Shropshire Hills Federation SEND Report 2022 - 2023

Please read this report in conjunction with the information in our SEND offer on the website.

At Shropshire Hills Federation, we value the contributions made by all children, professionals and parents to help develop our inclusive school community.

In assessing the success of our SEND policy, we are required to comment on the effectiveness of the school’s systems for identification, assessment, provision, monitoring and record keeping and the use of outside agencies and support services.

The SEND Governor is Mrs Holly Morris and the SENDCo is Mrs Sally-Anne Jones.

The school has a SEND policy that defines our aims and objectives and this is available on the schools website. The policy has been updated in line with the new Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2015, and other documentation including the Children and Families Act 2014 and Supporting Children with Medical Conditions 2014.

Identification and Provision

Early identification assessment and intervention are recognised as the key to meeting the needs of individual children.

The method of identification and provision for children with special needs follows a graduated approach when:

• Concerns that the high-quality teaching (Wave 1) are not meeting the needs of a child. The class teacher and/or parent discusses these concerns with the SENDCo. The class teacher and SENDCo will put in place additional support (Wave 2) to address the child’s specific needs and continually assess the impact of this provision. This provision will be detailed on the school’s provision map and also on the child’s ‘Person Centred Plan’ (PCP).  This will have been carefully written by the class teacher and SENDCo. It will reflect the targets that the child is working upon within the classroom. The SENDCo will carefully monitor the individual and ensure parents/carers have a copy of these plans.

• The school may also seek the additional support of an external agency such as the speech and language team or Woodlands Outreach.

• The graduated response model of ‘assess, plan, do, review’ is repeated three times in one academic year making necessary adjustments as appropriate to the child’s evolving needs. Parents/carers and the child are always fully involved in this meaningful process. It may be that after a period of time, a child no longer requires additional support and therefore can return to the Wave 1 teaching approach*. However, for some children, they will continue on the graduated response making incremental steps of progress.

*If a child returns to Wave 1 but subsequently requires further Wave 2 support, the graduated response will commence again.

• If the child makes little or no progress after three full cycles, we continue to liaise with parents and invite further external agencies to consider an application for an Education, Health Care Needs Assessment. This is a comprehensive assessment of the child’s needs and the suitable strategies to support the child.

The children within the Shropshire Hills Federation are constantly being assessed through their day to day classroom work and also within specific focused termly assessments. This also provides the class teacher and the SENDCo with an additional way of assessing children who require additional support.

Number of Children with SEND

Across the federation, there are currently nineteen children on the SEN Register (SEN Support or EHCP).

Communication and Involvement of Parents/Carers

Parents are welcomed into school and will have the opportunity to attend a parents’/carers’ evening each term with class teachers. This is an opportunity to ask questions about their child(s) school life and have the opportunity to share information. Class teachers are available throughout the week to talk to parents about their children through informal conversations or as part of an arranged mutually convenient meeting.

Moreover, the headteacher and SENDCo are available to discuss concerns with parents and carers at a pre-arranged, mutually convenient times.

Parents and carers are regularly informed of events via the weekly electronic newsletter, the schools’ closed Facebook pages and the Federation and individual School’s website.

Involvement of Pupils

At the Shropshire Hills Federation, we value the opinion of our pupils and provide regular opportunities for all children to discuss their learning. Children are involved in peer and self-assessing regularly, and respond to marking to improve their learning. They also contribute to their ‘Person Centred Plans’ through careful discussions with their class teachers and SENDCo.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning assistants are trained to support the class teachers and children meet class and individual learning intentions. As part of Wave 1, teachers routinely yet skilfully adapt and differentiate learning and its environment to appropriately challenge the individuals within their class.

Specific interventions are devised by the class teacher and SENDCo and specific training is put in place to ensure teaching and learning assistants deliver the interventions as intended. This process is closely monitored by the class teacher and the SENDCo.

Progress of Pupils with SEND (this section should also be read alongside the school’s data section on the school website)

All the children who are currently receiving additional support are making progress towards meeting their individual targets as described within their Person-Centred Plans. These are reviewed termly and all children within the school undertake standardised assessments within reading, spelling and maths each term.

All children have equal opportunities to activities, including all breakfast and after school clubs and opportunities within the wider school community.

Transition to the Next Educational Phase

The Federation ensures a smooth transition from each class through regular conversations as part of weekly staff meeting. Children with additional needs will have a graduated transition; particularly from the early years into key stage one. All the children have additional transition visits and all staff within the school are aware of the additional needs that all pupils have.

For pupils transferring to Key Stage 3, the school SENDCo liaises closely with parents and the secondary school that the pupils will be transferring to. Additional transition visits are arranged if appropriate after consultation with the secondary school SENDCo. The transition programme for children moving onto secondary school is bespoke and tailored to the needs of individual pupils.

External Personnel and Other Agencies

Over the past year, we have liaised with the Educational Psychology team, Special Needs LA Advisors, the Occupational Therapy Team, Speech and Language therapists, School Nurse, Child and Adolescent Mental and Health team (CAMHs) and Woodlands Outreach.

Support from external agencies has been through individual assessments and advice through additional interventions and strategies to support each individual child. They have also supported teachers and teaching and learning assistants to be able to deliver these bespoke interventions to a high standard. 

It may be necessary at times to complete an Early Help Asessment Form (EHAF), and call a Team meeting to ensure that all the needs of the child are being met. This will involve all agencies, including social support and health care workers, as necessary.

Inclusion

All pupils with SEN and /or disability take part in all aspects of school life including out of school activities. All children have participated in the full range of opportunities and events arranged by the school, including day visits and residential trips.

Accessibility

The Disability Accessibility Plan is available to read on the website.

Admissions

The school admissions policy is operated by the Local Authority.

The admissions criterion gives priority to pupils who are ‘looked after’, or those with a statement of special needs or disability, where the school is deemed best suited to provide the most suitable provision.

Equality

We are committed to inclusion and equal access for all, regardless of special needs or disability.

Complaints

Any complaints are dealt with according to the school complaints policy.

Shropshire's SEND Local Offer

Are you a parent carer of a child or young person who is on SEN support or has an EHCP?  Shropshire’s SEND Local Offer has lots of information, support and resources for parents/carers of children with SEND including education, EHCPs, health and wellbeing, early help, family support, financial support, transport, things to do and lots more.  Take a look at the local offer website on the following link: www.shropshire.gov.uk/the-send-local-offer.

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