Children who are identified as having 'Special Educational Needs' (SEND) or Social, Emotional, Mental Health needs (SEMH) will require teaching and learning programmes which are additional to or different from their peers.  These can be intellectual, emotional, medical, behavioural or physical. Children may have SEND or SEMH needs throughout or at any time during their school career.  Children with special needs are identified as early as possible to provide them with the extra support they require either in the classroom, individually or in a small group. 

We follow the Local Authority guidelines and code of practice regarding the assessment and identification of children with special needs.  We work closely with a variety of specialists (including the educational psychologist, community paediatrician, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, school nurse team, etc.), to ensure that we meet the needs of all children effectively.  Parents and children are actively involved from the very beginning and we value this support.

Local Offer | West Northamptonshire Council (westnorthants.gov.uk)

How does Ashby Fields know if children require additional help? 

We know when pupils need help if:

• Concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers, teaching assistants, pastoral team or the pupil’s previous school
• Information is passed onto the school from the LA or other agencies ( eg Health Services)
• There is lack of progress
• There is a change in the pupil’s behaviour
• A pupil asks for help

Any concerns we may have are shared with parents, and with their consent, appropriate assessment and support is requested from support agencies to ensure that their child’s needs are identified and met.

What should I do if I think my child may have SEND?

If you have concerns then contact your child’s teacher or Miss Brackley, the school SENDCo.

rebecca.brackley@afps.inmat.org.uk 

What if my child has already been identified as SEND?

When a child has been identified as having a special educational need or disability we will work with those people who already know your child and use their knowledge to identify what the child’s needs are and how they can be met in our school.  This will usually involve meetings with parents/carers to ensure we have a full picture of the child’s needs.

What if my child has a disability? 

The school is compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act of 2005.  SEN staff would meet with you and your child to discuss your child’s needs and the provision that may need to be put in place.

How will Ashby Fields support my child?

Each pupil’s education programme will be planned by the class teacher.  It will be differentiated accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs.  This may include additional support by the teacher or other adults in class.

If a pupil has needs related to more specific areas of their education, such as numeracy or literacy skills then the pupil may be placed in a small focus group. The length of time of the intervention will vary according to need.  The interventions will be regularly reviewed by all involved to ascertain the effectiveness of the provision and to inform future planning.

In addition to interventions, Ashby Fields may offer focused teaching during Literacy and Numeracy outside of their usual classroom for children who are significantly below or above the other pupils in their class.  This will be subject to staff availability and funding.

Pupil Progress Meetings are held each term.  This is a meeting where the class teacher meets with the Headteacher and the Senior Staff to discuss the progress of the pupils in their class.  This shared discussion may highlight any potential problems in order for further support to be planned which will be discussed and implemented by the SENDCo.

Occasionally a pupil may need more expert support form an outside agency such as the Educational Psychologist, Paediatrician etc.  Referral forms are then completed in conjunction with parents/carers and forwarded to the most appropriate agency.  After a series of assessments, a programme of support is usually provided to the school and parents/carers.  The duration of this process may vary depending on a particular agency’s waiting list.

How will I know how my child is doing?

You will be able to discuss your child’s progress at parents’ evenings, these are held twice a year.

Appointments can be made to speak in more detail to the class teacher or SENDCo by visiting the school office.

IEPs (Individual Education Plans) are shared with parents on our home learning platform, Seesaw. Targets are usually set by the class teacher.  Parents/carers are encouraged to contribute their input to be included in the IEP.

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

The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils; we have a Behaviour Support Assistant who supports individual or small groups of pupils as well as supporting children’s emotional needs.

Pupils with medical needs 

If a pupil has a medical need then a Care Plan is compiled by the SENDCo in consultation with parents/carers.  Care Plans are discussed with all the staff who are involved with the pupil.

Where necessary and in agreement with parents/carers medicines are administered in school.

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

At times it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive their more specialised expertise.

The agencies used by the school include:

Autism Support Service
Learning Difficulties Team
Educational Psychologist
Children’s Counsellor
Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Team
Visual Impairment Team
Hearing Impairment Team
School Nurse
Occupational Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
Physiotherapy
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

The Designated Teacher for Looked After and Previously Looked After Children is Emma Ramm.

SEND Complaints 

The school follows a complaint procedure and this will be followed for any SEND complaints.

If you have a query or complaint regarding your child and their special educational need please initially talk to the class teacher/key stage lead. This query will then be discussed and resolved or passed on to the SENDCo.

If you feel this issue has not been dealt with sufficiently or you still need further advice please inform the Head teacher or governing body.