At Beulah Junior School we have a range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), from Autistic Spectrum Disorders ASD; Social Emotional and Mental Difficulties; Anxiety Disorder; Physical disability; Speech and Language Difficulties; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Mild Learning Difficulty (MLD); Dyslexia and other learning.
Every child has individual needs and brings different experiences, talents, interests and strengths to our School. Our intention at Beulah Junior School is to create an inclusive environment in which every child is able to have access to the whole curriculum. We wish to cultivate in all our pupils a confidence and desire to strive towards achieving their full potential. To reach this goal every member of staff works within an inclusive approach supporting children every day that they are attending Beulah Junior School.
Children and Families Bill 2013
The Children and Families Bill builds on the Coalition Government’s commitment that works to improve services for vulnerable children and support families. It aims to ensure that all children and young people can succeed, no matter what their background. The Bill will support changes in the systems for adoption, children looked after, children in need, family justice and special educational needs.
The system for children and young people with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) will look very different although it continues to provide services that support the best outcome for all. The Bill extends the SEND system for birth to 25, giving children, young people and their parents/carers greater control and choice in decisions and ensuring their needs are properly met.
The three main reforms will be:
- Replacing Statements and learning difficulty assessments with a new birth to 25 Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This will support children into further education and training and offer families personal budgets so that they have more control over the support they need.
- Improving co-operation between all the services that support children and their families.
- Requiring local authorities to involve children, young people and parents in reviewing and developing provision for those with SEND and to publish a ‘Local Offer’ of support.
Beulah Junior School’s SEND Information Report sets out in the SEND (Special Education Needs & Disabilities) Regulations 2014 includes:
1. How does Beulah Junior School know if children need extra help?
- Parents/carers speak to the teacher about their concerns.
- Teachers highlight a child as not making good progress
- A child has specific medical or physical needs that require support
- There is a significant change in a child’s behaviour and/or learning
- The identification of SEND needs within Beulah Junior School may come in different forms. The child may have been identified prior to attending the school and will come with them a Statement (soon to be Education Health Care Plan EHC plan). However, when a child is identified within Beulah Junior School the process will usually commence with the child’s class teacher. When the teacher has not been able to remove the barriers to learning through quality first teaching. Monitoring of the child and observation of the teaching will be implemented at this stage with the Inclusion Manager and either Deputy Head or Head Teacher. Feed-back is given as to using different strategies to support the child’s learning. If the child still hasn’t moved on, then the school will implement Wave 2 which may involve outside agencies or additional agencies such as our in-house counselling service, mentoring, Art therapy, SALT, Occupational Therapy etc.
2. How will I know how Beulah Junior School supports my child?
- At Beulah Junior School your child is supported by Quality First Teaching. This ensures that the work in the class is tailored to meet the levels and progress of most of the children in the classroom. Your child’s class teacher is responsible for this.
- If your child needs further support you will be given this information at parents evening. Your child may receive one of the following:
- Invited to meet the Inclusion Manager to discuss the support needed
- Small groups within the classroom follow the planned class curriculum.
- Small intervention groups outside the classroom support children in speaking and listening, reading, writing, maths, mentoring, counselling, EAL support and social skills.
- 1:1 support for specifically targeted intervention i.e. Speech and Language, Concentration and Focus programme.
3. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
Class teaches are aware of all the needs of the children in their care. Through
A cycle of planning, assessment and review your child’s lessons are tailored to ensure good progress for all pupils. To support teachers in this they regularly discuss a child’s progress with senior leaders in the school, especially if a child is experiencing difficulties in one or more areas of their development.
4. How will I know how my child is doing?
Information about your child’s learning can be seen in their targets and marking in their books. You are invited to be part of your child’s learning through the early morning work and homework.
Beulah Junior School has an open door policy. Class teachers are available to talk to parents/carers at the end of each day as they escort their class to the playground available to speak to parents/carers. If you wish to speak in more depth please make an appointment to ensure all the information you need is provided.
If your child has been identified as requiring additional support, the class teacher may suggest implementing an SEN Support Plan which would highlight the child’s targets for a term (12 weeks). The SEN Support Plan would be monitored by the teacher and reviewed by the parent/carer, teacher and sometimes the Inclusion Manager.
Parent’s evenings are more formal conversation that takes place each term, the Inclusion Manager, Deputy Head and Head Teacher are also available on these evenings. If a teacher has a particular concern about your child’s progress you may be invited to meet with the Inclusion Manager to discuss the best way forward.
5. What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing
Your child will learn and develop best if s/he is happy and safe in school and at home. The school has a pastoral care system, including target cards which works towards this goal.
The Governing Body has a Designated Child Protection Officers to ensure the safety of children who works closely with the Head Teacher. This is a wide ranging role that includes working closely with parents and outside professionals if there are concerns at home.
If a child has medical concerns an Individual Health Care Plan can be drawn up to enable them to feel fully included in school life. Staff are trained in basic first aid and administration of epipens and can receive additional training if necessary.
6. What specialist services and expertise are available?
The school ensures staff have the relevant skills to meet the needs of pupils in their class. For some children the school needs to access further help. The agencies linked to the school include:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Visual Impairment Support Services
- Behaviour Support Services
- Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services
- Community Paediatricians
- Physiotherapy
- Paediatric Neurology Outreach
The Educational Psychologist comes into the school several times over the course of the year. Children will be referred into this service if they require further assessment about their learning styles and levels. The school will then be supported as to the best way forward for that child. This can result in further referrals being made.
7. What training are the staff supporting Children and Young People with SEN and Disabilities had or having?
All staff at Beulah Junior School receive continued professional development to enable them to meet the needs of our pupils. This may be on the school’s INSET days, after school meetings or specific training courses. Within the school there are specialist Teaching Assistants who support children with needs such as Autism and Speech and Language difficulties. The school is supported in providing professional development by Croydon Local Authority.
8. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
Beulah Junior School has a policy of full inclusion for all pupils. Risk assessments will be carried out for all outside activities and if necessary extra staff will support pupils who require more focused attention. We also involve parents where appropriate and encourage them to attend as many outside school trips with their children.
9. How accessible is the school environment?
The school is accessible for pupils, it contains a disabled toilet if needed. The school is two storey and physical disabled children are unable to access the ICT and Music rooms. However, as Beulah Junior School is inclusive, the school has adapted the lessons to ensure that each child can use a tablet in their class and musical instruments are brought down to the classes when required.
10. How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Beulah Junior School or transferring to a new school?
Staff are happy to ensure that each pupil settles into the school as quickly as possible. The amount of support needed to ensure this is dependent on each individual child and will be tailored accordingly. Our policy at Beulah Junior School is to liaise with other schools effectively so that your child has a smooth transition.
Before starting school in Year 3, children and parents/carer have a workshop morning with their new teacher. If a child has SEND, then a transition meeting will be arranged with the child’s TA in Year 2, parent/carer, the new TA for Year 3 and Inclusion Manager will be organised. The Inclusion Manager from each school will have a number of meetings to ensure important information is handed over quickly and securely.
11. How are the School’s resources allocated and matched to children’s SEN?
The school’s budget links to the SEND development plan that ensures resources are available to meet the pupil’s needs. Each individual child’s needs are discussed at meetings throughout the year and resources allocated when necessary. The school uses the Pupil Premium funding source which is an individual expenditure allocated to children with identified needs.
12. How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
The amount of resources allocated to any child is dependent on their level of need. The school must work within budgetary constraints and the funding given to us. With this in mind the school leadership team plans interventions and support by working closely with class teachers, teaching assistants, parents and the child. If a child requires support that exceeds that which can be provided by the school’s normal working structure, it may be necessary to apply to the Local Authority for an Education Health Care Plan to access further funding.
13. How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?
The first point of contact should always be with the class teacher. They have clear understanding of the needs of each child in the class. If your child would benefit from more targeted intervention that needs referrals to other professionals then you will be invited to discuss this with the Inclusion Manager.
14. Who can I contact for further information?
Miss R Ofosuhene is the Inclusion Manager in the school. You are always welcome to speak with her or Ms Clair Budd the Deputy Head or Mrs Bernice Warwick the Head Teacher about any aspect of your child’s learning and development at school.
