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Woodlands Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 2DU
The Academy of Woodlands
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  • Woodlands Primary School
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The Academy of Woodlands
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SEN Information (incl Local Offer)

 

The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011) as a local offer of all services available to support disabled and children with SEND and their families.  This easy to understand information will set out what is normally available in schools to help children with lower-level SEND as well as the options available to support families who need additional help to care for their child.

The rationale for this document is to provide parents/carers with information regarding the provision available to support families.

The Academy of Woodlands constantly strives to promote and provide an environment which is positive, supportive, inclusive and regards all our pupils and their needs on an individual basis.  We take a pro-active approach to teaching and learning, providing support for children who display learning difficulties.  These can be long term or more transient in nature.  To this end we regard all children as needing ‘special’ attention to their learning.

Children may experience difficulties that affect their ability to learn, these may include:

  • Behavioural, emotional and social
  • Reading and Writing
  • Understanding concepts
  • Concentration
  • Numeracy
  • Speech, language and/or communication
  • Physical or sensory

These difficulties may arise from a short term difficulty or be due to a more long term or permanent difficulty.

How do we decide if a child needs extra help?
  • We listen to your concerns
  • We consult with all professionals within the school
  • We continually monitor progress and assess expected rates of progress
  • We observe behaviours, and attitudes to learning
  • We listen to the pupil

As parents/carers you may raise any concerns around your child’s learning with the class teacher, Mrs Viney (Head Teacher) or Mrs Long/Ms Pang (SENDCO).

What happens when a child is identified as needing support?
  • The class teacher will be responsible for setting targets appropriate for the learning need/s of the pupil
  • Provision will be made for these targets to be used for focussed work

A full and comprehensive list of the provisions is at the end of this document (Appendix A)

Will the curriculum be accessible?
  • Work will be individually differentiated to match ability and learning needs
  • Specific aids or equipment may be provided
How do we keep you informed?
  • Come and discuss your concerns at any time
  • Scheduled Parents Evening
  • Appointments with the Class Teacher, SENDCO or Head Teacher
How can we help you to support your child’s learning?
  • The class teacher will suggest strategies to support learning
  • The SENDCO will be available to contribute additional support strategies
  • The Family Liaison Officer will be available to offer advice
  • Programmes may be prepared by outside agencies (i.e. Speech and Language Therapy)
  • Parents/carers information/workshop meetings are held throughout the year
What can we do to support the overall well-being of your child?

The school is aware of the need to consider the pastoral needs and emotional well-being of the children in our care; to that end we provide extensive support.

  • All staff are readily available and trained, for any child who may wish to discuss issues and/or concerns
  • We have an independent counsellor available
  • We also provide a learning mentor
  • We also have a play therapist within school
Pupils with medical needs
  • Care plans are compiled in consultation with the parents/carers.These are made known to all relevant staff.
  • Our staff are regularly trained in skills for the support of pupils with conditions such as; epilepsy, diabetes or conditions that require the use auto-injectors
  • Designated staff, in agreement with parents/carers will administer prescribed medications
How do we provide specialist services and expertise?

We as a school recognise the importance of consulting with outside agencies, in some instances, to provide the best possible outcomes for your child.  We are able to refer to and seek advice from the following agencies:

  • Autism Outreach Team.
  • Child Protection Advisors.
  • Educational Psychologist.
  • CAST (Child and Adolescent Support Team).
  • CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service).
  • APP (Attendance Advisory Practitioner previously known as Educational Welfare Officer).
  • PASS (Physical and Sensory Service) to support pupils with hearing/visual impairment.
  • Inclusion Team.
  • Social Services.
  • Children’s Therapy Team (Speech and Language/Occupational Therapy)
  • MAGIC (Medway Autism Group and Information Centre).
  • Medway Hospital (Paediatricians).
  • School Nurse
  • MEND.

An Educational Psychologist is allocated to each school.  He/she would normally only work directly with pupils whose needs are felt to be quite considerable and have not responded will to the interventions previously put in place.  The Educational Psychologist will be instrument in supporting such a child by observation, assessment and suggested strategies, to best support the child to move their learning forward.

How do we provide the best support for your child?

We realise the importance of having staff that are able to support each child as an individual, we therefore provide training for all staff.  Some training is appropriate for all staff while others may also develop a deeper knowledge in specified areas.  Training has been offered in the following areas:

  • Supporting children with dyslexia.
  • Supporting children on the Autistic Spectrum.
  • Supporting children with behavioural difficulties
  • Language for Learning to support communication.
  • Sounds Write to support the use of phonics.
  • Supporting children with Speech and language difficulties.
  • Supporting children with fine and gross motor skills difficulties.

How do we ensure the school environment is accessible?

We have a number of measures in place at present, but we are always open to discussion surrounding individual access requirements.

  • Ramps leading into the buildings.
  • Toilets specifically adapted.
  • Double doors in some areas of the school.
  • Lift in conjunction with stairs.
  • We will continue to develop our environment to ensure that it is accessible for all users.
What can we do to support your child transferring to or from another school?

Moving between schools may be necessary at any time during your child’s time at primary school.  We appreciate this can be stressful for both you and the child and will endeavour to make the transition as easy as possible.  To enable this we will:

  • Liaise closely with the parents/carers.
  • Liaise closely with the former/future school.
  • Forward any relevant information to the future school.
  • Facilitate school visits when appropriate.

For September intakes in Reception there is planned programme of visits and information visits for prospective parents/carers and children. 

Children moving to secondary education at the end of year 6 are provided for in conjunction with the future school and their specific programme for transition.  The children have access to a mentor.

Will your child receive any additional resources?

In addition to extra support, your child may need resources specific to his/her needs.  While assessing the learning needs of each child, the need for material needs will be considered.  These may include:

  • Pen/pencil grips or adaptations.
  • ‘Wobble’ cushions.
  • Writing slopes.

Each child is assessed individually and the appropriate resource provided.

How much support will your child receive?

We continually assess and monitor the progress of each child and provide support when it is needed for however long it is needed.  This may be short term intervention accessed once in his/her time with us.  Or the intervention may be recurrent depending on the specific needs of your child.  We provide a wide range of support as evident in Appendix A., and includes:

  • 1:1 support.
  • Small focussed groups
  • Larger specific work groups.
How will you be involved with your child’s education?

As parents/carers you will be actively encourage to become involved with your child’s education.  Our school offers an ‘Open Door’ policy which welcomes you to discuss any aspect of your child’s school life.  We also have planned access to allow you to discuss progress.

  • Scheduled/unscheduled meetings with the class teacher.
  • Scheduled/unscheduled meetings with SENDCO.
  • Scheduled/unscheduled meetings with the Head Teacher.
  • Parent Consultation evenings.
  • Post report meetings.
Who should you contact for further information?

Contacting the School Reception will enable you to make contact to the person who can best answer your query.  Some useful names are:

  • Headteacher - Mrs Viney
  • Assistant Head - Miss Beer
  • Assistant Head - Mr Ramm
  • SENDCO - Mrs Long
  • SENDCO - Ms Pang
  • EYFS Pastoral Lead - Mrs Devine 

 

It is hoped that this information will help to answer some of the questions you may have, should you need any further information please contact the school SENDCO, Mrs Long or Ms Pang.
Please refer to our policy page to view the Special Educational Needs Policy.

 

Appendix A

Intervention

Aims

Delivery

Ratio

Language

To support foundation and KS1 pupils to reach the appropriate level of language.

S.T.A.

1:1, 1:2 Specific programme

Speech

To support foundation and KS1pupils to reach the appropriate level of speech

S.T.A.

1:1, 1:2 Specific programme

Maths Intervention

To support pupils in KS1 and KS2 to bridge the gaps in their learning providing the scaffolding for making progress in numeracy.

T.A.

1:4

specific programme

Language and communication

To support pupils in KS1 and KS2 to bridge the gaps in their learning providing the scaffolding for making progress in literacy.

T.A.

1:4

Specific programme

Numeracy

To support pupils to make progress in numeracy, working on attainment targets within the National Curriculum.

T.

Variable

Individual targets

Phonics

To support pupils in KS1 and KS2 to develop the phonic skills to enable them to make progress within the National Curriculum

T.

Variable

Specific programme

Comprehension

To support KS2 pupils to develop the skills to enable to read and understand texts to enable progress to be made within the National Curriculum

T.

1:4

Specific programme

Elite Development Squad

To develop the skills of KS2 pupils competitive sports to progress within school and the wider environment.

T.

1:20

Programme of development

Art

To develop the talents of pupils in KS2, extending their abilities.

T.A.

1:20

Programme of development

Instrument

To develop the skills and opportunities of pupils in extra-curricular areas.

T.

1:20

Programme of development

Drama

To develop the skills and opportunities of pupils in extra-curricular areas.

T.A.

1:20

Programme of development

Saturday Support

To accelerate the progress of KS2 pupils to enable further development in literacy and numeracy.

T.

1:1, 1:4, variable

Individual targets

Family Support

To provide effective family support at appropriate times

F.L.O.

Family group

Beam

To provide KS1 pupils within the opportunity to develop their fine and gross motor skills.

T.A.

1:15

Programme of development

Fizzy

To provide KS2 pupils within the opportunity to develop their fine and gross motor skills.

T.A.

1:8

Programme of development

Higher level reading

To enhance the skills of pupils within KS1 and KS2 to further develop their reading skills.

T.

1:4

Programme of development

Higher level writing

To enhance the skills of pupils within KS1 and KS2 to further develop their writing skills.

T.

1:4

Programme of development

Beanstalk

To provide support in Year 2 to develop reading confidence.

Supply T.A.

1:1

Counselling

 

To  provide individual pupil support throughout the school

Counsellor

1:1

 

T - Teacher

T.A. – Teaching Assistant

F.L.O. –Family Liaison Officer/Family Support Worker

S.T.A.- Specialist Teaching Assistant

Our SEN information is in line with Medway council's local offer 

link to medway council local offer

 

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