SEN & Disabilities
Thank you for taking the time to visit the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) section of our website. All students have the right to achieve their maximum academic and social potential. At Harris Primary Academy Shortlands we believe that all students have different learning needs rather than learning difficulties and it is our policy to identify and assess these needs and then ensure that learning is supported and differentiated to ensure outstanding progress is made by all students.
We recognise that pupils learn at different rates and that there are many factors affecting achievement, including ability, emotional state, age and maturity. We are particularly aware of the needs of our pupils, for whom maturity is a crucial factor in terms of readiness to learn. We believe that many pupils, at some time in their time at school, may experience difficulties which affect their learning, and we recognise that these may be long or short term. At our Academy, we aim to identify these needs as they arise and provide teaching and learning contexts which enable every child to achieve to his or her full potential.
This page shows the SEND information report which provides key information about how we support pupils with SEND at Harris Primary Academy Shortlands.
If you have any additional questions or comments around SEND then please feel to contact the academy using the contact details below where we have written our SEND information report for 2023-2024
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The SENCO is Nadia Ahmed |
You can see information about the Local Offer from Bromley Local Authority here: https://bromley.mylifeportal.co.uk
Our aim
At Harris Primary Academy Shortlands we want to enable all our children, regardless of their specific needs, to be happy and make the best possible progress in the academy. The range of support used will be tailored to individual need, following thorough assessment by internal or external agencies. It is designed to promote pupils working towards becoming independent and resilient learners and to fulfil their role as valued members of the wider academy community. All children are provided with ‘Quality First Teaching’. Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class. All lessons offer the challenge and support for each child to learn and progress to the best of their ability.
Every child has individual needs that will affect their learning. Sometimes children need special support to give them an extra boost or to help them catch up with other children of the same age. They may need this support for a short time or a longer period. During this time they will be part of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) register and we will keep a close eye on their progress, look carefully at what special support they need and keep in regular contact with their parents.
The Children and Families Bill Act 2014 requires Local Authorities (LA) and schools to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25. This document is the SEND Information Report which explains how Harris Primary Academy Shortlands SEND policy is implemented.
Key contacts
Who should I contact to discuss if I have concerns about my child?
If you have any concerns about your child you should speak directly to your child’s teacher first. Depending on the outcomes of these discussions you may be directed to have a follow up meeting with the SENCo or Head of Academy.
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Class teachers
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Responsible for:
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SENCo Miss Nadia Ahmed
Email: |
Responsible for:
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Executive Principal
Miss Sam French
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Responsible for:
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Governor with responsibility for SEND: Sarah Shapcott |
Responsible for:
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Identification of SEND
How are pupils with SEND identified?
Ongoing monitoring takes place by class teachers to identify pupils who are not making progress or who have behaviour needs which are affecting their ability to engage in learning activities.
After discussions with key staff at half termly review meetings additional support will be put into place to provide enhanced resources and targeted small group and / or individual support to help overcome any difficulties. The views of the pupil or young person about their support will be given consideration at this stage.
This additional support is documented in a class personalised provision map / pupil support agreement or behaviour support plan. Short term targets are agreed which prioritise key areas of learning or behaviour to address and by which progress can be measured. Where external agencies are involved, their advice and recommendations are included in these support programmes. Actions agreed take into account each pupil’s strengths as well as their difficulties. Impact is measured half termly and shared with parents at parent’s evening/s.
In some cases teaching assistant support may be allocated. This support is deployed to ensure your child can engage in lessons and wider school activities and to facilitate independent learning to support transition to adulthood.
Formal review meetings are held as required. Parents, relevant external agencies and when appropriate, pupils are invited to this review and their contribution is valued. The impact of support offered is considered along with the progress towards targets set. Support arrangements will be updated and revised accordingly. If not involved already, this might include referral to external agencies. The outcomes of these meetings will be formally recorded.
If your child is continuing to have significant difficulties, further external expertise may be requested. Additional funding is available for children who meet the criteria. This can be accessed using the Local Authority process and the guidance in the Banded Funding Criteria. Where this is agreed, a Pupil Resource Agreement will be drawn up and implemented with the school’s Educational Psychologist and other professionals where appropriate. Further details about this process will be explained in the LA Local Offer.
Working with parents and pupils
What part will I play in my child’s extra support?
You can contact the academy and make an appointment to see the SENCo and/or the class teacher at the earliest available opportunity. Parent involvement is positively welcomed and encouraged.
A close working relationship with parents is vital in order to ensure early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND. This leads to appropriate intervention and provision ensuring children with SEND meet personal and academic targets. Half termly progress reports are sent home for all pupils. Pupils on the SEND register have a copy of their pupil profile discussed and reviewed regularly, updating the strategies used to support them and the associated targets.
We have a policy of sharing information so that parents can make informed decisions about how best to support their child. No specialist assessments and/or interventions will be carried out without the parent’s knowledge and consent. We invite parents to our review meetings to monitor the impact of interventions and plan the next steps. If an outside agency has worked with your child, you will be invited to a feedback meeting with that agency.
How will the academy let me know if they have concerns about my child’s learning?
One of your child’s teachers may initially speak to you at the beginning or the end of the school day to arrange a time to discuss the concerns. The teachers may also talk to you about concerns at a parent/teacher meeting or the SENCo may contact you to arrange a meeting. Parents are invited into school for multi-agency or multi-professional meetings as required.
What part will my child play in their own support?
We encourage children to give their views and contribute their ideas about what they feel works best for them and their learning. Their views will be welcomed during review meetings and target setting.
Assessing and reviewing
How will the academy assess and review progress towards outcomes?
We will follow the graduated approach of assess, plan, do, review.
The class or subject teacher will work with the SENCO to carry out a clear assessment of the pupil’s needs. This will draw on:
• The teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil
• Their previous progress and attainment and behaviour
• The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data
• The views and experience of parents
• The pupil’s own views
• If relevant, advice from external support services
All teachers and support staff who work with the pupil will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress, changing and adapting the provision where necessary.
Transition
How will the academy help my child to move to a new class/year group or to a different school?
Children and young people with SEND can become particularly anxious about “moving on” so we seek to support successful transition by:
When moving to another school:
We will contact the School Inclusion Manager and share information about special arrangements and support that has been made to help your child achieve their learning goals
We will ensure that all records are passed on as soon as possible
When moving classes / forms in school:
Transition meeting for pupils starting in Reception the term before they start, organised by the Pre School with all relevant professionals and parents involved with the child invited.
Visit to new class and a taster lesson with their new teacher.
For identified pupils requiring additional support a social story may be made, with pictures of their new environment to reinforce what will stay the same and what will be different.
An information sharing meeting will take place between the teachers
In year 6-7 transition:
The Inclusion Manager and/or class teacher will attend the primary/Secondary Transition day meeting to discuss specific need of your child and the nature and level of support which has had the most impact.
On some cases additional multi-agency meetings may be arranged to create a more detailed “transition” plan which may include more visits to the new school and/or additional visits from the new school.
Curriculum and Teaching Methods
How will teaching be adapted to meet the needs of my child?
Teachers are expected to adapt teaching to meet the diverse range of needs in each class. Daily planning takes into account individual pupil’s needs and requirements. Differentiation is approached in a range of ways to support access and ensure that all pupils can experience success and challenge in their learning.
Grouping arrangements are organised flexibly with opportunities for both ability and mixed setting to maximise learning opportunities for all.
Additional adults are used flexibly to help groups and individual pupils with a long term goal of developing independent learning skills. Monitoring takes place to avoid pupils becoming over reliant and dependent on this adult support.
Access to learning support staff
•In class support focus group in Literacy/Numeracy-as identified via Pupil Progress Review Meetings
•Small group support in reading/writing/numeracy-as identified via Pupil Progress Review Meetings
•Individual support for currently statemented pupils or those requiring access to higher level funding (EHCP/PRA’s)
Strategies/programmes to support speech and language
•Speech Therapist input directly into school fortnightly
•Teaching Assistants working alongside speech therapist to deliver follow up sessions
•Use of visual cues
•Makaton used as required by trained member of staff for individual pupil
•Repetitive teaching of new concepts and chance to practice new skills
•Use of a variety of different ways for pupils to respond in class other than oral responses to show their thinking
•Give cues/gesture/re phrase if instruction or concept is not understood
•Extend vocabulary through categorising
•Key words explained and clarified, use of pre teaching of vocabulary may be used
•Use mind mapping to show how vocabulary links together
•Speech, Language and Communication checklists and screeners used to monitor development of skills
Strategies to support/develop literacy
•Writing frames
•Key vocabulary lists
•Visual cues and stimulus
•Speaking and listening activities used across the curriculum
•Build on and consolidate understanding of basic concepts
•Short achievable tasks using a small steps approach
•1:1 Reading
•Phonics Interventions
•Tinted exercise books
•Reading rulers
•Electronic thesaurus
Strategies to support/develop numeracy
•Access to a range of concrete apparatus
•Use of equipment such as Base 10
•Build on and consolidate understanding of concepts
•Short achievable tasks using a small steps approach
•Basic skills groups
•Clear strategies for the 4 operations across the school
•Use of practical and real life examples
Provision to facilitate/support access to the curriculum
•Multi-sensory approaches
•Talk frames
•Variety of recording methods
•Develop Memory skills-visualising, oral rehearsal and chunking
•Use of short simple instructions and chunking information
•Use of ICT
Strategies/support to develop independent learning
•Use of visual timetables in every class (individual as required)
•Oral rehearsal of instructions
•Use of task organisers/tasks broken down
•Talk partners
•Visually given choices
•Use of simple language and being clear and consistent
•Clear expectations
•Repeat instructions back to themselves/partner
•Classrooms are set up and organised to facilitate pupils independence
•Clear classroom routines in place
•Group work/Team work to support a collaborative ethos
Pastoral Support
Strategies to support the development of pupils’ social skills and enhance self-esteem
•Social Skills groups
•Use of social stories
•Access to specialist advice from the Social Eyes outreach service (Social, Communication Difficulties) as required
•Playground Pals
Mentoring activities
•Access to mentor support from SLT for identified pupils
Strategies to reduce anxiety/promote emotional wellbeing (including communication with parents)
•Use of now and next board-EYFS/KS1 as required
•Small step approach to learning new transitions e.g. assembly
•Individual work station to be used/accessed (as applicable)
•Phased entry/reduced timetable to full time education as required
•Pre warnings for finishing activities
•Established routines (as far as possible)
•Awareness of heightened sensory sensitivity
•Comic strip conversations (as required)
•Use of sensory box may be deployed
•Use of weighted objects/equipment
•Safe Zones-tent
Strategies to support / modify behaviour
•Individual behaviour programmes in place as required
•Whole school approach- Simple rewards and sanctions visually supported
•Home-School contact book (as required)
•Use of visual timers and prompts
•Short release breaks (as applicable and feasible)
•Keep instructions simple and positive
•Use of positive language; ‘Catch them being good’
•Role model expected behaviour
•Use of wondering aloud-‘ I can see you are… I am wondering if….’
•Comic strip conversations (as required)
•Behaviour rules and expectations taught and consistently acknowledged and rewarded
•Gain pupils attention before speaking
Support/supervision at unstructured times of the day including personal care
•T.A.’s trained to support individual medical needs
•Rota of activities for break time: tennis courts for ball games, outdoor adventure equipment, field (when not too wet) and playground
Planning, assessment, evaluation and next steps
•Pupil Progress Review Meetings held half termly between teachers, Inclusion Manager and Principal to review progress and determine key priority groups for intervention in the next half term
Evaluating the effectiveness of the SEND provision
How will the academy measure the effectiveness of the SEND provision?
We evaluate the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEND by:
• Reviewing individual progress towards goals each term
• Reviewing the impact of interventions by measuring if the learning outcomes have been achieved. Adaptations or further periods of support might be decided if necessary.
• Monitoring of interventions and strategies in place by the SENCo
• Using provision maps to measure progress
• Holding annual reviews for pupils with EHC plans
Access
What arrangements are made to enable my child to benefit and take advantage of the full curriculum and extra curriculum activities?
We ensure pupils with SEND can take part in all aspects of academy life to the best of their ability. An individual access plan for more complex needs can be arranged and reviewed regularly. No pupil is ever excluded from taking part in these activities because of their SEND.
Access to strategies/programmes to support occupational /physiotherapy needs
•Referrals to physiotherapy/occupational therapy as required, with suggested strategies built into class provision maps and utilised
•Funky fingers activities
Access to modified equipment and ICT
•Access to particular equipment such as easi-grip scissors, fidget aids, pencil grips, move n sit cushions, posture packs, sound field hearing system as recommended by specialists
•Adaptations to school site as required to increase accessibility such as lift, chair lift and fluorescent edging on edge of steps
•Modified equipment as recommended by specialists
What are the access arrangements for statutory tests?
For some pupils additional arrangements and adjustments can be made to enable them to fully access tests. This might include additional time, rest breaks or the use of a scribe or word processor. The SENCo will inform you about eligibility and applications for these arrangements. Only tests and assessors authorised by the school and recognised by JCQ can be accepted for access arrangements for public examinations.
Staffing Expertise
How skilled are staff in meeting the needs of my child?
Monitoring and training is in place to ensure that all teachers and support staff have appropriate skills and knowledge to support provision for children with SEND. We review the academy’s training schedule and professional development for all teaching and support staff to ensure there is the appropriate expertise to support children with SEND. Training can include on site professional development or externally provided training. Induction arrangements for newly qualified teachers and staff ensure they are familiar with the schools’ approach to supporting pupils with SEND. Our SENCo actively engages with local opportunities to share best practice and keep abreast of current local and national initiatives and policy to support pupils with AEN. The school also seeks advice and guidance from local special schools to review, evaluate and develop provision for pupils who have the most complex needs.
Pupil Wellbeing
What pastoral support will there be for my child?
Our class teaching assistants and teachers support children with social, emotional and behavioural barriers to learning.
We liaise with parents and medical practitioners to produce care plans and arrangements for the administration of medications for pupils with medical conditions.
We monitor attendance and punctuality and liaise with the Educational Welfare Officer to ensure children’s safety and full access to learning.
External Partnerships
What support from outside does the academy use to help my child?
Harris Primary Academy Shortlands works with a number of external agencies as and when necessary to seek advice and support to ensure that the needs of all children are fully understood and met. These include:
- The LA Special Educational Needs Support Service
- Hearing Impairment Team
- Visual Impairment Team
- Educational Psychology Service
- Educational Welfare Officers
- Health Services
- School Nurse
- Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service
- NHS Speech and Language Therapy
- Words First Speech and Language Therapy
- Autism First
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
Access to Medical Interventions
•T.A.s trained in Paediatric first aid
•Teachers have up to date Epipen training
•Relevant year groups have annual input from diabetic nurse support and specialist nurse training r.e. individual medical conditions and management needs in school
•Staffed first aid room at break and lunch times
•Dedicated Diabetic Trained T.A. allocated to named pupils
•Physiotherapist comes in to work with ISAs and pupil as required
Support and guidance
Where can I seek further support and guidance?
The full range of local support available to support your child both within and outside of the academy can be found:
The Bromley Local Offer for pupils with SEND
https://bromley.mylifeportal.co.uk/lbb-local-offer.aspx
The Information, Advice and Support Service
Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years
Bromley parent voice
http://www.bromleyparentvoice.org.uk
Arrangements for Managing Complaints
What should I do if I am unhappy about the support my child is receiving?
Firstly, speak to your child’s class teacher – make an appointment to ensure there is enough time to discuss the issues. The SENCo or another member of the Senior Leadership Team may attend the meeting depending on the nature of the concern.
If you feel matters are unresolved and we feel that we are fulfilling our duties in respect to your child, we will recommend you seek further advice from the Information, Advice and Support service. This service is not linked to the academy.
We can also make arrangements for parents to discuss concerns with other key professionals such as the educational psychologist.
If your concerns are still unresolved, we will advise you to make a formal complaint and direct you to the Academy Complaints Procedures on our website.
If your concern is directly related to decisions around an EHC Plan assessment of needs or provision this will be managed directly by the Bromley SEND team. Parents will be contacted directly by the service to receive information about the mediation services and other action you may consider.
FURTHER INFORMATION about support and services for pupils and their families can be found in:
Web link to: The Local Authority Local Offer
http://bromley.mylifeportal.co.uk/lbb-local-offer.aspx#.VG5WRrVFBkQ
The Information, Advice and Support Service
Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years
