Inclusion and SEN

What is SEN?

If your child is on the SEN register it means they have a special educational need. A special educational need is defined by the 2014 code of practice in the following way:
Children and young people with SEN all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children and young people of the same age. These children and young people may need extra or different help from that given to others.

If your child’s first language is not English, does that mean they have a learning difficulty?

The law says that children and young people do not have learning difficulties just because their first language is not English, although, of course, some of these children and young people may have learning difficulties as well.

How common is SEN?

Many children and young people will have SEN of some kind at some time during their education. Schools can help most children and young people succeed with some changes to their practice or additional support. But some children and young people will need extra help for some or all of their time in education and training.

What types of SEN are there?

Children and young people with SEN may need extra help because of a range of needs.

Communicating and interacting – for example, where children and young people have speech, language and communication difficulties which make it difficult for them to make sense of language or to understand how to communicate effectively and appropriately with others

Cognition and learning – for example, where children and young people learn at a slower pace than others their age, have difficulty in understanding parts of the curriculum, have difficulties with organisation and memory skills, or have a specific difficulty affecting one particular part of their learning performance such as in literacy or numeracy

Social, emotional and mental health difficulties – for example, where children and young people have difficulty in managing their relationships with other people, are withdrawn, or if they behave in ways that may hinder their and other children’s learning, or that have an impact on their health and wellbeing

Sensory and/or physical needs – for example, children and young people with visual and/or hearing impairments, or a physical need that means they must have additional ongoing support and equipment

Some children and young people may have SEN that covers more than one of these areas.

What are the levels of SEN?

Your child will usually only be placed on the SEN register if they are accessing additional help in school which is above what is offered to the majority of children.

SEN support

Any support your child gets from their school should meet their needs.

If your child has SEN, they will be able to access help – called SEN support – from school. This support may involve access to professionals such as the Educational Psychologist.

EHCP

EHCP standards for an Education, Health and Care Plan.  This replaces the old document ‘Statement’.

An EHCP is a legal document that describes the child or young person’s special educational needs and associated health and social care needs, sets out the provision and support they must receive and names a school or other placement. An EHCP will also outline the child or young person’s goals and ambitions in life and describe the outcomes sought for the child or young person. It can be requested from the local authority by the child’s parents, the school or a healthcare professional.

If my child has SEN does this mean that they require an EHCP?

No. In fact, only a small percentage of children with SEN have Statements/EHCPs. About 20% of children in schools nationally are said to have SEN whereas only 2-3% of all children have a Statement/EHCP. This means that around 85-90% of children with SEN do not have a Statement/EHCP. An EHCP is only issued if the child’s needs cannot be met within the resources normally available to mainstream schools in the area and if the school cannot reasonably be expected to provide the support. The vast majority of children with SEN will have their needs met at the school-based levels of support.

How does Rushy Meadow support children with SEN?

The SENCo (Kate Sims) meets with class teachers and TAs each term to discuss the SEN children in each class.  Every child is discussed and specific targets are put into place which are reviewed at the next meeting.  Parents are also invited to comment through a letter sent home at the end of a term to help inform the review of these targets and set new targets.  Support is put into place to help the children achieve these targets.

Support takes the form of:

• Interventions – 1:1 or small groups working on specific learning or social skills
• Work with a therapist or doing a programme set by a therapist – Occupational Therapy (OT) or Speech And Language Therapy (SALT)
• Extra adult support in class
• Differentiated work in class or extra resources

What should I do if I have questions?

If you would like to know about your child’s progress or work in class, you should arrange to meet the class teacher or speak to him/her at parents’ evenings.
Any other queries, please arrange to meet the SENCo – Kate Sims.

Sutton Local Offer

Discover the support and services available for children and young people with SEND in Sutton. The Local Offer provides a range of resources and information about what you can access in the local area. Visit the Sutton Information Hub to explore the Local Offer: https://suttoninformationhub.org.uk/pages/send-local-offer

Autism Support- free for all parents

1. Autism Support Map which highlights advice and services Autism Support Map (cognus.org.uk)
2. Monthly surgeries for parents and families to seek advice and support from our Cognus Autism Champions. These are scheduled video calls (on Teams), where parents and families can book a 30-minute slot to discuss their child’s needs and receive signposting and support focused on practical solution-focused escalation prevention. Parents and families can request a slot by emailing the theautismservice@cognus.org.uk.
3. Termly workshops either face-to-face or delivered virtually. These are promoted via Facebook, by following ‘Cognus Autism Service’ and on X (Twitter), by following ‘Cognus Autism Support’. Parents and families can request a place by emailing theautismservice@cognus.org.uk.
4. Practical strategies and tips videos for parents and carers on the Cognus YouTube channel ‘Cognus Limited’ Cognus Limited - YouTube.

Speech and Language Therapy

Click here to learn about speech and language therapy in Sutton.

Speech and Language Therapy – Cognus

Speech and Language Therapy Leaflet

Occupational Therapy

Click below for more information about Occupational Therapy in Sutton.

Occupational Therapy – Cognus

Occupational Therapy Leaflet

Sutton Graduated Response to Therapies

Advice and Resources – Cognus

Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA Support)

How do Rushy Meadow Primary Academy provide ELSA support?

At Rushy Meadow we have 3 fully trained ELSAs who are overseen by the inclusion Lead ( Kate Sims).

Assessment for ELSA Support

• Staff can refer children who they think may benefit from this intervention and will always speak to parents before starting this
• There will always be a meeting with key members of staff; this may include the Inclusion Leader, ELSAs and Class Teacher.

When, Where, How?

• There is a dedicated area of the school for the intervention to take place in the ELSA room. This is a quiet space where staff and children will not be disrupted
• One to one work –Weekly sessions of around 40 minutes
• Daily or weekly check ins
• Bubble club is run by ELSAs and open during lunch time daily
• Some children may have a social skills group ( in pairs, or small groups)
• Programmes are usually based on a 6-8 week plan.

Type of Content Covered in Sessions

• Circle time activities
• Creative/imaginative play
• Puppet/drama therapy
• Art
• Drawing and talking
• Team building games

All sessions are designed to be informal and relaxed. Building a positive relationship between the child and the ELSA will enable them to work together in order to support the child’s emotional and social wellbeing.

Post reviews and continued support

• Teachers fill in an assessment form before and after. They will meet to discuss the child’s progress (in and out of class) at the end of the program.
• Your child's progress is carefully and confidentially recorded.
• All work is kept.
• Children will have a chance to review their progress at the end of their program.
• As a parent/carer, the ELSA can work with you to discuss plans for continuing the support whilst at home.
• Even when interventions have finished, the ELSA and Class Teacher will still monitor your child’s progress and may offer support again if it is thought necessary.

If you would like further advice or wish to talk to an ELSA at Rushy Meadow then please feel free to contact them via the school office.