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Message sent from:

SEND Offer

Burnley Brow Community School

Our Offer for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability

 

Written and ratified March 2015

 

Message from the Headteacher

In 2014 the Government introduced changes into the way children and young people who may have special educational needs or a disability have their needs assessed and met.  These are set out in the 2014 SEN Code of Practice.

 

Oldham Local Authority has developed a Local Offer which we have adapted and developed into the offer that Burnley Brow can make to you and your child.

 

What does a Local Offer mean?

It means local services and support that take account of each pupil’s needs.

 

One of the changes brought about by the 2014 Code of Practice was that children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their families should play a full part in the identification, assessment and planning to meet their needs. This means that it is vital that parents know what they can reasonably expect from their school and local authority. To ensure this happens in Oldham - other services and this school have set out a local offer explaining what is available to support children who are disabled or who have SEN and their families. The offer will include:

 

  • Provision from birth to 25, across education, health and social care;
  • Making sure parents will have a greater level of confidence and understanding of the processes involved;
  • Earlier identification of children with SEND;
  • Ensuring pupils have the provision to meet their needs with specialist teaching and support where it is needed.

 

Burnley Brow Community School Offer:

At Burnley Brow Community School we strive for every learner to achieve to their highest ability by promoting a school ethos which is underpinned by our core values of respect, courage, honesty, empathy, cooperation, resilience and responsibility.

We teach our children key-skills and foster a growth mind-set where effort and hard work can make anything possible.  We nurture children’s individual characters and encourage them to make informed choices and be confident to stand up for what they believe is right.

Every child and adult in the school community is a valuable member of our team and is encouraged to reflect on their own views and those of others.  Learning is life-enhancing and enjoyable and we actively promote enquiry and challenge.

We develop emotionally intelligent learners who aspire to be the best they can be, are able to empathise with others and contribute successfully to society.

Burnley Brow is an inclusive school and we will work with you to make sure your child is a happy, confident and successful learner.

 

How we identify individual special educational learning needs

  • When pupils have identified Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND) before they start at Burnley Brow, we work with the people who already know your child and use the information already available so that we can meet their needs as soon as they arrive in our school.
  • If you tell us you think your child has a SEN we will talk with you and investigate. We will share what we discover with you and agree with you what we will do next and what you can do to help your child.
  • If our staff think that your child has an SEN this may be because they are not making the same progress as other pupils; for example they may not be able to follow instructions or answer questions. We will observe them; we will assess their understanding of what we are doing in school and use tests to pinpoint what is causing difficulty (i.e. what is happening and why).

 

How we involve pupils and their parents/carers in identifying SEN and planning to meet them

  • We will always involve you in all decision making about your child’s support.
  • When we assess whether your child may have a SEN, we discuss if understanding and behaviour are the same at school and home; we take this into account and work with you so that we are all helping your child in the same way to make progress.
  • We write and review Individual Plans with parents/carers and, where appropriate, pupils.
  • We use homework to generate conversations with family members, to encourage joint research and to repeat and practise activities that are new. These present an achievable challenge for the individual pupil and enable the parents to work with the child’s current level of achievement.

 

How we change what we do in school so that we meet SEN

  • All our staff are trained to make materials and ‘work’ easier or more challenging, to personalise the learning for each individual, including those who have SEN.
  • We change our teaching methods and use additional schemes/materials/programmes of work so that we have something at the right level for pupils with SEN.

 

How we modify teaching approaches

  • All our staff are trained so that we are able to adapt what we do to meet the needs of children with range of SEN:  We have some staff who are trained to meet the needs of children with specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia) (SpLD); autistic spectrum disorder (ASD); speech, language and communication needs (SLCN); and social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH).
  • We use a number of approaches to teaching: these include personalised learning, ability grouping, mixed-ability grouping, co-operative and independent work, supported class work and interventions (both published and school based).

 

How we assess pupil progress towards the outcomes we have targeted for pupils. How we review this progress so that pupils stay on track to make at least good progress (including how we involve pupils and their parents/carers).

  • We use P level assessments and specific screening materials across the school to measure progress that is in smaller steps or at a slower pace than that which is expected.
  • We regularly use staff meetings to get all teachers to assess an anonymous piece of work to check our judgements are correct (moderating). Some staff also take part in moderating assessments across primary schools in Oldham.
  • All class teachers submit progression data to the senior management team every ½ term to check children’s progress.
  • We assess how well a pupil understands and makes progress in each lesson.
  • Our senior leadership team checks the progress of pupils every term and we discuss what we are doing to make sure all pupils make good progress (is there anything else we can do?)
  • For pupils with SEN teachers discuss progress with parents every term, or more often, if we believe this will help.

 

What equipment or resources we use to give extra support

  • We use workstations; picture timetables; Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS); countdown timers, etc. for pupils who need it.
  • We use a microphone system, where needed, so that each child can hear the teacher speaking clearly over the usual classroom noise.
  • We use iPods and iPads across the school, whilst those with specific difficulties have more use of them during certain lessons.
  • We use a range of software on our school learning platform (DB Primary) / website to help pupils engage with subjects they find difficult; practise basic skills; become independent learners.

What extra support we bring in to help us meet SEN:  Specialist services, external expertise and how we work together collaboratively

  • We offer extra support to children from specialist teachers / support staff to access the curriculum and extra support on SEND related needs (speech, language and communication; hearing impairment; visual impairment; behaviour-related needs; severe learning difficulties; autism).
  • We have access to support from local authority services and from other schools within the collaborative, where required.
  • We work with the speech and language therapy team (S&LT)  to train our staff; advise on strategies and programmes; we refer pupils for assessment if we think a period of therapy may help them.
  • We get support from occupational therapy (OT) for pupils who need assessment for special seating or specific resources to meet their physical disability.
  • If a child needs physiotherapy we ask for support from the physiotherapy team who may work with the child in or out of school.
  • Together with the pupil and the parent we review the pupil’s progress; agree what everyone will do to make teaching more effective and to support learning; agree targets for the pupil’s achievement; agree how we will work together and what we will each do; agree a date to review how well the pupil is doing and whether we are making a difference, and what we need to do next.  This information is recorded to ensure accountability.

 

Extra-curricular activities available for pupils with SEN

  • We have a number of before and after school activities, which are offered to all children, including those with SEN. We will provide support to ensure their equal access, when necessary.
  • We have regular educational visits and a residential in Year 6. Pupils with SEND are always included in these. We provide support for their full inclusion, when necessary. We choose visits that are accessible to all, whenever possible.
  • We take part in the annual Ability Sports Roadshow at a local secondary school.
  • We have signed up to the Bike-abilty Scheme.

 

How we support pupils in their transition into our school and when they leave us

  • We meet with parents and professionals previously involved with the child before they move to our school or move from our school to a different school.
  • All SEN records are transferred to the new school.
  • We hold review meetings with the secondary SENCOs during the Spring 2/Summer 1 Terms for Y6 pupils and arrange additional transition meetings to the school where necessary.

 

How additional funding works

  • Schools receive funding for all pupils including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and they meet pupil’s need from this (including equipment). The local authority may contribute if the cost of meeting an individual pupil’s needs is more than £10,000 per year.
  • If the assessment of a pupil’s needs identifies something that is significantly different to what is usually available, school may apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) which would provide more funding from the Local Authority. If this is agreed parents will have a say in how this is used. You will be told if this means you are eligible for a personal budget. This must be used to fund the agreed plan.

 

Where pupils can get extra support

  • Your views are important and it is important that people listen to them and that you are satisfied with what happens.
  • In school, Mrs Wendy Khan is our designated pupil advocate. She will follow up your concern and make sure your views are taken into account.

 

Where parents/carers can get extra support

  • There are a number of parent support groups.
  • Oldham’s parent/carer forum is called POINT (Parents of Oldham in Touch). This is an umbrella organisation for all parents and carers of children & young people with Special Educational Needs, disabilities and complex medical needs. They work with Oldham Council, education, health and other providers to make sure the services they plan and deliver meet the needs of disabled children and families.

 

What to do if you are not satisfied with a decision or what is happening (for parents)

  • Your first point of contact is always the person responsible – this may be the class teacher or the SENCo (Mrs Khan). Explain your concerns to them first. If you are not satisfied that your concern has been addressed speak to the Head teacher (Mrs Atkinson-Smith) who can arrange for you to meet the designated school Governor for SEND (Mrs Worrall), if needed.
  • If your concern is with the local authority, contact the Complaints and Representations Officer, contact details as follows:

Complaints and Representations Officer

Freepost - RRGY-TJSR-GHGZ
PO Box 40
Level 8, Civic Centre
West Street
Oldham, OL1 1XJ

Tel: 0161 770 1129

cypf.complaints@oldham.gov.uk

 

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