Additional Educational Needs (A.E.N.) and E.A.L.
Part of the school’s basic philosophy is to consider and care for the needs of individual children. The Code of Practice requires us to formally identify and place on a register all those children who have special needs.
The definition of ‘special needs’ can be found in the school’s SEN policy. Needs may be in the learning field, emotional, behavioural or physical or any combination of them. Parents are informed as soon as identification takes place.
There are four stages.
- Monitoring – The class teacher identifies a special need and is able to make the necessary adjustments to the child’s learning programme.
- School Action – The school’s Special Educational Needs co-ordinator (SENCo)is involved and sometimes an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) is drawn up. This IEP sets targets and is discussed with parents.
- School Action Plus – Outside specialists may be involved in making assessments or offering help and advice. The child’s needs may warrant extra support from the authority’s resources.
- Statementing – The LEA consider the need for a formal statement of special educational needs, and if appropriate, make a statement and arrange, monitor and review provision.
The school is already equipped with extra support materials for children who need some modification to the classwork. We are very sensitive to their needs and try our best to develop children’s full potential. This also applies to the top end of the ability range when there is a need to provide materials to develop the gifted and talented pupils.
There is a part-time support teacher who is responsible for Additional Educational Needs teaching provision. Learning support assistants help to support the special needs of children within the classroom or elsewhere, if appropriate.
The school places a strong emphasis on working to support Gifted and Talented pupils. There is an Gifted and Talented register and the SENCos help to implement our policy. The school encourages:
- Setting/Ability grouping
- Extended research
- Use of ICT
Additional resources in the core subjects are part of our support work for these pupils.
In any class of children there are generally three broad bands of ability, within which the majority of children are operating. However, there will sometimes be a few children that fall outside of these three bands, at either end of the spectrum. When this happens, we discuss the ‘Special Educational Needs’ of the child with the parents at the earliest opportunity. Together, we decide on an appropriate course of action, which may include drawing up an ‘Individual Education Plan’ for a child. When relevant and with parents permission, the advice of support agencies can be sought.
Where a child has a Statement of Special Educational Need or Hertfordshire’s Earmarked Pupil Funding, there will often be a Learning Support Assistant assigned to support that child on a 1:1 basis for some of his/her time in school. Any special learning resources needed would be provided for the child.
When we allocate our Teaching Assistant hours to classes, priority is given to support our non- statemented children with Special Educational Needs. Our school operates in accordance with the ‘Special Educational Needs Code of Practice’ (November 2001). The Special Educational Needs Coordinator liaises closely with parents of children with Special Educational Needs. The school is accessible for the physically disabled. Under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, our Disability Equality Scheme ensures that we are proactive in making the necessary adjustments to help support pupils, parents and staff.
Personal, Social, Health & Citizenship Education (PSHCE)
PSHCE in this school aims to help children to:
- understand themselves and others.
- develop skills to enable them to form and sustain relationships.
- develop positive self-esteem.
- develop an appropriate set of values and a moral code by which to live.
- promote the development of skills such as decision making and assertiveness.
- make positive, informed choices to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
Sex and Relationships Education (SRE)
Sex and Relationships Education is a key strand of our approach to PSHCE. It is concerned not only with knowledge of facts, but also the development of attitudes, values and morals. The School Policy and Scheme of Work is available for parents to see. Parents can exercise their right to withdraw pupils from Sex Education by informing the school in writing.
Sex & Relationships Education forms part of the ‘Personal Social Health and Citizenship framework’, which clearly defines what is appropriate for the primary years. Four themes are covered:
- Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of pupils’ abilities.
- Preparing to take an active role as citizens.
- Developing a healthier, safer lifestyle.
- Developing good relationships and respecting differences between people.
The requirements of the Science curriculum are delivered through these themes. Further details are available to parents on request.
All of our staff and other adults who work in the school are DBS (formerly CRB) checked. The Headteacher is the designated senior person responsible for Child Protection issues and the Deputy Head and Assistant Head are the deputy designated senior persons.
‘Summercroft Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment’.