• How do you identify children or young people with SEND? (IRR)
Prior to entry into Reception, Early Years staff work closely with local pre-schools/nurseries, to ensure information about each child is shared. This enables us to ensure that effective transition arrangements and support are in place from the start. During the Summer Term, our Early Years SENDCO (Special Educational Needs Disabilities Coordinator) offers meetings with parents of identified pupils to discuss specific needs.

For pupils who transfer to Etching Hill mid-term, information is passed on from previous schools and meetings with parents, the SENDCo and/or leadership team staff are arranged as appropriate to need.

Pupils who are identified as having additional needs during their time at Etching Hill, they will be referred to the SENDCo via our Initial Concerns Procedure; this can be raised by a parent or a member of school staff.

During any point of a pupil’s education at Etching Hill a concern may be raised by any professional or parent. This includes teaching assistants and teachers from previous settings. Assessment and tracking processes are core to ensuring all pupils are progressing. These systems serve to identify when individuals lack progress in certain areas. Observations by those in school (teachers, support staff, the leadership team, including the SENDCo) may indicate a child has a need in one of the four areas. (Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Social, Emotional Mental Health and/or sensory/physical).

• After identification, what would your setting’s first steps be?
o All pupils will be provided with high quality teaching where pupils are offered the opportunity to achieve in line with their peers across the curriculum. The quality of teaching is monitored through processes including: classroom observations (senior leadership team, SENDCo and external verifiers), ongoing assessment of pupil progress, work sampling, scrutiny of planning, meetings with SENDCo/leadership team, pupil and parent feedback.)
o Pupils with a disability will be provided with ‘reasonable adjustments’ in order to increase their access to the taught curriculum.
o All pupils have curriculum expectations set in line with national outcomes to ensure ambition. These are discussed with parents at events such as Parental Consultations Evenings, and pupils’ attainments to meet these targets are tracked using the whole school and additional SEND tracking systems.
o Pupils who are failing to make expected levels of progress are identified very quickly and are discussed in half-termly Pupil progress meetings that are undertaken between the class teacher(s) and members of the senior leadership team.
o Individual assessments of pupils will be undertaken in order to make a very accurate assessment of their needs.
o Some children will require additional support in the form of a small focus group. This will be run by the teacher or teaching assistant, the interventions will be reviewed regularly (at least termly) to ascertain the effectiveness of the provision and to inform future planning.
o Where there are still concerns regarding rates of progress, even after high quality interventions, parent’s will be informed that the school considers their child may require SEN support, they will be invited to discussions in order to support the identification of actions to improve outcomes.
o SEND support will be recorded on an Individual Support Plan (ISP), giving a set of expected outcomes. Progress towards these outcomes will be tracked and reviewed at least termly with the parents and the pupil.
o If progress rates are still judged to be inadequate despite the delivery of high quality interventions, advice will be sought from external agencies, according to pupil need. For example, The Special Educational Needs Support Service, Speech and Language Therapy, The Autism Inclusion Team. (Services may be referred to at any point; not just following termly reviews).
o 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 met 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.
• Does the setting/school/college have any programmes for early intervention/help?
Early help is in the form of quick identification of need, from this interventions and classroom support being put in place; this could be through the schools CUKU (catch up, keep up) programme, additional tutoring or specific interventions or ELSA (emotional literacy support) if the SEND need is identified as Social and Emotional. The academy had many early intervention programmes of support to assist in many areas of learning such as speech and language, handwriting, dyslexia support, number sense etc.

Should you have a concerns about your child, firstly speak with your child’s class teacher about your concerns. The class teacher will be able to discuss how your child performs in the class both academically and social and emotionally. If you and the class teacher have further concerns, a meeting will be arranged for you to meet with the academy’s SENDCo to discuss these further and to create a plan of action moving forward.
All class teachers are available for you to speak with at the beginning or end of the school day. Alternatively, they can be contacted via the school office by telephoning 01889221864 or emailing office@etchinghillprimary.academy.
As we are a large primary academy we have two SENDCo who take different areas of responsibility- Alison Morganti is school’s lead SENDCo and can be reached by the school’s telephone number or by emailing a.morganti@etchinghillprimary.academy, and Freya Cunningham is also assistant SENDCo with responsibility for Early Years, she can also be reached via the school’s number or by emailing f.cunningham@etchinghillprimary.academy

Etching Hill Academy website:
https://www.etchinghill-rainbow.com/
SEND Policies:
https://www.etchinghill-rainbow.com/send
Etching Hill Policies and procedures:
https://www.etchinghill-rainbow.com/policies-and-procedures

• How will you support children and young people with SEND with or without an EHC plan? (IRR)
At Etching Hill, we believe that every pupil, regardless of gender, race or disability, has the right to equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum. We consider it essential that the curriculum is presented in a supportive and stimulating atmosphere which links closely to our Christian Values. We believe children should be valued individually and we actively encourage them to achieve their full potential. This encompasses the four main areas of SEND:
• Communication and Interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Social, Mental and Emotional Health
• Sensory and/or physical
Etching Hill Primary Academy’s SEND Information Report is written with full regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Where a pupil has been identified as having special educational needs, their work may be differentiated by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily. Teaching Assistants (TA’s) may be allocated to work with pupils 1:1 or in a small group to target more specific needs. A child’s SEN support will be recorded using an Individual Support Plan (ISP), with targets being set according to individual needs. These will be monitored regularly by the class teacher. The SENDCo will monitor these at least three times per year. ISP’s will be discussed during Joint Class Teacher/SENCo Parental Consultations, which will take place 3 times per year.
If appropriate, additional specialist equipment or resources, ICT and/or additional adult support may be provided. Much of the provision a pupil receives will be through targeted support in the classroom and pupils are actively encouraged to become independent learners.

• How does the setting/school/college plan the support?
Each child’s needs will be recorded on an ISP (individual support plan) this is made by the class teacher and SENDCo in conjunction with parents/ carers and any external agencies who have worked with the child.
The plan is a working document which is reviewed regularly, it will identify key areas of difficult to target and reviews will focus on progression towards these targets. Pupil and parent voice are a strong element of this plan as your child progresses through the year.
If external agencies are involved, for example the Autism Inclusion Team, their views and feedback will also be part of the assess, plan, do cycle.
• How and when will I be involved in planning my child or young person’s education? (IRR)
If your child is identified as having Special Educational Needs you will have been involved in ongoing discussion with their class teacher and SENDCo. When the first plan is created, it will include yours and the child’s thoughts. Each term there will be a parent/ SENDCo/ Class teacher meeting to discuss how your child is progressing with regards to identified targets on the plan and with any support in place. Parents/ carers will have a chance to review targets and add comments prior to this meeting and then will be given an updated version . Although there are three meeting point a term, at any point the ISP may be reviewed and all people involved will be a part of this.
• What additional learning support is available? (IRR). Include examples of personalised intervention programmes and any external teaching and learning, eg outreach
• CUKU- Catch up, Keep up is a regular part of classroom practise- this is where teacher see a child needs additional support with a certain area of learning, this will happen regularly in order to ensure children ‘keep up’ with the learning expectations.
• Smaller group or 1:1 Interventions to support skills development in Reading, writing and maths.
• 1:1 Phonics Interventions.
• Reading fluency project
• Number Sense- to develop basic maths skills.
• Nurture Provision—small group provision to focus on the development of social and emotional skills and learning.
• ELSA support – Emotional Literacy 6 week block social and emotional intervention
• Access to 1:1 support from our Speech and Language Champion, Mrs Stone for those children who are provided with Speech Therapy programmes by the Speech Therapist.
• Dyslexia Gold—a phonics catch up programme for pupils in Key Stage Two.
• 1:1 or group interventions to promote fine and gross motor development (Sometimes through the support of agencies such as Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and/or the Physical Disability Support Service.
• PE Intervention—run by our sports coach focusing on healthy living, fitness and emotional well-being.
• Forest Schools Programme— focusing on hands-on learning experiences undertaken in the outside environment in order to promote positive relationships, self-esteem and confidence.
• Wave 3 (1:1 or very small group) Interventions to match specific pupil needs—eg supporting a pupil on the Autism Spectrum to manage/understand their feelings and emotions.
• Zones of Regulation- helping to deal with understanding emotions
• Circle of Friends- developing social skills


• How will the setting/school/college modify teaching approaches to meet my child or young person’s needs? (IRR)
First quality teaching is imperative and to achieve this the staff at Etching Hill have agreed teacher standards (Etching Hill’s Growing Great Teachers Document) by which their teaching is monitored. All staff are trained and their understanding of ‘how’ children learn developed. Teachers then plan to the needs of their children, they will put reasonable adjustments in place- this may be in the form of scaffolds, equipment to assist or additional support – as part of quality first teaching. Relational care is a strength of our academy and this means that the teacher know their children well, therefore any barriers to learning are quickly identified and planning/ teaching strategies are employed to break these barriers down.
Where expert advise is needed e.g from the vision impairment team, autism Inclusion team, Hearing impairment team, this is sprt regularly throughout the year to ensure provision is best suited to meeting needs.
At your child’s parent/ carer meetings ‘how’ your child is taught will be discussed; this will include discussing whether your child has arrangements within the class, are taught in smaller groups, or on 1:1 basis.

• What is your approach to differentiation? How is the curriculum and learning environment adapted to meet the individual needs of children with SEND?
Etching Hill is a Learning without limits school- this means we do not ‘set’ children in ability groups. We strongly believe that ceilings should not be put on children’s learning as so always encourage our children to be able to challenge themselves to achieve. For our children with SEND, adjustments are made for the children to access the learning, tasks are broken down into smaller, achievable steps so that the children can always succeed. We use ELLI characters to support the characteristics of being a great learner (such as the brave lion, the curious cat, the creative unicorn) which all children at all ages and attainment can succeed at. Teachers approach is to celebrate the process of learning not always the outcome, therefore all children at all levels are able to feel positive and develop a ‘can do’ approach.
When necessary and beneficial to the children, they will be taught on a small group or 1:1 basis. This learning will allows still adopt the LWL approach and not ‘cap’ what can be achieved within a lesson.
• What additional learning support is available?
Additional to quality first teaching and in class CUKU (catch up, keep up) sessions, teachers also plan a range of additional interventions to aid curriculum learning with regards to English and maths skills.
Furthermore, external agencies support the academy with supporting children with specific needs such as autism, vision/ hearing impairment, physical disabilities.
As part of our SEMH (social emotional and mental health) provision, we have Calm Brain as a whole school intervention- additionally ELSA, Zones of Regulation, Nurture, Forest school and Circle of Friends interventions run with trained Teaching Assistants.
We have intervention programmes such as: Dyslexia gold, Lightening Squad, Reading Fluency Project and RML to support English development of skills and range of maths interventions such as Number Sense to support the development of basic maths skills.
• Who will oversee and plan the education programme?
For all children on ISPs, their programme of support is designed by the class teacher in conjunction with the SENDCo and any external agencies involved. This is also done with pupil and Parent/ carer input.
• What arrangements are made for reasonable adjustments in the curriculum and support to the pupil during exams?
All classes use some form of written assessments at points during the year- these are undertaken with minimal disruption to the children’s ‘normal’ working conditions. Where we know children perform best with less distractions, tests can be taken in a quieter familiar space, or rest breaks can be used to help children to manage completing of the task.
KS1 SATs are completed in smaller groups, the children will be with their class teacher and TAs. These will be completed like any other activity in the classroom so will not feel any different and all reasonable adjustment in place usually will be the same.
For KS2 SATS careful consideration is put into place to plan, how and where the children will sit their papers. Extra time can be applied for if the child’s needs meets the criteria, otherwise rest breaks and smaller groups or 1:1 arrangements are made.
Modifications can be made for children who may need to read from different coloured paper or may need larger/ braille text. Compensatory marks can be applied for, for pupils with hearing loss, for the KS2 spelling paper.

• How is your budget for SEND allocated and managed? [Budget figures not required]
The overall SEND budget is managed by the Headteacher with the support of the Governing board. It is allocated on a needs basis and reviewed every financial year. A small proportion of the main SEND budget, managed by the SENCo, is used to provide ‘consumable’ resources, usually in direct relation to pupil needs e.g. ear defenders, reading rulers, theraputty
If there is a need to apply for additional funding for pupils this is done by working with the local SEND Hub and applying for Additional Educational Needs (AEN) Funding, Early Years Funding, Disability Allowance or, in the case of longer term needs, an Education Health and Care Plan application.
If there is a need to use additional funding from our own budget this will be assessed and if appropriate used to support pupils needs or resources.
• How would you secure additional funding for a pupil?
Additional funding is secured through a successful application to any of the above. Applications must show that reasonable adjustments have previously been put into place and must show 2 cycles of Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR). A provision map outlining how funding is used and how this will help the child must be provided, along with pupil, parent/ carer views. Evidence of attainment must also be provided. AEN funding is shorter term funding, whereas EHCP is longer term. Often AEN funding needs to be accessed and an impact/ ongoing need shown before an EHCP application can be submitted
• How does your setting further meet need?
If children meet the criteria for funding, Parents will be involved in all decision making. A provision map will be provided which outlines all support in place as a result of the funding. Additional meetings may be held with external agencies and internally to ensure provision is meeting needs. For children with EHCPs, annual reviews are held in addition to the termly SENDCo meetings.
Sometimes it may be necessary for the SENDCo to refer children onto other services such as CAMHS, Children Young Person Autism Team, Action for Children, this will be done in conjunction with parent/ carers so all views are considered. The SENDCo will inform parents. Carers of the process for this.
Occasionally, it may be appropriate for the SENDCo to direct families to their GP to discuss presenting needs, if this is the case, the SENDCO will provide parents with a supporting letter to take to their GP which outlines schools views.

• Describe the decision-making process.
Decisions are made on a daily basis by the class teachers for the ongoing support your child will receive in the class. Parents will be regularly updated.
Class teachers will liaise with the SENDCo about provision provided. Termly parent/ carer consultations will keep families updated of any decision making.
With regards to referring children onto different services, the SENDCo will discuss the child’s needs at the local SEND Hub meeting, through which advice will be given by other professionals about the best route to take/ where to access support. The SENDCo will then meet with parents to discuss this before any referrals or external agencies become involved.
• Who else will be involved?
The Local SEND Hub involved local SENDCos and external professionals such as Speech and Language Team (SALT), Educational Psychologists (EPs), Families First Support, Autism Inclusion Team (AIT) etc.
If any external agencies are to become involve the SENDCO will inform and regularly update the family. The external agencies themselves will also have contact with the families.
external agencies may include:
Speech and Language, Autism Inclusion, Vision Impairmant, Hearing Impairment, School Nursing, Paediatrics, Educational Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Physio Therapy, Family First Support, Children and Young Persons Autism, CAMHS (child, adult mental health services), Play therapy, Art Therapy, Music therapy, Action for Children, Malachi, Saplings
• How will I be involved as a parent and carer? (IRR)
Any external involvement will be through communication and involvement of parent / carers. The key workers themselves will involve parents and the SENDCo will be continually updating. Sometimes, where a family support service is required, a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting will happen monthly/ half termly to keep all parties informed of progress and future actions/ provision.

• What resources are available
A portion of the SEND budget is allocated to the SENDCo so that in class resources can be purchased to as an additional support e.g. ear defenders, reading rulers, theraputty, writing slants, therabands, wobble cushions
For more specialist equipment we are advised by external supporting agencies and occasionally additional funding can be applied for. For example we previously were awarded a grant to access a specialised disabled toilet.
Through referral into the SEND Hub, the SENDCO can also gain advise for families on where/ how to access equipment for home also.
Access/ movement around the site is regularly assessed and the school accessibility plan can be found on the website- this outlines future plans to improve this area.
Intervention programmes of support are also purchased through the SEND Budget, as is staff training.
• What is the process to secure these resources
Everyday equipment to aid SEND provision is agreed through the setting of the budget. Link finance and SEND governors also oversee this.
Specialist equipment is accessed through support of external agencies and sometimes through application for Individual Needs Funding.

• How will you assess my child’s progress? (IRR)
Class teachers are responsible for planning lessons which meet the needs of all pupils. The class teachers undertake ongoing assessments in order to inform the next steps in learning, this is in the form of formative and summative assessment. Teacher complete daily feedback sheets which inform them of their in the moment verbal feedback which happens throughout lessons, this informs of next steps and is an ongoing way of assessing progress and ensuring planning is tailored to the needs of all children.
Pupils with an Individual Support Plan will work with their teacher and support staff in order to closely review their targets and identify next steps. Individual Support Plans are formally reviewed on a termly basis; with pupils and parents being a key part of this process.
• How often will my child’s progress be reviewed, and how will this be done?
At Etching Hill class feedback sheets give teachers an ongoing daily review of progress, this forms part of the ongoing Assess, Plan, Do, Review Cycle. Each half term teachers will review progress towards ISP targets and will share this with children and parents. Teacher take part in termly Pupil Progress meetings with subject leaders and the management team to review all children’s progress- during this meeting any groups pf children underperforming are discussed and any unmet needs identified.
Communication is a strength at Etching Hill, between staff and parents, and staff and the management team, therefore, although key dates are set in the calendar for formal meetings, children’s progress and development is at the forefront of all we do and so is an ongoing agenda.
• How will I know what progress they should be making?
Class teachers will share end of year expectations with parents/ carers at the start of each academic year. Your child’s specific attainment will be discussed and steps of progress will be identified through ISP targets. During Parent/staff/ SENDCo meetings, expected progress will be discussed along with information of how school and home can help this. Class teachers will regularly keep parents/ carers updated on how they can support their child at home also.
• What opportunities will there be for me to discuss his or her progress with the staff, or to be involved in review processes? (IRR)
Class teachers are always available at the start and end of school days, as part of our meet and greet system, for any ‘quick’ questions/ queries/ information sharing. For some children, home/school diaries are arranged as a way of sharing daily information between home and school.
The Academy SENDCo is available to contact on a.morganti@etchinghillprimary.academy or f.cunningham@etchinghillprimary.academy
Formally, there will be termly Parent/ carer SEND consultations, where parents/ cares will be involved in the review process.
• How will you explain to me how learning is planned?
During parent/ carer meetings class teachers and the SENDCo will explain to you your child’s targets and how the learning will be planned for this. On your child’s ISP there is a column which explains the planning and support in place to match each target.
• 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)
Staff are available at the start and the end of the school day. They can also be contacted via personal school emails or via the school office by telephoning 01889221864 or by emailing office@etchinghillprimary.academy
The SENDCo can also be contacted in the same way as staff or via email a.morganti@etchinghillprimary.academy
For some children, it is necessary to have a home/ school diary or charts which aids communiation between home and school on a daily basis. If your child needs this, the class teacher/ SENDCo will have talked to you about this.
• What measures do you take to assist communication with parents and carers with SEND?
School has a text messaging and email system to communicate general information to parents. For specific conversations, staff will always telephone or converse in person with parents at the start or end of the school day. When necessary, staff will arrange meetings for parent s to come in to school at convenient times for them.
The office staff/ SENDCo are happy to provide alternative forms of communication for any parents/ carers with specific needs. The SENDCo or FLO (family liaision officer) are happy to assist parents/ carers with any letters or forms.

• How I can help support this at home?
During parent/ carer consultations, staff will share ways that help can be given at home, this may be through practise/ reinforcing activities which can be completed verbally, on paper or on IT devices, or through advice/ resources given to help aid independence.
Miss B Smith is our academy Family Support Assistant and she is available for families to engage with if there are any behaviour concerns. She can also give helpful practical advise on things such as sleep, diet, family activities.
As art of our ELSA support, parents will be contacted and will have a meeting themselves with the ELSA, to discuss strategies to cope with moods and handling emotions the children will be shown in school, and resources shared so that home/ school can match in approaches.
The class sections and SEND area of our academy website also shares ways of helping at home for a range of areas of need.
• Do you offer any parent training?
When appropriate we help families to access external support and training.
Our academy FLO is accessible for families who require support in managing any behaviours they wish to change at home- staff can help parents/ carers to access this service or there is a self- referral form available from the school office.
Our school website has a range of online course available to parents/ carers to access, including our academy training on Emotion Coaching and phonics videos of how to teach sounds.

• How will my child be kept up-to-date on their progress, and involved in review processes? (IRR)
Children who have special educational needs have Individual Support Plans, they are able to share their views with their teacher and these are recorded on their plan. We encourage children to talk about their learning and their targets.
Once per term, parents and children have the opportunity to meet with their class teacher and Mrs Morganti (SENCo) or Miss Cunnngham (EY SENDCo). These meetings are 20 minutes in length and children are encouraged to attend with their parents and to share their views.
Children with special educational needs are offered the same opportunities to learn as other children in school, we have reasonable adjustments in place which, wherever possible, enable children to access the same educational opportunities as their peers.
If children are worried about something we have various strategies in place to enable them to share their worries with someone they trust, eg worry boxes, buddies etc.
As part of normal classroom practice at Etching Hill, pupils are encouraged to reflect on their work and complete Roo Sheets which gives their voice on how they thing they are handling the learning. They are asked to reflect regularly on our Characteristics of a good learner (our ELLI characters) so teachers can see how the children feel about learning and being in the classroom. Children also take part in termly Star Week discussions which will be held 1:1 between the teacher and pupil and will be a chance for pupils to verbalise more about how they feel about their learning and their classroom environment. All of these forms of collecting pupil voice as well as day to day interaction with the children, will also help to form planning and decision making.

• How does the setting, school or college measure outcomes and the impact of the support provided to children or young people with SEND?
Assessment and tracking processes are core to ensuring all pupils are progressing. These systems serve to identify where individuals are making progress and to identify their next steps. Teachers will be checking daily progression through skilled questioning and verbal feedback. This alongside the monitoring of the children’s outcomes show teachers how your child is making progress.
For children with cognition and learning difficulties, they will be following our Learning Leaps programme of support- this takes overall objectives and breaks them down into smaller manageable steps- teachers track children’s progress in reading, writing and maths using our learning Leaps.
Impact of all interventions are measured from starting to end points. Internally children’s progress is recorded on our Insight Tracking System and will be reported to parents each term. It programmes of support such as Dyslexia Gold, Lightening squad record progress based on reading age.
For interventions based on SEMH needs, pre/post assessments are made using Summit Psychology resources to judge the impact of these interventions.
The autism framework is used to assess progress in areas relating to this specific need.
Parents/ carers will be regularly updated by class teachers on progress being made, and if any targets are met before planned consultations, teachers/ SENDCo will involve parents/ carers in the creation of new targets.
For the children- they can see progression in their work through our schools marking and feedback policy which can be found on the schools website.
• How will you involve parents and carers in this process?
Parents/ carers will have three consultations each academic year, however if progress needs to be discussed at any point the class teacher will arrange a meeting with parents / SENDco to discuss this.
• How will you involve children and young people in this process?
The children at Etching Hill are consistently being involved in their learning journey and are actively encouraged to assess how they think they have achieved in each lesson with regards to what they have learnt and how they have learnt. As part of Etching Hill’s Growing Great Learners, we use ELLI characters to involve children in understanding how they are good learners (ask your children about our characters!). Children are also encouraged to use a purple pen as reflection on their work. They will be involved in regular ‘ROO’ conversations which gives the teacher an understanding about how they feel towards their learning. They will also have three Star Week conversations a year with their class teacher. Parent/ carers evening conversations will inform you of what your child thinks too.
For children with ISPs, their pupil voice forms part of every cycle.
For pupils who have EHCPs in place, their views are recorded annually with regards to what is working well, what could be better, things they enjoy and their hopes for the future.

• Does the setting, school or college use feedback mechanisms or surveys?
Parents, carers and pupils have an opportunity each ISP cycle to add their views. There is also a SEND parent voice survey each year as well as pupil voice. These surveys are collated and reviewed by the SEND team alongside the SEND link governors to see how provision can be improved.

• What handover arrangements are offered at the start and end of the school day?
Class teachers meet and greet pupils at the start of the day and hand over at the end of the day. For pupils in Year 5 and 6 arrangements can be made by parents communicating with the school office, for their children to meet outside of school at collection points or to walk home.
For children with specific needs arrangements for them to arrive/ leave through less busy areas of school can be arranged. For children with mobility needs, additional arrangements for use of staff carpark can also be arranged.
• What support is offered during breaks and lunchtimes?
Where necessary additional support staff are employed to help children with needs at lunch and break times.
Arrangements can be made for dietary requirements and for children whose sensory needs require them to be in a quieter space. The nurture space is accessible for children to have ‘drop ins’ with the SENDCo throughout lunchtime
• How do you ensure my son/daughter stays safe outside the classroom? (e.g. during PE lessons, moving between buildings and on school trips)
Risk assessments for all trips and visitors are undertaken using Evolve.
Each class teacher has a red medical bag to take with them for PE lessons and whilst on school trip.
Our site is regularly risk assessed and the accessibility plan on the school website outlines any future plans for improvement with regards to accessibility.
Our three school rules are: ready, respectful and safe. Teachers and support staff ensure that pupils know what these rules mean and look like outside of the classroom. Schools behaviour systems ensures that pupils safety and welfare are at the forefront of everything we do.
• What are the setting/school/college arrangements for undertaking risk assessments?
The academy used Evlove to record all risk assessments. Mrs Julie Gladdy and Mrs Zoe Hasketh Boston are the schools health and Safety Leads. Mrs S Bullock is the Academy’s Educational Visits coordinator.

• What pastoral arrangements are in place to listen to pupils/students with SEND?
We pride ourselves on the relational care we have across the school, pupil voice tells us that pupils feel there are trusted adults they can go to qith concerns. All class teachers have systems in place for children to share worries and concerns. If class teachers feel the pupil need is greater than that they can cater for in the classroom and ELSA referral is made in communication with parents.
We have two trained ELSAs in school who run varying programmes of support including anger management, bereavement, eating disorders. The ELSA are line managed through supervision sessions ran by Summit Psychology.
In addition, we have support staff trained in: Zones of Regulation, Calm Brain, Forest school, Healing Together- all of these target varying SEMH needs.
We have an academy Family Support Officer who can also offer Special and Emotional support on a family basis. If families think this is something they would like to consider, they should contact the SENDCo or academy office.
Our academy also runs well-being session in each year group where children can have their voices heard.
• Where can I find details of policies on bullying?
Please see the school website for all policies regarding behaviour in school.
• How do you help children and young people to make friends?
At Etching Hill we see ourselves as a family, lessons and behaviour around the school shows this. Adults model and actively encourage children to interact positively. Our Buddy Bee ELLI character promotes teamwork and friendship. Adults on the playground at break and lunchtimes actively show children ow to play together.
All staff at Etching Hill are trained to emotion coach children through any friendship difficulties.
If socialising is a particular difficulty, we run small Circle of Friends interventions or use buddy system.
• How do you encourage and measure the development of good self-esteem and confidence?
Our Role model system, use of ELLI characters as well as our Shining Brightly all promote self-esteem and confidence. Please see our Relationships and behaviour Policy for further details on these, this can be accessed via our school website Other — Etching Hill CE Primary Academy (etchinghill-rainbow.com)
At Etchinghill we have ‘outstanding learner’ characteristic, which were designed by the pupils, these are promoted and celebrated using our ELLI characters. Through this pupils’ attitudes towards learning and the process of learning is valued, so pupils reflect and develop ‘how’ they learn not just ‘what’ they learn.

• How does the setting / school / college manage the administration of medicines and providing personal care where necessary (e.g. toileting, eating etc.)?
The school office holds record of children’s medical details, for some children it is necessary to have a Care Plan: these are written together with parents, taking into account all external professionals advise. Care plans are shared with teachers and all staff involved with the daily care of the children who have them. These are planned to be updated yearly but amendments can be made at any time.
When children require medicines to be administered, parent will sign a copy of our medical form stating quantities and times to be administered. A member of the office team, will administer the medicine at the agreed times and sign the form.

Please refer to our ‘Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions’ Policy on our website https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d9c63744e71df18fd24daf1/t/637e0f567fd1496595f190b1/1669205847114/Supporting+Pupils+with+Medical+Conditions+2020.pdf

• What would the setting/school/college do in the case of a medical emergency?
With regards to pupils who have Care Plans in place, individual instructions of what to do are outlined within their plans and this information is shared will all relevant staff. For other medical emergencies, staff have red cards to send to the office where staff in receipt are trained in the appropriate actions of calling an ambulance and informing parents. All staff are trained to administer EpiPen’s. Key members of staff are trained to handle specific medical conditions.
• How does the setting/school/college support young people who have to take time off for medical appointments?
Where possible parents/ carers are encouraged to make medical appointments outside of school hours, for general medical enquiries through GP. For those children who need to attend regular appointments related to medical conditions, this will be stated in the child’s Care Plan and relevant arrangements will be in place. Home learning is provided for any children who are missing time out of lessons for any period of time. In school catch up sessions also ensure that children attending appointments are not at risk of falling behind. Where children are needing to be at home for recovery periods- home learning via Teams or packs is provided and, where necessary, families are provided with a school laptop.

• How do you work with the family to draw up a care plan and ensure that all relevant staff are aware of the plan?
When children need to have a Care Plan, initially parents will meet with a member of the office staff and SENDCo to discuss medical issues and routines. The plan is constructed together and signed by all involved before it is shared with relevant staff. All care plans are kept in a central location, with class teachers having copies of the plans relevant for the children in their classes. Care plans are reviewed on an annual basis, however, should any amendments be needed throughout the year, this is handles in the same way as review.

• Include link to Behaviour policy. Support from external agencies?
For details of Etchinghill’s behaviour philosophy please see Behaviour policy on our website: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d9c63744e71df18fd24daf1/t/6033a042ae17b8724ca16e35/1613996099063/Behviour%2BPolicy%2B2020%2B2021.pdf
Also our positive behaviour rational for details of supporting agencies:

Positive Behaviour Support Strategies
Rationale :


Tier 1:

• Talk Time: pupil may be experiencing an acute period of difficulty (school or home based). They are able to receive 1:1 Talk Time within their classroom, provided by a familiar adult.

• Social Skills/ Friendship Intervention Group: pupil may be experiencing an acute period of difficulty with friends and developing social skills. They are able to receive year group-based therapy/discussion alongside the PSHE curriculum and individual need.

• Check ins/ behaviour mentor: if experiencing a period of behaviour difficulties, a member of staff is assigned (out of year group) as a behaviour mentor, to carry out ‘check ins’ weekly (or more frequently if necessary)
Tier 2:

• ELSA: To support SEMH needs. A 1:1 based therapy session lead by in school ELSAs. Internal referral made by school in conjunction with parents. Pre/ post ELSA assessments.

• Lego/ Play Mobile Therapy: A very small group environment, delivered by a skilled teaching assistant, where a pupil receives support in developing specific skills in the areas of communication and language, turn-taking, speaking and listening and social skills.

• Music Therapy: A very small group/ 1:1 environment, delivered by a skilled music teacher, where a pupil receives therapeutic sessions utilising music and songs to aid relaxation, social skills and develop confidence and relationships with peers.

• Circle of Friends: A very small group environment, delivered by a skilled teaching assistant, where a pupil receives support in developing specific skills in the areas of turn-taking, following instruction, developing understanding of rules and consequences.

• Forest School Nurture Sessions: A small group of pupils with identified specific needs in core areas of social and emotional health. Identification through use of the Boxall Profile/ ELSA referral. Pupils access our Forest School area within the school day in addition to the class-based curriculum. This is led by our Forest School Leader and pupils may access for one or two half terms. Pupils will undertake physical activities which promote a care and responsibility for the environment and nature; while also developing social skills and building peer relationships.

• FLO-School Led Behaviour Support: Individual or very small group support for pupils and their families who are experiencing acute difficulties with behaviour and/or social emotional needs. Sessions are bespoke to pupil and family needs and are offered outside of the school day. These are led by our Family Liaison Officer.

• Zones of Regulation: a 1:1 or small group intervention for pupils identified with difficulties in handling emotions. Intervention ran on 6-week cycle.

Tier 3

• CAMHS: CAMHS is a support service for young people ages 18 and under. It offers support and advice for a wide range of emotional difficulties that young people may experience. There are many people that work within CAMHS, such as nurses, doctors, therapists, youth workers and very friendly reception staff.

• Saplings: support ervice provided by the Police for pupils aged 5-19 years who may be experiencing behaviour difficulties related to school attendance or antisocial behaviour

• Owl Consultancy Behaviour Support (paid): A service which schools can refer to which promotes positive behaviour at school and supports staff in education to enable positive outcomes for pupils, including those at risk of exclusion.

• Action for Children: A service which schools can refer to which offers direct work with pupils (1:1 or small group based) inclusive of emotional coaching

• Hawthorn: A service offering alternative learning experiences, inclusive of animal care. Interleaving curriculum learning opportunities with activity-based learning, aimed at pupils with challenging behaviour or those who may be at risk of exclusion. Accessible to primary pupils on Mondays and Fridays for 4 hours per day.

• The Bridge/ Little Bridge: An alternative provision for pupils who have been permanently excluded or as a preventative measure to support pupils presenting with challenging behaviour. These provisions will also work with schools to reintegrate pupils back into mainstream education or to provide outreach work

• Families First: A service commissioned by the Local Authority to provide family engagement and support, similar to previous offered by the Local Support Team. Usually accessed following an Early Help Assessment, schools can directly refer families. (Not appropriate for those families who already have a social worker)

• Local Support Team: A Local Authority led service which provides family engagement and support. Usually accessed following and Early Help Assessment or via First Response directive following a safeguarding referral. Referral paperwork is through the Early Help Assessment. (Not appropriate for those families who already have a social worker)

• AIT- Autism Inclusion team: A local Authority led service who deliver outreach work in primary schools for pupils with an ASD diagnosis (schools refer into service)

• Local SEN Hub: A service accessed each half term by school SENDCo, to discuss pupils with SEN needs or those at risk of exclusion due to behavior.

• Educational Psychologist services (Staffordshire/ Schools Psychology service (paid): schools buy into service to have psychologist, cognition or sensory assessments to support in school provision, families and external referrals

• Catch 22: Accessed by schools through Early Help referrals. Commissioned by Staffordshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, to support children and young people at risk of criminal exploitation, those involved in gang activity and/or county lines.

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

The responsibility of the Designated Teacher for LAC is to:

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

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

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

Mrs Morganti/ Miss Cunningham are the school SENCos (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators) for pupils attending Etchinghill Primary Academy.
Roles & Responsibilities of the SENCos:

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

SEND monitoring:

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

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

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

The point of contact for all parents/carers of pupils with SEND are the school SENDCos who can be contacted via the school office on 01889 2218634 or by email : a.morganti@etchinghillprimary.academy or f.cunningham@etchinghillprimary.academy
Our school office email is: office@etchinghillprimary.academy

For SEND children already in school, an end of year transition happens between the child’s current class teacher and next years. Information is shared with regards to SEND support, pupils also work with class teachers and/or SENDCo to produce pupil passports- which are a child version of what works for them in the classroom. Information for any external agencies is also shared at these meetings. Where necessary pre-year meetings are held with parents and their child’s next teacher to share information. If appropriate and necessary, staff will receive up to date training on any needs prior to having children with specific needs in their class. For certain areas of need e.g. ASC staff are regularly trained and updated.
Throughout the year, where external agencies may be involved e.g. Vision Impairment Team, AIT (Autism Inclusion team, Hearing Impairment Team, staff are updated.
For children joining the school with Special educational needs, school SENDCo and class teacher with liaise with parents and staff from the pupils previous school setting.

• What type of knowledge do staff members have in relation to SEND (awareness, enhanced or specialist)?
Teaching and support staff have access to training opportunities to enable them to respond to the needs of all pupils. For some pupils with special educational needs, staff require specialist advice and training from outside agencies. Etching Hill Primary School works with a variety of specialist agencies in order to ensure the right advice is sought at the right time and appropriate training for staff is secured.
Staff have received training and/or specialist advice from the Autism Inclusion Team, Speech Therapy Services, the Special Educational Needs Support Service, the Hearing Impairment team, The Visual Impairment Team, Educational Psychology, the Physical Disability Support Service, OWL Behaviour Support, Summit Psychology,
Each half term the SENDCo attends national and area updates with regard to SEND and works closely with NASEN to remain updated. Etching Hill SENDCos attend area SEND Hubs each half term, where a range of external professionals will share advise and advertise services.
Opportunities to work with specialist outside agencies are openly encouraged, the SENDCo co-ordinates training for staff closely related to the current needs of the pupils, taking into account priority areas of need.
Etching Hill is proud to be a Staffordshire Trauma Informed and Attachment Aware school. All of our staff, including support and non-teaching staff, have undertaken Emotion Coaching Training.
• Does the setting, school or college have any areas of expertise with specialist staff, and what are their qualifications?
Where specialist expertise are sort, the academy has strong links with external agencies to support this.
We have two trained ELSAs- Emotional Literacy Support Assistance and two Forest school trained staff.
The school has also been awarded Staffordshire Trauma Informed and Attachment Aware based on the rigorous training undergone by all staff.
• What ongoing support and development is in place for staff with regard to supporting children and young people with SEN?
Staff attend regular SEND meetings lead by the SENDCo- these are led with regards to sharing information gathered from national and local updates, and focus on the meeting the needs of children within our setting.
Staff have annual Autism awareness training.
All staff working with visual or hearing impaired children work closely with the specialist teams.
Our ELSAs have regular supervision meetings to support them in their roles.
The SENDCo attends termly national and area SEND updates, as well as half termly Trust and Area SEND Hub training.
Where various courses advertised by external agencies would suit members of staff across the school, these are undertaken e.g. staff attending trauma informed sessions, Identifying SEND in the Early Years, Zoom sessions on how to run Dyslexia Gold intervention etc.
Class teachers use the SENDCo as the first port of call with regards to ensuring provision is well matched to need.
• Does the setting, school or college have any formal accreditations, charter marks or awards?
Etching Hill is very proud to be a Staffordshire Trauma Informed and Attachment Aware Academy, as well a Dyslexia Friendly academy.
• Does the setting, school or college provide disability awareness training?
Etching Hill outsources specialist training when needed for staff internally and for parents/ carers when necessary.
Our continually improving Website has links to additional training and support for parents- including videos to Emotion Coaching Training

• 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? Eg
health, social services, local authority support services, voluntary organisations.
Where a child’s needs are not being met through in school support, we have a range of external agencies who can be involved with permoission from parents- these can be Educational Psychologists, Occupational therapists, Physio therapists. The school SENDCo attends half termly SEN Hub meetings where external advise and support can be sort, through referral.
Sometimes external agencies need to be involved because of behaviours, below is a list of some of the services who can support this:
• CAMHS: CAMHS is a support service for young people ages 18 and under. It offers support and advice for a wide range of emotional difficulties that young people may experience. There are many people that work within CAMHS, such as nurses, doctors, therapists, youth workers and very friendly reception staff.
• Saplings: support service provided by the Police for pupils aged 5-19 years who may be experiencing behaviour difficulties related to school attendance or antisocial behaviour
• Owl Consultancy Behaviour Support (paid): A service which schools can refer to which promotes positive behaviour at school and supports staff in education to enable positive outcomes for pupils, including those at risk of exclusion.
• Action for Children: A service which schools can refer to which offers direct work with pupils (1:1 or small group based) inclusive of emotional coaching
• Hawthorn: A service offering alternative learning experiences, inclusive of animal care. Interleaving curriculum learning opportunities with activity-based learning, aimed at pupils with challenging behaviour or those who may be at risk of exclusion. Accessible to primary pupils on Mondays and Fridays for 4 hours per day.
• The Bridge/ Little Bridge: An alternative provision for pupils who have been permanently excluded or as a preventative measure to support pupils presenting with challenging behaviour. These provisions will also work with schools to reintegrate pupils back into mainstream education or to provide outreach work
• Families First: A service commissioned by the Local Authority to provide family engagement and support, similar to previous offered by the Local Support Team. Usually accessed following an Early Help Assessment, schools can directly refer families. (Not appropriate for those families who already have a social worker)
• Local Support Team: A Local Authority led service which provides family engagement and support. Usually accessed following and Early Help Assessment or via First Response directive following a safeguarding referral. Referral paperwork is through the Early Help Assessment. (Not appropriate for those families who already have a social worker)
• AIT- Autism Inclusion team: A local Authority led service who deliver outreach work in primary schools for pupils with an ASD diagnosis (schools refer into service)
• Local SEN Hub: A service accessed each half term by school SENDCo, to discuss pupils with SEN needs or those at risk of exclusion due to behavior.
• Educational Psychologist services (Staffordshire/ Schools Psychology service (paid): schools buy into service to have psychologist, cognition or sensory assessments to support in school provision, families and external referrals
• Catch 22: Accessed by schools through Early Help referrals. Commissioned by Staffordshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, to support children and young people at risk of criminal exploitation, those involved in gang activity and/or county lines.
The schools link governors meet with the SENDCo, half termly, to monitor external involvement and its impact. This is also discussed at full governing board meetings throughout the year.

• Which health or therapy services can children/young people access on the setting/school/college premises?
At Etchinghill we recognise the impact the Social and emotional needs can have on a child, therefore we offer a wide range of interventions to help support this:
? ELSA: To support SEMH needs. A 1:1 based therapy session lead by in school ELSAs. Internal referral made by school in conjunction with parents. Pre/ post ELSA assessments.
? Lego/ Play Mobile Therapy: A very small group environment, delivered by a skilled teaching assistant, where a pupil receives support in developing specific skills in the areas of communication and language, turn-taking, speaking and listening and social skills.
? Music Therapy: A very small group/ 1:1 environment, delivered by a skilled music teacher, where a pupil receives therapeutic sessions utilising music and songs to aid relaxation, social skills and develop confidence and relationships with peers.
? Circle of Friends: A very small group environment, delivered by a skilled teaching assistant, where a pupil receives support in developing specific skills in the areas of turn-taking, following instruction, developing understanding of rules and consequences.
? Forest School Nurture Sessions: A small group of pupils with identified specific needs in core areas of social and emotional health. Identification through use of the Boxall Profile/ ELSA referral. Pupils access our Forest School area within the school day in addition to the class-based curriculum. This is led by our Forest School Leader and pupils may access for one or two half terms. Pupils will undertake physical activities which promote a care and responsibility for the environment and nature; while also developing social skills and building peer relationships.
? FLO-School Led Behaviour Support: Individual or very small group support for pupils and their families who are experiencing acute difficulties with behaviour and/or social emotional needs. Sessions are bespoke to pupil and family needs and are offered outside of the school day. These are led by our Family Liaison Officer.
? Zones of Regulation: a 1:1 or small group intervention for pupils identified with difficulties in handling emotions. Intervention ran on 6-week cycle.

• Who can I talk to if I am worried and how do I contact them?
For any concerns regarding SEND or your child's education your initial point of contact is the class teacher. Class teachers are available on the class doors during morning drop off or after school collection periods, alternatively an appointment can be made to speak with them via the school office.
Should you have a more specific concern you are always welcome to speak to the school SENCo or a member of SLT, including the Headteacher.

Please contact the school office on 01889221864. Our school office email is:office@etchinghillprimary.academy

Note: colleges – no legal duty for SENCO, but should have named co-ordinator for SEN support
The schools SENDCos are: Mrs A Morganti or Miss F Cunningham who can be contacted via the school office on 01889221864 or via email: a.morganti@etchinghillprimary.academy or f.cunningham@etchinghillprimary.academy

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

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

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

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

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

Mrs Gladdy and Mrs Cotton Dietrich make up our Governor team for Vulnerable pupils, inclusing SEN, PP and those with social worker involvement. Our link LAC governor is Mrs Gladdy and Link SEND governor Mrs Cotton- Dietrich, under the guidance of the Chair of Governors- Mrs Whitehouse- and the Headteacher. Mr Maxfield is the Governor for Safeguarding. Governors can be contacted by arranging an appointment at the school office..

School contact number is: 01889221864 or email office@etchinghillprimary.academy

• How will my child/young person being able to contribute his or her views?
Throughout the year there are many opportunities for children to share their thought and opinions on their learning, classroom/ school environments and about other school issues such as playtimes, relationships with staff etc. These are done through specific pupil surveys, 1:1 discussions with class teacher or intervention leads, class discussions.
SEN pupils have additional opportunities to share their views during ISP reviews each term. For Looked After Children and those with EHCPs, pupil voice also forms part of their PEP or EHCP reviews.
• How will the setting/school/college support my child/young person to do this?
At Etchinghill pupil voice is an important part of school improvement, there are regular opportunities throughout the year, planned into class time for pupils to share honest views and opinions through pupil voice surveys and through planned lessons. Pupils have three yearly Star week discussions with their class teacher, which happen on a 1:1 basis where they can share their thoughts about their learning.
Pupils are encouraged to become part of the Junior Council or Christian Council, where they can share and represent others’ views.
For SEN pupils, additional to this, class teachers hold 1:1 review conversations based on ISP targets, which form part of the ISP document shared with parents. Class teacher support pupils with SEN to express their views clearly, if necessary through 1:1 discussions and additional support.
For those children receiving additional intervention, pupil voice forms part of the assess, plan, do process.
• How do you support children and young people with SEND/LDD in making their aspirations known?
Regular activities are planned throughout the school year for pupils,including those with SEND, to think about aspirations and to share them within the class setting. Further to this pupil voice is collected and shared through our Star week converstaions as well as Pupil ISP reviews. For Looked after children, their views and aspirations are also sort during termly PEP meetings and for children with EHCP additional time to discuss is met through the annual EHCP review process.
• Do you have any student focus groups, councils or forums within the setting?
At Etchinghill we have Junior Council, who have different strands such as environments councillor etc, and a Christian council, where pupils are encouraged to share/ represent pupil voice within school.

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

• 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?
Help in completing forms can be obtained via our school office, where a member of the team are more than happy to assist. For SEND specific forms a meeting with a school SENDCo can be arranged.
• 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?
For help with school related forms e.g. admissions, advise and assistance can be obtained by contacting the school office by either visiting in person, calling 01889221864 or emailing office@etchighillprimary.academy
For any SEND specific paperwork, advise and assistance can be obtained through contacting one of the schools SENDCos: 01889221864, a.morganti@etchinghillprimary.academy or f.cunningham@etchinghillprimary.academy
The school SENDCos, where appropriate and necessary, will also seek further external advise where SEND specific detail needs to be multiagency.

• What activities are available that can be accessed by children and young people with SEND in addition to the curriculum?
Each term our school published the after school activities list for parent to sign children up for, these are a range of sporting, art/ craft, academic clubs.

• Do you offer holiday and/or before and after school/college provision? If yes, please give details
Before and after school clubs can be booked online using our school booking system.
Details of holiday sports clubs are advertised prior to half term, Easter and summer breaks
• What lunchtime or after school/college activities do you offer? Do parents/students have to pay for these and if so, how much?
Details of the school clubs are sent out to parents via the school newsletter. All of our afterschool clubs ran by staff are free of charge. Occasionally external sporting clubs are held on site, these external companies charge for their service. This will be advertised to parents prior to the clubs starting
• How do you make sure clubs, activities and residential trips are inclusive?
All clubs, activities and residential trips are inclusive for all children- where special consideration and arrangements need to be made this will be in conjunction with parents and pupils.
• How will you help my child or young person to be included?
At Etching Hill we encourage all pupils to take part in all opportunities on offer, inclusive of daily classroom opportunities, extra-curricular opportunities and external educational visits and events. We support a range of strategies designed to ensure that ‘reasonable adjustments’ are made in order that all pupils are provided with a fully inclusive educational experience. For example, we have provided individual transport to Church for a child who was unable to walk the short route. We have provided 1:1 support for a child who otherwise would not have safely been able to participate in swimming lessons. We make careful considerations in regard to classroom environment, including adjusting arrangements for pupils who have difficulty in accessing the first floor classrooms.
• How do you involve parent carers in planning activities and trips?
Parents and carers are informed in advance of upcoming activities and trips, where special arrangements need to be made, parents are involved with discussions with the lead teacher and supporting staff to ensure all activities are accessible for all.

• How has the environment been adapted to support children with sensory needs.
School is guided by the hearing and visual impairment team on physical adaptations that need to be applied. They work closely with the school termly to ensure that children with disabilities needs are being met. We have disabled access to the school site and a disabled toilet accessible to all.
Our Academy Accessibility Plan is reviews annually- this reviews the sites accessibility as well as outlines future plans. Children who have sensitivities to noise are encouraged to use ear defenders and where possible quiet break out spaces are accessed. The Accessibility Plan can be accessed via the website: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d9c63744e71df18fd24daf1/t/637faa1682e98a54b088c1c8/1669310999748/Accessibility+Plan+2020-23.pdf
We have a disabled toilet and disables parking space on the staff carpark.

School is guided by the hearing and visual impairment team on physical adaptations that need to be applied. They work closely with the school termly to ensure that children with disabilities needs are being met. We have disabled access to the school site and a disabled toilet accessible to all.
Our Academy Accessibility Plan is reviews annually- this reviews the sites accessibility as well as outlines future plans. Children who have sensitivities to noise are encouraged to use ear defenders and where possible quiet break out spaces are accessed. The Accessibility Plan can be accessed via the website

• How do you communicate with those whose first language is not English (including parent/carers)?
For pupils with SEND needs in the form of communication and interaction, we employ a range of strategies – verbal modelling, visual support systems (eg visual timetables, now and next boards). Some pupils have specific support for communication needs and are under NHS Speech Therapy Services.
Teachers and support staff will act as clear role models for language.

For those pupils whose first language is not English, it is recognised that this is not a SEND need. Pupils for whom English is an additional language will often come with a wealth of knowledge in their first language and this should be built upon and developed. The child’s first language will be valued.
Where appropriate support will be sought from the Ethnic Minority team / Support from EAL team.
We will always seek/ utilise alternative methods of communication to ensure that children and their families feel that communication is effective. This has been through translated documents, using other members of the family to translate in meetings, cue cards for children
• Does the setting encourage and make use of alternative forms of communication on a regular basis? If so, which one(s)?
Staff communicate to parents via email, messaging service, newsletter, postcards home- all of which can be translated if necessary.

If you are interested in your child/children joining our setting please contact the school office on 01889 221864 or office@etchinghillprimary.academy to arrange a pre-visit.
See our website for admissions information

• Do you offer Open Days?
Parents can book appointments for a ‘show around’ at any point during the year- where a member of staff will show parents and children the school during a working day.
For children beginning nursery and reception, an open evening is held in the July prior to starting, where parents receive welcome packs and get to meet teachers, SENDCo and view the setting.

• What preparation will there be before my child or young person joins you? How will he or she be prepared to move onto the next stage?
At Etching Hill, we support pupils through each stage of their education. All pupils have the opportunity to meet with new teachers when they are moving classes. Pupils making the transition to secondary school are able to visit schools during open evenings, and also as part of planned transition events between primary and secondary schools.
For children with special educational needs, we recognise that they may require additional support when making the transition to a new class or a new school setting. We ensure that receiving staff are well informed about pupils’ needs through professional conversations, meetings with the pupils (and parents if required) and though the use of our ‘Pupil Passport’ system.
Some children complete booklets to aid smooth transition and these can be taken home and discussed with other members of the family. This can alleviate some of the anxiety that some children may have during transition periods.
We also work closely with any relevant outside agencies during transition periods in order to most effectively support pupils and their families.
For pupils joining us from different settings, teachers/ SENDco will hold discussions with relevant previous staff to ensure all information is obtained prior to the pupil starting. Any SEND or Safeguarding information is passed between settings and where necessary external agencies and parents contacted for further information sharing.

• What information will be provided to his or her new setting, school, or college?
Teachers will pass on information with regards to academic, social and emotional ability. Office staff will transfer any attendance detail. If the child transferring has had involvement with any external agencies, this information is also shared to ensure support can continue. The safeguarding team will also pass on any safeguarding information via our electronic recording system CPOMS as well as verbally to relevant Safeguarding leads within the next destination.
• How will you support the new setting, school, or college to prepare for my child or young person?
Sharing of information and any relevant needs- if ISPs, EHCP or personal circumstances are in place, these are discussed to prepare children to have smooth transitions where they feel that any support they have previously received is still available and supportive. If external agencies have been involved e.g. AIT this will continue.
For children witl EHCP’s in place, the new setting will have agreed they can meet need and will be named on the EHCP before the child begins.
Where necessary staff can accompany children and parents to visit new settings and to have staggered transition.

• Who can I contact for further information and how? (SENDIASS etc.)
Internally we offer family support through our academy Family Liaison Officer (FLO) Mrs B. Smith, who can be contacted via a referral form from the school office or directly b.smith@etchinghillprimary.academy
We also have trained ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) in school who support children and families of children who have SEMH needs (social emotional or mental health needs). These are Mrs C. Pope and Miss C. Bridges, referral into their support can be made via conversation with class teachers and SENDCo, an internal referral form will be collated to ensure the most appropriate support is provided.

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

The agencies used by the school include:
Autism Inclusion Team
CYP Autism Service
Speech and Language Therapy Services
Paediatricians and the wider paediatric team including nurse specialists
Visual Impairment Team
Hearing Impairment Team
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Behaviour Support
Family Support workers through the Family First Service (or Malachi for families with Lichfield postcode)
Early Help Support Workers
Social Services – where deemed necessary
Action for Children Wellbeing Service
Mental Health in Schools Team
Education Welfare Officer
The SEND Locality Hub
Saplings
Educational Psychology- Staffordshire & The Schools Psychology Services


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

The information above was reviewed in October 2022 and will be reviewed annually, being agreed by academy leaders and governors before publication

• How can parents give feedback to the setting, school or college?
Parents/ carers can contact the school via speaking with class teachers, the SENDCos or other members of the leadership team. All of which can be located at the beginning and end of school days or can be contacted via the school office on 0188921864. Alternatively the school office can arrange a meeting with any member of staff. The academy SENDCos can also be contacted via email: a.morganti@etchinghillprimary.academy or f.cunningham@etchinghillprimary.academy
• What is the setting, school or college’s complaints policy? (IRR)
If a parent or carer has concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointmmet can be made to see the headteacher or SENDCo. The academy formal complaints procedure can be found on the schools website or paper copies can be provided by the school office.
Trust & Academy complaints procedure: