Learning Support

At our school we use the definition for SEN and for disability from the SEND Code of Practice (2014). This states:

• Special Educational Needs: A child or young person has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.
  A learning difficulty or disability is a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age.​
  Special educational provision means educational or training provision that is additional to, or different from, that made generally for others of the same age in a mainstream setting in England
• Disability: Many children and young people who have SEN may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 – that is ‘...a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. This definition includes sensory impairments such as those affecting sight or hearing, and long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer.

• All Hallows is a mainstream school but understands that children and young people with SEN have different needs. The general presumption is that all children with SEN but without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are welcome to apply for a place at our school, in line with the school admissions policy. Decisions are made on a case by case basis and should a place be available, we will undertake to work with parents to make reasonable adjustments to meet the SEN of pupils at this school (there may be an additional charge for this).
• For children with an EHCP, parents have the right to request a particular school and the Local Authority must comply with that preference and name the school or college in the EHC plan unless:
• It would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child or young person, or the attendance of the child or young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or the efficient use of resources.
• Before making the decision to name our school in a child’s EHCP, the Local Authority should send the school a copy of the EHCP and then consider their comments very carefully before a final decision on placement is made. In addition, the Local Authority must also seek the agreement of school where the draft EHCP sets out any provision to be delivered on their premises that have been secured through a direct payment (personal budget).
• Parents of a child with an EHCP also have the right to seek a place at a special school if it they consider that their child’s needs can be better met in specialist provision.

We know when a pupil needs help if:

1. Concerns are raised by parents/carers, external agencies, teachers, the pupil’s previous school or the pupil themselves, regarding concerns relating to inadequate levels of progress or inclusion.
2. Screening, such as that completed on entry or as a result of a concern being raised, indicates gap in knowledge and/or skills.
3. Whole school tracking of attainment outcomes indicates lack of expected rate of progress.
4. Observation of the pupil indicates that they have additional needs
5. Termly Pupil Progress meetings
6. Whole child meetings

If parents have concerns relating to their child’s learning or inclusion then please initially discuss these with your child’s teacher/subject teacher/ form tutor. This then may result in further consultation with the school SENCo whose name is Nikki Nathan and whose contact details are: [email protected].

Parents may also contact the SENCo or the Head directly if they feel this is more appropriate. All parents will be listened to. Their views and their aspirations for their child will be central to the assessment and provision that is provided by the school.

The school uses a graduated response when supporting a child with SEND.

Take a look at our table that outlines each wave from N to 5 and 6 to 8.

If progress rates are judged to be inadequate despite the delivery of high quality interventions, advice will always be sought from external agencies regarding strategies to best meet the specific needs of a pupil. This will only be undertaken after parent permission has been obtained and may include referral to:

1. Local Authority Support Services
2. Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist
3. Social Services
4. Health partners such as School Nurse and Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service

N.B. For a very small percentage of pupils, whose needs are significant and complex and the SEN support required to meet their needs cannot reasonably be provided from within the school’s own resources, a request can be made to the Local Authority to conduct an assessment of education, health and care needs. This may result in an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan being provided.

The school uses pupil centred profiles called Pupil Information Sheets. These are completed with the pupils themselves and identify their abilities and strengths, areas of weakness and key strategies for all teachers to use in order to reduce barriers to learning and social success. Pupils receiving Wave 3 support are also involved in the writing of their Individual Education Plans. Each term, this information will be reviewed and the pupil’s views gained on the effectiveness of the action taken so far to meet their needs. Pupils are also routinely asked to voice their opinions in the yearly PASS survey, School Council meetings and when working alongside the school’s preferred Educational Psychologist.

• Teachers plan using pupils’ current learning profiles, differentiating tasks to ensure progress for every pupil in the classroom.
• When a pupil has been identified as having special educational needs, the curriculum and the learning environment will be further adapted by the class teacher to reduce barriers to learning and enable them to access the curriculum more easily.
• These adaptations may include strategies suggested by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) and/or external specialists.
• In addition if it is considered appropriate, pupils may be provided with specialised equipment or resources such as ICT and/or additional adult help, for which there may be an additional charge.

• Attainments towards the identified outcomes will be shared with parents termly through feedback with the SENCo or class teacher, but also through the school reporting system and Parents’ Evenings.
• Parents are encouraged to arrange an appointment to discuss their child’s progress with the class/subject teacher, the SENCo, a member of the senior leadership team at any time when they feel concerned or have information they feel they would like to share that could impact on their child’s success. Please contact the school office who will arrange this appointment for you. The contact number is: 01749 881600

• The class/subject teacher or SENCo may suggest ways of supporting your child’s learning.
• The school organises a number of parent workshops during the year. These are advertised via our internal communication systems and aim to provide useful opportunities for parents to learn more about how to support your child’s learning.
• If you have ideas on support that you would like to have access to in order to further support your child’s learning, please contact the SENCo who will locate information and guidance for you in this area.

The effectiveness of SEN provision will be measured using both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data will gather the views of teachers, Learning Assistants, parents and pupils on how successful the provision has been in enabling them to attain their outcomes. Quantitative data may well include school data such as CAT, PTM, PTE, White Rose Hub scores, intervention data and exam results.

The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils and underpins all aspects of school life. This includes:

• An evaluated Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PHSE) curriculum that aims to provide pupils with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to enhance their emotional and social knowledge and wellbeing. Please visit our website to see the topics that are included within this area of the curriculum.
• Pupil and Parent voice mechanisms are in place and are monitored by the Head of Pastoral Care, James Callow.
• Small group evidence-led interventions to support pupil’s wellbeing are delivered to targeted pupils and groups. These are identified on the school provision map and aim to support improved interaction skills, emotional resilience and wellbeing.
• Pupils who find outside class times difficult are provided with alternative small group opportunities within the school, such as lunch clubs and action is taken to develop their social interaction skills.
• Anti-bullying policy
• Assemblies
• School visitors
• Pupil surveys
• Open door policy
• School counsellor

• Pupils with specific medical needs will be provided with a detailed Individual Health and Welfare Plan, compiled in partnership with the school nurse and parents and if appropriate, the pupil themselves.  
• Staff who volunteer to administer and supervise medications, will complete formal training and be verified by the school nurse as being competent.
• All medicine administration procedures adhere to the LA policy and Department of Education (DfE) guidelines included within Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (DfE) 2014 and identified in the School Medication Policy.

In the last two years school staff have received a range of training at three levels; awareness, enhanced and specialist. Awareness training has been provided to all staff (some depending on needs in key stages any others that are relevant) on:

• How to support pupils with dyslexia, literacy difficulties and dyscalculia.
• How to support pupils on the autistic spectrum and understanding girls with austism
• How to support pupils with social, emotional difficulties
• How to support pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties
• How to support pupils with working memory difficulties
• Enhanced training has been provided to Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA) and the SENCo on:
• Non directive communication therapy
• Using Lego as play therapy
• Specialist training has been provided to the SENCo on:
• The SEN Coordination award.
• The Speech and Language Therapist visits according to the needs of the child to assess and plan support for targeted pupils. These programmes are delivered by a trained Teaching Assistant.
• The Governor with specific responsibility for SEN has completed a thorough induction process and meets with the SENCo termly.
• The Head is a Chartered Educational Psychologist

Risk assessments are carried out and, where appropriate, procedures are put in place to enable all children to be included in activities outside of the classroom.

The school will endeavour, where resources allow, to ensure that no child with SEND is excluded from any school provided activity.

• Targeted differentiation to increase access to text (desk copies of information, work buddy, accessible text, IT e.g. read aloud software, different recording strategies, additional time etc..)
• In class, adult or peer support aimed at increasing skills in specific areas of weakness for a group of pupils (learning behaviours, organisation, etc).
• Out of class support (relationship building, social, emotional skill development, )
• Small group tuition to enable catch up (subject or targeted at additional need)
• Specific support, advice and guidance is provided to parents and families to improve pupil’s readiness for learning (relating to pupil’s difficulties in attendance, behaviour, physiological and emotional needs etc)
• Provision of specialist resources or equipment (use of ICT, sloping board, electronic versions of text etc)
• Personal Learning Assistant (at an additional charge)

• For pupils with SEN but without a statement of educational need/EHCP, the decision regarding the support provided will be taken at joint meetings involving some or all of the following: Head, Head of Junior School, Deputy Head, SENCo, class teacher and parent.
• For pupils with a statement of educational need/EHCP, this decision will be reached in agreement with parents when the EHCP is being produced or at an annual review.

If you wish to discuss your child’s special educational needs or are unhappy about any issues regarding the school’s response to meeting these needs please contact the following:

• Your child’s class teacher,
• The SENCo
• The Head

For complaints, please contact the School Governor with responsibility for SEN: Melanie Eyles. She can be contacted via the school reception 01749 881600.

You can find information on the Local Authority's Local Offer at Somerset.gov.uk.