At West Hill pupils with Special Educational Needs are identified as early as possible. We have robust systems for monitoring progress and achievement of all pupils to enable us to quickly identify where a pupil may require additional support. Professionals conversations are undertaken both within and outside of the Pupil Progress monitoring system in order that we are effective in meeting individual needs. Initial identification that a pupil may benefit from additional support typically comes from school staff working directly with pupils or from concerns raised by parents/carers. These concerns may by based on a pupil’s wellbeing, their emotional or behavioural presentation, their academic progress in comparison to their peer group and age related expectations or their individual pupil profile against recognised characteristics of specific forms of SEND. We actively encourage staff to bring concerns to senior staff, including the SENCo and have formal reporting systems in place, alongside informal discussions. Ongoing learning conversations are regular between staff who work directly with pupils.
Formally, we hold Pupil Progress meetings each term to assess progress of pupils and identify pupils who may not be making expected progress from their starting points. Pupils who are not making expected progress are discussed in detail to enable us to identify any barriers to learning – learning styles, specific difficulties, changes in circumstances, or specific needs, including subject specific. Pupils complete formal assessments each term with standardised and/or scaled scores being used.
When a pupil is identified as needing further support (or potentially needing support), teaching staff plan learning tasks carefully to match pupil’s individual needs. Advice from the SENCo is sought and conversations with parents are held. Discussions aim to focus on the desired outcomes for individual pupils and what additional provisions might be necessary to enable pupils to attain desired outcomes. Parent voice is an important part of this process and we welcome parent views and open discussions in regard to their child’s needs educationally and in a wider sense. The pupil is placed on the SEND register and will be provided with an Individual Support Plan with individual targets based on specific needs. For some pupils, in addition to Quality First Teaching/class based approaches, a package of Interventions might be offered. Sometimes it can be helpful to engage the services of other professionals. Pupils with the highest level of needs might be referred to outside agencies for further support and advice, eg speech therapy, health care. Educational Psychologist involvement is considered for those pupils with the highest level of needs and on a priority scale due to limited nature of Educational Psychology services.
In class, teachers have responsibility to ensure that learning is well-matched to the needs of individual pupils and differentiated learning tasks are provided, supported by the involvement of SENCo advice/recommendations. Differentiated learning is presented in order that all children are appropriately challenged but are able to participate at their level and with a degree of independence rather than reliance on adult support. In order to fully support pupils with additional needs, class based approaches may include:

Alternative forms or recording work

Visual prompts

Specialised equipment

Small group or individual teaching

Additional time to complete work

Where the pupil may require a higher level of support that cannot be accommodated within Quality First Teaching, small group and/or individual intervention may be offered.

For pupils with more complex needs a more personalised programme may be appropriate. This may include group or individual interventions on an academic or social level. Examples may include:

NELI language programme, speech therapy, Direct Instruction/Precision Teaching, Nurture Social Skills groups, Social Stories, Motor skills provision. This is not n exhaustive list.

Outside Agencies:

For those with significant or more complex needs, the school seeks the advice of specialists such as the Autism Outreach Team, the local SEND Hub, Educational Psychology and/or support for Social, Emotional and Mental Health for example Action for Children Wellbeing or through the Mental Health in Schools service through our Mental Health lead Mr Seale.

If you have concerns you should discuss these firstly with your child’s class teacher as the member of staff who will know their individual needs best. Open access to contacting teachers in provided through Class Dojo and all parents are encouraged to use this platform, you may wish to speak directly with the class teacher, either by telephone or a face to face appointment. By requesting an appointment with the class teacher, this will enable time to be given to discuss concerns in full. It is important to fully share your concern, including any concerns you may have at home. The SENCo may attend this appointment alongside the class teacher.
Throughout the academic year all parents and carers are encouraged to discuss their child’s education – we provide formal meetings three times per year between teachers and parents/carers, during these appointments teachers offer a follow up appointment with the SENCo for pupils on the SEND register. Discussions with class teachers and key staff, including the SENCo may be sought either formally or informally during the academic year. Easy access to contacting the SENCo is provided by email: cseager@westhill.staffs.sch.uk

The school website and specifically the SEND Padlet within the SEND section of our website holds all relevant information for parents/cares of pupils with SEND.

Policies can be found in the ‘Policies’ section of the website. Paper copies are available upon request from the school office, there may be a small charge.

There are four broad areas of SEND needs, as defined in the Special Educational Needs an Disabilities Code of Practice 2015:

Communication and Interaction

Cognition and Learning

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

Sensory and/or Physical.

Teachers deliver quality first teaching, planning their lessons to meet the needs of all learners, including those with SEND. QFT may include additional general support from the teacher or teaching assistant. Where the pupils has needs related to more specific areas of their education such as spelling, handwriting, literacy and numeracy etc then the pupil may be placed in a small focused group or receive some 1:1 support. This support is provided and organised by the class teacher who directs the teaching assistant. Specific targeted Interventions may be provided and these are regularly reviewed (at least termly) with joint input from the class teacher and teaching assistant to assess the effectiveness of the Intervention, pupil progress and to inform future planning. Interventions will be linked to and recorded on the Individual Support Plan on a termly basis.

SEND Support:
Where it is determined that a pupil may have SEND, parents will be informed of this, usually by the class teacher and also informed that their child will be placed on the SEND register. This is usually done verbally and our aim is to work collaboratively with parents and families in order to best support their child’s individual needs. The aim of formally identifying pupils needs is to help ensure that effective provision is put into place and remove barriers to learning.
The support provided consists of a four-part process - APDR:
Assess
Plan
Do
Review

This is an ongoing cycle to enable the provision to be refined and revised as the understanding of the needs of the pupil grows. This cycle enables to identification of those Interventions which are the most effective in supporting the pupil to achieve good progress and outcomes.

Assess:
The assessment part of the APDR process involves analysing the pupil needs using class teacher assessment and experience of working with the pupils, details of previous progress and attainment, comparisons with peers and age related expectations, individual circumstances including outside factors that school may be aware of as well as seeking the views and experiences of the parents/carers. The pupils’ views and where relevant, advice from outside specialist agencies will also be considered.
Plan:
Planning will involve the drawing up of an Individual Support Plan detailing support and provisions aimed at removing barriers to learning whilst providing more tailored learning and support. Class teachers develop the Individual Support Plans for pupils in their classes, with advice and support from the SENCo where required. Parents are part of this process and are encouraged to offer their viewpoints and experiences. We encourage parents to take an active role in supporting the Individual Support Plan at home and may provide additional resources to be used at home with pupils. Information in regard to individual pupil needs will be shared with relevant staff who teach them, this should include teachers and teaching assistants. Individual Support Plans are held in a secure central place in electronic format. Teachers and teaching assistants may make paper copies for the purposes of referring to/annotating the plans regularly – these should be stored securely (for example in class store cupboards) when not in use for referencing or annotation purposes.
Do:
The class teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a day to day basis. They will retain responsibility even where the interventions may involve group or one to one teaching away from the main class. They will work closely with and direct the teaching assistant, they will collaborate with specialist staff to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and links with classroom teaching. Support with further assessment of the pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, problem solving and advising of the implementation of effective support will be provided by the SENCo.
Review:
Reviews will be undertaken, usually termly. The review process will evaluate the impact and quality of support and interventions. It will also take account of the views of the pupil and their parents. The class teacher, in conjunction with the SENCo where required, will revise the support and outcomes based on the pupils’ progress and development making any necessary amendments going forward, pupils and parents are actively encouraged to be part of the review process. Parents will be provided with a copy of the formal review and where deemed appropriate the cycle continues with a revised Individual Support Plan being developed and shared with parents.

As part of the Assess, Plan, Do, Review process we encourage parents to share their views during any discussions, via the Class Dojo platform, in paper format when they return a signed copy of the Individual Support Plan and/or via completion of the google document shared with parents as part of the APDR cycle.

Request for an Education, Health and Care Plan Needs Assessment:
If a child has lifelong and/or complex difficulties, they may undergo the Statutory Assessment Process which is usually requested by the school but can be requested by a parent or by healthcare services. This will occur where the complexity of need or lack of clarity around the needs of the child are such that a multi-agency approach to assessing that need, to planning provision and identifying resources, is required. The decision to make a request for an Education, Health and Care Plan Needs Assessment to the Local Authority will usually be taken at a progress review, unless needs change suddenly and dramatically. The application for an Education, Health and Care Plan will combine information from a variety of sources including:
Parents
Teachers
SENCO
Social Care
Health professionals

Any outside agencies with current involvement or involvement within the last 2 years.

Information will be gathered relating to the current provision provided, action points that have been taken, and the preliminary outcomes of targets set. A decision will be made by a group of people from education, health and social care about whether or not the request for a Statutory Assessment will be undertaken.

We are mainstream Primary School catering for children and young people with a wide range of needs who are able to demonstrate capacity for accessing the mainstream curriculum with differentiation and support. We support pupils with a range of needs including Cognition and Learning needs, Communication and interaction Difficulties, Visual and Hearing Impairments, Speech and Language Disorder and Delay and Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties. All pupils are afforded equal rights of access to all areas of the curriculum via teacher planning, differentiation, support and relevant resources where necessary. A variety of teaching styles and teaching groups are adopted to suit the needs of individuals. We aim for our environments to be as accessible as possible, though are aware that due to the age of the building there are some physical barriers in accessing all areas of the school for those with a physical disability. we try wherever possible to remove these barriers, in conjunction with our Accessibility Planning however significant building work across the school would need to be completed in order for the whole school environment to be a fully accessible site.

Where learners are working at an attainment level below that of their peer group, class teachers will adapt teaching to ensure that gaps in learners’ knowledge are covered, for example by revisiting objectives that are covered in previous year groups. We encourage independence in all learners and this is promoted by ensuring that independent work is matched as far as possible to the strengths of the learners. If appropriate, specialist equipment may be given to the child e.g. writing slopes, Reading Rulers, pen / pencil grips or easy to use scissors. This may also include dictionaries for dyslexia, or specialist seating / desks, access to technology to support learning eg for a child with a visual or hearing impairment.

For those learners requiring a more specialist approach to learning, class teachers are encouraged to discuss approaches to differentiation with specialist staff in and outside the school. For example, the SENCo or an external agency. Any recommendations from external agencies are used to inform future targets. Additional provision for pupils with SEND is overseen by the SENCo who also co-ordinates with outside agencies alongside the class teacher’s involvement. Monitoring of these pupils’ progress takes place through in-class observations, book monitoring, formal and informal meetings between teaching staff and the SENCo, through the APDR process and Pupil Progress meetings.

We will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all pupils with SEND can take part in all whole school activities, as well as activities which enhance the wider life of the school. We aim to offer all our pupils the same learning opportunities. The school has a range of equipment and resources to support children with SEND. For example, coloured overlays, writing slopes, specialist dictionaries, wobble cushions, fine motor resources, adapted writing resources – chunky pencils, pencil grips – this may not be an exhaustive list.

In the context of school trips, outside activities (Including residential), we are open to discussion in order to include our children with SEND. This may include the provision of additional staff and individual risk assessments.

We provide a range of after school activities that welcome all pupils from our school.

For formal assessments such as End of Key Stage Statutory Tests reasonable adjustments are made in line with those that the pupil experiences on a day to day level, such as additional time, seating and where suitable the use of a reader or a scribe. This is done by following the guidance from the Access arrangements published by the DfE and with a coordinated approach by Y6 class teachers and the senior team.

The overall SEND budget is managed by the Headteacher with the support of the Governing board. It is allocated on a needs basis and reviewed every financial year. A small proportion of the main SEND budget, managed by the SENCo, is used to provide ‘consumable’ resources, usually in direct relation to pupil needs.

If there is a need to apply for additional funding for pupils this is done by by working with the local SEND Hub.

If there is a need to use additional funding from our own budget this will be assessed and if appropriate used to support pupils needs or resources.

We endeavour to support the needs of each child as an individual. We have high aspirations for all our children to achieve the best that they can for their ability and personal needs. Children have access to high quality teaching within the classroom, focused intervention where needed as well as support from specialist services if and when appropriate. When a child is identified by their class teacher as having additional needs we use a graduated approach to support and identify the additional support a child may require.
• First Concerns – a teacher has recognised a child may have certain needs and additional interventions may be offered
• SEND Support – children who have been identified as having special educational needs and who require provision that is additional to and different from the mainstream curriculum.
• Complex - children who have been identified as having complex and significant needs and may be in the process of an Education Health and Care assessment or have an EHCNA plan already in place.

Pupils’ needs are assessed and the proposed provision is discussed with the class teacher, SENCo and could involve external reports/support. Each child is assessed on an individual basis. Parents and pupils are involved in how / what the provision for the pupil is by discussions and sharing of new targets or reviewing completed cycles of intervention – see APDR process. Decisions about provision aim be a shared process, however it is the Headteacher who finalises provision including use of teaching assistants. The SENCo provides the Headteacher with up to date information in regards to the needs of pupils on the SEND register in order for appropriate decisions to be made by the Headteacher re allocation of staffing.

For pupils with specific learning or medical needs we seek the support of specialist teachers, including visual impairment, hearing impairment to assess as to whether equipment such as radio aids, magnifiers need to be in place. For pupils with sensory and physical needs, equipment such as cushions, writing slopes, pencil grips may be sought by the school, this may be as result of outside agency involvement/recommendation, for example occupational therapy, physiotherapy and arrangements may be made for equipment to be loaned or sourced via additional funding.

Each pupil is assessed individually as to their needs and requirements and once we have made the decision about what they need, or we have received advice from specialist teachers / support workers we will take the necessary steps to acquire them. This is done in conjunction with parents and pupils to ensure that all parties are comfortable with the adjustments that might be needed.

The SEND Governor meets at least twice yearly with the SENCo to take a full challenging role regarding the provisions and progress of these children with the SENCo. An Annual Report is provided to the Governing Board by the SENCo. All pupils are assessed on an on-going basis using the school’s assessment and tracking system. Where needed, children are tracked using smaller step progression on an individual basis dependent on the child’s needs. When programmes are implemented with groups of SEND pupils, impact is measured by assessing pupils before and after the programme where appropriate. This ensures provision is effective and used where it results in pupil progress. The SENCo and Senior Team monitor the effectiveness of provisions. SEND pupils are discussed at termly pupil progress meetings, where progress and attainment for all SEND pupils is reviewed and provision from the previous term is evaluated. Interventions are reviewed, usually on a half termly basis and Individual Support Plans are reviewed on a termly basis. Parents and carers have the opportunity to meet on a termly basis with their child’s class teacher and appointments to meet with the SENCo are offered. In addition, pupil voice is conducted with all SEND pupils through their Individual Support Plans and Reviews. Interventions and support activities are observed and monitored to evaluate their quality and impact.

We understand that not all parents and careers may feel confident or comfortable to discuss sensitive issues and we endeavour to provide support on an individual basis for this. Parents will have regular opportunities to discuss their child's progress with their class teacher and/or SENCo. We encourage engagement and partnership working with parents as part of the Individual Support Plans and Reviews. We have an open door policy and encourage parents to make contact immediately with any queries. In addition to our three parent consultation meetings, the class teacher and the SENCo are available regularly to discuss any concerns.

We work with outside agencies to support with assessments and target setting, these may include Educational Psychologists, Autism Outreach, Specialist teachers for the deaf and hearing impaired, the Visual Impairment Team, Speech and language support. We also use specialist support including Occupational therapists/ physiotherapists / paediatrician where needed. Where English as an additional language (EAL) is impacting on learning our EAL lead Miss Langley will seek additional support from specialist services. To provide additional support for pupils and families who may need support with social, emotional and mental health we can access Staffordshire Wellbeing Service, provided by Action for Children and the Mental Health in Schools Team. Our Mental Health Lead in school is Mr C Seale. In school we also run the HOPE Project which is lead by our Mental Health Lead. Should any pupil come from a traveller background we would use the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller support service provided for Staffordshire Educational establishments.

If a pupil is seen by an external agency, most of the time a written report will be available and this is shared with parents and careers. The reports may contain recommendations for targets in school and at home. The recommendations will be implemented as appropriate and as resourcing allows.

Parents will receive copies of the targets set by the school within their Individual Support Plans. At the end of a cycle of Intervention, targets are reviewed and new targets are set, pupil and parental involvement in this is encouraged. These will be discussed with parents at parent consultation sessions, or if required an additional meeting. The class teachers discuss the targets and the appropriate level of work that will be set in order for the targets to be achieved, meetings may involve the SENCo and be run jointly by class teachers and the SENCo where appropriate; parents are able to request meetings/phone calls with the SENCo outside of the appointments schedule and have open access to the SENCo email address which is published in this report, on the website and within the SEND Padlet on the school website. Class teachers are available after school and communication through the Class Dojo Platform is encouraged to share any important day to day information or concerns. If a more detailed meeting is required this can be arranged for a mutually convenient time

Where parents/carers may have SEND needs, we would seek to arrange any reasonable adjustments that may support them in supporting their child’s education, this may require the school to refer to outside agencies and specialist services.

Following identification of concerns by a class teacher, they will meet or organise a phone call with the pupil’s parents/carers for a discussion, the SENCo may also attend this discussion if deemed required or requested by the parents. This discussion focuses on the desired outcomes for the child and looks at what provision might be necessary to enable the child to reach their intended outcomes. This includes how parents can support the child at home, parents may be provided with resources to help support their child at home – number grids, number lines, phonic mats, word banks etc.

Outside of COVID restrictions we provide opportunities in school for parents to become familiar with our phonics teaching. We use Monster Phonics and parents are provided with access to the Monster Phonics online workshops and website area. Open Evening during the summer term (COVID restrictions allowing) is provided where parents and children can meet with their new teacher for the next academic year and gives parents the opportunity to discuss any concerns pertinent to their child. Information is provided on our website giving information on our curriculum and the topics that classes will cover during the academic year. We operate an open door policy and encourage parents to make contact either face to face, by phone, email or by using the Class Dojo Platform to raise/share any concerns or questions they may have.

Homework is provided on a weekly basis and is differentiated by class teachers so that pupils with SEND can access this with a degree of independence. We welcome parental support with homework and ask parents to read regularly with their child and sign/ comment in the Reading Diary. Readers will be changed when pupils have reached a level of proficiency on the text, pupils may be provided with more than one book to take home. All reading is deemed positive and pupils may also choose to read a book from home, although we encourage the reading of school books as these are pitched at the correct level for the child’s reading skills and ability.

Where parents may require advice for social, emotional and mental health needs and supporting these needs at home, we will share strategies that are successful in school and may signpost parents to additional services, such as Staffordshire Wellbeing Service, provided by Action for Children, the Mental Health in Schools Team or the Family Support service. We regularly share information regarding online parenting workshops provided by the Family Support Service, with parents via our Facebook page, website and through the SEND Padlet.

Pupils who are registered as having SEND are provided with an Individual Support Plan which details their targets and reasonable adjustments in place to support their needs. with their individual targets. Pupils are given regular feedback in regard to their progress, this may be ‘in the moment’ feedback provided within lessons or Intervention groups/1:1 support or through marking in books.

Pupils with an Individual Learning Plan are given the opportunity to talk about their learning and their targets when the targets are set and reviewed and their comments on recorded in their plan and on the review. Ongoing feedback is a regular part of classroom life and pupils are encouraged to talk to their class teachers about their own progress and areas for development.

SEN pupils’ attainment and progress is tracked and monitored through termly assessments. Book monitoring evaluates how effectively SEN children are accessing the curriculum. When programmes are implemented with groups of pupils with SEND, impact is measured by assessing
pupils before and after the programme where appropriate. This ensures provision is effective and used where successes are evident.
Parents and pupils are free to voice any concerns they may have regarding SEND provision which are then acted on accordingly. Pupil's are able to discuss their progress towards their targets and are encouraged to do so regularly. Their initial and final comments are recorded on their Individual Support Plans and reviews, we encourage parents to also be a part of this process through a means accessible to them be that through verbal discussion, written comments on a plan/review, messages via the Class Dojo Platform, or through completion of the Google Form sent to parents on a termly basis.

All staff are kept up to date with current safeguarding measures. Staff in school endeavour to take the most appropriate actions to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm, ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care. Staff ensure that the appropriate action is taken to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

Children are greeted at the beginning of the day by class teachers/year group staff. They enter into the building via shared access to classroom areas. They leave at the end of the day from their shared entrances, with staff providing direct hand over to parents/carers on the school playground. If pupils are anxious at the beginning of the day there is always a recognisable face to greet them and we promote the use of meet and greet and sharing of emotional regulation on entry each day via visual systems in classrooms. We encourage parents to contact the school as soon as possible if there are any concerns or important information we need, that may support us in supporting their children, this can be done via phone call or use of the Dojo platform. Class teachers are in direct communication with parents through the Dojo platform on a regular basis.

We recognise the challenges that unstructured times can present to pupils with challenging behaviour or social and emotional difficulties. There is a range of activities to support this such as Nurture Club. All lunchtime staff are made aware of pupils with specific needs, with information being passed on by class teachers – especially if something may have happened during the morning which may affect a pupils’ enjoyment of the social time. The needs of pupils with medical needs are shared with relevant staff. We operate a portable medical bag system for use of items such as inhalers; these bags are taken outside at lunchtime and outside/to the hall for PE lessons. Lunchtime Supervisors are currently being trained in how to utilise strategies such as Emotional Coaching when responding to individual pupil needs.

All activities for school trips are risk assessed and staffing ratios are fulfilled accordingly. Staff are always carefully selected to ensure pupils are fully supported. School undertakes risk assessment in line with National recommendations. An experienced member of staff has the responsibility for coordinating these risk assessments. These can be viewed by those who are taking part in the activities.

Physical Education is an important part of the curriculum. If a pupils is being taught by specialist sports coaches, the coach is made aware by the class teacher of any additional needs and given the necessary information to aid them in supporting pupils’ needs effectively.

We strive to build positive relationships whereby parents, pupils and teachers can share ideas and information together to make school a safe and happy place for everyone. This does not just apply to those pupils who are registered as SEND. Staff have received training through Emotion Coaching UK and our Mental Health Lead in order to be skilled in responding to the needs of pupils where social and emotional development may be of concern. A regular cycle of CPD is provided, inclusive of ways in which staff can further support pupils’ social and emotional needs. Classrooms have emotional thermometer displays and pupils and encouraged to talk about their emotions. Classrooms have Emotional Regulation Areas to support these needs, areas are stocked with a variety of age-appropriate publications in regards to learning about emotional regulation. We offer a more bespoke programme to support Emotional Regulation with KS1 – Zones of Regulation for pupils with higher levels of needs in this area.

Children are supported with their social and emotional development throughout the school day through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Personal, Social and Health Education is an integral part of our curriculum. In school we teach about protective behaviours to help enhance the children’s awareness of how to stay safe. Children’s views are sought via pupil voice, school council and other forums. Their ideas are listened to and valued.

Additional pastoral support from members of staff and from registered outside providers can be accessed via a referral process with parental request. Teachers and Teaching Assistants can also make referrals with the support of parents. A child does not have to be registered as SEND to access this support.

Our Behaviour Policy, which includes guidance on expectations is followed by all staff. The Anti-Bullying Policy also indicates the expectations of pupils in our school. Our school does not tolerate incidents of bullying and these are dealt with accordingly in line with policy. Policies can be found on the website and paper copies are available on request (there may be a charge for this). Parents and carers are encouraged to contact school if they have any concerns about their child being bullied.

We regularly monitor attendance and take appropriate steps to encourage punctuality and prevent unauthorised absence.

We are very aware that, often, pupils with SEND need additional pastoral support. We recognise and understand that the pastoral needs of each SEND pupil will often be specific to each child – we tailor the support they need to each child and their individual needs. We ensure that the pastoral needs of SEND pupils are discussed with SLT, class teacher, SENCo and other member of staff that are connected to the pupil and where appropriate look to involve additional outside agencies to further support needs.

When a pupil joins parents are asked to complete medical forms so that we are aware of any conditions. In the event a pupil requires any medication from home, we request this be handed in and staff will help administer this at the appropriate times. Parents will need to sign to say that medication can be administered.

If a pupil has a specific condition such as diabetes, asthma, etc we will ensure that those staff working directly with the child are fully trained in any specific needs. All relevant school staff will be given an overview of individual needs. If medical appointments cannot be made outside of the school day we will endeavour to support the child if they are out of school for a period of time with work that can be done at home, if the child is well enough to do so. Medical needs are overseen jointly by the SENCo and office Staff and medical information is provided to the relevant staff so that they are all fully aware of each pupil’s needs. Care plans are kept up to date and are made available to all staff, these are reviewed on an at least annual basis. This may be done in conjunction with outside agencies but it will always involve parents.

If there was a medical emergency we would call 999 and a trained first aider would administer first aid where appropriate. A member of staff would accompany the young person in the ambulance. Parents would be informed as soon as practically possible.

Additional information in regards to medical needs can be found in our Managing Medicines Policy and Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs Who Cannot Attend School Policy – both of these are available on the school website.

For pupils who need additional support linked to behaviour our SENCo and/or Inclusion Manager would become involved, reasonable adjustments are the first step in supporting needs. Some pupils may require specific targets in this area which will be duly recorded on Individual Support Plans. Some pupils may require additional intervention and/or the involvement of outside agency support such as Behaviour Support. Individual Support Plans are set and reviewed on a termly basis.

Where an external agency has been involved we will endeavour to implement the recommendations.

For higher level behavioural needs and in order to avoid exclusions we may refer pupils to the local SEND Hub. We are also able to access support from an alternate setting where pupils may spend part of their week there to support their specific needs. This will be the case if school have tried all other options, which may include a managed move. It remains the responsibility of parents to ensure their child attends school, including Alternative Provision settings.

Relevant policies to consider here are the Behaviour Policy, the Attendance Policy and the Exclusion Policy – all are available on the school website.

The Children & Young Persons Act 2008 places a duty on school governing bodies “to designate a member of staff (the designated teacher) as having the responsibility to promote the educational achievement of LAC, including those aged between 16 and 18 who are registered pupils at the school”. For us in school it is the SENCo.

The responsibility of the Designated Teacher for LAC is to:

Help to ensure that other school staff are aware of the individual needs of looked-after pupils (while maintaining appropriate confidentiality) and promoting high aspirations.
Tracking the attendance, attainment and progress of their looked-after pupils.
Putting together the PEP that all LAC should have, in partnership with the child, their carer and their social worker.

Providing co-ordination between school, placement and social care regularly and through the PEP process.
Support for pupils is needs led – co-ordinated by the SENCo/Designated Teacher for LAC.

The day to day education of your child will be delivered by the class teacher and other adults that may be deployed within the classroom / outside of the classroom, this may include a Teaching Assistant. The class teacher will plan work for your child that enables them to work within the classroom, utilising opportunities for scaffolding and tailored learning opportunities. Where needed, differentiation for specific targets which may be taught in small groups or individually. The class teacher is the person responsible for the progress of pupils in their class, including the progress of pupils with SEND.

Mrs Seager is SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) for pupils attending West Hill Primary School. Mrs Freeman is the Inclusion Manage for pupils attending our Early Years settings.

Roles & Responsibilities of the SENCo:

The SENCo is responsible for the operation of the Special Educational Needs Information Report and the co-ordination of specific provision made to support individual children with SEND.

SEND monitoring:

The SENCo liaises with staff to monitor the children’s progress and plan further interventions where progress is slower than expected.

The SENCo regularly has contact with a wide range of external agencies that are able to give more specialised advice.

The Headteacher, and the Governing Body has ultimate responsibility for SEND within the school

The point of contact for all parents/carers of pupils with SEND is the Mrs Corinne Seager who can be contacted via the school office on 01543 227125 or by email cseager@westhill.staffs.sch.uk .
Our school office email is: admn@westhill.staffs.sch.uk

Pupil information is held securely on our school electronic drive and within a secure online system; all pupil files are accessible by the Headteacher, SLT and SENCo. Class teachers and teaching assistants have access to files regarding the pupils in their care. At the beginning of the academic year the DSL/Dep DSL’s shares any relevant safeguarding issues with the individual teachers and the SENCo shares information regarding their SEND needs.

When reports from external providers are received these are usually received by the SENCo and shared with the relevant teaching staff and discussed to ascertain the next steps. If as a result of these, or any issue arising throughout the academic year, relevant training may be sought for the staff working with the particular child.

Class teachers are responsible for the day to day support within classrooms and responsible for planning lessons which are accessible for all pupils through the use of scaffolding and tailored learning opportunities. This is monitored by the SENCo/SLT. Class teachers disseminate information to relevant staff including teaching assistants and a team approach to supporting needs is adopted within classrooms/year groups.

Teachers and support staff attend training courses (applicable to their role) run by a range of outside agencies.
They include:
Safeguarding Level 1 and 2.
Epi-Pen Anaphylaxis Training.
Asthma Awareness.
Speech and Language
Precision Teaching
Emotional Coaching Training
Autism Awareness Training Tier One
Medical training for specific conditions that a child in our setting may have.

The SEND Governor attends training and updates as part of their role.

The SENCo has undertaken and passed the National Award for SENCo, (Masters Level) at the University of Wolverhampton, which is a qualification required for all those taking on the role since 2009.

We work closely with the a number of local services to help consider and select a range of evidence-based and effective teaching approaches, appropriate equipment, strategies and interventions in order to support the child’s progress. They include:

Speech and Language Therapy Services
Autism Outreach Team
CYP Autism Service
Paediatricians and the wider paediatric team including nurse specialists
Visual Impairment Team
Hearing Impairment Team
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Behaviour Support
Play Therapy UK
Family Support workers through the Family Action Service
Early Help Support Workers
Social Services – where deemed necessary
Action for Children Wellbeing Service
Mental Health in Schools Team
Education Welfare Officer
The SEND Locality Hub
Educational Psychology

This may not be an exhaustive list. Agencies are subject to acceptance of referrals according to their individual acceptance criteria.

For any concerns regarding SEND or your child's education your initial point of contact is the class teacher. An appointment to speak with the teacher can be made by contacting the school office or through the use of the Dojo platform.

Should you have a more specific concern you are always welcome to speak to the school SENCo or a member of SLT, including the Headteacher.

Please contact the school office on 01543 227125. Our school office email is: admin@westhill.staffs.sch.uk

The School SENCo is Mrs Corinne Seager. Email contact: cseager@westhill.staffs.sch.uk

To make contact with Mrs Seager by phone call please liaise with the school office 01543 227125

Ensuring the ongoing achievement and success of SEND Learners is a collective responsibility of the Governing Body, although this will come
under the responsibility of a specific SEND Governor.

The Governing Board will ensure that a SENCo is appointed along with a Governor with specific responsibility for SEND. Within this role it is vital that the Governors ensure compliance with legal responsibilities for schools. The Governors expect the SENCo and Headteacher to report on
the steps being taken to ensure compliance and challenge leaders to ensure that SEND remains high on the school’s agenda

The Governor for SEND will review the SEND provision including staff and other resourcing by meeting with the SENCo twice yearly as a minimum. To ask questions and raise awareness relating to SEND and inclusion provision at Governing Board meetings.

Governors will have a good understanding of the Looked After Children policy and its application across the school and ensure that LAC are having the same opportunities as other children across the school. They will also ensure that teachers for LAC children receive the appropriate training for pupils in their care along with any supervision that may be needed.

For all pupils in vulnerable groups the Governors will be provided with information to regularly review the outcomes for these pupils and monitor how well are they doing in comparison with other pupils. They will ensure that the additional monies through Pupil Premium Plus and top up funding provided improves the outcomes and opportunities for that young person. Our Pupil Premium Lead member of staff is Mrs Farish.

Mr Truby is the Governor for SEND under the guidance of the Chair of Governors and the Headteacher. Mr Truby can be contacted by arranging an appointment at the school office. Mr Truby is the Governor for Safeguarding, including Looked After Children. He can be contacted by arranging an appointment at the school office.

School contact number is: 01543 227125 or email admin@westhill.staffs.sch.uk

Pupil voice is an important part of school life. The contributions from pupils are highly valued. We have a school council of elected councillors and our Digital Leaders.

SEND pupils have regular opportunities to discuss their own targets through the Individual Support Plan, Assess, Plan Do, Review cycle. Pupils with SEND are also provided with a One Page Profile – these are reviewed annually for all pupils as part of transition planning and can be amended at any point during an academic year.

We promote inclusion for all and encourage all pupils to take part in all aspects of schools life and to have a valued voice as part of this process.

We encourage parents to get involved in the school and become school governors. We have at least one parent Governor on our governing board at all times. Nominations and elections take place in accordance to current Governor terms or should a Parent Governor decide to stand down.

A range of staff are available to help parent’s complete paperwork which may be about or affect their child. Parents can contact the school office to arrange a time for this to happen. This would usually be carried out by the Headteacher, the Deputy Headteacher or the SENCo. We always invite parents to come in to the school and work with us to complete any paperwork and discuss any additional support. (Or under COVID-19 measures this may be virtual / telephone).

All pupils are afforded equal rights of access to all areas of the curriculum via teacher planning, differentiation, scaffolding, tailored approaches, support and relevant resources where necessary. A variety of teaching styles and teaching groups are adopted to suit the needs of the individual. SEND pupils are involved in all aspects of school life. SEND pupils are taught alongside their non-SEND peers, exposing the same experiences but with the level of support they require. Intervention will be delivered additionally to High Quality Wave 1 teaching. We have a number of after school clubs which cover a range of interests. Pupils with SEND are welcomed and included.

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 where reasonably possible.
If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that an intensive level of 1-1 support is required, a parent or carer may be asked to accompany their child during the activity in addition to the usual school staff.

We provide activities and opportunities for the pupils that develop their interests and talents through enjoyment and raising self- esteem. Some sporting activities take place at lunchtime and after school, alongside a range of after-school clubs.

We offer a small Nurture Club over lunchtimes for priority pupils who require support with social and emotional and interaction needs. Pupils are also taken on various educational trips which develop and extend their interests and skills and/or have visitors in school providing enrichment activities and learning. Activities are subject to a fee, but where needed and if eligible parents can seek the support of school for subsidy. Information is provided in our Charging and Remissions Policy.

We aim to include all pupils in all events. If your child has a need that may require additional support on a trip, a member of staff will contact you to discuss the this and arrangements will be made to ensure that your child can take part. We seek to involve all pupils in trips, only where a safeguarding concern may be present would we consider whether an individual pupils’ needs may be safely met during the trip and/or the safety and safeguarding of others may be compromised. Parents may be asked to accompany their child on a trip.

Parents and carers may be invited to accompany children on the trip as 'parent helpers'. This is subject to the necessary safeguarding arrangements and will be arranged by our visit Co-Ordinator in the school office. For any parent concerned about educational trips they should contact their child's teacher.

Partially accessible for those with mobility needs. We are a site on several 'levels' and steps are both within and outside of the building. Steps enable access to all parts of the building and are used throughout the day for pupils and staff to access the playground and hall for assembly and lunchtime. Our building is ab older site and some of our steps are very steep. We have an accessible toilet near our Early Years environment, and one within each of the KS2 areas. The site is on a busy road. We have a small car park allocated for staff some distance away from the building, access from the car park to the building is via the road outside of school.

We have an Accessibility Plan in place and, where feasible, make reasonable adjustments to improve the accessibility to our environment to meet individual needs. Our policy and practice adhere to the Equality Act 2010. A copy of this plan is available on the school website or on request via the school office.

Facilities include;
Ramps for access into the school through the main entrance
A toilet adapted for disabled users / changing area
Equipment and resources are available for children who have specific needs
Our main entrance is wheelchair friendly and our doors are wide enough for wheelchair access.

Being an older building with additional areas added over time, our environment presents with some unique difficulties. There are many steps on site both inside and outside of the school buildings. Pupils, staff and visitors staff are required to use steps frequently throughout the school day to move around the school – eg for play times, lunchtimes, to access the school hall for assembly, to access different classrooms and areas. Ramps have been provided where the building has been able to be adapted but these do not allow for free flow around the site for those with mobility needs. The environment is not fully accessible to those with mobility needs.

We have an Accessibility Plan in place and, where feasible, make reasonable adjustments to improve the accessibility to our environment to meet individual needs. Our policy and practice adhere to the Equality Act 2010. A copy of this plan is available on the school website or on request via the school office.

Facilities include;
Ramps for access into the school through the main entrance
A toilet adapted for disabled users / changing area
Equipment and resources are available for children who have specific needs
Our main entrance is wheelchair friendly and our doors are wide enough for wheelchair access.

Being an older building with additional areas added over time, our environment presents with some unique difficulties. There are many steps on site both inside and outside of the school buildings. Pupils, staff and visitors staff are required to use steps frequently throughout the school day to move around the school – eg for play times, lunchtimes, to access the school hall for assembly, to access different classrooms and areas. Ramps have been provided where the building has been able to be adapted but these do not allow for free flow around the site for those with mobility needs. The environment is not fully accessible to those with mobility needs.

We employ a range of strategies to ensure we offer inclusive forms of communication. Most communication is electronic and from class teachers to parents we use the Dojo Platform. Staff are available at the end of the school day to speak with parents directly, or phone call, email, Dojo messages can be used.

For pupils with SEND needs in the form of communication and interaction, we employ a range of strategies – verbal modelling, visual support systems (eg visual timetables, now and next boards). Some pupils have specific support for communication needs and are under NHS Speech Therapy Services.
Teachers and support staff will act as clear role models for language.

For those pupils whose first language is not English, it is recognised that this is not a SEND need. Our English as an Additional Language Lead is Miss Langley.
Pupils for whom English is an additional language will often come with a wealth of knowledge in their first language and this should be built upon and developed. The child’s first language will be valued.
Where appropriate support will be sought from the Ethnic Minority team / Support from EAL team

Admissions arrangements are managed by the school office: 01543 227125 or admin@westhill.staffs.sch.uk

Visits to the school, in addition to the usual Open Days, transition arrangements, can be organised through the school office 01543 227125 admin@westhill.staffs.sch.uk

Strategies are in place to enable transition to be as smooth as possible.
These include;
Parents/carers and learner are invited to view the school prior to joining.
Pupils who start in the EYFS are invited to spend some time in the classroom to meet their new teacher / staff.
When appropriate, school staff may also visit a child’s current setting.
Secondary school staff visit pupils prior to them joining their new school.
SEND files are forwarded to the SENCo of a receiving school to ensure continuity.
When transferring to Secondary School, children will take part in transition day experiences, organised by the new school.

How will my child be supported during transition between year groups?
We understand that transitions can be difficult for pupils with SEND and we work to ensure it is as easy as possible. When moving into Reception: they are able to attend in school for a transition experience and parents are invited to meet with key school staff.(Subject to COVID-19 restrictions) When moving into a new year group, your child will have a ‘meet the teacher’ session during the summer term alongside an Open Evening for pupils and parents. If necessary your child will fill in a transition book, where they will be able to ask questions about their new classroom, new teacher and new year group. Opportunities to visit new classrooms and environments may be provided to pupils who may benefit from this, in order that they familiarise themselves with the new environment and are given opportunities to begin building relationships with staff. Transition arrangements include the One Page Profiles being reviewed and amended as necessary – these being done with the pupils (Summer 2). Formal transition information is provided by the SENCo to each receiving cohort and all staff are made aware of SEND needs as relevant to their roles. Class teachers meet with receiving class teachers for face to face discussions about individual pupils. Where staff are new to the school at the start of an academic year, we try to organise for them to attend for the ‘Meet the Teacher’ transition day, Open Evening etc, but this is subject to agreements with their current school.

At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive their more specialised expertise.

The agencies used by the school include:
Autism Outreach Team
CYP Autism Service
Speech and Language Therapy Services
Paediatricians and the wider paediatric team including nurse specialists
Visual Impairment Team
Hearing Impairment Team
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Behaviour Support
Play Therapy UK
Family Support workers through the Family Action Service
Early Help Support Workers
Social Services – where deemed necessary
Action for Children Wellbeing Service
Mental Health in Schools Team
Education Welfare Officer
The SEND Locality Hub
Educational Psychology

Further details of services can also be found on our SEND Padlet within the school website

Details of other services can be found by visiting the Local Offer for Staffordshire
The Local Offer is a Local Authority’s publication of all the provision “they expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people in their area who have SEN or are disabled, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.” (Section 4.1
SEND Code of Practice, January 2015)
Staffordshire’s local offer provides information and services for children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families.
The Local Offer website aims to help families by gathering the information that they need to know in order to make informed choices about the support they receive: Staffordshire Connects

June 2022 - review June 2023

If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made by them to speak to the Headteacher or SENCO, who will be able to give advice on formal procedures for complaint.
Our complaints procedure follows the LA guidelines. Such is our partnership with the children and parents; we would hope that all concerns would be dealt with at the earliest opportunity.

A copy of the complaints policy is on the school website or a paper copy can be obtained by contacting the school office.