Iver Heath

Nurturing happy, healthy, confident learners in a safe, rich learning environment

  • 'Thank you for all the guidance and support you have given our daughter. You have really instilled a lot of confidence in her!'
  • 'Words cannot express how grateful my husband and I are to all the staff for the hours of dedication and support that you have given our son throughout his time at the school!' (Parent)
  • 'Our daughter thoroughly enjoyed her experiences during her Forest School sessions and we enjoyed listening to her excited stories afterwards!'
  • 'Thank you for all your hard work, care and never ending support'.
  • 'Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all' Aristotle
  • 'It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression' Albert Einstein
  • 'Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire' WB Yeats
  • 'Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world' Nelson Mandela

SEN Annual Report

Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery Annual SEN report 2023

Information for Parents of children with special educational needs or disabilities, which are supported at our school.

 At Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery we strive to support all children to enable them to achieve at school. In order to do this many steps are taken to support them through their learning journey. We provide quality teaching for all our children however, for some children there are occasions when further, additional support may be needed to help them achieve their potential.

 

  1. How does Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery know if a child needs extra help? 

We know when children need help if:

  • concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or the child
  • concerns are raised by preschool
  • limited progress is being made
  • there is a change in the child’s behaviour or progress
  1. What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
  • Approximately one in five children will have SEND at some time during their schooling.
  • Children with SEND have learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities which make it significantly harder for them to learn than most children of the same age.
  • The class teacher is the initial point of contact for responding to parental concerns.
  • If you have further concerns, then contact Mrs Bruce if your child is in the Nursery or Reception classes, or Mrs Monk if your child is in Year 1 or Year 2.
  1. How will I know how Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery supports my child?
  • Each child’s education programme will be planned by the class teacher. It will be differentiated accordingly to suit the child’s individual needs. This may include additional general support by the teacher or teaching assistant in class.
  • If a child has needs related to more specific areas of their education, such as spelling, handwriting, numeracy & literacy skills etc. then the child will be placed in a small focus group. This will be run by the teacher or teaching assistant. The length of time of the intervention will vary according to need but will generally be for a six-week period. Staff involved will ascertain the effectiveness of the provision and this will inform future planning and will enable regular reviewing of the interventions.
  • Pupil Review Meetings are held each term. This is a meeting where the class teacher meets with the Senior Leadership Team to discuss the progress of the children in their class. This shared discussion may highlight any potential problems in order for further support to be planned.
  • Occasionally a child may need more expert support from an outside agency such as the Speech and Language therapist, Occupational therapist and/or Paediatrician etc. A referral will be made, with your consent 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.
  • There may be occasions when the amount of support required for the child exceeds that available at the school. In this case the school and parents will apply for an Education and Health Care Plan. This must to be applied for via the County Council and if granted it may provide extra support or funding in order for the school to be able to provide necessary support for the child to access their education. It may be that the County Council in agreement with the parents decide that a different setting/ school is more appropriate for the needs of the child.
  • The Governors of Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery are responsible for entrusting a named person, Mrs Susan Perry, to monitor Safeguarding and Child protection procedures. She is also responsible for the monitoring and correct administration of the Disclosure and Barring Service procedures and the school’s single central record. In a ‘support and challenge’ role the Governors ensure that the school is as inclusive as possible and treats all children and staff in an equitable way. They monitor and review the accessibility plan and all other statutory policies as defined by the DfE.
  1. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
  • When a child has been identified with special needs their work will be differentiated by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily.
  • Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) may be allocated to work with the child in a 1:1 or small focus group to target more specific needs.
  • If a child has been identified as having a special need, that needs individual support, they may be given a Provision Map. Targets will be set according to their area of need. These will be monitored by the class teacher weekly and by the SENDco three times per year. Provision Maps will be discussed with parents at Parents’ Evenings and review meetings each term. If necessary, specialist equipment may be given to the child e.g. writing slopes, concentration cushions, pen/pencil grips or easy to use scissors.
  1. How will I know how my child is doing?
  • You will be able to discuss your child’s progress at Parents’ evenings which are held in the Autumn and Spring terms and additional review meetings as required.
  • Your child’s class teacher is available at the end of each day if you wish to raise quick  concern. Appointments can be made to speak in more detail to the class teacher or  joint SENDCos by phoning or emailing the school office.
  1. How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
  • The class teacher may suggest ways of how you can support your child.
  • Mrs Bruce or Mrs Monk may meet with you to discuss how to support your child with strategies to use if there are difficulties with a child’s behaviour/emotional needs.
  • If outside agencies or the Educational Psychologist have been involved, suggestions and programmes of study are normally provided some of which can be used at home.
  1. What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?
  • The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for children who are encountering emotional difficulties.
  • Iver Heath Infant School and nursery has an ethos of support and encouragement. We employ positive strategies to engage children and all our staff are very aware of the well-being of the children they work with.
  • Members of staff such as the class teacher, Learning Support Assistants and SENDco/Deputy SENDco are readily available for children who wish to discuss issues and concerns.

 8.Children with medical needs

  • If a child has a medical need then a detailed Health Care Plan is compiled with support from parents/carers and in consultation with the school nurse if appropriate. These are discussed with all staff who are involved with the child.
  • Staff receive epipen and asthma training delivered by a nurse, either on-line or face-to-face.
  • Where necessary and in agreement with parents/carers and the Head Teacher, medicines are administered in school but only where a signed medicine consent form is in place to ensure the safety of both child and staff member.
  • The school has five members of staff with paediatric first aid training.
  • One member of staff has completed Epilepsy Action training and 'Epilepsy in Schools', and 'Managing Medicines' training.
  1. 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. Professionals who support us in identifying and working with children’s learning/medical/ behavioural and social needs include:   

-  Educational psychologist

           

-   Paediatrician

- CAMHS (children and adolescent mental health  service)

-  School nurse

-  Speech and language therapist

-  Social services

-  Behaviour support outreach workers

-  Early years support team

-  Occupational therapy

-  Buckinghamshire specialist teaching team.

- Family Support Services

  1. What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having?
  • Staff regularly attend a range of courses to support all learners and we constantly strive for excellence. Recent staff training includes:
  • P.E and Inclusion
  • P.E and Autism
  • Zones of Regulation 
  • Bucks 'Step On' training - behaviour de-escalation, analysis, planning, consistency and low level guiding
  • Bucks 'Step Up' training
  • Attention Autism - Bucket Time  (Early Years)
  • Lego Therapy
  • Spelling to Learn- Identifying Barriers to Learning
  • Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
  • Earlybird Plus - Understanding autism and the needs of children with an ASD diagnosis
  • Autism Education Trust - Making Sense of Autism
  • Autism-Managing feelings of Anxiety, Sadness and Anger
  • Anxiety -Confidence and Self-Esteem

Dyscalculia

  • 2 members of staff are trained in Makaton
  • 2 members of staff are trained in the delivery of the Drawing and Talking intervention
  • 1 member of staff is trained in Philosophy for Children (P4C)
  • 1 member of staff has achieved the National Award for SEN Coordination
  • Staff have been trained to complete the Language Link assessment tool

 

  1. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
  • Activities and school trips are available to all, subject to a risk assessment.
  • Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate.
  • If it is deemed that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required then a parent or carer may be asked to accompany their child during the activity.
  • If the safety of any child is at risk the school may decide, with the parents, that participation in the activity is not suitable and an alternative arrangement will be made.

 

  1. How accessible is the school environment?
  • As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements. Our school building is all on ground floor level and where necessary staff will be willing to help in order to make all classrooms as accessible as possible. We have an easy access toilet within the school and a portable ramp.
  1. How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery or transferring to a new school?

Many strategies are in place to enable the child’s transition to be as smooth as possible. These include:

  • Where a child may have more specialised needs, a separate meeting may be arranged with the class teacher, Mrs Bruce/Mrs Monk, the previous or receiving school SENDCO, the parents/carers and where appropriate the child.
  • Discussions between the previous or receiving schools prior to the child joining/leaving.
  • All children attend a transition session where they spend some time with their new class teacher. Additional visits are also arranged for children who need extra time in their new school.
  • Mrs Perry, Mrs Bruce or Mrs Monk will meet parents/carers prior to their child joining the school if appropriate.
  • Mrs Bruce and/or Mrs Monk will liaise with the SENDCOs from the other schools.
  1. How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
  • The SEND budget is allocated by the DfE each financial year. The money is used to provide additional support or resources dependent on an individual’s needs.
  • The additional provision may be allocated after discussion with the class teacher at child progress meetings or if a concern has been raised by them at another time during the year.
  • Resources may include deployment of staff depending on individual circumstances.

 

  1. How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
  • These decisions are made in consultation with the class teacher and senior leadership team. Decisions are based upon termly tracking of child progress and as a result of assessments by outside agencies.
  • During their school life, if further concerns are identified due to the child’s lack of progress or well-being then other interventions will be arranged.
  • Decisions are made in conjunction with consultation with parents
  1. How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?
  • All parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s education. This may be through:

-              discussions with the class teacher

-              parents’ evenings

-              support at home with homework or suggested strategies

-              discussions with Mrs Perry, Mrs Bruce, Mrs Monk  or other professionals

-              the invitation for parents to comment on their child’s Provision Map and/or Education and Health Care Plan with possible suggestions that could be incorporated. 

 

  1. Who can I contact for further information?
  • If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling, please contact the school office to arrange a meeting with the SENDCO/Deputy SENDCO. We hope these have answered any queries you may have but do not hesitate to contact the school if you have further questions.
  • The Headteacher is: Mrs Susan Perry
  • The Special Needs Co-ordinator for Early Years (Nursery and Reception): Mrs Annette Bruce
  • Special Needs Co –ordinator  for KS1 (Year 1 and Year 2) : Mrs Simone Monk
  • The school governor responsible for SEND is Mrs. Claire Mowat

 

  • Roles & Responsibilities of the Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENDco).
  • The SENDCo is responsible for the operation of the Special Educational Needs Policy and co-ordination of specific provision made to support individual children with SEN. They will liaise with staff to monitor the child’s progress and plan further interventions where progress is slower than expected. We regularly have contact with a wide range of external agencies who are able to give more specialised advice. If you have any concerns regarding SEND matters do not hesitate to contact us.
  • There are many SEND terms that are abbreviated which can lead to confusion (for all of us!) Key terms are listed below.
  • Information from Buckinghamshire Family information

Bucks family information service: Local offer 

Local offer – Education and learning

  • Information from the Department for Education can be found online at:

https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs

Guide for Parents

Letter outlining the arrangements for supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. 

  • If you want advice from professionals outside school contact:

Parent Partnership: Tel: 01296 383754 email: sendias@buckscc.gov.uk

 Impartial support, advice and information for parents and carers of children with SEND.

 

 

Glossary of often used terms:

SEND – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

SENDCo – Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator

EHCP – Education and Health Care Plan

EP – Educational Psychologist

SALT – Speech and Language Therapist

DfE – Department for Education

ASD  - Autistic Spectrum Disorder