SEND Information

Disabled Access:   

Our school is fully accessible to people with disabilities with exterior ramps to all main entrances and the majority of classrooms.  iBoards can be optimised for partially sighted pupils and, where necessary, we make use of specific audio technology in order to assist children with hearing impairments.  We are now able to make use of a variety of apps on our iPads to support children with a varying range of needs.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) Information Report:

At Knutton St Mary’s C of E  Academy we pride ourselves on developing the individual. This encompasses all children, including those with special educational needs (SEN). Please find to follow an information report on what to do should you feel your child has special educational needs, what we will do if we feel your child has SEN and how we support all children with SEN at Knutton St Mary’s  Academy.

How do we know if your child needs extra help and what should you do if you think your child may have special educational needs? 

Our school will know when pupils need help if:

• concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or the child.
• limited progress is being made.
• there is a change in the child’s behaviour or progress.

The primary contact is your child’s class teacher who will monitor to ensure that children are making progress and meeting age related expectations through regular, but meaningful, assessment. Mrs S Rogers is the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at Knutton St Mary’s Academy.

How will Early Year’s staff support your child?

They will ensure that:

• there are appropriate differentiated activities that engage all children, factoring in their interests and needs.
• there are a range of indoor and outdoor learning environments to foster love of learning early, and begin to develop the individual.
• there is regular dialogue with parents/carers to ensure each child is well supported.
• regular progress checks ensure children are meeting age related expectations.
• individual Learning Plans (previously IEP’s) are devised if a child needs additional SMART targets to ensure that they are supported well and able to demonstrate progress, which will be shared with parents/carers.
• all staff have the highest available training in order to deliver the highest ‘quality first teaching’ at all times, with relevant planning and assessment links to the EYFS profile.
• the SEN Policy is followed within class as necessary at all times.

How will the curriculum be matched to your child’s needs? 

• Class teachers will all deliver ‘quality first teaching’ and hold high expectations of children in order to ensure that all needs are met.
• Teaching will be based on building upon what your child already knows through the utilisation of a text based curriculum that takes into account children’s interests.
• Teachers then plan to meet the needs of individuals/classes/cohorts, in line with their interests and the National Curriculum, adopting differing teaching styles/activities to encompass all learners, including those who may need additional practical or visual resources.
• Specific strategies may be employed (as suggested by SENCO or outside agencies) to support learning.
• Progress will be reviewed and identified gaps in learning or understanding will be met through additional support or intervention as necessary.

Depending on your child’s needs they may access one or more of the following types of support with their learning:

Targeted small group work. 

This group work, often called intervention group work, may be:

• delivered in the classroom or outside in a quiet area.
• delivered by a teacher or, more often, a Teaching Assistant who has had training to deliver the specific type of intervention learning.

School based Special Educational Needs support (which means your child has been identified by the class teacher as needing some extra support in school in addition to intervention group work)

For your child this would mean:

• Your child will have an Individual Learning Plan.
• He/She will engage in individual work and/or group sessions with specific targets to help him/her to make more progress, supported by the teacher or teaching assistant.

This type of support is available for any child who has specific gaps in their understanding of a subject/area of learning.

Specialist SEN support which means that your child has been identified by the class teacher/SENCO as needing some extra specialist support in school, from a professional outside of the school (of less than 20 hours in school). This may be from:

• local authority central services such as the ASD Outreach Team or Sensory Service (for students with a hearing or visual need).
• outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy Service or the Early Years Speech and Language Therapy Service (SALT or EYSLES).

For your child this would mean:

• Your child will have been identified by the class teacher/SENCO (or you will have raised your concerns) as needing more specialist input instead of, or in addition to, quality first teaching, School Action provision and intervention groups.
• You will be asked to come to a meeting to discuss your child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward to aid their progress.
• You may be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist or Educational Psychologist. This will help the school and yourself understand your child’s particular needs better, and be able to support them better in school.
• The specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations, which may include:
  • making changes to the way your child is supported in class e.g some individual support or changing some aspects of teaching to support them better.
  • support to set better targets which will include their specific expertise.
  • a group delivered by school staff under the guidance of the outside professional e.g. a social skills group.
  • a piece of group or individual work with an outside professional.
• The school may suggest that your child needs some individual support in school. School will discuss with you how the support will be used and what strategies will be put in place.

Support provided through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP or previously as Statement of Special Educational Needs).

This means that your child will have been identified by the class teacher/SENCO/specialist professional as needing a particularly high level of individual or small group teaching (more than 20 hours a week), which cannot be provided from the budget available to the school. This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong.

Usually your child will also need specialist support in school from a professional outside of the school. This may be from:

• local authority central services such as the ASD Outreach Team or Sensory Service ( for students with a hearing or visual need).
• access to Learning Team – behaviour support team.
• outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy (SALT) Service.
• a paediatrician.

For your child this would mean:

• The school (or you) can request that the Local Authority carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s needs. This is a legal process which sets out the amount of support that will be provided for your child.
• After the school have sent in the request to the Local Authority (with a lot of information about your child, including some from you), they will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to require a statutory assessment. If this is the case they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s needs. If they do not think your child needs this, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus.
• After the reports have been submitted to the Local Authority they will decide if your child’s needs require more than 20 hours of support in school to make good progress. If this is the case they will write a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an EHC Plan. If this is not the case, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus and also set up a meeting in school to ensure a plan is in place to ensure your child makes as much progress as possible.
• The Statement or EHC Plan will outline the number of hours of individual/small group support your child will receive from the Local Authority and how the support should be used and what strategies must be put into place. It will also have long and short term goals for your child.
• An additional adult may be used to support your child with whole class learning, deliver individual programmes or carry out small groups including your child.
• A specialist teacher may be employed to work with your child if recommended in the Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHC Plan.
• This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong and require more than 20 hours of support in school.

How will both the school and you as a parent or carer know how your child is doing and how will we help you to support your child’s learning?  

We will ensure that there are opportunities for:

• regular dialogue with staff through an open door policy to support positive relationships between school and home. Additionally, appointments can be made to see class teachers or the SENCO if a concern needs to be raised, by visiting the school office. Strategies can be shared between school and home to ensure that children are able to make the maximum progress.
• parents’ evenings, completed in the Autumn term and Spring term to discuss how your child has settled and their rates of progress, as well as their current achievements.
• sharing of achievements through celebration assemblies, which happen on a weekly basis and parents/carers are invited to share their children’s successes in and out of school.
• relevant reporting through end of year reports.
• the SENCO to meet with you to discuss progress or concerns as necessary.
• termly SEND Coffee Mornings to discuss your child’s needs and targets. You and your child are invited to meet with the teacher and/or SENCO to review and update your child’s Individual Learning Plan.

What support will there be for your child’s/young person’s overall wellbeing?

• High quality relationships with children based on positivity and good rapport.
• All children will have support from class teachers, teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors etc. to encourage open and honest relationships.
• PSHCE curriculum will support developing the whole child as an individual.
• Our curriculum enables children to engage deeply in their learning, making links to real life and as result, beginning to prepare them for the wider world.
• If a child has medical needs. then a detailed Care Plan will be in place with support from the school nurse/parents/carers, and all staff will be aware/trained as necessary.
• Regular first aid training is undertaken, as is training in specific needs, for example, asthma for all staff in school.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by Knutton St Mary’s Academy?

SEND Services, Educational Psychologist, CAMHS etc. are all accessed as necessary as are outreach services, for example, The Autism Outreach Team who support regarding children with ASD. Services are contacted/referrals are made as necessary.

What training have the staff supporting children with SEND had, or are having?

Previously, staff have received training for Dyslexia, Manual Handling, Safeguarding, Diabetes, First Aid, Hearing impairment, Autism, etc. Training has also been provided regarding the new SEN code of practise.

How will your child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips? 

• Inclusive environment for all and, as such, all children will be fully included in out-of-school activities/trips, etc.
• A Local Authority approved risk assessment is always carried out prior to any educational visit taking place.
• Consideration will always be given to children with SEND/ medical conditions to ensure that all potential issues have been assessed with appropriate risk assessment, and that clear procedures are in place should an issue arise.
• Additionally, ratios of staff to pupils are always within statutory requirements.
• Where necessary, for parents/carers or children’s benefits  (if 1:1 support is required), parents are invited to support their children on out-of-school activities/trips to ensure that all children are able to attend.

How accessible is Knutton St Mary’s Primary School?

• Please see the disability/equality policy: school is accessible for all children, including those with specific needs relating to walking or wheelchairs.
• Signage inside and outside of school is clear and well–posted.
• There is a disabled toilet with a changing table if necessary and staff are trained/undertaking training as necessary to support children with specific or medical needs.
• Children experience a range of teaching styles, rooms are arranged to meet needs, teachers and teaching assistants are deployed aptly to meet needs both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Lunchtime supervisors and playground leaders support engagement with the school environment.

How will Knutton St Mary’s Primary Academy prepare and support my child to join the next stage of education and life?

• Transition is carefully monitored and planned as children progress through year groups/key stages/schools.
• Transition days occur prior to children changing year groups as do intensive handovers between teaching and support staff to ensure that all staff are aware of the needs of the children within their class/the school and they are able to plan to further develop the individual on entry.
• If your child is joining our school:
  • We will contact the previous school/setting to discuss your child’s individual needs and any special arrangements or support that they are currently receiving.
  • We will obtain all records about your child and request that they are transferred as soon as possible.
• If your child is moving from Knutton St Mary’s Academy to another school:
  • We will contact the school and SENCO if necessary to ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that has been made for your child.
  • We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
• When moving classes in school:
  • Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and in most cases, a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher.
  • All Individual Learning Plans  will be shared with the new teacher.
  • If your child requires further support with their transition into their new class specific arrangements will be made. E.g. photographs of new members of staff to take home, extra sessions with new members of staff.
• In Year 6:
  • The SENCO will liaise with the SENCO of the secondary setting to discuss how a smooth transition can be managed and the provision and support that needs to be in place for your child.
  • Your child will visit their new school and take part in the transition programme offered by the secondary setting.

How are Knutton St Mary’s Academy’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs? 

• Our school aims to meet needs and demands as they arise through appropriate budgeting, resourcing and through/in line with the whole school development plan.
• Whole school actions are detailed within the Disability/Equality policy and SEN Service Level Agreement supports access to SENS services and outreach facilities.
• As necessary, whole school/small group/individual training needs are met through attendance on courses, in-house delivery or shared good practice as well as by procuring relevant training materials or resources to support children’s learning.
• All needs are reviewed regularly through discussion with the class teachers/SENCO/SLT/HT as necessary.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support your child will receive? 

• Children will receive in-house support in the initial stages when special educational needs are noted. Appropriate SMART targets will be set, reviewed and amended as necessary and on a regular basis. Teachers and support staff will attempt to meet needs of children within class/school.
• If children’s needs are not being met, outreach services or referrals to relevant specialists will be sought, following collaborative consultation with children/parents/teachers/support staff/SENCO/Head Teacher or Senior Leadership Team as necessary.
• Outcomes of referrals will then be acted upon with immediacy in school (for example, findings of Educational Psychologists reports, ASD specialist advice, SLCN programmes etc.) to further support children. If necessary, more referrals or requests for Statutory Assessment/Education and Health Plans will be made.

How are parents involved in Knutton St Mary’s Academy? How can you be involved?

• Open door policy encourages frequent, open and honest dialogue and all parents / carers are encouraged to have an active role in their child’s education, as well as through home-school diaries and regular letters/weekly newsletters.
• Parent’s evenings, Individual Learning Plan reviews and further discussions relating to progress and achievement.
• Parents/grandparents are encouraged to come into school for parents evening, lunches and workshops to support learning.
• Additionally, parents are asked to support their children during progress assemblies and sports days, as well as out of school activities like Songbirds and Boyz Noyz.
• The school has an up-to-date website with access to all relevant information.

Dealing with complaints

In the first instance, if you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling please contact the following:

• The Class Teacher
• The SENCo (Mrs S Rogers)
• The Head of School (Mr Paul Berridge) 
• The Safeguarding Lead (Mr Paul Berridge)
• The School Governor with responsibility for SEN (Mrs A Gadsden)

Complaints will be dealt with in line with the Children and Families Act 2014 and the school’s own complaints procedure.

If there is anything that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs S Rogers at your earliest convenience. Additionally, please note that the school SEN Policy and the Local Offer are both linked at the top of this page and should provide further information relating to special educational needs.