SEND Information Report.

Intent

What is our aim?

Birchen Coppice Primary Academy is part of the Victoria Academy Trust. We believe in five simple core values that underpin all we do.

• Unity
• Integrity
• Courage
• Curiosity
• Excellence

With these values in mind, our aim is that every pupil can achieve the best they can. We acknowledge that each child is different and will make progress at different rates. For pupils that experience difficulties making progress in any area of development, we aim to ensure that appropriate support and provision is in place, that will enable them to succeed to the best of their ability and meet their full potential.

Implementation.

How do we do this at Birchen Coppice?

What types of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) do we provide for?

A young person has a ‘Special Educational Need or Disability’ (SEND) if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provisions to be made for them.  This is provision that is additional or different to support usually available to young people of the same age in a mainstream school. (SEND code of practice 2014)

The needs of children with SEND, according to the 2014 SEND Code of Practice, fall into four broad areas: -

• Cognition and Learning
• Social, emotional and mental health.
• Communication and interaction.
• Sensory and/or physical.

As a mainstream, inclusive school, we currently provide for the additional needs of pupils whose SEND falls into any of the four areas of SEND need.

How are Children with SEND identified and who identifies their need?

A child may have their needs identified at any point during their time at Birchen Coppice Primary Academy. Anyone who works closely with a pupil or knows them well will play a part in making a decision that they have SEND.

SEND may be identified in a number of different ways.

• Some pupils, who start in Nursery or Reception, may already have an identified SEND need and be receiving support through Worcestershire’s Pre-School Forum. This information will be passed to the school in the transition process.
• Upon entering the school, every child will have an assessment to establish their current level of ability that may also identify a SEND need.
• Other professionals, such as Community Paediatricians or Speech and Language Therapists may have identified a need and information is subsequently sent to the school.
• For pupils transitioning from another Primary School, the information on SEND will be passed along from the previous school.
• Ongoing progress is monitored termly through teacher assessments and a cycle of ongoing formal assessments. Should a pupil be identified as not making progress, school will identify this through Pupil Progress meetings and further strategies, support or more detailed investigations and assessments carried out to establish a reason for the lack of progress.  In some cases, this may lead to the identification of a SEND need.
• Class teachers may approach the SENDCo directly with concerns they have noticed or observed in school.
• Parents can also contact the SENDCo directly to raise a concern about their son or daughter.

• Supporting Looked-After Children (LAC) with SEND

  At Birchen Coppice Primary Academy, we recognise that looked-after children with SEND may experience additional barriers to learning, emotional wellbeing, relationships and educational stability.

  We are committed to ensuring that children who are looked after receive coordinated, individualised and compassionate support.

  Our SENDCo, Designated Teacher for Looked-After and Previously Looked-After Children, safeguarding team and class teachers work collaboratively to ensure that educational, emotional and additional learning needs are considered together.

  Our approach includes:

  Coordinated planning

• Ensuring that SEND provision is reflected appropriately within the child's Personal Education Plan (PEP).
• Aligning PEP targets, Individual Provision Maps and EHCP outcomes where applicable.
• Maintaining communication with carers, social workers, the Virtual School and relevant professionals.
• Ensuring that educational planning reflects the child's individual circumstances and aspirations.

       Trauma-informed practice

• Providing predictable routines and emotionally safe learning environments.
• Identifying trusted adults who can provide consistent relational support.
• Recognising that previous experiences of trauma, loss or disrupted attachments may affect emotional regulation and engagement.
• Avoiding punitive responses to behaviours that may indicate unmet emotional or additional needs.
• Supporting children to develop positive relationships, emotional literacy and a sense of belonging.

      SEND identification and provision

• Ensuring that additional needs are identified promptly and are not overlooked or attributed solely to a child's care experiences.
• Implementing reasonable adjustments and targeted interventions.
• Seeking specialist professional advice where appropriate.
• Ensuring children with an EHCP receive the special educational provision specified within their plan.

      Educational stability and progress

• Supporting continuity of learning during changes in care arrangements or school placement.
• Maintaining accurate and appropriately confidential records.
• Monitoring attendance, progress, participation and emotional wellbeing.
• Working with the Virtual School to ensure Pupil Premium Plus supports agreed educational outcomes, as appropriate.

       Previously looked-after children are also supported through appropriate partnership working           with parents, guardians and relevant professionals.

      We recognise that being looked after does not automatically mean a child has SEND. Each              child's needs are assessed individually.

Admission of pupils with a disability.

If a child already has an Education and Health Care Plan, the Local Authority (Worcestershire) will consult the school to see if it able to meet need.  We will be provided will all the current paperwork related to the Education and Health Care Plan and will be asked to determine, with the funding allocated to that pupil through the EHCP, if we are able to meet needs.

We will consider the support that is required, the appropriateness of the environment at Birchen Coppice and the experience and expertise of the staff we have available.  We will also need to consider the needs of the other pupils in the school, to ensure all pupils can continue to have their needs met.

Once we have considered the request for a placement, we will write back to the local authority and explain in detail our decision.  Parents will be able to receive a copy of this response from their Local Authority SEND caseworker upon request.

If we are able to meet need, Birchen Coppice Primary Academy will be named on the EHCP and a period of transition will be agreed alongside a start date.

If your child does not have an EHCP, requests for places are as all other pupils.  Please refer to our Admissions Policy.

What Transition support do pupils with SEND receive?

Transitioning to Birchen Coppice Primary Academy.

In order to transition effectively, pupils will have the opportunity to visit the school a number of times before starting the school. Pupils will be assessed on arrival.  This is just to ensure that we are able to put the appropriate provision in place.

The SENDCo will also have a transition meeting with their current school to ensure appropriate provision is able to continue.  As parents/carers, you are encouraged to contact the SENDCo to discuss the transition of your son or daughter, as every insight into their needs is considered invaluable in ensuring a successful transition between schools.

Transitioning from Birchen Coppice Primary Academy.

The school recognises that effective transition arrangements are essential to ensure continuity of provision and support for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

To facilitate a smooth transition to secondary education, the school will work collaboratively with receiving schools, parents/carers and relevant professionals. Pupils will be provided with opportunities to visit their new school and participate in planned transition activities as appropriate to their individual needs.

Where practicable, representatives from the receiving secondary school will be invited to meet with the pupil and relevant staff to gain an understanding of the pupil's strengths, needs, outcomes and current provision. Additional transition arrangements may be implemented for pupils with SEND where these are deemed necessary to support a successful move to the next phase of education.

The SENDCo and relevant staff will liaise with receiving schools to ensure that accurate and up-to-date information is shared. This will include relevant assessment information, SEND records, support plans, reports and any other documentation required to enable the receiving school to plan appropriate provision.

Parents/carers are encouraged to engage with the transition process and to communicate directly with the receiving school regarding any questions or concerns. The school is committed to working in partnership with families and other professionals to ensure that transition arrangements are personalised, well-planned and supportive of each pupil's individual needs

Impact

What difference do we make?

How do we assess and review the progress of children with SEND?

Where a pupil has been assessed as requiring more specific support, a plan (Individual Provision Map) will be devised by your child’s teacher and the SENDCo and shared termly with parents/carers. Children who need additional support, in accordance with the SEND Code of Practice (2014), follow a four-step cycle called the graduated response.

Pupils are assessed (step 1) to identify a key area of need, provision is planned (step 2) to support the child’s next steps, the provision is then implemented (do – step 3), then finally, the whole process is reviewed (step 4) to monitor its impact and identify the next steps.

Parents will be invited into school on a termly basis by your child’s class teacher, to discuss the Individual Provision Map and the progress your child has made that term

Alongside the ongoing assessments used within school, pupils with SEND may also be assessed with more specialised assessments to assess or monitor their progress.  Formal assessments we use include (but are not limited to):-

• Sandwell Early Numeracy Test.
• Wellcomm Early Language/ Primary
• Helen Arkle Spelling Test.
• The Dyslexia Portfolio (A Dyslexia Screening Test).
• TOMAL 2 (A test of Memory)
• Wide Range Intelligence Test (WRIT)
• Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing 2 (CTOPP 2)
• Test of Word Reading Efficiency 2 (TOWRE 2)
• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – 3^rd edition (WIATT lll)
• Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH)
• York Assessment of Reading (YARK)

Informal assessments, such as observations and marking will also contribute to the assessment outcome of a child’s progress.

It is never our aim to over assess a pupil. Careful consideration will always be given to the benefits of more detailed assessments and parents will be consulted.

Children with an EHCP (Education and Health Care Plan), will also receive termly reviews, these will be with the class teacher but may also include the SENDCo or other supporting agencies. 

Furthermore, in line with the SEND Code of Practice (2014), pupils with an EHCP will also have a more formal annual review.  The purpose of this review is to report on progress to the Local Authority (Worcestershire), and ensure that the provision remains appropriate. This review must be undertaken in partnership with parents and the views of the child must also be reflected. The views and assessments of any agencies supporting the pupil will also be sought.

It may also be necessary to conduct an extra review during the year if the circumstances or needs of the child change.

What does Birchen Coppice Primary Academy offer for pupils with SEND?

We aim for all children to experience a high quality of teaching within each and every lesson. This means that teachers will provide focused lessons that enable each and every child to make progress.  Teachers will have high expectations for their pupils, using appropriate explanations, questioning and modelling that all pupils are actively engaged in. At times, some pupils will require more than this.

We may need to ask for permission to involve other professionals to support your child.  We work in partnership with many agencies which include (but is not limited to):

• Educational Psychology
• Early Help Family Support
• Occupational Therapy
• School Nurse /GP
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
• Umbrella Pathway.
• Community Paediatricians
• Physiotherapy
• Chadsgrove Outreach (including Learning Support and Complex Communication Teams)
• Behavioural Support Team
• Physical Disabilities Outreach
• Integrated Specialist Support services (including Visual Impairment Team, Medical Education Team, Multisensory Impairment Team, Hearing Impairment Team).

We will involve you in decisions and listen with care to your views.   

In addition to quality teaching, some pupils may require extra provision.  The provision will be specific to an individual, so not all pupils will receive all provision. The levels of provision fall into four broad categories.

Additional Provision we provide Birchen Coppice Primary Academy

We also provide a range of extra- curricular activities for all pupils within the school. Our aim is that all pupils will be able to access at least one after school provision each term. Where appropriate and possible, adjustments will be made to ensure that all children and young people with SEND are fully included in these activities.

How do we evaluate the effectiveness of our provision?

The provision and progress of pupils with SEND is clearly monitored over time by the class teacher, SENDCo and Pupil Progress team.

The SENDCo liaises frequently with the class teachers, teaching assistants as well as being part of the Pupil Progress meetings and Senior Leadership Team to ensure that monitoring and evaluation is robust and to ensure that SEN practice is part of whole school development.

Further to this the SENDCo

• Meets regularly with outside agencies to discuss and plan provision, resources and assessments.
• Regularly monitors the progress pupils make.
• Reports to SLT (Senior Leadership Team) on the progress of SEND pupils.
• Reports to Governors on the effectiveness of provision.
• Has close links to the Local Authority and SEND services.
• Receives ongoing training to ensure up to date knowledge and practice.
• Liaises frequently with other SENDCo’s, the Local Authority and others within the Academy Trust.

We also look at the provision in place and monitor its effectiveness by considering our interventions. The interventions we use vary according to the needs of our pupils, but all interventions chosen are recommended by the professionals we work with and/or are supported by an evidence base that determines their effectiveness.  We then use provision mapping to monitor the provision each pupil receives and review this at least termly.

Evidence used to monitor progress in each area of need.