SEND Statement

At Hallfield Primary School we want to make sure that every child gets the best support we can offer in order to help them to enjoy their learning, feel confident and happy amongst their friends and make the best possible progress.

Every child has individual needs that might affect their learning.  Sometimes children need special support to give them an extra boost or to help them catch up with other children of the same age. They may need this support for a short time or a longer period, but during this time they will be part of our Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Register and we will keep a close eye on their progress, look carefully at what extra support they need and keep in close touch with their parents.

What are Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

‘A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty if they:

1. Have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age;
2. Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools. 
   (SEN Code of Practice, 2015)

The four broad areas of need are:

1. Cognition and Learning
2. Communication and Interaction
3. Sensory and/or Physical Needs
4. Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs.

The aim of this report is to provide information about our provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and answer the following questions:

• What is the Local Offer?
• Your child has Special Educational Needs and/or Disability. What can we at Hallfield Primary School offer you?

Your child has Special Educational Needs and/or Disability. What can we at Hallfield Primary School offer you?

• Who are the best people to approach to discuss concerns with?
• What would Hallfield Primary do if my child was not making the expected level of progress or attainment?
• What would Hallfield Primary do if my child was not making the expected level of progress or attainment?
• How will the curriculum and the school environment be matched to my child’s needs?
• What types of interventions might my child access?
• How will you support my child to reach his/her learning outcomes?
• How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
• How is support allocated to children and how do they move between the different levels of support in school?
• What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?
• What is an Education Health Plan (EHC Plan) and who can request one for one for my child?
• How will the school know that the support has made a difference to my child’s learning and how can my child and I be included in this review process?
• How is my child included in all the same activities as his/her peers at Hallfield Primary School?
• How will Hallfield Primary School support my child in transition stages?
• How does Hallfield Primary School ensure the teaching staff are appropriately trained to support my child’s special educational needs and/or disability?
• If I have any other questions about my child at Hallfield Primary School, who can I ask?
• Who can I contact if I have a complaint about the SEND provision made for my child?

What is the Local Offer?

The Children and Families Bill Act 2014 requires Local Authorities (LA) and schools to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25. This is the ‘SEND Information Report’.

The purpose of the Local Offer is to enable parents and young people to find out more easily the services that are available in their area and how to access them.  The Local Offer will include provision from birth to 25, across education, health, social care and the voluntary sector.

Westminster City Council’s Local Offer

For Children and Young People between 0-25 Years with SEND, Westminster City Local Authority have put together information to help you find out about all the services that exist in your local area. This is the LA SEND Information Report: http://localoffer.westminster.gov.uk

Hallfield Primary School’s Local Offer

This utilises the Local Authority SEND Information Report to meet the needs of SEND pupils as determined by school policy and the provision that Hallfield is able to provide. Hallfield’s Local Offer is outlined in the Information Report below and is in the form of questions and answers.

Hallfield Primary School’s SENCO is Mrs Gina Frascogna (senco@hallfieldschool.org.uk)

1. Who are the best people to talk to at Hallfield Primary School about my child’s difficulties with learning, special educational needs and/or disability?

• Talk to your child’s class teacher about your concerns.
• Or, to the school’s Inclusion Team:

Mrs Gina Frascogna Assistant Headteacher & SENCo

• Alternatively, you could approach our Senior Leadership Team who will liaise with the class teacher and the SENCo. 

  		No image
  Miss Ruby Kent Leader of Learning		Mrs Feben Ghirmay Assistant Headteacher

   

• Miss Claire Dunnet, Head of Hallfield School       
• Mr Aaron Sumner, Executive Head, has overall responsibility for all the pupils in the school and North Westminster Federation.

2. How does the school identify children who may have a special education need and/or disability?

Within the school each child’s progress - academically, socially and emotionally, is monitored constantly by teachers and the Senior Leadership Team. Any concerns about a child are dealt with immediately and the relevant professionals are informed. Parents are able to discuss their child with either the class teacher, the Inclusion Team or the Senior Leadership Team.

3. What would Hallfield Primary do if my child was not making the expected level of progress or attainment?

How will the school let me know if they have any concerns about my child’s learning, special educational needs and/or disability?

• One of your child’s teachers may initially speak to you at the beginning or the end of the school day to arrange a time to discuss the concerns.
• The teachers may also talk to you about concerns at a parent/teacher meeting.
• The school’s SENCO may contact you to arrange a meeting.

4. How will the curriculum and the school environment be matched to my child’s needs?

• Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all children in their classes and be supported by the Inclusion Team to do so.
• All lessons offer the challenge and support necessary for each child to learn and where necessary differentiation occurs through the work set, questions asked and support given.
• It may be appropriate to adopt different strategies or resources and adapt outcomes to meet your child’s learning needs.
• Additional specialist advice is sought when appropriate and necessary, accessibility aids and technology may be used to support your child’s learning.
• Grouping arrangements are organised flexibly with opportunities for both ability and mixed settings to maximise learning opportunities for all.
• Hallfield Primary School regularly reviews its Accessibility Plan to ensure that all children have the fullest access possible to both the curriculum and the school site.

5. What types of interventions might my child access?

This depends upon the nature of your child’s needs and difficulties with learning. At Hallfield Primary School provision matches the four broad areas of need as defined in the SEND Code of Practice:

• Communication and interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Social, emotional and mental health
• Sensory and/or physical needs

Our support to children takes a 3-tiered approach

• Tier 1 - Universal Support
  This is the ‘Quality First Teaching’ your child will receive from his/her teachers. The universal offer may include in-class group support with the curriculum.  All classes are equipped to support children with speech and language, and communications needs. Hallfield adopts a trauma-informed approach to behaviour management to support children to be regulated and able to learn.
   

• Tier 2 - Targeted Support
  It may be appropriate to consider making additional short-term special educational provision to remove or reduce barriers to your child’s learning. Specific targeted one to one or small group interventions may be run outside the classroom. You will be kept informed of your child’s progress towards learning outcomes via termly reviews.
   
  Our targeted support includes Fischer Family Trust, Phonics Intervention, Maths Boosters,  Year 2 and Year 6 Booster classes, Catch up reading , LEGO Club, Attention Autism, Zones of Regulation, 1:1 or small group support from Learning Support Assistants, Breakfast Club, Lunchtime targeted play groups, Curriculum Enrichment Clubs, Teaching Assistant led speech and language interventions. Additionally, where appropriate we will implement the Engagement Model using the SCERTS approach. 

• Tier 3 - Specialist Support

It may be necessary to seek specialist advice and regular long-term support from an external agency in order to plan for the best possible learning outcomes for your child. This could include the Educational Psychologist, Music Therapy, CAMHs, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Advisory Teachers and the Child Development Service. The school will prioritise referrals to these services. However, for a very small number of pupils access to these specialists may be through or an Educational Health Care Plan (EHC) or because they are a pupil in our ARP.

6. How will you support my child to reach his/her learning outcomes?

The class teacher and other staff working with your child ensure that your child receives appropriate teaching and support in order to achieve their learning outcomes. The learning plan, strategies and progress will be reviewed termly with parents. External agencies and specialists may also review your child’s progress and adapt their approach accordingly.

7. How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• There may be suggested strategies or activities for you to do at home to support your child’s learning.

• The school may sometimes run parent/carer workshops in school to help you understand the strategies used in school. We may also be able to offer you individual training in specific support strategies for your child.

• The class teacher, phase leader or Inclusion Team may also offer you resources and ideas for supporting your child’s learning at home.

• You will have an opportunity to meet with other professionals involved in supporting your child.

8. How is support allocated to children and how do they move between the different levels of support in school?

• The school receives funding from the local authority. These funds include money to support the learning of children with SEND.

• The Headteacher, in consultation with the school’s Board of Governors, decides the budget for SEND provision based on the needs of the children in the school.

• The school's SLT and Inclusion Team evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s current interventions and provisions, and plan for future needs which may include additional or alternative interventions, staff training and equipment.

• This process is reviewed regularly to ensure the best possible intervention is provided to those children who require additional support to learn.

9. What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

We are committed to our core values: Growing, Learning, Achieving Together

These are embedded within every aspect of school life and help ensure the happiness and well-being of all our children. All members of staff take these aspects of school life very seriously.

In addition to these we:

• contact parents on the first day of absence to find out why your child is not in school;

• work with the Early Help Team (EHT) who supports the school and parents with ensuring children attend school regularly and on time;

• have an effective behaviour policy which is used and adhered to by all staff across the school;

• identify and offer support to children who need specific support with their behaviour;

• offer a wide range of activities within school to support children’s social and emotional development such as school visits, educational trips, music lessons and links with the community;

• have a Supporting Children with Medical Conditions Policy in the school;

• ensure staff regularly undergo training in key areas such as first aid, asthma and the use of Epipens;

• deliver PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship Education) part of the curriculum across the whole school, as it provides a framework and some ideas for teaching social and emotional skills within lessons, across subjects and outside the classroom;

• operate an open door policy where you are encouraged to make an appointment to meet your child’s class teacher or a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

10. What is an Education Health Plan (EHC Plan) and who can request one for one for my child?

The purpose of an EHC Plan is to make special education provision to meet the needs of a child to secure improved outcomes

An EHC Plan will contain:

• the views and aspirations of you and your child;

• a full description of his/her special educational needs and any health and social care needs,

• agreed outcomes for your child’s progress;

• a statement of specific need, the provision required and how education, health and social care will work together to meet your child’s needs and support the achievement of the agreed outcomes.

You and/or the school, usually through the SENCO, can request that the local authority conducts an assessment of your child’s needs. This may lead to an EHC Plan.

This is the link to further information about EHC Plans on the Westminster City Council website: https://fisd.westminster.gov.uk/kb5/westminster/fis/advice.page?id=CPm-g360tZA

11. How will the school know that the support has made a difference to my child’s learning and how can my child and I be included in this review process?

Your child’s progress will be assessed both in terms of his/her regular learning within the class and any specific intervention programmes. The impact of the support given is carefully evaluated to ensure that the learning outcomes have been achieved and if not, what adaptations are necessary. It may be decided that a further period of support is beneficial for your child. You and your child will be kept informed and encouraged to be actively involved at all stages of this support.

12. How will the school consider my views and those of my child with regard to his/her  difficulties with learning, special educational needs and/or disability?

We believe it is very important for parents/carers to be involved in all areas of their child’s learning and we actively encourage this. It is essential to understand both you and your child’s views on any difficulties they may experience with their learning. If your child has an identified special educational need you will be invited to regular meetings with the class teacher and Inclusion Team to discuss current progress, support strategies being used and expected outcomes. If your child has a Statement of SEND or an EHC plan you and your child will be able to share your views formally at the Annual Review.

13. How is my child included in all the same activities as his/her peers at Hallfield Primary School?

• We are an inclusive school and committed to providing equal opportunities for all children.

• We provide a wide range of clubs and educational visits for all children.

• We make reasonable adjustments to ensure that children with SEND are included in all activities.

14. How will Hallfield Primary School support my child in transition stages?

• We liaise closely with the nursery or school your child is transferring from. We are able to discuss with the relevant teachers any individual needs and how best to support your child at Hallfield. This could involve discussions with the Educational Psychologist, the Speech and Language therapists or other relevant professionals.

• We also support you in selecting the appropriate secondary school and assist you in the application process at the start of Year 6.

• We make arrangements to ensure there is a smooth transition when your child transfers to his/her secondary school of choice.

• We take care to ensure that during transition points (between classes each year and at the end of Key Stages) all staff are aware of all pupils’ learning needs, how well they have progressed and any support strategies used.

• Should your child have an EHC Plan, we will participate and/or facilitate its review in sufficient time prior to transferring between key phases of education. You will be kept informed of these arrangements and asked to attend the reviews.

15. How does Hallfield Primary School ensure the teaching staff are appropriately trained to support my child’s special educational needs and/or disability?

We believe that your child’s learning needs will be met in the first instance through the high quality teaching delivered by the teachers in our school We regularly review the school’s  training schedule and professional development for all teaching and support staff to ensure there is the appropriate expertise to support children with special educational needs. The school is able to access training programmes from different organisations including the Bi-borough Training and Outreach team. Individual training can also be arranged where and when necessary.

16. If I have any other questions about my child at Hallfield Primary School, who can I ask?

We are very happy to speak to you about any aspects of your child’s education. It is always best to speak with the class teacher in the first instance. If you have further questions then you can contact the Inclusion Team or Senior Leadership Team through sending an email to:  office@hallfieldschool.org.uk  or ask for an appointment at the Helpdesk.

17. Who can I contact if I have a complaint about the SEN provision made for my child?

Initially speak with your child’s teacher and/or the SENCO. Hopefully they will be able to address your concerns.

Mrs Gina Frascogna, SENCo at Hallfield Primary School

Tel: 020 70874960

Email: senco@hallfieldschool.org.uk

If you still have concerns you can contact any staff whose roles are listed above or the Board of Governors. You may be directed to the school’s Parental Complaints Procedure.

This information report is reviewed annually.  Last review date September 2023.