Bordon Infant School is a two-form entry mainstream school. We are an inclusive school and welcome all children. We are a happy setting which strives to develop our children’s self-confidence, self-esteem and independence. Our policies reflect our school culture, particularly our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) policy, our behaviour policy and our accessibility plan which enables all children to be treated equally and have equal access to the curriculum, providing a rich and stimulating curriculum of the highest quality to meet the individual needs of all children. We put the needs of each individual child first and have a wide range of expertise both in school and through our work with outside agencies to ensure that all children receive the support they need to achieve.
How do we identify SEN in our school and how do we assess need?
- We receive information from the child’s pre-school setting, or previous school
- The progress of all children is regularly monitored by the class teachers, senior leadership team and the SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) so if a child is not making expected progress in an area of their learning, it is quickly identified and additional support can be put into place. This is then discussed with the parent, and child if appropriate
- We use a range of screening programmes in school including ‘Infant Language Link’ and ‘Lexplore Analytics’ which highlight any concerns or barriers to learning at an early stage, prompting support to be put in place for a child as quickly as possible
- If a concern is raised by a parent or a class teacher about the well-being, progress or achievement of a child, this can be discussed with the SENCo, Hannah Brown
How do we support children with SEN in our school?
- Once a child is identified as having a Special Educational Need, a plan named a Learning Support Plan (LSP) will be created to enable the child to make expected progress. Parents will be informed of the LSP which details the exact target, support and steps to achieve the target and a copy is given to parents. A meeting at school may also be arranged to discuss this further
- The progress made on the LSP will be regularly reviewed by the class teacher and monitored by the SENCo
- The progress of all children receiving additional support is monitored to ensure that the support we have put into place is having the impact we are aiming for
- Communication is key
- We pride ourselves at Bordon Infant School, in being a strong and robust team with a shared vision of ‘Learning Together, Achieving Together’
- Team work plays a crucial part in everything that we do and the collective knowledge, expertise and commitment to making a difference to the children we teach is of upmost importance
- We use a programme called ‘Provision Map’ which stores all information on a child, which supports all staff and brings parents and teachers together in helping children to achieve their potential
- We are fortunate to work with outside agencies, gaining advice on how best to support and facilitate a child’s learning.
How are the targets on a Learning Support Plan carried out and achieved?
- Children spend time working with their Learning Support Assistant (LSA) on specific targets on their LSP, either individually or in a small group, and many children take part in interventions to help them achieve the targets they are working towards
- We run many interventions for children identified as needing additional support
- Following a conversation with parents, we may feel it beneficial to refer a child to an outside agency for further assessment and advice, which could lead to a more specific programme for a child to follow
Which outside agency experts are available to support my child’s SEN?
- Children’s services
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Educational Psychologists
- GP
- Occupational Therapists
- Paediatrician
- Physiotherapist
- Primary Behaviour Support Service
- School Nursing Team
- Specialist Teacher Advisors
- Speech and Language Therapists
How can parents support their child’s SEN?
- The progress made on your child’s LSP will be emailed to you termly and can then be discussed at parents evening. All comments regarding progress and achievement will be shared, as well as any emotional, social or behavioural challenges
- An annual report is written for every child, detailing the academic achievement
- Any updates regarding your child’s needs will be passed on as soon as they arise – all programmes and reports that are written for a child are sent to parents as well as school
- Any advice or support on how best to cater to your child’s needs will be given throughout their time at our school
- If your child has an Education, Health and Care plan, annual reviews will be held in school to discuss progress and changes to their plan, and parents are invited to this
What training have the staff at Bordon Infant School had, to effectively help and support my child’s SEN?
- We have two members of staff who have completed the ELSA training and have regular support from Educational Psychologists
- We have members of staff qualified as Higher Level Teaching Assistants who are able to teach children in groups and cover classes
- All staff have been trained by Speech and Language Therapists in recognising and supporting Speech and Language difficulties and specific members of staff specialise in delivering Speech and Language programmes. Further members of staff have been trained in ‘Infant Language Link’ and are able to carry out assessments and interventions
- Two members of staff have been trained in ‘Lexplore Analytics’ to aid and support reading skills and understanding
- All members of staff have been trained to deliver ‘Precision Teaching’
- All Learning Support Assistants have received ‘in house’ SEND training and have all attended various training in specific areas of expertise and interest
Who can I contact for further information?
- You could make an appointment with the class teacher
- You could ask to meet with Hannah Brown, the SENCo
- You could look at the SEND policy on the policy of the school website
- You can contact Hampshire SENDIASS for support. Hampshire County Council provides information and support for parents of children with SEND through Core Assets Children’s Service which provides from both Support4SEND and Parent Voice. This website provides SEND information, advice and support and can be accessed via this link – https://www.hampshiresendiass.co.uk/parents-carers
- Please click here to see the Hampshire Local Offer.
- If you are considering a place for your child at Bordon Infant School, you can arrange to make an appointment to meet the head teacher, Matt Greenhalgh, and the SENCo, Hannah Brown, to discuss whether this school can cater to the needs of the child
