Larkfields Information Report

Contents

Who's Who! Pages 3,4,5.
What is Special Educational Needs? Page 6.
Introduction Page 7.
Types of Special Educational Needs Page 8.
Identifying and Assessing Needs Page 9.
SEN Register, Inclusion and Equality Plans Page 10.
Education, Health and Care Plans Page 11.
Consulting with Parents Page 12.
Parental Involvement Page 13.
Consulting with Children Page 14.
Approach to teaching pupils with SEN Page 15.
The Graduated Approach Page 16.
Inclusion in all aspects of school life Page 18.
Evaluating the effectiveness of Provision Page 18.
Social, Emotional and Mental Health Page 19.
Staff Training Page 20.
Transition Page 21.
Equipment and Facilities Page 22.
Accessibility Page 23.
Outside Agencies Page 24.
Concerns and Complaints Page 25.
Signposting of Organisations, Services Page 26.
Further Information Pages 27.
SENCo Contact details Page 28.

Lisa Ringham-SENDCo

My name is Mrs Lisa Ringham and I am the Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator. I work alongside the staff and children at Larkfields to ensure that children who have a special educational need or disability thrive in our school environment both academically and emotionally.

If you would like to get in contact with me, please refer to the contact details at the end of this online book.

Important people in school

Mrs Scott
Headteacher and DSL

Mr Betts
Deputy Headteacher and DSL

Our School SEND Governor is Dominic Devlin.

Mrs Sanderson
Emotional Literacy Support (ELSA)

Georgina Good
Emotional Literacy Support (ELSA)

Mrs Wadsworth
Place2Be Lead

What is a Special Educational Need?

The Code of Practice (2015) states that, ‘A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person who has a learning difficulty or disability if they: (a) have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or (b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of hte same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions’.

Introduction

Larkfields Junior School is an average sized Junior School serving the families of Nuthall, Kimberley and Watnall. There are currently 240 pupils on roll. Of these 240 pupils, approximately 19% are on the school’s SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) register.
At Larkfields Junior School, we aim to have a fully inclusive ethos, supporting the needs of all learners and involving them in all aspects of school life. Our ‘Take Care’ charter, which is embedded in the curriculum and in all aspects of school life promotes the recognition, understanding and acceptance of differences and similarities of all children. Our aim is to ensure that our pupils take care of themselves and be the very best version of themselves. For children to be strong global citizens who are prepared for the 21st century.

What kinds of special educational needs does the school make provision for?
We are a mainstream school and provide SEND provision for children of junior school age (7-11), supporting pupils with a wide range of needs. In line with the SEN Code of Practice, we make provision for
the following areas of needs:

Cognition and Learning. This area of need refers to those children who learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation is put into place. It also encompasses dyslexia, dyscalculia
and dyspraxia.
Communication and Interaction Needs. This includes needs associated with: Autistic Spectrum Conditions, Speech & Language delay, Communication difficulties. Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) Needs. This includes additional needs around behaviour, social support groups, emotional well-being.
Sensory and Physical Needs. These are needs such as hearing impairment, physical needs, medical issues. Staff receive regular training as necessary both internally through staff meetings and externally through outside providers.

How does the school identify the needs of and assess
children with SEND?

At Larkfields Junior School, we recognise that children learn and progress in different ways. Children identified as having SEN will be working at a level significantly below that of their peers. Information about a child is gathered from several sources including from parents, teachers, health, care services, from feeder schools on entry and at the beginning of each year baseline assessments are completed. It is believed that a parent knows their child best and so therefore their involvement is always sought as a priority.
Each child’s level of attainment is assessed using the whole school progress data and when necessary, using either PIVATs and/or the SEN Continuums to track the smaller steps of progress. The SEN Continuums are used to track progress in Reading, Writing, Maths and SEMH needs. On occasion, other assessments such as reading and spelling age analysis, Strengths and Difficulties questionnaires, The British Picture Vocabulary Scale and the Dyslexia Pathway may be carried out. Where possible and appropriate, the school gathers the views of the pupils.

What is the SEN Register/Record of Need?
The SEN register/record of Need is a record of pupils who are receiving support via the waves of intervention (detailed further below). It is updated on a termly basis and is a fluid document based on Pupil Progress Meetings held at the end of each term with teachers and regular (in/formal) conversations between parents and professionals are used to review
whether students continue to require SEN Support. Pupils who have closed the gap and caught up with their peers would be taken off of the SEN
Register/Record of Need. Pupils no longer requiring interventions and whose needs can be met through good teaching and normal provision in school would also be taken off.

What is an Inclusion and Equality Plan?
All children on the SEN register/Record of Need have an Inclusion and Equality Plan. This is created in partnership between the Class Teacher, SENCo, Parents and Children. The plan details how they learn successfully, barriers to their learning, what they enjoy, how they build relationships and what types of things need to be accessible to them in their environment in order to be successful learners. This is shared with all adults who work with the child.