​Special Educational Needs

How can I let the school know that I am concerned about my child’s progress and /or behaviour in school?

• If you have concerns about your child’s progress or behaviour you should speak to your child’s class teacher initially. Your child’s teacher observes their work and behaviour regularly and will have many suggestions for working together to get the best results.
• If you continue to be concerned that your child is still not making progress, you may speak to the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCo). This will allow other agencies to become involved.
• The school SEN Governor can also be contacted for support.
• If you feel that your concerns have not been addressed, you can speak to the Head Teacher.

Outside Professionals and Agencies
For pupils requiring ‘SEN School Support’ the following external agencies are currently available to the school;

• Educational Psychology Service
• Pupil & School Support
• Communication & Autism Team
• Health Education Service
• School Nursing Service
• Speech & Language Therapy
• Sensory Support (Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment)
• NHS Occupational Therapy
• Attendance Officer
• Parent Partnership
• Educational Social Worker
• Forward Thinking Birmingham

The role of the SENDCo
The school SENCo is Mrs S Hafeez. 
The SENCo’s Role is outlined in the Code of Practice 2015:

• To ensure that all children with SEN are identified and supported in school and records of the support provided are maintained
• To provide an up to date policy for SEN School Support
• To co-ordinate training and specialist support for staff
• To monitor the progress and attainment of pupils with SEN
• To ensure appropriate resources are available for staff and pupils
• To liaise with professional support agencies who will work with children and families in school
• To ensure that all pupils have equal access to facilities, services, resources and opportunities while at school
• To ensure appropriate information sharing with agencies working to support the child, young person and family
• When appropriate seeking consent and advise from other professionals before referring pupils for SEND Support Provision Plans or EHC Plans and support the process of ensuring wrap around provision from 0-25 for pupils who need it
• To work with parents so that they are informed about their child’s progress, are aware of what support they are receiving and where to go for more assistance.
• To ensure on secondary transfer at the end of Year 6 Person Centred Review Meetings take place to support transition.

The Role of the Head Teacher and Governing Body

• The Head Teacher Mr Tehan is responsible for the day to day management of the school including support for SEN pupils. The Head Teacher will ensure that class teachers and the SENCo meet their responsibilities and that the needs of all children are met. The Head Teacher will include a termly SEN report in her Head Teachers Report to Governors
• The Governing Body of St Dunstan’s is responsible for ensuring that pupils with SEN have their needs met. The SEN Governor at St Dunstan’s is Mrs Sarah Banks. She can be contacted via the school.
• The Local Authority has a department that supports pupils with SEN. The Special Educational Needs Assessment & Review Team (also referred to as SENAR) oversees the creation of Education, Health & Care Plans.

The Role of the Class Teacher
We pride ourselves on offering quality first teaching to all pupils.
Your child’s class teacher will:

• Have high expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
• Follow the programmes of study for their year group as outlined in the National Curriculum 2014; offering an inspiring, creative broad curriculum to all pupils.
• Base their planning and teaching on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
• Adapt their teaching so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve things like using more practical learning.
• Carefully monitor your child’s progress and decided if your child has gaps in their understanding/learning and needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.
• Write your child’s SEND School Support Provision Plan and share and review this at least once a term with you and the SENDCo at the ‘SEND School Support Review Meeting.’

The role of the Learning Support Assistants

• Support learning in the classroom, allowing your child’s class teacher to focus on different groups at different times.
• Support your child’s learning in the classroom by developing questioning, modelling the learning and using practical equipment to aid understanding.
• Inform the class teacher and SENDCo of your child’s progress.
• Run specific group intervention work overseen by the class teacher and /or SENDCo.
• Provide targeted and/ or specialist interventions one to one or in small groups.

Parent Partnership

• We will always meet with you to discuss SEND needs or concerns
• We will always inform you if we feel your child need ‘SEND School Support’, a SEND Provision Plan and an Individual Education Plan or a Care Plan
• We will always ask for your permission when we think an outside agency would support your child’s needs
• We will ensure that you receive feedback about your child from the professional who has been working with them
• You will be invited to an ‘SEND School Support Review Meeting’ each term

Resources and Strategies
We ensure that the curriculum we plan is resourced to meet the range of “SEND School Support” needs in our school.
Below is a list of strategies and resources used as part of our Universal Provision, Targeted Support and Specialist Support.

• Access to a range of supportive ICT interventions (such as iPads and Tablets)
• Aids to support pencil grip and fine motor skills
• Handwriting support
• Activities to promote communication
• Speech and Language Activities
• Speech Link
• Activities to promote improved comprehension/understanding
• Visualisers/Whiteboards
• Peer Tutoring
• 1:1 support for focused areas of the curriculum
• Small group tuition/Booster Classes
• Pre-Tutoring of new themes/concepts/vocabulary
• Social Skills Lessons
• Sloping Boards/Coloured overlays/easy grip scissors/a range of pencil thicknesses and grips
• Writing Frames/Writing Checklists
• Visual Timetables
• Precision Teaching
• Medical Protocols for pupils with allergies and complex medical needs
• Cued Spelling/Displays of Key Vocabulary
• Toe by Toe
• Modified texts and resources (size/colour/content)

 
What is the Local Offer?
As a result of the Children & Families Act, Local Authorities are required to publish and regularly review the information and services they provide for children and young people who have Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND). The services provided by the Local Authority are accessible to children and young people aged 0-25. Each Local Authority refers to this as the Local Offer. It is hoped that Parents and Carers will be able to access support, advice and information to services for their children by accessing the Local Offer site.
Each school in Birmingham will link their SEND Information Report with the Local Offer website so that parents can find the school that meets their children’s needs more easily.

​Our SEND Information Report and other school polices can be viewed HERE

Useful Information:
Click here to view Department of Education: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice 0 - 25 years
Click here to view Department of education: SEND - Guide for Parents and Carers 

 
Where else can I go to get help?
Below are links to services which may be useful to you and your child.

https://www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk/ Birmingham Local Offer

https://accesstoeducation.birmingham.gov.uk/ Access to Education 

https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/patients-public/children-and-young-people/services-parent-portal/ Birmingham Community Health Care

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20019/children_young_people_and_families Birmingham City Council

https://forwardthinkingbirmingham.nhs.uk/ Mental Health

https://www.childline.org.uk/ Child Line