19/17/2015 ST PATRICK’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL OFFER

School Core Offer At St Patrick’s RC Primary School we aim to support the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities and are aided by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. We aim to be as inclusive as possible, with the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities being met in a mainstream setting wherever possible if families wish this to happen. All pupils are taught by their Class teacher via excellent targeted classroom teaching also known as Quality First Teaching For your child this would mean: That the teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class. That all teaching is based upon building upon what your child already knows, can do and can understand. At times the teacher may direct a class based Teaching Assistant, if available, to work with your child as part of normal working practice. Differentiated activities and different ways of presenting information are in place so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. Specific strategies (which may be suggested by the SENCO or outside staff) are in place to support children. Your child’s teacher will have carefully checked on your child’s progress and may decide that gaps in their understanding/learning requires some extra support to help them make the best possible progress. All children in school nay access this as part of excellent classroom practice. Specific group work within a smaller group of children may be used. This group, often called intervention groups by schools, may be: run in the classroom or outside in a work area, run by a teacher or a Teaching Assistant who has had training to run these groups. All pupils have access to the support available from Specialist groups run by outside agencies e.g. Speech and Language therapy, Educational Psychology, Specialist Learning Teachers or Occupational therapy.

Teachers plan, deliver then assess. If concerns continue then differentiated activities will be prepared. The SENCo will be informed and a cause for concern may be completed. Parents can contact the SENCo, Mr Duffy, before/after the school day. If required an appointment can be made to discuss a matter. We offer a variety of teaching styles, programs and strategies to enable pupils to achieve their full potential, This is our CORE offer available to all pupils. Parents are free to drop in or contact the class Teacher. Pupils are fully involved in their learning, being made aware of objectives and targets. SEND pupils will be included in classroom activities. Their tasks will be prepared and marked by the Class Teacher. They will be taught directly by the Teacher at several points during the week. We are fortunate to have a number of experienced Teachers and Teaching Assistants on our staff and we share our expertise. Teachers may also seek advice from external agencies. We ensure that information about a child/ young adult’s SEND or EHC plan is shared and understood by teachers and all relevant staff who come into contact with that child. We will include parents and the child in a planning overview. Our school will aim to teach and fully support pupils with SEND. All SEND children have the same right to facilities and extra curricular activities. We carefully plan for transition for children with SEND. Keeping in touch with the parent/carer is vital. You will be updated informally at least three times a year ( Parents evenings and informally in the summer term). If concerns arise or good progress is made, then a meeting can be organised as appropriate. We monitor progress via half-termly tracking. Decisions will be made as to how best to move a child forward. Interventions are reviewed to monitor their effectiveness. We also observe teaching to ensure the needs of all pupils are catered for. Parents/carers find additional information in our SEND policy and also on the Stockton on Tees LA site. All pupils will receive Class teacher input via excellent targeted classroom teaching also known as Quality First Teaching For your child this would mean: That the teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class. Differentiated activities will allow all pupils to progress. More information The services we use to provide for and support our children include Specialist Teachers, Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy and The Educational Psychologist? Parents will be asked for permission before any agency becomes involved and they will kept informed of engagement in additional provision, receiving reports and updates. We encourage parents to become involved in the additional provision. Often meetings can be arranged with the relevant specialists.

Main Menu We have in place arrangements and a policy for identifying, assessing and following the graduated approach detailed in the SEN Code of Practice. The school’s complaints procedure re: SEND is available. If your child has been identified as needing more specialist input instead of or in addition to Quality First classroom teaching and intervention groups, referrals will be made to outside agencies to advise and support the school in enabling your child to make progress. Before referrals are made you will be asked to come to a meeting to discuss your child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward. If it is agreed that the support of an outside agency is a way forward, you will be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will help the school and yourself understand your child’s particular needs better. The specialist professional will work with your child 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 targets which will include their specific professional expertise Your child’s involvement in a group run by school staff under the guidance of the outside professional e.g a social skills group or sensory circuit A group or individual work with outside professional. attachment_data/file/273877/special_educational_needs _code_of_practice.pdf

Main Menu Communication and Interaction Social, Emotional and Mental Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties Health Difficulties Cognition and Learning Cognition and Learning Sensory and/or Physical Needs Sensory and/or Physical Needs Our school offers children with SEND support in a variety of ways. The Class Teacher will ensure that all children have access to good/outstanding teaching and that the curriculum is adapted to meet your child’s individual needs (also known as differentiation). They will be checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be things like targeted work, additional support, adapting resources etc..) and discussing amendments with the SENCO as necessary. They will share and review these strategies with parents at least once each term and also consider any plans or ideas for the next term. The SENCo will ensure that all members of staff working with your child in school are aware of your child’s individual needs and/or conditions and what specific adjustments need to be made to enable them to be included and make progress. The SENCo will ensure at all staff working with your child in school are supported in delivering the planned work/programme for your child, so they can achieve the best possible progress. This may involve the use of additional adults, outside specialist help and specially planned work and resources. The SENCo will ensure that the school’s SEND Policy is followed in classrooms and work areas and for all the pupils that are taught with any SEND.

Main Menu In addition to Quality First Teaching, our additional facilities to support children are a spacious ICT Suite, an outdoor classroom and a play area with equipment to support gross motor skills and balance. Teachers will make curriculum adjustments for children with SEND? Specific intervention programmes may be led by Teachers or TAs? Adjustments are made to secure access to activities such as trips, visits and enrichment activities. Parents/carers can contact school to discuss specific adaptations. We would like you to talk to your child’s class teacher regularly so we know what they are doing at home and we can tell you about what we are doing in school. This is to ensure that we are doing similar things to support them both at home and school and can share what is working in both places. The SENCo (or Head teacher) is available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns/worries you may have. All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you with the person involved directly, or where this is not possible, in a report. The SENCo, if necessary, will arrange to meet with you to discuss any new assessments and ideas suggested by outside agencies for your child. Homework will be adjusted as needed to your child’s individual needs. A home/school contact book may be used to support communication with you, when this has been agreed to be useful for you and your child. You may be invited to meet and discuss strategies with CAMHS if this would be of benefit. In addition: If you child is undergoing statutory assessment you will also be supported by the Children’s Services SEN Team. They will ensure that you fully understand the process.

Main Menu We review the progress of the SEND children half-termly. We will involve parents/carers in the review of provision at Parents Nights or at a meeting if/when required? Our aim is to build a relationship so that we will all share in a child’s progress. Children are involved in reviewing their provision when Teachers discuss their progress with them. Statemented Pupils attend Annual Reviews. When a teacher has raised concerns about your child’s progress and targeted teaching has not met the child’s needs, the teacher will raise this with the SENCO. The teacher will discuss your child’s progress with you at our termly parents’ evenings when you will be informed of your child’s progress and any additional support being given. Schools also have meetings every term between each class teacher and a senior staff member in the school to ensure all children are making good progress. This is another way your child may be identified as not making the progress expected. If your child is then identified the school will make a decision about whether to monitor this more closely or set up an intervention group and then will inform you. These groups may take place for a short period or over a longer period of time. (However, please note that all children learn regularly in small groups in class (sometimes with learning support assistants) in order to support their progress in learning. If your child is still not making expected progress we will discuss with you our concerns and any you may have. We will discuss with you any further interventions or referrals to outside professionals to support your child’s learning. Our aim is to discuss how we can work together to support your child at home and school.

Plan Menu Communication and Interaction We aim to develop skills in communication, interaction and emotional awareness. The teacher will have the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class. All teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand. This information is gained from very detailed information, obtained from observations and detailed assessments. Teachers can put in place different ways of teaching so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This will involve things like using more practical learning or providing different resources adapted for your child. Specific strategies (some of which will have been suggested by the speech and language therapist) can be used to enable your child to access the learning task. We offer: Access to additional aids eg ICT resources Explicit teaching of skills from one context to another. Careful planning of transitions. Mentoring and/or buddy systems. Social stories. We may decide to refer a pupil to Speech and Language or Autism Outreach Support however this action would only follow parental discussion and consent.

Plan Menu Cognition and Learning Cognition and Learning Teachers are aware of the guidelines for The Dyslexia Friendly Classroom and The Autism Friendly Classroom. Quality First Teaching is delivered to all pupils via differentiated activities. We use individually focused intervention if needed and is possible. Increased access to small group support can be considered. Practical aids are available for learning e.g. table squares, time/number lines, pictures, photos, accessible reading material suited to age. A Phonic development programme is in place. Increased access to ICT may be of help to offer support or a stimulus. Flexible groupings can be used. Adaptations to assessments will be used to enable access e.g. readers, scribe, ICT. The Curriculum will be carefully and thoughtfully adapted to meet the learning needs of a child. Frequent repetition and reinforcement will benefit learning and understanding both at school and at home.

Plan Menu Social, Emotional and Mental Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties Health Difficulties We can offer: Referrals to counselling services ( CAMHS) Increased access to additional adult support Opportunities to develop Social Emotional Aspects of Learning To cope with loss we have a RAINBOWS Group. Class Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class and they will ensure that learning tasks are adjusted in order to enable your child to access their learning as independently as possible. 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 and increase your child’s access to what is on offer. Learning is viewed as a positive process and can build self-esteem. We recognise that ‘moving on’ can be difficult for a child with SEN/and or disabilities and take steps to ensure that any transition is a smooth as possible. If your child is moving to another school: We will contact the new school’s Inclusion Manager 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 When moving classes in school: We have a Transition Day in July where a class pends a full day with their new Teacher in their new Classroom. Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and in most cases, a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher. Handover meetings will be held in July to facilitate this. If needed, the transition process can include a number of visits to a new room and several opportunities to meet a new Teacher. If your child would be helped by a book to support them understand moving on then it will be provided for them. In Year 6 The Inclusion Manager will attend the Primary Transition Day to discuss the specific needs of your child with the Inclusion Manager of their secondary. Your child will attend a small group in school, to support their understanding of the changes ahead. This may include creating a ‘Personal Passport’ which includes information about themselves for their new school. 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.

Plan Menu Sensory and/or Physical Needs Sensory and/or Physical Needs Teachers will be fully aware of their pupils’ needs and will try to adapt the curriculum to enable full access e.g. alternative recording devices, modified PE Lessons etc. We aim to support access to rooms via ramps and general classroom layout. Our Classroom are bright and colourful places. Displays can be various colours. We will try to offer access to specialists for the hearing/visual impaired. This will be done on a referral basis. Therapy programmes can be delivered in school/home if designed by specialists e.g. Occupational Therapists or Physiotherapists. We aim to ensure that all equipment used is accessible to all children regardless of their needs. The school has accessible hygiene facilities.