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.
Many children and young people who have SEND may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 – that is ‘…a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. This definition includes sensory impairments such as those affecting sight or hearing, and long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer.

At Churnet View Middle School it is our aim to identify any pupil who has a Special Educational Need as early as possible. We aim to build the identification of SEND into the overall approach to monitoring the progress and development of all pupils.
Indicators could include:
• Concerns raised by parents/carers;
• Concerns raised through liaison with feeder schools/previous school;
• Concerns raised by a teacher using a SEND referral form, e.g. for behaviour or self-esteem if this is affecting performance;
• When attainment outcomes indicate a lack of progress;
• Changes in behaviour;
• If a pupil begins to ask for help more frequently;
• Liaison with external agencies;
• Health diagnosis by a paediatrician;
• Pupil observation indicates that they may have additional needs in one (or more) of the four areas: 1. Communication and Interaction 2. Cognition and Learning 3. Social, Mental and Emotional Health 4. Sensory/Physical Needs

The identification and assessment of needs in school would be done in line with the Staffordshire Local offer https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/Access-to-learning/Local-Offer-SEND-Pathway.aspx using the Assess, Plan, Do and Review cycle.
• If concerns are raised or identified, school staff would complete a referral form identifying the concerns, gathering evidence and documenting strategies they have used as part of quality first teaching.
• An individual assessment of a pupil will then be undertaken to identify needs and barriers to success accurately. Desired outcomes will be identified, including the expected progress and attainment and the views and wishes of the pupil and their parents. This will be recorded on a Pupil Passport. Parents and pupils will be invited to discuss these early stages so that they can voice their views and develop an understanding of the strengths and areas of need of the pupil.
• Additional action to increase the rate of progress will then be identified and recorded. This involves seeking to identify which of the four areas of need it is (this may be more than one).
• There will then be a review of the impact of the strategies being used to further support the success of the pupil. The first action taken after the identification of a need should be high quality teaching targeted to the pupil’s area of need. If review of the action taken indicates that support beyond that which can be provided by quality first teaching will be required, then the views of all involved, including the pupil and the parent, will be obtained and appropriate evidence-based interventions identified, recorded and implemented by the subject teachers with advice from the SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo.
• Parents will be informed that the school considers their child may require SEND support and their partnership will be sought to improve attainments. The pupil will be placed on a SEND monitoring register. They will then have a Pupil Passport, which will clearly identify a set of expected outcomes. This will include aspirational and appropriate academic and developmental targets (including for older children, and young people, targets around preparing for adulthood). Progress towards these outcomes will be tracked and reviewed on a termly basis with the Assistant SENDCo, the parents and the pupil. This process is part of the Assess, Plan, Do and Review cycle (ADPR)
• The strategies will then be reviewed to see if they have worked. If these strategies meet the needs of the child, feedback to parents will be given and the need will be considered met. If these strategies do not meet the needs of the child, the school will return to the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle and seek alternative strategies, diagnostics tools or outside agencies. If the strategies need to meet the needs of the child move beyond those within quality first teaching provisions, and the pupil will be added to the school’s SEND register. This will only be undertaken after parental consent has been obtained. The school may need to seek outside agency support to identify the specific needs of a pupil. Again, this can only be done with the consent of the parent/carer. This may include referral to:
1. Staffordshire SEND Hub
2. Special Educational Needs Support Service (SENSS)
3. Behaviour Support Service
4. Autism Outreach Team – where a child already has a diagnosis
5. Hearing Impairment Team
6. Visual Impairment Team
7. Educational Psychologist Service
8. Education Welfare Officers (VIP Education)
9. Social Services
10. School Nurse
11. CAMHS – Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service
12. Visyon Counselling Service (In-house)

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 will be made to the Local Authority to conduct an assessment of education, health and care needs. This may result in an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) being provided.

*The identification of a SEND need is not always linked to academic progress. A need may also be identified where a pupil needs to make additional progress with wider development or social needs in order to prepare them for life after school.

To begin with, please ring, e-mail or arrange to come in to school to speak with your child’s author group teacher, subject teacher or Head of Year. This may then result in a referral to the school SENDCo, Mrs R Jukes whose contact details are: 01538 384939 or rjukes@ttlt.org.uk or the Assistant SENDCO, Mrs H. Dow whose contact details are: 01538 384939 or hdow@ttlt.org.uk
More general concerns can also be raised with our SEND Governor who can be contacted through the clerk of Governors cvm.office@ttlt.org.uk

At Churnet View Middle School we pride ourselves on building positive, working relationships with parents. We are very open and honest with parents/carers and we hope that parents/carers feel that they are able to be open and honest with the school too. All parents/carers will be listened to. Their views and their aspirations for their child will be central to the assessment and the provision that is provided by the school.

Please use the links to the relevant policies.

At Churnet View Middle School will use our best endeavours to make sure that a child with SEND gets the support they need and has access to a broad and balanced curriculum – this means doing everything we can to meet children and young person’s SEND.

All pupils will be provided with high quality teaching that is differentiated to meet the diverse needs of individual learners. Quality First Teaching (QFT) is a measure of effective practice and is part of the graduated response cycle of Assess, Plan, Do and Review . Our class teachers provide an educational experience that allows for all children and young people, including those with SEND to make expected progress or better. This is done through teachers assessing the needs of all pupils and then planning how they will meet their needs in the classroom. Please note that additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.
There are three broad tiers of support above quality first teaching. This is not a linear model; some pupils with SEND will receive a personalised programme of support that may encompass one or more tiers.

Pupils with a disability will be provided with reasonable adjustments in order to prevent disadvantage, prevent discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored through a number of processes that includes:
• Classroom observation by Middle Leaders, the Senior Leadership Team, the SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo and external verifiers
• Ongoing assessment of progress made by pupils in lessons and specific intervention groups
• Scrutiny of planning
• Whole school pupil progress tracking
• Attendance and behaviour records
• Learning walks by Middle Leaders, the Senior Leadership Team, the SENDCO/Assistant SENDCo and Heads of Department
• Newly Qualified Teachers are monitored and supported throughout their initial year with additional lesson observations where required.

In order to fully support a young person with SEND, Churnet View seeks to review and, where necessary, improve, teachers’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils and their knowledge of the SEND most frequently encountered in our context.
Pupils are currently taught in mixed ability classes identified using a pupil’s reading age. Teachers plan their lessons using pupils’ flightpath information. The school aims to assess termly the levels of attainment of our pupils and build on assessment information from previous settings or key stages. Work is differentiated so that the needs of all pupils in the classroom are met. When a pupil has been identified as having special educational needs, strategies to support and overcome barriers will be identified and implemented in the classroom (and wider school) to remove barriers to learning and enable them to access the curriculum more easily. If needed, additional support will be provided. This may include the use of specialist equipment or resources, ICT and/or additional adult help.

All pupils will have individual curriculum flightpath targets set based on assessments in school. These targets are in line with national outcomes to ensure aspiration and high expectations. These are discussed with parents/carers and pupils at Parent Consultation events, SEND events such as coffee mornings and they are detailed in three termly reports sent home. A pupil’s progress towards meeting these targets is tracked using the whole school tracking system. Pupils who are not making expected levels of progress given their age and individual circumstances are identified quickly using termly data and are discussed in termly meetings that are undertaken between the subject teacher/Heads of Department. Termly meetings are also held between the SENDCo and parents/carers. Where it is decided that action is required to support increased rates of progress, the assess, plan, do and review cycle for the pupil will be revisited and reviewed. This can be progress which:
• is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
• fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
• fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
• widens the attainment gap
The school plans the support by ensuring that all staff who work with pupils identified as having SEND are made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. This information is recorded on the school’s SharePoint so that it can be frequently shared with staff.

The support and intervention for those pupils who need it is selected to meet the outcomes identified for individual pupils. The school identifies patterns with specific areas of need and targets those areas. For example, it has been identified that a number of pupils face barriers accessing some high frequency words. This then means that they struggle with the more complex skills of comprehension and decoding. Resources have been allocated for a TA to lead a team of staff to deliver Precision Teaching interventions in order to address the vocabulary barriers for those pupils in need. Evidence has been sought from sources such as the Education Endowment Foundation to identify the most effective interventions. Parents are informed about any interventions their child is involved with and given the opportunity to provide feedback.

The school aims to have interventions in place to support varying needs. For example, members of staff are trained in a dyslexia programme so that they can deliver small group or one-to-one intervention sessions to support pupils with that area of need. Where possible, support is embedded in the classroom as part of quality first teaching. Subjects teachers are responsible for ensuring that appropriate support is given in the classroom on a daily basis. If a Teaching Assistant is used to support a pupil’s needs, members of teaching staff work closely with them to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions. The SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo are on hand to ensure that the correct support is in place and it is having the desired impact on outcomes for the pupil.

How and when will I be involved in planning my child or young person’s education?

At Churnet View Middle School, parents are fully included and involved in the process of working with their children. We endeavour to take into account parents’ concerns to the best of our ability. Our approach is aimed at ensuring everyone understands the agreed outcomes sought for the child. Our methods of communication include: Initial visits to the school; Early transition visits; Introductory meetings; Home/School Link Book for information exchanges and key messages (where requested); Parent/Carer Consultation Meetings Education; Health and Care Plan Reviews and Report Coffee Mornings and Coffee Afternoons.
Attainments towards the identified outcomes will be shared with parents/carers termly through meetings or conversations with the Assistant SENDCo, the pupil’s allocated Teaching Assistant, the Assistant SENDCO or the SENDCO. Parent’s Consultation events are also an opportunity to discuss attainment with the pupil’s subject teachers. Parents may request a home/school link book as this is a good tool for communicating with staff on a regular basis. Parents are encouraged to arrange an appointment to discuss their child’s progress with the form/subject teacher, Head of Year, the Assistant SENDCO, the SENDCO. Please contact the school office, on 01538 384939, to arrange this.

What is your approach to differentiation? How is the curriculum and learning environment adapted to meet the individual needs of children with SEND?
Regular assessments inform differentiation for individual pupils. Teachers use Success Criteria to set appropriately challenging lesson objectives for pupils. Staff should have high expectations of all pupils and provide the support or scaffolding needed so that all pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum. Tiered vocabulary is also identified for pupils. A range of strategies and resources are used in the classroom to support SEND pupils with achieving the same outcomes as their peers. Examples of differentiation may be: making worksheets accessible, breaking down larger more complex texts into manageable chunks, allowing additional time for processing, repeating instructions separately to a pupil, providing scaffolding or using a peer mentor to support and encourage.

As part of our budget planning, a clear picture of the total amount of resources available is established. 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 to the school to provide for their education (the Age Weighted Pupil Unit); The Notional SEN budget; The Pupil Premium funding for pupils who meet certain criteria.
In addition, for those pupils with the most complex needs, the school may be allocated Additional Educational Needs funding as the result of a pupil having an ECHP or when the school has applied for AEN funding. This funding is used to provide the equipment and facilities to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities through (this is not an exhaustive list and offers some of the uses of the funding):
183; In-class support from teaching assistants
183; Small group or one-to-one support from teaching assistants e.g. nurture groups, literacy and numeracy support, social, emotional and mental health support
183; Specialist support from teachers e.g. 1:1 tuition
183; Support from external agencies e.g. access arrangement assessment, speech and language support
183; Provision of specialist resources e.g. assessment software
183; CPD relating to SEND for staff
• How would you secure additional funding for a pupil?
If the school had gathered enough evidence over a period of time as part of the APDR cycle, which highlighted that further support was needed for a pupil beyond that which could be provided as part of quality first provisions, then an application for AEN funding or an EHCP application could be made after consent from parents/carers.
• How does your setting further meet need?
Churnet View Middle School has systems in place to identify children who are in need of support and we aim to assess, monitor and secure appropriate support for any pupils with SEN that we have within the best of our capability. In line with Section 66 of the Children and Families Act 2014 we aim to: “If a registered pupil or a student at a school or other institution has special educational needs, the appropriate authority must, in exercising its functions in relation to the school or other institution, use its best endeavours to secure that the special educational provision called for by the pupil’s or student’s special educational needs is made.

When making a decision about the type of support and how much support your child will receive, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will then use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.
Who else will be involved?

The views of parents/carers, pupils, appropriate staff in school and external agencies if necessary.
• How will I be involved as a parent and carer?
The views and wishes of parents and carers will be taken fully into consideration as they will be consulted as part of the process. This may be via meetings, phone calls and e-mails.

What resources are available?
The school has a departmental budget set each year to support equipment for pupils with SEND. For example, overlays or visual aids that may be needed. If a pupil qualifies for funding to secure equipment and facilities beyond the school’s budget constraints, the school will work with the local authority and external agencies to assess what equipment is needed, apply for funding and install it in school for our pupils.
What is the process to secure these resources
If equipment is needed for a physical disability, the school works alongside healthcare professionals who source and gain quotes for equipment before funding is then applied for by the school to the local authority. This may involve the school paying a contribution towards the equipment.

• How will you assess my child’s progress?
Pupils are assessed termly and reports sent home to parents/carers. The school uses an assessment system to identify targets for pupils and their progress is tracked against these as the school year progresses. This is a new system that is being trialled in order to provide a clear picture of progress and attainment.
• How often will my child’s progress be reviewed, and how will this be done?
It is the responsibility of every class teacher to monitor the progress and development of every pupil in their class. Progress is reviewed by teaching staff, Heads of Department and the Senior Leadership Team on a termly basis. Subject staff identify pupils who are not making the progress they should. Heads of Department seek to support staff in ensuring that strategies, planning and teaching is adapted to ensure that any concerns with progress can be addressed. The Senior leadership team identify patterns in data. Pupil Passports are reviewed with parents/carers and pupils on a termly basis.
• How will I know what progress they should be making?
We evaluate the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEN by:
• Reviewing pupils’ individual progress towards their targets each term
• Reviewing the impact of interventions termly or half termly
• Using pupil questionnaires
• Monitoring by the SENDCO
• Holding annual reviews for pupils with EHC plans
• What opportunities will there be for me to discuss his or her progress with the staff, or to be involved in review processes? (IRR)
At Churnet View Middle School, we aim to fully include parents/carers in the process of working with their children. This includes Parent/Carer Consultation Meetings, Pupil Passport reviews, Education, Health and Care Plan Reviews and Coffee Mornings/Afternoons
• How will you explain to me how learning is planned?
Curriculum information can be found on the school website for the individual subjects. All classes are designed to be mixed ability and therefore planning is differentiated for each lesson accordingly.
• What opportunities will there be for regular contact about things that have happened at the setting, school or college? (e.g. a home/school book)
If requested or deemed necessary, home/school link books can be set up to aid communication between staff and parents/carers. We also use a communication app, which sends e-mails and text messages to parents/carers and subject staff also communicate via e-mail and telephone when necessary. The Assistant SENDCo and further the SENDCo are also available to contact parents/carers if further communication is necessary.
• What measures do you take to assist communication with parents and carers with SEND?
We encourage communication with SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo and the Teaching Assistants linked to pupils via phone call, e-mail or through the school app. Parents/carers are encouraged to contact their child’s class or subject teacher in the first instance as that is often the most appropriate cause of action. We also use the school App, the school Newsletter and hold SEND Coffee mornings.
• How we work with specialist services to support learning
Wen advocate a multi-agency approach. The school attends the Staffordshire Moorlands Send and Inclusion Hub, we also hold meetings via Teams or face-to-face with agencies and parents/carers to ensure there is a holistic approach when necessary. The school aims to have an open dialogue with external agencies and support their work with families in the most productive way possible to meet the needs of our pupils.

• How I can help support this at home?
Please look at the Staffordshire Local Offer: https://www.staffordshireconnects.info/kb5/staffordshire/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0&lousertype=parents

Also see the school website, which can be found: https://cvm.ttlt.org.uk/curriculum/sen/ The website includes links to other websites and resources that we have found useful in supporting parents to help their child learn at home. The author group/subject teacher, Head of Year or the SENDCo may also be able to suggest additional ways of supporting your child’s learning. We believe that communication is essential in working together to support your child and any support will start with positive communication.
• Do you offer any parent training?
As a school we endeavour to support families as much as we can. Advice is offered during communication with parents/carers, Consultation events and SEND coffee mornings. Further advice through the Staffordshire Local offer is also available here:

• How will my child be kept up-to-date on their progress, and involved in review processes?
All pupils in our school are treated with dignity and respect. we aim for our curriculum to be accessible to all and fully inclusive. Children with additional needs receive a personalised learning offer, through their Pupil Passport/Learning Plan, to enable them to experience success throughout their school life. The Pupil Council involves pupils and allows them to contribute and decide on aspects of school life, relating to their needs. Pupils are encouraged to contribute their views to their pupil passport throughout the academic year. The assessment and annual review process of Education, Health and Care Plans also includes the views of pupils.

• How does the setting, school or college measure outcomes and the impact of the support provided to children or young people with SEND?
At Churnet View Middle school, we welcome and encourage feedback from parents/carers and pupils. Outcomes are measured through formal assessments and teacher assessments in the classroom and also through observations of pupils.
• How will you involve parents and carers in this process?
Parents/carers views are encouraged in EHCP review meetings, Pupil passport reviews, Parent Consultation events and SEND/Inclusion Coffee mornings.
• How will you involve children and young people in this process?
Pupils views are sought for Pupil Passport Reviews EHCP reviews and through pupil voice surveys.
• Does the setting, school or college use feedback mechanisms or surveys?
The school consults with its parents/carers each year through a parent /carer survey.

We are an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity. All of our staff believe that children having high self-esteem is crucial to a child’s well-being. We have a caring, understanding team looking after our children. At Churnet View we have a very strong pastoral team, led by author group teachers, Heads of Year and Assistant Headteachers. The author group teacher would be the parents’ first point of contact and if further support is required the class teacher liaises with the Head of Year, SENDCo or the Assistant Headteachers for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies, such as Health & Social Services, Special Educational Needs Support Services, Educational Psychologist or the Behaviour Support Team.
• What handover arrangements are offered at the start and end of the school day?
If a pupil has an EHCP and has funded hours of support, it may be appropriate for the TA to communicate at the beginning and the end of a school day. Communication can also be done through home/school link books or via e-mail, the school app or a telephone call. This support is often personalised and based on the individual needs of the pupil.
• What support is offered during breaks and lunchtimes?
The TLC Base is accessible before school and during break and lunchtimes for pupils to access should they need to. Where necessary, pupils may be supported by their TAs during unstructured times. This will be the case if this type of support is built in to an Education, Health and Care Plan.
• How do you ensure my son/daughter stays safe outside the classroom? (e.g. during PE lessons, moving between buildings and on school trips)

Standard risk assessments are completed in school to ensure that activities in the various lessons and behaviour around the school building is conducted within the relevant health and safety regulations. The school also has a clear behaviour policy in place which supports the safe movement of pupils and staff around the school.
• What are the setting/school/college arrangements for undertaking risk assessments?
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. If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required a parent or carer may also be asked to accompany their child during the activity in addition to the usual school staff.

We recognise that some children have extra emotional and social needs that need to be developed and nurtured. These needs can manifest themselves in a number of ways, including behavioural difficulties, anxiousness, and being uncommunicative. All classes follow a structured PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) curriculum to support this development. However, for those children who find aspects of this difficult we offer:
183; Access to The Teaching, Learning and Care Base – Churnet View’s Nurture Room, which is available before school and during unstructured time at break and lunch – this is always supervised by teaching assistants.
183; In some cases a referral to the school counselling service, Visyon, may be made after discussions with parents or a referral to the CAHMS Trailblazer Team
• What pastoral arrangements are in place to listen to pupils/students with SEND?
Pastoral care begins with a pupil’s author group teacher in school. Tiers of support in addition to this include: a Head of Year for each Year group, Inclusion Staff from the school’s Teaching, Learning and Care Base. Pastoral content is covered in RESPECT and RSE lessons timetabled for each year group throughout their week.
• What measures are in place to prevent bullying?
The school has a robust Behaviour Policy in place, which is also supported by the Anti-Bullying Policy. Together, they support the prevention and of bullying and provide a framework to deal with concerns swiftly and constructively. The school’s approach is outlined in these policies and they can be found under the policy section of the school website. Author group teachers, Heads of Year, Inclusion Staff and SLT are there to support with the measures in place to prevent or support with bullying; this includes listening to the views of pupils with SEND. The school is currently in its first year of working towards having a restorative approach to behaviour, which includes bullying, for all parties involved to ensure the most positive outcomes.
We provide support for pupils to improve their emotional and social development in the following ways: Pupils with SEND are encouraged to be part of the school council; Pupils with SEND are also encouraged to be part of the various extra-curricular clubs to promote teamwork/building friendships. This is supported by the fact that we offer a broad range of extra-curricular provisions to encourage as much participation from pupils with varying interests.
• Where can I find details of policies on bullying?
In the Anti-bullying policy on the school website in the policies section.

• How do you help children and young people to make friends?
Considerable communication is done when pupils transition to the school in order to place pupils in a class with other pupils that they feel comfortable with. The school organises transition activities so that pupils can get to know each other in a less formal environment. Class teachers also use group work where pupils are encouraged to work with others who they are not familiar with. The Teaching, Learning and Care Base is also open before school, and during break and lunchtimes for pupils to access if they are struggling during unstructured time. Author group teachers also follow a carefully planned Relationships (RSC) curriculum every Friday afternoon to support pupils with building positive relationships. School prefects, peer reading mentors, the school council and the sports council also encourage pupils to participate in events and in activities outside of their usual friendship groups.
• Is a mentor or buddy scheme available for my child or young person?
School prefects act as mentors and buddies for pupils across the school. The school has also recently received training from Lisa Wood and from September 2022, we will have Restorative Practice Ambassadors in place to support well-being and positive behaviour in school.
Does the school/setting offer a counselling service or a learning mentor?
The school has a CAMHS Trailblazer counsellor linked to the school, who we are able to refer our pupils into. The school also buys the services of Visyon Counselling who come into school on a weekly basis. Some of our Inclusion/Pastoral staff are trained in certain therapies such as Lego Therapy. Therefore, there is a certain amount of in school support available. Our Assistant SENDCo is also currently about to undertaken the ELSA Emotion Coaching Training.

How does the setting / school / college manage the administration of medicines and providing personal care where necessary (e.g. toileting, eating etc.)? The school has a policy regarding the administration and managing of medicines on the school site. Parents should contact the office staff if medication is recommended by Health Professionals to be taken during the school day. On a day-to-day basis the Admin staff generally oversee the administration of medicines after a consent form has been completed. As a whole staff we have regular training and updates of conditions and medication affecting individual children so that all staff are able to manage medical situations.
• What would the setting/school/college do in the case of a medical emergency? See First Aid Policy including an assessment of First Aid provision at the school
• How does the setting/school/college support young people who have to take time off for medical appointments?
The school works closely with our Attendance Officer from VIP Education to ensure that we are giving current advice on attendance to parents and pupils. We encourage all parents/carers to make medical appointments outside of school hours where possible so reduce the impact of absence on a pupil’s attendance. However, we fully understand that this is not always possible and aim to have regular communication with parents/carers where pupils need to take time off. We do ask for evidence of appointments, which allows the school to work and communicate with the local authority if a pupil’s percentage attendance becomes a concern.
• How do you work with the family to draw up a care plan and ensure that all relevant staff are aware of the plan?
The school will work closely with the relevant health care professional to ensure that if a care plan is necessary for a pupil that it is relevant to our setting. Once this has been created, the care plan will be shared with staff and any other necessary relevant agencies

The school’s behaviour policy can be found on the school website in the policy section. The policy was written in conjunction with the Local Authorities Inclusion Officer and a member of staff from the Virtual School to ensure that the approach is as restorative as possible. Churnet View has also committed to becoming part of Staffordshire’s Initiative to become a Restorative Authority, where approaches to behaviour for learning are not punitive and seek to secure the best outcomes for all pupils. The school has added a layer of support in the form of the Teaching, Learning and Care Base, where internal layers of pastoral and behavioural support are provided for pupils. This allows the school to have a tiered preventative approach in order to prevent behaviours from escalating too quickly. Inclusion and SEND staff are part of the same team and work together to identify any underlying barriers which may be contributing to negative behaviour in school. The team is then able to more easily signpost a pupil or identify the most relevant support.
The school ensures that a safe and stable teaching and learning environment is provided for our pupils, which provides stability for our SEND pupils. The school works closely with VIP Education to establish pupils whose attendance needs to improve or where patterns in poor attendance are emerging. As a team, the school and VIP Education then decide on the best way to communicate and work with parents. This also may include the local authority’s education welfare officer. Our key ways of communicating with parents/carers are: letters, e-mails, through the school newsletter and in attendance clinics. The school also celebrates positive attendance through the school newsletter and links rewards in school to positive attendance.
Churnet View has recently launched a new house system to enhance the current positive behaviour rewards system. This will allow pupils to receive awards on an individual and school community basis.

As a group, looked after children are nine times more likely to have an Education, Health and Care Plan than the general pupil population. The majority of looked after children have SEND. It is important that all children with SEND receive the educational provision which meets their needs. Churnet View Middle School recognises that many looked after children will have had difficult and unstable home and school lives before being placed in care and therefore understand that it is imperative that their needs are quickly and efficiently assessed and provided for. This should ensure that the effect of any instability is reduced to a minimum. Churnet View Middle School’s approach to encouraging and supporting the educational achievement of looked after children is based on the following principles:
183; Listening to the looked after children, working closely with home, voluntary and statutory agencies;
183; Promoting attendance, through a programme of early intervention, priority action, reducing exclusions and promoting stability within a positive learning environment;
183; Identifying need and targeting support, including accessing resources from other agencies as well as provision from other sources, including in-school intervention;
183; Having high expectations.
Miss K Buxton is the school’s designated member of staff for LAC pupils. She liaises with staff to ensure that the needs of pupils who are LAC are met across the school and she also liaises with the appropriate external agencies to ensure the school supports a multi-agency approach to meet needs and address any barriers.

• Who will be working with my child/young person – include contact details
All staff who are timetabled to teach your child are involved in their education. If there are any concerns or you have any questions, we ask that your first point of contact is your child's author group teacher, who can be contacted through the school office: cvm.office@ttlt.org.uk

• What is the role of my child’s class teacher/s?
The role of your child’s class teacher is to understand the needs and barriers of individual pupils and to provide a safe classroom environment which meets those needs. If those needs cannot be met within the classroom, it is the responsibility of the class teacher to seek support from the relevant department in school so that needs can be met and barriers broken down.

Documents for pupils are stored on the school’s SharePoint and on Sims. We are currently in the process of moving al of our pupil passports and one page profiles on to the system that are staff use to upload and analyse data. This will make the key SEND information more accessible for them and will ensure that all information needed to support our pupils with SEND is engaged with fully by staff. Staff are trained in the use of this and can access the information readily. The SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo also conduct training on Inset days or in staff meetings to share or draw attention to the information and provide staff with opportunities to ask questions. Information is re-shared and updated at regular points throughout the school year so that staff have access to the most current and relevant information to inform their teaching and care of individual pupils.

Staff have received whole school training from Andrew Black on Positive Handling which supports positive relationships and pupils with SEMH needs. Churnet View is at the beginning of training in Restorative Practice as a whole school. Some senior members of staff, inclusion staff and middle leaders have received some initial training on the pedagogy and language used in Restorative Practice.
Individual or groups of staff have also received training on:
• Colourful semantics
• SALT training
• Emotion Coaching
• Read, Write, Inc
• Dyslexia interventions and approaches
• SEMH STOPP behaviour training
• Attachment and Trauma Aware training
• Precision Teaching Training
• Supporting pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties
• The NASENDCo qualification has been completed by the SENDCo

• Attendance at the termly SENDCo update
• The Assistant SENDCo is about to complete the ELSA Emotion Coaching Training
• The school has regular visits from SENSS specialist teachers, the Autism Outreach Team and the Educational Psychologist who are able to provide advice to staff on how to support the success and progress of individual pupils.
• Key staff have received refresher diabetes training
• What type of knowledge do staff members have in relation to SEND (awareness, enhanced or specialist)?
At each Inset day and built in to the school training calendar are opportunities for staff to be provided with training on the key areas of need: cognition and learning, communication and interaction, Social, emotional and mental health and physical and/or sensory. Staff also have focused sessions on differentiation in the classroom, the use of Teaching Assistants and information on the school’s tiered approach to SEND is regularly shared with staff.
• Does the setting, school or college have any areas of expertise with specialist staff, and what are their qualifications?
R Jukes, the school’s SENDCo, has completed the NASENDCo qualification and is a qualified SENDCo. She has also completed the Restorative Practice training.
H Dow, the school’s Assistant SENDCo, has completed Dyslexia CodeBreaker training and Elsa Emotion Coaching
J Edwards, Inclusion Officer, has completed STOPP behaviour training and Restorative Practice Training
C Wainwright, TA, has completed Dyslexia CodeBreaker training
R Harrison, Inclusion Officer, is trained in Precision Teaching
• What ongoing support and development is in place for staff with regard to supporting children and young people with SEN?
During the academic year 2021/2022 a staff audit of training will be conducted to establish any further areas of CPD/Training that staff feel would support them in their role. The SENDCo and Assistant SENDCo also use the SEND in a Nutshell document to identify the areas of need that are the highest in school and aim to train relevant members of staff so that we can support those needs.
Currently, staff are trained in line with the needs of the pupils they support in school.
• Does the setting, school or college have any formal accreditations, charter marks or awards?
Not currently.
• Does the setting, school or college provide disability awareness training?
Not currently.

• How does the setting and its governing body involve and work with other agencies in meeting the needs of my child or young person with SEND? Eghealth, social services, local authority support services, voluntary organisations.

Where appropriate and necessary, Churnet View Middle School adopts a multi-agency approach. This is a pupil centred approach, which focuses on making sure that all agencies involved in the care of an individual pupil are aware of all of the barriers they are faced with and can work together to address them. This involves regular liaison with agencies, multi-agency meetings or regular communication on the progress of the pupil in school, both academically and socially. Termly reports on SEND are shared with the governing body, as are key documents.
• Which health or therapy services can children/young people access on the setting/school/college premises?
• Special Educational Needs Support Service (SENSS)- if the school has deemed it necessary to make a referral
• SALT (speech and language therapy service)
• Behaviour Support Service- where a pupil has been referred in to the service
• Autism Outreach Team – where a child already has a diagnosis
• Hearing Impairment Team
• Visual Impairment Team
• Educational Psychologist Service
• Education Welfare Officers (VIP Education)
• Social Services
• School Nurse
• CAMHS and CAMHS Trailblazer – Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service
• Visyon Counselling Service (In-house)
• Cicely Haughton Outreach Service- where a referral has been made
• Family Support worker

Some of these services offer face-to-face meetings, video calls or a blend of the two.

If you have an initial concern about your child, the best place to start would be with your child’s author group teacher or class teacher as they are the members of staff who know them best. Otherwise, you are able to contact the SENDCo and Assistant SENDCo on the contact details below.

Mrs Jukes is the school SENDCo and you are able to contact her via e-mail rjukes@ttlt.org.uk or by ringing the school office 01538 384939. Mrs Dow is the Assistant SENDCo and can be contacted via e-mail hdow@ttlt.org.uk or by ringing the school office 01538 384939.

Note: must include information around looked after children
The SEND governor will:
Help to raise awareness of SEND issues at governing board meetings
Monitor the quality and effectiveness of SEND and disability provision within the school and update the governing board on this
Work with the headteacher and SENDCo to determine the strategic development of the SEND policy and provision in the school

• How will my child/young person being able to contribute his or her views?
Pupils on the SEND register and with EHCPs are asked their views on the provisions in place for them during Pupil Passport reviews or Annual Reviews for their EHCPs. Views are gathered through the use of questionnaires and by meeting with pupils. Pupil voice questionnaires are also used to establish the views of pupils in the school.
• How will the setting/school/college support my child/young person to do this?
Pupils meet with the Assistant SENDCo or the SENDCo so that the school can establish their views. This is often done alongside the pupil’s TA, if they work with one specifically.
• How do you support children and young people with SEND/LDD in making their aspirations known?
The school’s approach is to always begin by ensuring that pupils have positive relationships with key members of staff who they feel comfortable expressing their wishes and thoughts to. We then ensure that pupils understand what it is we are asking from them. The school always shares the relevant questionnaires with parents/carers too as pupils sometimes prefer to complete their wishes with their family. We do our best to ensure that all staff involved with individual pupils understand the agreed outcomes and strategies to support them, which facilitates making their aspirations known.
• Do you have any student focus groups, councils or forums within the setting?
The school has a School Council, A Year 8 Prefect Team, a Sports Council and Year 8 and 6 now have a Restorative Ambassador Team.

Any Governor vacancies are advertised to parents/carers when there is a relevant vacancy.

• Do you offer help with completing forms and paperwork or travel plans? If yes, who normally provides this help and how would parents access this?
The school office are able to signpost parents/carers to the most appropriate members of staff to support with this. If there is not a member of staff in school who is able to support, we will always direct the parent/carer to the most appropriate agency.
• What information, advice and guidance can parents and young people access eg help with completing forms or arranging travel plans? Who normally provides this help and how can they access this?
If the school is not able to support with completing forms or it is not appropriate, parents/carers will be directed to the Staffordshire Local Offer where they may be able to find the most appropriate support. For example, SENDIASS. https://www.staffordshireconnects.info/kb5/staffordshire/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0&lousertype=parents
Parents are also able to access advice through the Staffordshire SEND Local Offer on Facebook.

What activities are available that can be accessed by children and young people with SEND in addition to the curriculum?
We aim to have a range of extra-curricular activities for our pupils. We work with parents/carers and pupils to make adjustments if necessary so that pupils with SEND can attend these activities. We aim to make all extra-curricular activities as inclusive as possible.
• Do you offer holiday and/or before and after school/college provision? If yes, please give details
Not currently. Although we do have a wide range of extra-curricular clubs that are free of charge before and after school. These are open to all pupils.
• What lunchtime or after school/college activities do you offer? Do parents/students have to pay for these and if so, how much?
Unless extra-curricular activities are delivered by an outside company, all of these activities are free of charge. An extra-curricular timetable is shared with parents/carers and pupils and is available from the school office on request.
• How do you make sure clubs, activities and residential trips are inclusive?
Activities and school trips are available to all.
183; Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate.
183; If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required a parent or carer may also be asked to accompany their child during the activity in addition to the usual school staff.
• How will you help my child or young person to be included?
The school will always, within the resources available, endeavour to plan and risk assess trips so that all pupils can be included. This process will also involve careful consultation with parents/carers and the pupil.
• How do you involve parent carers in planning activities and trips?
Parents/carers will be consulted as part of the risk assessment process and will be fully informed of all activities on the trip.

The school is based on a single storey site
Ramps are in place to ensure access to the main school building
There is wheelchair access available throughout the building
A ramp is also installed to provide access to the school fitness suite and the school’s TLC (Teaching, Learning and Care Base)
The site is fully wheelchair accessible
There are disabled changing facilities available
There are disabled toilet facilities available
Disabled parking spaces are marked and located next to the school reception.

How has the environment been adapted to support children with sensory needs.
Staff identify, assess and arrange suitable provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disability within their classroom. Based on information received from feeder schools or transition information in school between year groups, if pupils have specific sensory needs, adjustments will be made within the classroom. If appropriate, this will be done in conjunction with external agencies such as: Staffordshire SEND Team, Outreach Services, Health Professionals and the Educational Psychology Service. The SENDCo and the Assistant SENDCo manage the Education, Health and Care Plan process, ensuring that additional resources, including staffing, are allocated where appropriate.
• How are SEND students supported to access those facilities available to all students? Link to Accessibility Plan (As described in SEND CoP).
Please see the school’s accessibility plan on the school website.
• Does the setting encourage and make use of alternative forms of communication on a regular basis? If so, which one(s)?
We use a range of communication methods in school: phone calls, e-mail, text messaging or app service, letters and information on the school website or newsletter.

We use a range of communication methods in school: phone calls, e-mail, text messaging or app service, letters and information on the school website or newsletter.

Admissions information can be found on the school website by following this link https://cvm.ttlt.org.uk/admissions-2021/
You are also able to contact via e-mail cvm.admissions@ttlt.org.uk or phone into school on 01538 384939
There is also more information on primary and middle school applications on the Staffordshire website https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Education/Admissions-primary/Apply/Overview.aspx

Where can I find information on entry criteria? (colleges/post 16)
• Where can I find information relating to your admissions policy? (including details of arrangements for admission of disabled pupils – as specified in SEND Code of Practice)
Please see information about admissions in our Admissions Policy on the school website https://cvm.ttlt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/03/Admissions-Policy-2020-21.pdf

Appointments can be made by contacting the school office for a tour at any time during the academic year via e-mail cvm.office@ttlt.org.uk or by ringing the school on 01538 384939
We also hold a Prospective Parents' Evenings in the Autumn Term

• What preparation will there be before my child or young person joins you?
A number of strategies are in place to enable effective pupil’s transition.
These include:
On entry:
183; A planned programme of visits provided in the Summer Term for pupils starting in September
183; Parents/carers are invited to a meeting at the school during the transition days to allow them to meet their child’s author group teacher, the school SENDCo and the Senior Leadership Team
183; All school records are transferred from the previous school Transition to the next school
183; The transition programme in place for pupils in Y8 provides a number of opportunities for pupils and parents/carers to meet staff in the new school. These opportunities are further enhanced for pupils with SEND and additional visits are arranged, where it is in the best interests of the pupil.
183; The annual review in Y7 for pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan begins the process where parents are supported in making decisions regarding secondary school choice.

• How will he or she be prepared to move onto the next stage?
183; Parents/carers will be encouraged to consider options for the next phases of education and the school will involve outside agencies, as appropriate, to ensure information is comprehensive but accessible.
183; Parents/carers will be enabled to consider options for the next phases of education and may like to take advantage of the support offered by the independent Staffordshire School Choice. Information on this service is located on the Staffordshire website at: https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Education/Choosing-somewhere-to-learn/Choosing-a-school.aspx
183; Accompanied visits to other providers may be arranged as appropriate.
183; For pupils that are transferring to local schools, the SENDCOs of both schools will meet to discuss the needs of pupils with SEND in order to ensure a smooth transition. Transition visits will also be arranged as appropriate for pupils to have the opportunity to meet new key staff and become familiar with their new setting.
• What information will be provided to his or her new setting, school, or college? How will you support the new setting, school, or college to prepare for my child or young person? Will you liaise with the child or young person’s previous education setting to share information?
183; The records of pupils who leave school mid phase will be transferred within five working days of the parents notifying their child has been enrolled at another school.
• Key information will be collated by the pupil’s Head of Year in conjunction with the SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo and any other relevant members of staff. This will be shared with the new setting and a meeting will be held to ensure appropriate strategies and support will be transferred over or adapted according to the new setting.
• Do you teach life skills and/or independent travel training?
We have recently developed a life skills room within school which is timetabled for use of pupils with SEND who need to develop key areas of their life skills.
• How will you support independent living and participating in society?
Our aim is to support our pupils in being as independent as possible in school. TAs are trained to have this approach when supporting pupils and we work with parents/carers identify areas where pupils can be more independent and encourage this in school. This is done in lessons and in any additional interventions that are deemed as necessary as part of the support package for a pupil.
• Do you use job coaches or careers advisors?
Our Year 8 pupils have careers lessons built in to their curriculum each week which supports them in preparing for the next phase of their education and for life after education.

For information on further support, see the Staffordshire Local Offer website: https://www.staffordshireconnects.info/kb5/staffordshire/directory/home.page

Summer Term 2022 to be reviewed again in Autumn 2022.

What is the procedure to deal with complaints? The procedure for dealing with complaints follows the same process whether the complaint relates to special educational needs or any other aspect of the work of the school. The first point of contact will be your child’s author group teacher/subject teacher or Head of Year. If further support is necessary the SENDCo, Mrs R. Jukes, can be contacted either through the school office or an appointment can be made via email: rjukes@ttlt.org.uk If you are still unhappy with the level of provision being provided for your child, further guidance can be sought from the Interim Head of School, Mrs R Jukes, or the Interim Executive Headteacher, Mr S. Fryer, who can direct you to our school SEND Governor, and/or an appropriate contact from the Local Authority.

How can parents give feedback to the setting, school or college?
• What is the setting, school or college’s complaints policy? (IRR)
The Complaints Policy and Procedures can be found on the school website by following this link: https://cvm.ttlt.org.uk/policies/trust-policies/