Key Contacts (http://www.signsofsafety.net/):

1) Tees Local Safeguarding Children Boards' Procedures: http://www.teescpp.org.uk/

2) First Contact and Support Team (PLEASE USE THE CONTACT DETAILS IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT A CHILD’S SAFETY):
This service offers a single point of access for children and adults safeguarding concerns and advice and guidance for families.
Telephone: (01429) 284284.
E-mail: hscb@hartlepool.gov.uk.  
Website: http://www.lscbhartlepool.org/.

Out of Hours: (0870) 240 2994. 

 

3) Hartlepool Bereavement Service: (01429) 244689.

4) Hartlepool Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS): (01429) 285049 (ask for Keri Brearey).

5) Hartlepool Mind (for better mental health): (01429) 269303.

6) Hartlepool Pools Youth, Y1 to Y6 Girls Football (FREE):  Saturdays (10.00am to 11.15am), 078 7908 9465.
 

7) Health Prevention/Protection Advice: 0300 303 8596.
 

8) Patch Family Support: (01429) 862727 and http://www.patchfamilysupport.co.uk/

9) School Nurse: Sheila Lang (01429) 522718.

10) The Parenting Centre: Ward Jackson C of E Primary School, Clark Street, Hartlepool, TS24 7LE. Telephone: (01429) 293888.  Jill Coser: 077 7540 5892.

11) The Police: 101 (24 hours).
 

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Local Offer (SEND OFFER)

Introduction
At Throston Primary School, we aim to offer excellence and choice to all our children, whatever their ability or needs. We have high expectations of all our children. We aim to achieve this through the removal of barriers to learning and participation. We want all our children to feel that they are a valued part of our school community. Through appropriate curricular provision, we respect the fact that children:

 

• have different educational and behavioural needs and aspirations;
• require different strategies for learning;
• acquire, assimilate and communicate information at different rates;
• need a range of different teaching approaches and experiences.

 

Objectives of our SEND Provision

We aim:

• to enable every pupil to experience success;
• to keep an ongoing register (SEND Spectrum) of all children whom we consider to have special educational needs;
• to identify those children as early as possible, assess, record and regularly review their progress and needs;
• to provide learning programmes geared to their needs;
• to work collaboratively with parents, other professionals and support services;
• to ensure that parents or carers are able to play their part in supporting their child’s education;
• to involve the child, so as to encourage a move from dependent to independent learning.

 

Throston Primary School firmly believes in developing a strong partnership with parents/carers and that this will enable children and young people with SEND to achieve their potential. The school recognises that parents/carers have a unique overview of their child's needs and how best to support them, and that this gives them a key role in the partnership. Parents/carers hold key information and have a critical role to play in their children's education.

 

As of September 2014, all schools will be required to publish details of its school offer, detailing support for pupils with special educational needs and/or a disability to compliment the Hartlepool LA Local Offer. Below are details of the current school offer at Throston Primary School and the Local Offer for Hartlepool.

 

What is 'Special Educational Needs and Disabilities'?

A Special Educational Need (SEN) is a difficulty or barrier that affects a child's ability to learn and to access the curriculum. A Disability is a long term health condition which causes a difficulty or barrier to learn or to access the curriculum.

 

What should I do if I think my child has Special Educational Needs?

If you are concerned that your child has a special educational need (SEN), in the first instance we ask that you speak to your child’s class teacher who will then follow up your concerns. Concerns can be discussed at parents’ evenings which are held every term, or by making an appointment to meet with your child’s class teacher at any point throughout the school year. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo), Mrs. S. Black, is also available to speak to if necessary.

 

The SENDCo is responsible for: 

• Coordinating all the support for children with SEND and developing the school’s SEND Policy to make sure all children get a consistent, high quality response to meeting their needs in school.
• Ensuring that you are:
  • involved in supporting your child’s learning;
  • kept informed about the support your child is getting;
  • involved in reviewing how they are doing.
• Liaising with all the other people who may be coming into school to help support your child’s learning.
• Updating the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring all the SEND needs of pupils in this school are known) and making sure that there are excellent records of your child’s progress and needs.
• Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school so they can help children with SEND in the school achieve the best progress possible.

 

How will the school respond to my concern?

The class teacher will listen to any concerns you may have at a pre-arranged meeting. If your concern cannot be met at that meeting then the class teacher will take some time to look into the concern and liaise with the SENDCo and/or Headteacher. A follow up meeting will be arranged to ensure your concern is addressed and to plan any additional support your child may receive. If relevant at this stage, possible referrals to outside professionals to support your child’s learning will be discussed.

 

How will the school decide if my child needs extra support?

If your child is identified as making limited progress within any of the four broad areas of need as identified in the ‘Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice’, the school will set up a meeting to discuss this with you in more detail and to:

 

• listen to any concerns you may have;
• plan any additional support your child may receive;
• discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child’s learning.

 

What will the school do to support my child?

All children at Throston Primary School, regardless of their need, receive excellent classroom teaching known as Quality First Teaching.

This means:

• That the teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
• That all teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
• Different ways of teaching are in place so that your child is fully involved in learning in class within well differentiated ability groups. This may involve things like using more practical learning.
• Your child’s teacher will have carefully checked on your child’s progress and will have decided that your child has gap in their understanding/learning and needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.

However, we recognise that each child's needs are unique and so each child will receive different support, depending upon their specific needs. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo) and class teacher will decide which strategies and resources are appropriate to support your child's needs. Where outside agencies are involved, they will provide advice about how best to support your child's needs.

Any pupil identified as having a special educational need and/or disability is on the SEND register. Extra help will be given to these pupils to help them to make progress. Some examples of ways we may support your child further may include:

 

Specific group work within a smaller group of children. Your child may engage in group sessions with specific targets to help him/her to make more progress.

• A Teaching Assistant/teacher or outside professional may run these small group/individual sessions.
• You will be asked to come to a meeting to discuss your child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward.
• You may be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) or Educational Psychologist (EP). This will help the school and yourself understand your child’s particular needs better and be able to support them better in school.
• The specialist professional will work with you, your child, class teacher and SENDCO to understand their needs and make recommendations, which may include:
  • Making changes to the way your child is supported in class e.g. some individual support or changing some aspects of teaching to support them better;
  • Support to set specific targets which will include their expertise;
  • A group run by school staff under the guidance of the outside professional e.g. a social skills group.

This type of support is available for a child who has specific gaps in their understanding of a subject/area of learning and who therefore has been identified as requiring SEN Support.

 

Education, Health Care Plans

From September 2014, 'Statements' will be replaced by 'Education, Health and Care Plans'. This document will continue to outline a pupil's special educational need and the support that the school needs to put in place to help them, but it will be a much more child friendly document, based around the pupil and their family. Over a 2-3 year period, most current 'Statements' will be replaced by an 'EHCP' at a child's annual review.

Only children with the most complex and significant special educational needs will be considered for an Education, Health Care Plan (EHCP). If you think your child needs a EHCP you will need to discuss your concerns with the school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCO), who will advise you about whether your child needs an Education, Health and Care Plan and only once the school has exhausted its provision and outside agency support will this be considered. These discussions are normally held at a review meeting with outside agencies.

 

Funding

SEN budgets are delegated to all mainstream schools. This is made up of a percentage of the budget for all pupils plus an allocation specifically for pupils with special educational needs. This delegated funding is provided to ensure that schools can meet the needs of pupils with the most significant needs.

Throston Primary School:
2013/2014 designated notional SEN funding: £127,841 
2014/2015 designated notional SEN funding: £139,433

At Throston Primary School, funding is used to: (In general terms)

• Promote inclusion through specific group/paired/individual provisions. 
• Employ and train a Special Educational Needs Coordinator to liaise with parents, other professionals and outside agencies to meet the needs of our pupils.
• Provide cover where teaching and support staff attend meetings to ensure their active participation and understanding of the processes involved in matching need and provision.
• Ensure opportunities for staff, parents, pupils and other agencies to liaise regularly.
• ‘Buy in’ to specialist services to work with children/and or staff to identify/meet needs or support school in meeting needs e.g. Speech and Language Department; Educational Psychology Service.
• Provide training to ensure that quality first teaching is sufficiently differentiated and resourced to ensure pupils are provided for in an inclusive manner at all levels of curriculum delivery.
• Provide resources bespoke to individual programmes, or those which facilitate access for all to ensure equality of opportunity by removing barriers or compensating for any disabling factor which might prevent a child from having the same access to provision as his/her peers.
• Free classroom/leadership staff to work with external professionals to support their wider professional development in relation to SEND e.g. in writing/reviewing quality IEP’s.
• Undertake whole school training in delivering and quality assuring SEND provision.

 

'Top Up' Funding

Sometimes at Throston Primary School , following involvement of many professionals and evidence from parents/carers and the pupil, more than14 hours (7.5 hours in nursery) is needed to facilitate the successful implementation of an IEP. In this case, the SENDCO will submit a detailed bid for ‘High Needs’ top up funding to a panel demonstrating how the first £6,000 has been used effectively and outlining how the additional monies in the bid will be used and the impact measured. If awarded, the panel will review this funding regularly and may extend/reduce or withdraw it based on robust evidence.

Currently,  hours of top up funding is in place at Throston Primary School to fund/part fund staffing.

Non-delegated funding (i.e.held centrally and spent on behalf of Throston Primary School).

This money allows us access to the SEND management team whom we regularly draw upon for advice and who oversee, monitor and guide our local school provision.

 

Who else might be involved in supporting my child?

If your child is identified as needing SEND Support the following may be involved in supporting your child:

 

C.A.M.H.S. - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services - Previously, this service could only be accessed following referral from a medical professional (G.P./School Nurse). Recently, SENDCO’s were given the facility to refer to the service directly. With parental consent, C.A.M.H.S. will work with us to support children, recommending strategies for staff to use in school.

 

Hearing impaired Service/Visually Impaired Service - These services can be called upon to support children in educational settings who have hearing /visual impairments respectively. With consent, schools can refer to the service.

 

Speech and Language Service (S.A.L.T.) - At Throston Primary School, we benefit from additional involvement with the Speech and Language Service due buying in to an enhanced service agreement. Our school therapist attend school to review and assess pupils in the mainstream setting, feeding into IEP’s and sending supportive work packs for school staff to implement to support targets. Therapy Assistants also attend the school to implement blocks of therapy under the guidance of Speech and Language Therapists.

 

Educational Psychologists - The school has an attached educational psychologist who works very closely with the SENDCO. Following consent and referral, the educational psychologist assesses and supports individual pupils with special educational needs by providing parents and school staff with detailed reports and suggestions for actions based on identification of need. Once again, we pay into a service level agreement to buy in extra EP time.

 

Occupational Therapy - This service receives a referral from a health professional. They explore, assess and guide provision around various physical difficulties. Often a report to school will be followed by sessions with an assistant from the service.
 

School Nurse - School nurses work with school aged children, young people and their families.  They work with schools and in the community.  They aim to promote the health and well-being of all school age children and their families.  They work together with parents/carers, children's services, voluntary agencies and other services.
 

Physiotherapy - There are a number of reasons why children meet with a physiotherapist, generally they treat children who have injuries such as broken bones, sprained muscles or ligaments. This is usually only needed for a short time until the child recovers. Physiotherapists also work very closely with children who have special needs and learning disabilities. They assist children develop skills such as rolling, sitting, crawling and walking.

 

Social and Communication Outreach Team (SCOT) - The small STEPS team work with the Educational Psychology (EP) team to offer outreach support for adults supporting children with significant additional or special learning needs.  Whilst most of their work is with pre- school children (under 5s) who have complex needs, significant learning delays or social communication difficulties (including autism), the team support across the primary age range.  
 

Various other agencies can be accessed, usually via the C.A.F. (Common Assessment Framework)process and according to need.

 

How will my child be able to contribute their views and be involved in the process?

Your child will be able to contribute at all SEND reviews should the child be old enough and/or be able to contribute. They can have their views and needs expressed at the reviews, discussions with the class teacher or their views can be sought through pupil interviews, informal discussions, Social Stories, etc.

 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

Class teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class, and will ensure that your child’s needs are met. They have the children’s IEPs alongside their planning to ensure children with SEND individual’s needs are met.Support staff can adapt the teachers planned activities to support the needs of your child where necessary. Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and in groups.Planning and teaching will be adapted on a daily basis, if needed, to meet your child’s learning needs. Pupils with SEND have a right to access quality first teaching. Some examples used in quality first teaching are:-

• Visual reminders;
• Timers-to show time allowed for a task;
• Alternative recording tools-voice recorders/Laptops;
• Processing/Thinking Time;
•  An adult to provide reminders-verbal/picture;
• ·Breaks-quiet time/activity time;
• A one to one teaching assistant - to support the child in class.

What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child’s achievement? How will I know how well my child is progressing?

Your child will have three formal opportunities at Parents’ Evenings to meet with your child’s class teacher to discuss strengths, weaknesses, progress, etc. Further opportunities to meet with the class teacher can be made throughout the year if you or the class teacher has any further concerns. A child identified on the SEND register as having SEND Support will also have these same opportunities with the addition of discussing and reviewing targets in the child’s IEP (Individual Education Plan) twice a year. Additional SEND Support meetings may be required throughout the year especially when there is the involvement of outside professionals.

If your child has an Education and Health Care Plan then there will also be an annual review to discuss in detail their individual needs and ensure the right provision is in place.

For some children with SEND a home-school communication book can be a good link for both parties to learn more about your child on a daily basis ranging from any concerns, updates on positive learning and behaviour, etc.

 

How does the school know how well my child is doing?

Your child’s progress is continually monitored by his/her class teacher. We know how well your child is doing by using the following:

 

• Assessments based on the Early Learning Goals in the Reception year.
• His/her progress is reviewed formally every term and a National Curriculum level given in reading, writing, numeracy and science.
• Children in Year 1 are required to complete the National Phonics Screening Check that will assess their ability to read real and pseudo words.
• If your child is in Year 1 and above, but is not yet at National Curriculum levels, a more sensitive assessment tool is used which shows their level in more detail and will also show smaller but significant steps of progress. The levels are called ‘P levels’.
• At the end of each key stage (i.e. at the end of year 2 and year 6) all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATs). This is something the government requires all schools to do and are the results that are published nationally.
• Children with SEND will have an IEP which will be reviewed with your involvement, twice a year and the plan for the next term made.
• The progress of children with an EHC Plan is formally reviewed at an Annual Review with all adults involved with the child’s education.
• Outside professionals also provide school with further in depth assessments.
   

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

At Throston Primary we pride ourselves on being inclusive. Your child will be allowed to attend any school club allocated to their specific year group. We endeavour to make all activities, visits and residential visits accessible for all. Where there may be some extra arrangements to be made, you can arrange to meet with the SENDCO and/or club leader to ensure safety and inclusivity for your child.

 

How will the school prepare and support my child to join and move through the school?

At Throston Primary School we believe that a smooth transition is the key to success. Through times of change, children can feel vulnerable and worried. At Throston, we ensure all children receive the right amount of support and encouragement to make these potentially stressful events as smooth and non-threatening as possible! Change is hard for any child, but for children with special educational needs it can be extremely difficult.

When moving to a new environment, some children find the change of room and routine very worrying. Staff at Throston make every effort to ensure children with identified needs/concerns are supported throughout this difficult time. Some of the ways in which we do this are:-

The Reception/Nursery class teachers arrange pre-school visits in the summer term before the children enter our school in Reception class. She speaks with your child and their key workers to gain as much information about your child as possible. If your child has already been identified as having special educational needs then the SENDCO will have been invited to attend a meeting at the pre-school setting. Your child will also have visits to our school in the summer term where they will get to meet the teachers, other children that will be starting the school with them and the new school environment.

 

Children with Special Educational Needs have additional early transition/introduction to their new setting, usually with a familiar member of staff accompanying them and noting any areas of concern which appear to trigger anxiety. Children have the opportunity to visit their new classroom on numerous occasions to look, carry out work and meet new staff.

Children with 1:1 support have a detailed learning journey. This book contains evidence of learning but is also used as a transitional aid. Photographs of the new environment and members of staff who work in that setting will be included in the book. Usually the book is sent home over the holidays so that parents/carers can keep revisiting it and reassuring their child about the changes they face.

Where a pupil is funded additionally, a member of staff employed to assist this child will usually move up into the next phase with the child. 1:1 children also have a home-school book. 

Review meetings are often held before and during early transition. These meetings are held to alleviate worries and discuss the needs of the child. At Throston we involve the parent/carer, pupil and any other professionals where deemed appropriate. Extended transition is also included in the child's IEP where necessary.

Each year at our school, your child will have the opportunity to meet with their next class teacher in their new classroom. On-going meetings, IEPs, reports, etc., are shared with the next class teacher so they are aware of and able to continue with the support required.

How will the school prepare and support my child to transfer to a new setting/school?  

 

If your child is moving to another school:

• We will contact the school SENDCO and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child.
• We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.

  

Secondary

We believe that Secondary transition is also very important in order to minimise stress and worry for both parents and pupils. When children are preparing to leave the security of Primary School, it can be a very daunting experience. Again for a child with special educational needs, these worries and anxieties can be amplified.

• Some children will require additional transition. If this is the case, where possible your child will visit their new school on several occasions and in some cases, staff from the new school will visit your child in this school. Many Secondary Schools hold open evenings for parents to attend in order to support decision making process about which school is the right choice for your child.
• If your child has already been identified as having special educational needs, then the SENDCO at our school meets/liaise with the secondary school SENDCO during the Spring term of Year 6. Details of the pupil's needs are passed on to the new SENDCO, along with details of what support has been in place at our school to help them. Our SENDCO passes on information about any outside agencies that have been involved and all SEN paperwork is passed on, including documents such as IEPs and outside agency reports. The receiving secondary school will then have all the relevant information needed to put support in place as soon as your child joins them in Year 7.

 

How can I be involved in supporting my child?

You can support your child by attending parents’ evenings, helping them to complete their homework to a good standard and on time, ensuring your child gets to school on time and with all the appropriate equipment, talking to the class teacher if you have any concerns about your child, providing lots of opportunities to speak and have conversations with your child, read and practise number skills. Teachers are more than happy to share any ideas they have with you so you can top up the learning at home.

 

Key Staff/Monitoring Arrangements and Responsibilities.

 

Head Teacher - Child Protection (Designated Teacher): Mr. M. Atkinson and Mrs. S. Black

 

SENDCO/Inclusion/Child Protection: Mrs. S. Black

 

SEND Governor: Mr. A. Millward (Chair of The Governing Body)

 

Attendance Officer: Mrs. J. Winspear.

 

Role of the Governing Body

The Governing Body of Throston Primary School must ensure that the school has its own bespoke policy in relation to Special Educational Needs. Governors also oversee changes to policy which would be reported to parents. The Governing Body must also ensure that the school has a Disability Equality Scheme with an action plan to improve access to the school for pupils with disabilities to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (2005). At Throston, this is incorporated within our Single Equality Scheme.

 

Governors at Throston Primary School ensure that the graduated response to identification and Provision (link to Provision, Curriculum and Resources) identified within the ‘Special Educational Needs Code of Practice’ is followed. The Governing Body must ensure that provision for pupils with a statement of special educational needs is delivered and , must monitor progress of pupils with SEN in school (without looking at individual cases where confidentiality must be observed.) Governors will also monitor use of SEN delegated funding inline with other financial monitoring; to ensure cost effectiveness and quality assurance. As a school, we actively seek to involve pupils and their parents with the delivery and monitoring of provision for pupils with special educational needs.

Following the successful implementation of new legislation (September 2014), a new ‘Code of Practice’ has come into operation. The Governing Body will ensure that information is updated and new policies and procedural changes are implemented and monitored accordingly, in line with local and national guidance.

 

Role of the Local Authority

The Local Authority has overarching responsibility for any pupil with a statement of educational needs, and has access to Throston Primary School to check provision and assure quality. Pupils with a statement are reviewed annually by the LA in partnership with school, parents, the pupil and other agencies. The LA ensures that IEPS for these pupils are reviewed at least twice a year, and an LA representative will normally attend the annual review. The LA has a dedicated SEN management team who provide support and guidance to Throston Primary, and will also ensure effective links with other professionals. From September 2013, as Hartlepool is a ‘Pathfinder’ authority (www.sendpathfinder.co.uk), they will be leading schools and all professionals in converting statements into single co-ordinated care plans (Education, Health and Social Care). This will increase parental and pupil voice further. More information will be given as we get it.

 

How can I access support for myself and my family?

At Throston Primary School, parents can access help/advice through a number of mechanisms.

Where issues around inclusion/special educational needs are concerned, you can arrange to meet with the following:-

 

Head Teacher - Child Protection (Designated Teacher): Mr. M. Atkinson

 

SENDCO/Inclusion/Child Protection: Mrs. S. Black

 

SEND Governor: Mr. A. Millward (Chair of The Governing Body)

 

Attendance Officer: Mrs. J. Winspear.