Special Education Needs and Disabilities at Cambo First School

Updated Sept  24

This term we have reviewed/updated all of our SEND children’s plans/ PLPs ;putting further interventions in place where required with SMART Targets and outcomes to ensure children have made as much progress/ catch up as possible. An extensive PSE program has also been put in place to meet social and emotional needs. To this end we have increased the hours of our SEND Teaching Assistants so that more interventions have taken place and Gail Van Schalkwyk a specialist dyslexia/dyscalculia teacher has joined us for two mornings per week. Other support necessary has been put in place to ensure that our children get the support they need and deserve 

The interventions being used in school specifically are:

Read Write Inc, NELI, Action Words, specific dyslexia/dysculculia

If any parent has any concerns or worries re their child please, please let me know via email or telephone. We are here to help at all times.

At Cambo First School every child counts! We are very much a family orientated school and the child, family and community are very much at the heart of all that we do and are. If you have any questions, concerns, worries no matter how small, feel free to come and talk with us. We are always here to listen, help, support and guide.

We believe our provision at Cambo to be outstanding based on the excellent progress our children make and our previous inspection.

Contacting School – If you have a speech or hearing impairment you can contact us by dialing 018001” 01670 774210 [the school’s number including the area code.]

This information is updated annually [April 22 last update/ review annually or as and when]

 

IASS-Information, Advice and Support Service information for staff/parents/Governors

The newsletter includes useful activities/events information for parent carers, especially with the school summer holidays approaching.

IASS Information Newsletter July 2021 – Issue 5

SEND 23-24

Cambo-First-School-send-2019 a

Special Educational Needs/Disabilities at Cambo First School

At Cambo First School we strive to support all of the children in our care to enable them to achieve at the highest levels possible. We understand that quality teaching is vital if children are to learn effectively and successfully. However there are some occasions for some children when further support is necessary to help them achieve their targets. If this happens we will provide additional help and support for each child as they develop through their learning journey at Cambo. We will discuss this with parents and devise a Personal Education Plan (PEP) or a Personal  Behaviour Plan (PBP) for the child. These are reviewed with parents/carers and children twice a year or as and when necessary. The process for meeting children’s Special Educational Needs/Disability must be flexible so that all needs can be recognised and met. Depending on the category of Special Educational Need, other professionals such as those from the Health Service may be involved in supporting the child. Cambo First school employs the services of specialist teachers from  Northumberland Education SEND Service [Formerly LIST] to offer support and advice for those children needs are being met through additional funding.

Mrs Paula Cummings is the school’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator. [SENDCo] she is responsible for the operation of the SEND Policy and coordination of specific provision made to support individual children with SEND.  Mrs Cummings Liaises with staff to monitor the pupil’s progress and plan further interventions where progress is slower than expected. At Cambo First School we have 10% SEND children in 2019. [5 children].

We regularly have contact with a wide range of external agencies that are able to give more specialised advice when/where pertinent.

Our school Governor with responsibility for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is Mrs Isobel Anderson.

Our process follows guidelines in the “Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2014”. This presently has several stages, initially school based and then involving external specialists if/when required.

K	Where a child’s needs are met within school but with provision that is different from or additional to what is received by the child’s peers.
EHA –Early Help Assessment	Where outside support is sought and provided. The purpose of EHA is a whole family assessment which helps determine the needs of all family members and therefore, what is required to help the family meet those needs. The EHA is not about form filling; it is about having a meaningful conversation with a family about their strengths and challenges, working out what they need and pulling in the right people to provide support – a team around the family (TAF). At this stage Top Up Funding can be applied for via the LEA. To support these extra needs if necessary.  There are 10 bands from 0 extra funding to 10k plus
EHCP –Education Health and Care Plan	Where a child receives support of Special Educational Needs which are not within the normal school provision. An EHC plan can only be issued after a child or young person has gone through the process of EHC needs assessment.

 

In practice most children’s needs are met within K [school action]. Liaison with parents plays an important part in the process for meeting children’s Special Educational Needs. We value the help and support that parents can give us and appreciate them sharing any problems a child may have had previously or during their time with us.  Should a parent have concerns about the progress of their child, they should discuss them with the class teacher.  If there continues to be a concern then this should be brought to the attention of the special needs co-ordinator (SENDCo) Mrs Paula Cummings.

A copy of the full SEND policy is available on request.

The school has access to various organisations that can offer additional support to parents of children with Special Educational Needs. A great deal of help is available from the Local Education Authority, Social Services and the Health Service.  Families are sometimes unsure where to turn to or who to ask for help beyond the school. NCC can be contacted on 08456006400 email ask@northumberland.gov.uk Their website is The SEND Local Offer Page can be found at:  

http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/SEND-Local-offer.aspx.

There are many SEND terms that are abbreviated which can lead to confusion (even for us!). Below is a glossary of the most used SEND terms as defined by the COP 2014

EWO -Educational  Welfare Officer ASD-Autistic Spectrum Disorder COP-Code of Practice CP-Child Protection EAL -English as an Additional Language EP – Educational Psychologist FSM – Free School Meals HI-Hearing Impairment PEP/PLP – Personal Education/Learning Plan ISR-In School Review KS -Key Stage LAC -Looked After Child LEA-Local Education Authority MLD/SLD/PMLD -Moderate or severe or profound / multiple Learning Difficulty MSI – Multi sensory impairment  e.g. deaf/blind NC – National Curriculum OT – Occupational Therapist PD – Physical disability SEMH – Social emotional mental health needs SLCN – Speech, Language and Communication needs SEN – Special Educational Needs SEND – Special Educational Needs and Disability SENCo – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator SLD – Specific Learning Difficulty e.g. dyslexia VI – Visual Impairment

Non Statutory TermsComplex needsReliant on medical technologies

A combination of factors listed in the above listRequires specialist health equipment  to breathe, drink, toilet or other needs.

Current SEND Updates:

What is Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to  schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years [Known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’] Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months and children of service personnel.

Why has it been introduced?

The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals [FSM] and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.

 

Who decides on how the money is spent?

In most cases the Pupil Premium is paid direct to schools, allocated to them for every pupil who receives free school meals. Schools decide how to use the funding, as they are best placed to assess what their pupils need.

How are school accountable for the spending of Pupil Premium?

They are held accountable for the decisions they make through:

• The performance tables which show the performance of disadvantaged pupils compared with their peers.
• The new Ofsted inspection framework, under which inspectors focus on the attainment of pupil groups, in particular those who attract Pupil Premium.

Children and Families Bill 2013/COP 2014

The Children and Families Bill/COP 2014 takes forward the Governments’ commitment to improve services for vulnerable children and support strong families. It underpins wider reforms to ensure that all children and young people can succeed, no matter what their background. The Bill/COP reforms the systems for adoption, looked after children, family justice and special educational needs.

The Government is transforming the system for children and young people with special educational needs [SEND], including those who are disabled, so that services consistently support the best outcomes for them. The Bill extends the SEND system from birth to 25, giving children, young people and their parents/carers greater control and choice in decisions and ensuring needs are properly met.

It takes forward the reform programme set out in Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability: progress and next steps by:

• Replacing statements and learning difficulty assessments with a new birth to 25 Education Health and Care Plan, extending rights and protections to young people in further education and training and offering families personal budgets so that they have more control over the support they need;
• Improving cooperation between all the services that support children and their families and particularly requiring local authorities and health authorities to work together;
• Requiring Local Authorities to involve children, young adults and parents in reviewing and developing provision for those with special educational needs and to publish a ‘local offer’ of support;

What is the SEND Information Report?

The SEND Information Report, formerly the Local Offer, was first introduced in The Green Paper [March 2011] as a local offer of all services available to support disabled children and children with SEN and their families. This easy to understand information sets out what is normally available in schools to help children with lower level SEN as well as the options available to support families who need additional help to care for a child.

What does  it do?

The  SEND Information Report  helps to provide parents/carers with information about how to access services in their area, and what they can expect from those services. With regard to Education, it lets parents/ carers and young people know how schools and colleges will support them, and what they can expect across the local settings.

How does Cambo First School know if children need extra help?

We know when pupils need help if:

• concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or the child;
• limited progress is being made;
• there is a change in the pupil’s behaviour or progress.

What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

• The class teacher is the initial point of contact for responding to parental concerns
• If you have concerns then contact Mrs Cummings who is the SENCO

How will I know how Cambo First School support my child?

• Each pupil’s education programme will be planned by the class teacher. It will be differentiated accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs. This may include additional general support by the teacher or teaching assistant in class.
• If a pupil has needs related to more specific areas of their education, such as spelling, handwriting, numeracy & literacy skills etc. then the pupil will be placed in a small focus group. This will be run by the teacher or teaching assistant. The length of time of the intervention will vary according to need but will generally be for a term. The interventions will be regularly reviewed by all involved to ascertain the effectiveness of the provision and to inform future planning.
• These interventions will be recorded on the school provision map (this is a record of the interventions, timings, cost and impact of the intervention). If you have any queries related to the interventions please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher or SENCo.
• Pupil Progress Meetings are held each term. This is a meeting where the class teacher meets with the Headteacher to discuss the progress of the pupils in their class. This shared discussion may highlight any potential problems in order for further support to be planned.
• Occasionally a pupil may need more expert support from an outside agency such as the Speech Therapist, Paediatrician etc. A referral will be made, with your consent and forwarded to the most appropriate agency. After a series of assessments, a programme of support is usually provided to the school and parents/carers.
• The Governors of Cambo First School are responsible for entrusting a named person, Mrs Paula Cummings to monitor Safeguarding and Child protection procedures.  She is also responsible for the monitoring and correct administration of the Disclosure and Barring service procedures and the school’s Single Central record.  In a support and challenge role the Governors ensure that the school is as inclusive as possible and treats all children and staff in an equitable way.  They monitor and review the accessibility plan and all other statutory policies as defined by the DfE.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

• When a pupil has been identified with special needs their work will be differentiated by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily.
• Teaching Assistants (TAs) may be allocated to work with the pupil in a 1-1 or small focus group to target more specific needs.
• If a child has been identified as having a special need, then a Personal Education Plan (PEP).will be developed with the child and their family. Targets will be set according to their area of need. These will be monitored by the class teacher weekly and by the SENCo three times per year, or as and when necessary. PEPs will be discussed with parents at Parents’ Evenings and a copy given to them.
• If appropriate, specialist equipment may be given to the pupil e.g. writing slopes, concentration cushions, pen/pencils grips or easy to use scissors.
• Systematic phonics are taught throughout the school from Reception to year 4, using Read Write Inc
• Visual maths/literacy aids are displayed in both class rooms and across the school e.g. phonic blends,100 square, times tables, numbers, number lines etc. Individual resources are available for all children, including Numicon in every year group.
• Our Teaching Assistants are highly skilled and are used in both classes to support the learning of different children.
• We provide individual feedback to children on how to improve their work or go over any areas needing further support and provide opportunities for them to put it into practice.
• We have a nurturing, family ethos which ensures all children feel safe and secure.
• Ipads are available in both classrooms to support learning

How will I know how my child is doing?

• You will be able to discuss your child’s progress at Parents’ Evenings. Or as and when needed
• Your child’s class teacher will be available at the beginning and end of each day if you wish to raise a concern. Appointments can be made to speak in more detail to the class teacher or SENCo by visiting the school office.

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• The class teacher may suggest ways of how you can support your child.
• Mrs Cummings may meet with you to discuss how to support your child with strategies to use if there are difficulties with a child’s behaviour/emotional needs.
• If outside agencies or the Educational Psychologist have been involved suggestions and programmes of study are normally provided that can be used at home.

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

Cambo First School offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering emotional difficulties. These include:

Members of staff such as the class teacher, teaching assistants and SENCO are readily available for pupils who wish to discuss issues and concerns. Where appropriate mediation sessions are carried out.

Pupils with medical needs

• If a pupil has a medical need then a detailed Care Plan is compiled with support from the school nurse in consultation with parents/carers. These are discussed with all staff who are involved with the pupil.
• Staff can, and have, received Epipen training via the school nurse.  Training is developed re administering of medicines via the school nurse.
• Where necessary and in agreement with parents/carers medicines are administered in school but only where a signed Medicine consent form is in place to ensure the safety of both child and staff member.  [see medical policy]
• All staff have first aid training including paediatrics, 2 members of staff have first aid training including paediatrics and Forest Schools

At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive their more  specialised expertise. The agencies used by the school include:

• Autism Outreach Team
• Child Protection Advisors
• Educational Psychologist
• HINT (High Incidence Needs Team)
• EWO  (Educational Welfare Officers)
• PASS (Physical & Sensory Service) to support pupils with hearing/visual Impairment
• Social Services
• Children’s Therapy Team (Speech & Language/Occupational Therapy)
• Wansbeck General /Hexham Hospital (Paediatricians)
• School Nursing Team

An Educational Psychologist is assigned to specific areas via SEND. Morpeth is in the ‘Central’ area. An application to SEND HUB can be made directly with pupils whose needs are felt to be quite considerable or/and they have not responded well to the interventions previously put in place for them. A member of the SEND  team will assign the correct specialist to the school. At Cambo we also purchase 2 extra days of Educational Psychologist time to meet the needs of the staff and families in our school.

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having?

Different members of staff have received training related to SEND. These have included sessions on:

• How to support pupils on the autistic spectrum.
• ASD Level 1
• How to support pupils with social and emotional needs.
• How to support pupils with speech and language difficulties.
• Language and Phonological Awareness
• How to support pupils with physical and co-ordination needs.
• Talk Boost for speech and language difficulties
• Supporting LAC in school
• Child Protection level 1
• Child Protection Designated Person training

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

• Children with disabilities are included on all school visits and residential visits. Activities and school trips are available to all.
• Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate.  However, if it is deemed that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required a parent or carer may be asked to accompany their child during the activity.
• Lessons are as inclusive as possible, with adjustments made depending on need.
• Children are only withdrawn from lessons for interventions when it is felt this is most beneficial to the individual child.

How accessible is the school environment?

As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements. Facilities we have at present include:

• Ramps into school to make the building accessible to all.
• 1 adult toilet, although this is spacious it is not adapted for disabled users.
• wide entry, exit and internal doors in most parts of the building.
• The building is on one level
• Tarmac path entry to the school grounds with wide gates, no steps

How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Cambo First School or transferring to a new school?

Many strategies are in place to enable the pupil’s transition to be as smooth as possible. These include:

• Discussions between the previous or receiving schools prior to the pupil joining/leaving.
• All pupils attend several structured transition sessions where they spend some time with their new class teacher and new peer group.
• Additional visits are also arranged for pupils who need extra time in their new school.
• Mrs Cummings and staff are always willing to meet parents/carers prior to their child joining the school.
• Middle school staff visit pupils prior to them joining their new school.
• Mrs Cummings and staff liaise with the SENCOs from the middle schools to pass on information regarding SEND pupils.
• Where a pupil may have more specialised needs, a separate meeting may be arranged with Mrs Cummings, staff  and the middle school SENCO, the parents/carers and where appropriate the pupil.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

• The SEND budget is allocated each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependent on an individual’s needs.
• The additional provision may be allocated after discussion with the class teacher at pupil progress meetings or if a concern has been raised by them at another time during the year.
• Resources may include deployment of staff depending on individual circumstances.

How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

• These decisions are made in consultation with class teacher and Head teacher . Decisions are based upon termly tracking of pupil progress and as a result of assessments by outside agencies.
• During their school life, if further concerns are identified due to the pupil’s lack of progress or well-being then other interventions will be arranged.

How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?

All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education. This may be through:

• discussions with the class teacher
• during parents evenings [twice a year]
• during discussions with Mrs Cummings or other professionals
• parents are encouraged to comment on their child’s PEP with possible suggestions that could be incorporated. These are sent home .
• We hold regular school/class assemblies, where parents are invited into school and their child’s classroom to celebrate their achievements. Usually on a Friday.
• We operate an open door policy for parents to discuss needs and provide ongoing communication with parents of SEND children as appropriate.
• We signpost toward other services, e.g. parent support groups.

What else is important about Cambo First School and SEND

Children with additional needs make very good progress from their starting points, because intervention and support is identified early and PEPs are put in place outlining needs, actions and success criterion. Where necessary we assess children using P-scales to measure small steps of progress.

We use the following intervention strategies / programmes, which intervention we use depends on the child and what we feel will work best for the child.

• Small group phonics sessions taught daily.
• Individual one-to-one interventions
• Small group interventions
• Accelread /Write
• NELI – Nuffield Early Learning Intervention
• 1st Maths
• Talk Boost
• Precision Teaching

Who can I contact for further information?

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling please contact the school office to arrange a meeting with the SENDCo/Head teacher.

I hope that we have answered any queries or concerns you may have about SEND and your child. If you still have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the school.

SEND INFORMATIN REPORT

SEND 23-24

SEND INFORMATIN REPORT 2015

Summary of CoP ( 2013)

northumberland.fsd.org.uk/kb5/northumberland/fsd/home.page

Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions

Accessibility Plan Cambo FOR RATIFICATION

Cambo First School equalities

child-on-child-abuse

Equalities Cambo First School 2022 update (1)22-23

Pupils_with Additional Health Needs Attendance Policy 22-23

cambo first cp-safeguarding final copy23-24 (2)

Cambo Whistle BLowing Policy

cambo first cp-safeguarding 22.docx 22-23

 

Health Visitor link for Cambo First School

The Harrogate and District Foundation Trust provide 0-19 Services across Northumberland. This includes Health Visiting and School Nursing Services as well as Infant Feeding support. There is a single point of contact for all of the 0-19 Services which is 0300 3732488. A member of the admin team will answer the call and direct it to the most appropriate person to answer the query. If a parent does not know the name of the health practitioner involved in their care the admin person will be able to direct the call to a duty health visitor or school nurse who can offer advice and support or request a professional is allocated.

This would be the same number for any professional to call for re-direction to the required /most appropriate service.

 

Alternatively the 0-19 Service can be contacted via Health Chat available with the Growing Healthy app.The Harrogate and District Foundation Trust provide 0-19 Services across Northumberland. This includes Health Visiting and School Nursing Services as well as Infant Feeding support. There is a single point of contact for all of the 0-19 Services which is 0300 3732488. A member of the admin team will answer the call and direct it to the most appropriate person to answer the query. If a parent does not know the name of the health practitioner involved in their care the admin person will be able to direct the call to a duty health visitor or school nurse who can offer advice and support or request a professional is allocated.

This would be the same number for any professional to call for re-direction to the required /most appropriate service.

 

Alternatively the 0-19 Service can be contacted via Health Chat available with the Growing Healthy app.

Training for all Staff 2015-23

As a school we buy into  The National College  and staff access further training

CPI safety Intervention Feb 24

Shape Coding  Jan 24

Lego Therapy – Nov 23

Colourful Semantics Oct 23

Paul Dix  workshops  Transformational  Relational Behavioiurs  May 23

Attachment -aut 23

HIVE CPD – Mental Health and Wellbeing lead attended half termly most recent May 23

ELKLAN Training 12 days  half day weekly basis  Sept- July 23

Senior Mental Health Training for Managers

Mental HealthThrive – The Amazing Early Years

Thrive – Demistyfing The Shining The Light

Mental Health and Well Being Cache Level 2

CPI Safety Intervention Refresher Training

Read Write Inc – phonics Sept 21 R Miskin

Read Write Inc – Spelling Oct 21 R. Misking

Read Write Inc – Writing Sept 21 R. Miskin

Dyslexia in the Classroom Sept 21 Gail Van Schalkwyk

THRIVE – Relate, Rupture, Repair

THRIVE -Bridging the Gap

Nuffield Early Language Intervention 2 teachers and 1 Teaching Assistant March 2021

Pivotal MAPA 8 staff Refresher 5 x1.5hours  twilight across Sept/Oct 20

THRIVE – Virtual Refresher September  2020

THRIVE – Virtual Refresher July 2020

MAPA Support Staff 13/14 Feb 20

THRIVE – June 19

SEND Conference June 2019

Multi Sensory Support 0.5 days March 2019

MAPA Refresher whole staff 3x2hour twilights March 2019

DSL  1.0 day February 2019

SEND Paperwork – Twilight January 2019

Attachment Disorder/multiple disorders and impact on the child and setting

Whole staff/ TT Day September 2018/Psychological Services

THRIVE Refresher 1 day July 2018

MAPA training- whole school September -December  2017

Ruth Miskin Read Write Inc September 2017

Positive Handling September 2017

ELSA 6 week accredited course for Teaching Assistants

Social Stories – NCC

Dyslexia – NCC

Attachment Disorders – NCC

THRIVE – accredited

Our organisation has fully embraced Thrive into our setting & meets the following criteria set out by Thrive:

• We have a current/valid Thrive-Online software subscription
• We have active use of Thrive-Online (by Licensed Practitioner)
• At least one member of our staff is trained to the level of Licensed Practitioner
• We have wider staff involvement demonstrated by official Thrive, Whole Staff Inductions and or additional Staff Training Days led by a Licensed Thrive Trainer

Sex and Relationships Education – Stonewall Education

Drugs Awareness – Stonewall Education

Precision Teaching – how can we support children who are having difficulties acquiring specific skills? Intervention program.

1st Class Maths – Support for children who have difficulty in acquiring mathematical skills

Antibullying Alliance

What is bullying, effective practice, policy into planning

 

Understanding and Improving Memory

This session looked at:

• what is working memory?
  • what is the typical profile of a pupil with a poor working memory?
  • 7 principals of working memory intervention.

 

Dyslexia

This workshop looked at the current working definitions of dyslexia and considers how to identify pupils on the dyslexic continuum.  The workshop examines Dyslexic Inclusive teaching and how to overcome barriers to learning.

Session: 2 x 1 ½ hours

Phono-Graphix™

This workshop explained  the underpinning philosophy of the approach. It looks at the placement test and how this can be used to identify a child’s strengths /weaknesses in phonological awareness and the corresponding teaching level. It examines the teaching methods/strategies used and specific activities.

Session: 3 hours

Early Language Development Parent Workshop for Nursery/Reception

This is an informal session where parents work in small groups with a member of the language team.  We cover topics such as: general vocabulary, auditory memory and strategies to support expressive language.  Resources and ideas are provided to parents.

Sessions:  1 ½ hours

Session: 1 twilight

The Importance of the Environment in Behaviour Management

This practical workshop highlighted the role environmental factors play in developing effective behaviour management.  Providing a range of practical strategies, participants have the opportunity to examine their current practice, and discuss how to plan and organise change to their learning environment.

Session: 1 twilight

Solution Orientated Approach to Improving Behaviour

This session built on the practices of the solution orientated approach, to demonstrate effective behaviour management strategies.

Comic Strip Conversations

Comic Strip Conversations help children to develop their social interaction skills.  They are designed to help individuals understand what to say in a conversation and to identify the thoughts and feeling of others.  This course will explain the uses of Comic Strip Conversations and how  to write one

Precision Teaching

Methods of supporting children with difficulties

1st Class Maths

Maths intervention program for children below age related outcomes.