Heathwood Lower School
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities,(SEND) Report
"Leaders work hard to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help they need. Support for pupils with SEND is a strength of the school. They are fully integrated into the life of the school."
Ofsted 2023
An Overview of the School and Inclusion Statement
Heathwood Lower School is a one form entry mainstream school providing for children aged 4 – 9, set all of one level. We are committed to developing and offering an inclusive curriculum to ensure the best possible progress for all of our pupils whatever their needs and abilities. Our school believes that every pupil has an entitlement to develop his/her full potential. Inclusion recognises a child’s right to a broad, balanced, relevant and challenging curriculum that is appropriate to their individual abilities, needs, talents and personal qualities. We aim to work in true partnership with parents/carers and children to make learning exciting and positive for all of us. Diversity and difference is valued as a rich resource that supports the learning of all. Our school understands its responsibility to actively promote positive attitudes towards diversity and difference – not just so that every child is included, but also so that they learn from the earliest age to value diversity in others and grow up making a positive contribution to society. We believe in equality of opportunity; with all children having access not only to the taught curriculum, but also to the many enrichment activities we offer.
How will the school know if my child has SEND?
A child or young person is considered to have Special Educational Needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. Special educational provision is provision that is additional to or different from that which would normally be provided for children or young people of the same age in a mainstream setting. This means provision that goes beyond our class-based, high quality, differentiated teaching and learning.
Special educational needs and provision can be considered as falling into four broad areas: Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Social, Mental and Emotional Health and Sensory and/or Physical.
Early identification is vital and the school uses a graduated response to identifying children’s SEND. The class teacher makes an initial identification, underpinned by evidence, and shares their concerns with the Parents/Carers, SENDCo and Headteacher. Further actions will be agreed by all concerned.
Sometimes children’s SEND have been identified before entering our school and we are usually made aware of these needs by both the Early Years Advisory Team and parents/carers.
If at any time you are concerned about your child’s education and progress please let us know so that ways forward can be identified together.
Who should I contact if I have any questions or concerns about my child's SEND?
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Your child’s class teacher should be spoken to initially.
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After this initial contact, the school’s SEND Co-ordinator might become involved – Mr Paul Dicker.
Who is responsible for the school’s SEND provision?
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Mr Paul Dicker is the school’s SEND Co-ordinator and has responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEND policy.
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All class teachers are responsible for meeting the needs of all children, for planning additional provision and interventions and for reviewing progress made.
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Mrs Paula Bangs is the school’s current Inclusion Governor.
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The school’s Governing Body are responsible for formulating & implementing the school’s Disability Equality Scheme/Action Plan.
How will the school involve me as a parent/carer?
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Parents/carers are kept informed at all stages from initial assessment of needs to the reviewing of the impact of provision made.
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If your child is on the SEND register, we will invite you into school to review your child's Individual Achievement Plan (IAP) or Provision Map with the class teacher and/or the SENDCo on a termly basis. These will be face to face meetings to discuss progress and update provision and outcomes.
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If your child has an EHCP, the SENDCo will contact you annually to review and update the EHCP. These review meetings will involve the SENDCo, class teacher, staff working with your child, any external agency, you (as a parent) and your child. During this process, you will be asked to provide your parental views.
What different kinds of support are available to children with SEND?
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Differentiated class teaching – referred to as Wave 1 provision.
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Additional in-class support from a Teaching Assistant.
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Additional adult support & guidance at break & lunchtimes.
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Small Group programmes – referred to as Wave 2 provision.
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Individual teaching programmes – referred to as Wave 3 provision.
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Access to quieter/personally structured learning environments within or in some occasions outside of the classroom.
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Specialist equipment and resources as recommended by professionals within our budget constraints.
How will the school involve my child in their provision?
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All children are actively involved in identifying and monitoring progress towards their personalised targets. Approaches will vary to match your child’s age and/or developmental levels.
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We use your child’s personal interests to inform our lesson content whenever we can.
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We have planned opportunities for your child to express his/her ideas about how he/she likes to learn and use this information to inform our planning.
How will the school ensure that my child will be included in all activities at school, after school clubs and on school trips?
Children with SEND are encouraged to participate in all school activities. They are allocated responsibilities within their classes and around the school on an equal basis; including being Young Leaders and members of the School’s various Councils. Access to lunchtime, before and after school clubs is inclusive. Independent providers of before or after-school clubs are made aware of any children with SEND and plan appropriately. School trips are accompanied by a high ratio of adults to children and reasonable adjustments will be made to include all children.
How will the school and parents/carers know that my child is making progress?
In school we set aspirational targets and monitor each child’s progress in learning against National and age related expectations. We have Pupil Progress meetings each term which involve the Headteacher, class teacher and SENDCo to monitor and review targets.
Targets are reviewed with parents and children termly.
Some children do not make the progress expected and this may highlight a need for additional support from external agencies. Further assessments to help identify the barriers to progress and achievement may involve a specialist such as the school’s Educational Psychologist or allocated Speech and Language Therapist. Parents/carers will be involved at all stages of this process; including the giving of consent for their involvement with your child. New IAPs will be formulated using the assessment findings and teaching and learning advice given from these external professionals.
For a minority of children with complex needs, we may consider an application for an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP). If this is the case, parents will be involved at all points of the assessment procedure and can contact the SENDCo for advice or support.
We refer to the local authority guidance for children with SEND.
Who else might be involved with my child and our family?
The school works in partnership with a wide range of external professionals in order to enhance the provision we make for your child. Such professionals include:
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The Early Years Advisory Team
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The Educational Psychology Service
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The Behaviour Support Team (Jigsaw)
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The Speech and Language Therapy Service
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Child Development Centres, such as Edwin Lobo
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Occupational and Physio Therapy Services
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Outreach Services from our Local Special Schools
- Outreach Services (such as Chiltern Outreach)
- Mental Health Support team
- School Nurse
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Child and Family Support Advisor – Sam FInley-Day
How will the school support my child to change classes and/or move on to Middle School?
Careful consideration is given to preparing children with SEND for transition at all stages. Initial contact is made with the setting previously attended and with the parents/carers, as soon as we are notified that a child is transferring into our school. When children are changing classes, teachers liaise together, sharing information and preparing the child well in advance of the move. This may involve extra visits to the new classroom/teacher, photograph books etc.
In Year 4, the transfer options are explained to parents/carers and they have the opportunity to visit Middle Schools before making a decision and expressing a preference. Teachers and the SENDCo will pay particular attention to preparing children with SEND for transfer to Middle School, addressing both the learning and the well-being concerns that may arise. Our SENDCo meets with the appropriate Middle School SENDCo to transfer information. Most of our Middle Schools offer extra visit days for children with SEND.
If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) you will choose your child’s Middle School when your child is in Year 3. The school’s SENDCo, Mr Dicker,can assist by arranging and/or accompanying you on Middle School visits.
Have any staff received specialist training in SEND?
We identify training needs and have a detailed training programme for teachers and support staff. Our SENDCo organises SEND training, calling on the services of the specialist providers, such as our Educational Psychologist, Speech Therapist and Outreach teachers as necessary.
Our School SENDCo (Mr Dicker) is a trained Elklan Trainer, and our two Language Provision Support Staff are Elklan Communication Champions.
Our school’s Maths Co-ordinator is a Leading Maths Teacher which includes a specialist knowledge of supporting children with learning difficulties in mathematics.
Does the school have any specialisms?
At Heathwood we have a specialist Speech and Language Provision and has received the Communication Friendly School award. Currently, the Language Provision can only be accessed if your child has (or is in the process of receiving) an EHCP where his/her primary need is identified as speech and language (i.e. a speech sound disorder) and the authority’s Assessment and Monitoring Team have agreed this placement and. The Language Provision Team is currently staffed by two Teaching Assistants with additional, relevant qualifications.
Further information and support for Parents and Carers:
Disability, Equality and Accessibility Plan
Central Bedfordshire SEND offer.