Buckingham Park Primary School

All schools in Adur have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and are supported by the Local Authority, the SEND Hub and other agencies to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. All schools are supported to enable them to be as inclusive as possible; the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities are met in a mainstream setting wherever possible and where families want this to happen.

At Buckingham Park Primary School we strive to support all children to enable them to achieve at school. In order to do this many steps are taken to support them through their learning journey. Quality class teaching is vital; however for some children there may be times when additional support is needed to help them achieve their targets. This is when the SEN and Inclusion Team step in.

The SEN and Inclusion Team at Buckingham Park Primary School are:

• Ms Karyn Astle - Deputy Head, Inclusion Team Leader, DSL
• Mrs Kelly Douglas - SENCO, DSL
• Ms Kayti Loom -  Family Liaison/School Counsellor, DSL 
• Mrs Suzy Prebble - Mental Health and Therapeutic Play Practitioner
• Miss Rebecca Lacey – Y2 Leader and PSHE and Citizenship Team Leader
• Mrs Pippa Bird - Link Governors 
• Our team of teaching and learning support assistants

What is the Local Offer?

Every Local Authority has been required to publish a Local Offer since September 2014. The purpose of the Local Offer is to enable parents and young people to see more clearly what services are available in their area and how to access them. The offer will include provision from birth to 25 years, across Education, Health and Social Care and should be developed in conjunction with children and young people, parents and carers, and local services, including schools, colleges, health and social care agencies. You can find out more about the Local Offer in West Sussex here: https://westsussex.local-offer.org/

Buckingham Park Primary School’s SEN Information Report provides information for parents/carers of children who have Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND).This information outlines the support and provision you can expect to receive if you choose Buckingham Park Primary School for your child.

14 questions have been devised nationally in consultation with parents/carers and other agencies, which reflect their concerns and interests. These must be answered by all agencies, schools and colleges to provide information to parents and carers to help them make decisions about how best to support their child’s needs.

Below are Buckingham Park Primary School’s responses to these questions:

1. How does the school know if my child needs extra help?

   We know they need extra help if:

• Concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers, school support staff or the pupil’s previous school.
• There is a lack of progress
• They have low test scores
• There is a change in a pupil’s behaviour
• A pupil asks for help

  If you have concerns and think your child may have Special Educational Needs then you should speak to your child’s teacher or Mrs Salter (SENCo)

• 2. How will I know the school supports my child?

• Every pupil’s education programme will be planned by the class teacher. It will be differentiated according to pupils’ individual needs. This may include additional support by the teacher or teaching assistant in class.
• If a pupil has a specific area of need identified, then they will be placed in a small focus group or may be supported 1:1. This support may come from their teacher, a teaching assistant or a learning support assistant and will be overseen by the SENCo. The length of the intervention will vary according to need and will be regularly reviewed to ascertain its effectiveness. A letter will always be sent home to parents to inform them of any planned intervention, and then termly provision letters and Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) will be shared with parents. The SENCo is also available to answer any queries relating to support.
• Pupil Progress meetings are held termly. This is a meeting where the class teacher meets with the Headteacher, Deputy and SENCo to discuss the progress of all pupils in their class. This shared discussion may highlight any concerns, for which further support will then be planned.
• Occasionally pupils need more expert support from outside agencies (see Q6). Referral forms are completed with parents/carers and forwarded to the most appropriate agency.
• The Governors of the school are responsible for entrusting named persons (Mrs Swann, Ms Astle, Miss Loom) to monitor Safeguarding and Child Protection procedures. Mrs Swann is also responsible for the monitoring and correct administration of Disclosure and Barring service procedures and the school’s Single Central Record. The Governors ensure that the school is as inclusive as possible and treats all children and staff equally. They monitor and review all statutory policies as defined by the Department of Education.

  3a. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

• When a pupil has been identified as having a Special Educational Need, their work will be differentiated by the class teacher so that they can access the curriculum more easily.
• Support staff may be allocated to work with the pupil on a 1:1 basis or in a small group.
• If appropriate, specialist equipment may be given to the pupil, eg: coloured reading rulers/overlays, pen/pencil grips, writing slopes or concentration aids.

  3b. How does the school evaluate effectiveness of its provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs?

• The SENCo and class teachers write a termly provision map for each year group to measure progress and achievement.
• Evaluation of Individual Learning Plans with staff and parents, three times a year.
• Use of assessment and tracking information linked to specific interventions
• Use of attainment and progress data for children with SEN across the school as part of whole school tracking of children’s progress in core National Curriculum subjects
• Use of pupil/parents interviews/questionnaires
• Monitoring by SENCo – employed 3 days per week

  4a. How will I know how my child is doing?

• You will be able to discuss your child’s progress at Parents Evenings.
• Appointments can be made at the school office to see your child’s class teacher or the SENCo/Inclusion leader.
• Children on the SEN register who have ILPs have their targets reviewed termly. The class teacher and SENCo meet to review ILP targets and set new targets each term. Parents are invited to contribute their input to the IEP.

  4b. How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• The class teacher may suggest ways of supporting your child’s learning through letters sent home or at Parents Evenings.
• The SENCo may meet with you to discuss how to support your child. This will sometimes follow on from a child being assessed for specific learning difficulties by the SENCo.
• The SENCo may meet with you to discuss strategies to use if there are concerns around your child’s behavioural/emotional needs.
• If outside agencies or the Educational Psychologist have been asked to see your child they may suggest strategies for use at home.
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• 5.What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?
• The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering emotional difficulties. These include:
• Members of staff such as the class teacher, support staff, SENCo and Family Liaison Officer are readily available for pupils who wish to discuss issues/concerns.
• Social skills groups may be run by teaching assistants and learning support assistants across the school.
• Indoor Play is available for children who find playing outside with their peers very difficult.
• 1:1 pastoral support may be available from Miss Loom for children who have a specific emotional need or who are experiencing difficulties that are impacting on them in school.
• If a pupil has a medical need then a Care Plan is written in conjunction with the School Nurse, parents and the appropriate member of staff for your child.
• Regular Epi Pen training is provided for all relevant staff.
• Please see our Admin of Medicines Policy for details of managing medication for children in school.

  6. How does the governing body involve other bodies including health and social services, local authority support services and voluntary organisations in meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and supporting the families of such pupils?

• The school commissions the services of an independent speech and language therapist (Emily Owens) to assess children in our school, set programmes of support and to provide advice and support to staff in addressing speech and language needs.
• The West Sussex Inclusion Team (Behaviour, Learning and Social Communication) play an important part in helping the school identify, assess and make provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs. We make regular referrals to these services.
• Our school receives an annual visit from a member of the Educational Psychology Service. In addition, the school may seek advice from the EP Service throughout the year, through telephone consultations.
• The Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy Services (NHS) are involved with a number of children in the school and support with the implementation of specific programmes and contribute to the monitoring of their progress and reviews.
• The school maintains links with child health services, children’s social care services, early help and education welfare services. Relevant information is considered when making provision for our children with SEN. Regular referrals are made to CDC at Worthing Hospital when we have concerns about a child’s development. When we have safeguarding concerns, we make a referral to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).
• The School Nurse is available for advice and attends meetings in school on request following referrals to the service made by school.
• Liaison meetings with local pre-schools are held in the summer term before children enter our Early Years classes.
• The Education, Health and Care planning process offers more holistic support around children and their families.

7. What training have staff supporting children with SEND had?

• Staff working with children with specific needs are given specific and appropriate training, eg: Speech and Language, Austistic Spectrum Disorders, Downs Syndrome.
• Members of the Inclusion Team have attended training on Attachment Disorder.
• Members of the Key Stage 1 and Foundation Stage Team have had Makaton training.
• The SENCo has the National Award for SEN Co-ordination
• The SENCo attends termly Adur Locality SENCo meetings.

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

• Activities and school trips are available to all.
• Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate.
• If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required then a parent or carer may also be asked to accompany their child during the activity in addition to the usual school staff.

   9a. How accessible is the school environment?

  As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements. Facilities we have at present include:

• Step-free access into all parts of the school from outdoors
• Wheelchair lift into the hall
• Toilets adapted for disabled users
• Wider doors in some parts of the building
• A lift to the upstairs classrooms in the Year 5/6 extension block

9b. What are the arrangements for the admission of my child if they are disabled?                                                                                                                                                  

• We use our best endeavours to ensure that the necessary provision is made for any individual who has a Special Educational Need and /or disability.  
• We believe that all children should be equally valued in school. We will work to eliminate prejudice and discrimination, and to develop an environment where all children can flourish and feel safe.  Children with disabilities will not be treated less favourably than other children.  We regularly review our provision and for some children this is done formally with the involvement of external agencies to support the child and school staff.
• Our school is committed to inclusion. We aim to maintain and extend the school’s culture, policies and practices of inclusion for all children.
• We aim to engender a sense of community and belonging, and to offer new opportunities to children taking into account their needs and experiences.
• 10. How will the school prepare my child to join Buckingham Park Primary or transfer to a new school?
• All pre-school settings are visited by one of the Foundation Stage teachers in the Summer term prior to starting school to discuss children individually.
• Additional visits to pre-school settings are made by the Inclusion Team if a child has an identified additional need.
• The school also provides all children due to come into Reception with a number of ‘Stay and Play’ sessions and other taster activities throughout the Summer term.
• For children in Y6, there are strong links with the local secondary schools and transition meetings are attended throughout the year by the Inclusion leader.
• The Y6 pupils all attend transition days at their secondary school.
• Some children attend additional pastoral support activities.
• Our Inclusion team meet with the Secondary School SEN and Inclusion departments.
• Where a pupil has more specialised/individual needs, separate meetings are arranged with the Secondary School and parents/carers.
• Children with a Statement of SEN or Education Health and Care Plan may move on to a Special School; similar transition arrangements will apply.
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• 11a.How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s Special Educational Needs?
• The SEN budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependant on individual needs.
• The additional provision may be allocated after discussion with the class teacher at Pupil Progress meetings or if a concern has been raised by them at another time during the year.
• If any concerns are raised by the SENCo on completion of assessments, further support or resources may be allocated to your child.
• Pupil Premium payments are used to support pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals.

  11b.How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

• If concerns are identified due to the child’s lack of progress or wellbeing then interventions and support will be arranged.
• These interventions will be reviewed, and if they are not proving to be effective alternative or additional provision will be put in place.
• Outside agencies may then become involved in devising a programme of support.
• Parents/carers of children with an ILP will be invited to a review meeting termly. They will be involved in discussions about the type and level of support that their child receives.

  12a. How will I be involved in discussions about planning for my child’s education?

  All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education. This may be through:

• Discussions with the class teacher.
• During parents evenings.
• Discussions with the SENCo or Family Liaision Officer.
• Parents are encouraged to attend review meetings to contribute to their child’s ILP.

  12b. How are young people with Special Educational Needs consulted with and involved in their education?

• Children with SEND are represented on our School Council.
• Targets set for children are reviewed with them.
• Children’s self-evaluation is actively encouraged throughout the school and children are supported where necessary to think of areas for development and how best to develop in these areas.

• Children are aware of their progress and the targets set by their teachers to support their development
• Pupil questionnaire forms are used at Annual Reviews to obtain children’s views about their SEN, the support in place to address needs and any modifications to this support which children feel may be helpful for them
• Children with ILP’s contribute to their reviews, three times a year. They are asked how they feel they have done on their targets and we discuss what helps them to learn.

13a. Who can I contact at the school for further information?

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are you are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling, please contact your child's class teacher or Mrs Tozer (SENCo) in the first instance.  You may also speak with the following members of staff, who form the school inclusion team:

• Mrs Swann (Headteacher)
• Ms Astle (Deputy Head)
• Your child’s class teacher
• Mrs Tozer (SENCo)
• Miss Loom (Family Liaison Officer)

         If you feel that the issue continues to be unresolved please follow the school's complaints procedure.

• 13b. What are the contact details of support services for the parents of pupils with Special Educational Needs, including those for arrangements made in accordance with clause 32?

• West Sussex SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IAS): 03302 228 555, send.ias@westsussex.gov.uk
• West Sussex Parent Partnership Service, Oriel Lodge, Chichester, PO19 1RZ, www.westsussex.gov.uk/parentpartnership, parent.partnership@westsussex.gov.uk, 0845 075 1008
• West Sussex Special Educational Needs Assessment Team, Room 072 County Hall, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RF, 03330 142903
• The Hive SEND Hub for Adur, Herons Dale Primary School, Hawkins Crescent, Shoreham-By-Sea, BN43 6TN, 01273 594285 http://www.adurhive.com/contact.html
• There is lots of information on all of the above and more on the West Sussex Local Offer Page https://westsussex.local-offer.org/

  Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any further questions.