Grove Academy

Schools extended Local Offer response

Teaching and learning

• Grove provides quality first teaching for all pupils. Teachers plan lessons according  to the specific needs of all groups of children within their class, and will ensure that your child’s needs are met. 
• Both the teacher and support staff will assist and support with your child’s learning in the classroom where appropriate. 
• Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child both individually and in groups and where possible in class. 
• Planning and teaching will be adapted on a daily basis if needed to meet your child’s learning needs. 
• Teaching and support staff will work together to plan, assess and review how well pupils are doing, set targets and next steps to meet your child’s needs.
• Children’s personal profiles and Individual targets will be used to inform planning.

Identifying and assessing Special Educational Needs

We may find that a child needs additional help if concerns are raised by a parent/carer, by the child’s teacher or by the child.  We may also be alerted to the needs of a child by liaising with a pupil’s previous setting or school. The Inclusion Manager/SENCo and Early Years and Foundation Stage (EYFS) Leader work closely with local preschools and primary schools to ensure all relevant information is shared and transition to school is supported, that any concerns are known and appropriate support and preparations can be made. On entry to Reception class teachers carry out a baseline assessment. We have a robust and thorough induction process for all pupils joining the school in order to ensure we have gathered the appropriate information which is then passed onto class teachers, tutors heads of years. The Inclusion Manager/SENCo and Class teachers also work closely together to ensure all the relevant information is shared in preparation for transition to within school.

Regular analysis of children's progress data by senior leaders means that we quickly pick up if a child in any age group is making limited progress. Half termly pupil progress meetings are held with teachers, assistant head and Inclusion manger/SENCo. In this meeting teachers are expected to discuss individual pupils’ progress and identify any barriers to their learning. QFT teaching strategies are explored as well as Interventions and the appropriate provision is identified and monitoring arrangements are agreed.

Class teachers meet formally with parents termly to discuss their child’s individual progress and to include the parent’s views on how their child is progressing.  Additional meetings and informal discussions of a child’s on-going progress happen throughout the year as we value our working partnership with parents. We also encourage our parents to raise any concerns or ask questions as they arise by talking to the class teacher initially and then the SENCO / Inclusion Manager as appropriate.

Meetings with the SENCO / Inclusion Manager and other professionals will be arranged to meet an individual child’s needs; to discuss reviews, progress, assessments and reports.

For some children, where progress continues to be limited after targeted planning, the class teacher will work with the SENCO / IM to plan any additional support your child may receive in school. Teachers and Teaching Assistants will support individuals at a level appropriate to their needs through effective differentiation in the classroom. We aim to ensure the fullest possible access to the curriculum for pupils on the SEN register. It may be that further assessments are required to determine whether a child is experiencing a barrier to their learning such as a learning difficulty and the SENCO will discuss with the parents about making a referral to outside agencies to support your child’s learning. This may include support from agencies such as Educational Psychology, Speech and Language, specialist teachers for HI, VI, ASD and SpLD, CAMHS, SEBDOS, School nurses, Social Care and Physiotherapists or Occupational Therapists.

Grove follows the guidance set out in the SEND Code of Practice (2014),  using the  graduated approach which recognises that children learn in different ways and can have different kinds or levels of SEN, and this approach enables us to access the appropriate specialist expertise, thus providing the additional support and advice to meet an individual child’s needs.

We are very keen for young people and their families to be fully involved in discussion around their learning and progress. We encourage parents and carers to contact the school and ask to make an appointment with the SENCO/IM if they suspect that their child may have a special education need or disability that has not been previously identified, or diagnosed.

When a need is identified the SENCO / IM will ensure that the appropriate provision is put in place to best support the child. All support is reviewed regularly to ensure it addresses the needs of the child.

This process of support at Grove will follow the pattern of: 

• Assess the needs of the child;
• Plan the provision needed to meet the needs of the child;
• Do – put into action the interventions agreed;

Review – the purpose of the review is to ensure that the interventions are appropriate and are helping the student make the necessary progress towards their aspirational targets. If they fail to make expected progress with interventions, further discussions will take place with all parties involved to decide what the next step will be in the process. This could involve further referrals or interventions.  

At Grove we recognize the necessity of specialist and individually implemented interventions to support the achievement of Looked After Children (LAC) with SEN and make provision for them in terms of admissions, pastoral care and differentiated teaching and support as required so that they can reach their potential socially, emotionally and academically.

Involving parents and children/young people in planning and reviewing progress

How will the school involve me as a parent and my child in meeting our SEND needs and in general school life?  

• The class teacher will implement any required strategies and oversee, plan, work and set targets with each child with special needs in their class to ensure that progress in every area is made.  These will be regularly reviewed. 
• We will inform you if we think your child has additional needs and needs support from small group interventions.
• At parents evenings and at other times teachers will work with parents to share and review targets to support your child, paremst are encouraged to comment on these.  Parents can request to see the SENCO at any time by calling the school office and asking for an appointment.. 
• Some small group interventions may be used to support children to progress.  These may be run by a teacher or teaching assistant. 
• Parents can access advice on how to support learning at home at anytime from the class teacher, or Assistant Head Teacher responsible for your child’s phase or a member of the Hub (inclusion) Team. 
• Regular contact between home and school, e.g. home/ school book, phone calls, meetings. 
• Individual pupil/ teacher conversations. 
• TAC (Team around the child meetings 

We will investigate any concerns raised. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways such as class observations, discussions with the pupil, parents and staff, tests and assessments.

Additional support

At Grove we aim to identify children who may be having difficulties as early as possible and provide a graduated response to supporting our pupils with additional needs.  We are aware of  our statutory duties as specified in the SEND Code of Practice and the Children and Families Act, 2014 

All pupils should receive quality first teaching and support from their class teacher.  If children are receiving good quality teaching and differentiated learning opportunities then they may not need any additional support.

If children do not progress quickly enough despite quality first teaching and differentiated learning then Grove may also provide small group learning or specific interventions. The intervention groups are tailored to the specific needs of the children and are monitored closely for effectiveness.

For children with emotional or behavioural difficulties the school works with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Outreach Service (SEBDOS)

If children have complex needs or difficulties or have not progressed despite support in school, Grove may need to seek additional advice and support from other professionals such as the Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, CAMHS.  Grove has service level agreements with the Educational Psychology service and Social, Emotional and Behavioural Outreach Service (SEBDOS).

Sometimes children need more support than can be provided by school without additional funding from the Local Authority.  At these times the SENCO, working with parents and other professionals will make an application for Statutory Assessment for the child to ask the Local Authority to consider issuing an Education Health and Care Plan for the child.

If you feel that your child needs and Education Health and Care Plan, please contact the SENCO/Inclusion Manager to discuss this.

Parents also have the right to ask the Local Authority for a Statutory Assessment in their own right. Parent Partnerships in Slough will support with this.

 

Extra activities

Grove offer a range of extracurricular activities and clubs which are subject to change from time to time.  Please check with the school office to make sure you are receiving the most current information.

In addition to this all pupils take part in planned educational visits in their year groups. Special arrangements are made on an individual basis to ensure that all children with SEN are able to access clubs and educational visits.

 

Meeting social and emotional needs of children/young people

One of Grove Academy’s main aims is to develop the reslilience and confidence of all of its pupils and to promote wellbeing. All staff are responsible for the emotional and social development of the children in their care.

The school has a positive behaviour policy and promotes and maintains high expectations at all times.

There is a SMSC plan in place. During lessons such as PSHE and Circle Time and through assemblies pupils are encouraged to be kind and considerate towards each other, to be well mannered and to treat all the school users with respect and courtesy.

Children are taught about bullying (what it is, what causes it and how to deal with it if it occurs).

For those pupils who need extra support to manage their feelings, anger and social skills we are able to offer support in school in groups or on a 1:1 basis as well as access from one of the outside agencies e.g.

• Educational Psychology
• Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Outreach Service
• Social Care
• Child and Adolescents Mental Health Service (CAMHS) 
• Early Help

Keeping up to date with knowledge and skills

At Grove Academy all staff are welcome to attend any of the regular staff INSETs where staff can develop their skills and knowledge.

Where children have been identified with specific conditions every attempt is made to provide training specifically for the teacher and support staff responsible for the child as well as whole school training where it is considered to be beneficial.

Members of the SEND team at Grove Academy attend training to further develop their own areas of expertise and cascade accordingly. 

Our Educational Psychologists are able to deliver bespoke training for the whole school or specific groups of staff tailored to our particular needs.

All staff have the opportunity to request to attend external training.

Transitions

At Grove Academy we make every attempt to make the transition points through a child’s school career as smooth as possible. For some children detailed transition plans are required over and above the schools usual transition procedures listed as follows:

Entering into Reception : -

• Visits to previous Nursery or setting
• Home visits from Reception Staff
• Introductory visits 

Between Year groups : -

• One day transition visit to new class to meet new teacher

Moving from other Year school’s Year 6  to Year 7: -

• Year 7 Head of year and SENCo visit Year 6 classes
• Grove SENCo meets with primary SENCo
• Transition day visit to new secondary school 

For pupils with special educational needs extra meetings to share information between teachers, parents and the SENCo can be arranged. Other arrangements might include:

• Transition books
• Transition photo albums
• Transition focus groups
• Additional visits to new class prior to transition day
• Additional visit to secondary school prior to transition day with staff from primary school e.g. 1:1 Learning Support Assistant/SENCo 
• Transition plan outlining strategies and timeline of support
• Staggered start 

Transition mid year Rec-Year 6

• Meet teacher
• Induction meeting
• Previous school or setting contacted 

Transition mid year Year 7-8

• Meet head of year
• Induction meeting
• Previous school contacted
• Induction day in the Hub

Helpful contacts

Parents should talk with their child’s class teacher as a first point of contact, if the class teacher is unable to help they will initially refer parents to speak with the school SENCO/Inclusion Manager.  If necessary, the school will call upon the expertise of external agencies for support.  Please see our website for full contact information.

Mrs Dodd-Noble-Inclusion Manager/SENCo -  01753 517359

office@groveacademy.co.uk