Special Educational Needs

At Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary School we care about all our children. We want to help every child achieve their best.

Some children will need additional help or support for some or all of their time at school.

If you have any questions then please contact the SENCO ( Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator):

Mrs Katherine Hainsworth
Email: sen.birkenshawprimary@kirkleeseducation.uk

Click on the questions to view each section’s details of the Kirklees Local Offer and Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary’s SEND information.

The Local Offer – What does it mean?

What is the Kirklees Local Offer?
The Local Offer has been developed as part of the new Children and Families Act. It aims to
provide information on education, health and social care provision available for disabled children
and young people and those with special educational needs and disabilities, in a way that can be accessed
quickly and easily.

Who is producing the Local Offer?
Kirklees Council is working with parents, young people, schools, colleges, early years providers
and health services to produce the Local Offer.

What information do schools provide?
Schools have a duty to provide information about special educational needs and disabilities that is accessible to pupils, parents and carers. We need to make sure this information is kept up to date.

Where can I find the Local Offer?
The Kirklees Local Offer can be found at www.kirkleeslocaloffer.org.uk. All Kirklees maintained
schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and are supported by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. All schools are supported to be as inclusive as possible, with the needs of pupils with a Special Educational Needs and or Disability being met in a mainstream setting wherever possible, where families want this to happen.

Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary SEND Information Report - Introduction

Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary School aims to be an inclusive school. We actively seek to remove the
barriers to learning so all pupils can achieve their potential personally, socially, emotionally and
academically in all areas of the curriculum (regardless of their gender, ethnicity, social
background, religion, sexual identity, physical ability or educational needs). Pupils are identified
as having SEND when they have a greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the
same age and/or a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational
facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age within the areas of the Local
Authority. Once we have identified a pupil as having SEND we work collaboratively with the family
and appropriate agencies, implementing specific needs-based plans, which support the pupil’s
development and accelerate progress.

Our Local Offer is intended to give you the information regarding the approaches we use to ensure
all of our pupils are supported, including those with SEND, in order that they can achieve their full
potential.

All Kirklees maintained schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and are supported by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. All schools are supported to be as inclusive as possible, with the needs of pupils with a Special Educational
Needs and/or Disability being met in a mainstream setting wherever possible, where families want
this to happen.

Who has responsibility for SEND provision at Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary?

Type of school Church of England Controlled School
Specialist provision on site None
Headteacher Mrs Rebecca Martin
SENCO Mrs Katherine Hainsworth
Governor with responsibility for SEND Mr Richard McKirgan
School office Email office.birkenshawprimary@kirkleeseducation.uk
Senco Email sen.birkenshawprimary@kirkleeseducation.uk
School office Telephone 01274 651232
SENCO team Telephone 01274 651232
Local offer website link www.kirkleeslocaloffer.org.uk
Age Range 4 – 11 years
Funding Kirklees LA

Admission of pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

Students with SEND are allocated places in two separate & distinct ways:

Those pupils with EHCPs have a separate admissions procedure overseen by Kirklees
SEND team.
Those pupils who have SEND but do not have an EHCP are admitted via the normal school
admissions criteria.

Detailed information and guidance of how to apply for a place at Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary both if your child has an EHCP, or if they have special needs but do not have an EHCP, can be found on
the following link:

https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/schools-and-education.aspx#admissions

Who are the best people to talk to in school about my child’s difficulties with learning/
Special Educational Needs (SEN)?

The SENCO: Mrs Katherine Hainsworth

The SENCO is responsible for:

Coordinating all the support for children with special educational needs and disability
(SEND) and developing the school’s SEND Policy to make sure all children get a
consistent, high quality response to meeting their needs in school.
Ensuring that you are:
involved in supporting your child’s learning
kept informed about the support your child is getting
involved in reviewing how they are doing
part of planning ahead for them.
Liaising with all the other people who may be coming into school to help support your child’s learning e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology etc...
Updating the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring all the SEND needs of pupils in this school are known) and making sure that there are excellent records of your child’s progress and needs.
To provide specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school so they can help your child (and other pupils with SEND in the school) achieve the best possible progress in school.

Class teachers

They are responsible for:

Checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any
additional help your child may need (this could be things like targeted work, additional
support) and letting the SENCO know as necessary.
Ensuring that all staff working with your child in school and are supported to deliver the
planned work/programme for your child, so they can achieve the best possible progress.
This may involve the use of additional adults, outside specialist help and specially planned
work and resources.
Ensuring that the school’s SEND and Teaching and Learning Policy is followed in their
classroom, and for all the pupils they teach with any SEND.

Head teacher: Mrs Rebecca Martin

She is responsible for:

The day to day management of all aspects of the school, this includes the support for
children with SEND.
She will give responsibility and delegate to the SENCO team and class/subject teachers but
is still responsible for ensuring that your child’s needs are met.
She must make sure that the Governing Body is kept up to date about any issues in the
school relating to SEND.

SEND Governor: Mr Richard McKirgan

He is responsible for:

Making sure that the necessary support is made for any child who attends the school who
has SEND.

How could my child get help in school?

Children in school will get support that is specific to their individual needs.

This may be all provided by the class teacher or may involve:

Other staff in the school such as the SENCO, teaching assistants, the Learning Mentor
Staff who will visit the school from the Local Authority central services such as the Sensory
Service (for students with a hearing or visual need)
Staff who visit from outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy (SALT)
Service and Educational Psychology Service

What are the different types of support available for children at Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary?

Our school provision map shows the range of interventions in place in our school which may
be used when we identify a need for additional support.
When the school identifies the need for additional intervention to enable a pupil to make
expected progress, the parents/carers will be informed of the planned support. If the pupil
meets the criteria for special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), a support plan will be
created, detailing the exact support the pupil will receive at Wave 1, Wave 2 and Wave 3; a
copy of this will be provided to parents.
We will monitor the progress of all children receiving additional support to ensure that the
provision we have put in place is having the impact we are expecting.

How will the curriculum match my child’s needs?

All teachers are provided with information on the needs of individual pupils so that they can
plan the learning within our curriculum to ensure that all pupils are able to make progress.
Differentiation is planned for groups and individuals according to need: for example, for a child
who has Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), teachers will use simplified
language and/or pictures to support them to understand new vocabulary.
Parents and carers are consulted to discuss where changes or adaptions can be made to the
curriculum to support a child’s individual needs

How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support
my child’s learning?

Termly support plan reviews, Parents’ Evenings (Autumn & Spring) and Annual Reports
(Summer) give all parents and carers regular feedback on their child’s up to date academic
levels, individual reading, writing and maths targets and any behavioural, emotional or social
difficulties.
When appropriate, parents/carers may be contacted mid-term to discuss the support that the
school are providing and how they can help their child at home: this may be a phone call or a
meeting
Your child’s progress is continually monitored by their teachers, Key Stage leader, SENCO and
Headteacher.

How can I let the school know I am concerned about my child’s progress?

If you have concerns about your child’s progress you should speak to your child’s teacher
initially.
The concerns may need referring if your child is still not making progress, speak to the
SENCO, Katherine Hainsworth.
If you continue to feel that your child is still not making progress you should speak to the
Headteacher or the school SEND Governor.

How is the extra support allocated to pupils?

Quality First Inclusive Practice (Wave 1) is clearly defined in our setting and we expect all staff
to deliver this.
Should additional (Wave 2 or 3) support be required, this is undertaken after consultation with
the relevant staff, the learner and their families as necessary. All interventions are monitored
for impact and outcomes are defined at the start of any intervention. The Headteacher
oversees all additional support and regularly shares updates with the SEND Governor.
The school budget, received from Kirklees council, includes money for supporting children with
SEND.
The Headteacher decides on the budget for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of needs in the school.
The Head Teacher and the Senior Leadership Team discuss all the information they have
about SEND in the school, including:
- the children getting extra support already
- the children needing extra support
- the children who have been identified as not making as much progress as would be
expected.
Decisions are then made in regard to what resources/training and support is needed. All resources/training and support are reviewed regularly and changes made as needed.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

Specialist support provided by outreach services include:

Educational Psychology Service
Sensory Service for children with visual or hearing needs
Speech and Language Therapy
Speech, Language and Communication
PPRS (Primary Pupil Referral Service)
Autism Outreach
Portex (outside agency supporting the learning and behavioural needs of 3 -7 year olds)
CHEWS (Children’s Emotional Wellbeing Service)
CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental health Service)
School Nurse
Occupational Therapy

What staff training is in place to support children with SEND?

We regularly invest time and money in training our staff to improve Wave 1 provision for all
students, to develop enhanced skills and knowledge to deliver Wave 2 (short term support
interventions) and Wave 3 (individualised support and interventions).
The SENCO, Katherine Hainsworth, has completed the National Qualification in Special
Educational Needs. She also takes part in ongoing SEND training in specific areas.
All staff members, including teaching assistants, receive training to best support our pupils with
SEND. This is often delivered by specialists from the outreach services.
The SENCO is involved in the Ten Primaries Partnership SEN/Additional Needs Partnership
which meets half termly to discuss and share advice and guidance for pupils with SEND with the support of the Educational Psychology Service.

How will the teaching be adapted for my child with learning needs?

Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs of all groups of children in their class,
and will ensure that your child’s needs are met.
Support staff will support with your child’s learning in the classroom.
Specific resources and strategies will be used to support your child individually and/or in
groups.
Planning and teaching will be adapted on a daily basis if needed to meet your child’s learning
needs.
Quality First Inclusive Practice (Wave 1) is clearly defined at our school and we expect all staff
to deliver this.
Should additional (Wave 2 or 3) support be required, this is undertaken after consultation with
the relevant staff, the learner and their families as necessary. All interventions are monitored
for impact and outcomes are defined at the start of any intervention.

How will we measure the progress of your child?

Your child’s progress is continually monitored by their teachers and the Senior Leadership
Team.
Their progress is reviewed formally every term using our Assessment Tracker.
If your child is working below their chronological age and has a significant learning need, your
child will be assessed using National Curriculum objectives appropriate to their ability or
P Levels (Pre National Curriculum). School will also use their own internal tracking system.

What support do we provide for you as a parent or carer of a child with SEND?

We work in partnership with parents to support each child’s well-being, learning needs,
progress and aspirations.
We operate an open-door policy to allow parents to contact their child’s class teacher with
ease.
We would like you to talk to your child’s teachers regularly so we know what they are doing at
home and we can tell you about what we are doing in school. We hope this will make sure
that we are doing similar things to support your child both at home and school and can share
what is working in both places.
The SENCO is available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress or any
concerns/worries you may have.
All information from outside professionals will be discussed with you with the person involved
directly, or where this is not possible, in a report. The SENCO will also arrange to meet with
you to discuss any new assessments and ideas suggested by outside agencies for your child.

What support will there be for my child’s emotional well-being?

The well-being of all of our pupils is our primary concern at Birkenshaw CE (C)Primary School.
They are supported with their social and emotional development throughout the school day,
through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Health, Relationships and Emotional Wellbeing (HREW) are integral to our curriculum and are also taught regularly.
Additional support from specialist staff is arranged as needed for individual pupils, both in
and out of the classroom; a tailored personal plan may be put in place for pupils with the
highest need
Our Behaviour Policy; which includes guidance on expectations, rewards and sanctions is
fully understood and in place by all staff.
After school clubs are planned to meet the needs of pupils and often involve nurture
activities and social and emotional aspects to support children’s well-being and
development.
Additional support from our well trained Learning Mentor, Mrs S Goldspink, is arranged
as needed for individual pupils and small groups, both in and out of the classroom.
We regularly monitor attendance, support pupils returning to school after absence and take
the necessary actions to prevent prolonged unauthorised absence.
Relevant staff are trained to support medical needs and in some cases all staff receive
training. We have a medical policy in place.
Pupils’ views are sought through school council and other forums.
Advice from the Pupil Behaviour Unit is sought if this becomes necessary. Care Plans and
Risk Assessments may be put in place following an initial period of observation and
consultation.

How have we made Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary accessible to children with SEND?

Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary School is an inclusive setting that welcomes all children regardless of their abilities.
Where feasible we will make reasonable adjustments to improve the accessibility of our
environment to meet individual needs.
If needed an support plan or pupil passport will be written to ensure the school meets the needs of the child.
We ensure that equipment used is accessible to all children regardless of their needs.
We provide support with homework one day after school.
Key words and literacy resources are used across the school to support learning.

How will we support you child when they leave Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary?

We have very good relationships with our local nurseries and day care centres, local
primary schools and local high school settings. We share information to support pupils’
learning and well-being at transition. The SENCO and/or other relevant staff visit these
schools and shares information.
Further support is provided as necessary for those with SEND including additional visits to
the new setting, both individually and as part of an enhanced transition programme for
identified pupils.

How will my child be supported on school trips?

Our Equality Policy promotes involvement of all of our learners in all aspects of the curriculum including activities outside the classroom.
Where there are concerns for safety and access, a personalised risk assessment is carried out to consider if reasonable adjustments can be made to meet any additional needs; if appropriate
parents/carers are consulted and involved in planning.

Who can I contact for further information?

In the first instance, parents/carers are encouraged to talk to their child’s class teacher.
For children with SEND, further information and support can be obtained from the SENCO, Mrs Katherine Hainsworth.

Who should I contact if I want to make a complaint?

The school has a Complaints Policy which can be found under Policies on the website.
In the first instance, you should phone school on 01274 651232 and arrange a meeting with
the SENCO and/or the head teacher.
If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint the chair of governors email
address will be made available.

Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary School SEND Information Report

Our school SEND Information Report has been written by the school through a process of collaboration with all stakeholders, including parents, governors and pupils. This has been approved by the full governing body.

To view our SEND Policy please go to the Policies page in the Parents section of our website.

Revision History

Date created September 2014
Created by Mrs Katherine Hainsworth
Last updated on January 2024
Last updated by Mrs Katherine Hainsworth

Reviewed: January 2024

Birkenshaw CE (C) Primary School