The school regularly observes, assesses and records the progress of all children to identify those who are not progressing satisfactorily or who may have additional needs. This information is collected from:

Baseline assessment results

Progress measured against the objectives in the National Curriculum

National Curriculum descriptors for the end of a key stage

Use of the descriptors in the Autism Education Trust document called the 'Autism Progression Framework Tool.'

Progress against Age Related Expectations

Standardised screening and assessment tools using the Document: 'Essex recommended Assessments for Identifying Pupils' Needs.'

Concerns raised by parents

Observations of behavioural, emotional and social development

An EHCP (Educational Health Care Plan)

Assessments by a specialist service, such as educational psychology.

Another educational setting or LA which has identified or has provided for additional needs

The class teacher is the initial point of contact for responding to parental concerns.

Where appropriate the concern will then be shared with the Inclusion Manager – Mrs Khan or the Manager of the nursery, Mrs Clarke, further discussions may then take place between all the relevant parties to determine the best way forward for your child.

All parents will be listened to. Their views and their aspirations for their child will be central to the assessment and provision that is provided by the school

There are four broad areas of SEND, these are:

Communication and Interaction
This area of need includes children with Autism Spectrum Condition and those with Speech, Language and Communication Needs

Cognition and Learning
This includes children with Specific Learning Difficulties, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
This includes any pupils who have an emotional, social or mental health need that is impacting on their ability to learn

Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties
This area includes children with hearing impairment, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical difficulties.

At Mersea Island School, we follow a graduated support approach which is called “Assess, Plan, Do, Review”.

This means that we will:

• Assess a child’s special educational needs
• Plan the provision to meet your child’s aspirations and agreed outcomes
• Do -put the provision in place to meet those outcomes
• Review the support and progress

Each pupil’s education will be planned for by the class teacher as part of high quality teaching. It will be adapted/scaffolded accordingly to suit the pupil’s individual needs. This may include additional general support by the teacher or learning support assistants in class.

If a pupil’s needs relate to more specific areas of their education such as spelling, handwriting, mathematics or literacy skills then the pupil may be placed in a small focus group. This may be run by the teacher or learning support assistant. The length of time of the intervention may vary according to need but will be monitored regularly. Interventions will be reviewed by the Inclusion Manager on a Half Termly basis to ascertain the effectiveness of the provision and to inform future planning.

If a pupil’s needs are additional this will result in the creation of a ‘One Plan’.

The ‘one planning process’ involves the family, the child and other relevant professionals. This process will identify outcomes for the child and how they may be achieved.

When a pupil’s needs are more complex an assessment of Education, Health and Care needs may be undertaken by the authority and an EHCP plan developed. This is developed in collaboration with the family, child, and as appropriate, other relevant professionals.

The school is committed to high quality teaching and ensuring that lessons meet the needs of and challenge all pupils. Our teachers are trained to adapt/scaffold learning and break down any barriers to learning that may be causing difficulties for the child.

Teachers use a variety of different approaches including visual, aural, kinaesthetic methods as well as peer to peer collaboration and effective questioning. Lessons are rigorously planned to encourage all types of learners to participate and reach their expected outcomes. Teachers and Learning Support Assistants work with children with SEND regularly each week. As well as encouraging all learners to work independently and take responsibility for their learning. One Planning meetings are carried out at strategic points in the year to assess and review pupil progress and to ensure needs are being met effectively and strategies reviewed.

Appropriate specialist equipment may be given to your child e.g. writing slopes, pencil grips, coloured overlays. We may also use targeted intervention in small groups or 1:1

E.g. following specialist advice such as when a child is on a speech and language programme.

All children are encouraged to take part in all areas of school life including events and visits off site arranged by the school. Where necessary, support for individual children will be agreed in collaboration with parents/carers and school staff prior to the event.

Intervention may include :

• Regular Reading
• Precision Teaching
• Phonological Awareness support
• Cued spelling
• Memory Games
• Speech and Language Link
• Socially Speaking Programme
• Social Skills groups working on specific scenarios
• Social Stories
• Working Together with Lego
• Handwriting and Fine Motor skills
• Speech and Language support
• Physiotherapy support on an individual basis
• Occupational Therapy support on an individual basis
• Visual timetables and resource banks
• Consistent Management Plans
• Fine Motor Skills groups
• Working with Lego
• Sensory sessions
• Personalised provision to support pupils with specific needs
• Zones of Regulation

We believe in a child centred approach whereby the thoughts and feelings of the child and their parents/carers, together with the views of the school staff and relevant professionals are taken into account when making decisions about their education e.g. when writing a One Page Profile, One Plan or Annual Review.

Other opportunities for involvement maybe:

• Informal discussions with staff
• Teacher and Child Consultations
• Teacher and Parent Consultations
• Pupil surveys and feedback forms
• Review meetings including outside agencies where appropriate
• Parent surveys and feedback forms where appropriate

The Inclusion Manager, Mrs Khan holds the qualification ‘National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination’ .

Mrs Clarke is the Manager of the Nursery and is a fully qualified teacher and member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Different staff members have received training related to the following areas of SEND:

• How to support pupils on the autistic spectrum
• How to support pupils with social and emotional needs
• How to support pupils with speech and language difficulties
• How to support pupils with attachment difficulties
• How to support pupils with dyslexia
• How to support pupils with working memory difficulties
• How to support pupils who require a sensory diet

As part of The Tiptree and Stanway Consortium all members have access to, up to date and relevant training on all matters related to SEND in order to support the needs of our pupils.

We can refer to:

• Children’s Therapy Team (Speech and Language/Occupational Therapy/physiotherapy)
• School Nurse/Doctor and Health visitor
• Social Services
• Inclusion Partner and Engagement Facilitators
• MIND
• Family Solutions
• Educational Psychology Service
• CAMHS

And other agencies as appropriate

Parents may also be able to access some of these services through their family GP.

We support and involve parents in their child’s learning both formally and informally, this may include:

• We have an open door policy which provides parents with the opportunity for discussions face to face or on the telephone.
• Celebration assemblies and class assemblies/Parents stay and play (in the nursery)
• Class pages on the School Website
• Parents Evenings/phone consultations
• Termly Review Meetings (One Planning) for children at Additional and Assertive Mentoring Meetings – to discuss progress towards specific outcomes
• Annual Reports
• Parental surveys
• Newsletters
• Home school liaison books
• Additional appointments can be made with the class teacher or Inclusion Manager through the school office.

• The class teacher may suggest ways of how you can support your child alongside set homework activities.
• The Inclusion Manager (Mrs Khan) may meet with you to discuss how to support your child with strategies specific to your child’s needs.
• If outside agencies or the Educational Psychologist have been involved then suggestions and programmes of study can be used at home.
• The school website can be used to access resources, curriculum policies and links that will provide further support.
• Workshops such as phonics and mathematics.
• Meet the teacher sessions at the beginning of the year.
• Open class sessions.

Members of staff are available for pupils who wish to discuss issues and concerns. Where it is deemed appropriate parents/carers will be invited in to school to discuss concerns and plan for further support.

Other provision may include:

• Social skills groups
• Quiet areas around the school available to all children during play and lunchtime
• Rainbow Room
• Breakout spaces
• Work with a therapy dog
• Personalised programmes of support for pupils with specific needs. This may include a tailored approach to the curriculum and personalised support from the Pastoral Lead.

Where it is felt that pupils are encountering significant emotional difficulties the support of outside agencies will be considered, such as the Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health service, Mind and the School Nurse/Health Visitor.

The school follows the advice set out in the Department for Education document: Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools updated in November 2018.

The school’s PSHE curriculum promotes good mental health.

Mrs Wright and Miss Poole are both Senior Mental Health Lead trained and our Pastoral lead, Mrs Jenkins, is a trainer in Trauma Perceptive Practice (TPP).

If a pupil has a medical need then a Care Plan is compiled with support from parents/carers and in consultation with medical practitioners where appropriate. These are shared with all staff who work with the child.

• A large proportion of the staff have basic first aid training
• EYFS staff have Paediatric First Aid Training in line with national requirements.
• EpiPen training is undertaken by staff on a yearly basis
• Where a child has specific medical needs additional staff training will be arranged in consultation with the relevant professionals

All medicine administration procedures adhere to the LA policy and Department of Education (DfE) guidelines included within Supporting Pupils at school with medical conditions (DfE) updated 2017 and identified in the 'Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy'.

As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements. The facilities we have at present include:

• The school site, which is accessible to all users.
• Purpose built accessible toilets in each building
• Coloured overlays and sensory equipment
• Consideration during tests for learners with additional needs
• Laptops, I-Pads and a fully accessible and equipped ICT suite
• Disabled parking bays in school car park
• Rainbow Room

For further information see the Accessibility Policy/Plan and the Equalities Plan – this describes the actions the school has taken to increase access to the environment, the curriculum and printed information is available via the school website.

Strategies are in place to enable your child’s transition to be as smooth as possible.

These may include:

• Initial planning meetings arranged with parents and key school staff to discuss child's needs
• Transition meetings between settings and at each Key Stage
• Additional visits may also be arranged for children/parents/carers
• The Inclusion Manager and class teachers will liaise between settings and with relevant staff
• Transition resources are available for children who may benefit
• Social stories and One Page Profiles will be used where appropriate

Transition Plans are personalised to meet the needs of the individual child.

The budget allocation is agreed between our school and the Local Authority at the beginning of each financial year. Detail of how this money is used to support children and young people with SEND is shown below. This is monitored each term by the Governing Board.

This is used to support children and young people with SEND through:

• Improved pupil: teacher ratio
• Purchase of additional resources to support specific outcomes for pupils
• Tracking and monitoring of achievement
• Targeted intervention and support programmes
• Specialist Learning Support Assistants to provide effective support
• Early identification and assessment
• Improved ICT resources – iPads/ New Model Interactive Whiteboards in all classrooms/ Laptops, new ICT suite (Sept 2021), 3D printer, Lego tech packs
• Continuous professional development for all staff
• Educational Visits

If a child has complex/severe special educational needs, we could also receive additional funding from the Local Authority to meet the agreed outcomes.

Key Contacts

• Head Teacher – Mrs T Wright 01206 382736
• Inclusion Manager – Mrs Khan 01206 382736
• Manager for Nursery - Mrs Clarke 01206 382736
• Governor responsible for Special Educational Needs – Mrs Z O'Sullivan 01206 382736
• School Nursing Team – 01206 747135
• Statutory Assessment Service - 0300 0034127
• Essex Local Offer – www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk

The Local Offer

The purpose of the local offer is to enable parents and young people to see more clearly what services are available in their area and how to access them. It includes provision from birth to 25, across education, health and social care.

Information on the Essex Local Offer can be found at: www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk

If you have any concerns relating to the schools provision for your child regarding SEND please speak to the Class Teacher or the Inclusion Manager. If your child is in the nursery then please speak to either Mrs Clarke, Manager of the nursery, or Mrs Khan. We aim to resolve any concerns parents have in person to arrive at a mutual understanding to support your child.

If a complaint is made and cannot be resolved, the parent can submit a formal complaint to the Head teacher in writing. The Head teacher will reply within 10 school days. Any issues that remain unresolved at this stage will be managed according to the school’s Complaints Policy. This is available on the school website or from the school office.

• SEN(D) POLICY
• COMPLAINTS POLICY
• DISADVANTAGED POLICY
• ADMISSIONS POLICY
• ATTENDANCE POLICY
• ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
• BEHAVIOUR POLICY
• MEDICAL PROCEDURES
• CHILDREN WITH HEALTH NEEDS WHO CANNOT ATTEND SCHOOL
• INTIMATE CARE POLICY
• LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN POLICY

These may be found on the school website or can be obtained by request at the school office.