SEN(D) & Inclusion

SEN(D) & Inclusion

Inclusion for all runs through the heart of Langafel, through the inclusion of pupils from our autism provision into our mainstream classes and in ensuring that all pupils with additional educational needs and disability have full access to a wide and varied curriculum where they make good progress from their starting points. Our staff, supported by our Additional Educational Needs (AEN) team have a good understanding of a range of special educational needs and disabilities, and seek training and advice whenever needed. We recognise the importance of supporting the child holistically; in order for a child to learn academically we know that they must be fully supported with their communication and language, social interaction, emotional well-being, physical and sensory needs. The strength of our inclusivity derives from the whole school approach; embedding good SEN(D) practice in the classroom via quality first teaching through to effective delivery of evidence based small group and individual interventions.

Inclusion Charter

Details of SEN(D) Co-ordinator:

Ms Smith
Assistant Headteacher Inclusion (SENDCo & Lead Teacher for SLIC)
01474 703398 (option 4)

Ms Smith is a qualified teacher and is a member of our Senior Leadership Team.

The school admission arrangements for pupils with special needs and disabilities:

At Langafel CE Primary School we work closely with the educational settings attended by the pupils before they transfer to us in order to seek the information that will make the transition as seamless as possible. We will communicate with a child’s current placement and their parents to ascertain needs, difficulties, strengths and interests. If required, the SENDCo will visit the child’s current placement. Pupils with complex SEN(D) transferring from Early Years settings will have a placement meeting attended by parents, specialist teacher, a representative from the setting, SENDCo and the class teacher.

We also contribute information to a pupils’ onward destination by providing information to the next setting through transition meetings and forwarding relevant documentation. When Year 6 pupils move onto secondary placements there is a well-established route of communication. Secondary representatives visit the pupils and meetings between staff are arranged if necessary. Year 5 and 6 pupils who we consider may be at risk of exclusion at secondary are highlighted to the Primary Inclusion Forum to initiate support as early as possible. We run a comprehensive transition programme for vulnerable pupils in year 6 and follow up with pupils and their families into year 7.

The steps we have taken to prevent pupils with special needs and disabilities from being treated less favourably than other pupils:

At Langafel CE Primary we monitor the academic progress of all pupils throughout the year, we discuss this within school four times per year at pupil progress meetings. We also use a range of assessments with all pupils at various points in the education including: Speech Link, Language Link (Reception class), BEAM (Balance, Education and Movement – Reception class), Reception year baseline, Year 1 Phonics, Cognitive Ability Testing (CATs – Year 4 and 5.)

Where progress is not sufficient, even if a special educational need has not been identified, we put in place extra support to enable the pupil to catch up.

Examples of extra support are:

Small group targeted support
Language for Learning - social communication, attention, concentration, language production, visual and auditory memory, grammar
Daily phonics intervention programme
Stareway to spelling
SNIP – spelling
Clicker 7
Various reading schemes including Better Reading Partnership
School counselling / Therapeutic play
Social skills, friendship skills and anger management support
Individual support and small group support from the school dog, Winnie
Social stories
Language link and Junior language link
Speech link
Lego therapy
Recognised ASD strategies to support using Communicate in Print
Clever fingers – fine motor skills
BEAM and BEAM PLUS gross and fine motor skills
Sensory Circuits
Thrive
Transition support

We keep abreast of new interventions, when innovative or improved material is available we ensure that staff are trained to deliver it to children continually monitoring the impact on the child’s progress. We recognise in the current climate, the importance of mental health and well-being. As such we are trained in and affiliated with Kent Education Psychology on their Mental Health and Well-being Framework. The framework consists of four strands: A positive school community, social and emotional learning for all students, parenting support and education and early intervention for pupils experiencing mental health difficulties.

A huge part of our drive towards good mental health and well-being over the past four years has been through the delivery of the school ‘Thrive’ approach. Thrive draws on insights from neuroscience, attachment theory and child development to support optimal social and emotional development. The approach equips us as a school to work in a targeted way with children and young people who have struggled with difficult life events to help them re-engage with life and learning. We have had extensive whole school training and we have three fully trained practitioners delivering individualised and small group thrive interventions. Our practitioners have also delivered ‘Family Thrive’ training for groups of parents. Further information about this intervention can be found at: https://www.thriveapproach.com/

Some pupils may continue to make inadequate progress, despite high-quality teaching targeted at their areas of weakness. For these pupils, and in consultation with parents, we will use a range assessment tools to determine the cause of the learning difficulty. At Langafel CE Primary School we are experienced in using the following assessment tools: Speech Link, Language Link, Lucid (dyslexia screening tools), Language for Learning, Visual Stress tests, Boxhall Profile and Lueven skills (linked to well-being and behaviour), Thrive assessment for social and emotional development, plus various assessment tools linked with resources listed above. We have access to external advisors who are able to use various assessment tools. Advisors include specialist teachers, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists.

The purpose of this more detailed assessment is to understand what additional resources and different approaches are required to enable the pupil to make better progress. These will be shared with parents, put into a SEND support plan. The SEND interventions will be recorded and tracked on our phase provision maps, however, if the child’s needs needs are multiple and complex this will be written in a more detailed personalised plan with long term SMART outcomes and short term targets linked to strategies and interventions. The provision maps and personalised plans are reviewed three times per year, and refined / revised if necessary. At this point we will have identified that the pupil has a special educational need because the school is making special educational provision for the pupil which is additional and different to what is normally available.

If the pupil is able to make good progress using this additional and different resource (but would not be able to maintain this good progress without it) we will continue to identify the pupil as having a special educational need. If the pupil is able to maintain good progress without the additional and different resources he or she will not be identified with special educational needs. When there is any change in identification of SEND parents will be consulted. We will ensure that all teachers and support staff who work with the pupil are aware of the support to be provided and the teaching approaches to be used.

SEN(D) Report

We value and respect diversity in our school.
Our school has relevant adaptations to enable wheelchair access to all teaching areas.

Our policy and practice follow the Equality Act 2010.