SEND Information Report 2023-2024 for Our Lady of Muswell Catholic Primary School
(in accordance with section 65(3) of the Children and Families Act 2014)
Who is the named SEND contact?
Our SENCO is Mrs K Forkan. She can be contacted via the main office, by phone - 020 8444 6894, or by email - parents@ourladymuswell.haringey.sch.uk
- What kind of special educational needs provision is accessible for children at Our Lady of Muswell Catholic Primary School?
Our Lady of Muswell is a mainstream inclusive school, which ensures that all pupils achieve their potential; personally, socially, emotionally and academically in all areas of the curriculum, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, social background, religion, sexual identity, physical ability or educational need.
We offer a range of provision to support children with: communication and interaction needs; cognition and learning difficulties; social, emotional and mental health needs; sensory or physical needs (see Haringey Local Offer.)
- How do we identify children who may have an SEN (Special Educational Need)?
SEN as defined in the 2014 Code of Practice:
“A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special education provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
- a) has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others the same age, or
- b) has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.
Some children arrive at Our Lady of Muswell with identified SEND, in which case the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) will liaise with the previous school, nursery or special unit to ensure there is a smooth transition and continuity of provision.
Where pupil’s progress is significantly slower than that of their peers, or fails to match their previous rate of progress, despite high quality teaching targeted at specific areas of difficulty, it may be that the child has SEND. Information will be gathered, including seeking the views of parents and the pupil, as well as from teachers and assessments. There can be many reasons for learners ‘falling behind.’ These may include absences, attending lots of different schools, difficulties with speaking English, or worries that distract them from their learning. The school understands that children who experience these barriers to learning are vulnerable. This does not mean that all vulnerable learners have SEN. Only those with a learning difficulty that requires special education provision will be identified has having SEN.
Our Lady of Muswell has a graduated approach to SEND:
Wave 1: Initially, children receive inclusive quality first teaching for all, which may include the provision of differentiated classwork. Some children at this level may be on our concern list as we are carefully tracking and reviewing their progress.
Wave 2: If concerns continue or increase, then children may receive additional, time-limited and targeted interventions to accelerate their progress to help them work at age-related expectations.
Wave 3: If there are still concerns, children will receive highly personalised interventions to accelerate their progress and enable them to achieve their potential, with the possibility of outside agency support. At this point there would be considerations of SEN
If parents raise concern over their child, they should initially discuss these with the class teacher. If the class teacher shares these concerns following the wave 1 and wave 2 approach (as outlined above), then they will discuss these with the SENCO, who may observe the child, provide advice, use assessment tools or consider referral to an outside professional.
- What provision is made for children with SEND, with and without an EHC Plan (Educational Health Care Plan) in respect of:
a) What are the school’s arrangements for assessing and reviewing progress of children with SEN?
- Teachers carry out half termly teacher assessment of all children using a range of sources including observations, class work and class based assessment
- Pupil progress meetings/discussion are held termly from which we track and identify children who are not making expected progress.
- If teachers have concerns about pupil progress or attainment at Our Lady of Muswell, parents will be contacted to discuss these concerns so you can share your views and any additional support can be agreed.
- Interventions/support programmes are then implemented and monitored to ensure that the child makes accelerated progress.
If a learner is identified as having SEN, we will provide support that is ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ the differentiation approaches and learning arrangements normally provided as part of the high quality, personalised teaching intended to overcome the barrier to their learning.
When providing support, we engage in a 4-stage process: Assess, Plan, Do, Review
- Assess – this involves taking into consideration all the information from discussions with parents or carers, the child, class teacher and assessments.
- Plan – this stage identifies the barriers to the learning, intended outcomes and details what additional support with be provided to overcome the barriers. Decisions will be recorded on an individual education plan and will form the basis for termly review meetings held as part of parent/teacher consultations.
- Do – providing the support – extra assistance for the learning or learning aids as set out in the plan.
- Review – measuring the impact of the support provided and considering whether changes to that support need to be made. All of those involved – child, parents or carer, teacher and SENCO contribute to this review. This stage then informs the next cycle, if necessary. Meetings with teachers and TAs are held regularly, and termly Pupil Progress meetings are held with teachers, the Deputy Head and Assistant Head.
This additional support ‘intervention’ will be tailored to meet the child’s needs and will target the area of difficulty. This support may be provided in class, withdrawal in a small group with learners with similar needs, or on a 1:1 basis. These are usually run by a member of the support staff team, which is overseen by the class teacher. For some learning, this may be access to a resource such as a writing slope, ICT equipment or a sit ’n’ move cushion.
The support provided, and its impact in class, will be monitored closely and shared regularly with the child and with their parents or carers. There are regular review meetings which can take the form of:
- Parents' consultations
- Pupil progress meetings
- Meeting with class teacher and SENCO
- TACs (Team Around the Child), which outside agencies (OT, EP, SLT, Physio or Advisory Teachers) attend if appropriate
- Annual reviews of EHCP, which outside agencies (OT, EP, SLT, Physio or Advisory Teachers) attend
While the majority of learning with SEN will have their needs met in this way, some may require an EHC needs assessment to determine whether it is necessary for the local authority to make provision in accordance with an EHC plan.
b) How is the intervention/support monitored as to its effectiveness?
The interventions used will be those that are proven to make a difference for most learners. A base line assessment will take place at the beginning of the intervention – this will provide the point of reference for measuring progress made by a child – and a target outcome set. Regular reviews will take place to ensure that the intervention is having the intended effect. The termly reviews will involve children and their parents or carers, as well as class teacher and a record kept of agreed actions.
Where difficulties persist, despite high quality interventions and appropriate adjustments, advice and support may be requested from other professionals with the parents’ consent. This might involve: speech & language therapy services, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), advisory support teacher, Educational Physiologist or health services such as a paediatrician.
Where a child has an EHCP, there will be an annual review held in addition to the termly review meetings, taking into account the views of the child, their parents or carers and other professionals involved with the child.
c) What is the school’s approach to teaching children with SEND?
- Children with SEN are inclusively educated within an age appropriate classroom with their peers most of the time.
- Teaching and resources are differentiated within the classroom to ensure children are able to achieve objectives.
- If additional support is identified as necessary, children take part in planned, evidence-based intervention.
- Support is personalised and targeted.
- Adults working with a child with SEND communicate regularly to ensure a consistent approach to teaching and learning.
d) How does the school adapt the curriculum and learning environment for children with SEN?
At Our Lady of Muswell, we endeavour to ensure all children’s needs are met through Quality First provision in the classroom, so they can access the curriculum. All children at Our Lady of Muswell are the responsibility of their class teacher, who plans for and teaches all the children in their class. At times this involves differentiation and extra support, either through additional adults or additional materials and resources, to reduce or remove barriers to learning. Where necessary, children are given extra support or additional time-limited and targeted interventions to accelerate their progress to help them work at age-related expectations.
Class-based support staff work alongside the class teacher to support children with SEND individually/in small groups and to facilitate the class teacher working with children with SEN.
Links are forged between classroom and intervention, through verbal communication, to ensure continuity.
The school takes all reasonable steps to modify/adapt the learning environment to meet the individual needs of children.
e) What additional support is available for children with SEND?
- The school provides various interventions/support that meet the individual needs of the children. Children who may require higher levels of support have access to appropriately trained support staff.
- Class-based support staff work alongside the class teacher to support children with SEND individually/in small groups and to facilitate the class teacher working with children with SEND.
- Differentiated resources to support children with SEND’s independence.
- Support from outside agencies when necessary.
- Access to evidence-based SEND interventions in very small groups or 1-1.
- Specialist staff in school: SENCo, specialist support teacher, class-based support staff, art therapist
f) What activities are available for pupils with special educational needs in addition to those available in accordance with the curriculum?
We strive to ensure that all children are included in school trips and activities and full risk assessments are carried out before any visits. After school clubs are available to all children.
g) What support is available for ensuring the emotional and social development of pupils with SEND?
- Our Lady of Muswell puts great emphasis on the emotional happiness and well-being of our pupils.
- Personal Social Health Citizenship Education (PSHCE) is a regular and important part of the curriculum and provides a safe environment for children to consider and discuss issues. Assemblies and RE also provide regular opportunities for pupils’ reflection and discussion.
- For children who may be having difficulties, we are able to offer various support and interventions, including 1:1 support, and/ or group support as appropriate.
- Children are assured that all adults are available to speak to them about any worries, difficulties or problems.
- Our Lady of Muswell works closely with a team from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust
6. What specialist services and expertise are there for children with SEND?
We have a collaborative approach to the support of children and work with a number of different agencies. We have access to: Speech and Language Therapy; Occupational Therapy; Educational Psychology Services; Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service; and Early Help teams – all of whom work with children at Our Lady of Muswell who meet their criteria. We use the Visual Impairment and Hearing Impairment Services. Our school nurse visits on a regular basis and is available to see staff, children and parents to offer support and advice.
Where appropriate we have Team Around the Child (TAC) meetings, so that all agencies, as well as the child’s parents, can meet to discuss concerns and to coordinate support.
- What training have the staff supporting SEND had?
The SENCO has had specific training in a wide range of SEN and also receives regular training from Haringey.
All teaching and support staff have termly allocated staff training meetings dedicated to developing their understanding of SEND.
All members of staff have received training on understanding the needs of children with autism.
Teaching and support staff have received training on:
- understanding how to support children with emotional needs
- understanding how to support children on the autistic spectrum
- developing children's vocabulary
- carrying out reciprocal teaching, or inference training, in order to develop comprehension skills in reading
- Maths No Problem - using this approach to develop deeper and long-lasting understanding of maths concepts
- understanding how to identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs
- safeguarding
- phonics
In addition to this support, some members of staff have also had training on how to teach pupils with specific learning needs.
Individual members of staff regularly attend training at Haringey Educational Partnership and with other organisations.
Support staff have received training specific to the intervention they are running, as well as:
- mental health first aid
- supporting wellbeing
- Nuffield Early Language Intervention
- TalkBoost
- Indirect Dyslexia Learning
- Language for Thinking
- Colourful Semantics and Shape Coding
- precision teaching for spelling and reading
- Understanding how to support children with a whole school approach to thinking time and waiting time
We arrange regular training from outside agencies and from Haringey, including Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy and Autism Outreach. There is a regular training programme for support staff.
All new staff at Our Lady of Muswell are inducted by the SENCO.
Teaching and support staff are given specific training on SEND as required.
- How accessible is the school both indoors and outdoors?.
Our school environment has regard for accessibility and includes ramped entrances/exits. The ground floor has wide wheel chair friendly classrooms, passages and doorways. The building also incorporates two accessible toilets and changing facilities
We endeavour to remove any barriers to learning to enable pupils with SEND to fully access the school and curriculum.
Every class has a visual timetable. We are able to provide workstations for individual pupils where necessary, as well as writing slopes, move-n-sit cushions and other resources.
Children with SEND are often encouraged to extend their use of computing to facilitate their learning.
We try to ensure that equipment used is accessible to all children regardless of their needs.
After-school provision and extra-curricular activities are accessible to all children, including those with SEND.
Exam access arrangements are sought where needed.
Please see our accessibility plan.
- What arrangements are there for consulting and involving parents of children with SEND?
We offer:
- Termly Parents Evening meetings with the class teacher
- ‘Open-door’ policy with class teacher/SENCO
- Relevant information about how parents can support their child at home
- Annual reports to parents
- We hold multi-agency meetings as required
- Progress is reviewed termly with pupils, parents and relevant staff through, for example, Parent Consultation Meetings and Pupil Progress Meetings
- Children with complex needs may have a statement of SEN or an Education Healthcare Plan (ECHP). These are formally reviewed annually.
10. What are the arrangements for consulting children with SEND about, and involving them in, their education?
All children, regardless of SEND, are aware of their next steps. Children who have additional needs have targets which are shared, discussed and worked upon with those members of staff who are providing their additional support.
Children on the SEND register are aware of their additional termly targets and are encouraged to self-review against their targets. They are also asked about their views on their strengths and the areas in which they feel they would like to develop and the support they would like to receive.
Children with EHCPs are also asked more formally about their views about their learning, their targets and the support and interventions they are given by their teaching assistant for their annual review.
- What are the arrangements for parents of children with SEND who may wish to complain about the provision?
If you are concerned about any aspect of your child's learning or wellbeing, in the first instance please contact your child's class teacher. If you still have concerns, please contact the SENCO, Mrs Katie Forkan
Any parent who then wishes to complain are strongly encouraged to initially speak to the Head Teacher regarding their complaint. If the issue cannot be resolved at this level, or the complaint is regarding the Head Teacher, the parent would be directed to the schools complaints procedure.
- How does the School/Governing Body involve health, social services, LA (Local Authority) Support Services, and others in meeting the needs of children with SEND and supporting their families?
In order to meet the individual needs of a child the school will work with and seek advice from an educational psychologist, advisory teacher, speech and language therapist or health colleagues to support the child’s academic and social progress.
- What are the contact details of support services for the parents of children with SEND?
The first point of contact to discuss something about your child would be their class teacher. The SENCO. is also available.
- What are the school’s arrangements for supporting children with SEND in transferring between phases of education?
If your child is joining our school we are happy to meet parents of children with SEND to discuss the transition into Our Lady of Muswell. Where a child is transferring from another school, a nursery or a specialist unit, we will liaise closely with them and arrange to visit them where possible prior to your child joining us.
Home visits are arranged for all pupils joining Our Lady of Muswell in EYFS.
If your child is moving to another school or is in Year 6, the school will arrange to meet with the SENCO, or where that is not possible, speak to the school on the telephone. Relevant records will be passed on.
When moving classes in school, all children take part in a class swap and any vulnerable children will be provided with a transition book to help prepare them for their next class. Our summer term 'Open Evening’ enables the child and parent to visit their new classroom together.
- How do we support Looked After Children at Our Lady of Muswell?
The SENCO is the designated LAC teacher who works with the virtual school. They oversee the individual care plan and are involved in PEPs and health plans as appropriate.
- Where is the Local Authorities' Local Offer published?
https://www.haringey.gov.uk/children-and-families/local-offer
Haringey’s duty to provide SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) is provided by Markfield. More information on how to contact SENDIASS can be found here: https://markfield.org.uk/haringeys-send-information-advice-support-service/
Document List:
Our Lady of Muswell Catholic Primary Accessibility Plan
SEND acronyms....what do they mean?
Our Lady of Muswell SEND Policy December 2023
Date of review: December 2024
