Mrs Mulryan is the Inclusion leader and SENDco. She leads our Inclusion provision. She can be contacted on the school telephone line or via the school office.

As a school, each and every child receives Quality First Teaching. Class teachers work closely with the Inclusion Team to ensure that the expected progress is being made.

Should evidence arise that a child requires extra support, parents will be contacted to plan a way fowrard and strategies put in place. If it is necessary, children may be put on the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Register to help them get back on track.

St Cuthbert's RC Primary School's Offer for children with Special Education Needs

How does the school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs? 

• All pupils are tracked in English and maths throughout the school year.  Progress of each child is rigorously monitored.  If there are any concerns regarding progress additional support or intervention may be provided depending on the need of the individual child. 
• Additional support or intervention is individual to the child's needs.
• Progress of the child continues to be monitored and evaluated by the class teacher and the Inclusion Manager.
• Any new children joining our school will be assessed in a variety of different ways and information from a child's previous school will be sought. 
• If you think that your child has special needs and this has not already been identified by the school, then an appointment can be made to see your child's class teacher or a member of the Inclusion team. 

How will school staff support my child?

• The Inclusion Team regularly meets with teachers and school staff to discuss SEN issues, this includes the progress of all children with SEN.
• Individual Support Plans are written for children and their targets are reviewed regularly by the class teacher and a member of the Inclusion team.
• Class teachers, support staff, parents and children are involved in the setting and reviewing of targets within the Support Plan.
• Parents will be invited to an annual review meeting to discuss their child's progress and to set new targets. 
• Parents are able to meet with the child's class teacher, and/or a member of the Inclusion team, should they wish to discuss their child's needs at any point during the school year.

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

• At St Cuthbert's we know that all children learn in different ways.  Therefore all teachers plan lessons which take this into consideration.  Lessons are planned to suit the learning needs of all children. 
• In order to support children the curriculum is delivered in a variety of ways.  All lessons within school are differentiated in order to support the needs of all children. 
• Small group and individual support is offered to children whom we feel would benefit from this.
• We understand that children learn at their own pace so we closely monitor progress using Individual Support Plans and the schools robust tracking system.
• Advice can be given to parents/carers relating to how they too can best support their children.

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

• All children at St Cuthbert's are supported in terms of their overall well being.
• Children know they can talk freely to any adult within school about any issues that are concerning them.
• We have a Pastoral manager who oversees specific interventions that support emotional development. These are individually matched to a child's need. 
• For children with a very specific need we can offer additional counselling or play therapy
• Visiting groups/speakers are invited into school to promote health, safety and well-being issues amongst the children. 
• Forest school and lunchtime activities offer support for all children and encourage teamwork and friendship building. 
• St Cuthbert's has a variety of school councils which ensures that the views of all children are listened to. 
• If children require medication to be administered during the school day, a plan will be put into place.
• If your child has specific toileting requirements an Intimate Care Plan will be put in place.

What specialist services and expertise are available at, or accessed by the school?

• St Cuthbert's can access specialist support from specialist schools for children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, children with learning difficulties and children with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. 
• The school has  links with The Grange School , Bridge Lea Pupil Referral Unit and The Winnicot Centre at St Mary's Hospital.
• The school receives support from Catalyst Educational Psychology Service and have our own Speech Therapist one day a week. 
• School staff receive training  in a  variety of specialist areas such as Autism, Dyslexia and British Sign Language.
• Staff can access expertise of teachers from other schools in their Primary Partnership.

What training do the staff supporting children and young people with SEND receive?

• The Inclusion Team attends Local Authority Briefings to keep up to date with any legislative changes in SEN. 
• The Inclusion Team , teaching staff and support staff can access training through a variety of commissioned providers as well as from the local Catholic school partnership. 
• All staff in the school receive training to meet the needs of all the children attending the school at any point in time.  Examples of training includes behaviour management, specific ASD, ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia training.
• Staff are also trained to deliver specific mathematics and Literacy Interventions to support the learning of children with cognitive difficulties. 

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

• Where possible, provision will be made for pupils to access all areas of the curriculum including extra- curricular activities.
• We will always contact you before a planned activity if we think your child may require additional support to meet required health and safety standards.
• This may involve a specific risk assessment being completed to identify any additional support needs your child may have to ensure full participation. 

How accessible is the school?

• St Cuthbert's School is accessible and children or adults with mobility issues are able to move around and access all areas of the school. 

How will the school support my child to join the school and how will the school support my child in transferring to the next stage of education?

• When considering a place at St Cuthbert's you are encouraged to contact the school and make an appointment to meet with a member of staff to discuss any issues.
• We will contact  Early Years settings, or other schools your child has attended to gather information about their needs. 
• We will contact any specialist services that support your child and if appropriate invite them to a Team Around the Child meeting (TAC meeting) at school to ensure that we are all working in partnership to achieve the best outcomes for your child. 
• We support pupils moving to new settings and Key Stages by making opportunities available to them to attend the new setting wherever possible. 
• We may develop a transition plan in partnership with you, your child, the new setting and specialist staff supporting your child to ensure that they enjoy a smooth transition.  This may include transition books, photographs etc. 

How are the school's resources allocated and matched to a child's or young person's  special needs?

• The school's SEN budget is allocated to meet the needs of the children on the SEN register.
• The progress and attainment of all children is tracked and resources are allocated according to need. Resources include physical resources as well as human resources eg staffing and support from services.
• The SEN budget is used to ensure that school staff are qualified and trained to support your child and to purchase specialist help if needed.  For example Catalyst Educational Psychologist, Play Therapy, behaviour support. 

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child receives? 

• At St Cuthbert's we constantly monitor and review all children's progress.  Class teachers record any concerns they have regarding children. 
• Discussions then take place with a member of the Inclusion Team about next steps.  Parents will be kept fully informed of the process. 
• A meeting will then be arranged with the class teacher and parents to discuss the next steps. 
• Parents may then be invited into school to set targets within a Support Plan.
• Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification if they so wish. 
• If your child requires additional specialist support we will discuss with you pathways to more specialist support and seek your permission for this to take place. 

How are parents involved in the school? How can I be involved?

• Parents evenings and SEN Review meetings are held throughout the year.  These meetings provide opportunities for parents/carers to meet with class teachers to discuss progress, review support plans and set new targets. 
• We are happy to offer individual appointments to discuss specific issues with you about your child's progress.
• We encourage parents/carers to contact school and arrange an appointment if they are worries or concerned about any aspect of their child's learning or development.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Report 

Aims

We value all the children in our school equally and we recognise the entitlement of each child to receive the best possible education. Within a caring and mutually supportive environment we aim to:

• Build upon the strengths and achievements of the child

• Create an environment in which all individuals are valued, have respect for one another and grow in self-esteem.

• Give equal access to all aspects of school life through academic, social and practical experiences. This will allow all children to experience success regardless of SEN, disability or other factors that may affect their attainment. This is in so far as it is reasonably practical and compatible with the child receiving their special educational provision and the effective education of their fellow pupils.

• Ensure that effective channels of communication are sustained so that all persons including parents and carers are aware of the pupil’s progress and Special Educational Provision (SEP) made for them.

• Assess children regularly so that those with SEN are identified as early as possible.

• Enable pupils with special educational needs to make the greatest progress possible.

• Work towards developing expertise in using inclusive teaching and learning strategies.

Objectives

In order to achieve our aims and to ensure that children with special educational needs achieve their full potential and make progress we will categorise the need into the Four Broad Areas of Need.

These four broad areas give an overview of the range of needs that may be planned for:

• Communication and interaction

• Cognition and learning

• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties

• Sensory and/or physical impairment.

The purpose of identification is to work out what action the school needs to take, not to fit a pupil into a category.

We identify the needs of pupils by considering the needs of the whole child, which will include not just the special educational needs of the child or young person.

There are occasions when progress and attainment are affected by factors other than special educational needs. For example:

• Having a disability

• Attendance and punctuality

• Health and welfare

• Using English as an Additional Language (EAL)

• Being in receipt of Pupil Premium Grant

• Being a Looked After Child

Where this is the case, appropriate provision will be made, but this does not automatically necessitate the child receiving Special Educational Support (SES).

A Graduated Approach to SEN Support

The school is committed to early identification in order to meet the needs of children with SEN. Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff.

Teachers’ ongoing assessment will provide information about areas where a child is not progressing satisfactorily.

These observations may be supported by formal assessments such as Baseline Assessments or termly assessments.

Teachers may complete an ongoing Assess, Plan, Do Review (APDR) document which will collate all of the information regarding the pupil.

Teachers will then consult the INCLUSION TEAM to consider what else might be done – the child’s learning characteristics; the learning environment, the task and the teaching style should always be considered.

Progress for children will be achieved by focusing on classroom organisation, teaching materials, teaching style and differentiation.

If subsequent intervention does not lead to adequate progress then the teacher will consult the INCLUSION TEAM to review the strategies that have been used. This review may lead to the conclusion that the pupil requires help that is additional to or different from that which is normally available.

This would constitute Special Educational Support (SES) and the child would be registered as receiving SEN Support.

We seek to identify pupils making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances. This can be characterised by progress which:

• Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline.

• Fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress.

• Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers.

• Widens the attainment gap.

• Fails to make progress with wider development or social and emotional needs.

• Fails to make progress in self-help, social and personal skills.

The school will use the graduated approach as advised in the Code of Practice 0-25 Years – ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’.

This process is initiated, facilitated and overseen by the INCLUSION TEAM, whilst the class teacher is responsible for carrying out the process of assessing, planning, doing and reviewing.

Where external agencies are involved, the INCLUSION TEAM will be responsible for liaising with those agencies.

The INCLUSION TEAM will also provide advice and guidance throughout the process, and may carry out some additional assessment. The INCLUSION TEAM will updated all records of provision and impact of that provision. The teacher will maintain the personalised plans and keep them updated.

ASSESS – The teacher and SENCO will consider all of the information gathered from within the school about the pupil’s progress, alongside national data and expectations of progress. This will include formative assessment, using effective tools and early assessment materials. From this, we identify the child’s current attainment, achievements and learning profile. This may involve taking advice from the INCLUSION TEAM, external specialists and may include the use of diagnostic and other assessments to determine the exact areas of need and strategies recommended. Where external specialists are involved directly with the pupil, parental consent will be sought first. Information may also be gathered using person-centred tools to discover what is important to the pupil and how best we can support them.

PLAN – Pupils and parents will be involved in the planning process as much as possible. Person centred tools may be employed to facilitate this. This means that the pupil and their parents/ carers are supported in the planning process to arrive at goals and plans that make them key players in the learning process. This will be used to ascertain aspirations and outcomes for the child in the short and longer term. The plan will include the expected outcomes, actions and strategies and provision to be used. A review date will also be set.

DO- The strategies and interventions agreed in the plan will be implemented and progress monitored using the school’s usual assessment systems, plus specific tracking of progress through St Cuthbert’s interventions. Progress may be measured through assessment scores and/or through qualitative observations.

REVIEW- The progress of the pupil will be reviewed at the end of the specified period of intervention. This review will form the basis of further assessment and planning. Meetings with pupils and parents happen at least termly.

The school’s Local Offer can be found on the school website:

https://www.st-cuthberts.manchester.sch.uk/

This indicates the type of provision the school currently offers to pupils with SEN and disability. It is reviewed annually. The level and type of provision decided on for individual pupils is that which is required to meet the planned outcomes. The SENCO and BUSINESS MANAGER records the cost of provision made through provision mapping.

Statutory Assessment of SEN

If the school is unable to meet with all of the agreed provision from its existing resources, finance and staffing expertise; and the outcomes for the child are not improving despite SEN Support, then the school may request a statutory assessment from the Local Authority, which may lead to an Education, Health and Care Plan.

The school will provide the evidence about the child’s progress over time, documentation in relation to the child’s SEN Support and St Cuthbert’s action taken to meet their needs, including St Cuthbert’s resources or special arrangements in place.

This information may include:

• the child’s individual plans ( APDR’s)

• records of reviews with pupils and parents, and their outcomes

• Common Assessment Framework (if applicable)

• medical information where relevant

• National Curriculum attainment, and wider learning profile

• educational and other assessments, e.g. Educational Psychologist

• views of the parent and the child

• involvement of outside agencies

If the Local Authority (LA) agrees to a Statutory Assessment, it must assess the education, health and care needs of that child. The LA must request advice and information on the child and the

• parents/ carers and/ or child

• the school

• an educational psychologist

• health

• social care

• anyone else that parents/ carers request

• a specialist teacher for the visually impaired or hearing impaired, if appropriate

From this information, it must then be decided by the Local Authority whether or not to issue an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Annual Review of the EHC Plan

The LA has a three year period in which to legally make the transition between existing Statements of SEN, and EHC Plans. All Statements/ EHC Plans must be reviewed at least annually. The INCLUSION TEAM initiates the process of inviting relevant people to the meeting. This will include pupils, parents and others close to the child who pupils and parents would like to attend. Relevant professionals from within school and outside agencies will also be invited, as will a representative from the LA.

The review will be person (child)-centred, looking at:

• progress on actions towards agreed outcomes

• what we appreciate and admire about the child

• what is important to the child now

• what is important to the child in the future

• how best to support the child

• questions to answer/ issues we are struggling with action plan

St Cuthbert’s amendments to the EHC Plan will be recorded. The INCLUSION TEAM will record the outcomes of this meeting and the Head Teacher will ensure that it is sent to the LA.

Criteria for exiting Special Educational Provision

A child may no longer require Special Educational Support, where they

• make progress significantly quicker than that of their peers

• close the attainment gap between them and their peers

• make significant progress with wider development or social and emotional needs, such that they no longer require provision that is additional to or different from their peers

• make progress in self-help, social and personal skills, such that they no longer require provision that is additional to or different from their peers

This would be determined at the review stage.

Supporting pupils and families

Manchester Education Authority’s Local Offer can be found at :

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500132/special_educational_needs/6181/manchesters_lo cal_offer_for_children_and_young_people_with_sen_and_disabilities

This policy forms part of the school’s SEN Information Report. The school is committed to working closely with parents and a number of initiatives to develop closer working relationships have been developed.

Parents meet regularly with school staff and concerns and successes are shared. Parents are made aware of the Information, Advice and Support Services (IASS), formerly Parent Partnership Service, and supported to engage with external agencies.

Parents will be involved at every stage of their child’s progress, through liaison with the class teacher and later the INCLUSION TEAM.

Parents are encouraged to be involved with target setting for personalised plans. Some home activities may be provided. Parents and pupils are invited to target setting meetings and to review progress.

Parents of children with Statements/ EHC Plans will also be invited to a yearly review, along with relevant support service personnel connected to the child, and the pupil themselves.

Medical issues are first discussed with the parents/carer. If support is required the school nurse will be contacted. The child may then be referred for assessment through his/her GP.

If a member of staff is concerned about the welfare of a child they should consult St Cuthbert’s Child Protection Co-ordinators.

Depending on the special educational needs of the children different agencies may be involved e.g. occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, physiotherapist, psychiatrist.

The School’s Designated persons for safeguarding leads are;

• Mrs McGuire
• Mr Lawrence
• Mrs Dunn
• Mrs Mulryan
• Mrs McEntee
• Miss Freeston
• The School’s safeguarding Governor is Kath Perry for across the Federation

Admissions

Pupils with special educational needs will be admitted to St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Primary School in line with the school’s admissions policy.

The school is aware of the statutory requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 and will meet the Act’s requirements.

The school will use their induction meetings to work closely with parents to ascertain whether a child has been identified as having, or possibly having special educational needs.

In the case of a pupil joining the school from another school, St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Primary School will seek to ascertain from parents whether the child has special education needs and will access previous records as quickly as possible.

If the school is alerted to the fact that a child may have a difficulty in learning they will make their best endeavours to collect all relevant information and plan a relevant differentiated curriculum.

The Admissions policy is available on the school website.

When a pupil transfers to another school, transfer documents, including full records of their special educational needs, will be sent to the receiving school.

Transfer

On transfer to secondary school the Year 6 teacher and a member of the INCLUSION TEAM will meet with the SENCO of the receiving school to discuss SEN records and the needs of the individual pupils. An invitation will be issued for a representative of the receiving school to attend the transition review meeting held in Year 6.

Medical Needs

The school recognises that pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. Some children with medical conditions may be disabled and where this is the case the school will comply with its duties under the Equality Act 2010.

Some may also have special educational needs (SEN) and may have a statement, or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision and the SEND Code of Practice (2014) is followed.

The school’s policy on medicines can be found on the school website at: https://www.st-cuthberts.manchester.sch.uk/

Medical care plans are written in conjunction with the parent and the school nurse.

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated in the light of new developments. Progress will be monitored and evaluated via the action plan.

Training and resources

Governors will ensure that there is a suitably qualified SENCO who has the time necessary to undertake the role. Time is identified for staff to review pupil progress, discuss pupil curriculum needs and to transfer information between classes and phases.

Teacher Assistant time is allocated to ensure pupils receive the individual support outlined in the individual plans and teachers are responsible for ensuring this takes place and is monitored.

The Governors ensure that time is allocated to allow for monitoring of provision and pupil progress.

Training for teachers and teacher assistants is provided both within school and through other professional development activities. The school uses funding to provide external professional advice and support for individual pupils in line with their statements and in relation to needs.

The governors will ensure that they are kept fully abreast of their statutory responsibilities by attending training and receiving regular updates from the Headteacher or the INCLUSION TEAM.

The INCLUSION TEAM will keep abreast of current research and thinking on SEN matters.

The INCLUSION TEAM will be supported to enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities through courses or from the support of other professionals.

The INCLUSION TEAM will disseminate knowledge or skills gained through staff meetings, whole school INSET or consultation with individual members of staff.

External agencies may be invited to take part in INSET.

SEN training is included within INSET days and staff meetings to reflect the needs of the school and individual staff members.

Funding is deployed in the budget to meet the cost of; Learning Support Assistants, additional teachers, an Educational Psychologist, a Speech Therapist, counsellors.

Funding received for a statement/ Education Health Care Plan is allocated to ensure appropriate provision.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Governing Body: The SEN Governor, will support the Governors to fulfil their statutory obligations by ensuring:

• The Curriculum Committee receives a report at every curriculum meeting to update progress on SEN issues,

• The SEN policy is reviewed annually

The Headteacher: The Headteacher is the school’s ‘responsible person’ and manages the school’s special educational needs work.

The Headteacher will keep the Governing Body informed about the special educational needs provision made by the school.

The Headteacher will work closely with the INCLUSION TEAM, the Special Needs Governor and Staff to ensure the effective day-to-day operation of the school’s special educational needs policy.

The Headteacher and the INCLUSION TEAM will identify areas for development in special educational needs and contribute to the school’s improvement plan.

St Cuthbert’s Inclusion Team

The INCLUSION TEAM at St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School are; Mrs Mulryan (SENDCO) , Miss Freeston (Assistant SENDCo) and Mrs McEntee (Pastoral Manager/Family Support Worker)

The INCLUSION TEAM are responsible for:

• co-ordinating SEN provision for children.

• liaising with and advising teachers

• maintaining the school’s SEN register and overseeing the records of all pupils with special educational needs

• liaising with parents of children with special educational needs

• liaising with external agencies including the educational psychology service and other support agencies, medical and social services and voluntary bodies

• consultation with the class teacher to ensure that APRD’s are written and that reviews take place.

Role of Class Teacher and Support Staff

Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff. Both the teaching staff and the Learning Support Assistants have an integrated role in curriculum planning and in supporting the child’s learning. They are fully involved in the identification, curriculum differentiation and assessment of pupils with SEN. They work together with the INCLUSION TEAM to formulate and review APDR’s and to maintain a class SEN file that is kept in the classroom for reference by staff including supply staff and students as appropriate.

Storing and managing information

The confidential nature of SEND information is fully recognised at St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Primary School. Information is stored in a secure room and complies with the GDPR regulations.

Reviewing the policy

The policy will be reviewed as part of the school’s evaluation cycle. The policy is due for review Summer 2023.

Accessibility

The DDA, as amended by the SEN and Disability Act 2001, placed a duty on all schools and LAs to plan to increase over time the accessibility of schools for disabled pupils and to implement their plans. St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Primary School publishes its accessibility plans on the website:

https://www.st-cuthberts.manchester.sch.uk/

Complaints

The complaint procedure for special educational needs mirrors the school’s other complaints procedures. Should a parent or carer have a concern about the special provision made for their child they should in the first instance discuss this with the class teacher.

If the matter is not resolved satisfactorily parents have recourse to the following:

• discuss the problem with the INCLUSION TEAM

• discuss the problem with the Headteacher

• More serious on-going concerns should be presented in writing to the SEN Governor, who will inform the Chairman of the Governors

• A copy of St Cuthbert’s complaints procedure can be found on our website.

https://www.st-cuthberts.manchester.sch.uk/uploads/file/Complaints%20Policy.pdf

Bullying

Bullying is taken very seriously at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School. Statistically, children with SEND are more likely than their peers to experience bullying. Consequently, staff and governors at St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Primary School endeavour to generate a culture of support and care among pupils.

How can I find out more? 

The SEND Code of Practice published in July 2014 is available on the DFE website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

Manchester City Council also publishes all the services they offer to children / young people with SEN.

You can view this on the following website:

http://manchester.fsd.org.uk/kb5/manchester/fsd/category.page?newcategory=3

Other useful Links

Brain Parade Website: http://www.brainparade.com/products/see-touch-learn-free/

Description: a visual instruction app, including flash cards and picture-choosing games, for children with autism and special needs.

HelpKidzLearn Website: https://www.helpkidzlearn.com/

Description: a collection of games and resources designed for a range of educational needs and stages.

Visuals2Go Website: https://www.visuals2go.com/

Description: an all-in-one app created to support people with communication and learning difficulties. For verbal and non-verbal learners.

50+ Sensory Play Ideas For Kids Website: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/kids-sensory-play-ideas

Description: Let’s talk about sensory play, primarily the sense of touch through tactile hands-on play. Our favourite sensory activities include sensory bins, slime (especially taste safe slime), water play, messy play and more. Sensory activities don’t have to be difficult to set up and you will find our sensory recipes use common kitchen pantry ingredients.

AUTISM SUPPORT:

We want to make sure that no individual we support, or their carer, feels alone during a moment of need.

Autism Resources: Our emergency helpline is 07891 476 293, Mon-Fri 5pm-9:30pm and Sat-Sun 9am-9pm.

National Autistic Society:

From the Autism Helpline to our more specialist offerings, we are the outstanding source for advice and information. When you ring us, you'll be assured of friendly, impartial advice that takes your concerns seriously.

0808 800 4104

Helpline telephone lines: 10am – 3pm, Monday to Friday.

ADHD SUPPORT

ADHD - Child & Adolescent Mental Health - YoungMinds Website: https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/conditions/adhd-and-mental-health

Description: ADHD and mental health. Struggling to concentrate, having too much energy or not being able to easily control your behaviour are some of the symptoms of ADHD. Find out more about ADHD and how to support your child during school closures.

Support for Kids With ADHD During the Coronavirus Crisis

Website: https://childmind.org/article/giving-kids-with-adhd-support-and-structure-during-the-coronavirus-crisis/

Description: Families everywhere are struggling to care for (and homeschool!) children cut off from their normal routines and activities during the coronavirus crisis. See this website for further support and advice.