Bishop Carpenter CE Primary School

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Our SEND Policy and report can be viewed on the documents and policies page. These documents provide information about how staff at BCS support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We are a mainstream school committed to the integration and inclusion of pupils with a wide range of needs into all aspects of school life. Please note that changes and developments naturally occur over the school year, the details contained in these documents are reviewed and updated annually.

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Information for Parents

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Pupils have special educational needs if they have any difficulty in accessing education and if they need any special education provision to be made for them that is additional to or different from what is normally available for other pupils (SEND Code of Practice). We believe that every child is an individual and should be cherished. We believe that all children should have their needs met and should be given an equal access to the curriculum. Our aim is to provide individual and small group provision for those children with Special Needs whatever those needs may be so that they can reach their full potential. We feel that their contribution to school life should be valued and we seek to build their self esteem.

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On this page you can find lots of information about what we offer at Bishop Carpenter School. If you still have questions after looking here please feel free to contact the school, we are here to help.

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 View the local offer at https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/children-education-and-families/education-and-learning/special-educational-needs-and-disability-local-offer

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There are lots of national and local groups if your child has a diagnosis or a disability:

Autism - www.autism.org.uk

Parents Talking Aspergers - www.parents-talking-aspergers.co.uk

Downs Syndrome - www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

The Dyslexia Association - www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Dyslexia Action - www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

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F.A.Q.

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What is 'Special Educational Needs'?

A child or young person has a special educational need of they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child or young person is considered to have a learning difficulty or disability if they:

• Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age or

• Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age

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Who is in charge of SEND in your school?

Teachers are responsible for the progress that all children make in their class. All members of staff contribute to identifying SEND and supporting those with SEND. The SENCo, Miss Tracey Timms, has the responsibility of the day to day management of SEND. The SENCo assists class teachers and parents in developing inclusive practice, designing further adaptations and accessing specialist resources if they are needed. The school also has a Link Governor, Mrs Michelle Jarvis, who has responsibility for SEND.

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What specialist support do you offer?

A qualified SENCo and a team of teachers and teaching assistants, many of whom have specific areas of expertise and with further qualifications. The school also has access to external specialist support services;

• Educational Psychology - Mr Mark Corness

• Language and Communication Advisory Support

• Special Educational Needs Support Service (SENSS); Physical Disability Team, Visual, Hearing Impairment Team, Communication and Interaction Team

• School Health Nurse

• SEN ICT and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Team

• PCAMHs consultation and referral

• Early Intervention Hub

• Strong links with 'The Warriner SENCo Network' and Swalcliffe Park School (residential school for boys with Autistic Spectrum Conditions)

Further services can be accessed through Oxfordshire County Council's Local Offer, accessible to parents via the website.

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What support will there be for my child's overall wellbeing?

What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the school? We are a caring, supportive and nurturing school. Your child's class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and scial care of each child in their class. If you should have any concerns surrounding your child's personal wellbeing, do not hesitate to meet with their class teacher.

If any additional support is required, the class teacher will meet with the SENCo for further advice and in some instances, with your permission, outside agencies may be contacted to work alongside the school. The SENCo also runs a coffee morning each term, where parents with a child on the SEND register have the opportunity to discuss any personal difficulties and provide a support network to one another. Where possible, the school governor for SEND will join this too, Mrs Michelle Jarvis.

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How does the school manage the administration of medicines?

If a child needs to take medication during the school day, then parents must let their child's class teacher and school office know. An Administration of Medicine form would need to be signed, which is available from the school office. All medication is kept in the school office and children should go there to take it including Epi pens and inhalers. As a school we have regular in house training and updates of conditions and medication affecting individual children so that all staff are able to manage medical situations appropriately.

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What support is there for behaviour, avoiding exclusion and increasing attendance?

Across the school all staff and pupils follow a clear reward system and behaviour policy. As a school we are committed to supporting any child who may have behavioural difficulties. We use a range of positive behaviour strategies to effectively manage a child displaying more challenging behaviours. After any behaviour incident we expect the child to reflect on their behaviour, identify why the incident happened and what the child needs to do differently next time to change and improve their behaviour. If a child has severe behavioural difficulties an Individual Behaviour Management Plan (IBP) is written alongside the child and parents, to identify the specific issues, put relevant support in place and set targets. We use educational psychologist services and/or Behaviour Support Services for further professional advice.

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The attendance of every child is monitored daily by the school admin team. Lateness and absence are recorded and reported to the head teacher, who contacts parents where there is cause for concern.

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How do I know if my child has SEN, how is it identified?

Identifying SEN (Special Education Needs) early is crucial and parents know their child best, so we have regular meetings with parents and rely on the information they provide us in helping us to identify if a child or young person has SEN.

In our school we believe that inclusive teaching is the first step in responding to any possible special educational need and we carry out checks on teaching to make sure that practice is inclusive. The SENCo (Special Educational Co-ordinator) as part of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), meets with the Head Teacher and each class teacher on a termly basis to review learning progress data for all children in the class (Class Review).

During these reviews the possibility of a child having SEN is discussed and further checks are carried out, for example, detailed lesson observations by the SENCo and a review of interventions the child has been part of so far. We will also consider whether a further, more specialist, assessment for SEND is needed for example form another service provider, e.g. from Health.

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What happens if my child is not making the same progress as other children?

If a child is falling behind, or not responding to inclusive teaching, we will bring together all the information we have about the child's needs and difficulties and share this with parents. The school uses Oxfordshire County Council's 'Identifying and Supporting Educational Needs' Handbook (2014) as a way of identifying if there is a send and what levels of support should be offered. The handbook helps us to make sure we are offering the provision expected from all schools in Oxfordshire. There are four broad areas of SEND:

• Communication and Interaction Needs

• Cognition and Learning Needs

• Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs

• Sensory and/or Physical Needs

Following further consultation with parents, and if a child meets the description in the handbook, and after all the checks on teaching and learning have been carried out, then the child will be placed on the school's SEND register. This is shared with the local authority.

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My child has SEN, what provision do you offer?

For pupils with SEN, the school offers a 'graduated; approach; from a little support to a lot. Once a child is placed on the register then appropriate plans are put in place to support them. All children are unique, regardless of the category of SEN they have, so it is important that we respond to their individual need. Some children will respond well to seemingly minor adaptations to our inclusive teaching offers, others will need more specialist support and input.

We work closely with outside agencies to help us to design the most appropriate package of support for children on our register. Adaptations can include;

• Use of individual, pair or small group teaching

• Individualised or small group interventions for specific skills and learning needs

• Visual aids and multi sensory resources to support understanding and participation

• Adaptations to the physical environment to help with accessing learning

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Who can support me with my child's SEND?

Having a child with SEND can be worrying and exhausting and the school recognises this and we want to help parents by working closely together. We have a Home School Link Worker, who can offer further support. We also have access to other specialists. There are also lots of local and national support groups who have parent groups and networks and lots of useful tips. The SENCo is always happy to talk to you to help you identify which direction to go in o access more help.

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How can I support my child?

There are lots of ways you can help. The best way to help is to talk to the teachers and ask questions if you have them. Don't be afraid to share information that might be useful to the school, for example, share any worries your child may have. If you need to, ask your child's teacher for their advice and support, they can arm you with lots of ideas and tips. It helps if your child comes to school ready to face the day, and if you have concerns be quick to bring them to the school's attention, that way they can be dealt with more swiftly. Always speak to the teacher or the headmistress, either Ms Clarke or Mrs Woodward, they are always willing to listen to your concerns. Just ask...

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How do you make sure your provision is as good as it can be?

We monitor our provision through reviews with parents, data analysis, work scrutiny and lesson observations. We sometimes buy in consultants and outside agencies to help us do this. We monitor pupil progress through Class Reviews and review the success of interventions and provision maps. The school is committed to providing high quality professional development for staff and this is the best way of making sure our teachers can offer inclusive practice. We access a lot of our training through the Inclusion Development Programmes and through The Warriner Partnership Training Programme.

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Who do I talk to if I am worried about my child or the provision offered?

A parent's first point of contact is always the class teacher, most concerns are easily addressed this way. If you would prefer to you can talk to the SENCo or the Head Teacher. The school encourages parents to share their concerns quickly. If you need more support in meetings at school we can put you in touch with the Parent Partnership who are happy to help.

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How will my child be able to contribute their views?

Every child has the right to express their views on matters concerning school life. PSHE lessons regularly take place where pupils have the opportunity to discuss any issues or viewpoints with their class 'School Council Rep', which are then discussed at pupil forum meetings. Children who have individual educational targets are involved in the process of settings, reviewing and evaluating targets with their class teacher. Each classroom has a system where children have the opportunity to share any concerns with their class teacher (this can take the format of 'bubble time' or a 'worry/communication box'). If your child has an EHCP, their views will be sought before any annual review meetings.

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What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child's progress?

Our school is committed to ensuring that there is effective communication between parents and school. Children's 'Learning Ladders' for reading, writing and maths skills get updated termly, and parents can see and discuss their child's progress during termly progress meetings. At the end of the year, parents are informed how their child is performing against national age related expectations. Parents are invited to attend two parents evening meetings during the years to discuss their child's progress with their class teacher and the SENCo. However, parents are welcome throughout the year to make additional appointments to meet with their child's class teacher or the school's SENCo. If your child has complex needs, parents and teachers can correspond through a home school communication book and the SENCo will also invite you to attend additional termly meetings to review your child's progress. This is discussed on a termly basis and parents are given a copy of new targets and outcomes from previously set targets.

The targets set are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time scaled) and aim to be achieved by the time the target is reviewed. If your child has complex SEND and has a statement or equivalent EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan), a formal meetings will take place annually to discuss your child's progress and a report will be written.

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How will my child be included in activities outside of the classroom, including school trips?

As a school we are committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs have the opportunity to join in with all the activities of the school. We aim for all children to be included on school trips and we provide the necessary level of support to ensure this is possible. A risk assessment is carried out before any off site activity is due to take place, the ensure everyone's health and safety will not be compromised. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, parents will be consulted to discuss whether any additional arrangements can be made to enable their child to attend the trip or alternative activities, which cover the same curriculum areas, will be provided in school.

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