The Teachers and Teaching assistants work very closely with the children every day. When they are concerned about a child they will raise
it with the SENCO and continue to monitor them. Along with the SENCO further interventions or outside support is arranged. Slow
progress and low attainment will not automatically mean that a pupil is recorded as having SEND. Parents will be informed of any concerns
and how we are planning to support your child.
We use a variety of early interventions to help support children when they are first identified. Some of these include: Read, Write, Inc,
Powermaths, Precision Teaching, Code X

If any parents have any concerns they can raise them with the class teacher. This can then be shared with the SENCO and interventions or
further support can be put into place.

Policy can be found on the school website:
www.st-austins.org.uk/policies/

We are an inclusive school where every child is valued and respected as a child of God. We work to support all our students to make progress
in their learning, their emotional and social development, and their independence including those with SEND.
All teachers are teachers of special educational needs. The SEND Code of Practice is followed and all teachers receive training in the SEND
Code of Practice. We recognises that it is the teachers’ responsibility to meet the needs of all children in their class through high quality
teaching, classroom organisation, seating arrangements, carefully planned lessons, a range of teaching styles, teaching materials and
differentiation.
All children being ‘monitored’ or on the ‘SEN register’ have specific interventions tailored to their current needs. This is reviewed regularly
by the class teachers and Senior Leadership Team. All children on a ‘passport plan’ are involved to write their targets and information on the
plan.
We have many outside agencies that come to deliver targets/plans or support teachers in various ways on the classroom.
These agencies/services include:
SENSS (LS) – Special Educational Needs Support Services-Learning Support
SENSS- Special Educational Needs Support Services-Behaviour Support
SSS HI – Specialist Support Service – Hearing Impairment
SSS VI- Specialist Support Service – Visual Impairment
EP-educational Psychologist
SALT-Speech and language Therapy Service
AOT-Autism Outreach Team (We can only access this service if your child has a diagnosis of Autism.)
The needs of the majority of children will be met through differentiation and use of classroom support. Children for who a pupil passport has
been completed will receive appropriate support or interventions for an agreed timescale which will then be reviewed regularly. For some children a short term intervention may allow them to access learning in line with the rest of the class. For other children further
intervention will be needed and for some children support from outside agencies may be required.

All teachers have high expectations of all students. All students are provided with a broad, balanced curriculum with Quality First Teaching
that is differentiated to the learning needs of all students. High quality teaching is monitored and ensured through: classroom observations;
termly work sampling; work scrutiny of exercise books; internal and external moderation of assessments and examinations; teacher meetings
with SENCo/Deputy SENCo; termly SEND Passport review meetings; academy data and progress tracking.
Teaching staff and Teaching Assistants use a range of methods to support the learning needs of all students including: modelling;
scaffolding; questioning; sentence starters; storyboarding; chunking information; use of writing frames; cloze procedures; guided reading;
mind mapping; use of ICT eg laptops and reader pens.
Staffing and resources are adapted to accommodate the needs of students.
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, larger font size, laptops, reading rulers, pen grips
and exercise books with coloured paper.
Students may be assessed for Examination Access Arrangements in school and this information is shared with staff at each assessment
point. Some students may require additional processing time or access to a reader or prompter.
Outside agencies are invited to work closely with our students with additional needs. We work with a range of agencies including for example:
the Educational Psychology Service; Autism Outreach; the Hearing impairment team and communications support workers; the Visually
impairment team; Occupation therapy and Physiotherapy services.
The Curriculum is continually monitored by the Leadership Team to ensure that it meets the needs of all students. The curriculum overview
can be viewed on the school website.
The Accessibility plan can be found on the school website.

Staffing and resources are adapted to accommodate the needs of students. The SEND budget is used to ensure that students on the SEND
register or those who are being monitored receive the support that they need. The budget is used to fund the cost of Teaching Assistants,
interventions and the purchase of resources.
Students with an EHCP receive support as specified in their individual plans.

The students do not require a specific diagnosis or label to receive support in the form of reasonable adjustments. The SENCo works with
the students, their parents/guardians, teaching staff, support staff, caseworkers and external agents to develop support packages for
individual students. Assessments, observations, book scrutiny and classwork as well as formal standardised assessment support this process.
Regular reviews, discussions and meetings take place to keep parents informed of progress.

The SEND budget is used as well as additional top up funding allocated to students with EHCPs to purchase equipment and facilities such as
reader pens, coloured reading rulers/overlays, mini whiteboards, laptops and software etc

Parents Evening takes place 3 times a year at St Austin’s where all parents are invited to discuss their child’s learning. You will be invited
each half term to discuss progress and if your child’s needs continued additional support. You will be informed at every stage of this process
and will be asked to play a proactive role in supporting your child’s learning at home. Your child’s class teacher and school SENCO will be your
regular points of contact.
At St Austin’s we have a robust system of reviewing the learning of all our learners and reporting this to parents during each parents
evening. For children with A pupil passport their learning is reviewed more regularly to see if interventions and actions are having an impact.
Agreed next steps can then be made.

We encourage our parents to be involved in the education of their child. A copy of your child’s ‘Passport’ and targets will be sent home along
with any resources for you to support your child. The Teacher will have regular contact with you to support you at home.

At St Austin’s we review the learning alongside our learners and work together to discuss the next steps. For children with a pupil passport
their learning is reviewed more regularly to see if interventions and actions are having an impact and to see how the children feel they have
progressed. Their opinions are taken into account and added to the plans. These plans are then shared with parents.

All students, including those with SEND, are assessed on a regular basis in accordance with the School’s Assessment Policy and assessments
take place every half term for all students. Teachers monitor progress throughout the year. Each student’s progress is monitored in
comparison to their peers and against national data.
Pupils progress is shared during parents evenings and when reviewing ‘pupil passports’. Other meetings can be arranged on an individual basis
with the SENCO if required.

The passport are shared with all staff that come in to contact with your child including other teachers, teaching assistant and specialist
teachers like sport coaches. Risk assessments of individual children are completed regularly and sometimes on a daily basis depending on the
child’s needs. Extra/different support is provided to ensure the child is included as much as possible.

We provide the children with pastoral support throughout our PSHE lessons. The teachers/teaching assistant offer a ‘meet and greet’ each
morning along with time to talk during the day. Particular children have the opportunity to build up a greater relationship with particular
teaching assistants to help support their needs.
We provide intervention groups like nurture groups, Lego therapy, mindfulness groups and behaviour management to also support the
children.

Care plans are put into place for children with any additional medical need and are shared with the appropriate members of staff. We then
ensure any adjustments are made in relation to toileting, eating etc.

The behaviour and attendance policy can be found on the website :
www.st-austins.org.uk/policies

Students who are looked after are supported by the designated Teacher for LAC, Mrs Hoyle. Those students who are looked after and who
have SEND are also supported by the SENCO. Both staff work closely with students, their carers and the virtual school/relevant local
authorities.

The class teacher work closely with the children in their class. They will plan and provide targets and interventions for each individual child.
They will work closely with the teaching assistant ensuring they deliver the interventions and provide the correct supporting equipment. The
SENCO will also be fully aware of the child’s needs and support.

The SENCO provide training and liaise with external agents to provide training on a range of needs.
Students with EHCPs and who are on the SEND register have a raised profile and additional information is provided to staff at the start of
the academic year. Information is shared with staff following the annual review of a student who has an Educational Health Care Plan, and
following review meetings of pupil Passports.
The SEND register is placed on the SEND area of the staff shared platform for staff access.
Student Passports and medical needs are placed on the Whole School area of the staff shared platform for staff access.
Risk assessments are shared with staff and teaching assistants.

Mrs Harratt the SENCO has over 14 years of teaching experience, with a degree in Special Educational Needs. She has worked ass a SENCO
in 2 schools and has been St Austin’s SENCO for 7 years now. She has attended the National SENCO award and regularly attends updates
and in service training from various outside agencies.
Teaching assistants have received personalised training programmes in Dyslexia training, Autism level 1 and 2, the delivery of Precision
teaching, Turnabout and behaviour management.

We have close links with our Educational Psychologist who provides information for staff training on a range of issues.
The school nurse and medically trained professionals deliver training on issues such as asthma, epilepsy and physiotherapy programmes.
The academy has regular access to advice from a range of service providers including the local district SEND and Inclusion hub.
The SEND department work with speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and other health professionals who are involved with
students attending school and a wide range of external agencies which include:
Autism Outreach Team
Hearing Impairment Team
Visual Impairment Team
Educational Psychologist Service
CAMHS
Occupational Therapy
Educational Welfare Workers
School Nurse

Please contact your child’s class teacher if you are concerned about anything.

Mrs J Harratt, SENCO 01785 413277
j.harratt@st-austins.staffs.sch.uk

The SEN governor is Mrs Helen Stone. The role of the governor is to:
Help raise awareness of SENd issues at LG meetings.
Monitor the quality and effectiveness of SEND provision in the school.
Work with the SENCo to develop SEND policy and provision in the school.
There are two MAC SEND governor meetings held each year.
Termly meetings are held between the SEN governor and the school SENCo.

We recognise that all pupils have the right to be involved in making decisions and exercising choice in their education where that is possible.
Open dialogue between pupils and key workers (teacher or Teaching assistant) is encouraged. Children are given the opportunity to discuss
their work and how they feel it is going. Targets and progress is also discussed with the children.

We welcome parents to support us and parents are frequently asked to provide their views and feedback at Passport review meetings, annual
review meetings and in parental surveys.

The class teachers and/or SENCO meet with families to offer support and signpost services. Referrals are made to CAMHS, Early help, SEN
inclusion hub, Autism outreach when required.

All students are encouraged to take part in a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities and all clubs, activities and trips are
available to all students. All students are encouraged to fully immerse themselves into the school life by participating in eg workshops,
transition days, school productions, sports day, residential trips. Reasonable adjustments are made to facilitate any additional needs and no
student is ever excluded from taking part in activities because of a special educational need or disability.

In line with statutory guidance, the school has an Accessibility plan which is regularly reviewed to ensure that pupils are able to access the
curriculum and the physical environment.

We have facilities for parking and accessible toilets

All pupils, including those that have sensory or physical disabilities, have the opportunity to participate fully.

We ensure that all parents have access to the information being shared. We invite those whose first language is not English into the school with family/friend members to help translate and have a conversation between the teachers and parents.
We translate our letters when sending them out if required.

Please follow the link for our admissions support:

https://www.st-austins.org.uk/admissions/

Open days are held in October. Families have the opportunity to tour the school site, meet with the staff and with other students in school.
To arrange a visit to school contact: office@st-austins.staffs.sch.uk

We have close links with both the local nurseries and high school to help support transition.
All children starting school come to visit the school for an induction during July prior to them starting in September. We offer parents the
opportunity to come and see the school and find out further information during these visits but also during a separate evening information
night. The staff will contact and visit the nurseries to ensure they know your child before starting school.
Where needed the SENCO will meet and attend meetings for any SEN children starting the school to ensure the transition into school is as
smooth as expected. The children may also have more transition sessions according to their needs.
At the end of each year the teachers discuss they children’s progress and needs with the next teachers.
All year 6 children are supported when transitioning to High School. The attend visits and the Year 6 teacher will support them in getting to
know the school and teachers/tutors.
The SENCO will meet with the tutors and/or SENCO from the high school to discuss any additional needs. These children will also be able
to attend further transition sessions in small groups to support their understanding and confidence.

You may wish to contact the SENCo if you feel that your child needs the support of a specialist service.
Some support services available to parents include:
The SENDIASS Staffordshire Family Partnership is for parents and carers of children and young people ( aged 0-25 ), with special
educational needs and disabilities and children and young people ( up to 25 ) with SEND can be contacted on www.staffs-iass.org. They offer
information, advice and support about education, health and social care issues to support Staffordshire’s SEND Local Offer.
The Staffordshire Local Offer can be found: https://www. staffordshire.gov.uk/Children-and-earlyyears/hildcare-providers-andprofessionals/SENDD-Local-Offer.aspx
Independent Parental Special Education Advice (IPSEA) http://www.ipsea.org.uk/
British Dyslexia Association http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
https://combined.nhs.uk/

The SEND information report is updated annually. The latest update was March 2022.

Dialogue between parents and the school is actively encouraged in order to resolve any problems at an early stage.
Initially, all complaints from parents or carers about their child’s provision is made to the SENCo or Deputy SENCo, who follows this up with
the relevant staff. However, if a parent or carer is not satisfied with the response given, the complaints procedure outlined on the school’s
website may be followed.
The Academy Complaints Procedure can be found on the website:
www.st-austins.org.uk/policies