SEND
At Mead Vale we are committed to providing a safe, secure yet challenging learning environment where all pupils feel confident and are able to flourish regardless of their additional needs. We recognise that some children require more support than others. If these children are to achieve their full potential, we must recognise this and plan accordingly. We acknowledge that many children will have a special educational need at some time in their school career.
Mrs. Bonney is the Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCo). She is a qualified teacher and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Mrs. Bonney can be contacted on the school telephone number 01934 511133 or via email office@meadvale.extendlearning.org.
Here is Mead Vale's SEND Information Report. The purpose of the SEND information report is to inform parents and carers about how we welcome, support and make effective provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
SEND Information Report
September 2023
At Mead Vale Primary School, we are committed to providing a safe, secure yet challenging learning environment where all children feel confident and are able to flourish regardless of their additional needs.
At Mead Vale Primary school, we recognise that some children require more support than others. If these children are to achieve their full potential, we must recognise this and plan accordingly.
We acknowledge many children will have a special educational need at some time in their school career. Some of these children may require additional support throughout their time in school, whilst others may need specific intervention for a brief period to help overcome more short-term needs.
 | Mrs Julie Bonney is the Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCO). She is a qualified teacher and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The SENDCO can be contacted on the school telephone number 01934 511133 or via email office@meadvale.extendlearning.org. |
How does the school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
The class teacher is responsible for the progress of each child in the class and will use on-going observations and assessments to identify any causes for concern. If you have concerns about your child's progress at Mead Vale School around any of the following; reading, writing, numbers, social and emotional development, behaviour/mental health communication, physical or sensory, the first person to speak to about your concerns is your child’s class teacher.
The class teacher will liaise with the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Julie Bonney if appropriate. The SENCO may observe your child and/or refer to outside agencies for further assessments such as:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Educational Psychologist
- Physiotherapist
- Community Pediatrician
- School Nurse
- Advisory Teachers
If any special educational needs are identified the SENCO will plan how to help your child with the involvement of both yourself and the class teacher. Your child’s help and progress may be recorded through an Individual Support Plan (ISP) or a provision map. Parents will be informed of the provision and interventions put in place to support their child’s development and of their progress throughout the year. Kelly Combstock, our Learning Mentor is also available to meet with parents to discuss any social and emotional issues which they feel may be affecting their child’s ability to learn. They can work with small groups and/or with individual children depending on the child’s specific needs. Appointments can be arranged via the school office. If you still have concerns that your child's needs are not being met, please do talk with the head teacher, Mrs Jo Jaloszynski.
What kind of additional needs do we support at Mead Vale?
Our school currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:
| Communication and Interaction | |
 | This includes for example, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Speech and Language difficulties. Childs with communication and interaction difficulties may or may not have learning difficulties. |
| Cognition and Learning | |
 | This includes general learning difficulties (moderate and severe) and specific learning difficulties. Severe learning difficulties include diagnoses such as Downs Syndrome and other genetic conditions. Specific learning difficulties include Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia (development coordination disorder). All children in this category have a form of learning difficulty. |
| Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH | |
 | Challenging behaviours are displayed for many reasons which may be indicative of underlying mental health difficulties (such as anxiety) or emotional issues (such as disordered attachment). Some children have disorders such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) which affects how they behave. It is crucial to look for the underlying causes of any difficulties with behavior and/or emotional state and aim to support these rather than just dealing with the presenting behaviour. For some children with SEMH difficulties, the nature of these difficulties mean that they will have learning difficulties, either temporary or long term. |
| Sensory and/or Physical Needs | |
 | This includes sensory impairments such as visual impairment and hearing impairment as well as physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy. These children do not necessarily have ‘learning difficulties’ in that cognitive functions may be average or above: some children do have associated learning difficulties. |
How does Mead Vale Primary identify children with special educational needs?
The SEND Code of Practice defines a child as having Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND): ‘Where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.’
The purpose of identification is to work out what action we need to take in order to address child’s particular needs. For some children, SEND can be identified at an early age. However, for other children difficulties become evident only as they develop. All staff are alert to emerging difficulties so we can respond early.
Additional needs are identified in the following ways:
- Observations by teachers and school staff
- Samples of the child’s work
- Child tracking and child progress meetings
- Discussions with parents and carers
- Planned meetings with SENDCO
- Liaising/discussing needs with previous school
- Working closely with health, social care and other professionals
We follow a graduated support approach, which is called Assess, Plan, Do, Review.
What can I expect as a parent or carer and how does Mead Vale support children with special educational needs?
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When a child has been identified as having SEND, school will take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective provision in place.
- The teacher, SENDCo, parent and child will work together to agree which interventions and support will be put into place.
- An Individual Support Plan (ISP) may be needed which outlines the provision in place, individual outcomes and a record of the interventions they have accessed.
- The outcomes recorded in the ISP will be reviewed 3 times a year in a meeting with the class teacher, parent and child.
- All teachers and support staff who work with the child will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required.
- This may be in the form of a pupil passport or a pastoral support plan.
- We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the child’s progress.
How do we support children when they are preparing for the next step?
Planning transitions forms part of the provision that we make for children with additional needs. In term 6, current class teachers and the SENDCo meet with your child’s new class teacher to share information and records.
Where additional transition is needed, this is developed to suit the individual child. This may involve:
- Additional visits to see the new teacher or school
- A moving up booklet with photos of the new classroom and teacher as well as, photos of things that are staying the same
- Parent meetings with the new teacher
- SENDCo from both schools meeting to discuss current and future provision and your child’s needs.
Throughout your child’s journey through Mead Vale Primary, we will consider the long-term goals and needs for your child. An Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be needed if an alternative to mainstream provision is being considered. An EHCP takes approximately 20 weeks and so needs to be started by the beginning of year 5 if it is to be used to apply for a specialist secondary setting. EHCPs can be applied for by parents or school.
Please click on the link below to view North Somerset EHCP guidance
Educational Health Care Plans in North Somerset
How does Mead Vale approach teaching children with special educational needs?
We ensure that all our children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum, which is adapted to meet individual needs and abilities. Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the children in their class. High quality teaching is our first step in responding to children who have a special education need. This will be differentiated for individual children.
Teaching of children with special educational needs takes place primarily in the classroom. However, your child may sometimes be part of smaller, flexible, targeted group. These interventions will focus on specific skills and needs such as handwriting, mathematics, phonics, emotional well-being, resilience and reading.
How will specialised expertise be secured?
We work with the following agencies:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health)
- Community Pediatrician
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- School Nurse
- School Placement Service
- Autism and Social Communication Enhanced Provision team
- Sensory Support Service
We work closely with these agencies to ensure that children have the right equipment to help them in school. Referrals to these outside agencies and support services are subject to their own guidelines and time frames. Concerns from home and school are included when referring to an outside agency. However, it may be that you need to speak your family doctor to be referred to some services. We can advise you on the best route.
Where is the local authority’s local offer published?
The local authority local offer will be published on the North Somerset Council Website. All
information which is currently available can be found by using the following link:
How does Mead Vale evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for children with special educational needs?
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How does the Mead Vale School adapt the curriculum and learning environment for children with special educational needs?
- Work is differentiated for children which are matched at the level they are working at.
- Activities will be adapted to suit children’s interests to motivate their learning.
- Children with special educational needs are given scaffolds and resources to help them access these activities.
- Visual timetables, visual cues and easily accessible apparatus/equipment is available to the children to help promote independence.
- Some children will have their own individual work station to help them stay focused for some activities.
- Some children will be working on specific targets set by school or outside agencies at different times throughout the week.
What additional support for learning is available to children with additional needs?
Children are assessed initially to discover the most appropriate support for the child. Support may be individual or group support with a Teaching Assistant or a Learning Support Assistant. Appropriate activities which address the child’s specific area/s of need would be put in place. Some children may work in small groups with an adult throughout the week to support their learning or they may be withdrawn from class to work on specific targets to support their learning. All support staff working with children with additional needs adapt and modify activities so that the children can access them. They will use symbols and Makaton where appropriate to further differentiate language and communication.
They include:
- Speech & Language, including Makaton
- Social, Emotional & Mental Health support through nurture groups
- Cognition & Learning groups
- Physical support, including fine and gross motor skills
How are children with SEND enabled to engage in activities available in school?
 | We actively encourage children with special educational needs to participate in all aspects of the school curriculum. This includes our regular attendance at sporting events and extra- curricular clubs, participating in residential visits and in community events and performances. Year group activities and trips, as well as swimming lessons are risk assessed and accessible to all children.
Please click the below link to view our accessibility policy and plan: |
What support does Mead Vale have for improving emotional and social development of children?
Our PSHE curriculum supports the social and emotional needs of all children. This is supported by class circle time, which helps address specific needs, as they arise. For those children with particular social and emotional needs, additional mentorship, nurture groups or targeted intervention groups are made available. The school’s anti-bullying policy outlines the school’s approach to all instances of bullying. All children are taught about bullying and how to prevent it. This is supported by the use of our anti-bullying ambassadors and assembly time to reinforce positive behaviour and themed weeks, which focus on bullying and child wellbeing.
What are the arrangements for supporting children who are looked after by the LA and have SEND?
Mrs Rebecca Perry is our designated person with responsibility for Children Looked After (CLA). She will attend Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings, PEP reviews and liaise closely with the Virtual School. Mrs Rebecca Perry and Mrs Julie Bonney will liaise to oversee provision that is put into place to support the child’s special educational need and will attend child progress meetings and reviews.
What are the arrangements for handling complaints from parents about the SEND provision made at school?
| The first person to contact to share any concerns you may have is your child’s class teacher. Parents and/or the class teacher may want the SENDCo to join the conversation – this is often helpful when a child has more complex barriers to their learning. Experience tells us that this is the most helpful way to solve frustrations. If this is not possible, a parent or carer can use the school’s complaint process. A copy of this can be obtained from the school office or on our website. |  |
Parents of children with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if you believe that a school has discriminated against your children. You can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:
- Exclusions
- Provision of education and associated service
Contact details of support services for parents of children with special educational needs
Supportive Parents and North Somerset Parents and Carers Working Together can help parents with paperwork for meetings, reading or responding to letters and reports, statutory assessments, written contributions, reviews and planning. We can arrange face to face appointments if needed. They also run free SEND events for young people, parents and carers and also offer some support ‘surgeries’ in local areas. We provide training for SENCO’s, school governors, educational psychologists and others.
North Somerset Parents and Carers Working Together
Monitoring arrangements
This policy and information report will be reviewed by the SENDCO every year.
It will also be updated if any changes to the information are made during the year.
The local governing body will approve it.
All other policies linked to this policy can be found on our school website using the following link:
Mead Vale Primary School Policies