Home» Key Information » SEND

SEND

Our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENCO) is Andrew Davies.

Our LGB member with responsibility for SEND is Sam Lambert.

At Lazonby CE Primary School, we are committed to providing a high-quality education for all pupils via an inspirational, challenging and ambitious curriculum underpinned by evidence and research. We believe that all children have unique needs and potential, and the right to have their needs met and their potential realised.  We believe in equal opportunities for all, and we ensure that all pupils access the full curriculum with appropriate adaptation as required.

1. How do we support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in our School?

Definition of Educational Special Needs:

“A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.” 
(SEND Code of Practice June 2014: 5)

At Lazonby CE Primary School, we cater for all aspects of Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) as categorised by the SEND Code of Practice. These are:

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

We have the following facilities that assist access to the school:

  • Toilet suitable for those with a disability
  • Ramps to access the school building
  • Changing facilities
  • Some classrooms are accessible by wheelchair

2. Information about the school’s policies for the identification and assessment of pupils with special educational needs (mainstream schools)

At Lazonby CE Primary School, we have a graduated approach to identifying and supporting pupils and students with SEND. This approach involves parents, pupils, class teachers, SENCO and where necessary, outside agencies and/or members of the Senior Leadership Team so that support provided is person-centred. Every child’s needs are different and teachers are experienced in identifying these and the necessary support. The class teacher and the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENCO) will discuss with parents and carers the most appropriate approach to be taken for each pupil.

We use a variety of ways to identify children who need extra help and support:

  • We measure children's progress and attainment closely and regularly through a variety of informal and formal assessment methods so that we can quickly identify pupils who may benefit from extra support
  • Class teachers contact the SENCO if they have a concern about any pupils in their class and require support regarding next steps. At agreed points through the year, class teachers meet with the Senior Leadership
  • Team to discuss pupil progress and to identify support and intervention for pupils
  • Outside agencies such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists often provide us with information about children who require additional or different support
  • Pupils themselves can ask for extra support and help
  • Parents are encouraged to bring concerns or information about their child to their child's class teacher in the first instance

Informal Assessments may include:

  • A parent or carer raising a concern
  • Observations by members of staff
  • Evaluation and ongoing teacher assessment
    (Assessment will need to identify strengths as well as areas for improvement and should be part of the normal classroom routine)

Formal Assessments include:

  • Information from a pre-school setting
  • Early Years Foundation Stage data
  • KS1 and 2 results, primary school reports, baseline assessments
  • Transition meetings (e.g. with receiving secondary school)
  • Parental meetings
  • Ongoing assessment. Data used to identify attainment and progress to show whether a child is falling behind their peers and/or whether the child is not progressing as expected.
  • Reports and assessments from any outside agency
  • Annual Review meetings

3. Information about the school’s policies for making provision for pupils with special educational needs

The school’s SEND policy outlines how all of our teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs and have the responsibility to help all children; provision for children with SEND is a matter for the school as a whole. It also outlines our objectives, details on specialist provision and record keeping.

  • The SEND policy also outlines how at Lazonby CE Primary School we have an open admissions policy and welcome children with SEND. In the case of children with severe learning difficulties or physical disability, we will make every effort to ensure adequate and appropriate resources and supervision are available before agreeing to admit a child.
  • Our admission policy outlines that the Local Governing Body control the admission policy for pupils entering the school and that parents of a pupil refused admission may appeal against that decision to an independent panel.
  • Our behaviour policy has a section regarding anti-bullying which outlines how we take positive steps to ensure that all children are clear about how they can obtain help if this situation arises, either as a victim or a by-stander and how all incidents of this nature are dealt with promptly.
  • All of the above policies are available here
  • We are currently in the process of reviewing our Disability Equality Scheme and Accessibility Plan

4. Information about the expertise and training of staff in relation to children and young people with special educational needs and how specialist expertise will be secured

The role of the SENCO is to co-ordinate the SEND provision for pupils within school, ensuring the needs of all pupils with SEND are met and the support they receive enables them to achieve their potential. As a school we have access to specialist support and training from the local authority and their special educational needs team as well as support and expertise from partner SENCOs and the School Improvement team at the Good Shepherd Trust.

Educational outside agencies include: Educational Psychology (EPS); Behaviour Support (BS); Additional Needs Team, Communication Difficulties Team.

Specialist health services such as Speech and Language Therapy (SALT); Physical and Sensory Support Service (PSSS), which includes Hearing Impaired Service (HI) and Visually Impaired Service (VI); Occupational Therapy (OT); Physiotherapy (PT); Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS), other health professionals including our School nurse, Paediatricians, and GP’s.

Training

  • Teachers are given the opportunity to take part in training to help improve and maintain the Quality First Teaching provision for all students, to develop enhanced skills and knowledge to deliver Wave 2 (short term support interventions) and Wave 3 (individualised support and interventions).
  • Our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENCO) is a qualified and experienced teacher who is currently completing the National Qualification in Special Educational Needs, as well as receiving ongoing SEND training in specific areas.
  • All staff members, including TAs and HLTAs, have the opportunity to attend training so they can best support our pupils with SEND, for example in Dyslexia, Autism, Attachment Disorder and speech and language needs

 5. Information about how equipment and facilities will be secured

Our finances are monitored and audited regularly and we utilise resources to support the strategic aims of our setting as well as individual learner needs.

We seek to ensure a ‘value for money’ service, therefore all interventions are costed and evaluated. These are put on to a whole school provision map.

Our SENCO is able to lead and support staff and pupils in ensuring all children with SEND are able to achieve their full potential.

Pictures of school staff and their designation are displayed in the school entrance. Furniture is modern and of a suitable height appropriate to the age group of children being taught in that classroom. The school has a range of ICT programmes for pupils with SEND in addition to IPADs, headphones, computers and interactive whiteboards.

6. Arrangements for consulting parents of children with special educational needs about, and involving such parents in, the education of their child.

We operate an open-door policy which means parents can arrange to see a class teacher or SENCO at any time.

Parents are also given the opportunity to meet with staff and discuss the progress and attainment their child is making in two parents evenings during the year.

When appropriate, parents/carers may be contacted mid-term to discuss the support that the school are providing and how they can help their child at home: This may be a phone call or a meeting. Pupils’ views will be obtained and when appropriate, they may attend all or part of any meeting.

If a child has a SEND Support Plan then the targets on this are shared and discussed with the parents and the parents sign the plan if they agree with the targets. Parents are informed of any support that is provided for their child and are given regular feedback on the progress that their child is making.

Children with a EHC (Education, Health and Care) plan will have a child centred annual review. The SENCO, child, any external agencies involved, the parents and the school staff involved with that child are invited to attend. The paperwork following the annual review is then sent to the Local Authority to have the child’s EHCP updated and amended if necessary.

7. Arrangements for consulting young people about, and involving them in, their education

Pupils’ views are sought in a general way through the school council, questionnaires and via visits from the Good Shepherd Trust School Improvement team.

For children with SEND, we seek to involve them in their education via the following arrangements:

  • Targets are shared with pupils with all pupils, and they are encouraged to take part in the target setting process.
  • Pupils with an EHC Plan, where appropriate, attend a child-centred Annual Review, where they have the opportunity to present and discuss things that are going well for them, things that they would like to work on and there hopes and aspirations for the future.

8. The school’s arrangements for supporting pupils with special educational needs in a transfer between phases of education or in preparation for adulthood and independent living

Personalised transition programmes are put together for pupils with SEND that require them. Programmes are shared with all staff working with the pupil, the parents and with the pupil.

Transition to a different classroom may mean that an environmental assessment will be required.

The school has links with partner secondary schools to minimise the impact of transition.

The Year 6 teacher meets with representatives from the local secondary schools to share assessment and progress data, attendance and behaviour information, and information about friendship groups to enable a smooth transition to secondary school.

The SENCO liaises carefully with the SENCOs at the local secondary schools. They are invited to attend the Y6 Annual Reviews so that they can meet the pupil and parents, answers any questions the parents or pupils may have and so that transition work and visits can be arranged.

Cumbria County Council

Cumbria County Council has also published a ‘Local Offer’ outlining details of what families can expect throughout the County from mainstream services across education, health and social care. The 'Local Offer' can be found here: Cumbria Local Offer

Additional Information

Parent Partnership Service (PPS) are statutory services offering information advice and support to parents and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities : Cumbria Parent Partnership