the building

Auditory equipment- Sound Field System in Foundation stage

A shower has been installed in the Key Stage One building.

A changing mat in both buildings.

There will be discussions between previous or receiving schools and settings, prior to a pupil joining or leaving Nicol Mere.

Transition visits will be arranged between other settings and Nicol Mere. Additional visits are arranged for the children who need extra time in their new school.

Year 6 teachers liaise closely with receiving high schools.

The Early Learning and Childcare team hold inclusion progress meetings in the summer term for those primary schools receiving children with SEND from early years settings.

The SENDco ensures the transfer of SEND records.

Teacher to teacher meetings are arranged in the summer term to discuss classes moving up in September-supported by the whole class overview sheet detailing any children’s additional needs.

A transition session, arranged at the end of the summer term, provides the opportunity for all children to spend time in their new class with their teacher.

The SEND budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide support or resources dependant on individual need. The head teacher makes the final decision as to how the budget is allocated. 

The Headteacher and SENCO discuss all the information they have about SEND in school

including: the children getting extra support already, the children who need extra support, the children who have been identified as not making expected progress and any other children who have been identified by parents or other professionals. They then decide what training or resources are needed. All resources, training and support are reviewed regularly and the impact is measured. If more than 15 hours of support is required, an Education Health Care Plan can be applied for. 

https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Business/Professionals/SEND/Education-health-and-care-plans.aspx

These decisions are made in consultation with class teachers and senior leaders. Decisions are made upon termly tracking of pupil progress and as a result of assessments/ advice from outside agencies. During their school life, if further concerns are identified, then other interventions will be arranged.