Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) information for Coston Primary School

At Coston Primary School we strive to provide an ambitious and child centered curriculum, which fosters our core values of: Respect, Resilience, Empathy, Teamwork, Reflective and Inclusive. These are foundational principles which empower every child to grow, develop and thrive, irrespective of barriers and or differing starting points. 

Our School’s Approach to Supporting Pupils with SEND

At Coston Primary School we believe that all of our children are entitled to an education which enables them make the best possible progress, become confident individuals and feel that they are a valued member of the wider school community. We are an inclusive school that values the different experiences, capabilities and strengths of each child in a caring, supportive environment that provides equal opportunities for all. We aim to secure access, participation and success for children with a range of needs. We promote a culture of equality of opportunity and high achievement for all children. 

We aim to:

• embrace and celebrate every child's uniqueness
• treat all children and their families equally and with respect
• include and support every child, regardless of ethnic background, culture, language, gender, socio-economic background or disability
• ensure that every child has the opportunity to participate in all aspects of school life.

 Catering for Different Kinds of SEND

Our school accommodates various types of SEND, including:

• Specific Learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyscalculia
• Speech, language and Communication needs, including Autism
• Sensory and physical needs, such as hearing and visual impairments
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs

Key Staff and Expertise

Lead staff within our SEND team include:

Assistant Head Teacher for Inclusion – SENCO: Mrs. Browne – responsible for whole school SEND

Outreach Manager: Miss Patti, responsible for providing specialist training and support for teachers and support staff at Coston and across the London Borough of Ealing, in relation to pupils with Autism

ARP Phase Leader: Miss Street – supports in the daily running of the ARP with a responsibility for the Independent Living Skills Curriculum.

Identifying and Assessing Pupils with SEND

A child has a special need if they have a learning difficulty or disability which requires special educational provision to be made for them.

A child with special needs could have difficulties with:

• All of the work in school
• Reading, writing, numbers or understanding information
• Expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying
• Making friends or relating to people
• Organising themselves
• Personal care
• Understanding and meeting school expectations.

They may also have a sensory or physical health need which may affect them in school.

Each child is unique, and therefore we take time to assess every child before they enter Coston Primary School, and throughout their school life with us. Once we are certain that a child will be starting at our school we begin the process of finding out as much information as possible to ensure their transition into school is as smooth as possible. This also ensures that we are able to plan appropriately for their individual needs and put in place strategies and, if necessary, the resources that will enable the child to make progress.

We will assess each pupil’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, which will build on previous settings and Key Stages, where appropriate.

Class teachers will make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:

• Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
• Fails to match or improve upon the child’s previous rate of progress
• Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
• Widens the attainment gap

This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs. Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEND. Evidence which helps us build up a picture of a child includes:

• Information from parents
• Engagement in learning
• Relationships with teachers and other school staff
• Relationships with peers
• Feedback from other professionals
• Teacher assessments
• Other information e.g. behaviour logs, welfare logs

External agencies are contacted when the school feel they need additional support/advice to meet the needs of individual children. Parents will be consulted and permission requested before this occurs.

Who should I contact to discuss concerns or needs of my child?

In the first instance parents should contact your child’s class teacher.

The class teacher provides:

• High quality teaching and learning which is adapted and personalized, in response to the strengths and needs of all pupils.
• Ongoing monitoring of progress in order to identify, plan for and deliver adaptations and/or additional support as required for learning
• Advice on ways in which you can help your child at home.
• Progress reviews for the pupils they teach with the Senior Leadership Team at termly Pupil Standards meetings.

Educational Health and Care Plans (EHCP’s)

• The majority of children with SEN or disability will have their needs assessed and met by the school, in some cases with assistance from outside specialist agencies. A small number of children may need to have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC plan) assessment from the local authority.
• EHC plans will be for children and young people who have a special educational need or disability that cannot be met by support that is usually available in a school.
• Having an EHC plan means the different agencies that provide a child’s education, health and social care support will need to work more closely together to help a child achieve their goals and make sure they are supported in the best way possible.

If you would like further information or advice please contact the SENCo: Mrs Browne

Progressing Towards Outcomes – How do I know how well my child is doing?

Ongoing assessment takes place by class teachers to identify pupils who are not making adequate progress. Following further assessments and after discussions with key staff and parents, additional support may be put into place to help overcome any difficulties.

Class teachers will:

• Carefully monitor every child’s progress, and having decided on any gaps in their understanding/learning will implement extra support to help them make the best possible progress.
• Lessons will be adapted according to the specific needs of all groups of children. They will be reviewed at the end of each session and subsequent lesson adapted to meet specific needs.
• Specific resources and strategies may be used to support children individually and in small groups.
• The school will follow the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ model to identify children who need additional support – parents and children are involved in this process.
• Review and regularly update parents about children’s progress, this can take place at Parents meetings, via phone or email or during Annual Review meetings.

  

 Consulting with Pupils and Parents

To foster effective communication and collaboration, we hold termly parent consultations. These structured meetings provide a forum for discussing the student’s progress, setting future targets, and reviewing the effectiveness of support measures in place. For pupils with Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), we conduct Annual Reviews. These comprehensive sessions assess the ongoing appropriateness of the EHCP, allowing adjustments based on the pupil's evolving needs and accomplishments.

In addition to these formal consultations, we host curriculum showcase events throughout the school year. These events offer parents and students a hands-on look at the learning that has taken place that term within a specific subject and the materials their children are engaging with, as well as the opportunity to see adaptations and resources in action.

We also recognize the importance of flexibility and responsiveness in meeting the needs of our SEND community. Therefore, we offer informal meetings at the request of parents and pupils. These meetings can be pivotal for addressing specific concerns or changes in the pupil's condition or learning environment. By maintaining open lines of communication, we ensure that all parties are informed, involved, and confident in the educational journey of our pupils with SEND.

Involving Key Stakeholders

We collaborate with local authorities, health professionals, social services, and other educational bodies to deliver a holistic support system that addresses all aspects of our pupils’ development.

Transition Support

Transitions made to and from the school are managed carefully to ensure there is clear communication between all parties involved.

• For children entering into Nursery or Reception there is a four-week transition programme held in the Summer Term which is carefully planned to support the children in settling into the new environment and in getting to know the staff.
• For children entering at nursery age, or into Reception from a different setting, home visits are arranged and attended by the Nursery or Reception teacher. If there are identified SEND then the SENCO will be consulted, and may attend where appropriate.
•  For all children entering Coston, the school will have contact with their previous setting to gather information that will allow pupils to settle in and be supported appropriately. If appropriate, an individual transition programme may be created to support the change of school.
• When children leave Coston during their primary years, we contact the receiving school to pass over important information which may support the transition process. Visits may also be arranged with a member of Coston staff if appropriate to help prepare the child for the move.
• When children leave Coston to move onto secondary school transitions are carefully managed – this includes some or all of the following, depending on pupil needs: visiting their new setting, key staff from the new school visiting Coston, preparing for high school pupil workshops, successful high school transition workshops for parents.

Teaching Approach

Teachers are highly skilled at adapting teaching to meet the diverse range of needs in each class. Adaptations involve a variety of teaching methods, including practical tasks, visual and auditory stimuli, in order to support access and increase engagement. As a result, all pupils have the opportunity to experience success and challenge in their learning.

Adaptations to the Curriculum and Learning Environment

Groups are organised flexibly, with opportunities for children to work in both ability and mixed ability groups to maximise learning opportunities for all.

Additional adults are used to help groups and individual pupils, with a long-term goal of developing independent learning skills.

Alongside planned adaptations in the classroom some children with SEND need something additional to, or different from that which is provided for the majority of children. The following range of interventions is in place to help overcome a range of difficulties.

Examples of these include:

Language Enrichment Groups (Nursey and Reception)

These groups are designed by a Speech and Language Therapist and led by the staff in the Nursery. They work with a small group of children to develop communication skills.

Therapeutic Interventions

For pupils who receive therapeutic support, such as speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) or Occupational Therapy (OT) they may also have a personalized support programme with suggested interventions. Many of their strategies and recommendations can be provided within the classroom. However, some may require separate interventions, such as sensory circuits or activities to support the development of specific speech sounds.

Box Clever (Reception and KS1)

Box Clever provides opportunities for children to improve their speaking and listening skills in a small group with support from a trained adult. The programme will help to develop vocabulary, use of sentences, story-telling skills and confidence in communication.

Phonics

All pupils at Coston follow the Little Wandle Phonics programme. Little Wandle supports learners with SEND by incorporating daily "keep up" activities that reinforce foundational skills and concepts, ensuring consistent practice and understanding. Additionally, the program offers "rapid catch-up" interventions that target specific areas of difficulty identified through ongoing assessments, providing focused support to address learning gaps swiftly. Through this structured approach, learners with SEND receive personalized attention and interventions tailored to their needs, promoting accelerated progress and attainment.

                                                

Guided Reading Groups

Little Wandle also extends to 3 X weekly group reading sessions for all pupils. These are organized by ability, with carefully selected reading materials tailored to individual pupils' reading levels. The sessions offer multi-sensory strategies to enhance comprehension, and providing targeted support to develop key literacy skills including decoding, prosody and comprehension.

Additional Booster groups

As required pupils may access short term interventions to target and develop key skills within English and Maths. Examples may include. developing number knowledge or improving sentence structure for writing. Pupils are identified for these sessions through ongoing teacher assessment and within pupil standards meetings with the senior leadership team.

                                

Nurture Groups 

Our Nurture Groups support children’s social and emotional development.

The main focus is to offer children opportunities to communicate, understand and manage their feelings and emotions.

The sessions are well planned to cater for individual needs of the children and include opportunities for them to develop social and academic skills within an alternative, supportive environment in which the trained adults support children to learn.

Supporting Emotional and Social Development

Place2Be

Place2Be offers crucial support to all pupils, including those with SEND at Coston through a range of services centered around social, emotional and mental health. Alice Patten - Place2Be lead counsellor collaborates closely with Miss Moyse, Mrs Browne, teaching staff and parents to target support for those in need, addressing specific challenges and promote holistic development. Alice and her small team of trained counselors understand the unique requirements of all pupils, including those with SEND, providing a safe and inclusive environment where they can explore their emotions, develop coping strategies, and build self-confidence. Through targeted interventions and therapeutic activities, Place2Be empowers pupils with SEND to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, ensuring that they have equal opportunities to succeed and participate fully in school life. For more information on the services provided through Place2Be at Coston please contact admin@coston.ealing.sch.uk

Inclusivity in Activities

All school activities are designed to be inclusive, allowing pupils of all abilities to participate fully from classroom lessons to extracurricular clubs and events. Pupils across the school have the opportunity to participate in after school clubs, represent the school within sporting competitions, and apply for pupil roles such as Reading Ambassadors and House Captains.

Evaluating Effectiveness

We regularly evaluate the effectiveness of our SEND provisions through feedback from pupils, parents, staff and Governors, performance data, and external inspections, including Ealing Learning Partnership, adapting practices as necessary to enhance our support. We work closely with local schools to moderate learning and provision. Furthermore, we are part of the Challenge Partners group, which encompasses schools around the country.

Handling Complaints

If parents wish to make a complaint they should initially refer to the school's Complaints Policy. The first stage is to discuss any issues with the class teacher. If they wish to take any complaint further, the SENCo, Mrs Browne

can then be contacted by telephone, in person or in writing (by letter or email). If still not satisfied they can complain formally to the Head Teacher, Miss Kate Moyse by arranging a meeting through the school office. If once these routes have been tried it is still felt the matter has not been addressed they can contact the Chair of Governors through the school office.

Local Offer

Our Local Offer details the support available for children and young people with SEND in our area and is available for review on the local authority's website and our school’s SEND page.

Local Offers 

Named Contacts

For more information or specific inquiries, please contact:

• SENCO, Mrs. Browne: c/o admin@coston.ealing.sch.uk
• Head Teacher, Miss Moyse: c/o head@coston.ealing.sch.uk

 

Additional Support

This report aims to provide clarity and transparency on how Coston Primary supports our SEND pupils, ensuring that they have the opportunities and resources necessary to thrive. For further information, please visit our school website or contact the admin team to arrange a meeting with Mrs Browne.