Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Report

Download our SEND Information Report as a pdf here.

The SEND Code of Practice (2015) identifies four areas of need: 

  • Cognition and Learning (C&L)
  • Communication and Interaction
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
  • Sensory and/or Physical (SP)

Here at Writtle Infant School we have well-informed, trained staff who are able to implement evidence-based interventions, as well as interventions planned by the Class Teacher and SENCo, to support children with SEND who may have barriers to learning. 

Cognition and Learning Provision

  • Phonics groups
  • Ultimate Guide for Phonological Awareness programme
  • Targeted individual reading sessions
  • Action Words
  • Precision Teaching
  • Whole word approach to reading
  • Mind mapping
  • Pre-teaching of vocabulary
  • Power maths
  • EPS Maths intervention

Communication and Interaction Provision

  • We have a full-time ELKLAN trained Speech and Language (S&L) LSA who regularly works with any children across the school with a S&L need.  She administers and monitors S&L plans set out by Provide.  All staff have had S&L training delivered by the SENCo who is also ELKLAN trained.  S&L support is always ongoing.
  • Pre-teaching of Vocabulary
  • Mind Mapping
  • 1:1 support for specific S&L needs
  • Narrative Thinking intervention
  • Colourful Semantics
  • Helicopter Stories
  • All staff have received the Autism Education Trust Level 2 training
  • Musical Communication
  • Social Stories
  • Social Skills group
  • Can I play
  • Comic strip conversations
  • Visual timetables – class and individual
  • Visuals 
  • Lego Therapy
  • Zones of Regulation – this is a whole school approach

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Provision

  • All staff have received STEPs training and the school operates therapeutic approaches to all behaviour 
  • All staff have been trained in Attachment Theory and we are an Attachment Aware School
  • Mindfulness activities
  • Emotional literacy group
  • Friendship and Wellbeing group delivered by trained LSA
  • Access to 1:1 counselling sessions
  • Zones of Regulation

Sensory or Physical Provision

  • Our school building is all on one level and accessible to all.  We have disabled access and disabled toilet facilities including a shower.   (Please refer to our Equality/Accessibility Policy on our website)
  • Fully inclusive PE equipment
  • Support can be arranged to enable extra-curricular activities to be inclusive
  • Physical/sensory breaks during the day
  • Gym Trail – gross and fine motor skills 
  • Dough gym – fine motor skills
  • Sensory boxes for individuals
  • Sensory equipment for sensory breaks

Graduated Approach to SEND Identification at Writtle Infant School

Step 1: High Quality Teaching (HQT)

High Quality Teaching is the essential foundation of all teaching, assessment and intervention for all pupils.  For most children HQT will meet individual needs and good progress will be made towards learning goals.  At WIS all children will be exposed to the following provision as part of a normal teaching day:
    • Consistent HQT with a differentiated curriculum, delivery and outcome to meet individual needs
    • An enriching topic based curriculum and learning environment with child led and multi-sensory learning opportunities 
    • Active feedback to support and progress learning
    • Reflective planning, and tailored intervention to meet individual requirements and extended learning challenges

Step 2: Concerns Raised

Individual pupil progress is monitored through continual assessment both formative and summative on a daily basis.  Pupil progress meetings take place termly and individual progress is tracked and monitored.   If a pupil is not considered to be making progress regardless of HQT, close monitoring of the pupil’s needs will be carried out to see whether support is needed that is different from and additional to, that provided for all pupils.  The Essex Provision Guidance Toolkit is consulted for guidance.  At the end of Early Years Foundation Stage a Profile is completed for each child.  This also helps to identify SEND pupils and inform practice for pupils entering KS1.

Step 3: SEND Support

Children who are identified as requiring extra support will have their needs assessed and a Person Centred Plan (PCP) will be written.  This includes the following:
    • Child’s view and the parent/carer’s views as well as their future hopes and aspirations
    • Outcomes will be set by the class teacher which take into account the views of all those involved
    • Review meetings will take place at the beginning of each new term.   Previous outcomes are assessed and new outcomes are set.
    • The SENCo monitors outcomes and progress of all children who have a PCP and offers guidance and support if progress towards outcomes is a concern.  If there are any further concerns the SENCo will carry out further assessments such as Speech and Language (Communication Trust); Maths – Sandwell; English – YARC or Salford reading assessment, UGPA (phonological awareness); social emotional and behavioural difficulties (inc self-esteem) – Boxall Profile

Step 4: Consultation with Outside Agencies

If  a child’s progress remains a cause for concern with carefully planned and executed provision, the School may opt to seek advice or support from an outside agency such as:  the School Nurse Team, SEND Operations Team, Educational Psychologist,  Specialist Advisory Teacher,  Speech and Language Therapist (Provide), Occupational Therapist (Provide),Family Solutions, EWMHS (Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service), Sycamore Counselling.   (This will only be take place with the consent of parents/carers).

Step 5: Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) Application

If there is a long and sustained period of no progress or very slow progress despite all the above measures and provision in place it may be considered appropriate to approach the SEND Operations Team to request a statutory assessment of an individual’s level of need.  Children with an EHCP will have clear end of Key Stage outcomes set.  These will be broken down into termly manageable realistic steps towards these outcomes.  There will be a termly meeting with all stakeholders (parents/carers, child, school staff) to review progress and monitor provision.

What can our Team offer? 

  • All staff have been trained on the ‘Step On’ program which is a therapeutic approach to behaviour which focuses on the promotion of prosocial behaviour
  • We are an Attachment Aware School.  All staff have received training in Attachment Theory.
  • We have two certified Level 3 ELKLAN Speech and Language trained staff
  • All staff have had Speech and Language training 
  • All staff have been trained to  Level 2, Autism Education Trust (AET)
  • We have two LSA’s with SEMH training
  • SENCo delivers regular training for teachers and LSA’s
  • SENCo and relevant LSA’s join local school cluster groups to share good practice
  • SENCo actively seeks new training opportunities for herself and members of the staff

School Ethos for SEND

Our vision is for this school to be a very special place where learning has no limits.  Every child matters, and as every child is valued as an individual, so are their needs.  We aim to meet these needs, together with you as parents, and, through specific support and provision, ensure your child enjoys an active, inclusive school experience.

Transitions

Where children transition from another setting, a Class Teacher and/or the SENCo, will visit the nursery or pre-school beforehand.   New intake children also have opportunities to visit the school prior to the September start.  Parents of children with SEND will be invited to meet with the SENCo.

For children with SEND, transitions into new year groups at the beginning of the academic year are well prepared, with additional visits beforehand.  

There is a comprehensive transition programme planned for transition to Writtle Junior School during the Summer Term of Year 2 which includes parent induction meetings; lunchtime and playtime visits; partaking in lesson activities at the Junior School, as well as a treasure hunt.  Children with SEND have additional visits planned which are designed to address individual needs.  Miss Storer, SENCo at Writtle Junior School will be present at our Summer Term PCP Review Meeting for Year 2 pupils to meet parents of our children with SEND. 

Pupils with Medical Needs

If a pupil has a medical need then a detailed care plan should be obtained from the health service and shared with the school, preferably via the school nurse.  All staff are made aware significant health needs of any pupils and visual reminders are sensitively used throughout the school.  All staff have up-to-date First Aid Training, with EYFS staff having an additional Paediatric First Aid Certificate.  All staff receive additional medical training where necessary to support children with conditions such as severe allergies or epilepsy.  

Please refer to our full policy:  ‘Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs’.

Who's Who

Mrs Caroline Standen is the SENCo at Writtle Infant School.  She has the National Award for SENCo; ELKLAN Speech and Language Level 3 training; training in Attachment Theory and training in Autism. 

Mrs Esther Burton is the governor responsible for SEND.  Mrs Burton has regular contact with Mrs Standen and makes regular visits to the school to keep abreast of SEND in relation to our school. 

If you have any concerns about your child please do not hesitate to contact either your child’s class teacher or Mrs Standen who will be only to happy to help.

Caroline Standen, SENCo   Tel: 01245 420963 senco@writtleinfantschool.com

Additional Information

The Local Authority have a website where parents can access information about what is available in the community.  This is called the Local Offer and can be found at: www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk

Complaints

At Writtle Infant School we always strive to ensure all children’s needs are met through well planned provision, however, if any of our stakeholders do not feel that this is the case they should follow our complaints procedure which can be found on our website in the Concerns and Complaints Policy.
Concerns & Complaints Policy