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Special Educational Needs and Disability InformationOur SENDCO is Mrs Galvin, please feel free to get in touch if you have any concerns.
SEND Policy/Information Report Please click here to see our SEND Policy. Please click here for the SEND Information Report . Should you require additional support and advice regarding SEND, please click here to access information from Tameside SENDIASS
Our SEND Local Offer The Tameside Local offer can be also be found at https://www.tameside.gov.uk/localoffer
Our school creates an inclusive environment; we have a policy within the school of caring for all our children. Every child at some time in their school life may need special educational help for any number of reasons. All our staff are aware of this and are able to seek help and guidance on how to deal with problems as and when they occur. These may be emotional, behavioural, learning or related to a medical problem. If at any time you have concerns about your child in any way, we positively encourage you to come into school and share your concerns with your child's teacher in the first instance. Following this our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (Mrs Galvin), is also available to discuss any issues relating to SEN.
What is the local offer? The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011) as "a local offer of all services available to support disabled children and children with SEN and their families. This information will set out what is available in schools to help children with lower level SEN as well as the options available to support families who need additional help to care for their child". Our local offer is to let parents/carers know how we can support their child and what they can expect from our school setting. Every child deserves a fair start in life, with the very best opportunity to succeed. At Milton St John’s CE Primary School we aim to be as inclusive as possible and wherever possible, we aim to remove barriers to learning.
Teaching and Learning Usually, the needs of children with SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) will be provided for through quality first teaching and differentiation of the National Curriculum; allowing SEND children to be educated alongside their peers in the classroom. We use a range of teaching and learning styles and have a breadth of resources that are designed match individual needs. The classroom environment will, wherever possible, be language friendly and will provide visual support for learners.
The class teacher may also chose to implement strategies/support to develop independent learning, including:
On occasions it may be deemed necessary to withdraw the child from the classroom for specific or additional teaching. This teaching would be in the form of individual or group interventions matched to the children’s needs or in order to follow programs of work set by class teachers and/or other professionals.
When a child is identified as having SEND they will be placed on the SEND register. The child’s teacher and/or other professionals will identify areas of need and make decisions about which interventions will be put in place to support and work on these areas of concern.
Staff Expertise We have a team of highly trained and skilled staff who are experienced in working with children with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities. We seek and follow the advice of a wide range of agencies including speech and language, the educational psychologist, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, behaviour and learning support, communication, language and autistic spectrum support and child mental health agencies.
Support and Development of SEND There is a commitment by the school, to gain expertise in the area of Special Educational Needs & Disabilities. Current practices include training sessions for our SENDCo, Teachers and Teaching Assistants (TAs), school based in-service training (INSET), support and training from EPALS (Educational Psychology and Learning Support) that responds to particular needs of the pupils, and the reading and discussion of documents on SEND. Teacher meetings are considered to be staff development meetings, as well as sharing information. The SENDCo attends network and moderation meetings.
SATs Arrangements The School follows the government guidelines for adjustments to the SATs in Year 2 and Year 6. This may involve the child being given extra time, a reader being assigned for certain papers, transcripts of the child’s work can be made if this is normal classroom practice and in the case of visually impaired students, larger print papers can be ordered. |
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Annual Reviews |
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A register of children with SEND is regularly updated. The children’s records and targets will be regularly reviewed and updated. Reviews of provision and progress will usually take place on a termly basis. Parents will be informed of the dates and times for review meetings and invited to attend. Children with a Statement of EHCP 2/3 will have a longer, more detailed review once per year, this meeting will involve:
The meetings are child centred, so the child is invited to join the review and share examples of work, discuss what they have learnt so far, what they have enjoyed learning, what they would like to learn in the future and how they learn best. It also expected and desired that the parents/carers express their views about how their child is progressing and discuss possible strategies and/or actions to help their child make further progress.
Parents and carers are invited to contact school, at any time, if they need advice or support in regard to their child’s education. |
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Risk Assessments Risk Assessment will be planned and undertaken for very specific reasons to keep children safe. Possible reasons include:
Handover arrangements Pupils are collected from the playground at the start of the school day, usually by the class teacher or member of staff who is teaching them. Children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 are handed over to parents/carers at the end of the day from the exits of the EYFS or Key Stage 1. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are released from class to meet with their parents/carers in the school playground or to walk home independently. Individual arrangements in addition to this are agreed with parents on an individual basis. Where a child may be vulnerable, due to SEND difficulties, it may be necessary to make special arrangements for pick up and drop off arrangements.
Parking areas for pick up and drop offs Parking is at the rear of the school and can be used for vehicles bringing children to and from school. While there is no clearly marked parking bay for disabled badge holders, individual arrangements in relation to parking and access can be made on an individual basis in consultation with the Headteacher.
Supervision at break and lunchtimes Break times arrangements are managed by teachers and support staff in each class. During lunchtimes we have a team of lunchtime staff who ensure that there is a smooth transition between the morning and afternoon teaching times; ensure the children eat their lunches; have some recreation time and return to their class ready to learn in the afternoon. Other arrangements are made depending on pupil’s individual needs. Safety outside the classroom Risk Assessments are in place where there are increased risks in particular subjects (PE, Science) including when pupils are off site. We follow the Tameside MBC guidance for Educational Visits and use risk assessments in line with these procedures.
Anti-Bullying Policy The Anti-Bullying Policy is available from the school office on request or can see found in the Policies section of the website. |
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Health (including Emotional Health and Wellbeing) |
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Where children have health issues, we will develop: Initial meetings with school nurse and parents of children with medical issues to establish child’s needs in school and, where appropriate, draw up care plans.
Where staff have little experience of supporting a child with specific medical and/or emotional health or well-being conditions, it may be necessary to seek advice from other agencies or work alongside other agencies to meet a child’s specific needs. This list is not exhaustive. |
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Communication with Parents |
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At Milton St John’s, we believe in working in partnership with parents/carers to support the children in our care. Communication with parents is through:
Parents/carers are welcome to speak to staff before or after school, but where this may not be possible, parents are asked to ring school to make an appointment to see their child’s class teacher, SENDCo, Headteacher or other relevant member of staff. When school seeks advice from other agencies. Parents/carers will always be informed when an outside agency becomes involved and parental consent will be sought where this and parental information about the child are needed. Parents/carers’ are invited to give feedback about the school in parental surveys conducted at Parents/Carers evenings. The results of this are analysed and form part of the school self-evaluation and school improvement planning cycle. Parents/carers are encouraged to give their name on the survey forms so that individual queries, concerns or problems can be resolved directly. |
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Working Together |
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Home-school agreement A copy of our home-school agreement can be found in the School Prospectus on the school website. This agreement sets out what the school will do and what the parents/carers are requested to do to support their child’s education.
Parent Voice Parents/carers’ are invited to give feedback about the school in parental surveys conducted at Parents/Carers evenings. The results of this are analysed and form part of the school self-evaluation and school improvement planning cycle. Parents/carers are encouraged to give their name on the survey forms so that individual queries, concerns or problems can be resolved directly. Parents also have the opportunity to use Parent View on the Ofsted website to express their views of school and there are opportunities throughout the year to discuss their child’s progress at parents’ evening and review meetings. The Governing Body endeavour to be available at Parents/Carers evenings to listen to and discuss any issues or concerns with parents.
PTA School have an active PTA who meets regularly to organise events to raise money for our pupils. These include discos, fashion evenings, summer and Christmas fairs etc. All parents/carers are invited to all meetings through the weekly newsletter and are encouraged to become a part of the PTA when their child first attends the school.
Pupil Voice Children have the opportunity to have their say through:
School Governors Parents/carers can become involved in Governance by putting themselves forward for election onto the Governing Body. Governing Body elections will be held when a Governor’s term has come to an end, with fellow parents/carers voting people onto the Governing Body. The school will nominate a SEND Governor, who regularly meets with our SENDCo and feeds back information to the rest of the governing body. The Headteacher report comments on SEND provision and the involvement of other agencies. This is presented termly to the Full Governing Body. The Curriculum & Standards Committee monitor SEND pupils progress on a termly basis. |
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Transition to High School |
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As the vast majority of school to school transitions occur between Mossley Primary and Secondary schools, we work closely with the Mossley and Carrbrook Schools Partnership to aid smooth transition and to ensure that information about children and families is shared in a professional manner that meets safeguarding requirements.
We work closely with Mossley Hollins and other local high schools to ensure children with SEND and other vulnerable children have extra transition visits. On these visits, children may be accompanied by a familiar member of staff. We may also involve other agencies who work with the child to become involved in this transition. Eg. CLAS.
The SENDCo and/or class teacher will meet with the SENDCo and Head of year of the feeder schools to discuss the identified children, share relevant information and plan for this transition. The children’s records will be passed on to the high school so they have a full picture of the child’s need and the support they have received. Depending on the needs and confidence of the SEND children the number of extra visits will be personalised to the child.
Transition for emotional and behavioural difficulties will be supported through BLIS, who will work with the child in year six and then follow them into high school to continue the support. Speech and language will also be ongoing when the children move on. |
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What Help and Support is available for the Family? |
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It is expected that all staff at Milton St John’s will endeavour to support both children and their parents. Staff at Milton St John’s have a responsibility for:
Parents also have access to the parent partnership scheme. More information about this service can be found at: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/sen/parentpartnership The service offers impartial information, guidance and support to parents of children who have special/additional educational needs. |
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Extra Curricular Activities |
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Breakfast and After School Club- Skools Out Breakfast club runs from 7:30am Monday to Friday and is provided by ‘Skools Out’; an outside agency who work with Primary Schools in Mossley to provide wrap-around care. The before school provision takes place in the school hall, with after school provision taking place at the Roughtown Road Community Centre. The children are provided with a breakfast of toast and healthy snacks. At after-school Skools Out sessions, children are provided with a healthy snack and drink and have a choice of enjoyable activities.
Extra Curricular Activities Extra curricular activities play an important part of school life and several clubs are organised on a voluntary basis by staff. Clubs take place after school and include football, basketball, volleyball, gardening, gymnastics, chess & board games, film club, art, dance, drama, cookery, ICT, choir and school brass band. These are free clubs and are run at different points throughout the year. All children have the opportunity to attend these clubs and are given a ‘first’ and ‘second’ choice. Children will then be allocated a place in their chosen club, if possible. ‘Tameside Music Service’ provides instrumental lessons for children on various instruments, which take place at lunchtime and Brass instrument lessons are provided after-school. There is a charge for both of these services. As part of our agreement with the Tameside Sports Trust, we also provide a free Key Stage 1 multi-sports club throughout the year at no extra charge.
Activities to promote friendship include:
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