Question

Response

How will I know if my child is receiving SEN support?

As soon as your child’s SEN has been identified as having additional needs we will contact you and invite you to come into school to discuss plans to help him or her make better progress. An Assess, Plan, Do, Review will be created where 3 achievable targets will be set each term and reviewed.

How do you make sure that the SEN support is helping pupils make better progress? How will I know that my child is making progress?

Class teachers, the senior management team and the SENCo closely monitor the progress made by our children with SEND. Half termly meetings are held to discuss progress made and to plan targeted interventions for those children who have not made the expected progress. Interventions are carefully monitored and impact measured half termly, using our School Intervention record.

Progress will be reported termly to Parents through parent-teacher consultations, written reports and review meetings with the SENCo twice a year.

At Smith's Wood Primary Academy, Children with SEND are expected to make as much progress as those children without additional needs. Children with SEND in our school make good progress each year, above national expectations.

Children with SEN have Assess, Plan, Do, Review outlining the strategies that are in place to support their progress, and these are updated each term and shared with you. Your comments will be included in this document.

SEN provision was graded as ‘Outstanding’ in our OFSTED inspection in 2017 and again in 2023.

How do you check and review the progress made by pupils with SEN?

Parents and carers of children with SEND will be invited in to review their child’s progress with the SENCO and any other relevant professionals twice a year, in addition to their usual parent-teacher consultations

How will I be involved in those reviews? Who else will be there?

Parents can make further appointments to meet with the SENCO as necessary alongside this and our SENCO is also easily accessible by phone or email. Families are encouraged to speak with the teacher in the first instance as they can often provide information or begin the Assess, Plan, Do, Review. The SENCO will then get in contact with you so that we can work together to ensure the needs of the child can be met as effectively as possible.

Is there any extra support available to help pupils with SEND with their learning? How will I know if my child is getting extra support?

At Smith's Wood Primary Academy we have a part time Speech and Language Therapist, on site supporting  the speech and language needs of our learners.

We offer a therapeutic service within school that includes two child counsellors, offering one to one ongoing individual sessions to support the social, emotional and mental health of our children. Each class has teaching assistant support and adult to child ratios are very high. We also have weekly Relaxed Kids sessions where identified children will be involved in 1:1 or group sessions.

We have access to external support from Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapy, SOLAR (Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health) Specialist teachers in the areas of Speech and Language, Visual Impairment, Hearing impairment, Sensory Needs, Physical Impairment, Communication and Learning, Autism and paediatricians, amongst others.

What social, before and after school and other activities are available for pupils with SEND? How can my child and I find out about these activities?

Breakfast Club is available for children who need a softer start to the school day. A family worker is available in these sessions to help children settle in to the school day, while they have something to eat and drink.

A variety of free extra curricular clubs are available and accessible to all our children, including those with SEND. These change on a regular basis, but usually include cookery, choir, Science Club, netball, football, dance and art and craft. Not all these clubs will be available to every year group, but when a new activity is beginning, families will be informed with a letter and invited to apply for a place. We aim to accommodate as many children as possible.

How does your school support pupils’ emotional and social development?

Smith’s Wood Primary Academy offers therapeutic and family support to help with the emotional and social development of our pupils. We also have two a trained mental health first aiders on site.

We also have a counsellor at the school one two days a week, offering one to one ongoing individual sessions to support the social, emotional and mental health of our children.

All children access the Character Education curriculum and programmes such as Circle of Friends, Time to Talk, Jigsaw and peer mentoring groups are delivered and accessed as necessary. We also run a range of clubs that help develop children’s mental health. 

We have an accessible sensory garden to provide an area of reflection and peace as well as an indoor sensory room.

Our focus is on positive praise, always focusing on what the children can do, rather than what they find difficult. Children are rewarded and praised on a daily basis, but also through weekly celebration assemblies.

Who should I contact if I want to find out more about how the school supports pupils with SEND?

My name is Kelly Smith and I am the SENCO at Smith's Wood Primary Academy. I have been teaching for 10 9 years and have the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination. I work with children from Nursery to Year 6 alongside the class teachers, ensuring that children who require additional support are able to reach their full potential through carefully planned, delivered and assessed interventions, using an ‘Assess, Plan, Do’ approach. Our children with additional needs make good progress at Smith's Wood Primary Academy in all subjects. I work closely with the Pastoral team here, including a Behaviour Specialist, Family support workers, counsellors, and an educational psychologist to ensure that children’s emotional and mental health is given as much priority as their academic learning. We also have a Speech and Language Therapist in school who assesses and works with children on a one to one basis. Our aim is to work closely with families, to ensure a rounded, joined up approach to helping children progress emotionally and academically, reaching their full potential.

How will I be involved with planning for and supporting my child’s learning?

Who will help me to support him/her at home?

If your child has SEND, the class teacher is still your first port of call to discuss daily issues, If a question or issue is more specific, or can’t be answered by the class teacher then you should make an appointment to see the SENCO. The SENCO is available before and after school as well as during the day, for informal discussions about issues as they arise. You will be invited to a more formal review of your child’s progress with the SENCO at least twice a year, in addition to your written report and parent consultation evenings with the class teacher. Next steps will be discussed and shared with you at these meetings.

Family support and information is available through Paula Kirk  our Family Support Workers, who are in school full part time.

Parents are also encouraged to contact Mr. Hobbis, Head of Personal Development, Behaviour and Attitudes, in relation to any  concerns regarding Social, Emotional or Behaviour issues.