In the 0-25 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice 2014 it states:

‘A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.’

The 2014 Code of Practice identifies four areas of special educational needs.  These are:

• Communication and interaction e.g. difficulties with speech and understanding what is being said to them.
• Cognition and learning e.g. learning and thinking at a slower pace than children of the same age.
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties e.g. anxiety, displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour.
• Sensory and/or physical needs e.g. vision, hearing or mobility.

• The Head teacher, Mrs Duggin, are the overall responsible persons for Special Educational Provision.
• The Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo), Mrs J Thackray, is responsible for co-ordinating the day to day provision of education for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. She monitors the provision, liaises with outside agencies and provides advice for both parents and staff.
• The Deputy-SENDCo, Mrs N Jones, is responsible for assisting Mrs Thackray in her role.
• Class teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all pupils in their class, even where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff.
• Mr R Outhwaite is the member of the governing body who has specific oversight of the school’s arrangements for SEN  and disability.

• If you have any concerns about your child’s needs please contact your child’s class teacher either by telephone or by making an appointment to come into school and discuss your concerns.
• It is extremely beneficial to identify a child’s needs early so please contact your child’s class teacher as soon as you have any concerns rather than waiting.
• There may be occasions when a class teacher will contact you if staff have a concern about your child’s progress or needs. The teacher will invite you into school to discuss these concerns or speak with you on the telephone.
• Your child themselves may express concerns about their progress or needs and these views need to be shared with staff and parents.

• The class teacher will listen to your concerns and discuss his/her own observations.
• Together you will decide on a plan or action. This might be to carry out observations or assessments. Staff will also gather your child’s views. Staff might contact previous schools or settings for more information.

• High quality teaching, differentiated for individuals, is the first step in responding to pupils who may have SEN. Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having additional needs or SEN.

• If concerns remain the class teacher will complete an Internal SEND form to submit to the SENDCo and Headteacher which are reviewed termly.
• If it is agreed that your child has slightly different needs from the majority but does not need specific additional or different support, your child will start to receive Additional Needs Provision. Parents will be consulted of the decision. Your child will have an Additional Needs Plan (ANP) which will consist of one target set by the class teacher and one target set by either a parent or pupil. This ANP will be reviewed termly. 
• If your child requires provision that is additional and different to that which is offered to all pupils they will be registered and identified as having special educational needs. Parents will be consulted with the decision. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) following the graduated approach of assess, plan, do and review which is in line with the Code of Practice 2014 will be written. IEPs are drawn up in October and will consist of four short-term targets- two from the teacher, one from the parent and one from the pupil. On occasion, there may also be a specific target from an Outside agency. These targets will be monitored by the class teacher and reviewed by the teacher, SENDCo, parent and pupil during Parents Evenings in March and June.  Parents are encouraged to be fully involved in the process. 
• Any child is able to move between Quality First Teaching, Additional Needs and SEN after discussion at the termly review with staff and parents. 
• If concerns remain, advice may be sought from specialist outside agencies. This will only be carried out with parent’s consent.
• If additional and different support exceeds the funding delegated to the school budget for SEN, an application for higher level funding can be requested from the Local Authority by either the SENDCo or parent. An Educational Healthcare Needs assessment can be requested. If the assessment is successful a pupil will receive an Education Healthcare Plan. If the assessment is refused a pupil will continue to receive SEN support. Parents can appeal against the decision. 

• Staff will assess your child’s needs and will include your observations.

• Your child will receive either an Additional Needs plan (ANP) or an Individual Education plan (IEP) containing targets which will be shared with the child, parents and any staff who support the child.
• Your child may take part in/do specific interventions and receive support from teaching assistants, other teachers or specialist outside agencies.
• Staff will review your child’s progress with you and your child on a termly basis – in October, March and June.

The process of providing support is:

Assess, Plan, Do, Review - this is called the 'graduated approach'

Assess

• A child’s needs may be assessed formally through termly assessments as part of the normal school practice for monitoring progress.
• The SENDCo or Head teacher may carry out screening assessments on individuals with the consent of parents e.g. Dyslexia Screening
• Outside Agency support teachers may carry out assessments, with parental consent.
• The SENDCo or Outside Agencies may observe pupils in their learning environment.
• Observations from the class teacher, teaching assistants and parents will be gathered.
• The child’s views are obtained through discussions. This might be with the SENDCo, with Miss Coleman, the Learning and Family Mentor, or with a teaching assistant.
• The SENDCo or Head teacher will contact the previous school or setting to gather their observations if no information has been previously shared on transition.

ANPs for pupils receiving Additional Needs provision

• Your child will receive an Additional Needs plan containing one target set by the class teacher and one target set by the parent or child. These targets will be child friendly. 
• The plan will show your child's strengths.
• It will show your child's current attainment levels.
• This plan will also show the current area of need and the support put in place.

 IEPs for pupils receiving SEN provision

• Your child will receive an individual education plan containing a minimum of three targets. These targets will be set by the teacher, parent, child and Outside Agency if they are involved. These targets will be child friendly and SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Realistic Targets.
• This plan will also show your child’s strengths and contain your views and those of your child.
• The plan will show previous levels of attainment, current levels and expected levels after the interventions.
• It will outline your child’s areas of need.
• The plan will outline the strategies and interventions to be put in place.
• The plan will seek parental involvement to reinforce or contribute to progress at home.

 Do

Your child will receive Intervention and this could include:

• In class support when an additional adult will provide support e.g. with refocusing, following instructions, completing tasks.
• Small group work which may take place inside or outside the classroom e.g. social skills groups, guided reading groups, working on specific targets.
• Individual support ( known as 1:1 support) which may be inside or outside classroom which focuses on an individual’s targets e.g. reading, spelling, physiotherapy, fine motor activities, speech and language activities, counselling.
• Specialist Outside Agency support which is usually done on 1:1 basis outside the classroom focusing on the pupil’s specific targets.

Review

Your child’s targets and individual education plan will be reviewed at least 3 times a year, in October, March and June. Parents and pupils will be invited to attend the review process, as will any Outside Agencies who have provided advice or support.

The purpose of a review is to:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress.
• Decide if further support is still required.
• Decide if more specialist support is required.
• Decide on the next set of targets.
• Set a date for the next review.

There is a team of staff who support children with special educational needs and/or disability in school including;

• Your child’s class teacher
• Teaching assistants
• The SENDCo
• The Deputy-SENDCo
• The Family and Learning Mentor
• The Headteacher
• The SEND Governor
• Outside Agencies e.g. an Educational Psychologist, Speech Therapist, Physiotherapist.

The SENDCo

Mrs Thackray is a teacher who has over 20 years experience of being the SENDCo in Metheringham Primary School. She was fortunate to work as a consultant for a couple of years supporting new SENDCos in Lincolnshire. She has attended numerous courses on Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and many more. She attends local SEND briefings with other SENDCos to keep updated with recent changes. She has completed a counselling course along with another colleague, Mrs D Schwandt.

Mrs Thackray has worked as a Cluster Lead on an evidence - based project funded by Lincolnshire Learning Partnership (Mobilise) with the focus being on emotional health and well-being. She was previously a school-based lead for the past three years focusing on cognitive theory and memory and the effective use of teaching assistants. 

She is working closely with the Working Together Team hoping to gain the Aims4Lincs award. 

Mrs Thackray is also the designated teacher for Looked After Children and has attended training such as supporting pupils with attachment disorder and Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) 

The Deputy-SENDCo

Mrs Jones is a Key Stage one teacher who is a Specialist Leader of Education in Early Years with a view of sharing good practice. She is the PE co-ordinator who has a passion for ensuring all pupils have access to high quality PE. 

Mrs Jones is working as the school-based lead on a Mobilise project with the focus being on behaviour. She has a passion for research. 

Mrs Jones has applied to complete the SENDCo Award through Northampton University starting in September'22

The SEND Governor

Mr Outhwaite has had experience of being a SENDCo in his previous employment and was successful in obtaining the SENDCo Award.

Staff

Training has been delivered to staff in the following areas:

• Safeguarding  & Child Protection
• First Aid
• Autism
• Dyslexia
• Memory for learning
• Clicker 7
• Lego Therapy
• Mental health first aider ( one member of staff)
• Restorative awareness
• Team Teach ( six members of staff)
• Trauma
• Diabetes

We are fortunate to have a team of experienced Teaching assistants who support children with physical needs. They work under the guidance of a Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist to deliver Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy programmes.

They have experience of supporting pupils with speech and communication difficulties. One teaching assistant has  completed the ELKAN course. Some teaching assistants are experienced in using electronic assisitive technology equipment. Support and advice is received from staff from the Outreach Inclusion service at St. Francis Community Special school and the Electronic Assisitive Technology Service (EATs)

The SENDCo, Headteacher and a number of teaching assistants have received Diabetes training and work closely with the Diabetes Nursing Team. 

We are fortunate at Metheringham Primary School to receive advice and support from a wide range of Outside Agencies to support your child if needed. These include:

• Educational Psychologist
• The Specialist Teaching Team
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Physiotherapist
• Occupational Therapist
• Behaviour Outreach Support Service (BOSS)
• The Working Together Team
• Sensory Education and Support Team
• Dyslexia Outreach Service
• School Nursing Team
• Local Specialist Schools
• Early Help Workers
• Social Workers
• Play therapist
• Counsellors

Emotional and social support for pupils

We pride ourselves on our pastoral care at Metheringham Primary School. The staff at our school are always available for the children to speak to if they have any worries or concerns.

If parents have concerns about their child’s emotional and social development they should initially contact their child’s class teacher, Mrs Thackray (SENDCo) or Miss Coleman (Family and Learning Mentor.)

Some children require additional support with their social interactions and emotional development and this can be delivered either via small groups or in the 1:1 situation.

• Miss Coleman works with small groups of identified pupils to develop their social skills working on programmes such as ' Friends for Life.'

• Some pupils require 1:1 counselling focusing on more specific areas of need such as coping with a bereavement, an illness, separation or divorce, anxiety. Initially this will be delivered by Miss Coleman  who has attended counselling training and training on social, emotional and mental health.

• If concerns remain after 6 counselling sessions, a pupil may receive support from Outside Agencies such as Healthy Minds,CAMHs or Lincolnshire Grief and Loss Centre.

Mrs V Wilcox has attended the Mental Health First Aider training as Mental health and well- being is one of our school priorities. 

Mrs Thackray has attended Mobilise training on Emotional well-being and is promoting the 5 ways to wellbeing in school.