All children are welcomed to Grove Park School they are valued and respected. We are aware that some children will require extra support whilst at school and we aim to provide this for them. In some cases this will only be for a short time but in other instances their needs will be ongoing.

 

We aim to provide you with a short overview of how our Special Educational needs department works.

 

All teachers are teachers of children with Special Educational Needs but are supported by a SENCo (Special educational needs co-ordinator) and an Inclusion Manager who oversees provision in school; and an SEN administrator, Mrs Samantha Thorne. In our School Amanda Harling is the SENCo and Nicci Hague is the Inclusion Manager. There is a also a statutory duty to monitor SEN by the Governing Body. At present Mrs Leonie Brooks and Mrs Gail Barber are our SEN Governors. The inclusion manager and SEN Governors meet to discuss SEN within school, in its broadest sense; specific children are never discussed.

 

The Inclusion Manager and SENCo co-ordinate teaching assistant support in classrooms, liaise with outside agencies who may offer further support for your child; usually if your child requires extra support they will be added to Special Educational Needs Audit and their progress carefully monitored.

 

Mrs Harling and Ms Hague run SEN drop in sessions once a term; sometimes these have a specific focus but are open to all parents with any queries or concerns.

 

Admissions    

A disabled child has equal access for admission. Reasonable adjustments are made if the need arises. We would always seek to do our utmost to provide for a child with a disability. There are also new rules regarding admissions due to health, medical, social and special access reasons. Please contact the school for further information.

 

Special Educational needs Audit

The audit is a list, that is kept in school, of children who may require support from various people. Children who require further support in school and from outside agencies are identified as SEN Support and children whose needs are very complex may have a EHCP (Education, Health, Care Plan) or Statement of Special Educational Needs.  This list is usually compiled in October and updated regularly throughout the year. Parents are informed annually by letter and can discuss this with the school. If there are significant changes parents are also updated.

 

Teachers, teaching assistants and either the SENCo or Inclusion Manager meet termly to discuss the progress of your child if they are on the audit. In some cases very specialist targets are set and written on an individual education plan in order to identify specific targets and work towards these.

 

OUTSIDE AGENCIES

A variety of people visit school to offer support and advice with children. Schools meet termly with outside agencies to discuss children who we have concerns about and commission services. Parental permission is always sought prior to these meetings. They include:

Specialist teachers- these are teachers that have further qualifications in Special Educational needs and many have worked in special schools.

School nurse- they provide information to help us deal with children with medical difficulties such as diabetes or incontinence.

Educational Psychologist- these are psychologists, many of whom, also hold teaching degrees and usually help in assessing children’s strengths and weaknesses.

Speech and Language therapists- these provide support for children who are struggling with speech production and understanding and using grammar.

Physiotherapists/Occupational therapist- these provide support for children with cerebral palsy or dyspraxia and offer guidance on exercises and activities we can run in school.

 

SUPPORT PROGRAMMES FOR YOUR CHILD

A variety of support programmes are carried out in school, the following list is not exhaustive but provides an idea of provision in school.

 

Literacy Intervention

Literacy intervention varies throughout the school, some children work in small groups in the afternoons to focus on reading, writing or speaking and listening skills; or their area of difficulty may require precision teaching on a one to one basis to learn something they are finding very tricky. These sessions may involve use of the computer and a programme called Clicker 5; and are usually delivered by a teaching assistant in your child’s year group. All planning for intervention groups is completed by your child’s class teacher.

 

Numeracy Intervention

Numeracy intervention varies throughout the school, some children work in small groups on an area they are finding tricky, such as times tables, counting on 10 or place value. Sometimes precision teaching on a very specific area is required. These sessions are usually delivered by a teaching assistant in your child’s year group. All planning for intervention groups is completed by your child’s class teacher.

 

Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)

All children are screened on entry to school for both speech and language difficulties. Parents are informed of the outcome of this screening at the first Parents’ evening. Children with specific difficulties then work with Mrs Christine Cass on the issues they may be having. These sessions are usually just 5-10 minutes daily and followed up with the class teacher. The children are re-screened at the end of reception and the majority of children require no further support. This screening also identifies children who may benefit from a formal screening with the Speech and Language therapist.

 

Some children arrive in school with Speech and Language therapy plans and these are also delivered by Mrs Cass in years R to 4 and Mrs Jane Clay in years 4 to 6.

 

Plans can only be updated by a Speech and Language therapist.

 

Soundswrite

Soundswrite is the phonic programme used in school to teaching reading and spelling. It is delivered by teachers and teaching assistants. ALL staff have completed at least 4 full days training with this programme.

Soundswrite is delivered at least 4 times a week in ability groups, children who are struggling have regular, frequent repetition of sounds they are struggling to learn.

 

Beam/Clever Hands/Write Dance (Occupational Therapy) 

Fine motor skills are essential for children to be able to write and sometimes children require a little extra help to develop their manual dexterity. These are a range of programmes used to help children develop both gross and fine motor skills. All year groups have resources specifically aimed to help gross and fine motor skills.

 

Plans can only be updated by an Occupational Therapist.

 

Counselling Services

Grove Park have access to a counselling service and if the need arises children may be referred to this. For example if there has been a bereavement, or other significant emotional trauma that requires specialist support.  

 

Emotional Difficulties

Mrs Claire Stevens is our Pupil Support Worker and is able to offer time for reflection and talking, linked to many issues including friendships, in a quiet setting if children need this.

 

Family Difficulties

Mrs Claire Stevens is our Family Support Worker and is able to offer coffee and a chat about a whole range of issues that may be affecting your family. She has access to a wide variety of information and can often listen and then help to point you in the right direction.

 

Additional Daily Reading Support

Daily reading is available if your child has free school meals, an EHCP or statement of special educational needs or has a specific IEP target linked to this.

 

Resources

There are a wide range of resources available for children with difficulties. These include: pencil grips, wedges, cushions, specialist reading books, coloured overlays, ICT programmes. This list not exhaustive and when specific equipment is recommended children will usually have access to this.

 

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact the school