SEND Information Report, Spring 2023

Introduction

At Montpelier Primary School, we are committed to ensuring the best outcomes for all children including those with SEND. We want our pupils to be independent, to enjoy learning, to make progress and be active members of our community.

As part of this process, we provide a special education needs and disability (SEND) information report to explain how we deliver and implement support for children with SEND. This report is updated annually.

How are children’s needs identified?

Different evidence is used to inform the identification process for children with SEND. We can determine the type of need that requires support by analysing class behaviour logs, assessing pupils’ progress and consulting with parents. Children with SEND are formally identified using the criteria set out in the SEND Code of Practice 0-25, 2014:

  • Communication and interaction; including speech and language needs and social and interaction difficulties
  • Cognition and Learning; difficulties with accessing the curriculum, particularly in the core subjects (maths, science and English)
  • Social, Mental and Emotional Health; including Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Eating Disorder, anxiety and depression
  • Sensory and/or Physical; difficulties with mobility, sight and hearing

What should parents do if they think their child has SEND?

If parents have initial concerns about their child’s progress, they should talk to the class teacher. The teacher may discuss next steps with the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENDCO). The SENDCO will organise a parent consultation, if appropriate, to discuss the child’s needs.

How will the school support children with SEND?

To ensure that children with SEND make progress, a cycle of assess-plan-do-review is used.

Assess:
The class teacher or SENDCO will assess the needs of the child and may recruit an outside service to help

Plan:
We identify the barriers to learning and plan support and intervention to meet targets

Do:
Support is provided which could include a strategy suggested by the child to support their learning.

Review:
The impact of the support is assessed and if necessary changes are made.

At Montpelier, assessment is an ongoing process carried out by teachers and monitored by the senior leadership team (SLT) to ensure the continuous progress of all pupils.

Targets and strategies in reading, writing and maths are monitored with teachers, senior leaders and the SENDCO on a half termly basis at pupil progress meetings (PPM). These meetings can also help in identifying children who may have SEND.

The SENDCO with other school leaders and teachers will monitor books and observe lessons to assess the impact of the class teaching and decide on an intervention to support learning. Teachers continually assess all pupils’ progress and achievement in every lesson to ensure that all pupils meet their targets.

Children with SEND support have a learning plan that includes targets and strategies specific to their needs. Twice a year, SEND meetings are held with the parents, teacher and SENDCO to review and agree targets from the child’s provision map. A copy of the plan is given to the parent as soon as it has been agreed.

As part of the assessment cycle, children with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP), will have an annual review meeting where the child will present their views about their learning and any additional support. Staff work with pupils to create a presentation about their aspirations, which is shown at the beginning of the meeting.

All pupils are encouraged to self-assess and make decisions about how they learn and are expected to evaluate their own achievements with their teacher.

What support is given to children with SEND?

In the first instance, the class teacher is responsible for providing high quality teaching for all children. This includes using a range of strategies and resources and ensuring that planning and teaching are adapted daily to support learning.

In some cases, the teacher may share information with the SENDCO to decide if any ‘additional to or different from’ learning support is required for children with SEND.

What is an intervention and when is it used?

If a child is not making the expected rate of progress in an area of the curriculum, specific strategies and additional resources will be provided to support their learning.

The SENDCO, in collaboration with the class teacher and other school leaders may organise a targeted intervention. Interventions may be taught by a teacher or teaching assistant. Our school’s interventions may include:

  • Phonic intervention programme, e.g., Read Write Inc.
  • Small group to target reading comprehension and inference skills
  • One to one learning support
  • One to one pastoral support – lunchtime supervision of children with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP)
  • Social skills groups
  • Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) groups
  • Speech and Language Therapy support groups
  • Lego Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy including sensory circuits
  • Booster writing and maths groups
  • Pre-teaching groups (focus on vocabulary)
  • Box Clever

What other strategies can be used to support children with SEND?

At Montpelier, staff ensure that learning is supported to improve behaviour, self- esteem and interaction skills by using the following strategies:

  • Peer mentoring through our playground champion scheme
  • Weekly class circle time
  • Pre-teaching of new concepts, strategies and vocabulary within class and intervention groups
  • Use of Interactive Smartboards and computers as common practice
  • For specific children, behaviour plans or charts to monitor success
  • Collaborative work and effective communication with parents
  • Person-centred planning approach
  • Children with SEND are identified on all teachers’ planning to ensure their needs are met
  • The school’s behavioural policy is followed by the whole school community


Children regularly use resources, such as, pencil grips, sand timers and visual timetables to enhance independent learning.

Who else supports children with SEND?

If a child with SEND has a more complex need, the SENDCO may discuss a referral with the parent to an outside service which will provide specialist advice. Advice given by these services will be discussed with you in person or provided in a report. There are a range of outside services available, including:

  • Outreach support from Springhallow School
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
  • Education Psychology Service (EPS)
  • Hearing Impairment (HI) Service
  • Occupational Therapy (OT)
  • Ealing Primary Centre Team (EPCT)
  • Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) Service
  • Supportive Action for Families in Ealing (SAFE)
  • The school nurse

Occasionally, a Team Around the Child (TAC) meeting is organised with the child’s parents, SENDCO and professionals from one or more of these services to discuss next steps for the child’s area of need. The SENDCO may also be instrumental in completing an EHAP (Early Help and Assessment Plan) referral when a problems or issue is emerging. This referral is made to external agencies/social care as required.

Children who require a high level of specialised support to access the curriculum are usually provided with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which documents any additional help the child should receive.

How do we support the emotional and social development of our children?

We support children to develop socially and emotionally in the following ways through:

  • PSHE (Personal, Social, Healthcare and Emotional) lessons
  • Circle Time
  • Assemblies
  • Small group interventions, including social stories
  • Informal mentoring sessions
  • Emotional Literacy Support Assistant groups

How effective is our SEND provision?

Monitoring the progress of all pupils is an important part of teaching and learning at our school. When an intervention is selected to support a child, a baseline is recorded which is used to compare the impact of the provision.

The SENDCO assesses the impact of the data to ensure we are using interventions that work. Children may move off of the SEND register when they no longer require significant additional support.

What type of training is provided for staff?

Training is provided for school staff to ensure that children with SEND make the best possible progress. Staff have received training on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and behaviour management which focused on strategies to support children with SEND.

Training for teaching booster phonics has been provided in school for all staff. In addition, individual members of staff attend training for speech and language and occupational therapy organised by outside agencies that are relevant to the specific needs of children in their class.

The SENDCO attends half termly network meetings and shares ideas and good practice with teaching and support staff. The SENDCO may organise training for parents on how to support a particular need at home, for example, speech anxiety.
Staff are also trained in Safeguarding children and in Epipen use. Most staff are trained as First Aiders.

How do we support children when they move to another class or a new school?

Transition to another class or school can be difficult for children with SEND, so we ensure that this managed successfully.

Starting at our school
The class teacher and SENDCO will usually meet the parent within two weeks to discuss how we can support the child. This is a good opportunity to share information and strategies about what works well. If required, we will contact the SEND department of the child’s previous school to gain further information.

Moving to another school
When the child moves to a new school, records about him/her are forwarded to the school. We may contact the SENDCO to inform him/her of targets and strategies we have found successful to support their learning.

In some cases, a transition meeting with the SENDCO from a child’s high school and parent will be arranged early in the summer term, to discuss any special arrangements.

Moving between classes and phases
Before the child starts another class within the school, the child’s current and next teacher will meet in advance of the new school year as part of the transition process. Where the child has more complex needs, a meeting may be held at a key transition point with the parent, teacher, SENDCO and a professional from an outside service.

All children participate in a ‘Meet the teacher day’ to familiarise themselves with their new teacher. Further individualised transition support is given where appropriate.

How do we include children with SEND on school trips and visits?

Whenever possible, we encourage all children to attend educational trips and visits. In a few cases, the class teacher will discuss with parents before a school journey any specific arrangements for the child.

How the school environment made accessible to all children?

We provide resources to support learning, such as writing slopes, move-n-sit cushions and, if available, a Soundfield system can be put in place to support hearing impaired (HI) learners.

A small number of children may need additional arrangements so they can take part in the key stage 2 tests, which are based on normal classroom practice for children with particular needs.

Ramps are situated at the main entrance of the school and a lift is situated in the Early Year’s playground for easier access to the second floor of the school.

Individual care plans for children with medical needs may be written in consultation with parents.

How is funding allocated to children with SEND?

The school budget, from Ealing Local Authority, includes funding to support children with SEND. The school identifies the needs of children on a whole school provision map to ensure that the SEND budget is used well.

Do we allow private professionals to work in school?

At Montpelier we support parents who employ private professionals to assess their children’s learning needs. This often involves a visit to school to talk to the SENDCO and observe the child in their classroom environment.

However, when direct, ongoing intervention is required, this must take place at home and outside of the school day. The SENDCO is available to communicate with these professionals and receive their advice and recommendations. Where possible some of these strategies may be integrated into the school provision map.

What should parents do if they are concerned about the effectiveness of provision?

We evaluate the quality of support for all pupils and report the effectiveness of provision to the governors. If parents have concerns, these can be raised with school staff below, who can be contacted in this order:

  1. The Classteacher
  2. SENDCO – Mr R Sewnandan
  3. Deputy headteacher – Mrs C Lannigan
  4. Co-headteachers – Mrs S Bracken & Mrs C Garofalo
  5. Chair of Governors – Mrs G Shawley

They can be contacted on 020 8997 5855 or admin@montpelier.ealing.sch.uk.

Where can I go for further advice and support?

Montpelier Primary School’s Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) Information Report has been written in support of the Ealing, Local Offer.

The Local Offer is for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs or a Disability (SEND) which helps them to understand what services they can access from a range of local agencies.

More information about the Local Offer of services and support for children with SEND can be found: here

ECIRS (Ealing Children’s Integrated Response Service) offers one point of entry for all referrals and requests for help, advice and information to parents. Contact details are 020 8825 8000 and Perceval House, 2nd Floor Blue Area, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, W5 2HL.

The Ealing I SAID service (Information and Support on Disability and Special Educational Needs) provides free and confidential advice, to support parents of children and young people aged up to 25. Contact details are: 020 8280 2251 and isaidealing@family-action.org.uk.