Q. What should I do if I think my child has a SEND?
A. You should contact the School and ask to talk to your child’s Class Teacher. S/he will then talk to the SENDCo about possible next steps. The SENDCo will always talk to you about your concerns and may begin an assessment of needs. You can contact her through the Class Teacher or directly through the office. If there is an agreement that your child has a special educational need the School will work with you to plan a programme of support.
Q. What should I do if I am worried about how my child is progressing and how often will I be able to discuss my child’s progress?
A. You will be able to meet your child’s Class Teacher each term at the parent consultation meetings. If your child is classed as needing ‘SEN Support’ we will also invite you to a meeting once a term to discuss your child’s progress. If you have concerns and worries about your child at any time, please contact your Class Teacher and we will arrange a meeting to discuss these concerns. We can also respond to particular questions over the phone or by email if you would find this helpful. You can contact the SENDCo directly through the office.
Q. Will there be someone in the School who understands my child’s needs as soon as she starts?
A. As soon as we know that a child is coming to our School with particular needs, we review our provision and provide relevant training. In particular, we will provide relevant training and guidance for your child’s Class Teacher on meeting the needs. We will discuss your child’s needs with you and with their previous setting.
Q. What funding does the School have for my child with SEND?
A. We receive funding from the Local Authority once a year for supporting children with SEND. School leaders have the responsibility to use the funding to meet the different needs of our children. We will apply for additional resources (for example, through an Education, Health and Care Plan) where we cannot meet a complex and/or severe need through our own budget.
Q. What happens if my child’s needs change as s/he gets older?
A. The starting point is to discuss these changes with the SENDCo. If the level of need is becoming higher, parents can work with the School and request an assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). You can find more details about assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) on the Camden local Offer website: www.localoffer.camden.gov.uk The government has published a useful guide for parents on the new SEND Code of Practice: see page 22 onwards.
Q. How do you make sure that staff new to the School are able to meet my child’s needs?
A. All staff new to the School have an induction programme which includes a meeting with the SENDCo. We provide detailed information about the range of pupils in her/his class, personal support and detailed guidance on how to provide high quality teaching and support.
Q. How can I help my child with learning at home?
A. We will make sure that when we meet, we share with you your child’s next steps in their learning. We also provide training and guidance for parents on how to help their children at home with reading, writing and mathematics – for example, we provide a Curriculum Evening at the beginning of the year. We send out the dates for these events in our Weekly newsletter and they can also be found on our website Calendar. We also have Home Learning suggestions for each year group on our website.
Q. What happens if my child is not making progress in reading? Is there any extra support?
A. We provide additional support through a variety of approaches. These include targeted literacy support in the classroom and in one to one and small group teaching sessions. We always consult you when we are planning to do this and we report back on your child’s progress. The school has a literacy policy in place which gives details about our home/school reading scheme. Your child will take books home on a daily or weekly basis and will also visit the school library.
Q. Will my child miss out on important lessons in the classroom if they are taken out for a SEN intervention?
A. We will always try to make sure that a child does not miss important parts of a lesson: for example, we will ensure that if a child needs to be taken out of class it is at a suitable time. In some cases this may be during lunch breaks or play breaks depending on the needs of your individual child.
Q. My child has SEN and works very slowly. Are there any special arrangements to support him during the SATs?
A. Yes, with advice from our Educational Psychologist, we provide specially tailored access arrangements to ensure that he will be able to show what he knows and can do.
Q. How accessible is the building for a child who uses a wheelchair?
A. We are not accessible for wheelchair users but, wherever possible, we will make arrangements in order to welcome and include a child with long-term limited mobility. We will also ensure that a child who has temporary limited mobility – for example a broken leg – is given additional support to get to and from school and to access their learning.
Q. My child has a visual impairment – Will the School be able to meet her needs?
A. We have improved the “visual environment” – for example, the clarity of signs around the School to help our students with visual impairment. We also work closely with the Camden Sensory Advisory Service to make sure that we provide the right kind of specialist resources needed to access the curriculum. We also provide training for support staff.
Q. Can I meet the specialists providing support to my child?
A. Yes. It is possible to meet members of the specialist services who are working with your child – the SENDCo will organise this meeting.
Q. How can I tell the School what I already know about my child’s SEND?
A. We will involve you when we are assessing your child’s needs, when we are planning support and when we are reviewing progress. We make sure we tell you what is happening in terms of support for your child and how well he/she is progressing. We keep records of our work with children with SEND that you can always ask to look at and to which you will be invited to contribute.
Q. Where can I find information about how the School works in partnership with parents and carers of children with SEND?
A. You will find information and support in several places: our SEND policy – and our weekly bulletins, which contain information about meetings with teachers, presentations about how to help your child. You will also find lots of information about how different services in Camden provide help and support to children with SEND and their parents – on Camden Local Authority website http://www.localoffer.camden.gov.uk
Q. Is there a special service in Camden that supports and advises parents about issues such as assessment and provision?
A. Yes. It’s called the Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS). It is funded by Camden Local Authority but is totally independent in terms of giving advice.
Q. What if I am unhappy about my child’s SEND provision?
A. We always work hard to make sure that our parents are happy with what we provide for their child. However, we will address worries, concerns and complaints as soon as possible through face-to-face meetings where we will listen carefully to your concerns. If you feel that we have not been able to address your concerns satisfactorily, we have a complaints policy and procedure.
If you would prefer to speak to an independent adviser, you may wish to talk to Camden’s SENDIASS team on 0207 974 6264.
Q. Who can my child talk to if s/he is worried about something?
A. We encourage an environment where children feel able to trust adults and to share any worries with them. In addition, each class has a ‘worry box’ where children can record their worries and also state whether they would prefer to speak to a specified adult. If a parent is aware of a worry or anxiety, they are always encouraged to communicate this with the Class Teacher.
Q. Who will watch out for my child at playtimes to make sure they are safe and well?
A. We have a well-trained team of Playground Assistants who organise games and activities. A very important part of their role is to keep a close eye on everything that is happening at lunch and break times and intervene if any child is feeling stressed or sad. For children who struggle with playtimes, perhaps due to SEND, we have a ‘Lunch Club’ that allows them to spend the time in a quieter way, and also a lunchtime ‘Gardening Club’ and other extra-curricular activities on offer. In addition, we appoint responsible children onto our ‘Friendship Squad’ to help ensure that children in the playground feel happy and included.
Q. What should I do if my child says that they do not want to come to school?
A. Talk to your child about any worries or concerns they may have. The first point of contact is the Class Teacher, who can address any concerns your child has shared or use their relationship with your child to encourage them in to the class. The Class Teacher will seek appropriate support if the issues are wider. Alternatively you can contact the Inclusion Leadership Team directly (for example, the Leader of Learning for Social, Emotional and Behavioural Needs or the Leader of Learning for Parents and Community).
Q. Who do I talk to about my child with SEND moving between Reception and Year 1 and between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2?
A. It depends on your child’s needs. The starting point would be your child’s current Class Teacher. You might then want to talk to the SENDCo as well, during the termly or year-end review.
Q. What happens when my child – who has a SEN statement/Education, Health and Care Plan – moves on to secondary school?
A. We invite parents and the secondary school SENDCo to take part in the Annual Review of the Statement/Education, Health and Care plan in year 5.
We then provide extra escorted and supported visits to the secondary school: these involve a tour of the school and a meeting with the person who will be responsible for the year group or class in secondary. We then discuss with the secondary SENDCo any extra support for each child depending on her or his needs. This often involves a “Buddy” arrangement meaning that a Year 8 child makes friends with the new pupil and helps her/him through the first term.
Q. What might change about my child’s support when he moves to secondary school?
A. Our SENDCo will make sure that the secondary school is fully aware of his needs and explains what was most effective and successful for him in the primary phases of education. The secondary school will then plan a programme of support suitable for the secondary curriculum.