How does Lingham Primary School know if children need extra help?

We 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 pupil’s behaviour or progress

What should I do if I think my child may have Special Educational Needs?

• The class teacher is the initial point of contact for responding to parental concerns
• If you have any additions concerns beyond this, then please contact Mrs Blamey the school SENCo. 

How will I know how Lingham Primary will support my child?

• Each pupil’s education programme will be planned by the class teacher. It will be adapted accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs. This may include additional general support by the teacher or teaching assistant in class.
• If a child has needs related to more specific areas of their education, such as spelling, handwriting, reading or writing then the pupil will be placed in a small focus intervention group. This will be run by the teacher or teaching assistant. The length of time of the intervention will vary according to the need but will generally be a term. The interventions will be regularly reviewed by all involved to ascertain the effectiveness of the provision and to inform future planning. If you have any queries related to the intervention please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher or SENDCo.
• Pupil Progress meetings are held each term. This is a meeting where the year group leaders discuss the progress of the pupils with the Senior Leadership team. This shared discussion may highlight any potential problems in order for further support to be planned.
• Occasionally a pupil may need more expert support from an outside agency such as a Paediatrician or Speech and Language therapist. A referral will be made, with your consent and forwarded to the appropriate professionals, after a series of assessments, if appropriate a programme of support is provided to the school and parents/carers.
• The Governors at Lingham are responsible for overseeing of all procedures in school. 

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

• When a pupil has been identified with special needs their work may be adapted by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily.
• Teaching Assistants (TAs) may be allocated to work with the pupil on a 1:1 basis, or small focus group to target more specific needs.
• If a child has been identified as having a special need, they will be given a Support Plan. Targets will be set according to their area of need. These will be monitored by the class teacher and by the SENDCo termly. SPs will be discussed with parents at Parents’ Evenings and a copy given to them.
• It may be that the child needs specialist equipment e.g. writing slopes, concentration cushion, pens/pencil grips or easy to use scissors (These will be provided by the school).

How will I know how my child is doing?

• You will be able to discuss your child’s progress at Parents’ Evening.
• Your child’s class teacher will be available at the end of each day if you wish to raise a concern. Appointments can be made to speak in more detail to the class teacher or SENDCo by visiting the school office.  

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• The class teacher may suggest ways of supporting you child’s learning.
• Mrs Blamey may meet with you to discuss how to support your child with strategies to use if there are difficulties with a child’s behaviour/emotional needs.
• If outside agencies or the Educational Psychologist have been involved, suggestions and programmes of study are normally provided.

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering emotional difficulties.

These include:

• Members of staff such as the class teacher, Family Liason and SENDCo, and are readily available for pupils who wish to discuss issues and concerns.
• For pupils who find lunchtimes difficult, for various reasons, clubs and activities are available.
• Referrals for a Family Support worker and other workshops can be made.

Pupils with medical needs.

• If a pupil has a medical need then a detailed Health Care Plan is complied with support from the School Nursing Team (0-19), in consultation with parents/carers.
• Staff receive Epipen training.
• Where necessary and in agreement with parents/carers, medicines are administered in school but only where a signed Medical consent form is in place, to ensure the safety of both child and staff member.
• Staff have basic first aid and defibrillator training, some staff have a full Paediatric first aid certificate.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive more specialised expertise.

The agencies who work with the school include:

• Autistic Spectrum and Communication Team (ASC Team)
• Educational Psychologist
• Educational Welfare Officer (EWO)
• Vision support
• Hearing support
• Social services
• Speech and Language (NHS)
• Language Box – Speech and Language
• Occupational therapy
• Arrow Park Paediatricians
• School nursing Team (0-19)
• Special Educational Needs Assessment Advice Team (SENAAT)
• Ellery Park Outreach
• Oretts Meadow (Specialist Literacy Support)
• Minority Ethnic Achievement Service (MEAS)
• Brierz Counselling
• ADHD Foundation
• MHST (CAMHs)

An Educational Psychologist is allocated to each school. They would normally only work directly with pupils who’s needs are felt to be more complex, and have not responded well to the interventions previously put in place for them.

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

Activities and school trips are available to all.

• Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are in place to enable all children to participate.

How accessible is the school environment?

As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements.

Facilities we have in place include:

• 2 toilets adapted for disabled users.
• Ramps into school to make the building accessible to all.
• Wide doors in most areas of the school.

How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Lingham Primary School or transferring to a new school?

Many strategies are in place to enable the pupil’s transition to be as smooth as possible. These include:

• Discussions between the previous or receiving schools prior to the pupil joining/leaving.
• All pupils attend a transition session where they spend some time with their new class teacher.
• Additional visits are also arranged for pupils who may need extra time in their new school.
• Mrs Blamey is always willing to meet parents/carers prior to their child joining the school.
• Secondary School staff visit prior to them joining their school.
• Mrs Blamey will liaise with the SENDCos from the Secondary schools to share information regarding SEND pupils.
• Where a pupil may have more specialised needs, a separate meeting may need to be arranged with Mrs Blamey, the Secondary school SENDCo, parents/careers and the pupil where appropriate.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s educational needs?

• The SEND budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependent on individual’s needs.
• The additional provision may be allocated after discussion with the class teacher, at pupil progress meetings or if a concern has been raised by them at another time of the year.
• Resources may include deployment of staff depending on individual circumstances.

How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

• These decisions are made in consultation with the class teacher and Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Decisions are based upon termly tracking of pupil progress and as a result of assessments by outside agencies.
• During their school life, if further concerns are identified due to the pupil’s lack of progress or well-being, then other interventions will be arranged.

How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?

All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education. This may take the form of:

• Discussions with the class teacher
• Attendance at parents evenings
• Discussions with Mrs Blamey or other professionals

Parents are also encouraged to comment on their child’s Support Plan, with possible suggestions that could be incorporated.

Who can I contact for further information?

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs, or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling, please contact the school office to arrange a meeting with the SENDCo.