Provision for pupils with Special Needs

1   What kinds of SEND provision are provided at our school?

Parklands Community Primary and Nursery School is a mainstream primary school that seeks to give all children strong foundations from which they may become successful, independent learners for life. We believe in learning for all; including those with special needs in communication and interaction, cognition and learning, those with social, emotional and mental health needs and sensory or physical difficulties.

2    How do we identify children and young people with SEND and how do we assess their needs?

We identify pupils with SEND through a wide range of assessments and screening tools. These include NFER assessments for reading and maths, spelling dictations, writing stamina checks, maths and number assessments, dyslexia and dyscalculia screeners, alongside ongoing formative assessment within the classroom.

We also draw on advice from external professionals such as community paediatrics, Speech and Language Therapists, and other health or specialist services. Their guidance helps us understand pupils’ needs more precisely and ensures that support is well‑matched and evidence‑based.

The school operates a ‘To Monitor’ SEND Register, which is used for pupils who are showing early signs that they may require SEND support in the future. These pupils are closely tracked to ensure any emerging needs are identified promptly and addressed through appropriate classroom strategies or early intervention.

All pupils are monitored throughout each term using our Insight online system. Where concerns arise, actions are taken at the earliest opportunity, either through class‑based support or targeted interventions, to ensure needs are addressed swiftly and effectively.

Pupils who require additional support are tracked using the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle. Progress and targets are reviewed regularly and shared with the child and their parents/carers so that support remains transparent, collaborative and responsive.

3    Who is our SENCo
(Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator)

Mr Snowden

You can contact them on 0151 306 5113

Mr Snowden: dsnowden@parklands.cheshire.sch.uk

Miss Stanley also supports with SEND.

Our SEND Governors are Mr A Dybacz and Mr S Fry

4    How do we involve parents of children with SEND?

We pride ourselves on the close involvement we have with our parents/carers. Class teachers are always available to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have and to share information about what is working well at home and school, so that similar strategies can be used.
The SENCo is also available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns/worries you may have.

All children on the SEND Register have either a learning plan or a SEND Profile, which consists of individual targets will be reviewed with your involvement termly.

You can also discuss any concerns with one of our Pastoral Lead, Mrs Millett-Reid. We have an open door policy at Parklands and parents/carers are welcomed in to share their expert knowledge about their child.

5    How will school staff support my child?

In order to meet the needs of all children, teachers will adapt teaching and learning through planning and resourcing. Where children are identified as having SEND, the school will provide for those additional needs in a range of ways as appropriate. The provision offered to pupils with SEND is determined by their individual needs and may include targeted support within the classroom, small-group or one-to-one interventions, differentiated learning activities and resources, specialist equipment, and personalised programmes of support. Our staff work collaboratively to identify barriers to learning, implement appropriate interventions and monitor their impact. Through regular review and partnership with parents, carers and external professionals where appropriate, we ensure that provision is effective, inclusive and focused on enabling every pupil to thrive both academically and personally.

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

All children have an entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum, adapted to enable them to both understand the relevance and purpose of learning activities, as well as experience levels of understanding and rates of progress that develop feelings of success and achievement.
Teachers will use a range of strategies to meet each child’s educational needs. Lessons will have clear learning objectives; learning will be differentiated appropriately and assessment will be used to inform the next stage of learning.  Individual education/behaviour targets, employing a small steps approach, will feature significantly in the provision made in the school. This involves breaking learning down into finely graded steps and targets to ensure that children experience success. Children will be supported in such a way that acknowledges their entitlement to share the same learning experiences that their peers enjoy although there may be occasions when, to maximise learning, children will work in small groups or one to one situations away from the classroom.

7    What specialism services, experience, training and support are available or accessed by the school?

Within school we have a highly skilled team with a wide range of specialist expertise. Staff hold qualifications and training in areas including the National SENCo Award, autism awareness, sleep counselling, self‑harm awareness, WellComm, Motor Skills United, Lego Therapy, attachment and trauma, bereavement support, ELKLAN (speech and language), and ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support).

Our SENCo holds a Master’s degree in Special Educational Needs alongside a range of additional specialist qualifications.

We also work closely with external professionals to ensure children receive the most appropriate support. This includes speech and language therapists, the school doctor and nurse, educational psychologists, play therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, inclusion consultants, early years inclusion specialists, the autism team, the Cognition and Learning Team, and CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).

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

All children will be included and specific arrangements made for school trips. A thorough risk assessment will be carried out by the trip leader with a visit to the location prior to the visit. Access will be considered and any specialist equipment that may be sought.

9    How accessible is the school?

Parklands Community Primary and Nursery School is fully wheelchair accessible and there is disabled toileting and changing facilities.
The school has a loop system for additional auditory needs.

We have two dedicated spaces in school that support children’s wellbeing, regulation and sensory needs. Our Butterfly Room provides a calm environment where pupils can complete Sensory Circuits or take time to relax and reset when needed.

We also have our S Club Room, which offers a structured and supportive space for children who find the lunch hall or busy breaktimes challenging. This room is used for Sensory Circuits, small‑group activities, and lunchtime support to help pupils feel settled, safe and ready for learning.

Our Accessibility Plan also provides further details.

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

Targets will be shared with the new teacher. A one page profile will be shared which contains information about particular preferences or needs your child has.
In the summer term, children get to spend an extended transition period with their new teacher.

In Year 5:

For children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan the SENCo will hold a transition review meeting which will include parents and a member of the local authority to discuss appropriate provision for secondary school.

In Year 6:

The SENCo will discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENCo of the child’s secondary school. In most cases, your child will participate in focussed learning relating to aspects of transition to support their understanding of the changes ahead. Where possible, your child will visit their new school on several occasions and is some cases staff from their new school will visit your child in this school.  If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan or receives Top-Up Funding then the Y6 annual review will be in the Summer Term and include the SENCo from the secondary school they are to attend.

SEND support is characterised by intervention that is different from, or additional to, the normal differentiated curriculum. SEND support intervention can be triggered in a number of ways, for example, where a child: makes little or no progress over time, demonstrates difficulty in developing basic literacy or numeracy skills, shows persistent emotional/behavioural difficulties which are not affected by behaviour management strategies, has sensory/physical problems, and makes little progress despite the provision of specialist equipment, experiences communication/interaction difficulties and makes little or no progress despite experiencing a differentiated curriculum.
 

If the school decides, after consultation with parents/carers, that a child requires additional support to make progress, the SENCo, in collaboration with teachers, will support the assessment of the child and have an input in planning future support. The class teacher will remain responsible for planning and delivering the individualised programmes. Parents/carers will be informed of the actions and results.

The school will seek parental consent before any external agencies are involved. The resulting individual plan will incorporate specialist strategies. These may be implemented by the class teacher but may involve other adults.

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

The school will request an Education, Health and Care Plan Needs Assessment or Top-Up Funding from the local authority when, despite an individualised programme of sustained intervention within SEN support, the child remains a significant cause for concern. An Education, Health and Care Plan Assessment may also be requested by a parent or outside agency. The school would then supply the following information:

•       Interventions made at SEN support

•       current and evaluated targets

•       Records and outcomes of the reviews

•       Information on the child’s health and relevant medical history

•       School assessment outcomes

•       Other relevant assessments from specialists, such as support teachers and educational psychologists

•       The views of the parent

•       Where possible the views of the child

•       Any other involvement by professionals

•       Attendance records