SEND Information Report

Bottesford Junior School - SEND Information Report

At Bottesford Juniors, all staff share the same goal – for every child to reach their full potential and be a happy, confident, successful member of the community. For some children, differentiated provision and additional support is needed to help them achieve this. Parents of children who may need additional support, frequently have questions they would like to ask. We hope this answers some of them for you:

Special Educational Needs Lead(s)

Mrs Ogle- SENDCO

Mrs Carpenter- Learning Mentor and Assistant SENDCO

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

Talk to us. Initially, speak with your child's class teacher and explain your concerns. If you are still concerned then ask to speak to Mrs Ogle who is the Special Education Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO).

2. How will the school respond to my concerns?

We will listen and discuss your concerns with you. Sometimes we can reassure you that there is nothing to worry about. Sometimes we decide to monitor your child more closely over a period of time, and may gather additional information, which could include carrying out additional testing or assessments.

3. How will school decide if my child needs extra support?

The decision will be made by the class teacher and/or SENDCO, based on the evidence of your child’s academic and personal progress. Sometimes, we will ask for additional advice from one of the specialist services. You will be kept fully informed and we will discuss ways in which you can help your child.

4. What will the school do to support my child? Who will be involved?

This very much depends on what your child’s needs are. In many cases, the teacher may only need to differentiate the curriculum to allow your child to access what is being taught, or they may offer a little extra support either in class or in a small intervention group (run by a Teaching Assistant under the direction of the teacher). Sometimes we might use an adult volunteer eg: to hear your child read more frequently. Again, this would be under the direction of the class teacher. Some children will need the additional support of either an Individual Education plan (IEP) or an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which has targets for your child to achieve, The IEP is drawn up by the class teacher together with the SENDCO. IEPs are reviewed termly and copies are sent home to parents. Sometimes, the school seeks the advice and support of an outside agency to help identify exactly what your child’s needs are and how best to meet them - this is done in consultation with and with the permission of parents. If your child already has identified Special Educational Needs, then the school will have good information which will help us to support your child. If it is felt that your child is in need of an EHCP, this is drawn up in consultation with a number of outside agencies such as Education Psychologists, specialist behaviour teams, ASET, speech therapists etc and must be approved by the SEND division of North Lincs Council.

We are fortunate to have staff, both class teachers and teaching assistants, who are trained and experienced in recognising and teaching children with a full range of Special Educational needs that could be expected in a mainstream setting. In addition, we are experienced in working with additional outside agencies which we can access for advice and support. These include:

Autism Outreach team (ASET)

Children’s Services

Educational Psychologist

Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS)

Inclusion Officer (IO)

Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)

School Nursing Service

Behaviour Support service

Occupational therapy

Hearing support

Visual Support Team

5. What support will there be for my child’s emotional and social well-being?

The social and emotional well-being of your child is very important to us. Where appropriate, additional intervention (sometimes individual, sometimes as part of a small group) will be organised to help your child’s emotional and social development. The school has a Learning Mentor who works alongside the SENDCO to support children who have social and emotional needs.

The school has a clear policy should their needs impact on their behaviour, and we work closely with outside agencies to support children with emotional and behavioural needs.

Please note that children with medical needs may be supported through an individual medical plan.

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

All children in the school have their progress carefully monitored. We will use all the data available to us, looking at age appropriate expectations and your child’s individual progress. The teacher’s observations and information from you are also important. If your child has an IEP or EHCP, we will also look at their progress against the targets set.

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

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive school and endeavour to ensure that all children have equal opportunity to take part in visits and extra-curricular activities. We believe it is important for our children to be fully involved in the life of the school though sometimes reasonable adjustments may have to be made.

8. How accessible is the school environment?

The school is built on one floor, though on different levels. We are fully accessible though some areas are trickier than others. We have permanent ramps (and temporary for use as needed), ‘grab’ handles, a wheelchair lift and a fully accessible toilet.

9. How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school? How will the school prepare and support my child to transfer to a new school?

The school believes that good transition is important both for entering and leaving the school. The school organises transition events, including small groups of children spending some time with their new teacher, to help children (and parents) settle in to the new environment. Our main feeder school is Bottesford Infants which is only next door, making this process relatively simple. Our Year 3 teachers visit the children in their own school, as part of the process of getting to know them, and information about individual children is passed on at this time. The SENDCOs of both schools meet and share more detailed and specific information and our SENDCO may be invited to attend professional meetings about specific children in the term prior to transferring. Children coming from other schools are also invited to spend time with us before they come in September. Careful consideration is also made during transitions between year groups for those children with an identified need. When children are due to leave us, as Year 6s, they too spend some time in their new school and individual information about your child’s needs is passed on when the SENDCO and the teachers meet with the secondary staff.

Sometimes, children need very individualised transition arrangements, which may involve other outside agencies (this is often the case with children on the Autistic Spectrum for whom change is very difficult, or children with physical difficulties). Our school has worked with the relevant agencies, the child’s parents and the receiving school, on many occasions to ensure a smooth and happy transition.

10. How can I be involved in supporting my child?

Your support is not just valued but essential. Initially, your class teacher will discuss with you ways in which you can help your child. If your child has an IEP or EHCP, there will be specific information about how you can help; this may be to support their achievement of the targets on it, or it could be more general – for example, it may ask that you hear your child read daily and talk about what they have read.

11. How will my child be able to contribute his/her views?

Your child is encouraged to talk to any of the supporting adults at any time. Frequently this is the class teacher though it might also be a teaching assistant or any other member of the school team.

If your child has an IEP or EHCP, they have the opportunity to give their views at the time of review as well as have their targets assessed.

Sometimes, a child who is experiencing social/emotional difficulties prefers to talk to a named ‘Buddy’ (a peer) and this information is relayed back to the teacher or SENDCO.

12. What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child’s achievements and progress?

Celebration evenings are held each term, to discuss your child’s progress and attainment. You should be able to discuss your child’s IEP / EHCP with the teacher at this time. However, you are welcome to meet with the teacher or the SENDCO, if you have questions or concerns, at any reasonable time. Sometimes, a home/school book is used for more frequent, informal communication and, sometimes, a phone call will answer any queries you may have.

13. How can I access support for myself and my family?

If you feel that you need further support, please contact the school. We will be happy to talk to you.

14. How is admissions handled for children with a special educational need or disability?

Our school subscribes to the North Lincolnshire admissions policy and practices. Further information is available on the North Lincolnshire website. A link is also provided via our own admissions page on this website.

Tel: 01724 867906

15. Additional Parental Support

SENDIASS has been developing a Facebook page to provide easy access to information for families and young people. Follow this link to find the page.

https://www.facebook.com/North-Lincolnshire-SEND-Information-Advice-and-Support-Service-112442090290644/

Date of report - July 2023 (Reviewed Annually)