Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
One of the primary aims of Pixmore School is to offer all children a high quality broad, balanced and inclusive curriculum to enable them to reach their full potential regardless of any barriers to learning they may have. We view every child as an individual, with their own preferred ways of learning and working and aim to support them as such. Some of our children have particular needs which may present a barrier to their learning or ability to fully access the curriculum. This difficulty may relate to a learning difficulty, which may be either general or specific, or it may be a physical or emotional difficulty. Our approach is to actively monitor all children so that any difficulties are identified early and provision made to enable them to make good progress. We adopt a graduated approach to our provision.
We recognise parents as the first and foremost educators of their children and appreciate the unique knowledge they hold about them. Through termly parent’s evenings and less formal contact with teachers and other school staff between meetings, we aim to develop a relationship where information is shared as fully as possible in order to personalise learning and support the holistic development of our children.
Half termly meetings between class teachers, the head teacher and special educational needs co-ordinator enable early identification of any difficulties to take place and provision to be made. At this stage, the personalised support which has been agreed is put in place by class teachers, which may be individual or in a small group with a teaching assistant and may take place within class or in one of our other learning areas. Children also have access to our Learning Hub, a quiet room where children can work individually, supported by a teaching assistant or key worker. Where more specific support is required, the special educational needs co-ordinator will liaise with the class teacher, parent, child and external agencies to produce an individual Provision Map (PM), which sets out the SEN support and specific targets, additional provision required and review timescales. At this point a child will be put onto our SEND Register. Parents may be invited in more frequently to review progress or to meet with external professionals. Provision Maps are reviewed in October, March and July.
SEND Register
What is a SEND Register?
This is a list of all the pupils in the school who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or a disability. This makes it easier for the SENCo and staff to monitor those pupils who need extra help and to ensure they receive more targeted support to enable them to make good progress.
Why is my child on the SEND Register?
Any pupil on the SEND register has been identified as having a special educational need and/or disability. Their difficulty is preventing them from learning at a rate we would expect for them. Extra help will be given to these pupils to help them to make progress.
What does this mean for my child?
If your child is placed on the SEND Register, then they will receive extra help and targets will be set and reviewed more frequently. This will be set out on a Provision Map so that you can see what help your child is receiving and how often.
Will my child always be on the SEND Register?
This can vary. Some pupils with significant needs will always be on the SEND Register because they will always need help. Other pupils may only need help for a short amount of time and if they no longer need any help, then they will be removed from the SEND Register in discussion with parents/carers.
Pixmore School works closely with a range of external services to support the needs of our children, including the Grange SpLD Base in Letchworth, Educational Psychologist, Speech Therapist, Specialist Teacher for the hearing impaired, Child Development Centre, Occupational Therapist, Physical and Neurological Impairment Team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and the North Herts. Primary Support Service. Other services may also become involved according to individual needs and any additional provision is detailed on a child’s provision map. Parents and their child are consulted at all stages to ensure their views and knowledge are taken into consideration.
We are working to support the local authority’s local offer, which sets out the services available to support young people in schools. We are currently working with our children and parents to look at and evaluate the way in which we work to support children with additional needs in line with the requirements set out in the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs and Disability 0-25 (June 2014). Please click on the links below for further information.
Many children will, at some time in their school life, require some extra support. We recognise that this can be stressful and worrying time for the child and their parents. Therefore, if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s particular needs, please speak to their class teacher or the SENCo. Your child, and your expertise as their parent, are at the heart of everything we do; we value your views and the support you can offer in helping us to help your child to reach their full potential.
Hertfordshire Quality SEND Strategy 2018 – 2023
Hertfordshire Quality Autism Offer
The Hertfordshire Autism Quality Offer aligns with the SEND Quality Offer – Hertfordshire’s statement on high quality provision and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The Autism Quality Offer describes the special educational provision that settings are encouraged to have available for children and young people who have autism or social communication needs and includes links to resources and training available to settings across Hertfordshire.
Pixmore School Local Offer Provision
Keeping Children Safe in Education
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Steps Taken at Pixmore to Support Learning
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AET working together with child’s school