Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Special Educational Needs – Special Educational Rights

At Norbury Manor Primary School, we recognise that children learn and develop in different ways. Some children may need additional or different support at different points during their education.

We use the term Special Educational Rights within our school to reinforce our belief that every child has the right to be included, supported, challenged and given the opportunity to thrive.

Within our statutory policies, reports and communications with other professionals, we also use the nationally recognised terms Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Why do we call Special Educational Needs, Special Educational Rights?

Our Vision

Make every moment count… for every child!

At Norbury Manor Primary School, we are committed to providing a warm, caring, inclusive and stimulating environment in which every child is valued and encouraged to achieve their potential.

We recognise that some children require additional or different provision to remove barriers to learning and participation. We are committed to identifying needs early and providing appropriate support so that children can become confident and increasingly independent learners.

Children and their families are central to this process. We value the knowledge parents and carers have of their children and work in partnership with families when identifying needs, planning support and reviewing progress.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and to ensuring that pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of our school.

What is SEND?

A child or young person has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability which means they require special educational provision that is additional to or different from that generally provided for children of the same age.

Children's needs can change over time and a child may need additional support for a short period or throughout their education.

The SEND Code of Practice identifies four broad areas of need:

Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
Social, emotional and mental health
Sensory and/or physical needs

A child may have needs across one or more of these areas.

Having SEND does not define a child. We consider each child's individual strengths, needs, interests and aspirations when deciding how best to support them.

How We Identify and Support Children

We believe in identifying and responding to children's needs as early as possible.

Class teachers continually assess children's learning and development and consider whether they are making expected progress.

We may identify a need through:

assessment and progress information;
observations by teachers and support staff;
information from a child's previous school or setting;
discussions with the child;
concerns raised by parents or carers;
advice from the SENCO; and
information or assessments from health, education or other professionals.

We consider progress in the widest sense. This can include academic attainment as well as communication, interaction, physical development, emotional wellbeing, independence and participation.

Slow progress or low attainment does not automatically mean that a child has SEND.

We also consider other factors that may affect a child's learning, including attendance, health and wellbeing, English as an additional language (EAL), family circumstances and disadvantage.

A child who speaks English as an additional language does not have SEND simply because they are developing their English. However, being an EAL learner does not prevent a child from also having SEND. Where there are concerns, we will consider all the available evidence so that needs can be identified and supported appropriately.

The Graduated Approach

When a child needs additional support, we use a graduated approach:

Assess

We gather information about the child's strengths, needs and barriers to learning. This includes listening to the child and their parents/carers and considering assessment information and observations.

Plan

We agree the outcomes we are working towards and decide what additional support, adaptations or interventions will be provided.

Do

The agreed support is put in place. The class teacher remains responsible for the child's learning and works with other staff and specialists where appropriate.

Review

We review the child's progress and the impact of the support. We listen to the child and their family and decide whether the support should continue, change or whether further advice is required.

This Assess – Plan – Do – Review cycle allows us to adapt provision as children's needs develop.

Working with Children and Families

Children and parents/carers are important partners in SEND provision.

When we are considering whether a child may need special educational provision, we will discuss our concerns with the family.

Together, we aim to:

develop a shared understanding of the child's strengths and areas of need;
listen to the views and concerns of the child and their parents/carers;
agree the outcomes we want the child to achieve;
explain the support that will be provided;
review whether the support is making a difference; and
agree appropriate next steps.

We want parents and carers to feel able to speak to us at any stage if they have concerns about their child's learning, development or wellbeing.

Who Should I Speak to About My Child?

1. Class Teacher

Your child's class teacher should normally be your first point of contact.

The class teacher is responsible for your child's learning and will:

adapt teaching to respond to your child's strengths and needs;
monitor their progress;
identify potential barriers to learning;
plan and deliver appropriate classroom support; and
work with the SENCO and other staff where additional support is required.

If you are concerned about your child's progress or development, please arrange to speak to their class teacher.

2. SENCO

If further support or advice is required, you may meet with our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

SENCO: George Storey

Email: sen@nmp.croydon.sch.uk

The SENCO coordinates SEND provision across the school and works with children, parents/carers, staff and external professionals.

3. Headteacher

If you continue to have concerns after speaking to the class teacher and SENCO, you can arrange to speak to the Headteacher.

The Role of the SENCO

Our SENCO works with the Headteacher, staff and governing body to develop SEND provision across the school.

The SENCO:

coordinates provision for pupils with SEND;
provides advice and professional guidance to staff;
supports the graduated approach to identifying and meeting needs;
works with parents/carers and pupils;
liaises with external education, health and care professionals;
supports transitions between settings and schools;
advises on appropriate resources and provision;
supports pupils with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans; and
helps ensure that the school meets its statutory SEND and equality responsibilities.

Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans

Most children's special educational needs can be supported through high-quality teaching and SEND support provided by the school.

Some children with more complex needs may require an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment by the local authority.

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a statutory plan for children and young people whose needs require provision beyond that normally available through SEN support.

Where appropriate, the school will work with the child, their family, the local authority and relevant professionals throughout this process.

Transition

We recognise that changes of class, year group or school can be particularly important for children with SEND.

For children joining Norbury Manor, we work with families, previous settings and relevant professionals to understand the child's needs and prepare appropriate support.

Where a child has significant or complex needs, additional transition arrangements may include:

visits to the child's current setting;
additional visits to Norbury Manor;
meetings with parents/carers and professionals;
sharing relevant records and support strategies; and
an individual transition plan.

When pupils leave Norbury Manor, including when transferring to secondary school, we work with the receiving school to share relevant information and support a successful transition.

Admission of Children with SEND

Norbury Manor Primary School is an inclusive school. Children with SEND are welcomed and supported in accordance with our admissions arrangements and statutory responsibilities.

The admission arrangements for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan are managed through the statutory EHCP process and the local authority.

We work with families, the local authority and other professionals to plan appropriate provision and reasonable adjustments for pupils joining the school.

Accessibility and Inclusion

We are committed to ensuring that disabled pupils and pupils with SEND can participate as fully as possible in school life.

We make reasonable adjustments and consider children's individual needs when planning teaching, the curriculum, the physical environment, communication, trips, activities and wider opportunities.

Further information about how we support accessibility and inclusion can be found in our Accessibility Plan and SEND Information Report.

SEND Policies and Information

Our SEND Information Report explains in greater detail how Norbury Manor Primary School identifies and supports pupils with SEND and how we work with children, families and external services.

The report is reviewed and updated annually.

SEND Information Report

Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy

Accessibility Plan

Health, Medical Needs & Illness

Croydon Local Offer

Croydon's Local Offer provides information for children and young people with SEND and their families about education, health, social care, activities and other support available locally.

Visit the Croydon SEND Local Offer