SEND at River Beach Primary School
'Every child, every chance, every day'
At River Beach Primary School we believe that all children, regardless of need, should be offered an education that offers Quality First Teaching that enables them to reach their potential. Providing for SEND is a key part to a successful, inclusive school.
We strive to ensure that all children:
- Have access to a broad, balanced and exciting curriculum that is personalised to meet the learning needs of individuals.
- Are encouraged to become independent, emotionally resilient and self-motivated.
- Have access to resources and opportunities that will enrich and support their learning.
- Are assessed regularly to monitor progress and identify areas of additional need.
Our SENDCo (Special Needs Co-ordinator) is: Mrs A Mowbray
She can be contacted on send@riverbeach.w-sussex.sch.uk
She is supported by our Child and Family Support Worker: Mrs E Allen
The following questions give SEND information. These have been co-written with our Parent Carer Forum in order to make the information as accessible as possible to everyone. However, if you are unsure about anything, please ask.
What are special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)?
At River Beach Primary School we use Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) as the term used to describe children who need additional support to help them to make expected academic progress in school.
Areas of Need
The Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice (Sept 2014) states that there are four main areas which cover Special Educational Needs. These areas and their meanings are as follows:
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Area of Special Educational Need |
Relating to difficulties with: |
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Sensory and or |
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Communication and Interaction (C&I) |
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Cognition and learning (C&L)
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Social, Mental and Emotional Health (SEMH)
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How does River Beach Primary know if children need extra support?
Children are identified as having SEND through a variety of ways including:
• When concerns are raised by parents/carers, external agencies, school staff or by previous schools or nurseries.
• When data analysis shows that a child isn’t making sufficient progress or is working below age related expectations despite receiving high quality first teaching.
• When observations of the child indicate that they may have additional needs.
At River Beach we have adopted the Graduated Approach where all children’s needs are considered. There are five stages of the Graduated Approach.
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Universal Provision
Not on SEN register
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All children in every class receive Quality First Teaching. This is the universal provision.
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Early Intervention and support
Not on SEN register
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Some children may need a little more input or support in some areas of the curriculum. For example, with a particular maths topic or handwriting. This early intervention may be a short intervention or may be sustained for a longer period of time. This will be early intervention/support.
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Targeted intensive support
Not on SEN register but being carefully monitored
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Where it is felt that a child requires more intensive support which may include regular group or personalised intervention. This may also include more evidence-based interventions such as those delivered by and ELSA (emotional literacy support assistant). This will be considered targeted intensive support.
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Targeted intensive additional support
On SEN register and will have an ILP (individual Learning Plan) |
When an outside agency or other professionals are involved with the child or it is felt that there is very significant barrier to learning, which involves professionals and parents working together for the Assess, Plan, Do, Review process, the child will be having targeted intensive additional support. This support will be reviewed termly and shared with parents via the child’s ILP. This is funded directly from the notional SEN budget allocated to the school which does not necessarily cover the full costs. The school will cover additional costs.
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EHCPs
On SEN register, has an ILP and an EHCP plan
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Where a number of professionals deem it necessary, a EHCP is awarded to a child in order to best meet need. There is a robust assessment process and all outcomes are decided by an expert panel – not the school. School seeks advice on when to apply for the best possible outcome. EHCP provision may be funded by additional funding and is always funded partly by the schools notional budget. |
What should a parent do if they think their child may have special educational needs?
ASSESS - The first and most important thing to do is talk to us. Contact your child’s teacher and discuss your concerns with them.
PLAN - During the meeting, information will be gathered and a plan may be agreed by all those involved, including parents, class teacher and, when appropriate, the child. The plan will have a set review date. Following the creation of the plan, a range of additional support and interventions will be organised for the child and targets set.
DO - Any plans made will be reviewed so that progress can be measured and support adapted to meet a child’s needs.
REVIEW – New plans will be made if necessary and the cycle starts again.
** Please refer to SEND Policy and its Appendix for an overview of the stages of identification, progression and provision management for children with SEND **
At River Beach, we follow our Pupil Needs Pathway to identify the needs of the child:
pupil needs pathway river beach.pdf
How will the school support a child with SEND?
All children will be provided with quality first teaching that is planned to meet the needs of the learners, including those with SEND. The quality of classroom teaching provided to children with SEND is monitored through a number of processes that include:
• Individual Learning Plans – Children will have specific targets to work on. These are written termly. Parents are invited in each term to review and discuss the plans
• Work is adjusted appropriately to meet the needs of the child.
• Annual Reviews for children with an Education Health Care Plan.
• Children with a disability will be provided with reasonable adjustments (such as physical aids and services) to overcome any disadvantage experienced and to increase their access to the taught curriculum.
• High quality inclusive teaching strategies.
• Liaison with external agencies for support.
• Adaptive and responsive teaching.
• Specialist equipment.
How does the school know how my child is doing?
Children are discussed in termly child progress meetings undertaken between the class teacher and a member of the Senior Leadership team. Any children of concern are quickly identified.
Additional actions to accelerate the rate of progress will be identified and recorded including a review of the impact of the personalised teaching being provided to the child.
Where possible, all children in KS2 undertake termly, online star tests in maths and reading. This will also identify the reading age of the child.
Phonics assessments are administered regularly in KS1.
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school to support pupils and staff?
All staff have access to regular continuous professional development (CPD) on a variety of different aspects of SEND through Staff Meetings, attending courses, support from external agencies, coaching and mentoring.
At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive more specialised expertise.
The agencies the school is able to access for additional support include:
- Educational Psychologist
- CAMHS consultation line (CMHL)
- CDC (Child Development Centre)
- Social Communication Team
- Learning and Behaviour Advisory Team
- Alternative Provision College
- Social Care
- Children’s Therapy Teams (Speech and Language/Occupational Therapy)
- Early Help
- School Nursing
- Ethnic Minority and Traveller Advisory Service
- The Virtual School for Looked After Children
- Thought-Full
How will schools provide additional resources and equipment?
At River Beach we work closely with outside agencies to ensure that specialist equipment is resourced and maintained should a child have an identified need.
The schools receive funding for all children. This budget is used to support children with SEN in mainstream. Where a child is granted an EHCP, there is some additional funding. This funding is then used to provide a range of support depending on need. This is not necessarily used to fund a 1:1 teaching assistant. The type of support will depend on the needs presented.
Will my child get an EHCP?
In most cases, best practice and funding that already exists in a setting can meet the child's needs without an EHCP.
For some children, whose needs are more complex and/or exceptional, an EHC plan may be necessary and appropriate. This application will be made following 3 robust Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycles. Your child must be on our SEN register for this to take place. Young people with an EHC plan may still be educated in a main stream setting. The school will receive some additional top up funding to support the needs of the child that otherwise could not reasonably be met by the mainstream setting. At River Beach, we plan carefully when applying for an ECHNA to ensure that we have the best possible chances of securing one. Not all applications are accepted. However, we will meet the needs of all children in our school whether they have an EHC plan or not.
How will parents/ carers be informed about their child's progress?
All children on the SEND Register have an Individual Learning Plan. These plans are reviewed termly.
Children’s progress is discussed at Parents Evenings.
All children receive an End of year report.
Class teachers may also be spoken to at any point in the year if you have a concern.
How will the child's voice be heard?
We believe passionately that the child must be at the centre of any decisions and that their opinions should always be heard. We try and involve children in review meetings in an age-appropriate way.
• Children’s views will be taken into consideration in the Early Identification of Need, as set out in our Pupil Needs Pathway.
• Children will be encouraged, where appropriate, to contribute to their ILP.
• Pupils may comment on their reports if appropriate.
• School Council
How does the school make sure the admissions process is fair for pupils with SEN or a disability?
Applications for children with SEND must follow the admissions process as laid out in our admissions page and policy.
If you would like to discuss the specific need of your child our SENCo will be happy to advise you further.
Please contact the school office to arrange a mutually convenient time for a conversation and if appropriate a school visit.
How will the school prepare and support my child when joining River Beach Primary School or transferring to
a new school?
At River Beach Primary School we understand what a stressful time moving schools can be for some children.
Therefore, many strategies are in place to enable the child’s transition to be as smooth as possible. We will need to work along side parents to ensure that the best transition possible is in place.
Strategies may include:
● Meetings/conversations between the previous or receiving schools prior to the child joining/leaving
● Additional visits or a fuller transition plan can be arranged for children who need extra time to settle into their new school
● The SENCo and class teacher may visit a child in their previous setting before they join our school
● The SENCo and class teacher are always willing to meet parents/carers prior to their child joining the school
● The SENCo meets with senior teachers and the SENCo’s from the secondary schools to pass on information regarding SEN children
● Where a child may have more specialised needs, a separate meeting is arranged between the SENCo, the secondary school SENCo, the parents/carers and where appropriate the child
How accessible is the environment at River Beach?
As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements.
Facilities we have at present include:
● A number of toilets are adapted for disabled users
● Wide doors in most parts of the building.
● Lift access to the first floor
● Specialised facilities for the hearing impaired
For more information please see our Accessibility Plan (in compliance with paragraph 3 or schedule 10 of the
Equality Act 2010).
What support will my child with SEND receive at break and lunch times?
We recognise the need for all children to have free time to play with their peers, however we are also aware that for some children these times are difficult. As part of our provision, we have designated spaces where children can play quietly whilst being supervised by an adult. We also hold a 'calm club' during the upper KS2 lunch break.
What support will there be for my child's overall well-being?
The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering emotional difficulties. These may include:
● Members of staff such as the class teacher, Class TAs, Year Leaders, Assistant Heads, Family Support worker and our ELSA are readily available for children who wish to discuss issues and concerns.
● In class daily check-in for all children Pupils with medical needs If a child has a medical need then a detailed Medical Care Plan is compiled in consultation with parents/carers and health professionals if required.
Our welfare team will ensure that all staff involved with the child are fully updated with all relevant information. Where necessary and in agreement with parents/carers, some medicines can be administered in school but only where a signed medical form is in place to ensure the safety of both child and staff members.
How does the school manage administration of medicine?
Please see our policy Supporting Children with Medical Needs available on the school website.
For full information, the SEND Information Report should also be read in conjunction with:
The SEND Policy
The Accessibility Plan
The Behaviour Policy