SEND

• SEND Code of Practice (0-25 years)
• The National Autism Society
• Downs Syndrome Society
• British Dyslexia Association
• ADHD Solutions

There are several ways in which we will become aware that your child has a special educational need:

Working with parents
At Uplands Infant School we work together with parents to achieve the best possible outcomes for pupils. All parents attend an individual meeting at school prior to their child becoming a pupil. This is an opportunity for parents to discuss any specific SEND needs already identified and enables the school to begin the process of liaising with other agencies and planning for any additional requirements that may be necessary.

Working with Outside Agencies
At Uplands Infant School we work with a variety of outside agencies to support pupil’s individual needs. These include health professionals e.g. Speech and Language Therapists, Community Paediatrician, Educational Psychologists, the Special Needs Teaching Service for both Early Years and KS1 and the Primary School Social, Emotional and Mental Health Team amongst others. When a pupil begins their education at Uplands Infant School it may be that they already have identified needs. In this case Outside Agencies may contact school and inform us of any provision which is already in place.

Once a child is already a pupil at Uplands Infant School
The progress of pupils at Uplands Infant School is constantly monitored and assessed by class teachers and members of the Senior Leadership team through individual, group and class assessment and through pupil progress meetings. In this way pupils who are not making expected progress or who have additional needs which are affecting their ability to engage in learning activities are identified. If a class teacher identifies a pupil who is experiencing difficulties they will discuss this at pupil progress meetings with the Senior Leadership team, or with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo). Evidence will be gathered and this will be the point that we contact parents and arrange a meeting to discuss their child.

Parents will be contacted in one of the following ways:

• At parents meetings held in the Autumn, Spring or Summer terms
• The class teacher may approach parents before or after school and ask them to have an informal discussion about their child Uplands Infant School Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Report 2020-21-2
• The SENCo may approach parents before or after school or contact parents by phone or letter and invite them to arrange a time to meet and discuss their child’s progress.

• If parents or carers are feeling at all anxious about their child’s progress or well-being their first port of call should be the class teacher. Parents should either make an appointment to meet with the class teacher and discuss their worries or discuss them with the class teacher at parents evening.
• Once they have had that initial conversation with the class teacher a decision can be reached as to what actions can be taken at home and at school to help the pupil.
• The class teacher may feel it would be beneficial to consult with the SENCo for additional information and advice.
• The school welcomes the opportunity to work together with parents. We realise that this is the best way to achieve good outcomes for children.

• The first place for support for pupils with SEND is always in the classroom. Teachers are skilled at adapting teaching to meet the diverse range of needs in each class. Daily planning takes into account individual pupil’s needs and requirements. The curriculum is made accessible to all pupils in a variety of ways to support access and ensure that all pupils can experience success and challenge in their learning. All classes at Uplands Infant School have both a class teacher and a TA for class support.
• Grouping arrangements are organised with opportunities for both ability and mixed setting to maximise learning opportunities for all.
• Additional adults are used flexibly to support groups and individual pupils. Our long term aim is to develop independence in learning, social and self-help skills. Monitoring takes place to avoid pupils from becoming over reliant and dependent on adult support.

This will be very dependent on what an individual’s needs are. These are some of the ways in which we can adapt the curriculum for an individual need:

• Class teachers differentiate their planning to accommodate the needs of all the children in their class.
• Class teachers adopt different teaching styles to accommodate the different needs of the pupils in their class.
• The curriculum can be adapted in different ways to enable pupils to access it in a learning style that suits them e.g. through practical activities, through scaffolding with a task planner, through small group work and through individual support.
• Visual timetables and chunking activities by use of first and next and reward may be appropriate for some pupils with specific needs.

The progress of pupils at Uplands Infant School is constantly monitored and assessed by class teachers and members of the Senior Leadership Team through individual, group and class assessment and through pupil progress meetings. All pupils are targeted individually in class to ensure good progress. Pupils with SEND may also have targets related to their specific needs. These will be documented in an IEP (Individual Education Plan). The class teacher in consultation with the SENCo and parents will agree on short term targets which prioritise key areas of learning or behaviour to address and by which progress can be measured. Where external agencies are involved, their advice and recommendations are included in these support programmes. Actions agreed to take into account each pupil’s strengths as well as their difficulties.

IEPs (Individual Education Plans) are reviewed three times a year; second half of Autumn term once pupils have settled into their new classes, after February half term and in June with a view to the transition of class or school. Parents and where relevant external agencies are invited to participate in the review. This may be at parents evening or at a separate meeting in school time or after school. The impact of support offered is considered along with the progress towards targets set. Support arrangements will be revised and targets updated accordingly. If not involved already this might include referral to external agencies. Wherever possible or appropriate the pupil’s views are also sought and documented on their IEP. If your child continues to have significant difficulties, further external advice may be sought. Additional funding may be available dependent on the provision required. Further details about this process are explained in the LA Local Offer:

www.localofferleicester.org.uk

• Parents are supported with their child’s learning through curriculum evenings and events.
• Parents are encouraged to talk to their child’s class teacher if they require support with curriculum areas, home learning or just have a question.
• Parents are invited to parent’s evenings in October and the spring term. Progress is reported to parents at the end of the summer term in the annual report to parents.

Uplands Infant school works with a number of external agencies to seek advice and support to ensure the needs of all pupils are fully understood and met. These include:

Our Staff have undertaken a variety of training to support children with SEND: Staff training takes place in several different formats:

• Whole staff training on Inset days or at staff meetings
• Training for groups of staff e.g. TAs
• Individual training to meet individual needs both in school and at Special Education

Needs & Disability Support Service headquarters at New Parks House. Class teachers have received training on the 2014 SEND Code of Practice. They have received training on ASD, Speech and Language difficulties, and individual pupil needs as they arise e.g. epilepsy, nut allergy. Individual members of staff receive training to meet pupil’s needs in their class e.g. on hearing impairment, ASD TAs have received training on the new SEND Code of Practice. They also receive training to meet the individual needs of pupils in their class e.g. hearing impairment, epipen training Individual staff members receive training according to the needs of the pupils they look after e.g. ASD – some staff have attended Early Bird programme, courses on supporting Hearing Impairment, epipen training, PECS.

Every effort is made by the school to ensure that all activities are accessible to all pupils depending on individual need. Staff take into account individual pupil needs when organising trips through risk assessments. Individual arrangements are made for pupils with SEND in consultation with parents. These can include the provision of extra staff to support individual children. At Uplands Infant School there are a variety of after school activities which change on a half-termly basis. These activities are open to all Key Stage 1 pupils to attend.

Uplands Infant School has an accessibility plan which can be viewed on the school website. Modifications which have been made to school to make it more accessible are:

• A connecting ramp between the two buildings
• The installation of disabled toilet facilities, also including changing facilities with a hoist
• Changes to teaching materials to meet individual need e.g. converting teaching materials Uplands Infant School Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Report 2020-21 6 into Braille for visually impaired
• Liaising with pupils from Ashfield Academy, who carry out accessibility/ user surveys for us to inform our accessibility plan
• Vista has reviewed our setting for pupils with a visual impairment

The transition between schools or even classes within a school can be an anxious time for pupils with SEND and their parents. At Uplands Infant School we aim to support a successful transition in the following ways:

From Preschool:

• Uplands Infant School are made aware of any pupils with significant needs and outside agency support by the agencies themselves.
• The SENCo will visit pupils in their previous setting and liaise with setting staff over the transition.
• The SENCo will attend final Early Support handover meetings.
• Parents will be invited into school to meet the new class teacher and discuss any individual needs.
• Meetings are held for all new pupils and their parents coming into Nursery and Reception in September at the end of the previous academic year.

When moving classes or a key stage within Uplands Infant School:

• Towards the end of the summer term, parents will be informed by letter as to which class their child is moving to.
• Pupils will spend a morning in their new class getting to know their new teacher, teaching assistant and classmates.
• Class teachers will meet at the end of the summer term to share information.
• The SENCo will share information with class teachers and teaching assistants about individual SEND pupils and their needs.

Moving on to a KS2 setting:

• Once we know the next school your child is going to attend we will contact the SENCo and share information about special arrangements and support that has been made to help your child achieve their learning goals.
• We will liaise with the next school over visits to ensure that your child is familiar with the next setting, has met their new teacher if possible and feels confident in what to expect in their new surroundings.
• In some cases, additional multi-agency meetings may be arranged to create a more detailed transition plan which may include further visits to the new school. The new school may also arrange to visit the pupil in their current setting.
• We will ensure that all records are passed on as soon as possible.

At each stage of transition, we encourage parents of pupils with SEND to liaise with school so that we can discuss any anxieties and make this as smooth a process as possible.

• SEND at Uplands Infant School is funded through delegated resources from the school budget.
• In addition the SENCo oversees a dedicated SEND budget for the school to fund replacement of equipment and any new resources required.
• A child with significant needs may require additional funding above and beyond the school delegated budget. This entails applying to the Local Authority for Element 3 funding.

• Pupils receive differing levels of support according to their individual needs. The decisions are taken following the graduated response as detailed in the SEND Code of Practice 2014 and the school SEND policy. High-quality class teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEND. This may include some extra support from the class TA or class teacher either individually or in a small group.
• If further targeted support is needed this can be delivered in intervention groups.
• Some support is given individually e.g. BRWP.
• Pupils with complex needs may have individual support allocated as part of their EHC plan.
• Extra support is allocated after consultation between staff, SLT, External Agencies and Parents.

Mrs B. Solanki

Contact can be made through the school office on 0116 2625280