Adopted and implemented by the Principal:

May 2024

To be reviewed (annually): 

May 2025

Aims and Guiding Principles

Billesley Primary School is a caring, inclusive school at the heart of our community. Our aim is to promote excellence in teaching and enjoyment in learning as the foundation for success in life, through a rich, broad and balanced curriculum.

Our aim is for every child to actively engage in learning to reach their fullest potential in all areas of school life knowing that they are cared for, listened to and supported. Children’s well-being is at the centre of life in school and the key to raising academic standards. This is supported by the highest of expectations and by developing personal awareness, emotional literacy and social understanding.

Above all, we aim to develop confident, reflective children, who are proud to belong to our community, have a sound knowledge of their own value and purpose in the world, are able to think creatively and with independence and so see a future full of possibilities.

At Billesley Primary School, we believe all children, including those identified with special educational needs and disabilities, have a common entitlement and this policy describes the way that we meet the needs of children who experience barriers to learning.  

Introduction

Definitions of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) taken from section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014:

A child or person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they either :

a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age

b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 settings.

A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if they fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.

Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught. Slow progress and low attainment do not necessarily mean that a child has SEND and should not automatically lead to a pupil being recorded as having SEND.

A child with special needs may need extra or different help at school or home because of a range of difficulties that come under the 4 identified broad areas of need according to the SEND Code of Practice (2015) i.e.

• Communication and Interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Social, Mental and Emotional Health
• Sensory and/or Physical

Aims and Objectives

This policy aims to ensure that curriculum planning, learning and assessment for children with special educational needs and disabilities takes account of the nature and extent of the difficulty experienced by the child.

We aim to work with the LA to ensure high levels of achievement, effective learning, progress and development for all pupils regardless of any special educational need ensuring that:

• All children are given equal access to the curriculum and that each child’s achievements are valued.
• All learners make the best possible progress.
• Procedures for identifying children with SEND are known by all staff and identified as soon as possible.
• Staff are kept aware of appropriate provision and of the needs to differentiate for the range of SEND and are provided with regular training and development.
• Parents and carers are informed of their child’s special educational needs and provision, and that there is effective communication between parents/carers and the school.
• Records on provision map follow the child through the school and are clear, factual and

up-to-date.

• There is adequate resourcing for SEND and involvement of outside agencies where appropriate.
• Every child has an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of school life, irrespective of race, gender or need.
• Pupils are involved wherever possible in the planning, review and target setting of their programme of work.
• Individual needs are regularly monitored and reviewed and clear records of any action taken are maintained
• To review needs and provision termly for budgeting, planning and resourcing for SEND.
• To liaise with relevant infant and secondary schools to ensure smooth transition between settings and the transfer of records.

Procedure for SEND Support

The trigger for SEND Support is:

A decision is made, following assessment, teacher concern or parental concern which indicates that current support is not sufficient to ensure adequate progress.

The SENDCo, in consultation with the class teacher, will:

• Assess the child’s needs that are central to the process, ‘the child centred approach’.
• Ensure that a graduated approach of assess, plan, do and review is adopted.
• Decide whether to seek further advice and/or support the class teacher.
• Make arrangements for monitoring progress and review.
• Consult with parents.
• Consult with the young person on the nature of their SEND and the support they will have available.
• Review all the available information and contact appropriate external advisory agencies e.g. Pupil and School Support (PSS), Educational Psychologist (EP), Speech and Language therapy (SALT) and Forward Thinking Birmingham.
• Collect any additional information from any other appropriate agencies.

School Support Provision Plan/ Educational, Health and Care Plans

In certain cases the conclusion may be reached that, having given extra SEND support to meet the learning needs of the pupil, the pupil’s needs remain substantial and cannot be effectively met within the resources available to school. The pupil will have been receiving SEND Support and will have been monitored with the aid of outside agencies.

If the school and parents still have concerns we may therefore draw the pupil to the attention of the Local Authority (LA) with a view to complete a School Support Provision Plan (SSPP) or to complete a formal statutory assessment and development of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). A SSPP enables schools to access funding to support the pupil and meet their needs quickly (approximately 2 weeks) and effectively in the hope of removing them from the SEND register once this need has been supported.

If this is not the case and the child requires further specialist support and provision in order to meet their needs, then an ECHP may be completed. For an EHCP, the school will be required to clearly state the reason for the referral and submit the following information through the process of a Team Around the Child (TAC) meeting.

• Recorded views of parents and where possible the pupil, at the earliest stages of assessment, with action and support to date
• Any relevant medical information
• Where appropriate, evidence relating to Social Services involvement
• Individual intervention record/ pupil profiles
• Evidence of involvement of outside specialists.

Once the formal assessment is completed, an EHCP may or may not be issued. The whole process from the point of assessment should take no longer than 20 weeks. Once an EHCP is in place it will be reviewed annually with the support of parents, professionals and where appropriate, the child.

The Role of the SENCO

• Managing the day to day implementation of the SEND policy
• Coordinating provision for pupils with SEND
• Liaising with and advising colleagues
• Overseeing the records of all pupils with SEND
• Liaising with parents of children with SEND
• Leading the continual professional development of staff.
• Managing the school based assessment and completing the documentation required by outside agencies and the LA
• Managing a range of resources, human and material, to enable appropriate provision for children with SEND
• Assessing and supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
• Liaising with Nurseries/ Early Years  day care/ secondary schools to ensure effective transfer of pupils
• Supporting teachers to meet the individual needs of the children with SEND. e.g.:

• Implementing professional advise
• Identifying children for interventions
• scaffolding the curriculum in planning

• Liaising with support staff who deliver the intervention programmes and assess
• Working with outside agencies and organisations to develop the Local Offer

Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

We value the views of parents regarding their children and see them as partners. Communication and consultation with parents form part of the schools review system which in turn informs policy and practice.

We aim to provide support to parents and carers ensuring that pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities access and enjoy the curriculum achieving the best possible results.

Communication with parents is both formal and informal throughout the year and informs policy and practice.

• Review meetings with the SENDCo
• Parents’ evenings
• By appointment
• At the beginning and end of the school day
• By email
• By telephone regarding issues that may arise during the day
• Sharing information via provision map

Concerns

If any parent/ carer has a concern regarding the process of supporting pupils with SEND at Billesley Primary School then the class teacher should be contacted in the first instance. If the parent/carer requires further assistance then they should contact the SENCo. Senco@billesleyprimary.co.uk 

Parents are made aware that as per our Parents and Carers Communication Policy that will aim to respond to all emails within 5 working days

If any parent/carer feels the concern has not been resolved and wishes to make a complaint, they should refer to The Elliot Foundation Concerns and Complaints Policy

Contact information

Inclusion Lead: Ayesha McDaniel

SENDCo: Lydia Lanchester

Please call at the school office

Or contact on 0121 675 2800

Or email at senco@billesleyschool.co.uk

Written by: L.Lanchester

Reviewed: May 2024

Review Date: May 2025