SEND

General School Information

Colebrook Infant Academy promotes an active partnership in the learning process between pupils, parents, staff, governors and groups within the wider community. We believe that every child should be given the opportunity to achieve their full potential: intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically and spiritually, regardless of gender, culture or disability.

Our school has a PAN (published admission number) of 50 pupils on entry each school year. No child will be refused entry to our school on the grounds of any disability. Our equal opportunities policy is rigorously enforced to ensure that children with disabilities are not treated less favourably than other children.

How does the School know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child has special educational needs?

At Colebrook Infant Academy children are identified as having SEND through a variety of ways including the following:-

• Liaison with the preschools/previous school
• Child performing below age expected levels
• Concerns raised by Parents/Carers

The specific criteria listed below are used by the school to identify children as having special needs:

• The child is working at least 12 months behind in 2-3 of the 3 core areas (reading, writing, maths);
• The child is working at least 18 months behind in just 1 of the core areas. This could indicate a specific learning difficulty.
• The child requires support from external professionals e.g. the Speech and Language team, and that their attainment or progress is affected in this area.
• The child has a physical or medical condition which requires adaptation to the curriculum so they can access quality first teaching.

• Parents can approach their child’s class teacher at any time if they are worried about their child. They are kept informed at all stages in the process of identification and assessment of needs. They are invited to participate in discussions of support planned for their child.
• Many children on the SEND register will also have an action-planning document called an Early Help Record. This is a plan written jointly by parents and school, to look at a child’s strengths and difficulties, and to set targets to move the child forwards in their learning.

How will school support my child?

Who will oversee, plan, work with my child and how often?

• Ongoing support will be offered to all children through ‘quality first teaching’ which ensures that the needs of different children are addressed as far as possible within the classroom environment.
• The class teacher will oversee, plan and work with each child with SEND in their class to ensure that progress in every area is made.
• Our SENDCo oversees all support and progress of any child on the SEND register across the school and provides interventions where needed.
• There may be a Teaching Assistant working with your child either individually or as part of a group, if this is seen as necessary  by the needs identified as part of the child’s ISP which will be shared regularly with parents.

Who will explain this to me?

• The class teacher will meet with parents to discuss your child’s needs, support and progress.
• A meeting can be arranged with the SENDCo to discuss support in more detail.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

What are the school’s approaches to differentiation and how will that help my child?

• Teachers know the children well. They plan and teach so that all children are able to access the curriculum according to their specific needs.
• Every class is supported by a TA (teaching assistant) or TAs depending on the needs of the children in the class.

How does the school assess and review pupils’ progress towards outcomes?

• Formal assessments take place 3 times a year. Phonics and reading data is collected termly by the English subject lead. Children who are not making expected progress are identified and discussions are had as to how best to support this child. Teachers know the pupils well and set targets for their next steps in learning.  

• Individual Education Plans are reviewed when appropriate. New targets are set, with the child at the centre of the decision-making and they will be SMART targets (measurable and realistic).

What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?

• We are an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity. All school staff strive to ensure that every child feels safe, happy and valued. All pupils follow the school’s PSHE (Jigsaw) curriculum. All members of staff and pupils understand the school’s behaviour policy, and parents are kept informed and support given as necessary. Parents and pupils’ views are valued.
• Medical needs are discussed with the School Nurse if appropriate, and an individual health care plan may be drawn up in full consultation with parents.
• The school has a number of trained First Aiders who are available to administer medication and First Aid.
• The school has access to the Social, Emotional and mental health team if required.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

• The SENDCo is a qualified teacher who has years of experience and additional training in many aspects of SEN. Teachers and teaching assistants have, or receive training in, supporting SEND children as appropriate. Training needs for all staff are continually monitored and updated as necessary.
• The school can access a range of support from external agencies. These include: Speech & Language therapists, Educational Psychologists, Social, Emotional and Mental Health  Team, Advisory Teacher for Physical Disability, Paedriatric and Occupational Therapists, Advisory teachers for the Hearing Impaired, Advisory teachers for the Visually Impaired, the school nurse and a family support worker.

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

• All pupils are included in aspects of school life as appropriate. The school makes reasonable adjustments to ensure that activities are accessible. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any trips/visitors. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, then parents will be consulted and alternative activities will be provided in school.

How accessible is the school environment?

• The school site is wheelchair accessible. The school is on one level with ramps at specified fire exits.
• Visual adjustments have been made to the environment and there is a planned programme for future improvements.
• Individual care plans are written for each pupil with a medical condition, in partnership with parents and the school nurse.

How will the school prepare and support my child when joining the school and transferring to a new school?

• We encourage all new children to visit the school prior to starting. Staff may visit the child at home or in their current school prior to transition. There is close liaison with staff at preschool settings and Colebrook Junior School for all pupils at key transition points. All relevant information is shared between schools to ensure the best possible start for the pupil. In addition to the usual induction programme, additional visits for SEND children may be arranged, if appropriate. We may prepare social stories or visual resources if necessary. If your child has an EHC Plan, an annual review meeting may be used as a transition meeting.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s SEND needs?

• We ensure that the needs of all children who have SEND are met to the best of the school’s ability with the funds available.
• We have TAs who are funded from the SEND budget and deliver programmes designed to meet groups of children’s needs.
• If additional funding is required to meet a higher level of need, school, in consultation with parents, will apply to the SEND assessment panel from the Local Authority, who will then decide if the pupil meets the criteria for the additional funding.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

• The class teacher alongside the SENDCo will discuss the child’s needs and what support would be appropriate.
• Different children will require different levels of support in order to achieve expected levels.

   How do we know if it has had an impact?

• By reviewing children’s targets on IEPs and ensuring they are being met
• The child is making progress academically against national/age expected levels and the gap is narrowing.
• Verbal feedback from the teacher, parent and pupil
• Children may move off of the SEND register when they have ‘caught up’ or made sufficient progress.

What is the role of the Governing Body?

• The Governing Body will ensure that it makes appropriate special educational provision for all pupils identified as in need of it.

The Governing Body has agreed with our admissions criteria which do not discriminate against pupils with special educational needs or disabilities, and its admissions policy has due regard for the guidance in the Code of Practice. The school is fully accessible to non-ambulant pupils and the wider community.

 Who can I contact for further information?

• The first point of contact would be your child’s class teacher to share your concerns.
• You could also arrange to meet Mrs Cleary or Miss Mulcock who are our SEND leads.

Colebrook Infant Academy is part of the Swindon Borough Council local offer for Special Educational Needs and Disability. 

For more information on the Swindon Borough Council offer and services for SEND please follow the link below.

https://localoffer.swindon.gov.uk/home

SEND - News SPLASH! For SBC newsletters relating to SEND, please click here.