SEND
Ofsted said, 'Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported as part of an inclusive culture.'
Intent, Implementation and Impact report for pupils with SEND 2023-2024
Intent
Folkestone Primary believes that pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) have an equal right to high quality education that enables them to succeed and flourish. This is achieved through access to quality first teaching that embeds the Mainstream Core Standards and is appropriately adaptive to meet the needs of all pupils, offering equal opportunities for challenge, irrespective of children’s starting points. Our long term goal is to equip all pupils at Folkestone Primary with a love for learning, the resilience to overcome challenges and confidence in their ability. This enables all our pupils to be happy and confident learners who feel safe and valued and experience learning as irresistible.
To ensure the equality of provision for pupils SEND, Folkestone Primary embeds the six principles of nurture alongside the assess, plan, do, review process with the aim to:
Ensure all children have access to a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum through quality-first, inclusive teaching
Provide early, effective identification of SEND
Minimise barriers to participation in school life and prioritise the personal development of all pupils
Provide nurturing, supportive relationships between teachers and pupils that are rooted in mutual respect
Understand children's learning developmentally
Provide engaging classrooms that offer a safe base for all pupils
Promote the importance of nurture in children’s wellbeing
Prioritise language as a vital means of communication
Appreciate the importance of transition in children’s lives and offer continuity and support
Understand that all behaviour is communication
Build positive partnerships between the school and families that play a key role in supporting all children
Develop children’s independence and confidence to prepare them for the next stage in their education
Improve outcomes for pupils with SEND and support these pupils to make progress to achieve their full potential
Ensure all pupils are prepared for adulthood and are equipped for life in the wider community
Gain the views of the child and enable them to have a voice
Work collaboratively with parents and carers so they are engaged in determining goals, decision making and assessing progress
Respect the views, wishes and feelings of pupils/parents/carers and ensure effective means of communication between stakeholders
Work collaboratively with appropriate services for the identification and assessment of need and continued support
Implementation
At Folkestone Primary, supporting pupils with SEND is a whole-school responsibility. Through quality first teaching, early identification and collaborative work between leaders, teachers, support staff, external agencies and families, pupils with SEND are supported to succeed through:
High quality delivery of a carefully considered, broad and balanced curriculum that meets or exceeds the National Curriculum and is adaptive to the needs of all pupils as guided by the Mainstream Core Standards.
Key stakeholders are responsible for the implementation and evaluation of SEN policy and procedures outlined in the schools SEND Information report and School development plan. School leaders and SENCo report to the Challenge Committee of Governors and Trustees and at Executive Board meetings, reporting on provision, progress and attainment for pupils with SEND at least 3 times a year
A constant cycle of Asses, Plan, Do, Review in which teachers, school leaders and the SENCo identify pupil’s needs through observations, teacher assessment, progress analysis, pupil progress review meetings and parent consultations
The implementation of a graduated approach, in which universal, targeted and specialist tiers of support are explicit to all stakeholders and published on the school’s website (SEND provision map and directory of interventions)
An established Trust SEND Network ensures consistency across settings (both primary and secondary) and enables collaborative working and support, with SENCo reporting to Trust senior leaders regarding the SEND Improvement Plan
Upkeep of the school’s SEND register which outlines the needs of pupils and is continually reviewed and updated
Collaborative work of the Kindergarten Lead, Early Years Lead and SENCo to prioritise the early identification of SEND, including nursery and home visits to ensure early intervention in both Kindergarten and Reception
Regularly monitoring the provision for pupils with SEND through learning walks, book and planning looks and analysis of the progress of all pupils in collaborative pupil progress review meetings that are attended by whole year teams, school leaders and the SENCo to assess the impact of provision and inform future practice
Carefully mapped provision for all pupils through year group provision maps which review the impact of interventions every short term
Creation of Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) for all pupils on the SEND register/ Personalised Provision Maps (PPMs) for all pupils who have been granted an Education, Health and Care Plan. These document the needs, support strategies, interventions, targets and progress of pupils and are reviewed by class teachers, the SENCo and parents/carers three times a year.
Cooperative work with external agencies, including the local authority to ensure a multi-professional approach (e.g. Local Inclusion Forum Team, Specialist Teaching and Learning Services, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, CYMPHS, NELFT and Community Paediatricians)
The SENCo, FLO and leadership time are forward facing and readily available to support the needs of all pupils
Provision of support, training and advice for all staff supporting pupils with SEND that is responsive to the needs of pupils, maximises expertise and encourages teacher confidence
Constant development of the learning environment to meet the changing needs of pupils (e.g. additional of sensory/ nurture room 2022)
Appropriate use of the school’s Notional SEND Budget to ensure provision is responsive to the needs of the school cohort
Application to the local authority for High Needs Funding to support those pupils requiring provision over and above the expense of £6000, in order to ensure the needs of all pupils are met
Referral for the assessment of needs, including Education, Health and Care needs assessments based on the needs of the pupil, collaboration with parents and carers and the advice of external professionals
Provision of comprehensive SEND information on the school’s website, including a SEND parent pledge, SEND Information Report, SEND Provision Map, Intervention directory and Nurture Principles
An established formal procedure for the request for SEND support which requires teaching staff to reflect on current provision and their implementation of the Mainstream Core Standards for universal SEND support
Prioritisation of SEND for whole school training, utilising internal and external expertise, including Specialist Teaching and Learning Services and local specialist setting, The Beacon, Folkestone
Membership of the school’s SENCo on the senior leadership team and prioritisation of training and continual professional development, highlighting the school’s prioritisation of SEND (e.g. NASENCo qualification, SEND and Inclusion conferences etc.) The SENDCo keeps up to date with current issues, attends regular CPD, researches key SEND areas and disseminates relevant information to staff
Ambitious expectations of teaching staff who are expected to make the necessary adjustments needed in order to offer full and balanced curriculum to all pupils, regardless of identified need. Provision for pupils with SEND is overseen by the SENCo and Senior Leadership Team and a PAS Coaching model is in place to support the continual development of teaching and learning across the staffing team
Strong pastoral support and provision for Social, Emotional and Mental Health through collaborative work of school leaders, SENCo, Family Liaison Officer, ELSA and external agencies, including child psychotherapist, therapists, NELFT Emotional Wellbeing Practitioners and SALUS
Parent consultation meetings and pupil progress reports share with parents and carers pupil progress, attainment and wellbeing and assist in the identification of any concerns relating to pupils’ needs. This ensures that the correct level of support can be employed to fully meet pupils’ needs
Pupils are supported to transition between year groups and key stages. In depth handover procedures and transition events are implemented to support pupil wellbeing and continued support. Additional transition support is in place for pupils and their families where the need is identified
Impact
Pupils at Folkestone Primary are nurtured to be happy, safe and confident learners who have their needs met regardless of SEND
The learning environment is a safe base for pupils where difference and diversity is embraced and all pupils are respected
Pupils at Folkestone Primary feel heard. They are engaged in their learning and are involved in decisions about themselves and their school
All staff are empathic, supportive and compassionate and create effective learning opportunities for all pupils, fostering a love for learning
Parents and carers feel listened to, supported and play an important role in decision making about their child. Communication is strong and parents are regularly welcomed into classrooms. Parents are aware of the support available for their child
Early intervention means that emerging needs are quickly identified and responsive support is implemented in a timely manner
At Folkestone Primary, relationships between staff, pupils, parents and wider professionals are essential in supporting the progress of the whole child. Advice and guidance is utilised effectively and support is adapted accordingly
Folkestone Primary has a staffing team that cares and continually strives for high quality provision for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Staff have the knowledge and experience to plan for and support children with a range of needs
Staff are able to articulate pupils’ areas of strength, weakness and barriers to learning, including pupils with SEND. Staff are reflective of the support required to promote progress and seek opportunities to further their pedagogical knowledge through continued professional development
Interventions are tracked each short term and progress is closely monitored to evaluate impact
Pupils with SEND generally make good progress. When expected progress is not made, plans are put in place to address this and promote accelerated progress through interventions, external agency support and family discussions
The Assess, Plan, Do, Review process ensures the needs of all pupils are met through reactive interventions or levels of support
Communication between teaching staff and SENCo is strong and staff report feeling well supported and listened to. Staff ask for help when they require it and feel well-informed about the needs of pupils in their class
Early identification of need is in place, with pupils from Folkestone Primary Kindergarten entering Year R with SEND needs already identified and in some instances, involvement of external stakeholders already in place
Positive, collaborative working relationships with external agencies and professionals are established and maintained
Personal Development is a strength of the provision at Folkestone Primary, in which enriching opportunities are maximised, accessed by all pupils, regardless of their starting point
Continued Professional Development opportunities are reflective of the needs of pupils and are responsive to staff requests to ensure our pupils get the best help and support
Children at Folkestone Primary have successful transitions during which anxiety is minimised. Children start the next stage of their education confident, happy and excited to learn
The schools’ SENCo receives the latest updates in SEND and engages with Local Inclusion Forum Team meetings, SENCo Forums and NASENCo qualification. The school follows research evidence from the Education Endowment Fund to inform practice
The school’s team of supportive governors and trustees hold staff accountable and provide the advice of a critical friend to ensure we are providing the best provision possible for all pupils, including pupils with SEND
Folkestone Primary ensures that all strategic decisions are meaningful and are in the best interest of all pupils
Leaders monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies and provide support and advice to staff to ensure the highest standards for pupils with SEND
Children of Folkestone Primary leave school mentally prepared for the wider world, are ambitious in their goals and are keen to further their education
The voice of the child and their family is heard and their opinions are prioritised in provision for pupils with SEND
Teaching staff, the SENDCo and leadership team are in regular contact with the parents and carers of pupils with SEND and keep them well informed regarding their pupil’s progress, attainment and wellbeing. Resultantly, families feel supported, informed and listened to
Pupils’ independence and resilience is promoted throughout their time at Folkestone Primary
Transition procedures ensure that secondary settings are made fully aware of the needs of Year 6 pupils and how best to support them resulting in successful transitions which lead to positive outcomes
Folkestone Primary's SEND Parent Pledge
The purpose of the Parent Pledge is to assure you that we are relentless at pursuing nothing but the highest quality education for your child.
We believe in inclusion and equal opportunities and that is why we have the same high aspirations for every child in our school.
We understand some children face barriers and need tailored support from our staff and school in order to thrive in the classroom and the school community.
We know the importance of collaboration and working with you and your child to forge strong relationships, united by the common purpose of success for your child.
Academic success is just one part, we want to ensure your child is happy at school and is a valued member of our community with both the skills and qualifications to progress to the next stage of their education. We will only succeed in this by working as a team.
Therefore the Parent Pledge is an agreement between our school, you and your child to sign up to working closely together, communicating clearly and being relentless in providing your child with the education they deserve.
Inclusion (SEND)
At Folkestone Primary we recognise that each child is unique, and work carefully to meet individual needs. Where possible these needs are met within mainstream lessons, however if necessary, we make additional provision available to all children, either in a small group or 1:1. Some children have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) that require more personalised provision and these pupils are recorded on our SEND Register.
Please click on the link below to view our SEND Provision Map...
Approach to SEND
At Folkestone Primary we adopt a graduated approach when supporting children. Regardless if a child is on the SEND Register or not, if they are struggling to make expected progress we will apply this process of support.
Where needed, our support of children will follow a tiered approach, gradually building up to the required level for each individual child. Tiered support might look as follows:
Specialist
‘Services offered by external professionals such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists or health professionals on or off the school site.’
Sometimes we need to call upon the support and advice from other professionals and services. Examples include support from Occupational Therapists, speech and language therapists or health professionals. This may also incorporate educational psychologists, Early Help workers, counsellors etc.
Targeted
‘Specific, extra, time-limited support in-school for children with additional needs’
Targeted support is typically delivered by staff with additional training and expertise. Often this will take place in small groups, but may also be 1:1. Interventions run for a set time and are assessed appropriately to establish their impact. Examples include zones of regulation, Lego therapy and sensory circuits.
Universal
‘Inclusive education and high-quality teaching for all children in the classroom’
High-quality teaching is the foundation for progress for all learners. Staff have consistent and rigorous expectations. They are highly reflective of their practice and adapt it based on feedback, training and needs of children. Teachers use retrieval practice, modelling and scaffolding to support children and adaptations are made at a classroom level in line with best practice guidance.
Useful Links
The Local Offer gives children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and their families’ information about what support services the local authority have available in their local area: https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs
SEND code of practice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
Mainstream Core Standards outlines the provision that the local area expects to be made available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities attending mainstream schools: https://www.kelsi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/117257/Special-educational-needs-mainstream-core-standards-guide-for-parents.pdf
Contact
We work closely with parents and families to make sure that we can all achieve the best for children with SEND. If you have concerns about your child, or are interested in your child attending our academy and need to know more about our provision please contact:
Special Educational Needs Co-coordinator (SENDCO): fpsendco@turnerschools.com
Family Liaison Officer (FLO): maria.cunningham@turnerschools.com