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Special Education Needs and/or disability (SEND)

1. Who should I talk to at HPS about my child’s difficulties with learning, special educational need or disability?

  • In the first instance, it is always best to talk to your child’s class teacher about your concerns since he/she is the person who works with your child the most.
  • It is likely the class teacher will have discussed your concerns with the Special educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo), Mrs Brown. You may wish to arrange a meeting with either of them via the school office or admin@hambrough.ealing.sch.uk
  • If you continue to have concerns, arrange to discuss these with a member of the Senior Leadership Team: Mrs Louise Singleton (Headteacher) or Miss Joanna Reed (Deputy Headteacher).

2. How will the school let me know if they have any concerns about my child’s learning, special educational needs or disability?

  • Your child’s class teacher may initially speak to you at the beginning or the end of a normal school day and/or arrange a further time to discuss the concerns.
  • The class teacher may also talk to you about any issues at a parent/teacher consultation meeting.
  • Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion / SENDCo (Mrs Katie Brown) may contact you and arrange a meeting to discuss your child’s difficulties with learning and any possible support strategies the school might be considering.

3. How will the school consider my views and those of my child with regard to his/her difficulties with learning, special educational needs or disabilities?

  • At HPS we believe it is very important for parents/carers to be involved in all areas of their child’s learning and we actively encourage discussions. We believe where appropriate, that it is essential to understand your child’s views on any difficulties they may experience with their learning.
  • You will be able to share your views and discuss your child’s progress at regular meetings with the class teacher and others.
  • If your child has an identified special educational need you will be invited to a termly meeting with the class teacher and SENDCo, to discuss current progress, support strategies being used and expected outcomes.
  • If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) you and your child will also be able to share your views at the Annual Review.

4. How does HPS ensure the teaching staff are appropriately trained to support my child’s special educational needs and/or disability?

  • At HPS we believe that your child’s learning needs will first be met through the high quality teaching delivered by his/her class teacher. This will include quality assessment of your child’s needs, planning to meet these needs and evaluation of these strategies and their success in supporting your child to do their best.
  • We regularly review the school training schedule and are committed to continued professional development for all teaching and support staff to ensure there is the appropriate expertise to support children with special educational needs.
  • The school is able to access training programmes from different organisations including the Ealing Education Centre, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Health Therapy, Health Therapist, Institute of Education, Hounslow Language Service as well as specialist consultants.
  • In response to particular needs, individual training is arranged when necessary.

5. How will the curriculum and the school environment meet my child’s needs?

  • At HPS we believe that your child’s learning needs will first be met through the high quality teaching delivered by his/her class teacher.
  • We carefully plan our curriculum to match the age, ability and needs of all children.
  • The class teacher will, when necessary, adapt lesson planning and teaching to match your child’s special educational needs and/or disability.
  • It may be appropriate to adopt different strategies or resources and adapt outcomes to meet your child’s learning needs.
  • Additional specialist advice is sought when appropriate and when necessary, accessibility aids and technology may be used to support your child’s learning.

HPS regularly reviews its Accessibility Plan to ensure that all children have the fullest access to the curriculum and the school site as possible.

6. What types of support may be suitable and available for my child?

This really depends upon the nature of your child’s needs and difficulties with learning. Our education provisions will match the needs of the four broad areas of need as defined in the SEN Code of Practice 2014:

  • Communication and Interaction
  • Cognition and Learning
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health
  • Sensory and/or Physical needs

At HPS we have a 3 tiered approach to supporting a child’s learning.

  1. Universal (All) – This is the Quality First Teaching (QFT) your child will receive from his/her class teacher and may include some very minor adaptations to match learning needs.
  2. Targeted – A differentiated targeted curriculum and QFT

It may be appropriate to consider making “additional or different” short term special educational provision to remove or reduce barriers to your child’s learning. This term has a graduated four part approach:

  • Assess your child’s needs
  • Plan the most effective and appropriate intervention and
  • Do, or provide the intervention and
  • Review the impact on your child’s progress towards individual learning outcomes.

Specific targeted one to one or, small group interventions may be run outside the classroom. These programmes are time limited to minimise disruption to the regular curriculum.

HPS currently provides interventions to support the following areas: Social and Communication skills; Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening, including spelling and Phonics; Maths; and Physical Development.

  1. Specialist – It may be necessary to seek specialist advice and regular long term support from a specialist professional outside the school in order to plan for the best possible learning outcomes for your child. This may include educational psychology, speech and language therapy, crucial psychology and the child development service. The school may need to prioritise referrals to these services. For a very small number of pupils, access to these specialists may be through a Statement of SEN or an EHC Plan.

7. How will you support my child to reach his/her learning outcomes?

  • The class teacher and other staff working with your child ensure that your child receives appropriate teaching and support in order to reach their goals. The learning plan, strategies and progress will be reviewed regularly in response to your child’s needs.
  • External agencies and specialists may also review your child’s progress and adapt their provision accordingly.
  • We encourage parents to help in this process through supporting their child, making links between home and school learning and celebrating their success.

8. How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

  • There may be suggested strategies or activities for you to do at home to support your child’s learning.
  • The class teacher and SENDCo may also support you with strategies, resources and ideas for supporting your child’s learning at home.
  • You may have an opportunity to meet with other professionals involved in supporting your child ie Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Clinical Psychologist etc.
  • We encourage parents and carers to approach us if they need further help supporting their child’s learning. This is a collaborative partnership.

9. How is support allocated to children and do they move between the different levels of support in school?

  • HPS receives funding from the local authority. These funds include money to support the learning of children with SEN and/or disabilities.
  • The Head teacher, in consultation with the school governors, decides the budget for SEN provision on the basis of the needs of the children in the school.
  • The Head teacher and SENDCo to discuss the effectiveness of the school’s current interventions and provisions and prioritise an action plan, which may include additional or alternative interventions, staff training and equipment needs.
  • This process is reviewed regularly to ensure the best possible intervention is provided to those children who require additional support to learn.

10. How will the school know that the support has made a difference to my child’s learning and how can my child and I be included in this review?

  • Your child’s progress will be assessed both in terms of his/her regular learning within the class and with regard to specific intervention programmes.
  • The impact of the support given is measured to ensure that the learning outcomes have been achieved and if not, what adaptations are necessary. It may be decided that a further period of support would be beneficial.
  • We encourage you and your child to be actively involved at all stages of this support and to contribute to the review process. You are welcome to contact the class teacher for an update on progress.

11. What support will there be for my child’s happiness and well-being at HPS?

  • At HPS we believe that the happiness and well-being of all our pupils is paramount. All members of staff take this aspect of school life very seriously and are committed to ensuring that every individual child feels happy, safe and secure.
  • You can be confident that your child’s class teacher is available to provide support to match your child’s needs (assisted by the SENDCo ).
  • You should also feel free to contact your child’s class teacher if you have any concerns.

12. How is my child included in all the same activities as his/her peers at school?

  • HPS is an inclusive school and committed to providing equal opportunities for all children.
  • School clubs, educational visits and residential trips are available to all children.
  • When necessary the school will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that children with SEN and/or disabilities are included in all activities.
  • You should also feel free to contact your child’s class teacher if you have any concerns.
  • At HPS if an intervention programme is required outside the classroom, we examine the timetable carefully and make every effort to avoid any interruption.

13.  What is an EHC Plan and who can request one for my child?

When a child is demonstrating a significant cause for concern or their learning need is more complex and persistent than can be met by the interventions already put in place a statutory assessment may be considered.

The purpose of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is to make special educational provision to meet the special educational needs of a child or young person, to secure improved outcomes for him/her across education, health and social care and, as he/she gets older, prepare for adulthood. An EHC Plan will contain:

  • The views and aspirations of you and your child,
  • A full description of his/her special educational needs and any health and social care needs,
  • Establish outcomes for your child’s progress,
  • Specify the provision required and how education, health and social care will work together to meet your child’s needs and support the achievement of the agreed outcomes.

You, your child (where appropriate and aged 16 and over) and/or the school, usually the Assessment Head teacher for Inclusion, SENDCo or Head teacher, can request that the local authority conduct an assessment of your child’s needs. This may lead to an EHC Plan.

14. What if my child is registered as  SEN support?

  • The school will review the provision for your child and discuss with you next steps.
  • This will be discussed with you at the next termly meeting.

15. How will HPS support my child in transition stages? (to /from another school)

  • We liaise closely with the school or nursery your child is transferring from. We are able to discuss with the relevant teachers any individual needs and how best to support your child in school and settle in quickly. Children may also have an opportunity to visit the school beforehand.
  • While at HPS we take care to ensure that during transition points (between classes each year and at the end of the Key Stages) staff are aware of individual pupils needs, learning progress and best support strategies. Handover meetings between staff are conducted at transition points and your child will spend time with new staff to ensure continuity. In some cases, a book to support this transition is made with them.
  • HPS makes arrangements to ensure there is a smooth transition when your child transfers to his/her secondary school. If needed we can include ways to support a child to have a more settled move to a new school eg Organising some extra visits to the school etc.
  • If your child moves to another school we pass on school records to the new school. If a child has SEN we also liaise with the SENDCo to handover and clarify any necessary information.
  • If your child has an EHC Plan, we will participate and/or facilitate its review in sufficient time prior to him/her moving between key phases of education. You will be kept informed of these arrangements and asked to attend the reviews.
  • Admission arrangements for pupils with disabilities or SEN are in line with the Local Authority’s admission criteria.
  • HPS’s school offer should be read in conjunction with the Equality Act Policy.

16. What access facilities does HPS provide?

  • EYFS and Years 1, 2 & 3 are all accessible by wheelchair.
  • The school has stair-lift access to certain areas.
  • The school is happy to accommodate as far as is reasonably possible to individual needs.
  • Refer also to the Equality Act Policy (available on the policies page). This includes the Accessibility Plan.
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