Brabin’s Endowed is a mainstream school with an inclusive ethos.
How does your school ensure that children who need extra help are identified early?
Children are identified as having special educational needs through a variety of ways including the following:
- A child who is performing below age expected levels
- Concerns raised by parent
- Concerns raised by teacher
- Liaison with external agencies e.g. Educational Psychology Service
- Health diagnosis through a paediatrician
- Liaison with previous school or setting, if applicable
What should a parent do if they think their child may have special educational needs?
Talk to us – in the first instance contact your child’s class teacher; if you still have concerns you can contact the school’s SENCo (Mrs Poulton) or the Headteacher (Mrs Wallace). Appointments can be arranged in person, by phone or by email. Please see the school’s contact us section of the website.
Who will oversee, plan and work with my child and how often?
- The class teacher will oversee, plan and work with each child with SEN in their class to ensure that appropriate progress is made in every area.
- Our SENCo oversees the progress of any child identified as having SEN.
- There may be Teaching Assistant working with your child either individually or as part of a group. The content of this support will be explained to parents when support begins, as part of a child’s bespoke programme of learning and is reviewed and updated during termly learning conversations.
Who will explain this to me?
- The class teacher will meet with you formally on at least a termly basis, in order to discuss your child’s progress and the support that they are receiving.
- Class teachers are always happy to discuss your child’s needs if you have questions or concerns between more formal meetings. Please speak to them directly to arrange this.
- An appointment can be made with the SENCo to discuss support in more detail if required.
- ISPs (Individual Support Plans) will be shared with you and your child (age appropriate)
What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the school?
- We are an inclusive school that holds a child’s emotional and spiritual development as a priority.
- The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class.
How does the school manage the administration of medicines?
- The school has a policy regarding the administration and managing of medicines. Parents can request a ‘hard copy’ of this policy from the school office or view a digital copy on the ‘Policies’ section of the website.
- Parents need to contact the school office if prescribed medication is recommended by healthcare professionals and needs to be taken during the school day. Any medication must be given to the school in the packaging that it was dispensed in by the pharmacy, with the child’s name and administration information clearly shown. A form must also be completed by the parent and medicines handed into and collected from the school office. Medicines should not be sent in to school with the pupil i.e in school bags.
- On a day-to-day basis, the teaching staff generally oversee the administration of any medicines.
- The majority of staff hold first aid qualifications which are updated regularly.
How accessible is the school environment?
- The school was originally built in 1880 and has been extended over the years. The newer sections of the building are wheelchair friendly; however, the classrooms are on a slightly higher level than the school reception area. To access the classrooms and hall, children either need to ascend three steps or follow the path around the side of the school to the rear entrance.
- The school is equipped with two disabled toilets, large enough to accommodate changing: one in the school reception area and the other next to the Key stage 2 toilets.
How will the curriculum be differentiated to match my child’s needs?
- The curriculum overviews are available to parents in the class sections of the school website.
- All learning activities within class are planned and differentiated at an appropriate level, so that all children are able to access learning according to their specific needs. Typically, this might mean that in a lesson there would be a range of levels of work set for different groups in the class, however on occasions this might be individually differentiated.
- The class teacher, alongside the SENCo, will discuss a child’s needs and what support will be appropriate.
- Children with SEN will have access to the appropriate resources needed in order to help them to make progress e.g access to a computer to type work.
- The SENCo reports to the Headteacher and Governors regularly to inform them about the progress of children with SEN and how resources are being used.
How will we know if this has had an impact?
- Ensuring that the child is making progress academically against national/ age expected levels (or equivalents) and that the gap is narrowing between them and their peers.
- By reviewing children’s ISPs and ensuring that they are making progress.
- Through verbal feedback from the child, the parent and teacher to build a wider picture.
- Through children moving off the SEN Register when they have made sufficient progress – parents will always be informed if this has taken place.
What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child’s progress?
- You are welcome to make an appointment to meet with either the class teacher or SENCo at any time throughout the year to discuss how your child is getting on. We can offer advice and practical ways that you can help to support your child at home.
- Your child may have an Individual Support Plan. This is discussed with you on at least a termly basis and parents are provided with a copy. The conversation will also provide suggestions as to how you can support your child’s learning at home. All parents are offered a termly opportunity to participate in a learning conversation
- When the child’s ISP is reviewed, comments are made to show what progress the child has made
- If your child has complex SEN they may have an EHCP. In such instances a formal meeting will take place to discuss your child’s progress and a report will be written at least annually.
How does the school know how well my child is doing?
- As a school we track and analyse the children’s progress in learning against age related expectations on a termly basis.
- The class teacher continually assesses each child and notes areas where they are improving and where further support is needed. As a school, we track children’s’ progress from entry at Year R through to Year 6, using a variety of different methods. Please ask the school if you require any further details.
- Pupil Progress Meetings are held each term between each class teacher and the Headteacher. In these meetings, a discussion takes place concerning children who are not making expected progress and possible future actions are discussed.
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
- All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum and we aim for all children to be included on school trips. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful and may discuss this in advance with parents..
- A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure health & safety will not be compromised. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, then alternative activities that will cover the same curriculum areas will be provided within the school environment, wherever possible.
- A variety of after school clubs are provided during lunchtimes and after school. We aim for these to be as inclusive as possible and may provide additional staff or sessions in order to achieve this.
How will the school prepare and support my child when joining the school or transferring to a new school?
- We encourage all new children to visit the school prior to starting.
- We can create ‘social stories’ with/for the children if transition is likely to prove challenging.
- For children starting in Reception, the Headteacher holds a meeting for parents in addition to planning a series of visits for children throughout the second half of the Summer Term, in order to help children, parents and staff get to know each other.
- We liaise closely with the staff when receiving and transferring children to and from different schools, ensuring all relevant paperwork is passed on and all needs are discussed and understood.
- If your child has complex needs, then an EHCP review will be used as a transition planning meeting to which we will invite staff from both schools.
- Transition between year groups and key stages within the school will be dealt with as part of our annual programme of transition and handover to the next class teacher.
- At any point where a child with SEN is preparing to leave our school, we would seek to arrange visits for the child in question to support smooth transition. Many secondary schools also run programmes specifically tailored to aid transition for the more vulnerable pupils at the end of the primary stage of education.
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
- Our SENCo has completing the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination (2018-2019)
- The environment is designed to support children with individual needs.
- As a school we work closely with external agencies that we feel are relevant to supporting individual children’s needs within our school including: GPs, school nurse, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service), speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapist, social workers, educational psychologists and specialist advisory teachers.
Who can I contact for further information?
- Please speak to the class teacher in the first instance.
- Look at the SEN policy and Local offer on our website.
- Further information is available from the SENCo (Amy Poulton)
Who should I contact if I am considering whether my child should join the school?
- Contact the Headteacher, Rachel Wallace, to arrange a meeting and tour of the school
Local Offer
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The special educational needs and disability (SEND) newsletter for Lancashire families.
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