Dormanstown Primary Academy – SEND Statement 2017

What is Inclusion?

At Dormanstown Primary Academy, we consider inclusion fundamentally as equality of opportunity. When putting together our Core Inclusion Offer, we have identified three strands to the creation of a fully inclusive Academy: the creation of inclusive cultures; producing inclusive policies; evolving and sharing inclusive practices.

The Inclusion Standard, as defined in The Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994), re-affirms inclusion as…

“…the continuous process of increasing the presence, participation and achievement of all children, young people and adults in local community schools where possible. ’’ and asked all governments ‘’as a matter of law or policy the principle of inclusive education, enrolling all children in regular schools, unless there are compelling reasons for doing otherwise’...

A key objective for the academy is to ensure Dormanstown Primary remains an inclusive, secure, accepting, collaborating and stimulating community, in which everyone feels valued, and where all children are enabled to fulfil their potential. Our aim is to uphold our inclusive values, shared between all staff, children, trust board members, parents/carers and stakeholders so that all of our children can be the best they can be.

Inclusive practice is promoted through the Inclusion Team and wider Senior Leadership team, comprising of:

Senior Leadership Team, SENDCo, Inclusion Officer & Trust Deputy Head of Academy

The CEO &Trust Board

Welfare Lead

Trust SEND Team

All other staff who contribute as needed

At Dormanstown Primary Academy, we have protocols and policies in place to identify groups of children who may be considered ‘vulnerable’. This means they are at risk of marginalisation, exclusion or underachievement. They include:

  • Special Educational Needs and Disability;
  • Family support (i.e. those children from families experiencing difficulties, are ‘Looked After’ or living with carers/extended family members);
  • Social and Emotional needs / Mental Health;
  • Children at risk of underachievement due to behaviour;
  • More Able and Talented;
  • Free School Meals;
  • EAL;
  • Attendance/Punctuality concerns;
  • Additional/other groups whose progress or position against national standards is causing concern at any given time;
  • Medical needs and prolonged periods of absence through hospitalisation.

Children are tracked closely using school tracking systems; those children considered vulnerable are identified. The SENDCo maintains a register of children with special educational needs and adopts a graduated response. Additionally, at every assessment point, pupil trackers are used to identify where groups/individuals are causing concern in terms of progress and/or achievement. This model allows a transitory approach to the targeting of interventions both integral to, and additional to, class lessons. The academy uses the Redcar and Cleveland banding system to appropriately identify need and strategies to support achievement.

In conjunction with supporting academic achievement, we also place a high value on children’s emotional well-being and pastoral needs. The academy employs a full time welfare lead, who supports both children and families. There is also a counsellor available in the academy. We also have strong links with our nurse, who is available to support parents and children. Children have access to a wide range of expertise including: Speech and Language therapists, The Specialist Teaching Service, Educational Psychology Service, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), The Link and Emerging from Violence and Abuse (EVA).

ASSESS

We have a continuous process of assessment ensuring children are challenged appropriately and achieve as well as they can. Vulnerable learners are tracked half termly as part of pupil progress meetings and SEN Support Plan / ECHP reviews (where applicable). Regular pupil progress meetings are used to assist in identifying concerns. Where necessary, the academy draws on the services of either the Trust’s or LA’s educational psychologists. When children are identified as having special education needs, parents and carers are involved to discuss their views. Children are also given a voice in this process.

PLAN

We use the Redcar and Bandings system to identify levels of need and support with appropriate strategies. Support is also offered from the SEND team. A SEND Support plan is written to set targets and identify appropriate intervention. These are added to the overall provision map.

DO

Actions from the plan are put in action. Intervention practices take a positive approach to tackling under-achievement, viewing difficulties as differences in learning styles, to be accommodated and facilitated within teaching strategies, rather than perceived as a barrier to progress. The curriculum may also be modified to meet needs.

REVIEW

All plans are reviewed termly and adjusted as necessary. Close monitoring is undertaken by the Senior Leadership Team, including the SENDCo and Trust DHoA, which enables all vulnerable children to be monitored, with support targeted as and when required. Parents and children are involved in this process, particularly through the use of Assertive Mentoring.

Need targets are set where appropriate. When a child has reached agreed targets, the SENDCo, in consultation with other key professionals, may decide that the child’s name should be withdrawn from the SEND register. In this instance, the SENDCo will meet with parents to explain in detail what progress the child has made, what support will be in place to ensure the child still has their educational needs monitored (to prevent regression), and what their learning pathway will look like. This process is called de-registration.

In addition to normal reporting arrangements, there are a variety of different ways in which parents/carers are kept informed of their child’s progress. First and foremost, senior staff are on the school playground both before and after school so if the opportunity arises, conversations can be held and appointments made for further discussion.

When your child begins their school journey with us, Nursery staff will invite you to visit and join in, where any questions can be asked. There is also a formal welcome meeting in both Nursery and Reception.Throughout the year, drop in sessions and workshops are delivered by staff. Classes regularly invite parents to join them in the academy to celebrate leaning or be part of a learning opportunity.Children are provided with a reading journal which facilitates communication between home and school and in some cases children have a specific book in which school and home exchange communication.

We will soon be introducing Marvellous Me, which will provide parents with an insight into their child’s learning.

HIGH NEEDS PROVISION

We also have a High Needs base at the academy. These places are allocated in consultation with Local Authority, Redcar and Cleveland, using a shared application procedure. Children are referred for places by educational psychologists and the LA SEN panel. The EYFS / provision is initially intended to assess pupil’s needs but also to address their learning, social and communication difficulties. Many children attending our provision have a statement or ECHP but this is not always the case.

Children who attend Dormanstown Primary Academy have access to a broad, balanced and creative curriculum. Pupilsfollow the national curriculum, but it is also designed to meet their needs. Teaching is modified to take account of individual pupils’ specific learning needs. The learning environment is also specifically designed.This is to meet the needs of autistic learners. There is a lift available to take pupils up to the higher level. There are no steps on the ground floor of the academy. Where appropriate, pupils from the High Needs Base integrate into mainstream classes. Teachers take account of pupil’s strengths and difficulties and make provision, to support individuals or groups of pupils and thus enable them to participate equally and effectively in curriculum and assessment activities. Aspirational targets are agreed for all learners and SEN pupils are expected to make at least good progress.We work closely with the local special schools, the Trust academies and a range of external professionals who provide assessments, intervention or therapy if required. The staff are committed to further developing their expertise through additional training and CPD.

Transition

We recognise that transition can be difficult for a child with SEND and take steps to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible.

Children usually join the academy in Nursery. An unobtrusive baseline is undertaken by experienced Nursery staff to assess a child’s needs. Planning for learning takes account of these needs and preferences.When joining the academy in later years, we contact the former school to ensure we have a full picture of the child.Similarly, when a child leaves us for another primary school, we personally pass on their records to ensure continuity and liaise with other members of staff.

Moving classes within school:

Information will be passed onto the new teacher in advance. Children are given the opportunity to work their new teachers in the summer term so that they feel secure and confident to begin the next academic year. Regular pupil progress meetings ensure that all information is passed on (and acted upon)to the relevant adults..

In Year Six:

By liaising closely with SENCOs at local secondary schools, we are able to confidently pass on our children for the next stage in their school journey.

We hope children spend between at least in a period of transition getting to know the layout of the building and meeting the staff. We organise additional transition experiences for children who we feel would benefit from these. These a highly personalised for individual children and different secondary schools.

SEND Resources

The school monitors pupils closely and holds extensive amounts of data on each child with SEND. Therefore, we can ensure that any resources reach the right child and that any monies are spent appropriately. Costed provision maps carefully account for the spending of any additional funding.

Further Information

Key points of contact and how further information can be accessed.

Dormanstown Primary Academy

South Avenue

Dormanstown

Redcar

TS10 5LY

Parents can discuss any concerns relating to SEND with the SENDCo, Miss Simpson, via the school office – Tel. 01642 483696