Identifying pupils with SEN/D and assessing their needs.

Identification and Assessment of pupils with special educational needs

This is decided on an individual basis by the class teacher, SENDCo and in consultation with the child’s parents.

Rainbow Nursery age children who by the age of 2 or 3 have been identified as having significant special educational needs may require additional funding to be applied for so their needs can be effectively catered for through 1-1 provision.

If children attending Sunshine Nursery are found to be not making expected progress in particular areas of learning or development, the SENDCo is informed and will observe, assess and monitor progress of the child. Parents are informed and asked to give their views. If appropriate, referral to outside agencies for further assessment might be sought. However, parental permission is always sought before referral to other agencies is made. A request may be submitted to the Local Authority at this stage to provide additional funding towards the provision of additional support for the child in order to effectively meet his/her needs.

If other agencies have already been involved with the child or family, with parental permission, staff at Fairisle liaise with the agencies to keep abreast of and gain more information about the child’s SEND.

Working with other agencies

Close and effective links are made with external agencies as part of the school’s commitment in ensuring children’s needs are appropriately catered for.

The school accesses:

• Southampton Psychology Service
• Southampton Advisory Outreach Service – SAOS
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services [CAHMS]
• NHS Speech and Language Therapy Service
• Advisory Teacher Service for Visual Impairment
• Advisory Teacher Service for Hearing Impairment
• NHS School Nursing Service
• Paediatric Occupational Therapist
• Paediatric Physiotherapist
• Children’s Services [Child Protection]
• Education Welfare Officer

Involvement of parents – Partnerships with families

Evidence gathered from parents / carer’s questionnaires reflect that most parents are satisfied with the information they receive from school about their child.

Nursery

Parents of children starting at Nursery are offered an initial home visit by a member of nursery staff, most usually the child’s nominated key worker. If the child has diagnosed SEN/D, requiring additional 1-1 support the family are offered a visit by the key worker and 1-1 support person.

Teachers and nursery key workers welcome parents/carers to share any information about their child on a day to day basis. Any concerns nursery practitioners have about a child’s emotional and or learning development is discussed with the parents/carers and the SENDCo.

Children with identified SEND have an Individual Education Plan, IEP with small steps targets for achievement. Parents are asked to support the child at home with their learning targets. Children’s IEPs are reviewed and amended against the progress they make.

In both Rainbow and Sunshine Nurseries, parents are encouraged to read the noticeboards and leaflets displayed. Parents/carers receive regular newsletters and parent mail notifications.

Parents/carers are also invited to take part in periodic arranged craft and play workshops with their child.

In YR and Key Stage 1 parents are encouraged to:

• Share information about their child and/or family with the teacher, SENDCo and/or a member of the Leadership Team on a needs to know basis.

More detailed information for parents of children with SEND is given through:

• Ongoing discussion
• Review meetings to discuss their child’s progress towards IEP targets with the teacher and/or the SENDCo
• Parent/Teacher meetings – termly
• Written mid-year report to parents of their child’s progress with next step targets.
• Written end of year report to parents.
• Meetings with the SENDCo and other professionals if the child receives support from one or more outside agencies.
• Review meetings, with parents and other professionals for children with an EHCP.
• Support their child’s IEP targets at home. Parents are informed of ways they can help their child to make timely progress.

The School’s approach to teaching children with SEN/D

Teachers are responsible and held accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class. All children are entitled to and provided with ‘Quality First Teaching by the class teacher.

Children with SEN/D receive support which is additional to or different from that provided for children as part of the differentiated curriculum.

At Fairisle Infant and Nursery School our vision is for every child to make the best possible progress from their starting points and be the best that they can be.

A child has SEN/D if he / she is below expectations in one or more of the following areas of learning:

1. Communication and Interaction
2. Cognition and Learning
3. Emotional, Social and Behavioural Development
4. Sensory and Physical

When planning differentiated provision for children with SEND we follow the graduated approach of:

INTENT – We Plan additional support for the child which includes appropriately differentiated learning outcomes and activities to enable him / her to demonstrate progress.

IMPLEMENT – The planned interventions / additional provision are implemented and progress is monitored by the class teacher and SENDCo.

IMPACT – Impact of provision is measured against the progress the child makes within sessions and over time.

• All children on the SEN/D register have an Individual Educational Plan [IEP] which highlights their areas of needs. Targets towards progress and achievement are set by the class teacher with support from the SENDCo and any outside agency involved with the child such as SAOS.
• IEPs are reviewed regularly and shared with the child and his/her parents/carers.
• The school SENDCo meets regularly with the link Educational Psychologist. Any child needing support due to more complex special educational needs will be identified to the relevant professionals; with the consent of parents/carers so that specialist support can be put in place.

Targeted interventions for children with SEN/D include:

• Speech and Language interventions – Children with identified language delay and difficulties have an individual speech and language target plan created by the Speech and Language Therapist [SALT] and implemented by our Speech and Language Support Assistant [SALSA]. In addition, the class teacher and classroom teaching assistants are mindful of the children’s targets so address them as part of the child’s learning development. For example, correcting children’s inaccurate pronunciation of targeted speech sounds, drawing the child’s attention to clearly pronouncing final sounds on words and not rushing speech.
• Other targeted interventions for children with delay in communication, speech and language include; Boosting Language and Auditory Skills and Talking, [BLAST], Time for Talking groups, Attention Autism – Bucket Therapy which is designed to engage children’s attention and develop their listening skills by the introduction of interesting and motivating resources.

• Phonics – Children have additional differentiated phonics teaching to support their learning.

• Reading – Children identified as requiring extra help with reading are provided with support such as additional opportunities for 1-1 reading with an adult to develop their word attack skills and / or comprehension skills.

• Writing – Handwriting -- Children identified as having difficulties with their fine motor development are provided with interventions designed to strengthen their fingers and improve their pencil grip.

Children identified as having difficulties with spelling and composing sentences which make sense are supported by an adult in small groups and / or 1-1 provision.

• Mathematics – Key Stage 1 – Children in Y1 and Y2 are taught mathematics in ability sets. There is also finer differentiation within the sets to specifically address the cognitive needs of children with SEN/D. Small step IEP target[s] will address specific mathematical difficulties.

• Some children may require support and interventions to address their emotional and / or behavioural needs and difficulties. In more extreme cases of behaviour the school will request support from an outside specialist agency.

How the school curriculum is matched to the needs of pupils

The school was inspected by OFSTED on 10^th – 11^th September 2019. The report states: ‘Teachers understand how to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. They adapt their plans well. Teachers review pupils’ learning thoughtfully. Staff know precisely what will help pupils with SEND learn more…..’

• All children are provided with ‘Quality First Teaching.’
• Class Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all pupil groups within their class, aiming to ensure individual children’s needs are met.
• Children are provided with challenges within their expected learning outcomes. Appropriate differentiation of learning expectations and set activities, with support provided as needed, allow children to demonstrate progress.
• Teachers use Assessment of Learning and Assessment for Learning when planning lessons, making adaptations, as necessary throughout lessons.
• Specific resources and intervention strategies are used to support children individually and within groups.

How the school involves parents/carers in their child’s education.

• The school has an ‘Open Door’ policy to parents/carers. Throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 parents/carers are invited and encouraged to share any information from home which could impact on their child’s day at school on a daily basis. Parents/carers are also welcome to ask for additional meetings to discuss any concerns about their child’s learning and / or behaviour with the class teacher and / or the SENDCo.

If necessary a home / school book is used to communicate with parents/carers about their child.

• Children’s progress is shared with parents/carers throughout the year during parents – teacher meetings and within two written reports. Curricular targets are set in the Spring report; progress is formally reviewed in the final report – [July] with next step targets included. In addition children with SEND have their smaller step IEP targets reviewed and shared with parents/carers at least every term and more frequently if there is a need to.
• The class teacher and / or the SENDCo will first consult with the child’s parents/carers if they have any concerns with regards to learning or emotional behaviour.
• No information about children is ever shared with an outside agency without the parents/carers consent being given.

• In the Nurseries: Rainbow Nursery and Sunshine Nursery information about the EYFS curriculum and how parents/carers can support learning is explained through:

• Home visits
• Introductory sessions
• Curriculum noticeboards / leaflets
• Regular newsletters
• Parent/carers workshops / shared craft sessions

More detailed information for parents/carers of children with SEND is given through:

• Ongoing discussion
• Review meetings
• Meeting with any involved outside agencies e.g. Speech Therapist, Advisory Teachers for children with Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist. [This is also the case for children in YR or Key Stage 1].

What the school does to support children’s overall well-being.

The school is proud to share that our recent inspection report by OFSTED – September 10^th – 11^th 2019 states; ‘Pupils are happy. They say their teachers are kind and helpful. …….Pupils are respectful to each other. Values, based on UNICEF’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, are at the centre of the school’s work. Pupils understand these values well……….Pupils are serious about their roles as responsible young citizens.  They confidently speak up about matters that are important to them.’

‘Pupils feel safe in school. They learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils do not worry about bullying. They know their teachers will listen to them if they have a problem. Trusting relationships are evident across the school.

Leaders make sure that pupils understand the importance of a healthy life. They respond well to pupils’ well-being needs. Leaders plan experiences that make a difference to pupils’ healthy lifestyle choices.’

Examples of how we achieve the above outcome:

• The school has five members of staff who are Designated Safeguarding Leads [DSLs]. Staff know to inform one of them if they have a safeguarding concern about a pupil.

• Emotional Literacy is embedded within the inclusion aspects of the school.
• There are many layers of support for children’s behavioural and learning needs. Through a nurturing approach we encourage and support children to make the right choices to resolve minor conflicts.
• We prepare children for changes and provide support to manage unpredictable events. All staff are fully aware of how children’s anxieties and other emotional issues can significantly impact on their emotional well-being and learning potential.
• The school Emotional Literacy Support Assistant, [ELSA] effectively supports the children on her caseload to manage their anxieties, frustrations, behaviour, and bereavement and to learn to cope with changes.
• If a child comes into school with a specific medical condition either the school nurse will provide relevant staff with training. If the child has a more complex medical / health condition which requires rescue medication to be given at school a medical professional will provide training to staff, on a needs to know basis, so correct emergency procedures can be carried out immediately.
• The school has eleven First Aiders within and across the nursery and main school buildings.
• The actively promotes and celebrates good and excellent attendance. Parents are made aware, through Newsletters, individual letters to parents and face to face meetings of the impact of poor attendance on children’s progress and achievements. On a daily basis the in-house attendance officer will contact parents by phone to query a child’s non-attendance.

Specialist services and expertise the school accesses

• School employs staff trained to educate and care for children throughout the early years in our Rainbow and Sunshine Nurseries and throughout Reception and Key Stage 1.
• Staff keep abreast of government changes to the curriculum and amend planning as necessary.
• Staff receive training in identifying and supporting children with specific difficulties around learning, child development and social and emotional problems children may experience.
• School has direct access to a wide range of services which can support school staff, parents/carers and children. These outside agencies include

• Southampton Advisory Outside Agency Support [SAOS]
• Speech and Language; Picture Exchange Communication System [PECs], MAKATON signing
• Educational Psychologist
• Child and Adult Mental Health Service [CAHMS]
• School Nursing Service and Paediatricians
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Children’s Services

Staff training.

OFSTED – September 10^th-11^th 2019 reported that: ‘Staff are well trained. They know that safeguarding is everyone’s’ responsibility. Leaders ensure that staff are up to date with their safeguarding knowledge. Staff know what to do if they have a concern about a child…..’

• All staff receive regular training from the health service around medical issues which could arise in children; e.g. Asthma, Epilepsy and Allergic Reactions.
• Individual staff are trained in First Aid and are strategically placed around the school to allow attendance to children / adults when the need arises.
• The SENDCo attends training and conferences led by the Local Authority on updates and issues related to children with SEN/D. Information is shared with staff.
• The SENDCo provides in-house training on developing IEPs and around specific requests from staff about appropriate provision for individual children.
• The school ELSA is highly skilled in supporting children who have emotional / behavioural difficulties which often triggers anxiety outbursts.
• Autism Awareness Training delivered by Educational Psychologist [EP]
• Consultation work from out Link EP
• Up to date training for school DSLs.

Inclusion of pupils with SEN/D in After School Clubs and Off-Site Visits

• We will make all reasonable adjustments so that children with SEN/D can attend after school clubs and off-site activities.

It may sometimes mean that the parents/carers of a child with SEN/D attends a club to support their child. However, if a parent is not able to undertake this we endeavour to find a member of staff who can attend to ensure health and safety requirements are met for the pupil.

• We are an inclusive school and highly committed to ensuring the safety of all pupils on the school site and on the occasions pupils are taken off-site for educational visits.
• Risk assessments are carried out for all after school clubs.
• Risk assessments are carried out for all off-site educational visits. Where necessary, extra support will be provided to ensure participation by all children. Parents are always consulted on the provision made for their child, which includes an invitation for the parent/carer to accompany him / her on the visit.

Our Duty to pupils with a Disability.

‘All schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children to prevent them being put at substantial disadvantage.’ Equalities Act 2010

Accessibility of the School Environment.

Fairisle Infant and Nursery School aims to include all children in the school’s curriculum and wider school life by making reasonable adaptations to the learning environment.

• The Infant and Nursery buildings are single storey with wheelchair access via straight paths and ramps to all outside doors. Wheelchair users are able to access the buildings without undue restriction.
• The playground is easily accessible to wheelchair users via the low gradient slope.
• Handrails are situated next to the steps which lead to the playground.
• School has two toilet facilities, one in the nursery and the other in the main school building. Both can accommodate transfer from a wheelchair to enable use of the facilities. Children with a disability receive the appropriate support with their personal hygiene.
• Specialised resources and adaptations to the environment are provided, following advice from outside professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Teacher Advisors for VI, HI and others.
• Wheelchair users will have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan [PEEP] to ensure appropriate procedures are in place in the event of unplanned evacuation from the building.

How we prepare and support pupils for transition to their next phase of education.

We recognise that transitions can be difficult for young children and are aware coping with ‘change’ will be more difficult for a pupil with SEN/D. We therefore plan transitions carefully by taking steps to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.

When moving classes [year groups] in school:

• Parents/Carers are invited to an information meeting led by the child’s new year group team. This is an opportunity for questions to be asked. At the end of the meetings parents/carers may book an appointment to share any personal information should they wish to do so.

• Information will be passed to the new class teacher in advance.
• Face to face meetings will be held between the current and receiving teacher.
• Where appropriate, ‘Transition Stories’ for the child will be written and a copy given to the parents/carers to regularly share with the child in order to prepare him / her for this major change.
• Additional visits to new classrooms and teachers are planned and implemented for children with SEN/D and any child who shows signs of anxiety.
• Additional support from the school ELSA as deemed necessary.

When transitioning to another school

• We will contact the school SENDCo and ensure that he / she knows about any special arrangements or support needed to be put in place for the child.
• Staff from the receiving school are invited to visit the child prior to transfer.
• ‘Transition Stories’ will be written and given to the child’s parents to share with the child to enhance preparation for the move.

Children transitioning from nursery education to YR will have several visits to their new classroom in the main school building in addition to the above.

Year R teachers and / or the SENDCo will visit children joining from other settings.

How the schools resources are allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs.

• In additional to a skilled class teacher, all classes have additional support staff, who are well-trained in supporting children with their learning.
• The SEN/D budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependant on an individual’s needs.
• Our school ELSA supports children demonstrating emotional and / or behavioural difficulties.
• If a child has highly complex special educational needs and / or disabilities school will consider applying for additional funding from the Local Authority in order to provide a higher level of support. If the child is attending either our Rainbow or Sunshine Nursery Early Years Support Funding will be applied for.
• Applications for an Educational Health Care Plan will be made to the Local Authority if despite additional support from the school SEN/D budget the child is only making extremely small step progress or no progress from his / her starting point. If the EHCP request is granted the additional funding it carries will be used for additional provision required to meet the child’s needs.

Please click here for the schools Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy and here for our Inclusion Policy.