Holly Hill Methodist / Church of England Infant and Nursery School

 SEND Information Report

What kinds of Special Educational Needs does the school make provision for?  What type of provision does the school make and how do they know it works?

In our school we make provision for pupils who have any of the needs in the table below.  We know that some pupils will have difficulties in more than one of these areas and we will always do our best to meet their needs. The support in this table acts as a guide but the things we do may vary and actual support will be based on the specific needs of each pupil.

All children in school have support within lessons through differentiation and quality first teaching strategies.  This means that activities are planned according to the level the child or young person is working at.  This can include a variety of adaptions including changes to the physical environment, changes to teaching styles as well as levels of adult support.

Admission to Holly Hill Church School is subject to the Admissions Policy please see the policy section of the website should you require any further information.  Our school aim is to support all children get the right level of education that they need in an appropriate setting. This is a Christian school, supported by the Methodist Church and the Church of England, that sets out to serve the whole community.  We welcome children from all sections of the community, including those whose families attend a Christian church alongside those of other faith communities or none.  If admissions have to be restricted by the number of places available, the governors will admit children in the following order of priority:

1. Children looked after by a Local Authority (in line with section 22 of the Children Act) and children who were previously looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order).
2. Children who have siblings in the school or nursery who will still be in attendance when the applicant enters school, defining sibling as in the notes below.
3. Nearness of the child’s home to the School.

Types of need and what that could look like	Examples of support available in our school	How we check it is working.
Cognition and Learning Children who find learning, thinking and understanding harder than most other pupils. Some of the things children with these difficulties might find difficult are: Take longer to learn important skills Find it difficult to remember things such as the  important words for reading and times tables Find it hard to understand how to use letter sounds to read and spell words May need more time to think about their answers	Teachers change what they are teaching or the way to help the child learn more with the rest of the class Extra support can be given in a small group by an adult to help the child learn the things they are finding difficult Extra support can be given to the child by an adult for short time during the day to support them learn skills Individual targets set to help show what the child needs help with Access to specialist support from a teacher or other professional	Look at the targets set to see if the child has achieved them Talk to adults who have worked with the child Talk to parents Talk to the child Use the school tracking system to see how much progress the child or young person has made Have meetings with other staff in school to talk about how the child learning Ask for other professionals to work with the child to check the progress being made
Communication and Interaction Children who find it difficult with interacting with the people and world around them. Some of the things children with these difficulties might find difficult are: Talking to other adults and or children, especially when in a group Talking about a topic they haven’t chosen to talk about Making friends or keep friend for a long time Following rules made by someone else Dealing with changes in the way they usually do things Dealing with noises, smells or other sensations around them Saying the things they are thinking Understand what other people mean when they are talking	Teachers change what they are teaching or the way they teach  to help the child learn more with the rest of the class Use support programmes especially made to help the child or young person to build communication and interaction skills Use things in the classroom to help the child or young person understand or deal with things that are happening (for example visual timetables, task boards, social stories) Get advice from professionals and specialist staff trained in school to give advice to adults working with the child or young people.	Observations of the to see if they are communicating or interacting differently Look at the targets set to see if the child has achieved them Talk to adults who have worked with the child Talk to parents Talk to the child
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties Children and young people who find it difficult to manage their emotions and behaviour in a way that affects their daily life. Some of the things children with these difficulties might find difficult are: Following rules set by others Sitting still for very long Listening to and follow instructions Understanding how they are feeling Making friends Dealing with their difficulties in a way that does not cause harm to themselves or others Taking responsibility for the things they do	Get advice from professionals and specialist staff trained in school to give advice to adults working with the child Extra support can be given in a small group by an adult to help the child learn about how to help themselves Extra support can be given to the child by an adult for short time during the day to let them talk about the things that upset them Individual targets set to help show what the child needs help with.	Observations of the child to see if they are coping better in school. Talk to adults who have worked with the child Talk to parents Talk to the child
Sensory and/or physical needs Children who have a disability that may make it difficult for them to manage their everyday life without changes or support This may be because of hearing or visual difficulties, physical disabilities or other medical needs. Some of the things children and young people with these difficulties might find difficult are: Hearing what others in the classroom or school setting are saying Reading words on books, worksheets or whiteboards that are not made bigger or changed to help them Moving around without the aid of a walking aid or wheelchair Using pencils, scissors, knives and forks and other things that we need to use without changes or support Taking medication without adults helping them	Professional advice from specialist staff Physiotherapy Occupational Therapy (OT) Support from outreach services such as the hearing or visual impairment or physical disability  teams Specialist equipment Motor groups Adaptations to the school environment where possible	Monitoring that the child has full access to a broad and varied curriculum Observations of the child within the school environment Talk to adults who have worked with the child Talk to parents Talk to the child

How does the school identify and assess Special Educational Needs?

In school we use a variety of different ways to assess whether a child has special educational needs. Some of these ways include:

• Observations
• School based test results
• Information from parents and carers
• Information from the child
• Specialised assessments carried out by members of the school’s support services
• Information from previous schools or settings
• Results from end of key stage assessments
• Discussions with adults who work with the child

Once a child is identified as having a special educational need, a graduated approach to support is taken.  The child or young person’s needs will first be assessed, then support will be planned, carried out and then reviewed.  At the review any necessary changes will be made.

How do the school know how much progress is being made by pupils with Special Educational Needs?

All children’s progress, including those children with special educational need, is tracked using the school’s assessment tracking system.  Pupils are assessed regularly using teacher marking, observations and questioning as well as more formal assessments such as curriculum tests and standardised test. In Birmingham we also have access to the Birmingham Language and Literacy and Maths toolkits which support assessment when a child or young person is making small steps of progress.  In addition for children with special educational needs we also set individual targets that are reviewed at least three times a year.  This helps the school to monitor how well interventions are working.  The progress each child is making is discussed at pupil progress meetings with the class teacher and the SENCo if necessary.

What extra-curricular activities can a pupil with Special Educational Needs access at school?

All children have access to our extra-curricular activities. Where appropriate and possible, adjustments will be made to ensure all children and young people with special educational needs are fully included in these activities.

In addition our school provides additional extra-curricular activities for children and young people with special educational needs when needed. These may include lunchtime clubs, social interaction groups and after school clubs.

Does the school have a Special Educational Needs co-ordinator?  If so who are they and how can someone get in touch with them?

Our school has a SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS co-ordinator, we usually call them the SENCo.

Her name is Mrs Kate O'Neill.

If you would like to talk to her then you can pop into school or call the school office on 0121 675 8700 to make an appointment.  You can also send an email to enquiry@holyhill.bham.sch.uk

What training does the staff in school have in relation to pupils with Special Educational Needs? 

In our school we believe that all staff should be involved in supporting pupils with special educational needs and so we make sure that staff have training to help them do this.

Our staff have had training for Quality First Teaching, Allergic Reaction, Asthma, ASD and Attachment and the Learning Triangle, Direct Phonics, Precision Teaching and Makaton.

As well as this various staff have been trained for different aspects of special educational needs including Professional Development for the SENCO, Autistic Spectrum Disorder Lead Practitioner Training, Speech and Language support, Learning Mentor support.

How do the school get more specialist help for pupils if they need it? 

In our school if we feel a pupil needs more specialist help we can work with the following people to get this.

Agency or Service	Who they work with	How school can get in touch with them
Behaviour Support Service (BSS)	Children or young people with emotional, social or mental health difficulties that impacts on their behaviour in school	School have an allocated worker who they will contact after a parent or carer signs a referral form
Communication and Autism Team (CAT)	Children  or young people who are being assessed for or already have a diagnosis of Autism or communication difficulties. They will also provide support for families of children or young people with these difficulties.	School have an allocated worker who they will contact after a parent or carer signs a referral form
Educational Psychology Service (EPS)	Children or young people with complex needs. An Educational Psychologist will always be involved with a child or young person who is referred for an Education, Health and Care Plan.	School have an allocated worker who they will contact after a parent or carer signs a referral form.
Physical Disability Service (PDS)	Children or young person with physical difficulties which impact on their access in the school setting.	School have an allocated worker who they will contact after a parent or carer signs a referral form.
Pupil and School Support (PSS)	Children or young people who are working below the levels expected for their age. A Pupil and School Support Teacher will also work with staff in schools offering support, advice and training.	Pupil and School Support teachers regularly visit schools.  School will let parents or carers know if they need to work with the child or young person.
Sensory Support Service (SSS)	Children or young people who have particular sensory needs such as visual or hearing difficulties where access to the usual school environment is affected.	Pupils are usually referred following a medical diagnosis; however school can phone them for further support and general advice.
Speech and Language Therapy Service (SALT)	Children or young people with a high level speech and language difficulties.	School can fill in a form which parents or carers sign.  The family doctor can also complete this form.
Occupational Therapy	Children or young people with physical difficulties that require regular exercise.	School can ask a paediatrician to make a referral.
School Nurse	Children or young people with medical needs particularly where medication is needed.	Staff can contact the school nurse over the phone and ask for them to visit school if necessary.

How are parents of children with Special Educational Needs involved in the education of their child?

Our school has an open door policy to parents ensuring we are always approachable so parents feel involved in the education of their child.

In addition our school aims to regularly involve parents in the education of their child through a variety of different ways including:

• Regular meetings with SENCo, class teacher and support staff
• Target setting so parents can see what their child is working on next
• Parent's views on One Page Profiles, ITPs and Annual Reviews
• Home/school books to inform parents of important information if necessary
• Regular curriculum letter to inform parents of what will be going on during the term
• Homework
• Home reading logs
• Information on the school website
• Target setting meetings and Parents’ evenings
• Parent workshops
• Parent drop-ins/coffee mornings
• Signposting to parent groups
• Parents’ views on IEP/Annual Review documents

How are pupils with Special Educational Needs involved in their own education?

We aim to involve all children in our school in the evaluations and implementation of their own education. For children with Special Educational Needs we use a variety of strategies to support this including:

• Child target review meetings
• Involve child or young person in setting their own targets
• Our children with Special Educational Needs are also involved in developing a One Page Profile about themselves so the people around them can help them learn
• Self-assessment at the beginning and end of learning
• Having a range of equipment available for the child to choose to use
• Ensuring the child or young person works with a range of different partners
• Ensuring the child has a designated adult to go to if they need help
• Membership of the school council
• Medical alert cards
• Communication cards
• Visual timetables
• Prompt cards to promote independence
• Personalised work stations
• Learning breaks
• Calm down spaces

How does school ensure that children with Special Educational Needs are treated fairly?

Holly Hill Church School welcomes everybody.  We value, respect and celebrate all the things that make us unique and actively encourage the children to learn about the world and all the people in it. All children actively participate in PHSE lessons which enable them to learn about all kinds of people.  All of our policies are made in relation to the Equality Act and we at Holly Hill include all and ensure everybody is treated fairly.

The Accessibility Policy and Plan provide details of how we as a school support fair access to our school site and increased access to the curriculum for SEN pupils.  For more information please see our Policy section of the website.

If a parent of a child with Special Educational Needs has a complaint about the school, how does the governing body (or proprietor) deal with the complaint?

If you have a complaint about the school, in the first instance please contact Mrs Kate O'Neill, the SENDCo we will do everything we can to fix the issue. Our school and governing body take complaints seriously and will act upon these on an individual basis. Please see website for information on our complaints policy.

How does the governing body involve other people in meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs including support for their families?

In our school we have a governor who is responsible for special educational needs. His name is Christian Bromley.

His job is to meet with the SENCO regularly. In these meetings the SEN Governor make sure that children and families are being supported by the right services from in and outside of school. The SEN Governor will also visit the school, observe what happens in classrooms and meet with class teachers, support staff and children and young people.

In addition the Head teacher and SENCo give a report to the SEN Governor three times a year. The SEN Governor shares this report with the other governors so that the whole governing body is aware of how special educational needs are being supported in the school and how well this support is working. The governors will challenge, support and advise the head teacher if appropriate provision isn’t being made.
 

Who are the support services that can help parents with pupils who have Special Educational Needs?

Agency	How they support parents	How to contact them
Birmingham Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service	The Birmingham Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service exists to provide advice and information to parents and pupils in Birmingham. This information is designed to explain special educational needs procedures, to help you understand the law and procedures that affect you and your child, and to provide information on other issues that may be useful.	Birmingham Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service The POD, 28 Oliver Street Nechells, Birmingham B7 4NX Email: sendiass@birmingham.gov.uk   Telephone 0121 303 5004
Big Community	Big Community allocate a worker to support Emotional Health and Wellbeing, Family Work, Attendance or Speech and Language Therapy	Big Community Central Office, The Business Rooms, Rubery, Birmingham B45 9AL http://www.bigcomm.org/ Telephone: 0121 457 6758  Fax: 0121 457 6757 E-mail: bigcommunity@bigcomm.org
Autism West Midlands	Support and training for parents of children with autism Online social network	Contact via request form on website https://connect.autismwestmidlands.org.uk/index.php/site/contact Telephone: 0121 450 7582
Bereavement Counselling – Winston’s Trust	Provide support for children who have suffered a bereavement	http://www.winstonswish.org.uk/ 3rd Floor, Cheltenham House, Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3JR Telephone: 01242 515 157 Email: info@winstonswish.org.uk
Think Family	Think Families team will allocate a worker who will offer support to the family in any way possible.	0121 303 1888 http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/think-family
Birmingham Families and Safeguarding Team	Safeguarding of children	http://www.lscpbirmingham.org.uk/ Birmingham Safeguarding Children's Partnership PO Box 17340, BIRMINGHAM, B2 2D Telephone: 0121 464 2612
Malachi	Malachi will allocate a worker to support families who have a child with emotional difficulties resulting in behaviour that impacts negatively on learning.	http://www.malachi.org.uk/index.aspx Billesley and Yardley Wood Community centre, 725 Yardley Wood Road, Billesley, Birmingham B13 0PT Telephone: 0121 441 4556
Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service	CAMHS will provide clinical psychology and family therapy sessions for children and families to support with emotional and mental health needs	Clinical Psychology 0121 333 8046 Family Therapy 0121 243 2013

How do the school support pupils with Special Educational Needs through transition?

We aim to make times of transition as easy as possible for the children and young people in our school.

When starting at our school we:

• Meet with the child and their parents to talk about their needs and answer any questions about our school
• Meet or talk with staff at the child previous school or setting
• Provide the child or young person with a transition book that has photographs of the key staff and areas around school
• Read reports from people who have worked with the child
• Arrange visits to our school so the child gets to see it before they start properly
• Give any adults working with the child information describing the things that help  to support them in school

When moving to a new year group we:

• Introduce the child to their new teacher individually
• If necessary, provide the child with an updated transition book that has photographs of the key staff and areas around school to look at during the school holidays.
• Talk to the child and their family so we can answer any questions they may have about the new year group
• Give any adults working with the child information describing the things that help to support them in school

When moving to a new school we:

• If possible, hold an ITP review and invite key staff from the new school
• Update and pass on One Page Profile to the new school
• Talk to key staff at the new school about things that help the child to learn well and be happy at school
• Arrange extra visits to the new school with a member of staff from our school if that is what the child wants
• Talk to the child and their family so we can answer any questions they may have about the new school

How can parents find the Birmingham Local Authority’s local offer?

The Birmingham Local Authority’s Local Offer can be found at:

• www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk