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SEND Information Report

 

Hassocks Infant School Special Educational Needs and/or Disabiltiies Information Report

This report complies with the statutory requirement laid out in the SEND Code of Practice 0 – 25 2015 3.65 and has been written with reference to the following guidance and documents:

  • schedule 1 regulation 51 from the Special Educational Needs & Disability Regulations 2014, which includes the governing body’s policy and practice for pupils at the school with special educational needs (statements in black below); and
  • Equality and Disability information: namely the Equality Act 2010: advice for schools DfE Feb 2013
  • the school’s admission arrangements for pupils with SEN or disabilities;
  • the steps the school have taken to prevent pupils with SEN from being treated less favourably than other pupils;
  • the facilities provided to assist access to the school by disabled pupils;
  • Accessibility plan the governing body has written in compliance with paragraph 3 of schedule 10 to the Equality Act 2010.
  • Schools SEN Information Report Regulations (2014)
  • Statutory Guidance on Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions April 2014
  • The National Curriculum in England Key Stage 1 document Sept 2013
  • Safeguarding Policy
  • Teachers Standards 2012

Special Educational Needs Coordinator Mrs Sara Nash (Member of Senior Leadership Team and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) 

Contact via the school office – 01273 842549

Hassocks Infant School is a mainstream setting committed to meeting the needs of all pupils age 4 – 7 years old, including those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). Our expectation is that children with a SEND will receive an education that enables them to make progress so that they:

  • achieve their best
  • become confident individuals living fulfilling lives
  • make a successful transition into the next phase of their lives

We will achieve this for all pupils, regardless of their Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities, through our school vision and values.

Our Vision

We envisage that all children, will have the opportunity to Explore, Respect and Flourish during their time at Hassocks Infant School.

Our Values

All children will have the opportunity to develop the behaviours towards becoming lifelong learners and members of a community by developing the following values to:

  • Be determined
  • Be independent
  • Be ambitious
  • Be kind
  • Be a team player
  • Be yourself

We will use our best endeavours to ensure that a pupil with a Special Educational Need and/or a Disability receives the support they require to meet their needs.

This report describes the way in which we will meet the needs of pupils who experience barriers to their learning. We recognise the various needs our pupils bring to, or experience in school and the importance of responding to these in the right way.  A pupil’s needs may derive from a variety of situations, such as inherent difficulties or factors within the learning environment.  Pupils with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability will often experience significantly greater effort in accessing learning and will need additional support to enable them to become lifelong learners and participate fully in school life.  However, we also like to view children with additional needs as neurodiverse.  They experience, interact with and interpret the world in unique ways and have many strengths, which we aim to celebrate and share with the school community.

All children and young people are entitled to an appropriate education, one that is appropriate to their needs, promotes high standards and the fulfilment of potential. This should enable them to: achieve their best, become confident individuals living fulfilling lives, and make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher education or training.’ Every school is required to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child with SEN gets the support they need – this means doing everything they can to meet children and young people’s SEN.

(SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years, 2015, p92)

Aims

We aim to:

  • develop an inclusive culture for a wide variety of needs, which is about building a secure, accepting, collaborative and stimulating community where everyone feels valued
  • develop a whole school response to SEND and recognise and address particular needs as early as possible to ensure all children experience success and have every opportunity to make good progress
  • use our best endeavours to provide children with the support and provision they may require, which is additional, to achieve their best and become confident individuals living fulfilling lives
  • ensure that all pupils have the greatest possible access to a broad, balanced and relevant education, including an appropriate curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum in Key Stage One and provide a flexible approach to teaching and learning
  • provide equal opportunities, and moreover equity where everyone is provided with what they need to succeed.  Where reasonable adjustments are made for pupils with SEND so that they can engage in the activities of the school alongside other pupils who do not have SEND, promoting successful and effective learning for all pupils
  • work in collaboration with parents/carers through every stage of the special needs provision involving them in discussions relating to their child’s SEND and provision, through open dialogue
  • involve children in the process of setting outcomes and identifying ways forward
  • utilise the experience of school staff to meet a child’s needs and continue to provide targeted professional development
  • share ideas, experience and expertise within the school as well as maintaining a cooperative and productive partnership with outside agencies to ensure a multi-professional approach to meeting the needs of all children
  • respect diversity in our school community and beyond.  We aim to foster respect and open-mindedness for neurodiversity by celebrating differences, as well as our similarities

To do this, we will:

· identify and provide for pupils who have special educational needs and/or a disability and other additional needs following the guidance outlined by the West Sussex Graduated Approach and professionals with the Local Authority

· work within the guidance provided in the SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years

· provide a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) to oversee the day-to-day implementation and operation of the School Information Report

  • · provide support and advice for all staff working with special educational needs pupils

Definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability

SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years:

A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age.

For children aged two or more, special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age in a mainstream setting.

1. The Kinds of Special Educational Needs for which provision is made at Hassocks Infant School

Hassocks Infant School is a mainstream 4-7 Infant School.

The SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years, 2015, identifies four broad areas of need and Hassocks Infant School welcomes children with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability (SEND) in one or more of the following areas:

  • Communication and Interaction: autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, speech and language difficulties
  • Cognition and Learning, for example: dyslexia, dyspraxia
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health: for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Sensory and/or Physical: visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties, epilepsy

Within these areas of need, some children will require different levels of support. These are outlined below and follow the guidance of the West Sussex Graduated Approach.  This document can be found on the West Sussex Local Offer webpages – Click here.

The Graduated Approach

The Graduated Approach is a 4-part cycle that happens each term and involves all children in the school.  Each cycle includes, ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’.  This approach allows decisions and actions to be reviewed and refined as the understanding of a pupil’s needs and what supports them in making good progress and securing good outcomes grows.  Each term, the Senior Leadership Team along with class teachers review all pupil’s attainment and progress during Pupil Progress meetings.  It is recommended that the assess, plan, do, review cycle is moved through on a termly basis to monitor pupil progress most effectively.  If after two terms of the assess, plan, do, review cycle the pupil is not making sufficient progress, the teacher may wish to discuss the needs of the pupil with the SENCo to determine if they require further support.

Stage 1: Universal Provision

Support is based on high quality, inclusive teaching which takes into account the learning needs of all the pupils in the classroom and provides all pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum.  All pupils will have personalised learning targets based on their starting points.  Teacher’s pay attention to different learning styles and they carefully plan differentiated learning opportunities, including practical, visual and concreate resources.  Curriculum assessment takes place for each pupil to support the target setting for all pupils.  Assessment is used to identify the next stages of learning and feedback is given constructively.   

Stage 2: Early Intervention Support

In addition to Stage 1, support within the classroom may be provided within class through small groups and individual support.  The curriculum may be differentiated to meet individual learning needs and a range of tools and resources can be used to support a pupil’s access to the curriculum.

Stage 3: Early Intervention Additional Support and Individual Support Plans (ISP) Section 1

Strategies at Stage 1 and Stage 2 can be successful at meeting the individual needs of many children, such as using a higher frequency of specific strategies, like visual prompts, and will allow learners to become independent over time.  However, at Stage 3, where a pupil’s rate of progress is causing concern and if a pupil requires regular support that is beyond Stage 1 and Stage 2, further investigation will now take place to identify an individual pupil’s strengths and needs and implement early intervention and personalised provision. 

At this stage, parents/carers and the pupil are included as part of the plan, do, review cycle of targeted support and assessment.  The class teacher will initiate writing Section 1 of an Individual Support Plan to identify SMARTA (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Ambitious) outcomes for a pupil, in co-production with parents/carers. Provision may be provided through small groups and/or working individually with an adult in class, additional group or individual programmes, evidence based interventions, delivered individually or in small groups, which are reviewed at least termly by the class teacher and TA implementing the intervention.  The curriculum will continue to be differentiated for the pupil’s individual learning needs e.g. alternative methods of recording.  At this stage, the provision is monitored by the class teacher but the SENCo will be made aware of the support now in place.  Support at this level should be in place for no longer than two terms.  This should be long enough to decide if a pupil’s provision can be provided at Stage 1 or 2, or whether the children needs more specific support at Stage 4.

Stage 4: Targeted and Specialist intensive additional support and Individual Support Plans (ISP) Section 2

If a pupil continues to require additional support that is significantly different from their peers, support should be provided at Stage 4.  This support is in addition to the previous stages, and may involve multi-professional planning and coordinated support e.g. Educational Psychologist Service, Speech and Language Therapist, Learning and Behaviour Team, Autism and Social Communication Team, School Nurse, Occupational Therapists, Woodlands Meed Alliance, Community Mental Health Liaison Service. 

Pupils will receive personalised support, working on an individualised curriculum and involve high levels of adult support and modelling to enable access to the curriculum.  A pupil will have access to personalised resources e.g. a work station, if appropriate. 

Section 2 of an Individual Support Plan will be developed alongside the class teacher, parents/carers and pupil, however, the SENCo will now be involved in overseeing the plan and the plan will incorporate any external agency advice. The Individual Support plan will be reviewed termly.  At Stage 4, the pupil is added to the School Support register. 

School Support Register

This is an internal school record which identifies pupils with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability.  The majority of pupils placed on the register are in receipt of additional support and have an Individual Support Plan (Section 2).  If a pupil has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, they will automatically be placed on the register and their ISP will relate directly to their EHC plan.  The School Support register is reviewed on a termly basis and is updated in accordance with the school’s internal monitoring systems. The register is seen as a fluid document and pupils are able to be placed on and moved off it, following on from discussions with the SENCo, teachers and parents/carers.

Stage 5: Education, Health and Care plans

Following at least two terms of support at Stage 4, and having followed the 'assess, plan, do, review' cycle, an Education, Health and Care plan can be requested.  The decision to apply for an Education Health and Care Needs assessment will be discussed with a pupil’s class teacher, the SENCo, external agencies and parents/carers. An Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) is a legal document which describes a pupil’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they are working towards.  The pupil’s needs must also meet the following criteria:

  • A pupil’s needs are deemed persistent and severe and the pupil is making little to no progress after implementing specialist provision for at least two terms
  • The pupil is working well below age related expectations (often two years), which meets the thresholds for an Education Health and Care Needs assessment (as identified in the West Sussex Criteria for making a request for an education health and care needs assessment document updated August 2018)
  • The pupil’s provision is inclusive of 20 hours of additional support per week

Provision at this level would include that in all previous stages.  It would also be inclusive of an individualised Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which is reviewed annually during an Annual Review.  Multi-professional planning will support the school to provide personalised support, working on an individualised curriculum.

A child's EHCP may state that the child will be provided with one-to-one adult support for part or all of their school day in order to meet their needs. It is highly unlikely that the same adult will support the child throughout their time at our school. 

Guidance about requesting an EHC plan can be found here.

Individual Health and Care plan

Where pupils have medical needs, we will plan and deliver provision in a co-ordinated way using an Individual Health and Care plan. We will also follow the statutory guidance on Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions.

Other factors which may impact on a child’s progress and attainment but are not considered SEND that the school may provide additional and targeted support for are:

  • Children with English as an Additional Language
  • Being in receipt of the Pupil Premium Grant (also defined as Disadvantaged Pupils)

The Pupil Premium Grant is funding to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in schools in England.  It is allocated to schools to work with pupils from low income families who have been registered for free school meals (FSM) at any point in the last six years.

Pupil premium funding is also allocated to pupils that are currently in some form of care (LAC), pupils that have previously been in some form of care and have since been adopted or placed into a child guardianship order and to pupils that have a parent currently serving in the armed forces, or receiving a pension from the Ministry of Defence (Ever 6).

Definition of Vulnerable Children Department for Education (January 2022)

Where school settings need to change education provision in line with the DfE Contingency Framework due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Vulnerable children include those:

  • assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, including children and young people who have a Child in Need Plan, a Child Protection Plan or who are a looked-after child
  • have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan
  • have been identified as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including Children’s Social Care services), and who could therefore benefit from continued full-time attendance. This might include:
  • children and young people on the edge of receiving support from Children’s Social Care services or in the process of being referred to Children’s Services or who have previously received support from Children’s Social Care services (as identified by local authorities)
  • adopted children or children on a Special Guardianship Order
  • those at risk of becoming NEET (‘not in employment, education or training’)
  • those living in temporary accommodation
  • those who are young carers
  • those who may have difficulty engaging with remote education at home (for example due to a lack of devices or quiet space to study)
  • care leavers
  • children and young people in a family circumstance presenting challenges for them, such as drug and alcohol misuse, parental offending, adult mental health issues and domestic abuse
  • others at the provider and local authority’s discretion including pupils and students who need to attend to receive support or manage risks to their mental health

2. Information in relation to Hassocks Infant School's policies for the identification and assessment of children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

How does the school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special needs and/or a disability?

The task of identifying and providing for the special educational needs and/or disabilities of a child is primarily the responsibility of the class teacher (Stage 1-3), with support from the SENCo.  It is important that early identification and intervention are in place to support children who may have a SEND; however, the precise nature of need can take time to identify.

The whole school follow a termly Graduated Approach of assess, plan, do and review to ensure early identification of any additional support that may be necessary.  If at any time, a class teacher identifies that a pupil requires additional support, this will be communicated to their parents/carers.  For pupils on the School Support register, there are three meetings each academic year to discuss their progress in relation to their Individual Support Plan.  This is in addition to the Parent Consultations held in the Autumn and Spring terms.

For children on Stages 3 – 5, the school follows guidance from the West Sussex Graduated Approach and Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision to identify, assess and plan provision for pupils with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability.

It is the school’s responsibility to know where pupils are in their learning and development. Decisions about whether special educational provision is needed for a pupil will be informed by:

  • insights from parents/carers and children;
  • setting high ambitions and stretching measurable targets, appropriate to their needs, promoting high standards and the fulfilment of potential;
  • tracking of children’s progress towards their goals;
  • keeping under review the impact of the additional or different provision that is made for them;
  • promoting positive outcomes in the wider areas of personal and social development;
  • ensuring the approaches used are based on the best possible evidence and that they are having the required impact on progress and development.

When considering what stage of provision is required, the school also takes into account:

  • the age of the child
  • the child’s background and previous experiences
  • the child’s development in comparison to their peers and national data
  • advice from external support services, where appropriate

We encourage parents/carers to contact their child’s class teacher should they want to discuss progress or wellbeing.  A parent can speak to the class teacher during Parent Consultation Evenings or arrange a meeting at any point in the year.  Parents should contact the school office to arrange an appointment.

External agencies

Where specialist support is necessary, the school may make a referral to seek further advice from external agencies.  The agencies may provide support for the school, the pupil, and their family.  We would always discuss the referrals and any suggested outcomes with parents/carers.  The agencies we work with include:

  • The Meeds SEND Alliance
  • West Sussex Speech and Language Therapy Services
  • Sensory Support services (for children with hearing and visual impairments)
  • West Sussex Educational Psychology services (telephone consultations also available)
  • Learning and Behaviour Advisory Team (LBAT)
  • The Autism and Social Communication Team (ASCT)
  • School Nursing team
  • Early Help (Enabling Families and Early Help support)
  • West Sussex Occupational Therapy
  • CAHMS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
  • EMTAS – Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service

Please note that for some referrals to be accepted by external agencies, the school must provide a range of evidence about how they have supported a child and where the child is experiencing specific difficulties.  It can take time for a school to gather this information from teachers, external agencies and parents/carers.  It is necessary that the school spends at least one cycle of the Graduated Approach to fully assess and monitor the impact of any provision to ensure the referral and support sought is appropriate for a child.

For contact details and more information about SEND services in West Sussex, please see the West Sussex Local Offer. 

3. Information about Hassocks Infant School's policies for making provision for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities whether or not they have an EHC plan, including;

The progress of all pupils is monitored and formally updated by the class teacher each term. This is then reviewed with the Senior Leadership Team during Pupil Progress meetings. Decisions about directed support is discussed and implemented based on need. 

If a pupil is not making expected progress, this may be looked at in more detail by:

  • Looking at provisions that are in place and whether they have been effective in raising attainment
  • The SENCo liaising with the class teacher about what is working well, next steps and any assessments that may help make provision more specific
  • Gathering pupil voice about what they feel is going well and what could improve things for them
  • Observations of the pupil and scrutiny of their work
  • Discussing with parents to review the current situation and discuss the next steps needed to support their child to make progress.

Pupil’s on the School Support register at Stage 4 and 5 with Individual Support Plans (Section 2) will have their SMARTA outcomes and provision reviewed and updated termly by the class teacher, SENCo and parents/carers.  If a pupil’s provision is informed by an external agency, they may be involved in reviewing the effectiveness of this.

Provision for pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan is reviewed annually during an Annual Review.  This will involve the pupil, teacher, SENCo, parents/carers and any external professionals involved.

4. Hassocks Infant School arrangements for assessing and reviewing the progress of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities

How will both you and I know how my child is doing?

There are a variety of ways a parent or carer can find out about their child’s progress.

  • Parents may contact the school to request information on how their child is getting on.
  • Parent Consultation Evenings offer parents the opportunity to meet with the class teacher to discuss pupil progress (Autumn and Spring term).
  • If concerns are raised, parents/carers may be contacted by the school to discuss progress in more detail.
  • Information regarding any interventions put in place for a pupil will be shared with parents.
  • Individual Support Plans (Section 1 and Section 2) will be shared with parents/carers and reviewed at least termly.
  • Speech and Language Goal Sheets, from the Speech and Language Team will be shared with parents/carers, initiated by the Speech and Language therapist.
  • End of year reports are written for all pupils.

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

Your child’s class teacher can be contacted at any time during the academic year to discuss support and next steps.  Teachers can provide parents/carers with specific advice and useful resources as appropriate.

Staff will be happy to advise parents/carers on strategies to support their child at parent consultation evenings.

The SENCo will meet with parents/carers, alongside the class teacher, to discuss how home and school can best work together to support learning. This will usually be relevant when a child is receiving support at Stages 4 and 5 and the pupil is on the School Support register.

The Hassocks Infant School website has a range of web links and courses suggested by agencies working within the West Sussex Local Authority. Please click on the link - Support for Parents and Carers

5. Hassocks Infant School's approach to teaching children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

How will school staff support my child?

At Stages 1-3, teaching staff will tailor methods and materials to meet the needs of a pupil, with the focus on quality first teaching and ensuring that all pupils study a broad and balanced national curriculum along with their peers.

The progress of all pupils is closely monitored and pupils who are not making expected progress despite quality first teaching in the classroom, may be offered additional support (see 1.). This may include modified provision, 1:1 support, interventions or small group work and in-class support from a Teaching Assistant. We are careful to avoid the over reliance of one-to-one individual support for the majority of children as evidence shows that in many cases this prevents children from becoming independent learners.

Pupils at the Early Intervention Additional Support Stage 3 will have an Individual Support Plan, which is initiated, implemented and overseen by the class teacher

All pupils with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities are included on the school’s Support Register. The register is organised into two levels of support: Targeted and Specialist support (Stage 4) and EHCP support (Stage 5). Support for pupils is prioritised based on need.

Pupils on the School Support register, at Stage 4 and 5 have an Individual Support Plan, co-produced with the pupil and their parents, containing detailed information about their needs; appropriate teaching and support strategies and desired outcomes.

Information regarding a pupil’s needs will be shared and discussed by the teacher, SENCo, parents/carers and any other professionals involved. This will be reviewed termly and the information will be shared with any new staff working with the pupil.

The SENCo, supported by the Senior Leadership Team ensures that the staff have sufficient skills and knowledge to deliver the interventions that a child may need. The type of SEND support provided is based on reliable evidence of what works, having consulted external agencies.

Where pupils have a Speech and Language Intervention plan, their provision is reviewed and outcomes set by the Speech and Language Therapist.  Occasionally, a Speech and Language Support Assistant may be asked to do direct work with a child.  Parents/carers will be informed of this.

How Hassocks Infant School adapts the curriculum and learning environment for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities?

The staff at Hassocks Infant School are committed to meeting the needs of all pupils with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability. We have a duty not to directly or indirectly discriminate against, harass or victimise disabled pupils. We make reasonable adjustments to the curriculum and the learning environment to make sure that children with additional needs are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. Please see the school’s Accessibility plan for more information.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

We are committed to offering a broad and balanced curriculum to all pupils. We acknowledge that reasonable adjustment may be required to ensure that pupils make progress. Adjustments to a pupil’s curriculum and learning environment will depend on any needs identified during the Graduated Approach and will be discussed with the teacher, child, parent/carer, SENCo and any relevant professional. By considering what adaptations are required, the SENCo will work with the head teacher and school governors to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act (2010) regarding reasonable adjustments and access arrangements. A link to the Equality Act 2010 can be found by clicking here.

6. Additional support for learning that is available to children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

The school assigns support based on a pupil’s specific needs. This may be linked to a need in one or more of the following areas: Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health; Physical and/or Sensory; Medical.

Support can be directed by an Education Health and Care plan, however support for children without this will be determined through discussions held by the class teacher, SENCo, senior management team, external agencies and parents and following the advice provided by West Sussex in the Graduated Approach and the Ordinarily Available Inclusive Practice guidance. This is also determined by a child’s individual progress and attainment.

It is vital that any support provided is appropriate to the needs of the pupil and gives them the opportunities to learn independently and develop skills to enable them to cope outside of the school environment.  The level of support given to a pupil is reviewed at least termly and considers the impact that the support is having on the pupil’s progress, both academically and personally. Parents and the pupils themselves will be involved wherever possible in decisions relating to the support offered.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs and/or disabilities?

The school’s resources are allocated based on priority and need of the cohort. As a pupil’s progress is assessed throughout the year, different priorities and needs may arise. The SENCo meets with the Senior Leadership Team to prioritise need during Pupil Progress meetings termly.  Provision may be allocated through resources, including staffing and interventions. The school’s funding for additional provision is determined by the West Sussex Local Authority.

If at any time a pupil needs to be administered with medicine, where possible, the school staff can do this once a parent/carer has completed a medical form, available from the school office. Individual Health and Care Plans are completed with the SENCo and/or pupil’s class teacher and parent; support is agreed with medical professionals, as necessary.

7. How Hassocks Infant School enables children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities to enage in the activities of the school together with children who do not have Special Educational Needs

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

We try to make sure that all pupils with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability can engage in the activities of the school alongside pupils who do not have a SEND.  The level of support is established prior to any school trip/activity, depending on the pupil’s needs.  Prior to the trip/activity, it may be necessary to have a discussion with the pupil’s parents to establish the best approach and to make reasonable adjustments. We would also seek advice from the relevant external agency supporting a child.

8. Support that is available for improving the emotional and social development of children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

Our school ethos means that we are fully committed to looking at the whole child and drawing on their strengths and individuality. Teachers and TAs build good working relationships with the children, and they are very sensitive and responsive to the individual needs of a pupil.

Support for a pupil’s wellbeing includes:

  • Clear and consistent safeguarding systems overseen by the Designated Safeguarding Lead, with all members of staff responsible for the implementation of the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
  • Jigsaw, a Relationships and Health Education (RHE) curriculum is taught within our whole-school Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and has a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health
  • Advice and support for the teaching staff to help them manage the child’s behaviour within the classroom, taking into account the needs of the whole class. This may be from the SENCo, DSL or external agency (Community Mental Health Liaison Officers, Educational Psychologist Telephone Consultations, advisory teachers)
  • Whole class and/or small group sessions that teach strategies to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and impulses, manage their sensory needs, and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts (Zones of Regulation, Emotional Literacy Support Assistant)

Parents should contact the school if they feel their child would require additional support for their wellbeing.  The school can liaise with external agencies about support for children and their families.  The Hassocks Infant School website has a range of web links and courses suggested by agencies working within the West Sussex Local Authority.

Please click on the link - Support for Parents and Carers

9. Who is the Special Educational NEeds and/or Disabilities Co-ordinator and how do I contact them?

You can contact the school’s SENCo and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Sara Nash, via the school office on 01273 842 549 or senco@hassocksis.com 

10. Information about the expertise and training of staff in relation to children with Special Educational Needs

What specialist services and expertise are available for access by the school?

The school has access and support from the external agencies listed in Section 2.

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having?

The responsibility for ensuring staff have the appropriate training and expertise to meet the needs of pupils with SEND training is shared between the Headteacher, SENCo and the Governing body.

We closely monitor the training and development needs of our staff annually and in consideration of individual children’s needs. Where possible, the school’s SENCo attends meetings held by the local network of SENCos (Meed’s SEND Alliance) to keep up to date with local and national reforms in SEND. 

We can access training from the Meeds SEND Alliance, West Sussex Learning and Behaviour team, West Sussex Educational Psychologist, West Sussex Autism and Social Communication Team and West Sussex Speech and Language Service.  Some of the training may be provided as a bespoke package or from advice delivered during a visit to observe a pupil.

11.  Information about how the equipment and facilities to support children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities are secured

How accessible is the school environment?

The school environment is very accessible and caters for a variety of SEND.  As a school staff, we continuously assess the environment to ensure it is conducive to learning and to develop independence.   If necessary and where possible, we will make reasonable adjustments to adapt the environment to ensure it continues to be an accessible, stimulating and enriching environment for all.  This may involve seeking advice from an external agency, such as the West Sussex Occupational Therapist or Rehabilitation Officers.

You can find further information in our Accessibility Plan available on the school website here.

12. What are the arrangements for consulting and involving parents/carers of children with SEND in their child's education?

How are parents/carers involved with the school? How can I be involved?

As a school we recognise and highly value the central role of the parent/carer in their child’s personal and educational development. We recognise that the support from parents helps to secure the best possible outcomes for any child, particularly with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability. In the area of SEND, parents/carers are consulted and informed at each stage of the school’s involvement with their child during parent consultation meetings, Individual Support Plan review meetings and Annual Reviews (Education Health and Care plans only).

Parents/carers are encouraged to arrange a meeting with their child’s class teacher if they feel this would support them and their child. The SENCo will work alongside the teachers, parents/carers and pupils.

What are Hassocks Infant School’s arrangements for consulting and involving pupils with SEND in their education?

Engaging all pupils as active participants in their own education and in making a positive contribution to their school and local community is a priority for the school. The level of discussion regarding a pupil’s SEND provision will depend on the age and understanding of the child, but they will always be an integral part of the planning and reviewing process (ISPs and Annual Reviews). We have various ways of gaining pupil voice and will often ask the children about their perceived strengths, what is working well, what they find difficult and would like to improve. The class teacher will then use this insight to develop provision.

Pupils have the opportunity to share their views through the Child Conferences that are included in the end of year reports.  All pupils have the opportunity to share their voice as part of the school council projects and some will become school councillors.  Child voice is integral to everyday practice at Hassocks Infants school and is very much valued.

What are the arrangements for parents raising concerns and making a complaint about the SEND provision at the school?

Parents/carers are advised to discuss any concerns with the class teacher or SENCo, in the first instance, and if they feel they need to make a complaint, there is a complaints procedure: details of which can be found on the school website.

How does the school involve others in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND and in supporting the families of such pupils?

There is a named Governor for Vulnerable children, Charlotte Guy, who liaises with the SENCo. The Governing Body are involved in decisions regarding the admission and provision planning for pupils with SEND. The SENCo will be asked to attend Governors Meetings if a SEND item is to be discussed. The SENCo writes the SEN Information Report, which is agreed by the Governors. This is also an opportunity for Governors to raise questions with the SENCo.

Parents and carers can find support on the Parent and Carer support pages on the school website.  Please click on the link - Support for Parents and Carers 

Please also see the next section for more details of support services.

13. The contact details of support services for the parents of children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

Parents should make contact with their child’s class teacher in the first instance and they can help direct parents to relevant support with guidance from the SENCo.

The Hassocks Infant School website has a webpage dedicated to signposting parents/carers to useful websites, including those relating to SEND or wellbeing – Support for Parents and Carers

Parents can use the West Sussex Local Offer pages to find out about more support services in West Sussex.

Families may also be eligible to Disability Living Allowance if they are looking after a child with a health condition or disability who is under the age of 16 years old.  This can help towards the extra costs of bringing up a disabled child.

If you would like further information about support services, please enquire at the school office or make arrangements to speak to the SENCo.

14. Hassocks Infant School's arrangements for supporting children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities in transferring between phases of education

How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school or transfer to a new setting?

If you are thinking of applying to Hassocks Infant School, and your child has a Special Educational Need and/or a disability, you can arrange a visit or telephone call to discuss your child’s needs with the SENCo, Sara Nash.  Please contact the school office on 01273 842549.

For more information about admission arrangements, please go to West Sussex Admissions

We have a carefully planned approach to transition at Hassocks Infant School both for children starting the school in Reception and for those leaving us in Year 2. We work closely with the nurseries/previous settings and Junior schools.

Where it is thought necessary, additional meetings and visits are organised to ensure that the pupil, parents and all professionals involved are completely informed and prepared.

 Updated: Spring 2023

Review: Spring 2024