City Road’s Special Educational Needs Offer: Open and honest communication Appropriate and effective teaching A partnership approach

Open and Honest Communication Mrs Dhaliwal is our Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO) If you have a concern about your child we always encourage you to speak to your child’s teacher first   A meeting can also be arranged with Mrs Dhaliwal Ring the main office on 0121 464 3348 to arrange an appointment We operate an open door policy and you are welcome to discuss what City Road has to offer at anytime.

If we think your child needs extra support, we will always talk to you about this. We will make all the information we need to share with you clear and easy to understand. You can read our Special Needs Policy. The policy explains how we identify and assess children who we think might have special educational needs and how we support them. Our governing body has a governor, Mrs. Share, who is responsible for special educational needs. Any concerns regarding provision can also be discussed with her. Open and honest communication

At City Road we work with a lot of external agencies to help identify and support pupils with specific needs. Agencies include: Pupil and School Support Speech and Language Therapy Communication and Autism Team Educational Psychologist Physiotherapy Occupational Therapy Child Development Centre School Nurse Sensory Support Team (Hearing, Visual) Physical Difficulties Team Mental Health If your child requires support from these services, school will always consult you and request written permission first. The school will contact other agencies if required. Open and honest communication

External agency support What happens if there is a concern about my child’s progress? Concern is raised Parents / carers and staff meet and produce a plan Provision made Review process External agency support Open and honest communication

We use a set of criteria to assess some of the children who are working below or significantly below the national expectations for their age group. This helps us identify any targets your child may need to make accelerated progress. We use the criteria to set specific targets. This plan is shared with you and your child and sets out what needs to be in place for your child to make as much progress as possible. These targets are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure continued progress. If your child’s progress is still causing concern then we would talk to you about extra help from some of the outside agencies mentioned previously, along with continued support from us. This is to work towards developing a Individual Target Plans, (ITP’s). Open and honest communication If, after putting in additional support, your child is working within age-related national expectations, then they may no longer need any further focused support. However their progress will still be monitored each term along with the rest of the class.

What happens if my child has medical needs? A Care Plan tailored to your child's needs may be made. If your child has medical needs, a plan should be written by your medical provider and shared with us. All staff have access to a copy of these plans in the classroom. The plans identify how your child should be helped in order to succeed and make progress. Occasionally, your child’s teacher may not be in class and this extra information is useful for the covering teacher. All of these plans will be reviewed on a regular basis. Open and honest communication

Your child’s progress will be reviewed regularly and you will be invited into school to discuss the outcomes and give your views. Your child’s views will also be listened to. We use set criteria to assess some of the children who are working below or significantly below the same level as national benchmarks. Teachers and teaching assistants do this together in the autumn term so that they can talk to each other and gather evidence to support your child. We use the criteria to inform the class teachers so that they can plan for all pupils requiring support. Pupils who have specific needs or have an agency involved, have a written plan (HLSP). This plan is shared with you and your child and sets out what needs to be in place for your child to make as much progress as possible. This plan is reviewed periodically throughout the year to assess what is working well and what might need to be changed or adapted. Sometimes children no longer need a Individual Support Plan because they have caught up with national benchmarks. Open and honest communication

Transferring To/From Other Schools: If your child has been identified with Special Educational Needs or Disability and you move your child to another school, the SENCOs at both schools make sure that information is shared. If your child is about to join the school either in Nursery or Reception, and has been identified with Special Educational Needs or Disability we liaise with you, and any previous setting, to find out as much information as possible about your child’s needs. This will include any targets and paperwork or information from other agencies which might have been involved in supporting your child. We will also arrange for a home visit. When your child moves from Year 6 to secondary school, The SENCO will ensure that all information regarding your pupil’s special educational needs are passed on to the new SENCO. Extra visits to the secondary school may be arranged. Open and honest communication

Appropriate and Effective Teaching All school staff will receive appropriate training so they have the knowledge and confidence to support pupils’ needs. The Inclusion Team and staff regularly liaise about teaching approaches and resources for specific children with Special Educational Needs. Teachers and Teaching Assistants also have specialist training to meet the needs of SEND children in their care. At City Road we hold weekly staff meetings. These are used to ensure staff have up-to-date knowledge to teach children of all abilities. Sometimes training is run by specialists e.g. Epipen training or training by a member of the Communication and Autism Team.

A range of resources will be available in all learning areas to support learning for children operating at different levels Photographs Interventions Practical activities Writing frames/scaffolds Speech and language therapy Graphic organisers Group and paired work Appropriate and effective teaching

Checking the words children can read and spell independently We use a range of criteria and evidence to help us identify the level children are working at. This might include: Checking the words children can read and spell independently Moderating writing together Making observations, particularly regarding speaking and listening Use of tests, where appropriate We use the following to support children with additional needs to become independent learners: Interventions One-to-one or group support Learning mentors Adapted tasks and resources This helps teachers to plan work for all children to make progress. The work and support will be different for different groups of children. Appropriate and effective teaching

We use task boards to break down tasks into smaller chunks. Where necessary, resources will be available to support children who have significant social and/or communication needs. We use visual timetables in all classrooms, so that pupils understand the bigger picture. This supports children who have difficulty with changes in routine. We work with the Communication and Autism Team. Members of the team visit to observe, assess and offer advice on ways to support children with autism. We use task boards to break down tasks into smaller chunks. Appropriate and effective teaching We have a set of rewards and sanctions, as set out in our Behaviour Policy to encourage children to make the right choices. This is consistent across the school.

The school will try to make sure that children with additional needs and their families are able to take part fully in school trips and social events. Children with additional needs participate in after school clubs. The school curriculum includes trips out to enrich the experiences children have. We also have trips for children whose attendance is one hundred percent. Children with additional needs are often in this group. Our risk assessments are inclusive of SEND children and one-to-one adult support is provided, should this be required. Parents are consulted regarding specific needs, including those children with medical needs, so that all children have a safe and enjoyable experience. All children participate in their class assemblies and other performances, such as musical concerts. When we have outside companies in to perform, the additional needs of pupils are considered. Whenever possible, all children join in unless participation, especially around noise level, may cause the child distress and anxiety. We will provide these children with alternative provision. Appropriate and effective teaching

The school will provide good teaching for your child and extra support when needed. City Road uses a range of strategies to monitor the progress of children and to ensure that good teaching is in place for all pupils. We do this through: Tracking your child’s progress through regular pupil progress meetings. Half-termly book-scrutiny for all classes and constructive feedback to teachers. Classroom observations and learning walks, including monitoring the learning environment. Appropriate and effective teaching

A Partnership Approach We will work in partnership with you to identify the needs of your child and put in place the correct support including family support if you need this. The governing body has a duty to ensure that the school adheres to the new Special Needs Code of Practice (June 2014) under the Children and Families Act 2014. The governing body appoints a governor who is specifically responsible for special educational needs to ensure that the school and the SENCO carry out their duties. This governor is Mrs Share. One of the key responsibilities of the governing body is to make sure that the school’s policy for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) is published on the school website. The information on the school website must be reviewed annually by the governing body. The governing body also has a responsibility to ensure that appropriate safeguarding procedures are in place for all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and disability.

Pupil and Support Services We will be happy to give you contact details for organisations who can give advice and support for you and your child. Please speak to Mrs Dhaliwal if you need any contact details. Pupil and Support Services Communication and Autism Team CAMHS (Child Adolescent Mental Health Services) Team for children with physical difficulties PDSS Specialist support services SENAR Examples of Health Services: Speech and Language Child Development School Nurse Service Barnado’s Social Services SEND Parent Partnership Tel: 303 5004

Pupil Voice One page profiles Involved in target setting The school will always involve your child in decisions about their learning. Here are the things we do at City Road to ensure your child is listened to and involved in decision making: Pupil Voice One page profiles Involved in target setting Involved in reviews Open door policy Pupil/Parent conferencing Person- centered reviews Home visits in Reception A Partnership Approach

If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made by them to speak to the Principle or SENCO, who will be able to advice on formal procedures for complaint. Or ring SENDIASS – they can offer impartial information, advice and support. The SENDIASS team is available from 8:45am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. Telephone: 0121 303 5004 Email: sendiass@birmingham.gov.uk A partnership Approach