Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Here at Swallownest Primary school “We want the best for and the best from everyone in our learning community”. This means that we have highest aspirations and expectations for all of the children in our school. We are proud of our inclusive ethos and we are happy to make provision to meet the needs of children with SEND working collaboratively with parents/carers, the pupil and where appropriate external agencies.

In the SEND code of practice there are four categories of need:

  • Communicating and Interacting: this relates to children who have speech, language and communication difficulties which makes it hard for them to make sense of language or communicate with others.

  • Cognition and Learning: this relates to children who learn at a slower pace to others their age, have difficulty understanding aspects of the curriculum, struggle with organisation and memory skills or have a specific barrier to learning affecting their progress in one aspect of their learning such as English or Maths.

  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties: this relates to children who have difficulties in forming and managing relationships with others, children who are withdrawn or who display behaviour which has a negative impact on their learning or on their emotional health an wellbeing.

  • Sensory and/ or Physical needs: this relates to children who have visual or hearing impairments, or a physical need which means that they will require additional and ongoing support and resources to access the curriculum and the learning environment.

At Swallownest we currently provide for pupils with a variety of needs including: Autism, Dyslexia, Motor difficulties, Hearing Impairment, MLD, Global developmental delay and Social and Emotional Health issues.

SEND Provision at Swallownest Primary

Who to talk to about my child’s difficulties with learning/ Special Educational Need or disability?

1. The Class Teacher:

Your child’s Class Teacher is responsible for monitoring your child’s progress, planning and delivering the curriculum and providing your child with any extra support they may need. The Class Teacher will set and then review support plan targets which will be shared with parents as part of the annual review cycle. As part of the Graduated Response it is the Class Teachers responsibility to keep parents informed and up to date with their child’s learning journey sharing success, concerns and offering advice on supporting learning at home.

2. The SENDCo: Mrs Leivers

The SENDCo has the responsibility of over seeing the SEND provision throughout school. This means offering advice and support to Class Teachers; holding review meetings, monitoring progress of the children and meeting with parents. The SENDCo will keep the Inclusion Register up to date and make referrals for children to external agencies such as the Child Development Centre (CDC), LSS (Learning Support Services) and ACT (Autism, Communication Team).

3. The Head Teacher: Mr Leyton McHale

The Head Teacher has the responsibility for the management of all aspects of the school, this includes the support for children with SEND. He will ensure that the SENDCo and Class Teachers meet the needs of all children and keep the Governing Body up to date with any SEND issues/developments.

SENDCo Details:

Mrs Leivers

Email: enquiries@swallownestprimary.org


What will happen if school is concerned about my child’s learning?

1.If your child is not making the expected progress the class Teacher will put some additional support in place for your child and discuss this with you offering advice and guidance of what you could do at home to support their learning in school.

2.If your child is still not making the expected progress then the Class Teacher will put some targets in place on a Support Plan. Your child may then access an intervention programme  as part of a small group or receive some additional input off one of the Teaching Assistants.

3.If after a targeted intervention your child is still not making progress it is at this point a referral to an outside agency will be considered.

This is called The Graduated Response.


Inclusion Register

If your child is placed on our Inclusion Register your will be offered a termly meeting with your child’s Class Teacher , the SENDCo and any involved agencies. Agencies that our school currently access are Learning Support Services, Educational Psychology Service, Autism Communication Team and Speech and Language.

These meetings are an opportunity to evaluate targets and any interventions that have taken place. The Class Teacher will have produced new targets to be discussed and agreed.

Where appropriate your child may be invited into these meetings for a short time do his/her views can be obtained.

Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs

At Swallownest Primary we have a Learning Mentor- Mrs Louise Windsor.

Mrs Windsor provides individualised and group support on a weekly basis.

As part of her role Mrs Windsor liaises with charities and helps support children to deal with issues such as family break ups, bereavement and friendships.

If your child has been working with Mrs Windsor she will be involved in the review process and she will play a role in setting new targets to best suit your child’s emotional needs.

Transitions

At Swallownest we recognise that times of change can make children feel worried and anxious.

We endeavour to support your child as they start with us at school, when they are moving class and when they are leaving the school to start a new school.

How we do this:

  • Mrs Mbikayi (as F1 Teacher) makes visits to pre-school settings and offers stay and play sessions in the Foundation unit prior to the children starting school. Mrs Mbikayi also completes a home visit so she can meet the child in their home surroundings and discuss any worries or concerns that you may have about your child starting school.
  • In the Summer Term before your child moves classes time is spent with the new Class Teacher in their new classroom.
  • As your child prepares to move onto secondary education staff from Aston Academy will visit school and the children will have opportunity to visit the Academy.

Additional Information

If you require any additional information about the SEND provision at Swallownest Primary or in Rotherham LEA please contact:

Swallownest Primary

Tel: 0114 287 2484

Mrs Leivers: enquires@swallownestprimary.org

Mr McHale: enquiries@swallownestprimary.org

Find out about resources, services, support, activities and events for Rotherham’s children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).