As a school team, we use our wide range of experience to help us to identify those children who may need extra help. We consider the whole child and will look at a child's learning, social and emotional well-being and any changes in behaviour.

To make sure we identify those children as soon as possible, we have the following ways of sharing information and concerns:

• Regular informal and formal discussions with the Class teacher, SENDCO, EY SENDCO, SEMH Mentor and Head Teacher about pupils’ progress in each class.
• As a staff team, we share any concerns about progress or concerns about a child’s general well-being.
• Discussion with parents/carers and listening to your concerns and worries.
• Discussion with the child and listening if they say they need extra help or have worries (What I want my Teacher to Know boxes in each room).
• Liaison with any other professionals e.g. health professionals.
• Discussion with any previous setting the child may have attended.

We use this information to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by making reasonable adjustments our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.
We complete a First Concerns Discussion form and identify actions to support your child. This may include actions for home, other professionals and your child.

If you have concerns about your child's education, then initially speak to the Class Teacher. Staff are available at the beginning and end of each day for a brief chat, though if you think you will require more time then they are happy to make appointments. The Class Teacher may then seek the involvement of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO) or the Early Years' Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (EY SENDCO).

The school's SEND policy can be found on our school website. There are also links to other key policies here.

We are an inclusive school and aim to provide a learning environment which will meet a wide range of different needs, within a mainstream setting
• In the school we have a wide range of expertise and skills, which support the teaching, learning and emotional wellbeing of pupils with SEND across the school day.
• We adapt learning across the curriculum to meet individual needs. Sometimes a child will need a very personalised approach to learning across the school day; other children will need learning differentiated to meet their particular needs whilst still providing challenge.
• Planning for SEND pupils is done by the individual class teachers and includes quality first teaching.
• Parents are invited to meet with the Class Teacher and the SENDCO as appropriate to discuss provision and impact three times a year.
• Additional adults or key people are used flexibly across the school and may be in a class to support individual or groups of children or may be supporting children during playtimes and lunchtimes. Our aim is to develop each child’s independence across all areas of learning and the school day.
• Our school has a Social, Emotional and Mental Health Mentor, Jane Wells, who is available to support children and families with identified needs.

• As an inclusive school, we want to ensure that all children can flourish through our broad and balanced curriculum so Class Teachers adapt the learning and environment to ensure all children can access their learning at an appropriate level. This may mean that learning is differentiated or personalised to meet specific needs and/or it may mean that specialist equipment or adaptations are put in place.
• We seek professional advice from other agencies, e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Play Therapy, to help us to match the curriculum and learning environment to a child’s needs.
• During Standardised Assessment Tests, a child may be allowed to have extra time to complete their work in order to provide for processing difficulties; they may have a reader to assist in certain tests (e.g. maths); or a scribe to write their answers to aid speed/clarity of responses. This will be determined by the class teacher in consultations with the SENDCO and will be in line with current classroom practice.

Like all mainstream schools, we receive money for Special Educational Needs support and resources from Staffordshire Local Authority which is used to provide appropriate resources in school as managed by the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team, including the SENDCO. The budget and its allocation is regularly reviewed over the year to meet any changes in children’s needs or resources available. Resources for children with identified special needs are, as far as possible, met from the school budget.
The resources are allocated on a needs basis. Resources may be specially trained staff for support, intervention programmes, specialised equipment, or outside agency support. We have ten Learning Support Assistants and a Social, Emotional and Mental Health Mentor. Four of our staff are fully trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants and have ongoing supervision to support their caseloads. We fund a fully qualified and HCPC registered Speech and Language Therapist to attend our setting on a weekly basis to offer assessments and one-to-one support programmes for children with identified speech and language needs. We also have Play Therapy support from a specialist onsite each week to support children with particular identified needs.
When further needs are identified, we use our observations and assessments to inform provision. Where a child’s needs are more complex and it is felt that additional funding is needed to meet his or her needs, this will be discussed with parents/carers at the regular review meetings and consideration will be given to making an application for additional support. If parents/carers agree, then the school will work in partnership with parents/carers to apply to the local authority for extra funding and guidance. This can then be used to provide any specific resources as appropriate to the need.

From a child’s admission to Holy Trinity Primary School, we use careful observations and assessments to inform our learning plans for his/her/their individual needs. Teachers differentiate their teaching to encompass the range of abilities within their class. When children are not making expected or better than expected progress, we respond quickly to provide additional support through tailored intervention programmes. These programmes are targeted to meet the particular area of need identified which could be physical development (fine or gross motor skills), reading, writing, maths or personal development (social and emotional skills).

Discussions about the most appropriate support take place with the child, the Class Teacher and other staff as appropriate. With parental consent, specialist advice can be offered by our Speech and Language Therapist, our Mental Health and Well-being Support Mentor, our onsite Play Therapist, our visiting Educational Psychologist and our Local Authority Special Educational Needs Advisor. Further support can be sought as required from other experts as required. Parents/carers are always part of the discussion about how best to meet the needs of their child. Parental consent is needed before a referral is made for support from outside agencies.

It is very important that we as a school understand your perspective as a parent or carer about your child’s needs. We have regular parent meetings and are also available, on request via the school office, to discuss any concerns or queries as they arise.

Each classroom has a toolbox of SEND resources which the Class Teacher can allocate in consultation with a child or which a child can choose to access independently. These resources include pencil grips, reading rulers, writing slopes, etc.

• When any specialist equipment or facilities are required then, where possible, these will be met from within the school budget, for example a writing slope and scribes for tests.
• Where specialist equipment or facilities are required that the school does not already have, then the school will review the equipment or facilities needed with the parent/carer, child and any specialist agency, such as a Teacher of the Deaf or Occupational Therapist. The resources may then be met by the school budget or may form part of the provision within an Education, Health and Care Plan. For example, specialist hearing aids for a deaf pupil.
• Some specialist equipment can be secured on loan from specialist agencies and we have opportunity to share resources with other schools in our local cluster partnership.

We follow the graduated approach and the four-part cycle of assess, plan, do, review.
The class or subject (French and music) teacher will work with the SENDCO to carry out a clear analysis of the child’s needs. This will draw on:

• The teacher’s assessment and experience of the child
• Their previous progress and attainment and behaviour
• Other teachers’ assessments, where relevant
• The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data
• The views and experience of parents
• The child’s own views
• Advice from external support services, if relevant

The assessment will be reviewed regularly.
All teachers and support staff who work with the child will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided, and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the child’s progress.

We offer three parent meetings a year for children on the SEND register in which you can meet with the class teacher to review progress and plan next steps. Children with an Education Health and Care Plan will have a formal Annual Review each year.
Home learning opportunities provide a weekly opportunity to support your child with tailored work to help them to make progress. There are online programs, such as Times Table Rockstars and NESSY (Spelling and reading support) which children can access at home as well as in school.
We are pleased to welcome parents in to school regularly for reading, writing and mathematics sessions to share good advice about how best to support your child's learning.

We encourage the active participation of children in all aspects of their learning.

All children receive regular feedback on their learning through discussion with teachers, marking in books in a child-friendly way (including picture symbols, stickers and stampers) and through opportunities for them to respond to feedback and to set their own targets. We identify areas of progress and areas that need further development and we plan next steps with them. We ask pupils about their learning and how they learn best, which is often key to reaching the learning outcomes that have been agreed.

Children on the SEND register work with their teacher to produce a pen portrait which reflects their views about what helps them best and their views are also sought when reviewing Individual Education Plans. The child's voice is also an important aspect of reviews for the Education Health Care Plan and so they are invited to meet as part of this annual process. The child's ideas and thoughts about the year are reported and these inform future decisions about appropriate provision. We also regularly conduct pupil voice surveys about many aspects of school life including learning across the curriculum and play times. Reponses to these surveys help to shape future provision in our school.

As a setting, we engage in peer review with other providers and with a specific focus upon the quality of our SEND provision.

Teachers seek feedback about the success of learning opportunities throughout lessons. This formative assessment informs the way they adapt future teaching to meet children's learning needs. Summative assessment takes place each term and the results of these tests are used to inform discussions at termly Pupil Progress Meetings. The Pupil Progress Meetings take place between the Head Teacher and the class teaching team and are shared with the EY SENDCO or SENDCO as appropriate. The individual progress and attainment of each child is discussed as we review the support offered to them and plan future opportunities for development. We plan the support for SEND pupils through a Provision Map, which is costed. The successes of any intervention or support programmes are monitored closely, to ensure that they are both effective and good value for money. The SEND Governor maintains an overview of the school's provision through meetings with the SENDCO and the SENDCO reports annually to the Governing Board.

Results of formal assessments are reported to parents and there are at least termly opportunities to meet with your child's teacher to discuss progress and provision. Children's views are sought though pupil voice surveys which allow us to respond to any concerns that they raise. Pupil voice is also sought by our School Council, a group of children elected by their peers to serve in this role for the year. They meet regularly to share feedback.

Our school follows a clear safeguarding policy and also has a child friendly version which the children helped to devise.

Classroom staff are available to meet and greet children as parents and carers hand them over at the beginning of the day. This is also the case at the end of the day so we can share important messages and smooth the transition between home and school.

We aim to include all children in all aspects of the school day. Some children need a more personalised approach and need extra support at different times of the day. To ensure they stay safe and to support their well-being we may, for example, provide an alternative quiet space to the playground. Where personalised arrangements are made, these will be detailed in a child’s Positive Support Plan (PSP). Some children will have more complex needs or medical needs and may need a named key person outside the classroom. Our Mental Health and Well-being Support Mentor and our SENDCO are involved in lunchtime activities to support children to eat their lunch and to engage in play and making friends. As part of our inclusive lunchtimes, we follow the Outdoor Learning and Play (OPAL) initiative offering engaging play opportunities for all of our children to be involved in.

During PE lessons which can take place off-site (Sports events and swimming sessions), we ensure that children have access to any necessary medication. Activities and equipment can be adapted to individual needs and participation is key for all.

We carry out risk assessments for all off site activities and residential visits. If we feel a child needs extra support to ensure his or her safety and well-being, we will carry out an individual risk assessment, which we will share and discuss with parents or carers. This may then mean, for example, an extra named person is included on the trip. There is always a first aider included as part of the staff team for all off site activities.

Our school is a nurturing school and all staff are part of the pastoral support system.

We understand that children with identified SEND can face many challenges which may impact on their overall well-being and they may need extra pastoral support. After discussion with the child and parents/carers we may name a key person to add an extra point of contact and individual support. We have trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants available on our staff and also volunteer Mentors who will work with allocated children on an individual or small-group basis as appropriate as part of the YOUr tiME programme. On a weekly basis, a Play Therapist attends our setting and is responsible for a caseload of children.

Developing friendships can be challenging and to support this we offer a range of different social skills activities, which are often personalised to meet individual needs. We are mindful that it can be challenging for brothers and sisters of pupils with a special need and, where needed, will give opportunities for them to have a ‘time to talk’ with a key adult and be sensitive to their needs as well.

Our Social, Emotional and Mental Health Mentor is available to work with children and families in school and offers a supportive listening service. We can also offer links to Family Support practitioners, who will work at home and at school to support social and emotional wellbeing.

We do not tolerate bullying in our school. We follow our school Anti-Bullying Policy and we have a child friendly version of this too.

The school has an Administration of Medicines Policy which can be accessed on the school website.

If medication is prescribed by the Doctor, a request form must be filled in at our reception office and a member of staff will administer the medicine. We work closely with the School Nurse and, if medication needs to be taken over time in school, we will put a plan in place together.

We seek extra training to address any specific needs that a child may have, for example managing asthma, epilepsy or diabetes. We have staff updates on any medical conditions affecting individual children so that all staff are aware of their particular needs.

If a child needs any personal care, then a Personal Care Plan will be developed with the support of parents/carers and medical professionals. The child’s views will also be sought. We review all personal hygiene plans to ensure we respect a pupil’s privacy and dignity.

We would ask parents to inform school if a child has time off for medical appointments and we will record this absence as ‘medical’.

We have trained First Aiders and there is always a first aider included as part of the staff team for off-site activities.

Our school ethos is to nurture all pupils. We aim for early intervention in order to appropriately support children so that we can avoid attendance issues.

We seek advice from other agencies: Special Educational Needs and Inclusion Service (SENIS), Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Family Support, Behaviour Support Service, Autism Inclusion Team, Educational Psychologist, Play Therapists etc.
When appropriate, we make use of alternative provision through partnerships with Burton Albion Community Trust, the Community Orchard and Farm at Paget High School and the CornerPost Education Centre in Tamworth.

Where a child needs extra help developing their emotional and social skills we may put in support such as: Emotional Literacy support, reflection time, quiet time, daily check-ins with a support worker, personalised learning.

We promote aspirational achievement for all of our children. Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings are held each term for children who are looked after by the Local Authority. These meetings are attended by Social Care, carers, teachers and sometimes the child (depending on their age and level of understanding). In these meetings, the child’s current attainment, progress and well-being are discussed and ways in which their funding can be best used to support them.

Your child’s class teacher will lead your child’s education with guidance from the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO), Tracy Hoskins, or the Early Years' SENDCO, Hayley Cartwright, with further support from the wider school community.

Appointments can be made to speak to the class teacher or SENDCO / EY SENDCO by contacting the school office on
01283 247550 or by email office@holytrinity.staffs.sch.uk

The class teacher will ensure that children have appropriate individual targets and will put in place any support arrangements needed to ensure their full participation in learning and in the life of the school.

In order to ensure continuity of appropriate care and support, relevant staff meet together on a termly basis to consider each child's needs. When there is new or changing information, reports and recommendations from specialists are shared with relevant staff by the SENDCO. Targets are shared and a One Page Profile notes key information about a child's individual needs and preferences. We have robust transition arrangements in school to smooth the process of moving from one class to another and to support with changing settings.
All key workers involved with any child who has been issued an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are aware of the targets and support required and there are regular opportunities to review progress.

In order to ensure continuity of appropriate care and support, relevant staff meet together on a termly basis to consider each child's needs. When there is new or changing information, reports and recommendations from specialists are shared with relevant staff by the SENDCO. Targets are shared and a One Page Profile notes key information about a child's individual needs and preferences. We have robust transition arrangements in school to smooth the process of moving from one class to another and to support with changing settings.

All key workers involved with any child who has been issued an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are aware of the targets and support required and there are regular opportunities to review progress.

The current SENDCO has the National Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator Award (PGCE, 2020)

The allocated governor with responsibility for SEND is Ruth Myers.

We have an onsite Speech and Language Therapist called Fiona Edge.

We have a visiting assistant Play Therapist named Abi Borg.

We welcome trained volunteer mentors as part of the YOUr tiME initiative.

We also facilitate visits from other professionals, such as Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.

The first point of contact is your child's class teacher. They are available for a check-in at the beginning and end of the school day and appointments may be made via the school office.

Tracy Hoskins is the SENDCO and is available for appointments via the school office.
Hayley Cartwright is the EY SENDCO and is also available for appointments via the school office.

Ruth Myers, our governor with responsibility for SEND, regularly visits school. Ruth organises a team of voluntary mentors to support children with social and emotional needs, via the YOUr tiME initiative. She is also a well-known visitor to school. Ruth takes part in learning walks around school and meets with the SENDCO on a termly basis to discuss current provision, including the support for children who are care experienced.

Each child on the SEND register completes a pen profile with the SENDCO or their class teacher where they can identify their likes and dislikes, what helps them with their learning and what is important to them. Picture cards and prompts may be used to support the child to express their views and these can be recorded by the adult using pictures or words. The pen profile is shared with staff who work with them.

The SENDCO regularly undertakes pupil voice surveys, where children with identified SEND can talk about what is helpful to support them and what further help they would like.

There are places within the Governing Board for governors who are elected from the parent / carer body.
Holy Trinity Primary School has an active Parent, Teachers and Friends Association who organise additional events, e.g. school fayres and national celebrations; who campaign on behalf of the school, e.g. requesting a crossing patrol officer; and who fundraise to support school e.g. for the creation of a nurture room. The PTFA also support other charitable fundraising at school e.g. raising money for the Daisy Garland Charity to support children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

On a weekly basis, all parents are welcomed into school to support with their children's reading and Maths learning. We also encourage parents to engage in regular workshops and training courses to support their child's development. In order to celebrate achievements, parents enjoy a class assembly each year and can also attend our productions such as our Christmas Nativity Play and Easter Service.

We appreciate the range of skills and experience that our parents and carers offer and we invite parents to share their work experience during our biennial Inspirations Fortnight.

Where help is needed in completing forms and paper work or making travel plans, please contact the school office and we will organise this.
Jane Wells, our Social, Emotional and Mental Health Mentor has provided an array of support for families, including: organising taxis to school, accessing food hampers, completing Disability Living Allowance forms and more.

The school has a range of options for Wrap Around Care which are accessible to children with identified SEN or disabilities. We have a daily Breakfast Club (from 8 a.m.) and After School Club (until 5 pm) which are both staffed by Holy Trinity Staff Members who therefore attend our in-house SEND training to support them in providing for a range of needs. We also have on offer, as part of our extended opportunities, various specialist sports options at different points in the year. These include a dance class, karate class, football sessions or multi-skills training. These are all charged at a minimal fee.

At lunchtimes, there is a free lunch club for children with additional needs. This provision offers a quieter option for eating with a higher staff ratio. There are also a range of activities including sensory time as part of the OPAL free play time.

In order to ensure that residential trips are inclusive, consideration is given to reasonable adjustments and safety considerations when organising and risk assessing the activities. In order to meet medical needs, parents/carers have been invited to attend all or part of an event with their child to offer support. Additional staff may be allocated to support a child's individual needs and certain support equipment may also be accessed.

The majority of our school is on the ground floor and is fully accessible to wheelchairs. We also have accessible toilets and bespoke changing facilities on the ground floor.

Arrangements are made on a needs basis for alternative drop-off and collection arrangements for children or parents/carers with additional needs.

Following advice from a Trauma Informed and Attachment Aware specialist, we ensure our classrooms and general school environment are appropriate for all children.

We currently offer a sensory den and we are raising funds to create a special nurture room. These can be accessed on a needs basis and with the aid of Learning Support Staff.

Signs in school welcome everyone in a range of languages. Translations of policies are available on request.
We use google translate to support conversations with parents and carers whose first language is not English.
School staff use Picture Exchange Communication cards (PECs) for children as required. We have also provided an iPad with a communication app to support a child's particular needs.

Children in school enjoy learning some British Sign Language and enjoy performing this in accompaniment to school version of the Lord's Prayer.

As part of our restorative approach, everyone is encouraged to show respect and is trained to interact in a positive manner that seeks to resolve difficulties, repair harm where there has been conflict and maintain healthy relationships.

Our Admissions policy is available on the school website. The school office is the first point of contact to arrange a visit for prospective parents and pupils.

By contacting the school office, parents can arrange to visit the school for a tour.

In the Summer Term, we offer Stay and Play sessions for prospective children and parents who are due to start in our Early Years Setting.

All new parents receive a school prospectus with details about the school day, uniform and general information. They are also invited to visit the setting in action.

School staff liaise with previous settings and in some cases will visit a child in their home or nursery prior to them beginning at Holy Trinity to ensure a smooth transition.

Our Inspiration Fortnight encourages all children to consider their future careers. We encourage all children to take responsibility in school and offer opportunities for our Key Stage Two children to take on roles to support others. These include being mentors for younger children with their reading, being play leaders in the Early Years and also supporting in the school office. Every child in school has the opportunity to nominate themselves for election as a School Council Member and takes on this role for the rest of the academic year.

Before a child moves on to Secondary school, we have opportunities for them to visit and take part in events. Staff ensure that as part of the transition process information is shared with future provisions. A child's current attainment data and progress information is provided and also details of any support arrangements that they need to have in place. We also arrange additional transition meetings and visits for children with particular needs.

Staffordshire SENDIASS are Staffordshire’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service and provide free, impartial, confidential advice and support around Education, Health and Social Care. They have a website and can be contacted by phone or email.

This information was last updated on 22nd September 2024. It will be reviewed again by at least September 2025.

We welcome feedback to improve our offer. Our Headteacher is available by appointment to discuss any concerns.