1. What kinds of special educational needs do we make provision for in our school?
We use our best endeavours to provide for children with SEND across the 4 broad areas of need identified within the SEN Code of Practice, as referred to in more detail within our schools SEND Policy.
Communication and interaction Children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) This may be due to difficulties saying what they want to say, understanding what is being said to them or because they do not understand or use social rules of communication. This includes children with Autistic Spectrum Conditions.
Cognition and learning Some children learn at a slower pace than their peers even when the curriculum is adapted. The cognition and learning area of need includes children with Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties Children may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties. Children may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.
Sensory and/or physical needs These include vision impairment (VI) and hearing impairment (HI) Some children with a physical disability (PD) require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers.
Lower Darwen Primary School is a mainstream community primary school catering for up to 400 pupils, with an additional specialist Hearing Impaired (HI) resourced provision allowing an extra 20 pupils whom have an EHCP in place, stating HI as one of the main areas of need. All admissions are through Blackburn with Darwen Council, school admissions team, our additional provision takes pupils from across authorities. In year admissions for pupils with an EHCP will also be dealt with through Blackburn with Darwen’s admissions team.
We use our best endeavours to provide for children with SEND across the 4 broad areas of need identified within the SEN Code of Practice, as referred to in more detail within our schools SEND Policy.
2. How does our school know if your child needs extra help?
We follow the graduated response set within the SEN Code of Practice 2014:
Teachers in our school are continuously observing, discussing and assessing the children’s learning and emotional well-being. There are a variety of ways in which we monitor children’s attainment and behaviour so we can identify those pupils who need extra support. Formal academic assessments are carried out each half-term, so we can monitor pupil progress for all individuals. Pupil progress meetings are also held, where groups and individual children are discussed and their needs addressed through classroom provision maps. Interventions and small group support is put in place as part of quality first teaching. If a child has a need that goes beyond being catered for by usual classroom differentiation or If a teacher has a concern over a child’s progress, attainment or behaviour, they will initially discuss the issue with parents/carers and with the school’s SENCO and internal referral form is completed by that class teacher. A teacher or parent can raise concerns about a child at any time. Outcomes may then be set for the pupil as part of personalise plan for either academic, emotional or behavioural support.
Plans are reviewed and updated at termly intervals although outcomes may be reset within the term as the child makes progress. SSA’s often deliver the additional support. The SENCo supports teachers or SEND team members writing these plans and identifying appropriate next steps when required. At LDPS we are happy to work in partnership with a variety of external agencies to meet the needs of our pupils, these agencies may also provide outcomes as part of their advices.
At key points through your child’s time in school, they will take part in government directed assessments:
3. Who can you speak to at our school if you think your child may have special educational needs?
If a pupil or their parent/carer thinks they have a special educational need, they should speak to the class teacher, SENCo or contact the school office and you will be referred to a member of the SEND team. As above, arrangements can then be agreed any necessary next steps activated.