St. Ann’s RC Primary School

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Information Report

Report updated in December 2022

 

In the family of St. Ann’s RC Primary, we value the uniqueness of each child. We recognise that children learn in different ways, make progress at different rates and can have different kinds or levels of Special Educational Needs (SEN). Pupils with disabilities and Special Educational Needs (SEN) are fully included in school life and we encourage everyone in our school community to have an awareness of and a sensitivity towards individual children’s needs. All pupils at St. Ann’s are encouraged to challenge themselves and strive for excellence and we empower each other to be the best we can be and celebrate all pupils’ achievements.

 

What kinds of Special Educational Needs does the school provide for?

At St. Ann’s RC Primary, we support children who have different kinds of Special Educational Needs (SEN). Children may have one or more of the following needs:

• Learning needs: general difficulties with learning or a specific difficulty such as dyslexia.
• Communication and interaction needs: difficulties in saying what they need or want to say and understanding what is being said to them, or social communication difficulties such as Autism.
• Social emotional and mental health needs including behavioural difficulties.
• Sensory or physical needs such as a hearing difficulty, visual impairment, physical disability or medical difficulty which impacts on their learning.

Children may have Special Educational Needs (SEN) in more than one of these areas. The staff at St. Ann’s work closely with the child, parents/carers and other professionals in order to make sure that we meet each individual child’s Special Educational Needs.

 

How do we know when children need extra help?

A child has Special Educational Needs (SEN) if they find it harder to learn than most children of the same age or if they have a disability that stops them from making use of the same facilities as others of the same age. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) is responsible for helping to ensure the school meets the needs of children with SEN. We try to find out if children have additional needs as early as possible and the SENCO works closely with class teachers and parents in order to support the children. At St. Ann’s we value the knowledge parents have about their children and we work in partnership with them in providing SEN support. Information about a child’s special educational needs is gathered through one or more of the following processes:

• Information from class teachers
• Information from parents/carers
• Pupil progress records
• Standardised tests and screening tools
• Pupil observations
• Information from previous school
• Information from specialist services such as Speech and Language Therapy and the Educational Psychology Service

 

What should I do if I think my child may have Special Educational Needs?

You should talk to your child’s teacher or the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). The SENCO is always happy to discuss SEN support and any concerns parents may have. The SENCO at St. Ann’s is Mrs A. Gibbons and an appointment can be made by contacting the school office Tel: 0161 865 7705

 

How are children with Special Educational Needs supported at St. Ann’s RC Primary?

We take a graduated approach to meeting a child’s Special Educational Needs, which is in line with Trafford Local Authority’s policy, the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015. Information about this is available on the Trafford Local Offer website:

www.trafford.gov.uk/servicedirectory

A booklet called ‘Trafford Graduated Approach to Special Educational Needs: A Guide for Parent Carers and Young People’ is also available from the SENCO on request. This booklet explains how children with Special Educational Needs should be supported by schools using the Graduated Approach.

 

At St. Ann’s the teachers plan learning activities which are tailored to the needs of all of the individual children in their class. They have high expectations for every pupil and use a range of strategies to overcome any potential areas of difficulty. For example, some children need some visual support, additional adult support or attend support groups.  

Some pupils receive additional and different support at the SEN Support Stage and a few pupils need a high level of additional and different specialist support at the High Level SEN Support Stage. Other professionals may be asked for their help and advice.

Very few pupils who have severe, complex Special Educational Needs require High Needs Provision and they may need an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment to find out about their needs. This is the responsibility of the Local Authority and may result in the child having an EHC Plan with additional resources. At every stage, the views of the child and parent carer will be listened to.

 

Pupil Premium funding enables the school to provide additional support for disadvantaged children including those who may have SEN. This support helps children to reach their full potential and may include extra support for work and access to after school clubs.

 

At St. Ann’s we have a system of ‘Assess Plan Do Review’ in place, which is described below.

 

Assess

Initial concerns are raised by the class teacher or parent. One or more of the following may take place: class observations by the SENCO; standardised assessments for reading and spelling by the SENCO; dyslexia screening by the SENCO; a referral to a specialist service who can give us further information and advice relating to the child’s needs.

 

Plan

Our assessments help us to decide whether we should include the child on our SEN Register (our list of pupils with special educational needs) or whether we just need to keep a close eye on their progress. Pupils with SEN have a Pupil Profile which contains a summary of the child’s needs and strengths and the best ways of supporting them. This is available for all teachers and teaching assistants who work with the child and it is passed onto the child’s new teacher. A child with SEN may also need a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) which is overseen by the SENCO and has outcomes or targets which the child is working towards. The plan is co-produced by the SENCO with the class teacher, parents and child (where appropriate). It might include outcomes planned by specialists such as a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. The plan also includes information about how we will support the child. This could be through special teaching strategies, mentoring, additional support in some lessons and participation in support groups. All of our interventions and approaches have been shown to have a positive impact on children’s learning. Children are made aware of the outcomes they are striving for.

 

Do

The support is in place and the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) is carried out for several weeks before the impact is reviewed.

 

Review

Regular checks are made to see how well the support is working. At the end of the support period, further assessments take place so that we can find out about the impact of the Personal Learning Plan. This might include further assessment tests, class observations and assessments by specialist services. The SENCO meets with class teachers and parents to discuss the impact on the child. Some children will make progress and no longer require SEN Support. If a child has not made the expected progress, then the cycle starts again.

 

How do we support children with literacy and maths difficulties?

Here are some of the ways in which we support children with literacy and maths difficulties, including children with a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia:

• Class teachers plan work which is at an appropriate level for the individual child’s needs.
• Children have extra support from the teacher or teaching assistant in lessons

• Children work in support groups with a teaching assistant
• Children work in the SENCO literacy intervention groups
• Children have individual support sessions with the SENCO
• A Precision Teaching approach is used to teach reading and spelling

 

How do we support children with speech, language and communication needs?

Here are some of the ways in which we support children with speech, language and communication needs (including Autism Spectrum Condition):

• Class teachers plan work which is at an appropriate level for a child’s needs.
• Teachers use visual resources to support pupils’ learning such as visual timetables and pictures or symbols which remind children about listening to and looking at the teacher.
• We work in partnership with Speech and Language Therapists and some children follow individual programmes written by them.

• Some pupils participate in our speech and language interventions such as Listening Skills and Talkabout Groups.
• We work in partnership with Trafford Special Educational Needs Advisory Service (SENAS) to support pupils with communication difficulties such as Autism.
• We sometimes use Social Stories with children who have social communication needs.
• The SENCO implements Stage 1 of the Trafford Autism and Social Communication (TASC) Pathway if school, parent or a clinician thinks that a child may have Autism.

 

How do we support children with physical, medical and sensory needs?

Here are some of the ways in which we support children with physical, medical and sensory needs:

• Class teachers plan work which is at an appropriate level for the individual child’s needs.
• Classroom adaptations are sometimes made, such as careful seating arrangements for children with visual and hearing impairments and adjusting the lighting for children with visual impairments.
• Special equipment is sometimes used for children with sensory and physical difficulties such as special paper for children with visual impairments.
• We run fine motor skills and handwriting groups such as ‘Write from the Start’ (a programme recommended by Trafford Children’s Therapy physiotherapists or occupational therapists).
• Some children with medical needs have Health Care Plans which are written by school staff together with parents and health care professionals so that we can make sure that their medical needs are fully met at school.

• We work in partnership with health services including the school’s Link Health Visitor, Community Paediatricians and Trafford Children’s Therapy (Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists).
• We work in partnership with Trafford Sensory Impairment Support Service (TSISS) who sometimes work with individual children in our school.
• Trafford SENAS advise us on how we can make sure that the school building and grounds are suitable for a child with physical difficulties or a visual impairment.
• We make referrals to Trafford’s Sensory Processing team for assessments of children who may be having difficulties with sensory processing.

 

How do we promote positive behaviour, emotional wellbeing and mental health?

At St. Ann’s RC Primary, the mental health and emotional wellbeing of all our pupils is of utmost importance and we want their time at St. Ann’s to be calm and happy. Mrs R. Nelson is the ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator’ and her role is to oversee the mental health and wellbeing of the pupils at St. Ann’s.

Good attendance and punctuality is a priority in our school and we work closely with parents in our support for families.

We promote positive behaviour with an emphasis on politeness and showing respect for each other which is in line with the Catholic ethos of our school. Children are encouraged to be responsible, sensible, polite and friendly and to work hard. They are praised and rewarded for their positive behaviour and this is celebrated in the Headteacher’s assemblies and through our system of House Points. If a teacher is concerned about a pupil’s behaviour, they will arrange to speak to the parent or carer so that they can work together to help the child. We have a whole school graduated response to meeting children’s behaviour needs and this is described in our Behaviour and Anti Bullying Policy. Children who have a Special Educational Need in this area are supported in a variety of ways:

• Some children have personalised reward systems e.g. star or sticker charts or points systems.
• Close partnership with parents is essential, and pupils may have home/school contact books.
• Some children have Behaviour Improvement Plans (BIPs) with outcomes for improving their behaviour and regular contact with parents.
• Our learning mentor, Mrs J. Grogan, provides pastoral support for individual children and their families.
• We work in close partnership with Longford Park Outreach Service (behaviour support) and Mrs Y. Quigley visits our school every week to support individual children.
• We work in partnership with health services such as Trafford Healthy Young Minds (formerly known as CAMHS) and Manchester Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
• We sometimes seek the support of the Educational Psychologist, who provides advice about how best we can support children through addressing the underlying causes of any behavioural problems.
• Children may have special interventions for improving their behaviour such as a feelings and emotions booklet which helps them to understand how they are feeling and teaches them practical ways of managing their feelings. Some children work through a ‘Worry Book’ to help them cope with feelings of anxiety.
• Some children are supported with ‘Social Stories’ so that specific social communication needs can be addressed.
• Children participate in support groups aimed at developing their self-esteem and emotional wellbeing such as our ‘Talkabout’ groups.
• The SENCO makes referrals to the Trafford Combined ADHD Service (TCAS) Pathway for ADHD diagnosis.

 

Caritas Support at St. Ann’s RC Primary

Some children and their families work with our Caritas Social Worker, Suzanne Gundry or our Caritas Counsellor, Kathryn Fisher. Suzanne and Kathryn provide direct work with the child, home visits and parenting support.

 

Trafford Team Together

Our school works in partnership with Trafford Team Together (TTT) to provide Early Help support for families who are experiencing difficulties. We acknowledge that family life is not always easy, and it can be tricky for families to know where to go for help. A Trafford Team Together meeting brings together partners from within the community such as schools, voluntary services, health professionals and council staff, to share ideas about the right help for children and families who feel they need something extra to help them to thrive. Through the agreement of families, we can ask the TTT to discuss what is happening for you now so that they can offer the right kind of help for you and your family as quickly as possible. Our TTT key person is Kelly Eko-Allan. Kelly will pull together that support to make sure it is working as you want it to.

 

What intervention groups are available at St. Ann’s RC Primary?

Some children with SEN work in support groups in at St. Ann’s. The following are some of our intervention support groups:

• Phonics
• Ruth Miskin Literacy (Read Write Inc.)
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing Sentences
• Maths Support
• Times Tables
• Write from the Start (Hand Eye Coordination)
• Handwriting Support
• Lego Therapy
• Social Communication Skills
• Listening Skills

 

How will you know how your child is doing?

Parents and carers are kept fully informed about their child’s Special Educational Needs and the progress they have made. Regular meetings are held throughout the year with class teachers, SENCO and support services. Children who have Education Health and Care (EHC) Plans have Annual Reviews so that we can make sure that we are meeting their needs in the most effective way. The SENCO welcomes meetings with parents and carers whenever the need arises.

 

What Special Educational Needs knowledge do the staff at St. Ann’s RC Primary have?

The SENCO and staff at St. Ann’s receive up to date Special Educational Needs training. A number of our teaching assistants have had specialist training and they have a wealth of experience in supporting children with Special Educational Needs. The SENCO attends regular Local Authority training and she has had specialist training in the following areas:

• Screening for Dyslexia
• Dyscalculia
• Educational Assessments (the SENCO is a member of the British Psychological Society and has a Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing)
• Autism
• Developmental Co-ordination Difficulty (Dyspraxia/DCD)
• Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
• Synthetic Phonics Intervention
• Supporting children with hearing and visual impairments
• Safeguarding Children
• Supporting children with Down’s Syndrome

 

The SENCO passes on her expertise to teachers and teaching assistants.

Some of our teaching assistants have had training by Trafford Speech and Language Therapy so that they can run intervention groups for supporting children with speech, language and communication needs, including:

• Lego Therapy
• Social Communication Skills
• Listening Skills

 

Which specialist services do we work with?

The following are some of the many specialist services who work in partnership with St. Ann’s RC Primary:

• Educational Psychologist
• Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)
• Trafford Special Educational Needs Advisory Service (SENAS)
• Trafford Sensory Impairment Support Service (TSISS)
• School Nurse
• Link Health Visitor
• Community Paediatricians
• Trafford Healthy Young Minds (previously CAMHS)
• Manchester Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
• Trafford Children’s Therapy (Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Service)
• Longford Park Outreach Service (behaviour support)
• Social Services (MARAT)
• Trafford Young Carers Project
• Caritas Social Worker and Counsellor
• Trafford Team Together (TTT)

 

Early Years Provision

St. Ann’s has an Early Years Foundation Stage Unit. Our open plan area includes Nursery and Reception provision. The children have open access to all resources including sand and water play. The outdoor play equipment is designed to challenge the children. We not have nappy changing facilities within the unit.

 

How are children with Special Educational Needs included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

Children with SEN and disabilities are fully included, where possible, in all aspects of school life at St. Ann’s. We make reasonable adjustments and arrangements so that extra-curricular activities are adapted for children with SEN or disabilities on an individual needs basis. Risk assessments are carried out prior to off-site activities to ensure that no-one’s health and safety is compromised, and parents are kept fully informed.

 

How accessible is our school?

We make reasonable adjustments to the school building and grounds so that children with SEN and disabilities can access our school. We plan for the arrival of a new child who has physical or sensory needs by seeking advice from Trafford Special Educational Needs Advisory Service (SENAS), Trafford Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists and Trafford Sensory Impairment Support Service (TSISS). We are always striving to make our school more accessible for disabled children and details about this can be found in our Accessibility Plan on the school website.

 

Our Polish speaking teaching assistants, Mrs J. Maciejewska and Mrs N. Espley, are able to translate information in meetings, reports and letters, for those parents whose first language is Polish.

 

How will our school prepare and support children when they transfer to a new class or school?

All pupils with SEN are supported in their transition to secondary school. In the Summer Term, the secondary school’s transition co-ordinator or head of Year 7 visits our school to meet the children and they usually attend a special visit day at the secondary school. The SENCO at St. Ann’s liaises with the secondary school SENCO and special transition arrangements are made for pupils.

 

Some children with SEN, such as Autism, require support for their transition from one year group to the next at St. Ann’s. This is carefully managed by the class teachers, teaching assistants and SENCO, with special plans made to ensure a smooth and happy move to their new class.

 

Who can I contact for further information?

If your child already attends St. Ann’s RC Primary School, your first point of contact is their class teacher. You can also arrange to see the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Mrs A. Gibbons by contacting the school office:

Tel: 0161 865 7705

 

Trafford Local Authority also have a SEND Information and Advice Support Service (SENDIASS) who provide free, confidential, impartial advice and support to parent carers, children and young people aged 0-25 who live in Trafford, in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). They can be contacted on:

Tel: 0161 912 3150

Email: sendiass@trafford.gov.uk

 

What other support is available in Trafford?

Trafford Local Authority has a ‘Local Offer of Support’ on their website. It contains information about what Trafford provides for children with SEN or disabilities, including information on:

• Education and training
• Health and social care services
• EHC assessments and plans
• Personal budgets
• Travel to school and college
• Leisure and social activities
• Advice and support for parents and young people

This can be found on the Trafford Service Directory www.trafford.gov.uk/servicedirectory or by contacting the Trafford Family Information Service (FIS):

Phone:    0161 912 1053 (Monday to Friday 8:30am until 4:30pm)

Email:            FIS@trafford.gov.uk

 

 

The information in this report was updated in December 2022