Forefield Junior School

Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

All pupils at Forefield Junior School receive Quality First Teaching. However, for some pupils it is recognised that further additional support may be needed to help them achieve their targets. The range of support deployed will be personalised to meet a specific individual’s needs. A pupil’s needs will be identified through thorough assessment by internal or if necessary external agencies and in accordance with the schools budget. We promote pupils working towards becoming independent and resilient learners. If parents are concerned that their child has special educational needs they should speak to the class teacher or SENCo about their worries.

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

As part of the Sefton Agreement, Forefield Juniors provides a minimum offer in terms of Quality First Teaching. This ensures that all pupils will access good quality inclusive teaching that provides reasonable adjustments to accommodate learning difference. Those children who have more specific needs will be identified and supported through differentiation or additional adult help in lessons.  They may also receive extra support in the form of interventions which are specifically designed to address the needs of that pupil and help them to progress in areas they are finding difficult.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

As part of the minimum Quality First Offer teachers are well skilled at adapting teaching to meet the diverse range of needs in each class. Lesson planning takes into account individual pupil’s needs and requirements. Differentiation is approached in a range of ways to support access and ensure that all pupils can experience success and challenge in their learning. Teachers set different tasks for pupils of different abilities; allocate additional help and support to certain pupils in the class, set open ended tasks and allow pupil response at different levels and through alternative means of recording.

Quality First Teaching is monitored through tracking academic progress with all subject areas on a termly basis. Any concerns about progress are referred to the SENCO. Quality First Teaching is developed through Continual Professional Development, Curriculum Area Review Programme and Appraisal. Additional adults may be utilised to help groups and individual pupils with a long-term goal of developing independent learning skills. Monitoring takes place to ensure that adult support is used to encourage children to become independent learners.

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

Formal parents’ evenings are held termly for all children and in some cases Annual Review Meetings are arranged. This gives the opportunity to discuss provision and progress with parents, school staff and relevant external agencies.  When appropriate, pupils are invited to this review and their contribution is valued. The impact of support offered is considered along with the progress towards targets set. Different assessments will be used according to the needs of the pupil. Support arrangements will be updated and revised accordingly. If not involved already, this may include referral to appropriate external agencies. The outcomes of these meetings will be formally recorded and a further plan can then be devised, if required, to enable the pupil to achieve their next steps in learning. Parents will be given advice on how to best support their child at home.

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

Strategies to support the development of pupils’ social and emotional issues:

• Small group programmes e.g. Social skills, social stories
• Buddies for transition
• Regular ‘celebration of success’ opportunities

 

Strategies to reduce anxiety/promote emotional well-being (including communication with parents):

• Transition support, visits and events
• Regular contact and liaison with parents
• Work stations
• Home/School Diary

 Strategies to support/modify behaviour:

• School reward and sanctions as set out in the School Behaviour

Policy

 Support/supervision at unstructured times of the day including Personal care:

• Break time and Lunch time support
• Trained staff to supervise during break times

Planning, assessment, evaluation and next steps:

• Whole school Provision Map
• B Squared
• Personal Support Plan-termly review
• Whole school pupil tracking
• Intervention programmes
• Fisher Family Trust data analysis

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

The school works with a number of external agencies to seek advice and support to ensure that the needs of all children are fully understood and met. These include:

Sefton Special Education Needs and Inclusion Service (SSENIS)

Education Psychology Service

Physiotherapy Service

Occupation Therapy Service

Speech and Language Therapy Service

Child and Adolescence Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

Paediatric Services

OSSME

School Nurse

Selective Education Services

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

Forefield Junior School has achieved the ‘Dyslexia Friendly School Status’. Training Needs are reviewed regularly and training provided if and when required. The SENCO actively engages with local opportunities to share best practice and keep abreast of current local and national initiatives and polices to support pupils with Special Educational Needs.

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

Forefield Junior school is an inclusive school and all pupils are given the opportunity to take part in extra-curricular activities and visits outside the classroom.  A thorough risk assessment is completed before each educational visit and the needs of individual pupils are considered so that adaptations can be made where appropriate.  Parents will be kept fully informed and will have the opportunity to be involved in the planning process if their child has specific needs.

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

Forefield Junior School is a mainstream primary school on one level adapted for access by pupils with physical disabilities. If a pupil is known to have a disability prior to admission to Forefield Junior school the SENCO will work with the Inclusion Consultant, parents, to ensure a smooth transition. All preferences expressed for Forefield Junior School on the Admission Application Form will be considered using an Equal Preference Scheme. All Schools in Sefton have agreed this scheme.

Physical access in Forefield Junior School includes:

• Wheelchair access throughout school

• A specially adapted toilet

• Ramps on the yard

 

Access to strategies/ programmes to support occupational/physiotherapy needs

• Advice from professionals disseminated and followed

• Purchase and use of any recommended equipment and resources within the parameters of the school’s budget.

 

Access to modified equipment and ICT

• Specialist equipment as required on an individual basis to access the curriculum either purchased within the school’s budget or loaned from an agency.

 

Access for pupils with medical needs

• Training has been provided by specialist nurses and advice from professionals

disseminated and followed for a range of medical needs. Refresher training and further training is arranged and provided.

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

Pupils transferring from another school:

From Forefield Infants –

• Class Teacher meets with the current Infant Teacher to share information

• The SENCO will contact the Infant SENCO to discuss pupils with specific needs

• Year Two pupils are allocated a Year 4 buddy and four sessions take place where pupils can meet their buddy, familiarise themselves with the Junior School and ask any questions.

From a different school infant/junior school-

• A tour of the school with Head Teacher or Deputy Head and meet the class teacher

• Contact will be made with the previous school to gain information about the child’s needs.

When moving to another school:

We will contact the school SENCO and share information about provisions that have been made to help your child achieve their learning goals.

Additional transition visits will be arranged if felt appropriate.

We will ensure that all records are passed on as soon as possible.

In some cases additional multi-agency meetings may be arranged to create a more detailed ‘transition’ plan which may include more visits to the new school and/or additional visits from the new school staff.

Year 6-7 transition

The SENCO will attend the Primary/Secondary Transition meeting to discuss the specific needs of your child and the nature and level of support which has had the most impact.

In some cases additional multi-agency meetings may be arranged to create a more ‘enhanced’ transition plan which may include a few visits to your choice of secondary school.

Moving classes/forms in school

An information sharing meeting will take place with the current and future class teacher. Pupils may be taken to meet new teacher if required.

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

Forefield Juniors is a well-resourced school. Teaching assistants are allocated to support children in each class on a needs basis. Children with identified needs are supported through bespoke programmes of intervention.  These may be 1:1 or in a small group. We also have a range of resources to support kinesthetic learning throughout the curriculum.

If a pupil continues to have significant difficulties after a period of intervention, further external expertise may be requested. An application for High Needs Funding may be made if the cost of support exceeds the school’s delegated budget. If the pupil is still not making progress despite the school having taken relevant and purposeful action over time, then the parents and or school can make an application for an Education Health Care Assessment.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

As part of the Quality First Offer, on-going monitoring takes place by class teachers to identify pupils who are not making expected progress or who have needs that are affecting their ability to engage in learning activities. Forefield Junior School teachers differentiate and make reasonable adjustments according to individual need.

If a pupil is not making progress with Quality First Teaching then the teacher may devise a more specific plan of intervention.  This may be in consultation with the SENCO. If progress continues to be of concern then information is gathered about the pupil from a variety of sources (teacher, pupil, parent/carers, outside agencies) in order to develop an accurate picture of the pupils’ needs, attainment, projected targets, motivators, and how they respond to teaching approaches. Where it is felt necessary, a bespoke support plan will be put together with defined outcomes. The views of the pupil about their support will be given consideration at this stage. Short-term and long term outcomes are agreed which prioritise key areas of learning to address and by which progress can be measured/monitored. These outcomes will be discussed with parents/carers. The SENCO may request further assessment from outside agencies and their advice and recommendations are included in the support plan. Actions agreed take into account each pupil’s strengths as well as their learning differences. Outcomes will be reviewed in October, February and July and a further plan can be devised if required to enable the pupil to achieve their next steps in learning.

In some cases additional resources may be allocated including additional adult support. This support is deployed to ensure that the pupil makes progress and can engage in lessons and wider school activities and to facilitate independent learning to support transition to adulthood.

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

At Forefield we recognise that partnership between parents and teachers is vital if children are going to achieve to the best of their ability. We appreciate that parents have a unique knowledge of their child’s strengths and weaknesses and therefore encourage parents to be actively involved in their child’s education. All parents are invited to attend formal parent’s evenings and receive a yearly report.  In addition parents are encouraged to make an appointment to see their child’s teacher whenever they have any concerns or wish to discuss progress.  Teachers are able to advise parents how they can help support their child learning at home. If the child is on the special educational needs register a support plan will be in place which parents are invited to review on a termly basis.

 

Parents (with appropriate current DBS clearance) are also encouraged to be involved in the life of the school by accompanying children on educational visits or listening to readers.