We have a range of SEND in our school

Children in our school have a wide range of SEND including autism, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, moderate and specific learning difficulties, speech and language difficulties, hearing and visual impairments, sensory difficulties, dyspraxia and dysgraphia difficulties.

The code of practice describes four broad areas of need: - communication and interaction - cognitive and learning social, mental and emotional - sensory and /or physical Many children will have interrelated needs; these broad categories give an overview of the range of needs we plan for but we also consider the needs of the whole child which will include not just the special needs. When assessing need and developing provision we therefore consider the following factors: • The curriculum that is being offered to pupils • The social environment in which the learning takes place • The physical environment and how barriers to learning are overcome • The nature of support provided by adults and peers. As a school we aim to: • identify and assess children with SEND as early as possible by gathering information from parents and other agencies • provide an inclusive education for all pupils with SEND and use our best endeavours to remove barriers to learning by providing high quality ‘first’ teaching which is planned with the needs of groups and individuals in mind. • identify and address pupils’ needs through the graduated approach and the four-part process of assess, plan, do, and review; ensuring that that there is careful monitoring and assessment of pupils throughout their time at the school • ensure that SEND is reflected in school policies, schemes of work, planning, monitoring and record keeping • develop existing skills of all staff in the identification, assessment of and provision for pupils with SEND and to provide training and support as appropriate If parents/carers are concerned about their child’s progress or about any additional needs they may have they can approach the class teacher who may then recommend a meeting with our Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

The SENCO, Diana Choudhry, will contact you to discuss your child's needs and the SEN support that they are receiving when your child first joins our school. If your child is added to the SEND register at a later date, when needs have been identified, the SENCO will also contact you about this. Every child on the SEND register has a One Page Profile which details out individual targets and provision to meet these targets and copies of these are sent home three times a year (Autumn, Spring and Summer). 

The SEN Policy is on the website and paper copies can be obtained from the school office.

Having identified needs, we seek to match provision to need. We define expected outcomes of interventions and then monitor the impact through regular meetings and tracking of pupil progress. Our governors play an important role in monitoring the quality of our special educational needs provision, through termly reports. The SEND Governor is Katia Major. We believe that all children are best taught within their class with their peers. Pupils are therefore only withdrawn for very specific reasons and for short and defined periods. We use interventions which have a proven track record of success. We provide workshops and other training to support parents to meet their child’s needs. Every learner has a named professional s/he can talk to, should the need arise. Staff are regularly reminded of our policies and these are updated by the governors. We have a school council to find out the views of the learners. 

We promote the development of independence across the school. Every member of staff receives regular training on ensuring the safety and well-being of children. The class teacher, assisted by their teaching assistant, has direct responsibility for the emotional and social well-being of their children. They also oversee the health care needs of individuals. Through the language we use in school we continue to develop a growth mind set where children's resilience is developed and praise is given for effort. The Pastoral Worker has a particular responsibility to support and develop pupils who may have an additional emotional, social need. She is a trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) and she is supported in this by other trained ELSAs. We have clear and stated strategies to include children and ensure their needs are best met within the classroom. A variety of after school clubs as well as in school opportunities provide pupils with a range of choices and opportunities. This allows them to develop as individuals, so developing their self-worth and independence.

We track the children's progress from their starting points, matching where they are to their age related expectations. Daily assessment takes place in the classroom and this helps to identify where gaps are in the learning. We also review children's progress against individual targets on their One Page Profiles and update these with new targets as appropriate. 

Learner feedback is part of our established learning culture. This includes informing families of next steps and what they can do to help/support their child’s learning. We encourage parents to invest time in developing their parenting skills. Parents/Carers are given termly reports about their child's progress and their attainment related to national expectations. Individual targets are also set for pupils with SEND to reflect their individual learning needs. These are reviewed on a regular basis (at least once a term). They are shared with parents/carers alongside strategies to use at home. If a pupil has an EHCP, parents/carers and other professionals are invited to an Annual Review to share ideas about support provided. Parents/carers are supported to make the most of meetings with external professionals such as Speech Therapists and Educational Psychologists. 

If a child has an EHCP, Parents/Carers are invited to Annual Review meetings where they are encouraged to express their views and wishes for their child. The SENCO and class teacher attend these reviews, together with external professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists, the SEND Officer from the local authority and the Educational Psychologist.

All teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs and develop and update their own knowledge and understanding of the range of needs we have in the school. Pupils, where appropriate, have access to a differentiated curriculum provision. This may involve modifying learning objectives, teaching styles and access strategies. Monitoring of progress is carried out by the class teacher and used to inform future differentiation within planning and teaching. Progress is reviewed termly (or earlier if there are concerns) and future actions agreed.

Curriculum maps are available on the school website.

Our Accessibility Plan is robust and regularly reviewed by governors. We remind staff and learners about the Equality Act 2010. We value and respect diversity in our setting and do our very best to meet the needs of all learners. Our SEND Policy and ‘Strategies for Inclusion’ within the Behaviour Policy promotes the involvement of all our learners in all aspects of the curriculum including activities outside of the classroom. Additional needs and appropriate strategies are identified. Where there are concerns of safety and access, additional consideration is taken to ensure needs are met; where applicable, parents/carers are consulted and involved in the planning.

Differentiation is embedded in our curriculum and practice. There can be as wide an attainment range within year groups as there is across them, so tasks are tailored to meet the needs of individuals and groups within the class. Skilled and trained support staff work with every teacher in every lesson supporting groups and individuals. Teacher's lessons are adapted day by day, ensuring that they respond to the needs of all children in the class. The SENCO monitors attainment and progress of SEND pupils termly and will advise teachers on any further adaptations that are needed to classroom support or interventions based upon analysis of needs.

Additional support is available to help pupils with SEND with their learning. For example, this may include additional adult support, small group support, adapted tasks and resources, timely interventions.

Having identified needs, we decide how best these needs can be met both within and beyond the classroom. For example, additional classroom resources, pastoral support, booster clubs and maths surgeries. We employ a specialist speech and language assistant to work with pupils who have speech or language difficulties providing small group or individual support outside of the usual classroom practice. We utilise resources to support the strategic aims of the school as well as individual learner needs. We monitor the impact of interventions and work to ensure that we give the best value for money. We set staff training and development as a core priority and this allows us to expand our capacity as well as our expertise. Working with the learner, their families and other staff, the SENCO considers a variety of options for suitable provision before deciding on a course of action. Children know what supports them best and so we use a range of techniques to support children to express these. These are considered and acted upon and form part of any future planning. All staff are clear about the need to provide for all of the children in their class through quality first teaching. As part of our school improvement process, the quality of teaching and learning is evaluated across the whole school and targets for improvement are set. In addition, we audit what is provided against what is currently needed or might be needed in the future and plan accordingly. We consider carefully with parents and other professionals additional needs of individuals and how these can best be supported. If any interventions are put in place, these will be discussed with parents before commencement. All children are expected to develop independence skills and this is given a high priority when we make decisions about additional provision.

The class teacher will inform parents/carers of any additional support that their child receives at Parent Consultations. The One Page Profiles also summarise the support that an individual child is receiving. 

We closely monitor children's attainment and progress to help identify the support that a child needs. We work with the learner, their families and other staff to help make an informed decision and then regularly review the support that has been put into place. 

All of our learners are involved in all aspects of the curriculum including activities outside of the classroom. A variety of after school clubs as well as in school opportunities provide pupils with a range of choices and opportunities. This allows them to develop as individuals, so developing their sense of wealth and independence.  

Pupils will be given letters about the clubs available, emails are sent to parents and details are also on the school website.

Pupils are expected to have access to all activities and given the support they need to achieve and be successful. The range of strategies and additional measures used are wide and constantly developing and depend on the individual needs which present themselves. Where there are concerns of safety and access, further thought and consideration is put in place to ensure needs are met; where applicable parents/carers are consulted and involved in planning. Assessments are carried out prior to any off site activity to assess risk and look at ways of minimising risk. This often includes working closely with parents and carers and involving them where possible.

Personal and social development underpins the work of the school so that the pupils see themselves as successful learners, are cooperative and develop kindness and respect. Pupils are explicitly taught how to recognise and manage their feelings and behave appropriately so that all pupils can learn. This is modelled by the adults around them. The PSHE curriculum supports pupils to understand the importance of personal development, including positive personal behaviour, and an understanding of health and mental wellbeing. As well as the SENCO, the school has a Pastoral Worker who runs sessions for parents on a variety of topics and who helps parents to set up programmes to support individual children at home. The Pastoral Worker has a particular responsibility to support and develop pupils who may have additional emotional, social needs. Pupils identified as having an additional social or emotional need, will be supported through additional 1:1 or group sessions with one of our ELSAs. If necessary, advice from external professionals is sought and then joint plans are made where appropriate.

Further information and support can be obtained from the school’s SENCo, Diana Choudhry.

Telephone: 01189375475.

Email: senco@geoffreyfield-jun.reading.sch.uk

In the first instance, parents/carers are encouraged to talk to their child’s class teacher and/or the school's SENCO.

Our Special Needs Coordinator (SENCo) has completed the mandatory National SENCo Award and is a qualified teacher. Both the SENCO and Pastoral Worker have attended other relevant training to support the roles they fulfil in school. All teachers have responsibility for all of the children in their class, including those with additional needs. They therefore have access to training to support them in their role. We regularly invest time and money in training our staff to improve classroom provision and develop enhanced skills & knowledge for small group and individual interventions. This may involve them going on courses or working with external professionals. Teachers regularly observe each other and observe practice in other schools, sometimes in specialist provision. This allows us to develop our practice. We have a number of established relationships with professionals in health and social care. Training has included: Safeguarding training for all staff, supporting lower attaining writers, dyslexia training, supporting children with ASC, supporting children with speech and language difficulties, supporting children with reading difficulties, supporting children with handwriting difficulties, supporting children with ADHD as well as training on changes to education legislation. Staff have specialist medical training annually to support pupils with epilepsy, asthma and allergies. Further specialist training is provided to support pupils with diabetes.

The buildings and grounds provide reasonable access for pupils and the buildings include appropriate décor, signs, fixtures and fittings. Classrooms are organised with appropriate equipment to promote the participation and independence of all pupils. Specialist resources are sourced via external services if necessary. The school has good access to a wide range of other professionals and has developed good working relationships with them; challenging them when necessary in order to ensure the best outcomes for children. These include: CAMHs, Educational Psychologist, Speech and language Therapists, Behaviour Support, the Children’s Single Point of Access Team, the school health team and the Local Authority SEN team. The school has also developed links with local voluntary groups (e.g. ABC to read). The school recognises the excellent contribution of other Reading schools and works closely with them; learning from them and with them to benefit the children. This includes the SENCo attending the local SENCO network meetings. 

We welcome the involvement of parents and families in discussions about their child/young person’s learning and ask for feedback and ideas and suggestions. All children on the SEND register have a One Page Profile which is regularly reviewed. This sets out the children’s individual targets. When reviewing the profile, we ask pupils and their parents/carers to contribute by stating what is going well, what they would like to see improve/change and the steps they will take to bring about the changes. We support parents in getting further involved; providing them with strategies and skills as required. We make ourselves available to parents in ways that suit their needs. Parents are asked to give formal feedback twice a year in October and March.

We hold curriculum sessions where parents/carers are shown how to support their child's learning, for example with reading. We also hold curriculum afternoons where parents/carers can work alongside their children in the classroom, for example science afternoons. 

We aim to provide pupils with choice and opportunities and discuss their needs and successes with them as part of everyday practise. They contribute more formally to their termly reports and to their One Page Profiles. All pupils review their behaviour against the school values twice a year. Our priority is to listen to the child and support them to take responsibility for their own learning.

In the first instance, parents/carers are encouraged to talk to their child’s class teacher. Further information and support can be obtained from the school’s SENCo. 

If a parent/carer is not happy about the SEN provision made for their child, they are encouraged to talk to their child’s class teacher and/or the school’s SENCo. If further discussions are needed please speak to the Head Teacher, the Governing Body and/or the LA. All complaints are recorded and a response made.

We have a number of established relationships with professionals in health and social care. All external partners we work with are vetted in terms of safeguarding and when buying in additional services we monitor the impact of intervention against cost, to ensure a value for money service.

Support will be arranged through the school SENCO and/or Pastoral Worker in consultation with parents/carers.

Information and Advice Service for SEND (formerly Parent Partnership): IASS@brighterfuturesforchildren.org 01189373421 The Children’s Action Team: 01189373641

Induction is important to us and we invest time in welcoming our learners in a way that makes them feel a part of our setting. We work well with our partner schools. Our Pastoral Worker and SENCo focus on transition in the Summer and Autumn terms, ensuring that learners are supported as they transfer both from infant schools and into secondary schools. There is a clear transition policy which ensures that important information is passed on quickly and efficiently to those that need it. Parents are supported to select and visit schools in the next phase of their child’s education. We hold meetings with parents both before and after transition, ensuring that we get to know the child and their family quickly. Visits are set up for pupils as they arrive or leave and additional visits are given to those children who would benefit most.

Office staff, as well as our Pastoral Worker and SENCO are trained to support parents to access support Link to the Local Authority’s SEN Information Report/Local Offer submission: www.reading.gov.uk/servicesguide. The link can also be found on the school website.

We assess and track the progress of all our learners and discuss what needs to be done to make further improvements. We have systems in place to use data to support tracking. Advice from external professionals is sought and implemented and then evaluated on a regular cycle. We work alongside parents and families to identify priorities and how these might be addressed. Parent meetings are held termly. The One Page Profile, written in partnership with parents and the young person, identifies the outcomes we are working towards and the arrangements in place to facilitate this.

Parent meetings are held termly and the One Page Profiles are also written termly.