Question 1

The kinds of special educational needs for which provision is made at our school.

Accepted Answer

We have Special Educational Needs and Disability provision for a range of physical, social emotional, behavioural, mental health and cognitive needs currently required in school.

Our admission arrangements for children with SEN and disabilities are in line with Local Authority guidelines ensuring fair access for all.

We take steps to ensure all children in school are treated fairly with additional provision for SEN children.

Additional curriculum access is provided for SEN children with promotion of inclusion in extra- curricular clubs, activities and opportunities within school including community events and residential trips.

To ensure all children with SEND have fair access to extra-curricular enrichment programmes and opportunities all trips off site are risk assessed by the class teacher and provision put into place to ensure all children can access the educational trip.

All extra-curricular clubs are accessible to all children- we would encourage parents of children with SEND to speak to the SENCO, Mrs Cooper who will be able to answer any questions or queries.

Question 2

How is the school accessible to children with SEND?

Accepted Answer

Our school environment is carefully monitored to ensure access for all. We have a range of facilities including a dedicated medical room. Our classrooms have carpets, blinds and display boards to improve our auditory environment and lighting, furniture and positioning in class are optimised to improve our visual environment. We have a dedicated SEND budget to secure equipment and resources to support specific needs as well as linking to external service providers for specialist advice and equipment.

There is dedicated parking in the school car park for disabled visitors and children.
All areas are accessible to wheelchairs with additional mobile ramps for outdoor learning. We make all reasonable adjustments possible to meet the range of special educational needs of our community members.

• The school has one ground floor level with easy access to both hall and gym.
• The school has shower facilities and a disabled toilet.
• There is a ramp access leading into main playground which is suitable for wheelchair users and push chairs.
• Additional and different support will sometimes take place in areas other than the child’s classroom. Group rooms such as the ‘Sensory room’ are sometimes used for these purposes.

The school ensures that all children are included in all off-site activities. Risk assessments reference how the trip will be made accessible to all SEND children.

After school clubs are accessible to all children-meetings with the SENCO and the club lead together with parents ensure that the needs of SEND children are catered for so that they are not disadvantaged.

Question 3

Who should I contact if I have any questions or concerns about my child’s SEND?

Accepted Answer

If parents have questions or concerns about their child, the first point of contact is always the class teacher. Parents can make an appointment to meet with the class teacher who is happy to discuss any concerns and answer any questions.

If parents then require additional information or guidance, they can contact the school to make an appointment with the SENCO / Assistant Head teacher, if necessary,

Mrs Hirani Deputy Principal who can be contacted on: 0208 551 9489.
Mrs Cooper SENCO who can also be contacted on: 0208 551 9489.

Question 4

How will the school know if my child needs additional help and how will the school share information with me?

Accepted Answer

We identify specific needs of children by the following:

1. High Quality First Teaching in every classroom for every children (this includes appropriate work matched to children’s abilities and needs)
2. Where concerns are raised regarding progress of individual children, class teachers liaise with the school’s SENCO (Inclusion) to discuss the child’s areas of strength and their difficulties.
3. From there, the SENCO and Inclusion Manager will undertake, if it is deemed necessary, a thorough assessment of the children’s abilities and needs. At this stage, standardised assessments will be used as part of the school’s toolkit for assessing children needs.
4. Once the results of the assessments have been established, an individual plan will be created for the children. This will outline the package of support that will be in place to meet the needs of the assessment outcomes.
5. Meetings are held between the teacher, parents and SENCO to discuss progress and outcomes
6. We use termly assessments to track progress of all children in reading, writing and mathematics.

Additional assessments are used to profile individual needs, including:
• Speech & Language Assessments to identify specific areas of expressive and receptive language difficulties.
• Phonological Assessments, which identify specific areas of difficulty relating to phonological skills and processing speed.
• Vocabulary Assessments, which identify levels of development in understanding language.
• Visual and Digit Memory assessments which identify levels of development in the use of short-term memory.
• Auditory and Visual processing assessments are used to identify levels of development in accessing information.

We also use the services of the Local Authority Speech and Language Therapist to provide additional assessments and advice via a referral made by the SENCO. Tracey Cooper avanticourt@avanti.org.uk

As a school we cannot emphasise how important the role of parents is at all stages of providing for SEND children’s needs. As a school we ensure we hold regular reviews about your child’s progress monitor and evaluate your child’s provision, including your views, your child’s views and experiences and the involvement of other professionals working with your child.

Question 5

How will the school involve me as a parent and my child in meeting our SEND needs and in general school life?

Accepted Answer

Planning and review meetings
Advice on how to support learning at home
Regular contact between home and school, e.g. home/ Class Dojo or
Individual children/ teacher conversations
Mentor e.g. adult or peer mentoring

All policies take account all needs in school, assessment information is collated through our online assessment tool, Insight and highlights progress made relating to specific areas. Our Assessment Co-ordinator and Deputy Headteacher Mrs Hirani alongside Mrs Cooper (SEND Coordinator), compiles class, group and individual data to track progress, set targets and monitor progress.

Parents are kept fully involved and discussions formulate planned next steps at each relevant stage in the review cycle. Parents are informed of their child’s progress through termly parent’s meetings, SEN support reviews and close home school links. Parents are also encouraged to regularly complete parental surveys to gain their views of school provision for their child and give feedback to raise any issues or concerns.

We regularly review all provision, updating delivery for individuals to reflect progress in specific areas or with specific interventions. Clear criteria discussions take place prior to starting support or interventions and time specific targets identify if outcomes have been met. Reviews also include how the provision has impacted on the child’s attitude and engagement in their learning, which may not be evidenced from assessments, but has had an impact on their educational progress.

Children are involved in children participation interviews to gain their insight into their learning preferences and to personalise learning to maximise engagement. Progress is also tracked with supporting outside agencies to monitor effectiveness of recommended support packages.

The Schools Stakeholder Committee (SSC) are involved in all progress and assessment review processes, a dedicated Assessment link member and SEND member from the SSC have regular contact in school. They are able to question and observe provision to monitor how additional support has impacted on children’s progress. This is then communicated to the relevant committees and the whole SSC through visit reports. Each full SSC meeting also receives a confidential SEND report from the SENCO outlining provision, developments, training and actions.

The Involvement of the SSC link person and the schools’ accountability to the Trust and termly school review teams are part of the internal mechanisms designed to challenge and support as well as quality assure the quality of provision for children in this group.

Question 6

Have any staff received specialist training in SEND?

Accepted Answer

Key staff supporting children with complex needs have ongoing training and CPD alongside specialist outreach agencies/teachers/specialist staff. All teachers and learning support staff attend regular staff meetings and training sessions which relate to high quality teaching and learning.

We also access specialist services from: Speech & Language, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Disability Team, CAMHS, SEN consultant, Educational Psychologist and Early Years team. from the London Borough of Redbridge.

Our SEND support team receive additional training in relation to their areas of expertise accessing specialist support to maintain skills and meet the needs of our children.

Training is provided by a range of services and includes specialist training for specific conditions as required. Our team keep abreast of new developments and attend the annual SEND Conferences to access specialist workshops and build further links with service providers.

Mrs Cooper has completed her National Qualification for SEND training, which is a requirement of all SEND Leads.

Question 7

What different kinds of support are available to children with SEND?

Accepted Answer

• Curriculum adaptations/differentiation
• Specific teaching interventions
• Support for behaviour including pastoral care and support to prevent bullying.
• Support for health needs
• Specific individual support
• Specialist teaching groups
• Support for communication needs/ assertive technologies
• Curriculum adaptations and differentiated work
• Quality First Teaching form the class teacher
• Support for behaviour
• Support for specific health needs
• Specific teaching interventions
• Individual support in class
• Support and advice from specialist agencies
• Support for emotional needs

There are a number of interventions in place at Avanti Court primary School. Below is a list of some of the support and interventions we provide:

• Phonological awareness and word awareness
• Reading interventions
• Social group interventions
• Fine motor skills including ‘Happy Hands’
• Precision teaching
• Pre-teaching vocabulary for new topics
• A variety of speech and language programmes from a specialist therapist
• Colourful Semantics
• Memory Processing Interventions
• Sensory Circuits
• TACPAC

Question 8

How will the school know how well my child is doing and how will they inform me about this?

Accepted Answer

Children’s progress is continually monitored by class teachers. His/her progress is reviewed formally every term and recorded onto the schools assessment data system called Insight.

Children with SEND will have an individual programme, which will contain their short-term targets. These are reviewed at least three times each year.

The progress of children with EHC Plan is formally reviewed at an Annual Review with all adults involved with the child’s education.

Parents are also updated during parents evening. Parents are made aware of National expectations in relation to their child’s development at meetings, through termly parent consultations and on the annual report which shows the levels of attainment and targets for all children.

However, if parents have any issues or concerns, they can contact the class teacher to discuss their child. If need be the SENCO would also be involved.

The school’s arrangements for assessing and reviewing the progress of children with special educational needs;

Children receiving additional SEND support are tracked very closely using a range of assessments appropriate to their specific area of need as described above. Staff keep rigorous records on SEND children and communicate regularly to the inclusion team who suggest interventions/strategies.

For those children requiring additional support, interventions are in place and are monitored by the SENCO to measure progress. Initial concerns raised by parents or class teachers are shared with the SENCO and next steps will be assessed and action. This may include referring children to specialist agencies.

If a referral is made for Outreach support, then parent meetings are held to obtain consent and to inform them of the next steps. The impact of outreach agency support is then discussed at regular termly meetings.

Parents are encouraged to take up many opportunities to communicate with school regarding their child’s needs and progress. We operate an “Open Door” policy where parents are encouraged to come into school to discuss their child at any point in the year.

Staff make themselves available at appropriate points before or after school to meet with parents to discuss any matters of concern. We also have home/school logs for specific children and the child’s reading record can be used to share information and celebrate progress or achievements.

Question 9

The school’s approach to teaching children with special educational needs

Accepted Answer

Throughout school staff adapt and scaffold the curriculum to ensure access for all. Teaching and learning is matched as closely as possible, to the needs of the children. Teachers and support staff have a wide range of skills to enable this to happen within the classroom and with the specialist support of the SEND team.

Children may receive additional small group or 1:1 support or may work outside of the classroom for interventions which require a quieter environment e.g. speech and language provision.

Early intervention in the Foundation Stage builds on information about the individual child from their parents and on entry assessments enabling us to build personal programmes to extend learning. Avanti Court Primary School has access to the Early Years Intervention Team who support children with SEND in the Pre-School or Reception classes.

Question 10

How the school adapts the curriculum and learning environment for children with special educational needs

Accepted Answer

Our curriculum is planned to meet the needs of all learners, using strategies, staffing and resources to adapt to meet individual needs. Children are engaged in planning their own learning and parental input and support is sought to ensure all aspects of learning are coordinated to reach agreed outcomes. All learning is planned specifically to meet personal needs with 1:1, partnered and group working all being used to adapt learning responsively.

Lessons are adapted to suit all children particularly those with SEND-this may be through the use of an additional adult, visuals, adapted texts, tactile resources, talk to clarify thinking or adaptation to the learning environment.

Teacher’s planning references children with SEND and how they are supported during the lesson.

Question 11

Additional support for learning that is available to children with special educational needs

Accepted Answer

These can range from physical disabilities, hearing and vision impairments, speech & language, social and emotional, behavioural, mental health or cognitive difficulties.

Support is implemented through a graduated response cycle of robust assessing, planning, implementing and reviewing outcomes. The decision to access additional support is made with the child, family, school and any relevant outside agencies. Meetings are held to discuss the best provision to meet each child’s outcomes taking all viewpoints into consideration.

Statutory Assessment arrangements are adapted according to individual needs based on Government guidance and may include additional time, readers, planned rest breaks and separate working areas.

Targets and objectives agreed in the EHC plan are implemented and achieved through Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).

The encouragement for consulting young people with special education needs about and involving then in their education.

Our children are encouraged to engage fully in the development of their SEND support and contribute their views via children participation reviews with their class teacher/TA/SENCO. They are involved in reviewing their provision and work together with all staff to decide how best to support them. We seek to engage them by consulting individuals and groups on their view of the provision they receive, when it is in place, where and how that provision is made. Their views are then formulated and added to the review cycle to respond to any issues raised.

Children are encouraged to have a voice with additional emotional support from our trained TAs for those requiring support to engage fully in their review process. This support is available to all SEND children when dealing with any outside agencies as the child’s voice is paramount in links with all services they encounter.

Question 12

Inclusion

Accepted Answer

How will the school ensure that my child will be included in all activities at school, after school clubs and on school trips?
We have a wide range of extra -curricular activities on offer before school, during lunchtime and after school sessions. Some are school led and for others club or private providers work closely with school to make all reasonable adjustments to involve children from across the age ranges and SEND.
Parents are encouraged to discuss extra-curricular clubs with SENCO/staff and external providers to make individual arrangements. Further opportunities are also highlighted through links to external providers and support groups via our SENCO and the Local offer website.

Parents are also involved in detailed planning for both day and residential visits, ensuring all needs are identified and provision matches specific circumstances.

What support is available for improving the emotional and social development of children with special educational needs?
Our children’s well-being is of paramount importance to us and we strive to offer excellent pastoral support for children and their families.

Avanti Court has a school Chaplain who children can access if referred by class teacher. These sessions will be held weekly and parents will receive a report from the Chaplain at the end of the agreed intervention duration.

Medical support is provided for identified conditions. We have continual professional development for all staff to ensure skills are kept up to date which includes training for further identified needs.
Medicines are managed within school by our Office Staff who meets with parents each day to collect prescribed medicines in measured doses to be stored and administer as directed by parents during the school day. These are signed for by the parent/carer on each occasion, the full details can be found in our full medicines policy.

We have a very positive behaviour policy which is adapted as necessary to meet individual SEND needs. Behaviour support is provided through pastoral care and specialist interventions through the SEND team.

Outside agencies also work closely with the school to support specific children within school and at home.

Our school site is continually monitored to ensure the safeguarding of all our children.

Our internet access is also provided through a high-level filtering system provided by LGFL.
Our Behaviour for Learning policy ensures that all children develop a positive attitude. The school culture is underpinned by a very clear set of values; independent thinking, mutual respect for others and taking responsibility for our actions and this is reflected in our policies and everyday practice.
The ethos in the school fully supports our approaches towards the management of behaviour. We adopt a proactive style in our systems of management, recognising and responding to the needs of all individuals and adopting a more personalised and holistic approach towards the development of our curriculum. We believe that all members of our community have the right to learn in a secure, safe and stimulating environment. The school acknowledges its legal duties under the Equality Act 2010, in respect of safeguarding and in respect of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Question 13

Starting or changing schools (Transitions)

Accepted Answer

To support transition between classes there will always be a transition meeting in the summer term. This will be attended by the current teacher, the new teacher, the current support staff, the new support staff, outreach support and the SENCO.

When moving schools and transitioning to Secondary School all of the above people would attend as well as key members of staff from the receiving school. Timescales are decided between all parties and support is available to help make transitions as smooth as possible. We strive to make our children and parents confident in the process by making school as accessible as possible at what can be an anxious time.

School records will be passed onto the receiving school and the SENCO will ensure the receiving school are aware of your child’s needs so that the effective strategies in place at Avanti continue when the children attends their new school.

As a school we aim to ensure that when a children with SEND transfers to another school a pre-move visit or tour is in place to liaise with the receiving school. The SENCO attends the pre-move visit to fully update the receiving school on the children.

Question 14

Support and training for parents/carers

Accepted Answer

What support and training within the school is available to parents and carers?

Parents of children with SEND are actively encouraged to make and maintain close home/school links to ensure clarity of communication throughout their child’s time in school. Class teachers, link TA’s SENCO, Deputy Headteacher and our Head teacher are all available to arrange consultations about all aspects of their child’s welfare. Regular parent’s questionnaires and parental feedback is strongly encouraged.

Children requiring SEND support have additional 1:1 meetings with relevant staff during the process of setting up and reviewing individual needs. All teachers have responsibility for ensuring clear and open communication as the key foundation to ensure parents are fully involved in the life if their child in school.

Are there arrangements made by the governing body relating to the treatment of complaints from parents of children with special educational needs concerning the provision made at the school?
Parents of children with SEND have their class teacher as their first point of contact, who should be able to explain or discuss any worries relating to their child. Any issues requiring further support can be directed to our SENCO, Mrs Cooper who will be able to help, support or redirect to other services if required.

We are always available to discuss any concerns or answer any questions you have and encourage parents to contact the school at the earliest point to bring concerns forward in order to deal with them as soon as possible. Any concern is valid no matter how small they may seem, and we wish to support our parents in voicing their worries to avoid anxiety for both parent and child. We communicate mainly via face-to-face meetings and invite parents in for informal consultations as well as formal review meetings.

Our formal complaints policy has clear information on what parents need to do if they feel their concerns are not being addressed or have unresolved SEND issues which are not being met. The policy is on our school website and can also be obtained on request from our office.

How does the governing body involve other bodies, including health and social services bodies, local authority support services and voluntary organisations, in meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and in supporting the families of such children?

Our Governing body (SSC) engages the services of specialist services from: Speech & Language, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Disability Team, CAMHS, SEN consultant, Educational Psychologist and Early Years team.

Governors work with the Local Authority and social services as required.

We seek to signpost parents/carers/young people to organisations, services etc. that can provide them with additional support.

Parents of children with SEND have their class teacher as their first point of contact, then SENCO as support contact if they need to discuss something about their child. Parents can make an appointment at the school office in person or call 0208 551 9489. Messages can also be left via the school email.

Parents of children with SEND considering joining the school should also contact, SENCO to discuss individual needs and to make an appointment to visit the school for a tour and further support.

Question 15

Who can I contact for more information?

Accepted Answer

We support the Local Authority offer please click here.

This report will be reviewed annually to respond to changes within school and with our SEN services.

Further information for families and practitioners

Who to contact: SENCO
Telephone: 020 8551 9489
Website: http://avanticourt.org.uk/send-inclusion/
E-mail: avanticourt@avanti.org.uk

SEND

inclusion

The kinds of special educational needs for which provision is made at our school.

How is the school accessible to children with SEND?

Who should I contact if I have any questions or concerns about my child’s SEND?

How will the school know if my child needs additional help and how will the school share information with me?

How will the school involve me as a parent and my child in meeting our SEND needs and in general school life?

Have any staff received specialist training in SEND?

What different kinds of support are available to children with SEND?

How will the school know how well my child is doing and how will they inform me about this?

The school’s approach to teaching children with special educational needs

How the school adapts the curriculum and learning environment for children with special educational needs

Additional support for learning that is available to children with special educational needs

Inclusion

Starting or changing schools (Transitions)

Support and training for parents/carers

Who can I contact for more information?

ADMISSIONS

PROSPECTUS

CURRICULUM

An Overview of the School

inspiring spiritually COMPASSIONATE

changemakers

Reimagining the purpose of education

What we offer at Avanti Court Primary School