1) What is SEND?

SEND is Special Educational Needs and/or Disability. Children with SEND may have learning difficulties, neurodiversity or another disability that makes it harder for them to acquire and retain skills. At The Meadows, we are committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of their needs, make the best possible progress in school.

The four broad areas of need are: 

• Cognition and learning.
• Social, emotional and mental health.
• Communication and interaction.
• Sensory and/or physical

2) How does the school know if my child has SEND and what should I do if I think my child has SEND? 

We recognise that early identification of SEND is very important. We use a variety of ways to gather information about children's needs and progress. 

• Observations
• School-based test results
• Information from parents and carers
• Information from the child or young person
• Specialised assessments carried out by members of the school’s support services
• Information from previous schools or settings
• Results from end of key stage assessments
• Discussions with adults who work with the child or young person

If you are concerned about your child please do not hesitate to speak with their class teacher, our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo) Mrs Blair, our Assistant SENDCo; Mrs Lis Dobrashian-Yates.

3) What does your school offer for SEND pupils?

At The Meadows Primary School we follow guidance given to schools in the SEND code of practice and use the Graduated Approach - please further details in our SEND and Inclusion Policy above.

• Some children with may require scaffolding, adaptions or additional support  when completing learning tasks at school

• Teachers make change how they deliver lessons to make them more accessible

• Teachers use strategies in the classroom to help the child or young person manage routines or changes (for example visual timetables, task boards or social stories).

• Classroom learning can be adapted by using the following; personalised work stations and sensory learning breaks 

• Extra support may be given in a small group by an adult (in or out of the classroom)

• Education Support Plans with targets that are share with parents/carers and children

• Support/Nurture programmes to build social communication and interaction skills

• Advice from outside agency professionals and specialist staff to further support the child if they are still continuing to struggle

• Accessible classrooms and school spaces

 

Our Sensory Room

Our more unique provision at The Meadows Primary includes:

Other important questions you might have:

How does the school know how much progress is being made by pupils with Special Educational Needs?

All children’s progress, including those children with SEND, is tracked using the school’s assessment tracking system, Insight, where possible. However, if progress is in smaller steps, it will be recorded using other systems like the Birmingham Continuums. All pupils are assessed regularly using teacher marking, observations and questioning, as well as more formal assessments such as Milestones or standardised testing. Progress is tracked through school provision mapping and then we share your child's progress with you using Education Support Plans (during Parents' Evenings or separate parent meetings). Your child's progress is discussed at regular pupil progress meetings with the class teacher, Senior Leadership and the Inclusion Team; and then shared with you in parent meetings.

What extra-curricular activities can a pupil with Special Educational Needs access at school?

All children have access to our extra-curricular activities. Where appropriate and possible, adjustments will be made to ensure all children with SEND are fully included in these activities.

What training do the staff in school have in relation to pupils with Special Educational Needs?

In our school we believe that all staff should be involved in supporting pupils with SEND and we make sure that staff have appropriate training. Various staff have been trained for different aspects of SEND including: - Precision Teaching, Direct Phonics, Structured Peer Tuition, specialist teaching for Dyslexia, ASD level 2 or 3, Person Centred Review facilitation. All staff have medical training for Asthma, Allergies and Epipen and some specialist training for Diabetes. 

How does the school get more specialist help for pupils if they need it?

Specialist support that we have access to at The Meadows:

Agency or Service	Who they work with	How school can get in contact with them
Communication and Autism Team (CAT)	Children who have a diagnosis of Autism (ASC) or are awaiting a diagnosis/ displaying communication difficulties. They will also provide support for families of children or young people with these difficulties.	School have an allocated worker who they will contact after a parent or carer signs a referral form.
Educational Psychology Service (EPS)	Children with more complex needs.  An EP will always be involved with a child/young person with an EHCP.	School have an allocated professional who they will contact after a parent or carer signs a referral form.
Physical Disability Service (PDSS)	Children with physical difficulties which impact on their access in the school setting.	School can contact for support and advice and an allocated worker who they will contact after a parent or carer signs a referral form
Pupil and School Support (PSS)	Children who are working below the levels expected for their age.  A Pupil and School Support Teacher will also work with staff in schools offering support, advice and training.	Pupil and School Support teachers regularly visit schools.  School will let parents or carers know if they need to work with the child or young person
Sensory Support Service (SSS)	Children who have particular sensory needs such as visual or hearing difficulties where access to the usual school environment is effective.	Pupils are usually referred following a medical diagnosis, however school can phone them for further support and general advice.
Speech and Language Therapy Service (SALT)	Children with a high level speech and language difficulties.	NHS provision and some private provision across school.
Occupational Therapy	Children with physical difficulties. They also provide some consultations to support toileting and other sensory needs. These needs to be booked by the school.	Pupils are usually referred following a medical diagnosis, however school can phone them for further support and general advice.
School Nurse	Children with medical needs particularly where medication is needed or there is absence due to illness.	School can refer to the School Nurse Team if there are health concerns.

How are parents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs involved in the education of their children?

Our school has an open-door policy to parents ensuring we are always approachable, so parents feel involved in the education of their child. In addition, our school aims to regularly involve parents in the education of their child through a variety of different ways including:

• Regular meetings with SENDCo, class teacher and/or support staff
• Target setting (on Education Support Plan) so parents can see what their child is working
• Regular curriculum newsletters to inform parents of what will be going on during the term.
• Information on the school website
• Parents’ evenings
• Parent drop-ins/coffee mornings
• Signposting to parent groups
• Seeking parents’ views

How are pupils with Special Educational Needs involved in their own education?

At The Meadows, we aim to involve all children in the evaluations and implementation of their own education. For children and young people with Special Educational Needs we use a variety of strategies to support this including:

• Person Centred Reviews and teachers or in 1:1 meetings with the SENDCo
• Target setting takes place during conversations and/or with the SENDCo/support staff. This way students have some control and ownership over their learning
• Where appropriate we have medical alert care plans and One Page Profiles
• One Page profiles are shared with the necessary staff so that their needs and behaviours can be met and understood
• Visual timetables are used consistently throughout the school so that children have a clear idea of what their school day will involve
• Children have a choice/range of equipment available to choose to use during their lessons
• Children work with a range of different partners and not just in set groups

If a parent of a child with Special Educational Needs has a complaint about the school's handling of children with SEND, how does the governing body deal with the complaint?

If you have a complaint, it is advised that you initially read the schools complaints policy. Following this, you may request to speak to Mrs Bishop (Acting Headteacher) or Mrs Blair (SENDCo). Our school and governing body take complaints seriously and will act upon these on an individual basis. We will do everything we can to resolve the issue. 

How does the governing body involve other people in meeting the needs of pupils with Special Education Needs, including support for their families?

In our school we have a governor who is responsible for Special Educational Needs. Their job is to meet with the SENDCo regularly. In these meetings, the SEND governor explores the provision that the children with SEND at The Meadows are receiving.  

Who are the support services that can help parents with pupils who have Special Educational Needs?

These are the external support services that can support you as parents:

Agency	How they support parents	How to contact them
Special Educational Needs and Disability Information and Disability Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)	Special Educational Needs and Disability Information and Disability Advice and Support Service exists  to explain special educational needs procedures, to help you understand the law and procedures that affect you and your child, and to provide information on other issues that may be useful.	Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service Opening hours: 8:45am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Lancaster Circus PO Box 16289 Birmingham B2 2XN Telephone: 0121 303 5004 Birmingham City Council Link
IPSEA - (IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice	They have a helpline with volunteers who can offer support and advice to parents.	Telephone: 0300 222 5899 https://www.ipsea.org.uk/
Autism West Midlands	Supports families with any questions about Autism (ASC)	0121 450 7582 Autism West Midlands Link
Forward Thinking Birmingham	Supports children with emotional and mental health issues, with counselling and advice and support for other family members. There is a drop-in at Frankley Children's Centre (Pause) - If you are in crisis -	Attending your GP surgery for a referral, speak to the pastoral team at school or complete a parent referral Forward Thinking Birmingham Services Link Urgent Help Link

How do the school support pupils with Special Educational Needs through transition?

We aim to make times of transition as easy as possible for the children with SEND. We try and organise as manage additional visits as the child needs. We liaise with the secondary schools as soon as possible, so they can be prepared and support the child effectively. We will also meet and talk to the child and their family so that we can answer any questions they may have about the new school. 

When starting at our school we may:

• Meet with/contact staff at the child or young person’s previous school or setting
• Provide the child or young person with a transition book that has photographs of the key staff and areas around school
• Read reports from people who have worked with the child or young person previously
• Arrange visits to our school so the child or young person gets to see it before they start properly
• Give any adults working with the child or young person a one page profile describing the things that help to support them in school

When moving to a new year group we:

• Introduce the child or young person to their new teacher
• Plan for at least a session, during the summer term, where the child and class will work in their new classroom and with the new staff
• Hold transition meetings where staff meet with previous staff to pass on information and appropriate strategies
• Give any adults working with the child or young person a one-page profile describing the things that help to support them in school

When moving to a new school we may:

• Talk to key staff at the new school about things that help the child or young person to learn well and be happy at school
• Arrange extra visits to the new school with a member of staff from our school if that is what the child or young person wants
• Go and visit the setting with them if necessary

How can parents find the Birmingham Local Authority’s local offer?

The Birmingham Local Authority’s Local Offer can be found here: https://www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk/

A local offer brings Parents & Carers of children and young people with special educational needs & disability (SEND), together with a wide and diverse range of Specialist or Targeted Service Providers.