Our school contacts are:

SENCo - Charlie Ryan                                               Wellbeing Leader – Terri Beynon

To get into contact with our SENCO please call 02392 475 904 using Extension number: 7401

SEND Information Report – Front Lawn Primary Academy – September 2022

Front Lawn Primary Academy is a mainstream primary school with Pre-School and Nursery Provision. We recognise all pupils as individuals and are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment that removes barriers to learning and in which all pupils achieve their full potential.  

The School's admission arrangements are determined and implemented with its equality duties in mind, including the public sector equality duty (PSED).

We use a range of information to help us decide when extra support may be required. For example:

• The progress of all pupils is monitored regularly by class teachers and the Senior Leadership Team. So, when a pupil is not making expected progress in a particular area of learning, the school can quickly identify the need for additional support and plan appropriately. All additional support is reviewed half termly.
• If parents/carers have concerns about the progress or attainment of their child they should speak to the class teacher to discuss their concerns in the first instance. There may be a need for other staff to become involved such as the SENCo or Wellbeing Leader.
• When a pupil is new to the school we receive information from the pupils’ previous school/Nursery. This helps to identify any additional needs and support that may be required.

How will the school and I know how well my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?

We encourage parents to talk to us at any time regarding their child’s progress. Regular reviews of progress are undertaken, including support from Outside Agencies where they are involved. Whilst parents are included in these meetings, there is also more frequent contact between school and parents. This may be through regular, face-to-face contact, a daily handover book or telephone conversations. In addition, there are the standard school meetings such as Share a Tray evening and Parents Evenings, held throughout the year. The ways that parents can support their child are discussed and any additional reports or plans from outside agencies are shared.

All children with SEND have a 'Pupil Passport' which is written by the class teacher with the support of the SENCo. These identify needs, show support given and targets set. They are reviewed three times a year and a copy will be sent home. Parents are encouraged to speak to the class teacher and/or SENCo about the Passports and how they can continue the support at home.

In addition, a range of parent workshops are offered throughout the year covering topics such as Reading, Phonics, Maths etc.

What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

Speak to your child’s class teacher and discuss your concerns with them. They will be able to reassure you, explain how your child is progressing in school and offer suggestions about what to do next. They might provide some activities for you to do at home with your child or suggest meeting at a later date with the SENCo.

How will the curriculum be matched to meet my child’s needs?

When teachers plan their lessons they take into account where a child is with their learning, such as how they did in the previous lesson, and identify the next steps in their learning to move them on. Any individual needs are taken into account and planned for. Lessons are differentiated according to the next steps required in a child’s learning. Additional adults are used to support in class as well as providing targeted interventions at other times. We make use of additional equipment and resources where appropriate. In addition to our teaching assistants, we also have a team of Learning Mentors who support by helping to remove barriers to learning in the classroom as well as additional interventions linked to social, emotional and mental health.

How will I know how my child is doing?

You are welcome to discuss your child’s progress with their class teacher at any time. There will also be Parent’s Evenings during the year as well as their annual report.

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

• Each year group will provide information for parents about the topics they will be covering every half term called Curriculum News. This will also be posted on our website for parents to refer to during the year.
• There are workshops for parents, held throughout the year on a range of topics. Previously these have included reading and maths.
• Children bring home reading books so you can support by hearing them read regularly.
• There will be homework tasks for them to complete.

What support will there be to support my child’s overall well-being?

At Front Lawn Primary Academy we have a wide range of pastoral support through our wellbeing team. This includes a Home-School Link worker, Learning Mentors and Thrive Sessions. We also have access to a counsellor for specific cases. A range of interventions are used to support pupils with social skills, behaviour management and emotional wellbeing. If you are concerned about your child’s emotional wellbeing please speak to their teacher or a member of the wellbeing team.

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

We work with a range of professionals and other agencies for the benefit of our pupils and their families. This includes Educational Psychology, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, CAMHS, Advisory Teachers, Behaviour Support Service and Social Services. We have  ensured that there is good access to the school with a range of facilities including disabled parking bays on the Upper School site, automatic doors to the main entrances, additional handrails and a fully accessible toilet/shower room.

What training have staff supporting pupils with SEND had, or are receiving?

A continuous programme of training is in place for all staff and may be delivered by school staff or other professionals, depending on the subject. Training may be delivered to all staff or individuals, depending on their role and the needs of the children they support. We access training from Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychology, Behaviour Support Service and Outreach services from our local specialist provisions.

How will my child be included in activities outside of the classroom?

All children are included in all activities wherever possible. This may mean that some special arrangements have to be made or a risk assessment carried out beforehand. Parents will always be consulted if staff are concerned that there may be difficulties with a particular activity. For example, parents may be asked if they would like to accompany their child on a trip, to provide support.

How accessible is the school environment?

The school is always looking at ways to improve the school environment by making it more accessible to pupils, parents and visitors. This allows pupils to become more independent. We have sloped access into the school buildings, accessible toilet facilities and have soft touch taps in classrooms and children’s toilets. In some cases, we can provide pupils access to individual laptops enabling greater access to their learning. There is sloped access to the playground. Two disabled parking spaces are available at the front of the Upper School building and the main entrance doors open automatically.

How will the school support my child in starting school and moving on?

In the summer term, before pupils start Year R, they have the opportunity to visit the school with their parents and spend time playing in the reception classrooms, during three drop-in sessions. This also allows parents to meet key staff and discuss any concerns they may have. Staff also visit the Nursery and Pre-school to gather information. After the summer holidays, teachers carry out home visits so they can meet the children and parents in familiar surroundings. When children join our Pre-school and Nursery, home visits are carried out before the children start.

When pupils transfer from one year group to the next, they will have had opportunities to meet their new teachers and spend time in their classrooms. Any pupils who are identified as having particular anxieties about moving on will be supported through a transition group run by learning mentors and may also be provided with a Social Story.

On transfer to secondary school, staff liaise with each school to ensure that key information is passed on. Each school arranges its own transition days but extra visits can be arranged for pupils who are particularly concerned about the move to Year 7. Where a child has additional needs, parents are supported with choosing an appropriate school and school staff can support visits with the parents.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to pupil’s SEND?

A range of information is used to allocate extra support. The class teacher may feel that a pupil needs some support in the next lesson after marking a piece of work. This support may be from the class teacher or teaching assistant and could be very short term – just one or two lessons.

Termly assessments may indicate that there are gaps in learning which may need a longer term approach. This could be weekly sessions with a teaching assistant using a particular intervention for a set number of weeks, either individually or in a small group. These are reviewed regularly and will stop when a pupil has closed the gap in their learning. Intervention from the wellbeing team is used according to presenting needs.

How are decisions made about how much support my child will receive?

This will depend on the type of support that is needed. Some are one session a week others may be three times each week. The length of each session varies as well from 15 minutes to an hour. Support ranges from reading, handwriting, fine motor skills, PE, co-ordination skills, maths, writing, social skills, behaviour etc. Some interventions will continue for a set period of time eg. 10 weeks, others are immediate and short term.

How will I be involved in discussions about, and planning for, my child’s education?

Formal meetings may be held but day to day contact with class teachers is just as important. Key staff such as the SENCo and Wellbeing Leader are always happy to meet with parents at other times, or have a quick chat over the phone if that is easier. Please feel free to contact the school office to arrange this.

Who can parents contact for further information?

The school should always be the first stop for information but there are many groups available for support if needed. The SENCo and Wellbeing Leader are always happy to put parents in contact with groups and other professionals, so please ask. Again they can be contacted through the school office. In addition, Hampshire County Council’s Local Offer has a wealth of information to support parents. The website address for this is: https://fish.hants.gov.uk/kb5/hampshire/directory/localoffer.page

SENDIASS: Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Information Advice & Support Service is also a very useful website for parents:

https://www.hampshiresendiass.co.uk/

Please see link to Covid catch up plan at the bottom of this document.

What should parents of children with SEND do if they have a complaint? 

We encourage parents to speak to us if ever they are unsatisfied with arrangements for their child. This allows us the chance to listen to all involved (including the child) and the opportunity to make changes or put things right. However, if at any time you have a complaint about the provision your child is receiving please refer to the school complaints procedure policy found here: Complaints policy.