This is our school’s Information Report for 2023-2024.

It tells you more about how our school could support your child if they have a special educational need or disability.

 

The kinds of SEND that are provided for

Our school currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:

• Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, speech and language difficulties
• Cognition and learning, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia,
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 
• Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties, epilepsy 

 

Identifying pupils with SEND and assessing their needs

A child has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. This means they:

• have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of other children of the same age

or

• have a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age

This is decided on an individual basis by the class teacher and SENCO. We use information from:

• You and your child
• Assessments
• Our feeder Infant Schools
• Staff working with the children
• Outside agencies (e.g. Social Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Southampton Advisory Outreach Service, Southampton Inclusion Partnership)
• Educational Psychologists

If you feel your child may need extra help or has special educational needs, contact the class teacher in the first instance. If you need further help and advice contact the SENCO.

A child has SEND where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age. Making higher quality teaching normally available to the whole class is likely to mean that fewer pupils will require such support. Such improvements in whole-class provision tend to be more cost effective and sustainable.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEND.  Persistent disruptive or withdrawn behaviours do not necessarily mean that a child or young person has SEND.

When determining provision the school looks most closely at the children’s needs in school. For example, if it is the case that a child does not have a formal diagnosis but still presents with needs in school, we will strive to meet those needs. Equally, if a child has a formal diagnosis, but is thriving in the school environment, we may need to make few or even no adjustments.

When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will use this to help determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed. Final decisions over assessing needs and in turn determining provision are made by the SENCO.

 

Consulting and involving pupils and parents

Most children with SEND have an IEP. There are a small number of children for whom this is not the case as they are thriving in school. For example, a child with a visual impairment has modifications made to enable them to fully access the whole curriculum and is making excellent progress, so there is no further need for target setting.

The first IEP of the year is sent at the end of the first half-term. You will then receive a new IEP each half-term (not the final half-term) and the previous IEP reviewed. Targets are set for the child. The child is consulted on their targets and their views recorded. You will receive a copy of this and can make comments or arrange a meeting to discuss further.

Parents are always welcome to meet with teachers and the SENCO to discuss their child. We will support with guiding parents to the member of staff best equipped to help.

The school seeks parent/carer support and keeps a record of all parents who have a skill to offer and can volunteer. There is a form on the school website for this.

The school hosts coffee mornings in conjunction with the Mental Health in Schools Team. We run support groups and consultations based on these.

Each class has a ‘Learning Leader’. This is a representative who airs their views.

Children are also regularly asked for their opinion on a variety of aspects of school life – e.g. by subject leaders, the Headteacher.

The school will signpost parents in need of additional support to relevant outside agencies. We regularly email parents with opportunities we feel may be of benefit to them.

 

Assessing and reviewing pupils' progress towards outcomes

We will follow the graduated approach and the four-part cycle of assess, plan, do, review. 

The class or subject teacher will work with the SENCO to carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. This will draw on:

• The teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil
• Their previous progress and attainment and behaviour
• Other teachers’ assessments, where relevant
• The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data
• The views and experience of parents
• The pupil’s own views
• Advice from external support services, if relevant

The assessment will be reviewed regularly. Please note that this does not necessarily require formal documentation, it is part of the class teachers' planning and day to day provision.

All teachers and support staff who work with the pupil will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided, and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress.

 

Supporting pupils moving between phases

When children join our school in Year 3 we meet with key staff from their previous school. A plan will be made for transition to meet the needs of the child, which may include additional visits, social stories etc. Similar systems are in place for when our children leave the school at the end of Year 6, and we complete a city wide transition form for the children's new secondary school. As part of this we gain the views of parents and children. We have excellent relationships with all local schools and are fully committed to ensuring our children leave ‘Secondary Ready’.

 

Our approach to teaching pupils with SEND

Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class. High quality teaching is our first step in responding to pupils who have SEND. This will be differentiated and adapted for individual pupils. Where required and resources allow, we will provide bespoke interventions for children or work in smaller groups in or out of the classroom. These are prioritised to support children with the highest level of need. The school’s general approach is that for the vast majority of children with SEND, a well designed curriculum, suitable differentiation/adaptations and simple adjustments, will work to meet needs and develop independence in our children. It is rarely about what is ‘extra’.

 

Adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment

The school will endeavour to include all children in the school’s curriculum, making adaptations and differentiating lessons. If your child has more complex needs they may need a highly personalised curriculum. We believe in children leaving ready for whatever secondary school they may attend, and equipped with life skills ready for later years.

Full details on the school curriculum are sent out at the start of each half-term and available on our school website.

We make the following adaptations to ensure all pupils’ needs are met:

• Differentiating and adapting our curriculum to ensure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1:1 work, teaching style, content of the lesson, etc.
• Adapting our resources and staffing
• Using recommended aids, such as laptops, coloured overlays, visual timetables, larger font, etc.
• Differentiating our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.

 

Additional support for learning

First of all, Fairisle Junior School is determined to develop independent, resilient and robust learners through high quality teaching delivered by the class teacher. We call this ‘Quality First Teaching’.

Where additional targeted support would be beneficial the school will make use of internal resources where available – e.g. from our specialist Teaching Assistant team, Saints Foundation, non-class based teachers. All support is prioritised to support children with the highest level of need.

If your child needs any further support we may seek support from outside agencies or apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan. If you would like more information about this please visit:

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/localoffer

 

Expertise and training of staff

Mr Robin Hayes is our SENDCo, and he has considerable experience in this role.  He has worked as a teacher at this school prior to starting this role. He has completed the National SENDCo Accreditation and is a member of the local trust group on SEND.

We have a team of 1:1 teaching assistants, a specialist Maths Teaching Assistant, a specialist English Teaching Assistant and two specialist Learning Support Specialist Teaching Assistants. They are all trained to deliver SEND provision.

The exact nature and timing of staff training is dependent on current school priorities and the needs of specific children or groups of children. Examples of CPD accessed include:

• Training on autism/aspergers
• Training on ADHD
• Supporting lower attaining children in English (Dyslexia)
• Supporting lower attaining children in Maths (Dyscalculia)
• Fischer Family Trust Training
• Phonics training
• Solent Maths Hub training
• Visits to local Special Schools
• Mental Health
• Target setting for children with SEND
• Inclusion Conference
• SENCO Conference
• Behaviour management
• Bespoke support for staff from Southampton Advisory Outreach Service
• Consultation work from Southampton Psychology Service
• Attachment training – Fairisle Junior School is an SCC ‘Attachment Aware School’
• ‘Welcome Project’ in conjunction with Southampton Psychology Service
• Phonics training
• The school regularly receives training from professionals with expertise in special educational needs. Staff may also attend externally run courses. The Assistant Headteacher also delivers staff training and provides support and advice.

In cases where your child requires physiotherapy, speech and language therapy or occupational therapy, we will discuss with the therapist options for delivery. In some cases, we will ask that such therapy is also delivered at home by parents and carers to support the children in achieving outcomes.

 

Securing equipment and facilities

The SENDCo has a small annual budget to purchase equipment for SEND children. The priorities for this are decided through discussion with specialist agencies, parents and teachers. Our school’s Accessibility Plan (available on the website) outlines adaptations that can be made to the building to meet particular needs, if they arise.

 

Evaluating the effectiveness of SEND provision

We evaluate the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEND by:

• Reviewing the impact of interventions
• Using pupil questionnaires
• Monitoring  IEPs
• Monitoring by the SENDCo
• Using data to measure progress
• Holding annual reviews for pupils with statements of SEND or EHC plans
• Most importantly, by looking at the progress children make in their classroom through the school’s cycle of monitoring

 

Enabling pupils with SEND to engage in activities available to those in the school who do not have SEND

We will make all reasonable adjustments so that children with SEND can attend school trips, residentials and extra-curricular activities.

We work in partnership with Hampshire County Council EVOLVE – they support the school in managing school trips and residentials.

 

Support for improving emotional and social development

The school is committed to the good mental health of all children. The Assistant Headteacher is fully trained on identifying and supporting children with mental health needs, and will make referrals to CAMHS as required and work with all other agencies to support children.

We also have an Inclusion Support Specialist and two Inclusion Assistants employed to support pastoral needs and deliver ELSA support. We work with our Education Mental Health Practitioner, as a school involved in the Mental Health in Schools Team. They are able to work with children and families as well as deliver whole school support.

The school’s Admin Assistant works in partnership with the Assistant Headteacher on attendance and punctuality. We fully include parents in our aims to raise attendance and promote punctuality.

We work alongside Children’s Services and our Education Welfare Officer to support families. We access all outside agencies that we feel will benefit your child – for example ‘Young Carers’, ‘No Limits’, ‘Simon Says’ etc. 

All staff have high expectations of pupil behaviour. We aim for high levels of motivation and engagement from all children throughout the school day. Through this approach the school seeks to avoid exclusions. We are proud of our extremely low number of exclusions.

The school has a detailed Medical Policy and we work closely with our school nurse and medical professionals to include children with medical needs.

Children with SEND are included as fully as possible in roles of responsibility and valued as members of a highly inclusive school.

We have a zero tolerance approach to bullying.

  

Working with other agencies

The school accesses:

• Southampton Psychology Service
• Solent CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
• Southampton Inclusion Partnership
• Southampton Advisory Outreach Service
• Mental Health in Schools Team
• External advisors with a specialism in SEND
• Jigsaw
• Children's Services
• Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech, Language and Communication Therapy
• School Nursing Service

 

Complaints about SEND provision

Complaints about SEN provision in our school should be made to the SENDCo through the school office in the first instance. They will then be referred to the school’s complaints policy.

The parents of pupils with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if they believe that our school has discriminated against their children. They can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:

• Exclusions
• Provision of education and associated services
• Making reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services

 

Contact details of support services for parents of pupils with SEND

The Southampton Local Offer website offers support and information for adults, families and those with special educational needs.

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/localoffer

 

Contact details for raising concerns

If you have any concerns please contact:

Robin Hayes

senco@fjslive.net

023 8073 3415