Special Educational Needs

Annual Special Educational Needs Information Report 2023/2024

All mainstream schools and maintained nursery schools are required by law to produce an annual SEN Information Report: Special Educational Needs (Information) Regulations Clause 65.

All mainstream schools and maintained nursery schools are required by law to make their annual SEN Information Report available on their website.

The annual SEN Information Report forms part of the school’s Local Offer and is available on the Buckinghamshire Local Offer website, linked to the school/nursery record

Castlefield School is a large, vibrant, primary school offering high quality educational experiences to children aged between 2 and 11 years old.

At Castlefield School we believe in achievement, ambition and progress for all children. We aim to meet the needs of individual children through highly effective teaching and learning. There is an emphasis on early identification of needs through supportive and preventative strategies which reduce barriers to learning. We work in a flexible way to develop effective partnerships with children and their parents/carers, teaching and support staff within school, the SENDCo (Mrs Hackett) and external professionals such as speech and language therapists and occupational therapists to ensure that the school can meet a broad range of special educational needs.

1. The type of SEND provision that Castlefield school caters for

is aimed at pupils in mainstream education with a range of Special Educational Needs relating to their cognitive, physical, emotional and behavioural difficulties. We do not offer specialist provision (ARP) for particular needs.

The school’s Accessibility (Equality) policy can be found on the Policies page of this website:

http://www.castlefieldschool.co.uk/web/policies/197657

2. The school’s policy (including pupils who do and do not have an EHC Plan) for:

A. Identifying and assessing pupils with SEND is:

Pupils are identified through monitoring by class teachers, year leaders and the SENDCo and then further assessment, if required, can be carried out.
Parents/carers are able to book an appointment with the class teacher or SENDCo via the school office on 01494 436018.
We liaise closely with therapists, specialist teachers, other agencies and previous schools to identify and monitor pupil’s additional learning needs.

B. Evaluating the effectiveness of its provision for pupils with SEND is:

Through the annual review of EHCPs, twice yearly review of pupil’s Individual Education Plan, and using the ‘Plan, Do, Review’ process.
The effectiveness of interventions and provisions is monitored by the SENDCo using information collected by the class teacher and LSAs and from assessment data.
The SEND Governor makes regular visits to the school and meets with the SENDCo to discuss the pupils identified as having SEND. They present a report to the Governing Body of the school.

C. Assessing & reviewing the progress of pupils with SEND is:

Pupil progress is analysed half termly by the SENDCo, year leaders and class teachers.
Termly link meeting with therapists.
Monitoring of LSA intervention records by the SENDCo.

3. The School’s approach for teaching pupils with SEND (including pupils who do and do not have an EHC Plan):

A. By adapting the curriculum & learning environment is:

Differentiation or modification of learning objectives, teaching styles, access strategies or resources used in each lesson.
Some subjects are taught in ability groupings to ensure that targeted teaching can be used to address the specific needs of an identified group of learners.
Children who have similar identified needs (e.g a specific need in maths or reading or social skills) may also be taught in smaller groups.
Specialist equipment can be provided by the school or, for example, an Occupational Therapist to help a pupil overcome sensory or physical needs and access a broad and balanced curriculum.

B. With additional support for learning is:

Through some pupils taking part in short and long term interventions.
Through use of LSAs as required.
Through carefully planned, differentiated and personalised learning.

C. Through activities that are available to pupils with SEND in addition to those available through the curriculum is:

All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum and we aim for all children to be included on school trips. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure everyone’s health and safety will not be compromised. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, then we will try to provide alternative activities which will cover the same curriculum areas.
The school has breakfast and a range of extra-curricular clubs in which all children are invited to take part. However, individual adult support, such as provided by an EHCP, is not available at these activities.

D. Through improving the emotional and social development of pupils with SEND is:

Opportunities to address emotional and social concerns are offered through targeted group activities and individual support from the school learning mentor and SENDCo as well as low level, class based support.

4. The School’s facilities to include pupils with SEND and how we obtain new or specialist equipment & facilities:

The school is built on a sloping sight and has a small number of class rooms upstairs; it has two disabled toilets, slopes, hand rails and wide doors. With the exception of the upstairs and lower level class rooms and the MUGA, the school is easily accessible to wheel chair users. The allocation of class rooms and the timetable are adapted to allow wheel chair users to access the curriculum with the rest of their class.

Most class rooms are carpeted to provide good acoustic conditions and staff are aware of ‘deaf friendly’ teaching strategies.

The Occupational Therapy Service visits regularly to assess equipment needs of particular pupils.

Language and communication are supported in all class rooms and lessons with visual clues such as timetables and picture cards. All class rooms have an Interactive White Board or equivalent.

5. The School’s arrangement for training:

A. For staff in relation to pupils with SEND is:

Staff meeting INSET.
Planned INSET days.
Compulsory training such as health and safety or child protection.
Training courses organised and run by external agencies.
Peer mentoring and observations.
Sharing of good practice locally eg at local network meetings.

B. Specialist expertise is obtained by the school by:

Regular meetings between the SENDCo and outside agencies working within the school.
Training delivered by therapists for staff working with particular pupils.

6. The School’s arrangements to consult with and involve:

A. Parents/cares of pupils with SEND about the education of their child/ young person is:

Parents/carers are welcome to book an appointment with the class teacher throughout the school year to discuss concerns they may have regarding special educational needs or disabilities. Parents/carers are also able to book an appointment with the SENDCo via the school office on 01494 436018.

Parents/carers are given the opportunity to discuss their concerns with the class teacher at the ‘Target Setting Meetings’ in the Autumn and Spring terms when progress made by individual children is explained through face-to-face consultations.

B. Children/ young people about their education is:

Where appropriate, pupils are involved in their learning and progress in a variety of ways:

Targets set by the subject teacher referred to as part of normal class room practice.
Sharing progress targets as part of the target setting meeting.
Joint planning of APDR targets.
Contributing to APDR or Annual Review of an EHCP.
Using areas of interest as a focus for learning activities.
Support in accessing extra-curricular activities.
Empowering the child to ask for help as needed and develop independence skills to do things for themselves.

7. The School’s partnerships:

A. The school’s governing body involve other bodies (incl health, social care, BCC support services, voluntary & community groups) to meet the needs of pupils with SEND and their families by:

Acting as a critical friend to the SENDCo.

B. The school’s arrangements for pupils with SEND transferring between other education providers or preparing for adulthood & independent living is:

Pupils are involved with setting targets with their class teacher and core subject teachers.
All pupils with an EHCP share their views for their annual review meeting and attend if appropriate.
Pupils transferring to secondary school meet with the SENDCo and support staff and may have additional transition visits to the new school during their final term at Castlefield School.
Pupils with an EHCP transferring to a specialist placement meet with the SENDCo and support staff and may have additional transition visits to the new school during their final term at Castlefield School.
The SENDCo liaises with staff at the other school to pass on or collect information about pupils with SEND.

C. The school does collaborate between the following education providers and other settings:

All other primary schools within the local area Eg Oakridge School, Booker Hill School, Disraeli School, Chiltern Wood School.
All local secondary schools that our pupils feed into Eg Cressex, St Michael’s Catholic School, Stony Dean School.

D. The school communicates the contact details for the support listed above to pupils with SEND and their families by:

Face to face meetings, telephone calls, emails, newsletters and personal letters. Where possible, these are translated into the family’s home language.
The school website and the Family Information Service Website.

http://www.castlefieldschool.co.uk/web/search https://www.bucksfamilyinfo.org/kb5/buckinghamshire/fsd/home.page

8. The School’s key contacts:

The name and contact details of the school’s SENDCo

Name: Mrs H Hackett & Miss L Avery

Email: office@castlefield.bucks.sch.uk

Tel: 01494 436018

The contact for compliments, concerns or complaints from parents of pupils with SEND

Name: Mr A Kann

Email: office@castlefield.bucks.sch.uk

Tel: 01494 436018

The school’s Complaints policy can be found on the Policies page of this website:

The School’s link to the Buckinghamshire Local Offer:

Information for the Local Offer for Buckinghamshire is available at www.bucksfamilyinfo.org/localoffer

The Buckinghamshire Local Offer provides information and advice and information on Special Education Needs & Disability provision, both inside and outside the Local Authority. If you wish to contact Buckinghamshire County Council about the Local Offer please call 01296 383065 or email familyinfo@buckscc.gov.uk