Willow Tree Primary School

SEND

(Special Educational Needs & Disabilities)

Information Report 2023/24

This report is written in line with the 2014 SEND Code of Practice, the Green Paper entitled 'Right Support, right place, right time' and Willow Tree Primary School's SEND Policy. Links to all of these documents can be found below:

Contact Details of SEND Co-ordinator and Governor

SEND Co-ordinator: Vicky Haslam

Contact: 01744 678730 (via school office)

Email: via office@willowtree.sthelens.sch.uk (mark for the attention of Vicky Haslam)

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Governor: Mrs. Amanda Wardell

What types of SEND are catered for at Willow Tree Primary School?

A pupil 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.”
(SEND CofP June 2014: 94 - 95)

A pupil has a disability if they have ‘…a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial
adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’.
(Equality Act 2010: 7)

At Willow Tree Primary School we welcome everybody into our school community and endeavour to
cater for all SEND as categorised by the 2014 SEND Code of Practice.

• Cognition and Learning
• Communication and Interaction
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs
• Sensory and physical needs

What training or qualifications do staff have to cater for the needs of pupils with SEND?

•  Any training that is required to meet the needs of your child will be attended by the relevant staff.

• All staff at Willow Tree are made aware of any SEND updates by the SENCO.
• Teachers are encouraged to attend SEND training
• SENDCO attends termly network meetings to ensure she is up to date with local and national guidance.
  

 At Willow Tree, how are SEND pupils identified?

• We strive to enable all pupils to achieve their full potential in all aspects of life.
• We apply a graduated approach to ensure all pupils are appropriately supported through their
  educational journey.
• Our graduated approach is in line with the 2014 SEND Code of Practice. Our approach to early
  identification is outlined in our policy which can be accessed on our website.
• If teachers have a concern about a child in relation to one of the four broad areas of need then they
  will speak to the SENDCO and next steps will be agreed.
• As parents/carers you will be informed of any concerns and are invited to come and discuss next
  steps and be involved in any decision making
  

How does Willow Tree know if pupils need additional provision?

• When concerns are raised by teachers, parents/carers or the child.
• Limited or no progress is being made in curriculum areas.
• There is a change in the child’s presentation and emotional well-being.
• Information from pre-school settings, home visits or transfer information from a previous school.
• When evidence from assessments/monitoring suggests that a child requires additional support

What should I do if I think my child may have SEN and/or a disability?

• The class teacher is the first point of contact with regard to parental concerns. They will share the information given with the SENDCO or the head teacher.
• If you are still concerned you may directly contact school for an appointment with Miss Haslam

 What is the approach to teaching pupils with SEND?

• At Willow Tree, all pupils have access to quality first teaching.
• Teachers will differentiate and adapt the curriculum so that all pupils can access the curriculum at their level.
• Parents will be made aware of their targets so that they know what their child is going to achieve and how.
• Pupils who need provision that is additional from or different to that of pupils of the same age will receive group or individual provision which is closely monitored to ensure impact and progress

How is the learning environment adapted for pupils with SEND?

• Learning environments are adapted to cater for the needs of individual pupils.
• Adaptations may include seating arrangements and/or organisation to allow use of specialist equipment and resources.
• Some pupils will require a Care Plan.
• Adaptations are continually reviewed to ensure they are suitable and appropriate.
• Adaptations may change when a child moves classroom, key stages or if the needs of the child change.
• All adaptations and arrangements will be shared with pupils and parents.

What access arrangements are in place for pupils with SEND?

• Disabled toilet
• Handrails
• Ramps
• Arrangements for moving round school at different parts of the day will be individualised where needed.
• Access to specialist support from specialist agencies

How do pupils with SEND engage in educational trips or extra-curricular activities?

• All pupils are encouraged to join in with extra-curricular activities and attend educational trips.
• Extra-curricular activities will be differentiated so that they are accessible to pupils.
• The needs of pupils with SEND are carefully considered when arranging any educational trip.
• Trip leaders will have completed a pre-visit and thorough risk assessment.
• The needs of pupils with SEND will be made known to the host/s prior to the pupils visiting.
• Appropriate support will be provided so pupils can access the educational activities.

At Willow Tree, what support will there be for my child’s overall well- being?

• The school strives to ensure that all pupils feel safe and valued whilst in our care.
• We provide a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils who are encountering social, emotional
and/or mental health difficulties.
• A variety of provision is delivered on a needs led basis e.g. access to The Hive
• Nurture interventions play a crucial role for the pupils with self-esteem and confidence issues.
• Designated staff have responsibility to offer pastoral support where needed.
• All staff share a pastoral role in supporting and listening to pupils
• We access provision and projects run by outside agencies to provide additional support for pupils with SEMH difficulties
• Use of worry boxes and circle time give pupils the opportunity to express and share any concerns/worries.

What arrangements are made to help my child when they are moving class or key stage?

• Moving on (transition) can be difficult for any child so at Willow Tree, we ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to spend some time with their next teacher and class.
• Some pupils will need more support with transition and will have individualised transition arrangements.
• Individual transition arrangements will be discussed with and agreed by you and your child. These may include additional visits to the classroom, teacher or corridor at quieter times and/or providing your child with a social story that will share important transition information and pictures with your child.
• Teachers have a transition meeting to ensure that the next teacher is aware of pupils with SEND and their needs.
• All records and provision arrangements will be shared with the receiving school.

What arrangements are made to help my child get ready to move to high school?

• If your child has SEND and is moving on to high school the SENCO will contact the SENCO at the high school they are going to.
• Pupils may have different transition arrangements depending on the high school they are going to and their needs. These arrangements will be made in discussion with you as parents/carers.
• Pupils will be given the opportunity to share their views on what they think they need when it comes to moving on to high school.
• If your child has an EHC plan then options for high schools will be discussed at their Year 5 review. School will support parents/carers with these decisions.
• If your child has an EHC plan then the SENCO from their high school will be invited to come to their Review meeting so they can get to know you and your child.

How are pupils with SEND monitored and assessed?

• Pupil progress is monitored daily during lessons as part of quality first teaching.
• All pupils are assessed in line with the school assessment policy
• The progress of all pupils will be discussed in termly Pupil Progress meetings.
• The identifying SEND within the policy, outlines the process and procedures for if there is a concern about a pupil’s progress. This can be accessed on the school website.
• At Willow Tree we use Assess Plan Do Review cycles to monitor and assess pupils with SEND.
• These cycles last no longer than 6 weeks, at this point they will be reviewed and next steps will be
put in place.
• Pupils identified as SEND will have an individual learning plan which will track provision offered and impact.
• This Assess Plan Do Review process allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for pupils with SEND.
• The school's SLT regularly monitor provision and ensure all interventions are accessing the right support in the right place and at the right time.

How will I know how my child is doing in school?

• Every parent/carer is invited to parent afternoons/evenings where the progress your child is making will be discussed.
• Targets outlined on the provision map are sent home to parents.
• At the end of each academic year each child will receive a report outlining how the year has gone, how they are doing and how much progress they have made.
• If a child requires outside agency involvement, parents will be given a copy of any reports and a time will be arranged for next steps to be discussed.
• If your child has an individual provision map, which outlines what they are working on and their targets, this will be shared with you throughout the year and discussed at parents’ evenings.
• If a child has an Educational Health and Care Plan a person centred meeting will be held at least once a year. Your child will be involved in setting up and preparing for this meeting. At this meeting your child is invited to talk about how they think things are going at school and what would help them in the future. Parents will also be asked to share their views as will class teachers and any relevant outside agencies. The SENDCO will be present at the meeting and an action plan will be made which will outline the next steps.

How does school support families who have pupils with SEND?

• The class teacher is the first point of contact if you want to share information or have any questions regarding your child’s education. A meeting should be arranged and a SENDCO will be present if required.
• If requested, class teachers and/or the SENCO can suggest strategies that may help at home this may include sharing positive behaviour strategies.
• In Year R to 6 class meetings are held in the first half term to introduce you to the new teacher and allow you to familiarise yourself with class expectations.
• Each week there is a 'Senco Surgery' which offers parent’s a SEND meeting where more information can be shared and any concerns acted upon.
• School has a Pastoral Team that is able to signpost families to relevant services or be on hand to offer support/ advice.

What further support can I access as a parent/care of a child with SEND?

The Local Offer

All local authorities have a duty to provide parents/carers with information about how to access services in the area, and what they can expect from those services. The information will set out what is available in schools to help pupils with SEND as well as the options available to support families to care for pupils with additional needs.

For support or advice about the latest SEND services available in St. Helens - please click on the green link button below. 

Our Graduated Response

Policies and Information 

Differentiation at Willow Tree:

Parent Support

ADDvanced Solutions

ADDvance Solutions are a community network of professionals from across education, health and social care, CJS and community development who bring genuine insight to the design, development and delivery of services from supporting their own families living with Neurodevelopmental conditions. For more information please click on the link below.

ADDvanced Solutions  

St Helens Information and Advice Support Services (IASS)

St Helens IASS is a statutory service providing information, advice and support on matters relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The service is offered to children and young people with SEND, and their parents/carers. 

St Helens IASS provides free, confidential, impartial advice and helps parents play an active and informed role in their child’s education. The clip below provides some information about what services they provide. 

You can access more information about IASS by clicking on the link below. 

Information and Advice Support Service

St Helens Local Offer

The Local Offer is a requirement of the SEND Code of Practice (2015) and is easy to understand information that will set out what is services are available in schools to help children with lower level SEN as well as the options available to support families who need additional help to care for their child.

The St. Helens Local Offer provides parents and carers with the information about how to access services in their local area, and what they can expect from those services. With regard to education, it will let parents and carers of young people know how schools and colleges will support them and what they can expect across the local setting. The information is easy to understand and can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

St Helens Local Offer

Early Help

Early Help is:

Services working together for children, young people (ages 5-11) and their families, who would benefit from extra support:

• Keeping children, young people and their families safe from harm
• Helping children, young people and their families to overcome difficulties
• Supporting children, young people and their families to and be happy
• Making sure families can support themselves

Speak to the school SENDCO (Miss Haslam) if you require further information or support about any of the information contained in the information leaflet.

Parenting Courses and Support

Parents can often feel overwhelmed by the demands of parenthood and welcome the opportunity to meet with other parents, discuss common parenting issues and build on skills they already have.

The NSPCC and Triple P Positive Parenting Course offers parents the opportunity to speak with other parents and share experiences. 

School Nurse 

The School Nursing Service is available to all children and young people aged five to 19 who live in St Helens. They offer advice and support on anything to do with to your child's physical and emotional health, including their sexual health. You can talk to them about health conditions such as asthma, epilepsy or allergies or other concerns like bullying, keeping a healthy weight or emotional worries. 

Click on the link below to access the School Nurse service.

St Helens Nursing Team

St Helens Carers Centre

Do you have a child who helps to care for you or another family member? This can include helping out around the house, shopping, personal care, helping with medication, providing emotional support. 

Young Carers who are registered with the St Helens Carers Centre could receive additional support.

If you would like to discuss what support might be out there, or would like to let us know about a Young Carer in your family please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs Mills at school. 

Alternatively you could contact the St Helens Carers Centre direct:

Ann-Marie Leather

Young Carers School Involvement Officer

St Helens Young Carers Centre

Tel: 01744 677279

or click on the link below:

St Helens Carers Centre 

What do I do if I have a concern about the support or provision arrangements that are in place for my child?

At Willow Tree Primary School we strive to meet the needs of all pupils and are committed to reviewing how we meet individual needs.

Parents and pupils are encouraged to be part of this process but if you do have a concern about the support or provision arrangements that are in place for your child please follow the steps below. These steps are in line with our school complaints procedure which can be found on the school website.

Step 1
The first point of contact is the class teacher. Arrange a meeting with the class teacher to raise your concerns and
agree on next steps.

Step 2
Allow time for the agreed next steps to be put into place. If you are still concerned contact the SENDCO using the
contact details in Section 1 to arrange a meeting so that an action plan can be made. Mrs. Sweeney may attend the
meeting.

Step 3
Allow time for the agreed actions to be put into place and reviewed with you. If you are still not satisfied a complaint can be made to the SEND governor. It will then be heard formally by the Governors.

Step 4
If the complaint reaches this step it will be heard by a Governing Body’s Complaints Committee.