‘A child or young person has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A learning difficulty or disability is a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age. Special educational provision means educational or training provision that is additional to, or different from, that made generally for others of the same age in a mainstream setting in England…. Health care provision or social care provision which educates or trains a child or young person is to be treated as special educational provision.’ (Code of Practice 2014)

We know when pupils need help if:
183; Concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers, or the pupil’s previous school
183; Tracking of attainment outcomes indicate a slower speed of progress or no progress. Thus, resulting in the widening of the attainment gap.
183; There is a change in a pupil’s behaviour and / or they ask for help.
183; Pupil observation indicates that they have additional needs in one of the four areas.
183; There is a referral from another agency and contact is made.
183; Through diagnostic assessments – including Year 1 phonics assessments, Sandwell Early Numeracy test, Understanding receptive language through the BPVS, Boxall Profile.

In addition to this, we also recognise that there are other factors which may impact upon progress and attainment. These factors include but are not limited to:
183; Disability
183; Attendance and Punctuality
183; Health and Welfare
183; English as an Additional Language.
183; Pupil Premium
183; Looked After Children
It is our aim to identify any child with SEND as early as possible. In response to this, we have experienced and trained teachers and Teaching Assistants across the school. Our SENDCo has an over-arching responsibility for SEND and teachers raise any concerns about pupils with her.

If you have concerns then first, please discuss these with your child’s class teacher. This may result in a referral to the school SENCo, Mrs Rebecca Walker.
To get in contact with Mrs Walker please contact the school office; telephone 01538 306278 or email: office@hortonstmichaels.co.uk.
All parents/carers will be listened to. Their views and their aspirations for their child will be central to the assessment and provision that is provided by the school.

The school’s SEND policy and other relevant policies and documents, relating to provision offered to our children, can be found on the school website.

Please visit: https://www.hortonstmichaels.co.uk/

All children in our school have Quality First teaching. When planning lessons, teachers take into account any personalised learning needs to ensure that all children have the opportunity to achieve and progress. In order to ensure that this happens, teaching and learning is monitored through a number of processes including:
• Observations of lessons and classroom practice
• Work scrutiny
• Meetings with the SENDCo
• Whole school pupil progress tracking
• Attendance and behaviour records.

For some children, quality first teaching is not enough and they require additional provision. Provision for children which is over and above that for other children is detailed on the school provision plan. When the collective and individual needs of pupils have been evaluated, resources are deployed at class, group and individual level to be as effective as possible.
Children with SEND may be supported through a range of interventions following Staffordshire’s graduated response. These could include, but are not limited to:
• Pre-teach and catch up
• Write from the Start
• Toe-by-Toe
• Nessy
• Daily reading and spelling diaries
• Speech and language programs
• Speech up – handwriting program
• Time to Talk
• Sensory breaks and circuits
• Plus One (Maths)
• Power of Two (Maths)
• Pindora’s Box

Any interventions and strategies being used to support children will be discussed with parents/carers and pupils and recorded on pupil plans. When these are reviewed, if the child is not making expected progress, despite the delivery of high-quality interventions, advice may be sought from specialist external agencies. This will only be undertaken after parental permission has been obtained and may include referral to:
• The Speech and Language Service (SALT)
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Autism Outreach Team
• Visual impairment Team
• Hearing impairment Term
• Behaviour Support Service
• Educational Psychology
• The Early Years Area SENCO
• The local SEND Hub, including outreach services
• Specific Learning Difficulty Assessors (e.g. Dyslexia)
• The School Nurse
• Primary DIP (District Inclusion Panel)

All services have their own criteria for involvement and some of them are privately funded.

For pupils, where the special educational provision required is such that it cannot reasonably be provided from within the school’s available resources, an application may be made to the local authority for additional AEN, (Additional Educational Needs), funding. If the criteria are met and this is granted, it will be used to support very specific learning programmes for the named child.

For a very small percentage of pupils, whose needs are significant and complex and the special educational provision required to meet their needs cannot reasonably be provided from within the school’s own resources, a request may be made to the local authority to complete an assessment of education, health and care needs. This may result in an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan being provided. This is a child-centred document which sets out the aims and needs of the child and details what needs to be implemented to support these aspirations. It is usually, but not always, accompanied by dedicated funds for the named pupil.
Parents/carers can make their own request for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) by contacting the EHC Assessment and Planning Service on 0300 111 8007 (SEND option). For more information, visit the Staffordshire Connects website.

All teachers at Horton St Michael’s have high expectations for all pupils. Children are provided with a broad and balanced curriculum which is delivered through Quality First Teaching to meet the diverse needs of all learners. Teachers plan using pupils’ achievement levels, differentiating work to match and challenge ability for all pupils in the classroom. When a child has been identified as having special needs, their work will be further differentiated by the class teacher to remove barriers to learning and enable them to access the curriculum more easily. In addition, they will be provided with additional support that may include specialised equipment or resources, ICT and/or additional adult help.

Students with a disability will be provided with ‘reasonable adjustments’ to facilitate their access to the curriculum. The school may provide specialised equipment to support pupils in the classroom, for example: coloured overlays, reading rulers, pencil grips, sloping desks, exercise books with coloured paper, laptops and labels for coloured pencils and pens.

Children are supported through statutory assessments processes according to need:
• They may complete the assessments in a quieter environment
• They may have certain assessments whereby an adult can read the questions
• If they use certain resources to support their learning, these may be used in an assessment
• Extra time may be provided for the children to complete the assessment.

The school receives funding to respond to the needs of pupils with SEND from a number of sources: a proportion of the funds allocated per pupil (all pupils) to the school to provide for their education: the AWPU (Age Weighted Pupil Unit), the National SEN budget; the Pupil Premium funding for pupils who meet certain criteria. This funding may then be used to provide the equipment and facilities to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities through:
• In–class support from teaching assistants
• Small group support from teaching assistants using specific intervention groups for literacy, numeracy, speech and language or social support
• Bought in support from external agencies for assessments for learning or emotional support
• Speech and language support
• Parent/carer workshops
• Provision of specialist resources e.g. assessment software
• CPD relating to SEND for staff.
• In addition, for those pupils with the most complex needs, the school may apply for Additional Educational Needs top-up funding or an Education, Health and Care Plan

This is dependent upon the needs of your child:
• If a child has an EHCP, (Education, Health and Care Plan), then we will meet the allocated level of additional support outlined within it by the Local Education Authority. The decision about the type and frequency of support detailed in the plan will be reached when the plan is being produced or at Annual Review as outcomes are set/revised at these points. At Annual Reviews, external professionals may be involved with planning provision.
• For pupils with SEND, but without an EHCP plan, discussions between class teachers, the Head teacher, teaching assistants, parents and the SENDCo all feed into decisions about what type of support will be provided for pupils. Horton St. Michael’s is a small school and all adults know each child individually and are able to provide valuable information to support the decision-making process. Assessment/progress data and any reports provided by outside agencies, if appropriate, will be taken into account. Once a child’s needs have been discussed, appropriate provision will be put into place and an individual pupil plan will be written. This will then be shared with the pupils and the parents.

Resources are purchased and provided according to need. They are regularly evaluated in relation to the needs of the pupils that we have in school. Class teachers and the SENDCo may request equipment which can be purchased from the school’s SEND budget such as pencil grips, coloured reading overlays, intervention manuals, subscriptions to online intervention programs, sensory equipment, CPD materials etc.
Where more specialist equipment is required, this is loaned from outside agencies.

Pupil progress is continually monitored by class teachers. Attainment against age related expectations in maths, writing and reading is formally recorded at the end of each term. Teachers then look closely at this data and identify where further intervention for individual children is needed. Attainment for all children against age related expectations will be shared with parents/carers at parent consultation meetings. A final end of year written report is also sent home at the end of the Summer term. This is a detailed report which informs parents of progress in all curriculum areas and of their child’s attitude to learning If the pupil is in a year group where statutory assessments take place, the outcomes of these will also be documented in the report. In year One, the phonics screen is statutory and parents/carers will be advised if their child has passed the check. If they do not pass in year 1, they are given the opportunity to re-take the test in year 2. At the end of year 2, all children are required to be formally assessed using the Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). In year 4, children sit the MTC (Multiplication Test check) and these results will also be communicated to parents/carers.

For children who have been identified as requiring additional intervention, individual pupil plans will be written and shared with parents/carers and pupils. The targets on these plans will be reviewed regularly to evaluate the impact of any intervention/s. Additional assessments or checklists may need to be completed for the review. New plans and new targets will then be shared with parents/carers and pupils. These meetings may coincide with parent consultation meetings or they may be additional. If school is concerned about a child’s progress, a meeting will be arranged with parents/carers where permission to place a child on the SEND register may be requested. If a child is placed on the register, it is an indication that further advice and support may be sought from outside agencies and additional provision may need to be put in place or funding applied for. Parental permission will be requested at each stage.

For children in receipt of an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan), progress will be formally reviewed at an Annual Review. This review will collate and consider information from all adults involved with the child’s education and will also include the views of parents/carers and pupils.

We have a parent’s consultation evening in the first half term of the academic year to enable parents and teachers to discuss a child’s learning. This is followed up by a second parent’s consultation in the Spring Term.
At the beginning of the academic year we hold workshops for parents (and send home resources) relating to the teaching of phonics in Reception and Year 1.
An initial discussion with your child’s class teacher will suggest further ways in which you can support your child’s learning. The SENDCo may also suggest additional ways of supporting your child’s learning at home and these will be identified and shared on your child’s pupil plan. Your child may also be supported in their learning via the use of a number of online programmes or websites. Some of these may be available for home use. Your child’s class teacher will be able to advise you further on this or you can find links to useful websites on each of the class pages on the school website.

We value all children being able to express their views on all aspects of school life. Children have the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas through class worship, in PSHE lessons, through the School Council and the Worship Team and through pupil voice questionnaires about specific subjects.
Children who are receiving additional support will have a pupil plan in place. The targets on these plans are shared with the children. At the end of the plan, the targets will be reviewed with the children and next steps decided.
If your child has an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan), or is a LAC (Looked After Child) their views will be sought prior to any review meetings.

Each term, information regarding the progress and attainment of children with SEND is collated and analysed by the Head teacher. The progress of children with SEND is compared to the progress of children without SEND in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions and the provision in place. Trends, strengths and areas for development are identified. This is then produced for the governing body as part of the Head Teacher’s report and it is discussed by governors at their termly meeting’.

Individual pupil progress and the impact of interventions is discussed by teachers and the SENDCo. This information then feeds into the provision plan and targets on individual pupil plans.
The views of pupils and parents/carers are gained at review meetings.

Parents/carers drop their child off at their classroom door each morning. At the end of the school day, teachers or teaching assistants hand over the child to their parent/carer or other authorised person. Parents/carers will be contacted if permission has not previously been given for the child to be collected by someone else.
At lunchtimes and break times, the children are supported by teachers, teaching assistants or lunchtime supervisors.
All trips are risk assessed and these are submitted for approval prior to the event taking place. General risk assessments are carried out if an activity is considered higher risk than normal school activities.

Our vision and values are at the heart of our school and we offer a wide range of pastoral support for pupils. This include:
• An evaluated Personal, Social Health and economic (PSHE) curriculum that aims to provide pupils with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to enhance their emotional and social knowledge and well-being.
• Pupil and Parent voice mechanisms are in plan e.g. open door policy, questionnaires, school council. These are monitored for effectiveness by the Governor for responsibility for this area
• Small group evidence-led interventions to support pupil’s well-being are delivered to targeted pupils and groups
• Attendance is monitored
• The school has successfully completed a Health and Safety audit
• A counsellor available for children in need of this service

For all medical needs, we endeavour to follow Local Authority guidelines and our own Academy policy.
• If a child has a medical need then a Care Plan is compiled in consultation with parents/carers and the pupil. The school nurse can be consulted if necessary. These are discussed with all staff involved with the child and are reviewed annually or earlier if necessary.
• Teachers have copies of Care Plans and these should be referred to.
• Where necessary and in agreement with parents/carers, prescribed medicines may be administered in school. A signed parental agreement form must be completed.
• All medicine administration procedures adhere to the LA policy and DfE guidelines included within Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (DfE) 2014
• Regular training in the administration of certain medicine is given to all staff as necessary.
• Staff and parents/carers can also access support from the school nurse.

We use the service provided by SUAT of a counsellor for vulnerable children.
We use the services of the Education Welfare Officer when necessary.

Our school works closely with the Local Support Team, Safeguarding and Social Services and the Virtual School to support pupils who are looked after and who may or may not have SEND. Appropriate services may include a Key worker such as Counsellor, Family Support Worker or Social Worker. All Looked After Children (LAC) have a named social worker and a Personal Education Plan (PEP). This will be drawn up by the school, social worked and any other relevant agencies to outline needs, support and outcomes for the looked after child. It will then be agreed and approved by the Virtual School. School will make the best use of any additional accompanying funding in order to secure the best outcomes for the child.
This may include: providing additional adult support; resourcing specialist intervention programmes; buying in support from specialist providers or training for staff. Our designated governor for LAC is Mrs Helen Stead.

Children will be taught primarily by their class teacher whose role it is to ensure that all children have access to Quality First teaching and that the curriculum is adapted to meet children’s individual needs. Teaching assistants provide support for learning in some lessons.
The SENDCo may also be involved in your child’s education if they have additional needs.

All reports from outside agencies and individual pupil plans are shared with teachers and teaching assistants. All staff working with a child are involved in discussions regarding progress, prior to new targets being set.
All relevant staff attend and contribute to Annual Review meetings for children with an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan). Class teachers and teaching assistants attend training by professionals to ensure that we understand how to best support pupil’s individual needs.

Horton St. Michael’s CE First School understands the importance of staff undertaking quality CPD (Continued Professional Development) to ensure that they have an extensive knowledge of how to support children with additional needs. Recent training includes:
• Medical training – Asthma, Epilepsy, Anaphylaxis
• Supporting children with speech, language and communication difficulties
• Introduction to Attachment and Trauma informed Practice
• Colour Blindness
• Working Memory
• Supporting Children with hearing difficulties
• SEND Governor training


In addition to this, teaching assistants have experience of delivering a wide range of intervention programs.
Rebecca Walker is a qualified SENDCo, having completed the National SENDCo award. She attends termly update meetings and relevant CPD to ensure her knowledge is current.

We work with a number of outside agencies and services in order to provide the best support to our children. Sometimes this involves contacting them for advice or training whilst at other times we may refer children for more direct specialist support. Some of the agencies/services we access are:

• The Speech and Language Service (SALT)
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Autism Outreach Team
• Visual impairment Team
• Hearing impairment Term
• Behaviour Support Service
• Educational Psychology
• The Early Years Area SENCO
• The local SEND Hub, including outreach services
• Specific Learning Difficulty Assessors (e.g. Dyslexia)
• The School Nurse
• Virtual School for Looked After Children

Your child’s class teacher is usually your first point of contact. They can then arrange a meeting with the SENDCo to discuss your concerns further if needed.

Mrs Rebecca Walker is the SENDCo and she can be contacted through the office on 01538 306278 or by email: executivehead@thesaintsacademies.co.uk

The dedicated governor for LAC is Mrs Helen Stead.
The dedicated governor for SEND is Mrs Jenine Whilock. She helps to raise awareness of SEND issues at LAC meetings.

At Horton, we value and celebrate each child being able to express their views on all aspects of school life. Class teachers regularly plan PSHE lessons which involve children in discussions on themes which deal with important issues to them. A School Council is elected at the start of each year and, in recent years, they have been involved in the decision-making process for the purchase of outdoor play equipment, the design of a reading area and in the selection process for new staff. We also have a worship team who help to lead and evaluate our worship provision.

With regards to SEND specifically, targets on the pupil plans are shared, discussed and reviewed with pupils, where appropriate. Children’s views are also gathered when reviewing EHCPs and PEPs (Personal Education Plan – for Looked After Children).

We request parental feedback at pupil plan review meetings, EHCP Annual Review meetings and in parental surveys.
There is provision on the governing board for parents/carers. When a vacancy arises, parents/carers are invited to apply to be a governor. If there are more applications than positions available, an election is carried out and other parents/carers will consider each application before deciding who they wish to vote for as a governor.

The SENDCo, class teachers and Head teacher meet regularly with families to offer support and signpost services. The SENDCo works with families of pupils with SEND to provide support and guidance. Referrals are made to external services e.g. CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), Early help, the SEND and Inclusion Hub, Autism Outreach, SALT and other services when required.

Activities and school trips are available to all. Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate. These are complete in consultation with parents/carers, school and outside agencies, as required. If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required, then a parent/carer may also be asked to accompany their child during the activity in addition to the usual school staff.

The school is fully accessible for wheelchair users. Our Accessibility Plan describes the actions the school has taken to increase access to the environment and the curriculum.
The toilets are accessible for visitors with a disability. There is a designated disabled toilet, with changing facilities, in the Hazel Cloakroom area.

Horton is a small, rural school committed to inclusion. We work with parents/carers and seek advice from external agencies, where necessary, to achieve our aim of equal access for all pupils. This may occur in a variety of ways including: changes to the physical environment; provision of additional adult support, provision of visual timetables, delivery of a sensory diet, relevant displays or the provision of additional resources.

In line with statutory guidance, the school has an Accessibility plan which is regularly reviewed and available to read by clicking on the link below.

The school uses a variety of communication streams including: Teachers to Parents Text service, Social Media (Facebook) and out website. Members of staff are available at the beginning and end of the day to answer questions.

Contact the school office on 01538 306278 or email office@hortonstmichaels.co.uk for any queries regarding admission places or to begin arrangements for your child to join our setting.
Further information can be found in our Admission policy on our school website.

Please call the office on 01538 306278 to arrange a visit.

On entry into Nursery and / or Reception:
• Children and parents will be invited into school for a visit prior to the child starting. Nursery children may start at different times of the year and visits will be planned accordingly.
• Parents/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 solutions to any perceived challenges to be sought prior to entry.
• If pupils are transferring from another school, the previous school records will be requested immediately and a meeting will be set up with parents to identify and reduce any concerns.

Mid-Year Transition from another setting:
• All parents/carers and children are offered a tour of the school and a discussion with the Head teacher.
• Wherever possible, a planned programme of transition and pre-visits are arranged between the past school, current school and parents/carers. However,
if this is not an option, all information will be collected from the previous school and telephone conversations held between relevant members of staff if
necessary.
• The records of pupils who leave the school mid-phase will be transferred within ten working days of the parents notifying the office their child has been
enrolled at another school.

Transition to the next school:
• A transition programme is in place for pupils in Year 4. These opportunities are further enhanced for pupils with SEND.
• Parents are encouraged to consider options for the next phase of education during Year 3 and the school involves outside agencies, as appropriate, to ensure information is comprehensive but accessible.
• Parents will be enabled to consider options for the next phase of education by visiting the Staffordshire ‘Choosing a School’ webpage.
• For pupils transferring to local schools, the SENDCO/class teacher will meet with the SENDCO of the school the SEND pupil is transitioning to ensure a smooth transition.
• Parents of children with SEND, have the option to meet with the SENCO at the middle schools to discuss any issues. • If your child has a statement/EHCP, then a transition review is held in the autumn term prior to the transition to the next school. At this meeting, transition arrangements are discussed, the school is specified and any additional information is discussed. • For more information regarding Year 4 transition contact the Year 4 class teacher.

You can contact Staffordshire SEND Family Partnership via the following link.

This information report was updated in April 2024

It will be reviewed and updated in September 2024

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling, please follow the following process by contacting your child’s class teacher, in the first instance, who will arrange a meeting with the SENDCo and/or the Head teacher if needed.

Should you still feel unsatisfied by the response, you can follow the school’s complaints policy which can be found on the school website or by clicking on the link below.