At Downsbrook we strive to support ALL children to be the best that they can be .
As a school we pride ourselves on being inclusive and working with families to secure the best outcomes for our children.
In order to do this many steps are taken to support them through their learning journey.
Quality teaching is vital; however, for some children there are occasions when further additional support may be needed to help them achieve their targets.
Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion) is Mrs Carina Reid
Pastoral and Welfare Support is Mrs Claire Maynard
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INCLUSION MANAGER
Our Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion) is responsible for the operation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Policy and coordination of specific provision made to support individual children with SEND including the More Able child.
The Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion) will liaise with staff to monitor the pupil's progress and plan further interventions where progress is slower than expected and will have regular contact with a wide range of external agencies that are able to give more specialised advice.
If you have any concerns regarding SEND matters do not hesitate to contact the school. The school telephone number is 01903 230467.
WHAT IS THE LOCAL OFFER?
The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011) as
‘ a local offer of all services available to support disabled children and children with SEN and their families. This easy to understand information will set out what is normally available in schools to help children with lower-level SEN as well as the options available to support families who need additional help to care for their child .’
WHAT WILL THE LOCAL OFFER DO?
The West Sussex framework will allow the Local Offer to provide parents/carers with:
CURRENT SEND INFORMATION
What is Pupil Premium?
The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals (FSM) at any point in the last six years (known as 'Ever6 FSM'). Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months, children of service personnel and those adopted from care in the UK.
Why has it been introduced?
The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals or who have been ‘looked after’, adopted from care or are children of service personnel and their peers, by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.
Who decides on how the money is spent?
In most cases the Pupil Premium is paid directly to schools and allocated to them for every pupil who receives free school meals. Schools decide how to use the funding, as they are best placed to assess what their pupils need.
How are schools accountable for the spending of Pupil Premium?
They are held accountable for the decisions they make through:
BELOW ARE THE DOWNSBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL'S RESPONSES
1. How does Downsbrook Primary School know if children need extra help?
We know when pupils need help if:
2. What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
3. How will Downsbrook Primary School support my child?
4. How will the curriculum be matched to my child's needs
All work is differentiated to meet the needs of every child. A full and balanced curriculum is in place and teachers meticulously plan to ensure that all children have access to all subject areas.
5. How will I know how my child is doing?
Teacher assessment is carried out at least termly and the progress of all children is carefully monitored. Teachers meet with the Senior Leadership Team every term to discuss the progress of all children.
6. How will you help me to support my child's learning?
7. What support will there be for my child's overall well-being?
The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering emotional difficulties. These include: Members of staff such as the Class Teacher, Teaching Assistants and Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion) all being readily available for pupils who wish to discuss issues and concerns. Where appropriate mediation sessions are carried out.
Pupils with Medical Needs
8. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
We currently have access to the services of:
9. What training are the staff supporting children with SEND had or are having?
Our school currently holds the award for being an ‘Autism Aware School’. This has involved all staff attending training around identification and support of children with Social Communication difficulties. We have also held the award for Dyslexia Awareness. Teaching Assistants have a meeting every fortnight with the Assistant Headteacher where a whole range of difficulties, strategies and interventions are discussed. Staff meetings are often given over to SEND and recently the new SEND code of practice and using Target and Provision Plans were covered.
10. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
School visits and other activities away from school are an important part in enhancing any child’s learning experiences, and we will always endeavour to ensure all children are able to benefit from these, wherever possible. We will meet with parents with any concerns beforehand to discuss your child’s needs and how they can be best met. Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate. Children for whom the school receives Pupil Premium may ask for school trips to be paid for by the school.
11. How accessible is the school environment?
As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements. Our building has been designed to be wheelchair friendly on ground level with an accessible toilet available for parents and children.
12. How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Downsbrook Primary School or transferring to a new school?
Many strategies are in place to enable each child’s transition to be as smooth as possible. These include:
13. How are the school's resources allocated and matched to children's special educational needs?
The SEND budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependent on an individual's needs. Each child’s need is looked at on an individual basis, and the Assistant Headteacher (inclusion) in consultation with the Senior Leadership Team will then allocate support from our available resources. Resources may include deployment of staff depending on individual circumstances.
14. How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
These decisions are made in consultation with class teacher, Assistant Headteacher (inclusion) and Senior Leadership Team. Decisions are based upon termly tracking of pupil progress and as a result of assessments, if appropriate, by outside agencies. If further concerns are identified due to the pupil's lack of progress or well-being then interventions may change.
15. How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child's education?
All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child's education. This may be through:
16. Who can I contact for further information?
At Downsbrook Primary School, we pride ourselves on being a very open and accessible school. If you would like to contact us for more information please either speak to your child’s class teacher or you can speak to the Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion) or Head Teacher, who can be contacted directly through the school office (01903 230 467)
If you have any further questions or concerns, West Sussex Parent Partnership can be contacted on their Helpline: 0845 075 1008, Monday to Friday during office hours.
There are many SEND terms that are abbreviated which can lead to confusion (even for us!)
Below is a Glossary of the most used SEND Terms.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS |
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TAPPs |
Target and Provision Plans |