Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Information

Our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) is Laura Hardman who can be contacted via the academy office on 01162519261

Fosse Mead Primary Academy is a place where everyone is valued and cared for as an individual and where children are at the centre of all we do.

At Fosse Mead Primary Academy, we will help your child achieve the best they can. We understand that many children need help or additional support at one point or another during their time at school. Some children will need support throughout their time at Fosse, others will only need support for a short time. The information on the pages linked below is to inform you of the types of support available for your child in school. It will help you understand who can help and how this support can be accessed.

What is SEND?

The Code of Practice 2014 states that:

‘A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.’

The Four broad areas of need identified within the SEN Code of Practice 2014 are:

  • Communication and Interaction (e.g. speech articulation, stammering, speech and language delay, autism etc)
  • Cognition and Learning (e.g. global learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyscalculia etc)
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (e.g. anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive, compulsive disorder (OCD) etc)
  • Sensory and Physical Needs (Visual impairment, hearing impairment, sensory needs (e.g. autism, dyspraxia, toileting issues, physical disability etc)

Local Offer – How Can The Local Offer Help?

We can help you find services for children and young people with SEND up to the age of 25. You can start finding services by searching on this website.In addition to helping you find services, the Local Offer:

  • Helps you understand what schools and service providers are required to do for SEND children and young people
  • Helps the parents and carers of young people with SEND find support for themselves
  • Clarifies who is responsible for services for SEND children and young people
  • Gives you the information you need to ensure your SEND child can thrive

For more information, click here ‘Local Offer’

SEND Information Report

Types of SEND and examples of Provision offered at Fosse Mead Primary Academy

Types of SEND and Provision

Policies and Plans

FMPA SEND Policy – September 2023

FMPA Accessibility Plan 2022

The SEND Coordinator’s role

The SEND Coordinator’s role

Work with the head teacher and SEN governor to determine the strategic development of the SEN policy and provision in the school

• Have day-to-day responsibilities for the operation of this SEN policy and the co-ordination of specific provision made to support individual pupils with SEN, including those who have EHC plans

• Provide professional guidance to colleagues and work with staff, parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils with SEN receive appropriate support and high quality teaching

• Advise on the graduated approach to providing SEN support

• Advise on the deployment of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet pupils’ needs effectively

• Be the point of contact for external agencies, especially the local authority and its support services

• Liaise with potential next providers of education to ensure pupils and their parents are informed about options and a smooth transition is planned

• Work with the head teacher and governing body to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 with regards to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements

• Ensure the school keeps the records of all pupils with SEN up to date

Special Educational Provision may be triggered when a student fails to achieve adequate progress, despite accessing targeted interventions. Parents/Carers will be informed that the child has special educational needs and appropriate provision identified to be meet the pupil’s individual need(s)will be made.

Children with SEN are identified by one of three assessment routes all of which are part of the overall approach to monitoring progress of all pupils.

1)     The progress of every child is monitored regularly in a 12-week cycle. After assessment week pupil progress meetings are held. In these meetings children are identified as not making progress despite Quality First Teaching, they are discussed with the SENDCo and a plan of action is agreed with the teacher.

2)     Class teachers are continually aware of children’s learning. If they observe that child, as recommended by the2014 Code of Practice, is making less than expected progress, give their age and individual circumstances, they will seek to identify a cause.

Lack of adequate progress may be indicated by:

  •       Little or no progress despite targeted interventions, teaching approaches and a differentiated curriculum
  •       Working at a significant level below age expectation in reading, writing and maths
  •       Presenting persistent emotional and/ or behavioral difficulties, which has not been managed by appropriate strategies usually employed.
  •       Sensory or physical impairments that result in little progress despite provision or appropriate aids or equipment
  •       Poor communication or interaction, requiring specific interactions and adaptations to access learning

3)      Parents sometimes have concerns about their child’s learning. We take all parental requests seriously and strive to investigate them. Frequently the concern can be addressed by Quality First Teaching or some parental support. Otherwise, a graduated response is implemented by the school. This may result in the child being placed on the send register.

Through the identification/ assessment process teachers will complete an early monitoring form recording their concerns, what strategies, interventions and adaptations are currently in place. SENCO will observe child and give further strategies. This will then be reviewed termly to assess if a child needs to go on to the SEN register.

What will the school do if they think my child has special educational needs?

  • The school will contact you at the earliest opportunity to discuss any concerns.
  • Once it has been agreed that a child has additional needs, they will be placed on the Special Educational Needs Register under the category of SEN Support.
  • School will begin to assess your child; this may be formal or informal assessments at this stage.
  • They may receive extra support or intervention if this is felt appropriate.
  • Your child will receive 3 reviews each year whilst they are on the SEN register.
  • If they continue to make slow progress or have ongoing problems then the school may ask for advice from outside agencies.
  • A small number of children may go on to have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) – these are for the most complex children that have significant and ongoing needs. If a child has an EHC plan then they will also have an additional annual review and the plan can stay with them up to the age of 25 if it is deemed necessary.

How does Fosse Mead consult parents of children with SEND and involve them in their child’s education?

We aim to have good and informative relationships with all of our parents. If a child is experiencing difficulties, parents will be informed either at parents’ meetings (Autumn and Spring terms) or during informal meetings to discuss the child’s progress. A formal written end of year report will be sent at the end of the Summer Term. Other informal meetings may be scheduled at other times throughout the year and parents are welcome to seek advice and support about their child at any pre-arranged time. Parents are invited to contribute to children’s pupil outcome plans three times a year where they will be asked to contribute to outcomes for their child and they will review progress towards previous targets. Care plans will be reviewed annually, unless medical conditions change, under guidance from the schools ‘Supporting children with medical conditions’ policy.

How does Fosse Mead consult pupils with SEND and involve them in their education?

All students have the right to be involved in making decisions and exercising choice (SEND code of practice, 2015). At all times students are engaged in their education and encouraged to develop sustainable skills and strategies that enable them to overcome the barriers to their learning successfully. All children with personalised targets on a pupil outcome plan, a positive behaviour plan or an EHCP are fully involved in creating them. Their views are also valued and listened to in the review process.

What do I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

  • Raise concerns as soon as they arise with your child’s class teacher. You may also ask to speak with the SENCO or a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
  • Early identification is often key to securing support for children and families.
  • Don’t worry! Many children need extra support at some time.

How can I be involved in supporting my child?

You can support your child in the following ways: by attending parents’ evenings; helping them to complete their homework to a good standard and on time; ensuring your child gets to school on time with all the appropriate equipment; talking to the class teacher if you have any concerns about your child; providing lots of opportunities to speak and have conversations with your child; listen to you child read on a regular basis; and practice a range of number skills, including learning the appropriate times tables. Teachers are more than happy to share any ideas they have with you so you can top up the learning at home.

What does the school do to support SEND?

We believe that children learn best with the rest of their class. Our aim is for all children to be working independently in class with their peers. Quality first teaching is our first step in responding to pupils with SEN. This will be differentiated for individual pupils. Class teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class; they ensure that your child’s needs are met. Specific resources and strategies will be used to support children individually and in groups. Planning and teaching will be adapted on a regular basis if needed to meet children’s learning needs.

When creating targets for children with SEN they are deliberately challenging in the attempt to close the gap in attainment between them and their peers. Interventions are crucial to support the closing of the gap, these are monitored closely to see overall progress and next steps.

The school has a range of interventions available which are listed on a ‘provision map’. When considering an intervention, we always select the intervention that is best matched to the child.

• Sensology

• Lego Therapy

• Sensory Massage

• Number sense

• RWI tutoring

• Play interaction/ fun time

• Warwickshire handwriting scheme

• Reading fluency intervention

• Color semantics Assessment of interventions

Interventions are planned in blocks and have clear entry and exit criteria. At the end of each block, children’s progress towards their targets is assessed and recorded. A decision is then made as to whether to continue the intervention, to swop to a new intervention or allow a period of consolidation in class.

When allocating additional TA support to children, our focus is on outcomes, not hours: we aim to put in sufficient support to enable the child to reach their challenging targets but without developing learned dependence on an adult. Some children with SEND at Fosse Mead Primary Academy have a personalised timetable to meet their needs and this incorporates a range of interventions that they need.

At Fosse Mead Primary academy we employ an in-house speech and language therapist that works with pupils in small groups to develop their speech and language, she also completes referrals to SALT (speech and language therapists) when she feels further work is needed and supports teachers with strategies, they can use in the classroom to support pupils.

Adaptations to curriculum teaching and learning environment At Fosse Mead we follow the ‘Best Endeavors, Reasonable Adjustments’ (BERA) document provided by the Local Authority. This outlines best inclusive practice for all children. All our classrooms are inclusion – friendly; we aim to teach in a way that will support children with tendencies towards dyslexia, dyspraxia, ASD etc. This is good practice to support all children but it is vital for those who particularly need it.

In Maths for each area of the maths curriculum children complete entry tickets this allows teachers to see children’s strengths and areas of weakness to enable high quality teaching and differentiation. Children complete exit tickets to celebrate their successes. In our topic lessons children who need extra support work in an adapted curriculum group (The adapted curriculum group not only contains children with SEND but also children who may have EAL needs). As part of normal class differentiation, curriculum content can be simplified and made more accessible by using visual, tactile and concrete resources. Children with SEND have access to visual aids when appropriate such as colored overlays, visual timetables and large font.

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

The majority of children with SEN or disabilities can have their needs met within the schools SEND arrangements. However, some children may have complex needs and enduring special needs which will require longer term support arrangements and /or placement in settings which may be able to provide and meet the child’s specific needs. This can be within a mainstream school, a Designated specialist provision attached to a mainstream school or a special school.

Fosse Mead Primary Academy regularly monitors the provision it offers for meeting the needs of the children on the Special Educational Needs register and continuously looks at steps it can take to improve and expand the delivery of support it can provide for SEND children.

If during our monitoring we observe that there is need for additional specialist support, we discuss our concerns with parents and make referrals for specialist advice. If the expert advice also indicates that more specialist and enduring provision is required the school considers the need for an EHCP.

‘The purpose of an EHC plan is to make special educational provision to meet the special educational needs of the child or young person, to secure the best possible outcomes for them across education, health and social care and, as they get older, prepare them for adulthood.’ SEND code of Practice 2015

The school collects all relevant information; from the school placement, medical information (community paediatrician, Physiotherapist, Occupational therapist, hospital records, Speech and Language therapy etc.), specialist agency (Educational Psychologists, SEND support services etc.) and from previous placements. A request is made to the LEA, who will decide if the request is to be accepted.

Once the LEA agree the process it will collect the information below to devise a draft EHCP;

  • collect and record the views interests and aspirations of the parents and child
  • provide a full description of the child or young person’s special educational needs and any health and social care needs
  • establish outcomes across education, health and social care based on the child or young person’s needs and aspirations
  • specify the provision required and how education, health and care services will work together to meet the child’s needs and support the achievement of the agreed outcomes

Once the draft plan is agreed and updated with all those involved it will go to a panel who will decide whether the plan is will meet the child’s needs, including the type of provision which would be required.

If the child is moving to another placement, the SENDCo will work with the new placement to plan transition arrangements. This may include the new teacher/adult visiting the child in school, the child and parents visiting the new setting, the child spending time in the new setting with an adult from school.

If the child is to stay in the school an implementation meeting is held with everyone contributing to the plan as well as the parents. This meeting will agree the targets which will be followed until the review meeting. The plan is reviewed on a yearly basis.

What support for improving emotional and social development does Fosse Mead offer?

We promote resiliance and develop strong character in our children in order to prepare them well for learning and for life.  Through this approach, we instil in our children an understanding that they each possess the necessary characteristics to be successful in life.  Through celebrating achievements and strengthening these characteristics over time, children are able to broaden their capabilities and ability to apply these to different experiences. To supplement this whole school initiative, pupils who need greater support to manage their emotions and develop social communication skills are given extra support.

The SENDCo works with specialist agencies to plan, source and implement tailored support for individual pupils whose needs are more specialised. The SENDCo also helps to source appropriate support for families who may struggle to meet emotional needs for their child/ren.

We are also proud to be a part of the NHS initiative ‘Mental Health Support Teams in Schools’ and have provided placement and support for a trainee Mental Health practitioner, enabling children to access support for their Social, emotional and mental health needs.

How does Fosse Mead adapt the curriculum and the learning environment of pupils with SEND?

All of our classrooms are inclusion-friendly; we aim to teach in a way that will support children with tendencies towards dyslexia, dyspraxia, ASD etc. This is good practice to support all children but is vital for those who particularly need it. All of our children access the full National Curriculum, and we recognise achievement and expertise in all curricular areas. As part of normal class differentiation, curriculum content and ideas can be simplified and made more accessible by using visual, tactile and concrete resources.

How does Fosse Mead ensure that pupils with SEN are enabled to engage in activities available with pupils in the academy who do not have SEN?

Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all pupils in their class. Lessons are differentiated and activities set to match the needs of each child. Teachers will make reasonable adjustments to the curriculum to meet individual need. At Fosse Mead, we have a well-designed curriculum with strong teaching and learning. All of our children have equal access to before school, lunchtime and after school clubs which develop engagement with the wider curriculum. Where necessary, we make amendments and adaptations to meet the physical and learning needs of our children. Class trips are part of our curriculum and we aim for all children to benefit from them. No child is excluded from a trip because of SEND or medical needs.

What steps are taken to prevent pupils with SEND from being treated less favourably than other pupils?

Lessons and interventions are observed and in turn the quality of teaching and learning is evaluated for all pupils. The SENDCo regularly monitors the provision, teaching and learning opportunities for SEND pupils and data is monitored following each data point to ensure progress and attainment is in line with their non-SEND peers where possible. Findings from the above informs TA deployment and interventions. The school promotes an inclusive behaviour policy and reward system which allows for individual achievements to be acknowledged and celebrated. Behaviour incidents are recorded on a behaviour log and are monitored regularly to ensure any persistent behaviour issues are followed up with additional support. We have a focus on developing character muscles with all staff modelling and teaching the characteristics of each one.

How will Fosse Mead evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for pupils with SEN?

Targets for children at SENS are deliberately challenging in the attempt to close the attainment gap between the children and their peers. Interventions are often crucial in closing these gaps, so are monitored closely by both the class teacher – who monitors progress towards the targets during the intervention – and by the SENDCo who monitors overall progress after the intervention.

  • Interventions are planned in blocks and have a clear entry and exit criteria.
  • At the end of each block, children’s progress towards their targets is assessed and recorded.
  • A decision is then made as to whether to continue the intervention, to swap to a new intervention, or to allow a period of consolidation in class.

The SENDCo monitors interventions to identify ‘what works’.

How does Fosse Mead assess and review pupil’s progress towards outcomes?

Once a child has been identified as needing SEN Support, some of the following paperwork may need to be completed.

  • Intervention group targets
  • Timetabled extra provision on a provision map (PM)
  • Checklists
  • Assessment and tests
  • School’s internal monitoring paperwork
  • Element 3 funding applications
  • Positive Behaviour Plan (PBP)
  • Care plans
  • Personal outcome plan
  • Proposal for Education, Health and Care Plan
  • Risk assessments

Who will the school contact?

The school can contact the following agencies to ask for support and advice to help children with SEND.

  • Educational psychologist
  • Speech and Language Therapy Service
  • The Social, Emotional and Mental Health Team
  • Learning, Cognition and Interaction Team – Special Needs Teaching Service
  • Visual Impairment Team
  • Hearing Impairment Team
  • School Nurse Service
  • ADHD Solutions
  • CAMHs – Children and Adolescence Mental Health Service
  • Physiotherapist/Occupational Therapist
  • Health Visitor

How does Fosse Mead involve other bodies, including health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in meeting pupil’s SEN and supporting their families?

Referrals are made to health, SALT and social care bodies when families and pupils would benefit from greater support with medical needs, speech and language, emotional and social literacy, to name a few. Contact is made with GPs by the SENDCo when medical referrals are required and work is undertaken to provide all necessary assessments and observations. When particular support is required, the SENDCo will contact appropriate specialist or voluntary organisations to arrange pieces of work to be carried out with the family or pupil.  All referrals are made in consultation with parents.  Examples of services include: ADHD solutions, SEMH support services, LCI, EP Service.

  • Autism Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Team Teach

Social and emotional and mental health:

  • Fun Time
  • Interactive play

Reading/Literacy:

  • RWI phonics
  • Lexia

Speaking and Language:

  • Talk Boost
  • Specialist in school support from our own SALT

Maths:

  • Numbersense maths

The well-being of children

At Fosse Mead we have a family support worker, Claire Black who works Tuesday to Friday.

Mrs Black is able to support families in a range of ways including accessing specialist support and signposting to other agencies. Should you feel that you need further family support, please contact the school office.

 

Safeguarding/Child protection

Fosse Mead Primary Academy takes the safeguarding of children’s welfare extremely seriously.

Lead DSL

  • Jay Virk – Head teacher

Deputy DSLs

  • Karla Hussey – Vice Principal
  • Liam Johnson – Acting Vice Principal
  • Alex Ashcroft – Vice Principal
  • Laura Hardman – SENCO
  • Nadine Handford – Glaze – EYFS lead
  • Claire Black – Family support worker

Safeguarding matters including concerns can be discussed with any of the above.

Schools have an important part to play in safeguarding all children.

Safeguarding within the school includes a range of issues including health and safety, risk assessments, managing medicines, behaviour management, E-safety and lots more.

The school follows full guidance on safer recruitment and selection of new staff and ensures that all staff and regular visitors to school have a full DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check before coming into school.

Fosse Mead Primary Academy follows all Local Authority and Leicester Safeguarding Children’s Board guidelines for Child Protection. Where it appears that a child may be at risk of significant harm, there are highly skilled, qualified and competent staff working to protect our children. A ‘cause for concern’ may be as a result of any of the following: physical abuse, domestic violence, neglect, emotional abuse or sexual abuse.

There may be times when sensitive and challenging conversations must take place to clarify some concerns; these will be treated with the highest regard to confidentiality. We work closely with other agencies to ensure all children are safe. It is therefore very important that parents/carers keep the school informed of any changes at home e.g. incidents of domestic violence, accident’s at home which may have left marks which might worry us. The school may contact parents/carers if children arrive at school with unexplained marks on their body. The school will let parents/carers know if there is any accident at school.

Support with moving classes, years or to another school

Transition to the next year group

Teachers and the SENCo meet to ensure information and knowledge of your child is passed on at the end of each year and reports and records are shared with the new class teacher. Children are also given the opportunity to spend time in their new classes at the end of the school year.

Transfer to the next stage of education

All secondary schools have transition days where your child will be offered the opportunity to spend time at their new school. Fosse liaises closely with all our transfer secondary schools to ensure they are aware of any individual needs and we pass on all records to the new school. If your child transfers to a new school mid-year we ensure all records are passed on. Those children who may find transition challenging are also offered additional transition days to secondary school which can be supported by familiar staff from Fosse.

How does the school know how well my child is doing?

The school will review a wide range of evidence to judge how well your child is progressing, including: formal and informal assessments, reports from other professionals, and the views of you and your child.

Children receiving interventions will have their progress tracked throughout the time they are receiving the support.

For children on the SEND register, there will be three reviews over the year. They will be held each term: two will take place during Parents Evening in the Autumn and Spring Term and the third will be a separate appointment arranged in the Summer Term by your child’s class teacher.  Your child’s progress will be discussed (including any extra support or interventions they may have received). However, at any point during the year, please feel free to ask your child’s class teacher how your child is doing.

All children will receive an end of year report that will inform you of your child’s progress throughout the year.

Accessibility

  • Our school is on two levels across two buildings.
  • All stairs are highlighted.
  • We have one toilet which is accessible for a wheelchair user.
  • Ground floor classrooms and the main entrance have ramps to the external doors.

What does all the jargon mean?

Please see below the different words and abbreviations that we use in school:

  • SEND – Special Educational Needs and Disability
  • SEN – Special Educational Needs
  • SENCo – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, the person in school responsible for managing SEND
  • Outside Agencies – Any professional from an agency or service who provides advice to the school and family. For example, Educational Psychologist (EP), Speech and Language Team (SALT), Learning Communication and Interaction Team (LCI), Early Years Support Team (EYST)
  • Transitions – A change or transfer from one school or class to another
  • Provision – Any extra help, support or equipment that a child receives
  • Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) – An EHCP is a document provided by the Local Authority which outlines a child’s special educational needs and the support that they need.
  • Individual health care plan – This is a document which describes any significant medical conditions that a child may have which requires special medication or adjustments. The plan outlines the child’s needs and what needs to be put in place to support them. It is then shared with all those staff supporting the child.

Additional Information

There are a number of organisations who may be able to offer advice and support:

What are the arrangements for handling complaints from parents of children with SEN about the provision made at Fosse Mead?

The school works, wherever possible, in partnership with parents to ensure a collaborative approach to meeting pupils’ needs. All complaints are taken seriously and are heard through the school’s complaints policy and procedure. For concerns and questions about SEND pupils, parents are welcome to contact Miss Laura Hardman through the school office on 0116 259261.