Brudenell Primary School

All our children are treated as individuals and class teachers, alongside other support staff, plan an appropriately differentiated curriculum for children with additional needs to ensure high quality teaching and learning with effective support and resource. Clear Individual Support and/or Health Care Plans are put in place and reviewed regularly. Key assessments are then made to ensure children are on track to meet targets and that planning accurately addresses need. Amongst other assessments staff use the ‘B Squared Progression Steps’ assessment tool, recommended by the Complex Needs team, to assess, plan and target set for children who are working at pre-National Curriculum levels or who are making small step progress. Progress and plans are regularly reviewed and evaluated to inform next steps.

Wherever possible the children are made aware of their own targets and next steps in learning. We encourage children to work independently and to develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning. Children are made aware of the ‘success criteria’ for each lesson which helps them to recognise what they have achieved.

Parents are vital partners in a child’s journey through school and are invited to attend review meetings of their child’s progress at parent’s evenings and reviews. Where the child has more complex needs parents are also invited to annual reviews which may involve other professionals. If a child has complex SEND they may have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC). This plan will contain detailed targets and a summary of the child’s needs. We invite parents/carers, outside agencies that are involved and school staff (e.g. class teacher, SENDCO, 1:1 TAs) to attend annual reviews of the child’s needs as stated in the EHCP. Parents are always invited to request a meeting with the SENDCO should concerns arise. Parents are encouraged to engage in supporting learning in different ways such as targeted homework.

An appropriate an accessible learning environment is provided within the schools means and confines of the building and is adapted where possible with additional funding, if available and necessary. The school has ramps in KS1 to aid wheelchair access to some areas of school. There is a disabled toilet on the ground floor of the building. We have a lift to allow access to the playground. In KS2 there is a ground floor disabled toilet but no lift access to the upper KS2 classrooms.

Many staff in school are trained, and have worked alongside other professionals, to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise in specific areas of SEND such as stammering, specific literacy difficulties and more complex needs. We have staff that have developed high levels of expertise in the delivery of Speech and Language Therapy and we run several groups to further develop the language skills of our children. High priority is given to the emotional and social wellbeing of our children and we offer Nurture groups and one-to-one support for children who may benefit. Support is sought from other agencies where necessary in order to maximise learning potential. We regularly engage with the Speech and Language Therapy Service, the Occupational Health Service, the School Nursing Service, the North West Area Inclusion Partnership and CAMHS. We have very close links with Local Authority services such as School Improvement, Educational Psychologists, Behaviour Support and the Complex Needs Team.

Other services previously accessed through the Cluster, such as Attendance Support, Family Outreach Workers and Counselling and Therapeutic Services can all be accessed via our SENDCO, Michelle McCabe or our Learning Mentor Steve Wright.

To make an appointment to see the SENDCO, Learning Mentor or Headteacher please ring the main school number 0113 2785168.

What do I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

Parents may contact the SENDCO, Michelle McCabe, on 011302785168. Arrangements will be made for a meeting where school will listen carefully to concerns and put appropriate actions in place. This may involve signposting a parent to other professionals if necessary.

How will school support my child?

The class teacher will plan an Individual Support Plan which will be overseen by the SENDCO and any other professionals involved with the child. The programme will be delivered by teachers and support staff and will be reviewed regularly by teachers and the SENDCO. The contents of this programme will be shared with parents at Parent Consultation Evenings or at reviews with the SENDCO. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs? As well as an Individual Support Plan, which would usually be delivered on a one-to-one basis, all children will have access to a curriculum which is differentiated to challenge and meet individual needs. Children may also be grouped to access targeted support or specific resources.

How will I know how well my child is doing and how will you help me support my child’s learning?

In addition to normal reporting arrangements there will be Parent Consultation Evenings where there will be opportunities for parent/carers to discuss their child’s progress with class teachers. The SENDCO will be available on these evenings for further discussion and to support parents/carers with any concerns they may have. Parent/carers themselves can be involved in supporting their child’s education in consultation with the class teacher. This may involve special homework tasks or reinforcement of classroom strategies in the home. School will always endeavour to offer parent training or learning events to aid this process and would welcome suggestions from parents.

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being? Brudenell prides itself on having a caring and supportive ethos. We have a Pastoral Team who make sure children have the highest levels of pastoral care possible. This support may include sessions with a member of the team or referral for support from the North West Area Inclusion Partnership, who plan programmes to meet the emotional and social needs of individual children. We maintain many working partnerships, working with a wide variety of agencies and can access additional support for families who may need it. Our Learning mentor is also an Early Help practitioner and is able to lead on targeted interventions for families as soon as problems are identified. All our staff are trained in Child Protection procedures and we also have two members of staff as well as the Headteacher who are specially designated to ensure the safeguarding of all children.

What specialist services and expertise are available or accessed by the school?

Parents can feel confident when they approach school with a problem. Parents will be invited to air their concerns and from this school can access a range of services to provide support. This may involve referral to targeted resources such as counselling or family support. Where education is the issue our SENDCO has access to specialists such as Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapists, the Complex Needs Team and the STARS team (Autism). We have close links with the School Nursing Team who are available to train staff when children have specific medical issues, for example epilepsy, and also have links with many other support agencies.

What training are the staff supporting children with SEND having/or have had?

Our SENDCO meets with the SENDCOs of the other schools which make up the Lantern Learning Trust each term to share good practice and discuss current issues. Due to our employment of a Speech and Language Therapist, many staff have become trained and specialised in the development of speech and language groups and the delivery of individual programmes of study. Our Pastoral Team and support staff are skilled in behaviour management. Through inhouse training and input from outside providers we also have high levels of expertise in the understanding of behavioural difficulties and have robust systems in place to support and monitor children whose barriers to learning lie in this area. Staff have attended extra training to support their own learning and have become specialised in areas of need such as:

Dyslexia awareness                                        

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Speech and Language (Colourful semantics, speech sounds, Early Talk Boost, Talk Boost, NELI)

Reading Interventions (Rapid phonics, Toe by Toe, Nessy)

Precision Teaching                                          

Autism and Intensive Interaction.

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom? At Brudenell Primary our aim is to ensure all children with SEND are able to access all activities and school trips enjoyed by their peers. Parent/carers may be involved in the planning of activities to ensure safety and inclusion wherever possible. Most children with complex needs will attract extra high needs top up funding and this will be used where possible to employ staff one-to-one to promote independence but to also support with inclusion at all times.

How accessible is the school?

An appropriate and accessible learning environment is provided within the confines of the building and is adapted where possible with additional funding if necessary. Although classrooms are positioned over two floors and across three buildings, ramps have been added to aid wheelchair access to some areas of school. Children who need additional specific equipment and facilities will have their needs met to the best of our ability. In order to meet such needs an application for additional funding may be required.

How will the school help my child on transfer to the next phase of education?

Transition arrangements and the involvement of the child and parent in these arrangements are firmly established in the school to ensure children make all transitions smoothly and confidently. The SENDCO meets with the Inclusion leader/SENDCO from the child’s high school to discuss individual needs. A range of assessment information is passed to the next school so that they have an accurate picture of the child’s needs, attainment and rate of progress. All children are invited to attend a transition day and SEND children are usually offered an additional day in order to make the process as smooth as possible.

How are school resources allocated and matched to the children’s SEND needs?

The school is funded on a national formula per pupil. If a child has SEND a block of £6000 can be allocated to school if they meet the criteria and are on the school’s inclusion register. The school can apply for a ‘top-up’, based on strict criteria, if it is felt that a child’s needs are above that which can be provided through the £6,000 block. The school uses the additional funds to put appropriate support in place to meet the specific needs of a child. This may take the form of a key worker to support the child to access a personalised timetable, develop independence and access all areas of the curriculum.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

The SENDCO will take advice from all professionals involved with the child alongside the views of parents and the child themselves if appropriate. The best package of support will be presented to the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team and will then be implemented accordingly.

How are parents involved in the school and how can I be involved?

The Governing Body have several parent governors to act as a link between the school and all parents. Parents are kept informed about teaching and other events through regular newsletters, open evenings and open days. The school holds information sessions to show parents our methods of teaching phonics, reading and maths. Parents are invited into the school for regular information sessions, celebration assemblies and various performances and concerts throughout the year.

Who can I contact for further information?

First point of contact is always the class teacher who will discuss with SENDCO and arrange a meeting as appropriate.

If you would like to speak directly to the SENDCO please call the school office on 0113 2785168 and ask for Michelle McCabe.