Newnham Junior School

A child or young person aged from 0 to 25 years has special educational needs or disability (SEND) if they: have a learning difficulty or disability which makes it much harder for them to learn than other pupils of the same age require special educational provision to be made for them A detailed description can be found in the SEND Code of Practice (pages 15-16). Or you can read the easy-read version of the SEND Code of Practice from Mencap.

According to the SEND Code of Practice, a child with SEND will fall into one or more of the following four categories. Communication and Interaction Cognition and Learning Social, Emotional and Mental Health Sensory and/or Physical More information on these four broad areas of SEND can be found in the SEND Code of Practice (pages 97-98) or click here for an easy to read summary.

Children are identified as needing extra help through a variety of ways, including: Concerns raised by parents/carers Concerns raised by the child’s class teacher and/or teaching assistant Liaisons with a child’s previous school, including Newnham Infant School The child struggles with accessing the curriculum The child performs significantly below age expected levels in assessments and tests There is a concern with the pupil’s behaviour and/or self esteem Liaison with external agencies; e.g. Speech and Language therapists, Occupational Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Hearing Impairment Team There is a health diagnosis through a Paediatrician

First talk to your child’s class teacher as they will be able to offer an insight into how your child is coping and progressing within the classroom setting. Together with the SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator), we will consider the most appropriate next steps, following our graduated approach. This may initially involve monitoring your child’s progress and providing support through Quality First Teaching. If further concerns remain, we may then complete a Cause for Concern form to enable more targeted monitoring and support. The class teacher is always the best first point of contact, as they know your child and can provide an insight into their day-to-day experiences and progress. However, parents/carers are also welcome to request a meeting or telephone conversation with the SENDCo, Assistant Headteachers or Headteacher if they wish to discuss their concerns. Any concerns raised will be shared with the class teacher and considered in line with our graduated approach, ensuring that the same process of monitoring, assessment and appropriate support is followed. Please contact the school office to arrange an appointment or telephone call.

In line with the SEND Code of Practice, the school uses a graduated approach to identify and support pupils who have or may have additional needs. A flow chart illustrating this approach can be found below. A parent friendly version of this can be found below. There are different levels of support given to pupils depending on their needs and progress. This support includes: ​ Support within the classroom Teachers adapt lessons in a range of ways to ensure that all pupils are able to access the lesson content and to make progress with their learning. This could involve adapting the task, providing additional resources and/or offering adult support from the teacher or teaching assistant. Children are encouraged to learn from their mistakes and to reflect on their learning. If a pupil has struggled with a concept, the teacher or teaching assistant may work with them after the lesson individually or in a small group to revisit the work. ​ Interventions Interventions are put in place to address specific difficulties that a child may be experiencing, e.g. in reading, spelling, retaining mathematical knowledge or social skills. Interventions are mostly run by the teaching assistants and are monitored by the class teacher and SENDCO. The amount of time a child spends on an intervention is dependent on the type of intervention and the progress being made. Not all children who receive an intervention will have a special educational need. ​ EHCP Some children will join our school with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This is a legally binding document that identifies a child’s special educational needs and sets out the support required to help them achieve their intended outcomes. An EHCP is divided into different sections: Section A: The views, interests and aspirations of the child and their family. Section B: The child’s special educational needs. Section E: The outcomes the child is working towards. Section F: The special educational provision and support required to meet the child’s needs. Sections C, D, G and H: Any related health and social care needs and provision. The school will work in partnership with parents/carers and relevant professionals to ensure that the provision specified in Section F is delivered and that your child is supported to work towards the outcomes outlined in Section E. Every EHCP is reviewed at least annually through a formal Annual Review meeting, where progress towards outcomes, the effectiveness of the provision and any changes to your child’s needs are discussed. If a child’s needs cannot be adequately met through the support ordinarily available within school, parents/carers or the school can request an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment from the Local Authority. The Local Authority will consider the evidence and decide whether an EHCP is necessary. ​ Support Plans Some children, including those with an EHCP, will benefit from additional targets to support them in their learning. These are set out in a Support Plan and a child friendly ‘Pupil Passport’. Support Plans are reviewed and updated termly and parents/carers are invited to attend a meeting each time to discuss the child’s progress against their targets. ​ Outside Agencies and Specialist Support Sometimes, a child may benefit from additional advice or support from professionals outside school who have specialist knowledge and expertise. These may include the Educational Psychology Service (EPS), SEND Advisory Service (SAS), Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), Language Advisors, specialist autism or sensory teams, Occupational Therapists and other health professionals. The decision to involve an outside agency will be considered as part of our graduated approach (Assess, Plan, Do, Review). We will usually have put appropriate support and interventions in place within school and monitored their impact before seeking more specialist advice. We will discuss any concerns and proposed referrals with parents/carers, ensuring they are involved in the process and that consent is obtained where required. The referral process will depend on the agency and the nature of the child's needs. Some referrals are made directly by the school, while others may require input from health professionals or the child's GP.  Following a referral, the external professional may offer advice, consultation, observation or an assessment, depending on the child's needs and the service's criteria. Recommendations may include strategies for school and home, staff guidance, targeted interventions or further specialist support. We will work in partnership with parents/carers and relevant professionals to implement and review any recommendations, ensuring that support continues to meet the child's changing needs.

All parents/carers are invited to attend a meet the teacher meeting in the Autumn Term and a more in depth open evening in the Spring Term. In the Summer Term, we hold an Exhibition Evening where pupils’ work is on display and parents/carers can meet with the class teacher on an informal basis. In addition to face to face meetings, Interim Reports are sent out at the end of the Autumn and Spring Terms to give parents a snapshot of their child’s attainment and progress. A more detailed written report is sent out at the end of the academic year. For children with Support Plans, parents/carers will be invited to a meeting each term to discuss their child’s progress against their individual targets. Parents/carers are also able to view and comment on their child’s past and current Support Plans via Provision Map (the online system used by the school). For children with an EHCP, a formal ‘Annual Review’ is held and this involves reviewing the needs, provision and outcomes specified in an EHCP and deciding whether these need to change. The meeting involves input from all professionals involved in supporting the child. We value the partnership we have between parents/carers and the school and therefore are always willing to meet with parents at any time during the school year, in addition to the set times outlined above. Meetings can be arranged by contacting the school office.

At the various meetings held during the school year, your child’s class teacher will be able to share with you practical strategies for you to use at home with your child. These could include: How to support your child with their understanding when they are reading to you. How to support your child with learning spellings and times tables. How to encourage your child to complete their homework and what to do if there are difficulties with this at home. Directing you to useful resources, including online resources, that can be used at home to support learning. The school also holds regular coffee mornings for parents/carers of SEND pupils. This is a chance for parents/carers to network with each other, to talk informally with staff and to listen to talks from any professionals the school may have invited in. If any outside agencies have been involved with your child, they may also have strategies to pass on to parents/carers to be used at home.

All work within class is planned at an appropriate level so that all children are able to access the learning according to their specific needs. This may mean that some pupils have activities that are scaffolded, for example, in a foundation subject, they might be provided with sentence starters to complete rather than writing a paragraph/sentences from scratch. The aim is to make the work accessible to pupils whilst still maintaining high expectations of outcomes for all pupils. The curriculum can also be matched to a child’s needs by offering increased adult support where needed, for example, an adult can support with reading subject content and recording so that a child’s literacy skills does not prevent them from fully accessing other areas of the curriculum. There will also be times when specialist equipment will assist a child in accessing the curriculum, for example, dictation software, a laptop, a writing slope, pencil grips, wobble cushions and table dividers.

The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support in order to support pupils with their emotional and mental health. These include: All staff are readily available for pupils who wish to discuss any issues and concerns. There are also members of staff who are known as ‘Listening Ears’ and have received more specific training in promoting positive mental health. There is a whole school ‘worry box’ and each class also has a worry box or bag where children can post notes for staff to read and address. There are a range of interventions based on improving social skills and self-esteem and these include Therapeutic Intervention, Lego Therapy and Zones of Regulation. All pupils receive input on Zones of Regulation including practical strategies for how they can regulate themselves should they be feeling angry, frustrated or upset. There are a range of activities available during playtimes to encourage friendships, engagement and social interaction. Older children are trained as Play Leaders and the House Captains organise regular events/activities. More vulnerable children know that there is a particular member of staff looking out for them during playtimes. We also have an indoor ‘calm area’ where identified children can come and play if they are finding the outside environment too overwhelming. A range of methods for praising hard work, effort and behaviour are used within the school and these include merit assemblies, promoting the 5Rs (resilience, respect, resourcefulness, responsibility and reflection) and house points.

The school consults with a range of outside agencies and these include: Educational Psychology Service SEND Advisory Team Children’s Therapy Team (Speech and Language/Occupational Therapy) Physical and Sensory Service (hearing and visual impairments) Behaviour Support Team Hillingdon Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Attendance Advisory Practitioner Children and young persons Mental Health Service (CAMHS) School Nurse Centre for ADHD and Autism Support If you would like any further information on any of the above services, please contact the school. For further information on what support is available for families living in Hillingdon, please visit https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/send

All staff receive regular training and professional development to strengthen their understanding of SEND, neurodiversity and inclusive teaching practice. Training has covered a range of areas, including: Understanding and supporting pupils with a range of neurodiverse needs and learning differences. Supporting pupils with their emotional wellbeing and social, emotional and mental health needs. Effective deployment of Teaching Assistants (TAs) to maximise pupil independence and progress. Planning for inclusion, ensuring that adaptive teaching and inclusive strategies are intentional and embedded within everyday classroom practice. Supporting pupils to develop their executive functioning skills, including organisation, working memory, attention and self-regulation. Developing reading fluency through evidence-informed approaches. Writing, implementing and reviewing effective Support Plans to ensure provision is purposeful and responsive to pupils' needs.

The school offers a range of school trips, enrichment activities and extracurricular clubs, which we strive to make accessible and inclusive to all pupils. To support participation, we may: Allocate additional school staff to trips and activities and, where appropriate, provide 1:1 support. Make alternative travel arrangements to meet individual needs. Liaise with venues and external providers in advance to ensure they are aware of pupils' additional needs and can make appropriate adjustments. Where necessary, discuss with parents/carers whether they may be able to accompany their child to provide additional support. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off-site activity to identify and manage potential risks and ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to support the safety and wellbeing of all pupils and staff.

The environment is adapted to the needs of pupils as required. This includes: Ramps - the school is one storey but there are two sets of steps within the building and one set of steps to one of the playgrounds Adequate corridor width Disabled parking bay Disabled toilets Book shelves at wheelchair-accessible height Visual contrast on stairs The school will always discuss any individual access requirements for both pupils and parents/carers. More information can be found in the NJS Disabled Access Policy.

Strategies are in place to enable the pupil’s transition to be as smooth as possible and these include: Meetings between the previous or receiving schools prior to the pupil joining/leaving. For pupils with an EHCP plan, the SENDCo may attend their most recent annual review. Year 2 pupils attend a Transition Day where they spend one hour with their new class teacher and Teaching Assistant. There is also a meeting for Year 2 parents that provides general information about the transition and the junior school. Pupils with additional significant need(s) are provided with a transition booklet. This enables the pupil to familiarise themselves with key staff members and areas of the school before the new academic term begins. They also come over to the juniors for additional visits. The SENDCo is always willing to meet parents/carers prior to their child joining the school. A SEND coffee morning is arranged in the Summer Term for Year 2 parents/carers and parents/carers from existing junior year groups. This gives new parents/carers the opportunity to have informal discussions with existing parents/carers and staff. A teaching assistant and the SENDCo takes the current Year 6 pupils to additional induction days prior to joining their new secondary school. This provides pupils with the opportunity to discuss any concerns they may have and helps them become familiar with their new school. Secondary school staff visit pupils prior to them joining their new school. The SENDCo liaises with SENDCos at feeder secondary schools to share relevant information and documentation to support the transition of pupils with SEND. Where appropriate, additional meetings involving the SENDCo, secondary school staff and parents/carers may be arranged to discuss individual needs and ensure that suitable transition arrangements are in place.

Our school employs high quality Teaching Assistants to aid teachers in carrying out the additional support needed for a child with additional needs. Further support/resources may be allocated to your child to target the specific need that has been identified. Where a child has an EHCP, the additional funding is carefully planned to meet the outcomes set out in the plan. This includes the allocation of Teaching Assistant support alongside specialist programs, equipment and resources as advised by external professionals. Where a family is registered for benefits there is an additional allocation of funds, known as Pupil Premium, and this is allocated to target support for individuals to increase their rate of progress.

Class Teachers, the SENDCO, Assistant Headteachers and Headteacher regularly discuss the needs of all pupils along with the support that is needed. This information is shared and discussed with parents/carers through regular parent/carer meetings and Support Plan Meetings. During Support Plan Meetings, a child’s progress towards their individual targets are discussed in detail and parents/carers are kept informed about any additional support/interventions their child is receiving. Their input on deciding on next steps of the child is also encouraged. Parents are able to view past and present Support Plans on our online system ‘Provision Map’ and they can make comments on the most recent Support Plan.

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or have any concerns about something regarding your child’s schooling please, contact one of the following: Your child’s class teacher The SENDCo The Assistant Headteachers The Headteacher SENDIAS (Special Educational Needs Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service) - a free, impartial support service for parents/carers with children who may have or have special educational needs The school office can be contacted on: Phone: 020 3745 6216 Email: office@mail.newnhamjun.org.uk