Special Education Needs & Disability Provision

The governing body aims to ensure that pupils with disabilities are not treated less favourably for a reason relating to their disability.  We aim to take to take reasonable steps to ensure that pupils with disability are not placed at a disadvantage compared to non-disabled peers. (“reasonable adjustments duty”)

Guidelines

Schools should not wait until disabled pupils apply but take steps in advance

Schools are not required to make expensive adjustments to the physical environment though they will need to consider the needs of disabled pupils when planning new buildings and refurbishments

In the meantime the school should consider the needs of pupils with disabilities in terms of policies, procedures and practices.

All staff should have an awareness of the needs of pupils with disabilities within the school and an understanding of how  they can be helped e.g. for hearing, vision impaired children using the advice of the multi-sensory team to adapt texts  and teaching strategies.  This will avoid any child with a disability being put at substantial disadvantage.

Schools should conduct an audit of provision for pupils with disabilities

The governing body have an accessibility policy which is reviewed regularly.  Our new building has been designed to comply with the Disability Act and gives excellent accessibility for pupils with physical disabilities.

Our building has been built on one level with wide doors and corridors.  All doors have the correct handles and the school has been decorated to assist the visually impaired.  We have a disabled toilet and bathroom.  We have hearing loop fitted at the office reception and automatic access for wheelchair users.   

We have ensured that written materials are available in alternative formats for our vision impaired children.  School policies are reviewed regularly to ensure there are no discriminatory policies, phrases, procedures or practices.

Special Education Needs

Reflecting the spirit of current reform, the Special Educaitonal Needs policy has been written by the Special Needs Co-ordinator in collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team, Governors as well as all staff and parents of pupils with Special Educational Needs.

No child will be discriminated against on entry into school because of their individual needs.  Each child will have an equal right to admission to this school and then be given equal access to the National Curriculum as appropriate to their needs.  It is the school’s responsibility to provide access to a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum.  This includes each component of the National Curriculum and RE, and all other aspects of school life.

A child is deemed to have special educational needs if he/she: -

Has significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of pupils of his/her age
Has a disability which either prevents or hinders him/her from making use of the educational facilities of a kind usually provided for pupils of his/her age.

All South Gloucestershire maintained schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and are supported by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. Please see our Special Education Needs policy and the Local Offer which gives more information on how the school makes provision for children with specific individual needs.

SEND Information
How does Wellesley Primary School know if children need extra help?
We know if children need extra help if concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers, the child or previous setting such as pre-school or nursery. We also know if children need extra help if they are not making expected progress; working significantly below the level expected for their age or if health service identify specific needs or disabilities.
What should I do if I think my child may have Special Educational Needs or disabilities (SEND)?
If you have concerns about your child the first person to talk to is your child’s class teacher. If you require more information you can also speak to the school Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) - Mrs Vicki Slee or Head Teacher - Mrs Heather Small.
How will you support my child if they have SEND?
We use a range of strategies and methods to support children with SEND. This may include focussed support from a teacher or teaching assistant within lessons, as part of a small group or on an individual basis. It may also include intervention groups for additional support, for example with phonics or basic maths skills. If required we can provide additional or specific resources such as books with coloured paper, reading overlays, sloping boards and fiddle toys. We also support children with social difficulties using a range of methods such as social skills groups, peer mentoring and 1:1 time to talk.
Support is planned by the class teacher and the SENCO and they will discuss this with you, if appropriate. Being a small school staff get to know children quickly and specific, relevant information about children with SEND is shared with all members of staff in order to ensure a consistent approach. Adaptations to the classroom and general school environment would be made to take account of any physical difficulties or disabilities, for example the use of a hearing loop.
How will my child's progress and development be monitored?
All children are set targets relating to their learning. If a child has SEND, these targets will accurately reflect the child’s individual next steps, relating to their specific need where appropriate. The targets are written by the class teacher, with support from the SENCO. They will be shared with you and you will be given advice about how you can help your child achieve these targets at home. Targets will be reviewed regularly and progress will be reported at parent’s evenings. You are always welcome to come and talk to your child’s class teacher about their progress in between these times, and we also use home school link books for parents and staff to communicate more regularly.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's needs?
All our teachers are trained in differentiating the curriculum to meet the needs of all children with attention to their specific abilities. This planning is monitored by our SENCo as well as senior leaders in the school.
We are a dyslexia friendly school, and staff are also trained in how to adapt lessons to meet the needs of children with needs such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), and social, behavioural and emotional needs.
Our curriculum is overseen by our Governing Body. We have a named Governor with the responsibility for overseeing provision for pupils with SEND and who meets with the SENCO on a regular basis.
How will my child be included in extra-curricular activities and school trips?
All children are invited to take part in extra-curricular activities and school trips. Arrangements can be made in order to take account of the needs of individual children within the class so that they can fully participate. Additional risk assessments are carried out where appropriate in order to ensure that all children will be safe when taking part in school trips. This may include consultations with parents, depending on the nature of the trip or activity.

What support will there be for my child's overall wellbeing?
The school offers a range of pastoral support for children with SEND. This may include additional provision to develop self-esteem, providing opportunities for all children to develop leadership skills by becoming peer mediators, buddies, house captains or school councillors and ensuring all children are fully aware of what to do or who to speak to if they have a problem. The school carries out regular pupil conferencing and questionnaires to ensure that the pupils are happy and know our systems for getting help. Staff are always available for the children to talk to.
What specialist services and expertise are available?
The school has access to additional services and expert advice from a range of external agencies. This includes Behaviour Support, Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychology, Inclusion Support, School Nurse, Social Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)S, Vision Support and Hearing Support teams.
How accessible is the school environment?
The school is a single storey building, which has been built to be wheelchair accessible. We also have disabled toilet and shower facilities. The majority of the outside space is wheelchair accessible, however we do have a hill and a forest which may not be fully accessible to wheelchair users.
How will the school support my child's transistion when joining and leaving the school, and between year groups?
Prior to joining the school in reception, the school are notified if a child will be starting who has SEND and with whom the Early Years Inclusion Team have been involved. A transition meeting will be held where parents, carers, staff from the current setting and professionals involved will be invited to contribute to a transition plan for the child. This may include a range of arrangements such as additional visits to the school, photo books and home visits.
When a child joins from another primary school, the SENCO of the child’s current school will pass on information about the child’s needs and current support they are receiving. (This also happens when a child moves to secondary school or a new primary school.) Visits may also be arranged before the child starts with us.
When moving from year to year, the child will be supported by being given the opportunity to meet their new teacher more than once, have additional visits to the new classroom, and be given the opportunity to take photos home over the summer holidays.
Does the school receive funding to meet the needs of the children with SEND?
Schools receive funding for all children, including those with SEND, and needs are met from this budget (including equipment). The Local Authority may contribute more money to support the school to meet more complex needs.
Who can I contact for further information?
If you require more information, or wish to discuss your child’s specific needs and requirements, please contact the school SENCO (Mrs Vicki Slee).
We have a SEN policy which can be found on the school website.
Parents can also access impartial advice and support from Supportive Parents http://www.supportiveparents.org.uk/ Leaflets can be found in the foyer.