| What is the Age Range of pupils at Knighton Mead |
3 to 11 | |
| Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo) | Ms D Cook | |
| Academy Councillor with responsibility for SEND | Mr Milan Premdjy | |
| Contact Information | Email (admin) | [email protected] |
| Local Offer Webpage Link | Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) (leicester.gov.uk) | |
Knighton Mead SEND Padlet For parents
SEND Information Report
Introduction
Knighton Mead Primary Academy is proud to be an inclusive school, valuing the individuality of all children. We are committed to giving all our children every opportunity to achieve the highest of standards. We do this by taking account of pupils’ varied life experiences and needs. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum and have high expectations of all our children. The achievements, attitudes and well-being of all our children matter.
What is SEND?
The Code of Practice 2014 states that:
‘A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.’
The Four broad areas of need identified within the SEN Code of Practice 2014 are:
- Communication and Interaction (e.g. speech articulation, stammering, speech and language delay, autism etc)
- Cognition and Learning (e.g. global learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyscalculia etc)
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (e.g. anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive, compulsive disorder (OCD) etc)
- Sensory and Physical Needs (Visual impairment, hearing impairment, sensory needs (e.g. autism, dyspraxia, toileting issues, physical disability etc)
| Type of SEND | Provision In Place |
|---|---|
| Communication and Interaction (e.g. speech articulation, stammering, speech and language delay, autism etc) | -Fun Time (Early Years small group intervention to develop social, communication and interaction skills)
-Play Interaction (1:1 / small group intervention for children who struggle with their peers) -1:1 speech and language support with TA -Small language group with TA -Communication and Interaction programme specified by ASD team -Strategies taught to manage stammer as recommended by external Speech and Language Therapist -Individual visual timetable -Visual aids to help learning -Task Plans -Voice 21 strategies |
| Cognition and Learning (e.g. global learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyscalculia etc) | -BRP (1:1 Reading intervention)
-Recommendations from external agencies (Learning, Communication and Interaction / Speech and Language Therapy, Hearing Impairment Team, Visual Impairment Team and Educational Psychologist) -Writing task lists / task plans -Writing frames -Coloured overlays / paper as recommended by Specialist Optometrist -Phonic interventions (1:1 and small groups to help develop phonic , spelling and reading skills) -Talk boxes to help children with memory difficulties -Spelling Tutor to support children with spelling difficulties -Inference to support children with their comprehension skills -TA support within year groups |
| Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (e.g. anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive, compulsive disorder (OCD) etc) | -1:1 Emotional check ins with our Pastoral Lead
-Sibling Group (to develop positive relationships and social skills with siblings) -Play Therapy via external Specialist -Support from the LA Social, Emotional, Mental, Health Team – Breakfast Club -The RB2L team support parents/carers in school -Advice from School Nurse / other health professional will be implemented -Fidget aids -children are given resources to help maintain and develop attention and concentration -Learning breaks and movement breaks -Trust support from the Inclusion Director and Primary Intervention Lead |
| Sensory and Physical Needs (Visual impairment, hearing impairment, sensory needs (e.g. autism, dyspraxia, toileting issues, physical disability etc) | -Sensory resources
-Sensory breaks for children with Autism who require them – Pencil grips -Adapted cutlery as recommended by Occupational Therapists -Advice from School Nurse / other agencies will be implemented -Trained staff for specific physical/medical needs –Fine motor skills intervention -All resources/ strategies recommended by external agencies/ Health will be implemented -Worksheets will be printed in recommended font for children with a visual impairment -Regular support from HI team for children with Hearing Impairment -Regular support from the VI team for children with Visual Impairment -Disabled toilet and changing facilities -Use of ICT- iPad to support board share and laptops |
Where can I find the schools Accessibility Policy?
The Accessibility Policy can be found on this website under “Policies” on the “Our Academy” page.
What are the admission arrangements for pupils with SEND at Knighton Mead?
All parents wishing to apply for a place at Knighton Mead Primary Academy should do so via Leicester City Council, the address of which is on their website. Parents have a right to express a preference for the school they want for their child. Applications are online via the Leicester City Council website. Applications must be submitted to the Council by the specified date, which is published annually. When places are allocated to children a member of our school office will contact the family and previous school (if applicable) to determine any SEND requirements. An induction meeting is then arranged and the SENDCo notified. An additional meeting with the SENDCo may be/ is required if a child has an Educational, Health and Care Plan or high level of need to ensure provision can be provided and is in place before the child starts.
What are the arrangements for supporting pupils with SEN who are looked after by the local authority?
Child Looked After (CLA) with SEN have a Pupil Outcome Passport alongside a Personal Education Plan which is reviewed termly and at Looked After Children’s Reviews which occur every 6 months. All children are treated equally and fairly. Sometimes, a Learning Mentor from the Virtual School will also be allocated if their needs are complex. Pupil Premium Plus money will be used to support the child accordingly.
What expertise and training of staff do Knighton Mead provide to support pupils with SEN?
All our teachers are trained to work with children with SEN. Some are very experienced, and others less so, but all have access to advice, information, resources and training to enable them to teach all children effectively. We offer training and self-help opportunities through access to in house or LA courses, provision of books or guidance towards useful websites. Some of our TAs have expertise and training on other areas or specific interventions. All TAs work with children with SEN and disabilities. If we identify information we can’t access without the aid of additional, more specialist help, the school is able to access additional expertise from the LA. This includes access to Educational Psychologists and Advisory Teachers.
What facilities are provided to assist access to the academy?
On Wednesday 9th April 2014 Ash Field Academy visited Knighton Mead Primary Academy to conduct a disabled user survey.
Please read to find out what they thought!
Knighton Fields Primary School User Survey Report
Knighton Mead Primary Academy recognises its requirement under the Equality Act 2010 for schools to have an accessibility plan. Our accessibility plan has three aims, improving Education & related activities, improving the Physical environment and improving the Provision of information. This plan can be found on our website.
What equipment and facilities do we have to support pupils with SEND?
Children who require additional resources or interventions will be funded through our allocated SEND budget. If a child with complex needs requires greater than average adult support, then an Element 3 funding application will be made by the SENCo to the local authority with support from all agencies involved in the child’s education. All children who are identified with SEND will have an individual Pupil Outcome Passport which identifies the provision they will receive.
What support services are available?
If your child requires support from external agencies, then a referral will be made with the consent of parents.
We use the following people / agencies:
- Early Years Support Team
- Learning, Communication and Interaction Support Team
- Primary School Social, Emotional and Mental Health Team
- Educational Psychology Service
- Hearing Support Team
- Vision Support Team
- Speech and Language Therapy Service
- School Nurse / Health Professionals
- Family Support Officers
- Support from the Trust’s Inclusion Director
- Early Help
Further information can be found on our website. There is also a link to the local offer to access services and support available across the city.
How does Knighton Mead adapt the curriculum and the learning environment of pupils with SEND?
Teachers plan using pupils’ achievement levels, differentiating tasks to ensure progress for every pupil in the classroom.
- When a pupil has been identified as having special educational needs, the curriculum and the learning environment will be further adapted by the class teacher to reduce barriers to learning and enable them to access the curriculum more easily.
- These adaptations may include strategies suggested by the SENCo and/or external specialists.
- In addition, if it is considered appropriate, pupils may be provided with specialised equipment or resources such as ICT and/or additional adult help. All actions taken by the class teacher will be recorded and shared with parents.
How does Knighton Mead ensure that pupils with SEN are enabled to engage in activities available with pupils in the academy who do not have SEN?
Reasonable adjustments will be implemented to enable all children to participate in all school activities.
The school ensures it has sufficient staff expertise to ensure that no child with SEND is excluded from any school provided activity.
What steps are taken to prevent pupils with SEND from being treated less favourably than other pupils?
- We celebrate difference at our school and use the Everyone’s Welcome approach. This is a picture book led, age appropriate approach to celebrating diversity in our society. The beautiful books range from Reception to Y6 and address topics such as gender, sexuality, race and disabilities.
- All children will be provided with high quality teaching that is differentiated to meet the diverse needs of all learners.
- Children with a disability will be provided with reasonable adjustments (such as auxiliary aids and services) to overcome any disadvantage experienced in schools and increase their access to the taught curriculum.
- The quality of classroom teaching provided to pupils with SEND is monitored through a number of processes that includes:
- Classroom observation by the senior leadership team, the SENCo, external verifiers.
- Ongoing assessment of progress made by pupils with SEND.
- Work sampling and scrutiny of planning to ensure effective matching of work to pupil need.
- Teacher meetings with the SENCo to provide advice and guidance on meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.
- Pupil and parent feedback on the quality and effectiveness of interventions provided.
- Attendance and behaviour records.
How will Knighton Mead evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for pupils with SEN?
- All children have individual curriculum targets set in line with national outcomes to ensure ambition. Parents are informed of these via the reporting system and also at events such as Parents’ Evenings.
- Pupils’ attainments are tracked using the whole school tracking system and those failing to make expected levels of progress are identified very quickly. These pupils are then discussed in termly progress meetings that are undertaken between the class/subject teacher and a member of the Senior Leadership team.
- Additional action to increase the rate of progress will be then identified and recorded that will include a review of the impact of the differentiated teaching being provided to the child, and if required, provision of interventions to further support the success of the pupil.
- Where it is decided during this early discussion that special educational provision is required to support increased rates, parents will be informed that the school considers their child may require SEN support and their partnership sought in order to improve attainments.
Action relating to SEN support will follow an assess, plan, do and review model called the Graduated Approach:
- Assess: Data on the child held by the school will be collated by the class teacher in order to make an accurate assessment of the child’s needs. Parents will always be invited to this early discussion to support the identification of action to improve outcomes.
- Plan: If review of the action taken indicates that “additional to and different from” support will be required, then the views of all involved including the parents and the pupil will be obtained and appropriate evidence-based interventions identified, recorded and implemented by the class teacher with advice from the SENCo.
- Do: SEN support will be recorded on a plan (Pupil Outcome Passport) that will identify a clear set of expected outcomes, which will include stretching and relevant academic and developmental targets that take into account parents’ aspirations for their child. Parents and the child will also be consulted on the action they can take to support attainment of the desired outcomes. This will be recorded and a date made for reviewing attainment. Progress and attainment will be reviewed in consultation with parents/carers three times a year
- Review: Progress towards these outcomes will be tracked and reviewed termly with the parents and the pupil.
If progress rates are still judged to be inadequate despite the delivery of high quality interventions, advice will always be sought from external agencies regarding strategies to best meet the specific needs of a child. This will only be undertaken after parent permission has been obtained and may include referral to:
- Special Educational Needs Support Service
- Learning, Communication and Interaction Support Team
- Primary School Social, Emotional and Mental Health Team
- Hearing Impairment team
- Visual Impairment team
- Educational Psychology Service
- Educational Welfare Officers
- Physical and Disability Support Service
- Social Services
- School Nurse
- Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service
In addition, the school will involve external agencies as appropriate including health and social services, community and voluntary organisations for advice on meeting the needs of pupils with SEND and in further supporting their families.
For a very small percentage of pupils, whose needs are significant and complex and the SEN Support required to meet their needs cannot reasonably be provided from within the school’s own resources, a request will be made to the local authority to conduct an assessment of education, health and care needs. This may result in an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan being provided.
How does Knighton Mead assess and review pupil’s progress towards outcomes
At Knighton Mead Primary Academy, every child’s progress is closely tracked. The leadership team hold meetings termly with class teachers to discuss each child’s needs. Concerns about individual children will also be discussed with the SENCo who will advise on the best strategies to adopt.
Individual work / assessments will be carried out via relevant staff or external agencies which will also contribute to the child’s progress.
Attainments towards the identified outcomes will be shared with parents termly through feedback regarding SEN support reviews but also through the school reporting system and Parents’ Evenings.
Some parents may also find a home-school diary a useful tool to use to communicate with school staff on a more regular basis.
Parents are encouraged to arrange an appointment to discuss their child’s progress with the class/subject teacher, the SENCo, a member of the senior leadership team at any time when they feel concerned or have information they feel they would like to share that could impact on their child’s success. Please contact the school office who will arrange this appointment for you. The contact number is 0116 2330666.
How does Knighton Mead consult parents of children with SEND and involve them in their child’s education
The Early Monitoring Process is used initially to identify the child’s difficulties through assessments. Consent will be sought from Parents /Carers if their child is to be placed on the SEND register.
Parents will then have 3 review meetings with the class teacher or the SENCo throughout the year where targets and provision will be shared.
Children with complex needs will have other meetings; such as, Pastoral Support Programme meetings every 6 weeks or School Contract meetings which occur termly where parents/carers will be present alongside school and relevant external agencies.
Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan will have annual Person Centred Reviews where parents/carers will need to be present.
Additional review meetings with parents/carers will also be arranged for children who are a cause for concern.
How does Knighton Mead consult pupils with SEND and involve them in their education
We value pupil voice; therefore, all children with SEND have an individual Pupil Outcome Passport which identifies their views.
Children with regular PSP meetings and EHCPs always contribute to their meeting either prior to or during the meeting.
What support for improving emotional and social development does Knighton Mead offer?
The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils. These include:
- An evaluated Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) curriculum that aims to provide pupils with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to enhance their emotional and social knowledge and well-being. Please visit our website to see the topics that are included within this area of the curriculum.
- Small group and 1:1 interventions to support pupil’s well-being are delivered to targeted pupils and groups. These aim to support improved interaction skills, emotional resilience and well-being.
- Pupils who find outside class times difficult are provided with alternative small group opportunities within the school and action is taken to develop their social interaction skills.
- The school has gained a gold Healthy School status which evidences the work undertaken within the school to supports pupils’ well-being and mental health.
- We follow the ‘Route to Resilience’ programme by Steve Harris which is based on several principles of Guy Claxton. We use ‘character muscles’ to strengthen our muscles of resilience. The Character Muscles reflect our aim to build the ‘ultimate learners’. Each Character Muscle represents a different quality of what it means to be a good citizen. These qualities help our children develop positive attitudes towards learning, reflect on their work and become responsible citizens who are resilient and equipped for lifelong learning.
- Our Pastoral Lead, Mrs Chudasama supports children with SEMH needs develop their emotional resilience and social interaction skills through individualised and small group support.
Please also look at our Behaviour and Anti-Bullying policy for further information.
How does Knighton Mead involve other bodies, including health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in meeting pupil’s SEN and supporting their families?
The SENCo has two joint planning meetings (September and February) with all external agencies to discuss support required for children with SEND. Work for each cycle is then planned then external agencies will either carry out 1:1 work with pupils or attend meetings depending on the child’s needs. Consent will always be sought from parents/carers for work to be implemented via an external agency.
Sometimes, parents will be advised to seek help from other organisations outside of school to support their child further.
The academy aims to work in partnership with other agencies in order to provide an integrated support based on the need of the pupils. The SENCo liaises with SENCos from within the Trust. We always work collaboratively to ensure that all identified needs are addressed.
How does Knighton Mead support pupils with SEND in the transfer between phases of education/the preparation for adulthood and independent living
A number of strategies are in place to enable effective pupils’ transition. These include:
On entry:
- A planned introduction programme is delivered to support transfer for children starting school in September or mid-year.
- Parent/carers are invited to a meeting at the school and are provided with a range of information to support them in enabling their child to settle into the school routine.
- The SENCo meets with all new parents of pupils who are known to have SEND to allow concerns to be raised and to discuss solutions to any perceived challenges prior to entry.
- If pupils are transferring from another setting, the previous school records will be requested immediately and a meeting set up with parents to identify and reduce any concerns.
- Transition within school as the children move to their next class will also take place in the summer term if the child requires it. The plan will be individualised to the child’s needs.
Transition to the next school:
- The transition programme in place for pupils provides a number of opportunities for pupils and parents to meet staff in the new school.
- The annual review in Y5 for pupils with an EHCP begins the process where parents are supported to make decisions regarding secondary school choice.
- Parents will be encouraged to consider options for the next phase of education and the school will involve outside agencies, as appropriate, to ensure information provided is comprehensive but accessible.
- Accompanied visits to other providers may be arranged as appropriate.
- For pupils transferring to local schools, the SENCos of both schools will meet to discuss the needs of pupils with SEN in order to ensure a smooth transition.
- A bespoke transition plan will be implemented for children who require additional visits.
- The records of pupils who leave the school mid-phase will be transferred where possible within five working days of the parents notifying their child has been enrolled at another school.
What are the arrangements for handling complaints from parents of children with SEN about the provision made at Knighton Mead?
The school works, wherever possible, in partnership with parents to ensure a collaborative approach to meeting pupils’ needs. All complaints are taken seriously and are heard through the school’s complaints policy and procedure. For concerns and questions about SEND pupils, parents are welcome to contact Miss Fehmida Nurgat through the school office on 0116 2330666.
Be Kind. Work Hard. Strive for Excellence.