Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Information Report

All Lambeth maintained schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and are supported by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. All schools are supported to be as inclusive as possible, with the needs of pupils with SEND being met in a mainstream setting wherever possible, where families want this to happen. Pupils with SEND will take part in the activities of the school together with pupils without SEND whenever possible.

Further information about the support offered by the Local Authority can be found on the Local Offer websites:

Lambeth: https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/lambeths-send-local-offer

Croydon: https://localoffer.croydon.gov.uk/kb5/croydon/directory/home.page

Southwark: https://localoffer.southwark.gov.uk/

The school will meet the needs of children with these areas of SEND:

Communication and interaction
Cognition and Learning
Social, Mental and Emotional Health
Sensory and Physical Needs

The areas of SEND are typically, but not exclusively, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, language disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs.

A glossary of the most used SEND terms is available at the end of the document.

Which staff will support my child, and what training have they had?

Our Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinators, or SENDCos are:

Melanie Lucombe and Julia Williamson

melanielucombe@hitherfield.co.uk juliawilliamson@hitherfield.co.uk

They both have over 7 years experience as SENDCos and have worked as class teachers at Hitherfield before taking up these roles.

They are both qualified teachers and hold the National Award in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordination.

They both work 4 days a week (Melanie does not work on Mondays and Julia does not work on Fridays) in order to manage SEND provision.

Lucy Flood is our Senior Teaching and Learning Assistant (STALA) and holds an undergraduate degree in Autism.

Class Teachers: All of our teachers receive in-house SEND training, and are supported by the SENDCO to meet the needs of pupils who have SEND.

Some staff have received specific training relating to the children they are supporting.

Teaching and Learning Assistants (TALAs): We have a team of TALAs, including 4 higher-level teaching assistants (HLTAs) who are trained to deliver SEND provision and other support/lessons.

External agencies and experts: Sometimes we need extra help to offer our pupils the support that they need. Whenever necessary we will work with external support

services to meet the needs of our pupils with SEN and to support their families. These include Speech and language therapists (SALT),

Educational psychologists (EP), Occupational therapists, General Practitioners (GPs) or paediatricians, school nurses,

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Mental Health in Schools Team (MHST) Education Welfare Officers (EWO), social services,

other local authority provided support services and voluntary sector organisations.

What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

Who are the best people in the school to talk to if I have concerns about my child’s difficulties with learning/special educational needs and/or disabilities?

People

Summary of Responsibility

Class Teacher

We would always recommend that your child’s class teacher is the first point of contact if you have any concerns.

Responsibilities include:

Ensuring that all children have access to good/outstanding teaching and a curriculum which, where necessary, is adapted or differentiated to meet your child’s individual needs.
Observing and assessing the progress of your child, and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be things like targeted work, additional support, adapting resources or differentiated learning etc.)
Reviewing the impact of any adjustments made in class.
Offering advice, encouragement and strategies to your child in order to encourage them to work independently.
Working with the SENDCo/s to discuss any support needed.
Meeting with therapists and outside agencies to ensure that all children’s needs are met.
Ensuring that all members of staff working with your child in school are aware of your child’s individual needs and/or conditions and what specific adjustments need to be made to enable them to be fully included and make progress.
Ensuring that all staff working with your child in school are supported in delivering the planned work/ programme for your child, in order that they can make the best possible progress.
Ensuring that the school’s SEND Policy is followed for all the pupils in their class with any SEND needs or for those that they feel would benefit.
Attending Annual Reviews for children with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP).
Supporting to complete referrals to outside agencies.
Liaising with the SENDCO/s to discuss the progress of the pupils in their class with SEND and, where relevant, to draft and review any Support Plans. These will be discussed with parents at least once each term at Parents’ Evenings. Where appropriate, these will also be discussed with the child.

The class teacher can be contacted by:

- Checking in with them at the end of the day.

- Attending a termly Parents’ Evening meeting.

- By telephoning or emailing the school office, who will be able to arrange for the teacher to call you at a convenient time.

The Inclusion Team

The Inclusion Team at Hitherfield is made up of Melanie Lucombe (SENDCo, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1), Julia Williamson (SENDCo, Key Stage 2), Suzy Anderson (Senior Learning Mentor) and Pascale Monthieu (Learning Mentor).

Responsibilities include:

Observations and assessments of children who have been identified as having difficulties within their learning and/or development.
Coordinating and overseeing all the support for children in the school who have Special Educational Needs and or Disabilities (SEND)
Making any necessary referrals to outside agencies (for example: Speech and Language Therapists, Play Therapists, Paediatricians, Mental Health in Schools Team, Educational Psychologists, School Nurse and Lambeth Autism Advisory Service) in order to access assessments or any additional support which may benefit your child.
Developing the school’s SEND policy to ensure the most appropriate responses and the highest quality provision, tailored to meet the individual needs of children in school with SEND.
Working with you, your child and their class teacher (and any other relevant adults) to try to identify and overcome any barriers to your child’s learning.
Making sure that you are:
- Fully involved in supporting your child’s learning.
- Informed about any additional support that is available for your child.
- Kept informed about the support your child is receiving.
- Involved in reviewing your child’s progress.
- Involved in compiling a profile of your child and their specific needs.
Liaising with all the other people who may be coming into school to help support your child’s learning e.g. SALT, EP, etc
Updating the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring all the special educational, physical and sensory needs of pupils in this school are known and understood) and making sure that there are up to date records of your child’s progress and needs.
Providing specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school to enable them to help your child (and all other pupils in the school with SEND) to achieve their potential.
Supporting your child’s class teacher to write Pupil Profiles and/or Support Plans that specify the personal targets set for your child to achieve.
Working with you, the Class Teacher (and any other supporting adults) and, if appropriate, your child, to draft a Pupil Profiles and/or Support Plan, where it is considered necessary.
Preparing and applying for an Education, Health and Care Plan (Statutory Assessment) where needed.
Organising training for staff so they are aware of, and confident about, how to meet the needs of your child and others within our school.
Creating a SEND friendly, consistent learning environment across school that supports the children to manage their needs both physically and emotionally.
Applying for specific needs related access arrangements for the Year 6 SATs.

The SENDCos, who form part of the Inclusion Team, can be contacted by emailing to arrange a meeting:

Melanie Lucombe melanielucombe@hitherfield.co.uk

Julia Williamson juliawilliamson@hitherfield.co.uk

or by telephoning the school office to arrange a meeting 02087698428

Additional Adults

Responsibilities include:

Working with a pupil or group of pupils with SEND or may provide specialist support in a particular area, for example speech and language.
Liaising with therapists e.g. SALT, to receive training and targets so that specialised interventions can be carried out to support your child.
Following and reviewing focused and individual intervention plans alongside the class teacher.

Additional adults (leading SALT, Emotional Literacy Support (ELS), and Specific Learning Difficulty (SPLD) will be able to give feedback to you regarding specific interventions. Please contact the office to arrange to speak with them.

Therapists and Advisor Teachers

Therapists and outreach workers are responsible for:

Supporting the Inclusion Team and class teachers to set targets for children with SEND.
Working with children in school with specific needs to ensure strategies are in place to support their needs.
Training staff so that they can carry out specific interventions to support the needs of the children.
Attend Annual Review and Multi-disciplinary meetings to share information so that we are providing the best possible care for every child at Hitherfield.
Observing children in class and providing feedback to staff to support the provision for children with specific needs.
Working with parents to provide training linked to their speciality.

The Executive Headteacher

The Executive Headteacher at Hitherfield is Chris Ashley-Jones. He is responsible for:

The day-to-day management of all aspects of the school, this includes the support for children with SEND. He delegates responsibility to the Inclusion Team and class teachers but is still responsible for ensuring that your child’s needs are met and that they make the best possible progress.
Alongside the Inclusion Team, he ensures that the Governing Body is kept up to date about all issues in the school relating to SEND.

The Executive Headteacher can be contacted by emailing the school office admin@hitherfield.co.uk or by telephoning the school office to arrange a meeting 02087698428

The Governors

The Governing Body are there to strategically support and challenge the school and, in this case, the SEND support offered.

They review the SEND provision, staffing and resources. They are not operational, but hold important strategic responsibilities.

The Governing Body has one governor with specific responsibility for SEND (known as a Link Governor) at Hitherfield who champions and highlights SEND to the full Governing Body. Her name is Jade Koch.

The Link Governor for SEND can be contacted by emailing the school office admin@hitherfield.co.uk

How are pupils with SEND needs identified in school?

All of our class teachers are aware of SEND and are on the lookout for any pupils who aren’t making the expected level of progress on their school work or socially.

If the teacher notices that a pupil is falling behind, they try to find out if the pupil has any gaps in their learning. If they can find a gap, they will give the pupil support to try to fill it.

Pupils who don’t have SEND usually make progress quickly once the gap in their learning has been filled.

If the pupil is still struggling to make the expected progress, the teacher will contact one of the SENDCOs, and they may discuss the possibility that your child has SEND with you

at Parents’ Evening.

The SENDCO will observe the pupil in the classroom and in the playground to see what their strengths and difficulties are. They will have discussions with your child’s teacher/s, to see

if there have been any issues with, or changes in, their progress, attainment or behaviour. They will also compare your child's progress and development with their peers and available national data.

The SENCO will ask for your opinion and speak to your child, if appropriate, to get their input as well. They may also, where appropriate and with your permission, ask for the

opinion of external experts such as a Speech And Language Therapist, an Educational Psychologist, or a paediatrician.

Based on all of this information, the SENDCO will decide whether your child needs SEND support. You will be told the outcome of the decision in writing.

If your child does need SEND support, their name will be added to the school’s SEND register, and the SENDCO will work with you to create a SEND support plan (Pupil Passport) for them.

How will the school let parents know if they have any concerns about a child’s learning?

The class teacher will discuss your child’s progress with you at Parents' Evening when you will be informed of your child’s progress and the impact of any additional support being given.
We will invite you in to discuss any concerns so that we can work together to support your child
We will work with you to make any referral to outside agencies if appropriate

What are the different types of support available for my child with SEND at Hitherfield?

Quality first teaching by class teacher (universal support)

For your child this would mean:

That the class teacher has high expectations
That all teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand
Adapting the curriculum and resources (for example, practical activities, visual aids) so that your child can be fully involved in class lessons
Specific strategies (which may be suggested by the SENDCos or outside agencies) are in place to support your child to learn
Formally assessing your child’s progress (through teacher assessment and formal tests (dependent on year group and child’s ability)

Strategies and targeted interventions (Class-based support)

For your child this could mean:

Support is planned under the guidance of the class teacher
Support is monitored and reviewed regularly by the class teacher
Additional classroom resources and curriculum adaptation
Learning may be undertaken in the classroom or in sessions outside of the whole class learning
Learning may be delivered by a teacher, a Teaching and Learning Assistant (TALA), a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) or Early Years Educator (EYE) who has had specific training to run such groups
Support from a Learning Mentor (LM) to support your child’s behavioural or emotional needs
Support from an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) who would provide targeted emotional literacy support
Engaging in group or individual sessions with specific targets to help them make progress

Seeking Specialist Advice: A meeting with parents to discuss areas of need that have been identified and where further advice can inform support and classroom practice

Specialist advice may be sought from outside agencies (with parental consent) at this stage e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology, Occupational Therapy (OT).

Targeted Support: Children are placed on the schools SEND register and their support may be funded from the school’s Notional Funding. This is funding that the school receives from the Department For Education (DFE) to support SEND.

For your child this could mean:

the specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations which may include:
- Making changes to the way your child is supported in class, for example target support from a member of staff or changing some aspects of teaching and/or resourcing
- Setting clear targets which will be assessed and reviewed

Specified Individual support (specialist support): If a child does not respond to the above support and interventions over time, the class teacher and SENDCo will create a support plan.

For your child this would mean:

A support plan that includes targets, strategies, time allocation and resources in line with the four areas of need in an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP):
- Communication and Interaction
- Cognition and Learning
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Physical and Sensory
Plans are assessed, reviewed and refined each term and will support the application process for an EHCP if required
Support from a range of specialists, for example: SALT, SPLD, Lambeth Autism Advisory Service (LAAS), Lambeth Hearing Support Service (LHSS), Lambeth Visual Support Service (LVSS), EP and OT
Possible further assessments by external specialists

Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP): Individual support plans are created by the SENDCo and Class Teacher using the outcomes from the EHCP to ensure a tailored curriculum and support is provided for your child that meets the requirements of the EHCP. The EHCP may have High Needs Top Up Funding to support your child’s provision.

For your child this would mean:

Statutory support
Individual support plan
Annual Review
Specialist support and advice

How will the school measure my child’s progress?

Once a pupil has been identified as having SEND, we will take action to remove any barriers to learning, and put effective special educational provision in place.

This support will be delivered through successive rounds of a 4-part cycle known as the graduated approach.

1. Assess

The pupil’s class teacher and the SENCO will carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. The views of the pupil and their parents will be taken into account.

The school may also seek advice from external support services.

2. Plan

In consultation with the parents and the pupil, the teacher and the SENCO will decide which adjustments, interventions and support will be put into place, the expected outcomes, and a clear date for review.

All staff who work with the pupil will be made aware of the pupil’s needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are needed.

Parents will be fully aware of the planned support and interventions, and may be asked to reinforce or contribute to progress at home.

3. Do

The pupil’s class or subject teacher retains overall responsibility for their progress.

Where the plan involves group or 1-to-1 teaching away from the main class or subject teacher, they still retain responsibility for the pupil. They will work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved, to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and how they can be linked to classroom teaching.

The SENCO will support the teacher in further assessing the pupil’s particular strengths and weaknesses, in problem solving and advising on how to implement support effectively.

4. Review

The effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress will be reviewed in line with an agreed date.

We will evaluate the impact and quality of the support and interventions. This evaluation will be based on:

The views of the parents and pupils
The level of progress the pupil has made towards their outcomes
The views of teaching staff who work with the pupil
The views of external professionals who work with the pupil

The teacher and the SENCO will revise the outcomes and support in light of the pupil’s progress and development, and in consultation with the pupil and their parents.

How will the school adapt its teaching for my child?

Your child’s teacher is responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class.

High-quality teaching is our first step in responding to your child’s needs. We will make sure that your child has access to a broad and balanced curriculum in every year they are at our school.

We will adapt how we teach to suit the way the pupil works best. There is no 'one size fits all’ approach to adapting the curriculum, we work on a case-by-case

basis to make sure the adaptations we make are meaningful to your child.

These adaptations include:

Adapting our curriculum to make sure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1-to-1 work, adapting the teaching style or content of the lesson, etc.
Adapting our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.
Adapting our resources and staffing
Using recommended aids, such as laptops, coloured overlays, visual timetables, larger fonts, etc.
Teaching assistants may support pupils on a 1-to-1 basis when delivering specific programmes
Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) and/or Teaching assistants may support pupils in small groups when the curriculum is adapted and is different from the rest of the class.

These interventions are part of our contribution to Lambeth’s local offer.

How will I be involved in decisions made about my child’s education?

We will provide annual reports on your child's progress.

Your child’s class teacher and/or SENDCo will meet you termly to:

Set clear outcomes for your child’s progress
Review progress towards those outcomes
Discuss the support we will put in place to help your child make that progress
Identify what we will do, what we will ask you to do, and what we will ask your child to do

We understand that you know your child’s needs and aspirations. So we want to make sure you have a full understanding of how we’re trying to meet your child’s needs,

so that you can provide insight into what you think would work best for your child.

We also want to hear from you so that we can build a better picture of how the SEND support we are providing is impacting your child outside of school.

If your child’s needs or aspirations change at any time, please let us know right away so we can keep our provision as relevant as possible.

After any formal meeting we will make a record of any outcomes, actions and support that have been agreed. This record will be shared with all relevant staff, and you will be given a copy.

If you have concerns that arise between these meetings, please contact your child’s class teacher or the SENDCo.

How will my child be involved in decisions made about their education?

The level of involvement will depend on your child’s age, and level of competence. We recognise that no two children are the same, so we will decide on a case-by-case basis, with your input.

We may seek your child’s views by asking them to:

Attend meetings to discuss their progress and outcomes
Prepare a presentation, written statement, video, drawing, etc.
Discuss their views with a member of staff who can act as a representative during the meeting
Complete a survey

How will we support your child with identified SEND starting at school?

If your child has been allocated a place in our school by the local authority and they have a SEND, please contact us as soon as you are offered the place as we may not have

details of their needs at this stage. Our support may include:

inviting you and your child to visit the school to have a look around and meet the SENDCo
a Multi-Agency Team (MAT) meeting with other professionals and outside agencies to discuss your child’s needs. We will share strategies that are already being used in order to
inform the support offered at Hitherfield
a SENDCo joining the teacher to make a home visit
a SENDCo liaising with the current setting
adaptations to the child’s transition period into Hitherfield as appropriate

If your child already has an EHCP, an application to the school must be made via their home local authority’s Special Educational Needs team.

How will Hitherfield support my child when they are leaving this school, or when moving on to another class?

When you child moves classes within Hitherfield:

The current and new class teachers have a transition meeting to share information and strategies
Any support staff who work with your child have a transition meeting to share information and strategies
All children have a transition session where they meet their new teacher in their new class
Identified children will receive a transition book which outlines what to expect in their new class
Consistent policies and procedures across the school reduces the amount of change for all children

If your child is moving to another school:

We will contact the new school’s SENDCo to share information
Where possible we will support a visit to your child’s new school in advance of the move
If your child has an EHCP we will make a transition book for your child
Every child protection record is automatically shared with your child’s new school as is legally required
We will make sure all other records of your child are passed to the new school as soon as they start their new school

When your child moves on to secondary school:

If your child has an EHCP the SENDCo will be invited to attend the annual review or a transition meeting
We run transition sessions to support the move to secondary school
Where possible your child will visit their new school and in some cases staff from the new school may visit your child at Hitherfield

Who should I contact if I have a complaint about the support provided for how my child with SEND?

If you have a complaint about the school’s SEND provision you should arrange to meet with the SENDCo initially.
If you felt that your complaint had not been addressed you should contact the Head of School and if your concern has not been satisfied you should contact the Executive Headteacher.
If you are not happy with how the Executive Headtecaher has dealt with your concerns you should contact the governing body, via the main school office.
Please also read our complaints policy for further information: https://www.hitherfield.co.uk/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Complaints-Policy-Jan%202020%20MB_KB%20edit%20004%20(1).pdf

How are the staff at Hitherfield supported and trained to work with children with SEND?

The SENDCo will support the class teacher in planning for children with SEND. Both SENDCos hold the National Qualification for Special Educational Needs Coordinators.
Ongoing staff training is delivered in-house and by outside specialists to support identified needs at Hitherfield, such as ASD, dyslexia, ADHD, Speech and Language.
Individual teachers and support staff will receive specific training in relationship to the child’s needs that they are supporting.
Training is also identified through the performance management process

How does Hitherfield measure my child’s progress and how will I know?

Your child’s progress is continually measured by your child’s class teacher
Your child’s progress is reviewed during and at the end of the school year
If your child has a SEND support plan or an EHCP, targets are assessed and reviewed on a termly basis
If your child has SALT, targets are assessed and reviewed on a termly basis
Parents’ Evening meetings are held three times a year and your child’s targets will be discussed with you as appropriate
All parents/carers receive a written annual report about their child’s learning at the end of each academic year
If your child has an EHCP the plan is formally reviewed annually

What support do we have for you, as a parent of a child with SEND?

You can talk to your child’s class teacher
You can talk to the SENDCo
Meetings can be arranged with outside agencies who work with children with SEND, so that they can offer you advice on how best to support your child
Information and reports from outside professionals are shared with you
Targets will be written and reviewed alongside parents, where possible.
Presentations and workshops from outside agencies are delivered in school
Additional support and agencies are signposted through the weekly newsletter (Hitherfield Herald) and the website https://www.hitherfield.co.uk/
The Mental Health in Schools Team can provide support for the whole family
If your child is under 5 years of age support can be offered through Better Start, at the Hitherfield Children’s Centre and other local Children’s Centres.
If your child is going through statutory assessment (for an EHCP) you should be supported by your local authority’s SEND team - see the links to the local offers above.

Is Hitherfield physically accessible to children with SEND?

The school is DDA (Disability Discrimination Act 1999) compliant
The Early Years buildings are on one level and the Years 1-6 classes and communal spaces are accessible by lift
Appropriate, specialised equipment is used to support the individual needs of some students
Workstations are used to support the needs of some students as recommended by specialists
There are two accessible toilets on site - one by the main school office and one in the Children’s Centre/Nursery building
Please see our Accessibility Plan https://www.hitherfield.co.uk/ckfinder/userfiles/files/7%20Policy%202%20Accessibility%20plan%202022%20to%202025.pdf

What if the child is looked after by the local authority and had SEND?

If a child is looked after by the local authority Hitherfield will undertake the following actions:

Assign a learning mentor to support the child
The teacher responsible for looked after children will meet with the virtual school and the child’s carer/s to formulate a pupil passport, highlighting the support to
be provided to the child and how any additional funding will be spent to support the child
Work collaboratively with the virtual school and the child’s carer/s to apply for an EHCP and/or any other support as appropriate

What if my child has SEND and is a victim / accused of bullying?

Bullying is very rare at Hitherfield and we do not accept or tolerate bullying in any shape of form. Through our Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PHSE) curriculum,

our assemblies and special events, for example Anti-Bullying week, we equip all of the children with an understanding of what bullying is and how they can protect themselves

from being bullied or bullying others. We understand that some children may find relationships harder to develop and manage than others and we can offer additional support through:

Social stories
Comic strip conversations
Social skills groups
SALT
Learning Mentor support
ELSA
Play therapy
Action Plans (Behaviour)
Playground support

If you feel your child is a victim of bullying, please contact the school as soon as possible so that your concerns can be addressed and any bullying stopped. Please read our Anti-Bullying Policy for further information.

Please read our SEND Policy for further information: https://www.hitherfield.co.uk/our-school/policies

A glossary of SEND terms:

AAP	Attendance Advisory Practitioner	ADD	Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder	ASD	Autistic Spectrum Disorder
BESD	Behavioural, Emotional & Social Difficulties	CAF	Common Assessment Framework
CAMHS	Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service	COP	Code of Practice
CP	Child Protection	DCD	Developmental Co-ordination Disorder
EAL	English as an Additional Language	EHCP	Education and Health Care Plan
ELSA	Emotional Literacy Support Assistant	EP	Educational Psychologist
FSM	Free School Meals	HI	Hearing Impairment
IEP	Individual Education Plan	ISR	In school review
KS	Key Stage	LAC	Looked After Child
LEA	Local Educational Authority	MLD	Moderate Learning Difficulty
NC	National Curriculum	OT	Occupational Therapy
PSP	Pastoral Support programme	SALT	Speech and Language Therapy
SEND	Special Educational Needs & Disability	SENDCO	Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator
SpLD	Specific Learning Difficulty	VI	Visual Impairment

This statement was agreed in November 2023 and will be reviewed in November 2024

Hitherfield Primary School

Slideshow Administration

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities