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Binsted Church of England (controlled) is a mainstream primary school. The school is fully committed to the inclusion of all children. This is underpinned and supported by the Christian ethos of our school and our school values of ‘Faith, Hope and Love.' All pupils are valued equally and are offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education whatever their needs and abilities. Inclusion gives the opportunity for all pupils to achieve challenging academic standards and personal, emotional and social development.
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?
The school works hard to identify children who have a special educational need as early as possible. Information to support identification is collected in the following ways:
Parents are encouraged to speak to school staff if they are concerned that their child may have a special educational need.
How will I raise concerns if I need to?
Your first point of contact should be your child’s class teacher. They are usually available at the end of the day to discuss any concerns that you may have. However, some teachers can be involved in leading clubs after school so if they are unavailable, parents are welcome to ask the school office to make an appointment for them.
Any concerns raised as a result of parent teacher meetings will be discussed with the school SENCo, Mrs L.Bowden. Parents are also welcome to contact her via the school office to discuss ongoing concerns.
Should a concern not be satisfactorily resolved the school’s complaint procedure can be accessed on the school website or a copy obtained at the school office: adminoffice@binsted.hants.sch.uk
How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
We ensure that the needs of all children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) are met to the best of the school’s ability with the funds available. Our team of learning support assistants support children both in class and with specific programmes. The budget is allocated on a needs basis. The children who have the most complex needs are given the most support. Children with EHCPs (Education and Health Care Plans) for SEN may have supported hours that are identified within their plan.
How do we know if it has had an impact?
For our children with (Education, Health Care Plans) EHC plans, actions are agreed during the annual review process. These then form the basis of targets laid out in termly Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and/or IBPs (Individual Behaviour Plans), as part of SEN Support which are monitored and reviewed.
Core subjects Maths, Language and Literacy and Science progress and attainments are monitored through formal assessments and compared to expected levels to ensure that pupils are making progress relative to their starting point whilst aiming to close any gaps. All foundation subjects are assessed at the end of each unit of work and attainment and progress against the National average is carefully monitored.
How will the school support my child?
Every teacher has responsibilities under the SEN Code of Practice. Teachers will endeavour do their best to make reasonable adjustments to meet individuals’ needs through first quality teaching. If further support is required, this will be planned with the school SENCo and or external agencies as appropriate. Children who need provision that is different from or additional to class provision will have their support outlined in an Education Health care Plan (EHCP).
The SEND Code of Practice 2014 ( section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014) aims to include an EHCP which is:
For pupils who have SEN Support this will detail:
Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) will work in partnership with the teacher and SENCo to enable pupils to achieve targets set in their IEP SEN Support.
How is the decision made about the type and how much support my child will receive?
All teachers and LSAs are involved in identifying, assessing and making provision for vulnerable pupils and those with SEND. The majority of pupils will have their needs met through normal classroom arrangements and appropriate differentiation (first quality teaching).
The class teacher will consult with the SENCo to identify the area of need and to establish whether additional support is necessary. Formal assessments and Hampshire Advisory Criteria for SEN will be used to support decisions. Pupils identified will be recorded on the SEN register. This will be updated termly following a review of pupils’ progress.
Who will oversee, plan, work with my child and how often?
Our SENCo will oversee all support and progress of children who are having any provision that is different from or additional to mainstream provision. Class teachers will oversee in class support using a 'plan, do and review 'cycle of interventions.
Provision may involve adjustments made to the environment, teaching style, resources and curriculum or it may be in the form of structured programmes (interventions) that pupils follow, either in a small group or on a 1:1 basis. Support and planned interventions are delivered by LSAs as well as their class teachers. The frequency of interventions will vary depending on the programme being followed. All planned interventions are monitored and assessed over a six week period.
Who will explain this to me?
The class teacher will communicate with parents either through a parent consultation or written report to discuss a child’s needs, support available for them in class and the progress they have made. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will be shared with parents and carers and their views will be taken into account in planning and delivering additional support.
The SENCo oversees extra provision and is available to discuss this support and progress in more detail as and when parents wish.
How are the governors involved, and what are their responsibilities?
The governor responsible for SEND will meet regularly with the SENCo in order to discuss SEN outcomes and is involved in planning and development. Individual children are not discussed and confidentiality is maintained at all times.
The school governors will ensure that:
How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
All work within class is differentiated at an appropriate level so that children are able to access learning according to their specific needs and abilities. This means that in a lesson there may be different levels of learning set for the class in order that each child is provided with the correct level of challenge.
How does the school know how well my child is doing?
Class teachers continually assess each child, identifying learning strengths and areas for development and further support. The school measures children’s progress in learning against national expectations and age related expectations. This information is updated termly and forms the basis for pupil progress meetings with the Head Teacher. Children identified as not making expected progress are discussed with a view to finding out why difficulties are being experienced and what further support can be given to aid their progression.
For children with SEN when IEPs are reviewed comments are made against each target to show what progress has been made. If the child has not yet met the target the reasons will be discussed and the target adapted into smaller steps or a different approach may be tried to ensure the child does make progress.
Children who have literacy support that is additional to class provision, are formally assessed in their reading and writing at the end of each term to ensure that accelerated learning is taking place.
How will I know how my child is doing and how the school will help me to support my child’s learning?
We believe that a child’s education should be a partnership between home and school and aim to ensure that there is good communication between the two. We hold parent consultation meetings for parents of all children with a half yearly formal report which is sent home in the spring term and a more detailed formal report in the summer term. Parents of children who are identified as needing additional support will have the opportunity to discuss needs and provision with the SENCo at an initial meeting with regular opportunities for review of progress throughout the year. We also have an open door policy and parents are welcome to make an appointment to meet with either the class teacher or the SENCo to discuss progress and any concerns. Advice and practical ways in which a child can be supported at home can be shared with parents and carers.
Children who have provision that is additional to or different from that available to all will have an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) or an Individual Behaviour Plan (IBP). This plan will identify SMART targets and strategies for children to support themselves and to be supported at school and home. Teachers and LSAs will review targets at least termly or as required, with SENCo support. The outcomes of this review will be shared with parents at the end of each term.
If a child has a complex SEND they may be part of an Inclusion Partnership Agreement (IPA), an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan or a Common Assessment Framework (CAF). A formal meeting will take place regularly to discuss a child’s progress and outline actions for further support. A report will be provided for the parents and relevant agencies involved which may include the Local Education Authority.
For some children it may be necessary to have a home / school book which travels between home and school each day. Comments from parents and teachers can be shared and responded to when needed.
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
We welcome and celebrate diversity. All staff believe that high self-esteem is crucial to a child’s well-being. The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class. If further support is required the class teacher will liaise with the SENCo for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as Health Services, Primary Behaviour Support, Educational Physiologist, Social Services or creating a programme of Resilience Activities. Personal achievement both in school and at home is valued and celebrated. Regular celebration assemblies take place within school to raise the profile of individual personal achievements.
The school also has a trained an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) who works with vulnerable children under the direction of the SENCo. The Head Teacher and staff have regular training on aspects of resilience, SEND support and mental Health..
Children with severe allergies or medical conditions have care plans and their photos and medical information is distributed in appropriate areas around the school, for example office and staff room, so all staff are aware of their needs.
Teaching about Mental Health and Wellbeing
The skills, knowledge and understanding needed by our pupils to keep themselves and others physically and mentally healthy and safe are included as part of our developmental PSHE curriculum. At Binsted Church of England School we recognise the links between well-being, emotional resilience and PSHE. We use Heartsmart across the school to help promote healthy choices for both staff and children.
The specific content of lessons will be determined by the specific needs of the cohort being taught but there will always be an emphasis on enabling pupils to develop the skills, knowledge, understanding, language and confidence to seek help, as needed, for themselves or others.
We will follow the PSHE Association Guidance to ensure that we teach mental health and emotional wellbeing issues in a safe and sensitive manner which helps rather than harms.
Signposting
We will ensure that staff, pupils and parents are aware of sources of support within school and in the local community. This is shared in our newsletter, signposting to courses and the School nursing service. In the case of staff, promotion of the Hampshire’s Building resilience guidance, which is displayed in the staffroom.
We will display relevant sources of support in communal areas and will regularly highlight sources of support to pupils within relevant parts of the curriculum. We have a dedicated page for Supporting and Promoting Emotional health and well-being on our website, under the key information tab www.binsted.hants.sch.uk/
Whenever we highlight sources of support, we will increase the chance of pupils seeking help by ensuring that they understand:
What help is available
Who it is aimed at
How to access it
Why to access it
What is likely to happen next
Warning Signs
School staff may become aware of warning signs which may indicate a pupil is experiencing mental health or emotional wellbeing issues. These warning signs should always be taken seriously and staff observing any of these warning signs should communicate their concerns to our SENCO and Designated Safeguarding Leads Mr Morton and Mr Jennings. Please refer to our Child Protection, Safeguarding and SEND policies for further links.
Possible warning signs include:
Physical signs of harm that are repeated or appear non-accidental
Changes in eating / sleeping habits
Increased isolation from friends or family, becoming socially withdrawn
Changes in activity and mood
Lowering of academic achievement
Talking or joking about self-harm or suicide
Expressing feelings of failure, uselessness or loss of hope
Changes in clothing – e.g. long sleeves in warm weather
Secretive behaviour
Skipping PE or getting changed secretively
Lateness to or absence from school
Repeated physical pain or nausea with no evident cause
An increase in lateness or absenteeism
Managing disclosures
A pupil may choose to disclose concerns about themselves or a friend to any member of staff so all staff need to know how to respond appropriately to a disclosure.
If a pupil chooses to disclose concerns about their own mental health or that of a friend to a member of staff, the member of staff’s response should always be calm, supportive and non-judgemental.
Staff should listen, rather than advise and our first thoughts should be of the pupil’s emotional and physical safety rather than of exploring ‘Why?’ For more information about how to handle mental health disclosures sensitively see our Safeguarding policy and our Children Protection policy, in particular pages 9 and 15.
All disclosures should be recorded in writing and held on the pupil’s confidential file. This written record should include:
Date
The name of the member of staff to whom the disclosure was made
Main points from the conversation
Agreed next steps
This information should be shared with Sharron Morton, DSLO. This is vital for both the individual child and for the emotional well-being of the Mental Health Lead. See our SEND policy for guidance about making a referral to CAMHS.
For further informational about our mental health at Binsted, please see The Binsted CE Primary Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy
How does the school manage the administration of medicines?
There is a policy regarding the management and administration of medicines. As a staff we have regular training and updates of conditions and medication that affect particular children to ensure that staff are able to manage these situations. For example, training on the management of asthma and severe allergies. Our staff have also received training in first aid which is updated on a regular basis.
What support is there for behaviour, avoiding exclusion and increasing attendance?
We have a positive approach to behaviour management with a structured reward system that is made clear to all children. For those children who need more support an Individual Behaviour Plan (IBP) is drawn up with staff, parents and the child. This ensures that there is a clear, consistent approach that identifies manageable targets tailored towards the child’s specific needs and strategies to use in order to achieve those targets.
Attendance of all children is monitored closely. Good attendance is expected for all children and encouragement and recognition for all children is provided through a class reward scheme. The school works closely and quickly with parents and children who are identified as having poor attendance to further support them at an individual level.
How will my child be able to contribute their views?
We offer a supportive environment where every child is encouraged to express their own views and value the opinion of other’s. Opportunities to do this are also provided at a formal level through the Pupil Voice - School Council/Governors.
Children are also encouraged and supported to contribute to setting and reviewing IEP targets, IPA discussions, Team around the Child for CAF and annual review meetings for children with SENSAs or EHC Plans.
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
As a school we pride ourselves on the positive working relationship that we have with outside agencies. Advice and support from outside agencies for individual children will be obtained if there is agreement that there is a need. These may include the Educational Psychologist, Primary Behaviour Support Team, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist, Specialist Teacher Advisors, CAMHS and EMTAS for children with English as an additional language. There is also close liaison with and involvement from health and social care agencies when necessary. Parents are always consulted and encouraged to be involved in any school consultations with outside agencies.
What training have the staff supporting SEND had or what training are they having?
The SENCo has qualified teacher status and the SENCo Accreditation. She ensures that relevant up-to-date information is fed back to staff through meetings and specific inset training regularly.
The school also has:
How will my child be included in activities outside the school classroom including school trips?
All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum and our aim is that all children participate in both day and residential trips and sporting activities. As far as we are reasonably able we will provide support to ensure that this is both possible and successful.
A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure the health and safety of everyone. Children with their own individual risk assessments will be specifically named in any risk assessments for excursions. Whilst every attempt is made to include all children if it is unsafe or not appropriate for a child to take part in an activity, alternative activities which will cover the same curriculum areas will be provided in school.
It is our aim that outside activities, PE lessons and Sports Days can be accessed by everyone and children are able to take part in activities at a level suitable for them.
How accessible is the school both indoors and outdoors?
Foundation Stage and Key Stage One teaching areas of the school are on ground floor level. Upper Key stage Two, Y3/4 and Y5/6 are taught in classes on the first floor, these are accessed a staircase.
The outside area consists of a playing field and a hard flat area.
There is a toilet on the ground floor.
How will the school prepare and support my child when joining the school and when transferring to a new school?
All pre-school children and their parents / carers will be involved in the pre-school induction that takes place in the summer term before they start school. This involves visits to the school and the reception class. In addition, children will be visited at their pre-school setting and in their own home by the reception teacher and a member of support staff.
In all cases for children transferring from pre-school, to another school or transferring to secondary school we ensure that all relevant paperwork is passed on and all needs are discussed. For some children an IPA may be set up to support transition. This process involves meetings that parents, staff from both schools and any relevant outside agencies are invited to attend. Children may need extra visits in the run up to transfer or the use of transition booklets or social stories which can be arranged if needed.
Our local feeder secondary schools run programmes specifically for more vulnerable pupils providing extra social and emotional support during transition time.
How are parents involved in the school and how can I become involved?
Parents of all children are actively involved in their education. In addition those parents of children with SEND are involved in target setting and monitoring for both Annual Reviews and IEPs and their views are sought for meetings with outside agencies and their attendance encouraged.
Where can I find information on Hampshire County Council’s Local Offer?
Along with all other local authorities, Hampshire County Council now publishes information about services that are available for children and young people from birth to 25 who have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities. This is known as the ‘Local Offer’. On this site, you’ll find a wealth of useful material that can help you access the right services and support for you and your family.
Hampshire County Council’s new look Family Information and Services Hub is now live, from August 2023, it is easy to navigate and has lots of helpful information:
https://fish.hants.gov.uk/kb5/hampshire/directory/home.page
What is the name and contact details of the school Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)?
The SENCo is Mrs L.Bowden. She can be contacted via the school office by telephone on 01420 23200 or by e-mail at adminoffice@binsted.hants.sch.uk
Who can I contact for further information?
The school office on 01420 23200 or by e-mail at adminoffice@binsted.hants.sch.uk . The Admin Officer will arrange for you to speak to or meet Mrs Bowden.