If your child is identified as not making expected progress and the reasonable adjustments delivered through monitoring, which we put in place do not secure improvement, the school will set up a meeting to discuss this with you in more detail and to:

- Listen to any concerns you may have
- Plan any additional support your child may need
- Discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals to support your child

At this meeting or further in the future, your child may be identified as having SEN and the Graduated Approach may be started.

It is important to state that if they then consistently achieve good progress and the gaps close, that they do not remain as 'SEN'. We consider this to be a reflection on the quality of the provision we offer to all our pupils including those with SEN.

How will teaching be adapted for my child? Teaching will be adapted to meet the needs of your child and reasonable adjustments could be implemented such as: repetition of instructions, now and next strategies, enlarged text, flexible grouping of children etc.

How is extra support allocated to my child? If we find that your child is not making expected progress in any of the four main areas of need, we will allocate extra support in terms of provision through TA support, adapted learning opportunities, multi-sensory approach, the use of concrete resources etc.

What is the Graduated Approach?

SEN support in schools: Where a pupil is identified as having SEN, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place. This SEN support should take the form of a four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil's needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This is known as the graduated approach. It draws on more detailed approaches, more frequent review and more specialist expertise in successive cycles in order to match interventions to the SEN of children and young people. CoP 2015, DfE 6.44

What are Reasonable Adjustments?

- Your child's needs will be met within the class, supported by high quality teaching, including lesson planning that takes account of the specific needs of all groups of children in their class and will ensure that your child's needs are met.
- Lessons are pitched appropriately so that all children can learn and progress through high quality teaching with appropriate adaptions in place according to pupil need.
- Support staff, under the direction of the class teacher, can adapt planning to support the needs of your child where necessary.
- Additional adult support where appropriate to complement the work of the teacher.
- Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and in groups.
- Personalised provision where appropriate through targeted, time-limited programmes.
- Personalised provision through adapted resources and interventions.
- Children work in a variety of groupings such as small supported groups, 1:1, mixed ability and similar ability groups.
- Teachers take account of the needs of the individual child and plan different tasks and materials appropriately.

* How do you identify children or young people with SEND?

We have a provision/identification pathway which guides staff in their identification of our children with SEND. Through termly data collections and pupil progress meetings staff can discuss their concern around a child's progress with Senior Leaders.

- The progress of all children is reviewed on a regular basis.
- The class teacher will develop a plan for your child, setting appropriate targets which are overseen by the SENDCo. This will be reviewed each term during the year to ensure that support remains appropriate.
- Where necessary an individual programme of support will be used and progress monitored.
- Where necessary the school may seek support from outside services. This will be discussed with you and a referral made with your permission.
- The governing body is responsible for ensuring that funding is used appropriately and for monitoring teaching and accessibility. There is a designated SEN Governor who works with the SENDCo.

Our school follows the graduated response after initial concerns from a teacher or parent. If a child has not made as much progress as we had hoped, we plan what we are going to do to support the child and hopefully assist them in making greater progress. Then we do what we have planned - this may be in the form of an intervention, providing resources, making a referral etc. Finally we review how successful we have been and the progress the child has made.

Once this process has been completed, we will assess again and it may be decided that we need to plan for further provision for that child to be put in place or that no further support is required at this time. At this point it may be felt that a child needs to be placed on the SEND register as it is felt that they have some form of special need that is creating a barrier to their learning. Some children's needs are such that their support will need to be ongoing throughout their time at school.

* After identification, what would your setting's first steps be?

- Use the identified barriers to learning to set individual short-term targets for your child
- Plan personalised provision around these targets
- Measure progress termly

* Does the setting/school/college have any programmes for early intervention/help?

Examples are:
NCETM Mastering Number programme
EPs Recommended Literacy Approach
Precision Teaching
Colourful Semantics
Nurture group
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)
Mental Health Leads
Forest School

We recognise that parents/carers know their children best and have information, knowledge and experience of their child that is crucial to understanding the whole child.

If you have concerns relating to your child's learning, then please discuss these with your child's teacher who may seek the advice of the SENDCo.
The class teacher may invite you to meet with the SENDCo to discuss your child's progress or any concerns/worries you may have if your child needs to be put on the SEND Register.

All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you directly, or where this is not possible, in a report.

Personal progress targets / Individual Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) Plans / Individual Behaviour Support Plans will be reviewed with your involvement.

Definition: Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

Children have a learning difficulty if they:

(a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; or
(b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local authority.

Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.

Special educational provision means:

(a) for children of two or over, educational provision which is additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in schools maintained by the LEA, other than special schools, in the area.

All parents/carers will be listened to. Your views and aspirations for your child will be central to the provision that is provided by our school.

As part of the JTMAT we adhere to the policies set by the Trust. These can be found at https://jtmat.co.uk/privacy/policies. The school's anti-bullying procedure and behaviour procedure can be found under the Documents section on the Thomas Russell Infants' School's website.

At Thomas Russell Infants' School we are committed to ensuring that all pupils (regardless of their gender, ethnicity, social background, religion, sexual identity, physical ability or educational needs) achieve their potential in all areas of the curriculum and socially, morally, spiritually and culturally.

There are four areas of SEND and Thomas Russell Infants' School support children in these areas. Some children need support in more than one area.
They are:

* Communication and Interaction

Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times in their lives.

Children and young people with ASD, including Asperger's Syndrome and Autism, are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others.

* Cognition and learning

Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD), where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), where children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as physical disability or sensory impairment.

Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.

* Social, emotional and mental health difficulties

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

* Sensory and/or physical needs

Vision impairment (VI) / Hearing impairment (HI) / Multi-sensory impairment (MSI) / Physical disability (PD)

The strategies that will be employed for pupils identified as having SEND will be recorded on a provision map or an individual Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) Plan, reflecting provision that is additional to or different from, normal differentiated provision. Contents of the APDR plan will include -

* Short term SMART targets for the child;
* Teaching strategies to be used;
* Additional provision, including resources, to be put in place;
* When the plan is evaluated and reviewed, with space for the outcome of targets.

The APDR plan will be communicated to staff who support the child's learning, as well as parents, the child and other professionals. Each term a cycle will follow Assess, Plan, Do and Review. The review will involve looking at the progress made and the impact of the interventions, involving the same people and from this the next targets and interventions can be planned. If, at review, the pupil has made adequate progress then, with parental agreement, they can be taken off the SEND Register.

Children with more significant needs may be eligible for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This often secures funding for additional resources, 1:1 and/or small group adult support. Parents/carers contribute their views and must give their consent. An EHCP will outline targets for the end of the key stage and provides recommendations for provision. With an EHCP, a child will still have an individual ADPR plan to ensure that the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle is adhered to on at least a termly basis, and recommendations and targets from external professionals will be followed.

* How will teaching approaches be modified to meet my child or young person's needs?

High quality teaching will ensure that teaching strategies, activities, scaffolding materials and resources are matched to the learning needs of the pupils. Adult support can be available to small groups or 1:1 in the lesson. Children can be in mixed ability groups or pairs. We use the NCETM Mastering Number programme and the EPs Recommended Literacy Approach delivered through direct instruction teaching.

We at Thomas Russell Infants' School are fully committed to giving all our children every opportunity to achieve their very best by offering a range of activities and styles of teaching to all. We consider the mental health and wellbeing of all our children. Equality of opportunity is a reality for our children irrespective of all learning requirements. We use our best endeavours to secure special educational provision for pupils for whom this is required that is 'additional to and different from' that provided within the adapted curriculum to better respond to the four areas of Special Educational Needs. Class teachers will ensure all children with SEND are given an equal opportunity to take part in all learning opportunities offered by the school, through high quality teaching, adaptions to the curriculum and by removing barriers to learning. The aim is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum while emphasising the need to develop English, Maths and a range of skills. SEND pupils have the opportunity to work alongside pupils of all abilities which provides them with challenge and ensures high expectations. High quality teaching is supported by effective, tailored support and interventions where necessary.

Barriers to learning can be very different between individuals. Appropriate recommendations from external professionals will be followed, for example, a pupil with a visual impairment may need all reading books and photocopying to be of a specified font size which has been recommended for them by the Visual Impairment Team. The Autism Inclusion Team support ASC pupils' individual needs through their recommendations which might include the use of headphones, visual timetables, now and next cards and structured writing frames. Pupils with hearing impairments will receive support from the Teacher of the Deaf who will advise the school on where the pupil should be seated in the classroom and how to remove other barriers to their learning.

The budget for SEND is allocated and managed by the Co-Headteachers. The Co-Headteachers and the SENDCo discuss all the information they have about SEND in the school, including the children getting extra support already. School is funded to meet the needs of all its pupils through the core budget but receives additional funding to support provision for SEND through:

* Deprivation factors based on the number of Pupil Premium children and those in long term care
* Funding for specific pupils to meet their assessed needs

Additional funding for a pupil can be temporary through Additional Educational Needs (AEN) funding or on a longer basis with annual review through and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

At Thomas Russell Infants' School we also have the Rainbow Room with various resources for children with sensory needs. All resources are employed effectively to meet the needs of individuals and groups on the basis of plans within the School Improvement Plan.

We know when children need help if:

* The whole school tracking data indicates lack of expected levels of progress
* Concerns are raised by parents/carers, external agencies, teachers or the child's previous school, regarding a child's level of progress or inclusion
* Screening, such as that completed on entry or as a result of a concern being raised, indicates a gap in knowledge and/or skills
* Observation of the child indicates that they have additional needs in one or more of the four broad areas of need
* A child asks for help

Children will have their attainment tracked using the whole school tracking system and those failing to make expected progress are identified very quickly. These children will be on the class monitoring list. These children are then:

* provided with additional support, to increase the rate of progress, which is monitored and evaluated, and if required, additional strategies recommended to further support the success of the child. These interventions may be 1:1 or in a small group.

* discussed in termly progress meetings that are undertaken between the class teacher and the Co-Headteachers.

* where it is decided, during this early discussion, that special educational provision is required to support increased rates of progress, you as parents/carers will be informed that your child may require support and your partnership sought in order to improve attainments. The child will then be placed on the Special Needs Register with your permission and will be at the 'SEN Support' stage.

A small number of children's needs can be long term and complex. Standardised scores from in-house assessments and reports from external agencies determine whether a child meets the criteria for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Parental agreement is necessary. The SEND Assessment Team decide upon the provision required and the hours of additional support and this is reviewed annually.

Resources, such as those provided by the Educational Psychologist, may already be available at Thomas Russell Infants' School otherwise the SENDCo can request them. Thomas Russell Infants' School is part of the SEND & Inclusion Hub where additional advice and support can be sought. With parental consent, the case of the child can be put forward for a meeting where all available support in the area is represented and offers can be made by external providers, such as Burton Albion Community Trust, The Cornerpost Education Centre or the Locality Co-ordinator for Staffordshire County Council.

Progress for individual and group interventions will be recorded on children's individual ADPR plans and are assessed and reviewed termly. These will be discussed at review meetings where a decision will be made as to whether a child should remain on 'SEN Support' on the SEND Register. Parent views are recorded on the review form and are part of the formal review process. Expectations for progress are stated on individual ADPR plans which are used to measure impact. Progress is measured through ongoing assessment as well as termly class assessments. Children with an EHCP will have their targets reviewed at least termly and their EHCP reviewed annually to ensure that it still meets the individual's needs. Parents are invited to attend the Annual Review meetings where they contribute their views on their child's progress. Additional meetings can be arranged with the class teacher and/or SENDCo at a mutually convenient time at any time during the year.

Regular individual APDR plan meetings will take place with parents and class teachers to discuss how the child can be supported at home. Parent consultations will take place in the autumn and spring terms where class teachers can share strategies to support a child at home. Parent EYFS and Key Stage 1 curriculum workshops also take place where further information is shared with parents.

Our SENDCo, Rebecca Walker, will also be available, via a pre-arranged meeting, if you would like to discuss your child's strengths and needs with her and explore further ways in which you can support your child's learning. Tel: 01283 247930 or email tri-office@tri.jtmat.co.uk

Children will receive feedback in the form of discussion or activities being marked. Some interventions provide scores and others which involve Precision Teaching provide a graph where children can see their progress. Children are invited to review their individual APDR targets through the 'Self Evaluation' sheet and, where appropriate, to contribute to their EHCP annual reviews.

Formative and summative assessments are used by all teachers to check that progress is being made. A provision map is completed by the SENDCo and regular reviews take place for children's individual APDR plans where parents are invited. Children are asked to review their targets through the 'Self Evaluation' sheet.

Once a year, parents are encouraged to take part in a SEND Parent Voice and this feedback is used to monitor the provision for children and young people with SEND.

Pupil progress meetings between the class teacher and the Co-Headteachers happen termly for all pupils.

Evidence of progress for Early Years is provided using Tapestry, their learning journey and assessed against the Early Learning Goals.

There are risk assessments completed for all activities outside the school. As part of the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust we adhere to the policies set by the Trust. These can be found at jtmat.co.uk/privacy/policies. The school's anti-bullying procedure and behaviour procedure can be found under the Documents section on the school's website.

Class teachers welcome children at the start of the day and dismiss at the end of the school day. We welcome parents to discuss any concerns.

Thomas Russell Infants' School has a Nurture Teaching Assistant who undertakes nurture with children who require it during the afternoons. Our Nurture TA is also ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) trained.
Teachers, the SENDCo and parents can request support for any child.
We use the 'Zones of Regulation' and emotion coaching to help support children who find it difficult to self regulate.
We can help children to make friends by having 'circle times', nurture groups, social stories and on occasions 1:1 TAs model the language and behaviour that will help establish friendships.
Thomas Russell Infants' School takes part in Anti-Bullying Week and other days to actively support wellbeing such as World Kindness Day.
We use the Boxall Profile as a tool to measure progress in social, emotional and behaviour development for individual children who have been identified as requiring extra support within these areas.

Parent's written instructions and consent for the administration of medicines are kept in the school office. Class teachers are also provided with a copy of these instructions. Parents also need to discuss and consent to the actions involved in regular toileting or changing when nappies are used.

Care plans are created with information provided by parents/carers for all children with an allergy or medical condition where consideration needs to be given to how the child can be best supported. An overview for the whole school is kept in the school office, kitchen, lunchtime supervisors' folder and staffroom. All teachers are given a copy of care plans of pupil's in their class.

In a medical emergency an adult will stay with the child whilst another contacts emergency services and then parents/carers.

Thomas Russell Infants' School expects our simple rules to be followed to ensure a safe, positive learning environment and a happy school. We review each situation on an individual basis. All classes have a behaviour log that is kept in the classroom to record negative behaviour. Teachers ensure all staff, including teaching assistants and lunchtime supervisors, know that a child is under sanction or has behaviour targets.

Lunchtime inclusion support is provided for those children requiring support at lunchtimes. Teaching assistants work with children with various needs to help support them to make the right choices. If they are struggling then an adult is there for them to seek help from or to intervene and provide some quiet time back inside school. This time can then be used to talk through the scenario and the choices made.

Where appropriate, individual behaviour plans can be created between the pupil, teacher and SENDCo and shared with the parent/carer. We try to determine the reasons for the behaviour and work as close as possible with parents, East Staffs Family Support offer support to individual pupils and their families. Other external support can be obtained through the local SEND & District Inclusion Hub. This may result in the child working with Burton Albion Community Trust or Cornerpost Education Centre.

Looked after children who have SEND follow the same Assess, Plan, Do, Review processes for additional needs. The SENDCo works closely with the Designated Safeguard Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguard Lead in school regarding transition and reviewing progress with parents and, where necessary, attends CIN/TAF meetings.

The class teacher is responsible for ensuring access to a broad and balanced curriculum. They are encouraged to seek advice from Subject Leads and the SENDCo. They follow advice from external agencies who provide targets and recommendations for EHCPs and individual APDR plans. These are set and reviewed with pupils and parents on a termly basis. Our whole school team will work with your child including class teachers, teaching assistants, the Co-Headteachers, SENDCo, lunchtime support assistants and possibly external agencies with parental consent. Our school team can be contacted through the school office on 01283 247930.

The SENDCo shares all reports with teachers with notes for guidance and offers of support. In turn, teachers share the information with TAs who are always welcome to discuss this further with the SENDCo.

Teachers are welcomed to discuss pupils and their progress with the SENDCo.

Mrs Walker, the SENDCo, is currently studying for the National SENCO Award (NASENCO). She regularly attends the JTMAT SENDCo Network Meetings.

In recent years, staff have received training including how to support children with autism, dyslexia, anxiety, trauma and adverse childhood experiences, behavioural needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, sensory needs, neurodiverse learners, hearing impairment and medical conditions including the use of an epi-pen.

We work closely and effectively with a number of external agencies including:

Speech and language
Occupational therapists
Paediatricians
Educational psychologists
The Hearing Impairment Team
The Visual Impairment Team
East Staffs Family Support
CAMHS
Action for Children
Families Health and Wellbeing (0-19) Service
Locality co-ordinator for Staffordshire County Council
Safeguarding East Staffs Borough Council

We also work closely with Fountains Primary School and take part in training led by them.

Class teacher / phone call to the school office
SENDCo

Mrs R Walker
Telephone: 01283 247930
Email - tri-office@tri.jtmat.co.uk

Our SEND Governor is Jo Turrell. Her role is to support and challenge the SENDCo through meetings and updates. Jo Turrell is also the Looked After Children's Governor and the Pupil Premium Governor. Mrs Burton and Mrs Moore, the Co-Headteachers, are the Designated Teachers of Looked After Children.

The SENDCo undertakes a pupil and parent voice for pupils with SEND annually. Pupils are also encouraged to be involved with reviewing targets and reviews for their individual APDR plan and EHCPs.

All pupils are encouraged to stand for election for roles of responsibility eg school councillor, team captain.

Parents are encouraged to come into school as volunteers and to be a member of the PTA. We have parent governors on our governing body.

Parents can access East Staffordshire Family Support and seek guidance from the Local Offer.

Support with completing of forms can be sought at the school office and, where appropriate, the SENDCo.

Thomas Russell Infants' School offers the services of Badgers, our before and after school care.

Holiday clubs are offered by Active Learning Sports. Information about this is sent home in book bags and information can be found on our weekly newsletters. Clubs and activities are planned to ensure that they are inclusive. We only use providers who ensure this. To ensure needs are met the person involved in planning may contact parents/carers for their input.

Thomas Russell Infants' School has one main building and two classrooms away from the main building. Both are accessible to wheelchair users. There is a disabled changing and toilet facility available in school. We have one disabled parking space and room to pick up and drop off by the main entrance.

At Thomas Russell Infants' School we have a Sensory Room (the Rainbow Room) for our children to use.

Where needed we carry out a sensory checklist to determine sensory needs and barriers and adapt the environment as necessary.

As part of the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust we adhere to the policies set by the Trust. These can be found at jtmat.co.uk/privacy/policies. The school's accessibility procedure can be found under the Documents section on the school's website.

A translator can be an option during meetings to communicate with parents who do not speak English as well as Google Translate.

We also use Tapestry as a form of communication to parents.

The Admissions Policy is on the school website. Please contact the school office with any queries: Email: tri-office@tri.jtmat.co.uk / Tel: 01283 247930

Parents/carers are welcome to attend open days and can arrange visits by contacting the school office. Email: tri-office@tri.jtmat.co.uk / Tel: 01283 247930

Transition meetings and visits to the setting are encourage for children with their parents. External agencies will be invited to meetings, where appropriate, as will SENDCos from other schools or settings. During the summer term, a meeting to review Year 2 children's individual APDR plans will be called and the SENDCo at Thomas Russell Junior School will be invited to attend.

Pupils transitioning to other settings will be sent with current data and any relevant information needed including any support plans/SMART targets.

Staffordshire SENDIASS Family Partnership - https://www.staffs-iass.org/

Staffordshire Connects - https://www.staffordshireconnects.info/kb5/staffordshire/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0

Updated: 15 February 2024

Reviewed: 15 February 2025

Initially contact the school office and arrange to speak to the class teacher or SENDCo.

If parents/carers wish or need to, they can contact Mrs Burton and Mrs Moore, the Co-Headteachers, through the school office. Final complaints can be made to Mrs Katie Manning, the Chair of Governors.