The Children and Families Act 2014 defines when a child or young person has special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is when they have either a learning difficulty or a disability and need special educational provision (SEP) to be made for them. SEP is defined as any education or training provision which is additional to or different from that generally made for others of the same age in mainstream schools or post-16 institutions in England.
St Ivo School supports the reforms of the Children and Families Act 2014. The school will ensure the following principles are at the heart of school policy for those students who may have SEND:
- High expectations and aspirations for what young people can achieve
- Aspirations of young people and their parents and carers that are placed at the centre of everything we do
- Early identification of needs and integrated early help
- Appropriate involvement in integrated assessment and planning from 0-25 years old, focused on long-term outcomes, bringing together education, health and care support
- High-quality provision is arranged, with clear pathways and providing choice and control to families
- Excellent outcomes achieved through the knowledge, skills and attitude of everyone working with children and young people.
The St Ivo School SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is Jackie Francis jfrancis@stivoschool.org (01480 375413).
The SENCO is also an associate member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team. This role includes responsibility for Inclusion and those on Alternative Educational provision.
Assistant SENCO - Laura Brasher lbrasher@stivoschool.org
Learner Support Office Co-ordinator – Tracey Lace tlace@stivoschool.org.
Frequently Asked Questions - click on a question to jump to the answer
- Q1 Who is the best person to talk to at St Ivo about my child’s difficulties with learning/Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND)?
- Q2 What type of support is available for children at St Ivo School?
- Q3 How can I let the school know I am concerned about my child’s progress in school?
- Q4 How will the school let me know if they have any concerns about my child’s learning in school?
- Q5 How is extra support allocated to children and how do they move between the different funding levels?
- Q6 Who are the people providing services to children with an SEN in this school?
- Q7 How does Cambridgeshire LA support Children with SEND in this school?
- Q8 How are teachers in school helped to work with children with an SEND and what training do they receive?
- Q9 How will the teaching be adapted for my child with SEND?
- Q10 How will we measure progress of your child in school?
- Q11 What support will I receive as a parent of a child with SEND?
- Q12 Are the school buildings accessible to children with SEND?
- Q13 How will we support your child when they are leaving this school or moving to another class?
- Q14 Who assesses if my child may require extra support in exams?
Q1 Who is the best person to talk to at St Ivo about my child’s difficulties with learning/Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND)?
A1 If you have a specific query regarding your child, please talk to their tutor in the first instance.
Roles and Responsibilities/Co-ordination of Provision
Provision for students with special educational needs is a matter for the school as a whole.
Governing Body
The St Ivo School governing body has specific responsibility to ensure:
- That necessary provision is made for any student who has special educational needs
- That students’ needs are made known to all who are likely to teach them
- That teachers are aware of the importance of identifying, and providing for, those students who have special educational needs
- Consultation takes place with external agencies and the governing bodies of other schools, when it seems necessary or desirable in the interest of co-ordinated special educational provision in the area as a whole
- That students with special educational needs join in the activities of St Ivo School with students who do not have special educational needs, so far as it is reasonably practical and compatible with receiving the special educational provision their learning needs call for and efficient education of the students with whom they are educated and the efficient use of resources
- Ensure that parents are notified of any decision that SEN provision is being made for their child.
In doing so the Governors will have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and the relevant Disability Rights Code of Practice. There is a named governor with responsibility for SEND.
The Headteacher
The Headteacher has responsibility for the day-to day management of all aspects of the school work, including provision for students with SEN. The Headteacher keeps the governing body fully informed and works closely with the SENCO.
St Ivo Staff
All teachers are teachers of children with SEND and work to adapt the curriculum to meet their need with the help of other key staff. We recognise that it is the teacher’s responsibility to meet the needs of all children in their class through their management of teaching assistants, classroom organisation, teaching materials, teaching styles and differentiation.
SENCO
The school SENCO has responsibility for
- Co-ordinating provision for students with special educational needs
- Liaising with and advising teachers
- Leading the SEN team including teachers and teaching assistants and monitoring their work, managing timetable and inset
- Overseeing the records of all students with SEN, including provision mapping and annual reviews
- Liaising with parents/carers of students with special education needs
- Liaising with other SENCOs, Educational Psychologists, School Paediatricians, School Nurse, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Social Care and other health services such as CAMHS.
Q2 What type of support is available for children at St Ivo School?
A2 St Ivo assesses the needs of every student on entry to the school and offers a graduated response designed to meet the needs of individual students. In the first instance every child should receive ‘Quality First Teaching’, based on the principle of an inclusive classroom that meets the needs of all.
If through individualised assessment and discussion it is clear that a student is making poor progress or is causing concern they may be identified as requiring SEN Support. This graduated approach would first ensure that high quality teaching, differentiated for the individual pupil is in place.
Universal Support – the principle of ‘Quality First Teaching’.
For your child this would mean:
- The teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class
- That all teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand
- Different ways of teaching are in place so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve things like using practical learning
- Specific strategies (which may be suggested by the Learning Support Team or outside agencies) are in place to support your child to learn.
- The subject teachers, supported by senior leadership team check that your child is making appropriate progress and whether they need some extra support to help them make the best possible progress, this may include specific group work in a smaller group of students.
These small groups, often called Intervention groups, may be:
- Run in the classroom or outside
- Lead by a teacher or a teaching assistant who has had training to run these groups.
These groups will address specific needs or gaps in skills and or knowledge to support your child to make the appropriate progress. He/she will engage in group sessions with specific targets to help him/her to make more progress.
This type of support is available for any child who has specific gaps in their understanding of a subject/area of learning.
Additional Support (targeted special educational provision)
This means that a child has been identified as having a learning difficulty/disability that may be impacting on progress and that they may require specialist, targeted support in addition to Quality First Teaching and intervention groups. This may involve some individual support, or specialist equipment.
For your child this may mean:
- A group run by school staff e.g. a phonics program such as ‘Toe by Toe’ or ‘Stride Ahead’
- A group run by an outside professional e.g. a social skills group such as KICK (https://www.kickyouth.org/) run by the locality team
- Support through the school inclusion team, including individual 1-1 sessions for emotional and behavioural issues.
This type of support is available for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through Quality First Teaching and Intervention groups.
Statement/EHC Plan
This applies to a small number of children and young people who may have special educational needs or medical needs. It is likely that this need may not be provided for from the budget normally available from the local authority or school. The Higher Level Needs budget supports the students with the most complex needs in the school.
A student may arrive at St Ivo with a statement/Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan or a request may be made for the local authority to carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s needs.
The process of planning provision for a pupil with a statement/EHC Plan is rooted in a graduated response, the difference being that as these pupils’ needs are more complex, the approach to meeting these needs and ensuring progress will be even more personalised and individualised. Crucially, the approach will be based on organising provision around the planned outcomes written on the student’s statement/plan.
The statutory assessment process is the responsibility of the Local Authority through the Statutory Assessment and Resourcing Team. Further information available via the county council website.
Q3 How can I let the school know I am concerned about my child’s progress in school?
A3
- If you have concerns about your child’s progress you should speak to your child’s tutor initially
- If the matter is not resolved you should speak to the head of subject or pastoral leader
- If the outcome is not successful and progress is still a concerns you should speak to the SENCO
If you concern is not resolved, please refer to the school’s complaint policy which is available on the policies page of this website.
Under the SEN and Disability Act 2005, parents may seek advice on resolving disagreements through the LA and/or Independent Mediation Service. Further advice may be sought from the Parent Partnership Service.
Q4 How will the school let me know if they have any concerns about my child’s learning in school?
A4 If your child is identified as not making progress the school will contact you, in the first instance, to inform you of any support we can offer and to:
- Listen to any concerns you may have
- Plan additional support your child may receive
- Discuss with you any referrals to outside professionals
Q5 How is extra support allocated to children and how do they move between the different funding levels?
A5 The school budget, received from Cambridgeshire local authority, includes money for supporting children with SEN. The Head Teacher decides on the budget for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of needs in the school. The Headteacher and Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for inclusion will discuss all the information they have in the school, including:
- The children getting extra support already
- The children needing extra support
- The children who have been identified as not making progress as would be expected and decide what resources/training and support is needed.
- All resources/training and support are reviewed regularly and changes made if needed.
The school could spend this money on:
- Teaching assistants at the appropriate level
- The SENCO and Learning Support Team
- Early identification and intervention work with students
- Training for all teachers and teaching assistants so they can meet student’s needs more effectively
- Special books and equipment
- Additional advisory services.
The details of how individual students receive support are recorded on the schools Provision Map
Q6 Who are the people providing services to children with an SEN in this school?
A6 Directly funded by the school:
- Inclusion workers
- School Nurse
- Educational welfare officer
- Alternative provision via Huntingdon Regional College/Private providers
- Access Arrangement Testing for support in formal exams
Paid for centrally by the Local Authority but delivered in school:
- Educational Psychology Service (limited hours of support)
- Sensory Service for children with visual or hearing needs
- Speech and Language Therapy
Provided and paid for by the Health Service but delivered in school:
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- School and community paediatrician
- Specialised nursing services
Other services we might use:
- Locality team
- CAMHS (Child and adolescent mental health service)
Q7 How does Cambridgeshire LA support Children with SEND in this school?
A7 The LA support students in many ways which can be accessed through their website.
Q8 How are teachers in school helped to work with children with an SEND and what training do they receive?
A8 The SENCO’s job is to support the teacher in planning for children with SEND. The school has training days for all staff to improve teaching and learning of children, including those with SEND. This includes whole training on SEND issues.
Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses, which may be run by outside agencies that re relevant to the needs of specific children in their class.
Q9 How will the teaching be adapted for my child with SEND?
A9 Class teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class, and will ensure that your child’s needs are met.
Specially trained support staff can adapt the teachers planning to support he needs of your child where necessary. Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and in groups.
Planning and teaching will be adapted on a daily basis if needed to meet your child’s learning needs.
Q10 How will we measure progress of your child in school?
A10 The progress of every student is recorded on GO4schools. You are able to access live, up to date data on the progress of your child. If you require more detail regarding G04schools please contact your child form tutor in the first instance.
The SENCO will also check the progress of students receiving Additional Support who are in individual or small group interventions.
Q11 What support will I receive as a parent of a child with SEND?
A11 The tutor or class teacher is regularly available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have and to share information about what is working well at home and school so that similar strategies can be used.
The SENCO or Assistant SENCO is available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns/worries you may have.
Q12 Are the school buildings accessible to children with SEND?
A12 St Ivo is an inclusive school and welcomes applications from the parents of students with a disability.
St Ivo School has buildings with three floors, not all of which are wheel chair accessible. Whilst there are currently restrictions on access to the upper floors of some buildings, every effort is made to accommodate the needs of each individual student.
The school ensures that there are good lighting and safety arrangements (for example, markings on steps and posts) for visually impaired students.
After school provision, including the Study Support sessions in the Learning Resource base, is accessible to all children including those with SEND.
The school endeavours to ensure all extra-curricular activities and trips are accessible for children with SEND.
Q13 How will we support your child when they are leaving this school or moving to another class?
A13 We recognise that transitions can be difficult for a child with SEND and take steps to ensure any transition is as smooth as possible.
If your child is moving to another school, we will contact the school SENCO and ensure they are aware of any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child. We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
Primary to Secondary transition:
The SENCO or Assistant SENCO will visit the Primary school to discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENCo of their primary school. Arrangements for transition may include:
- Additional visits to the new school
- Teaching Assistant to visit Primary School
- Production of Student Passport containing key support information
- Transition work with Specialist Teaching Team
Q14 Who assesses if my child may require extra support in exams?
A14 The school has a specialist teacher who will conduct formal assessments to see if your child meets the criteria of the exam boards. Possible additional support includes:
- Reader
- Scribe
- Extra time
- Rest breaks
- Use of a word processor
Staff and/or parents can contact the SENCO if they are which to discuss the possibility of access arrangements. A history of need must be gathered through Key Stage 3 (KS3) for formal application in KS4.