Hazel Community Primary School

The Children and Families Act (2014) requires local authorities to publish a local offer which clearly sets out, in one place, the information and services they expect to be available for children and young people in the area with special educational needs. 

Please take a look at the local offer provided by Leicester City Council: 

Family Information | What is the Local Offer? (leicester.gov.uk)

Family Information | SEND Local Offer (leicester.gov.uk)

If you would like further information on the local offer, please contact the school and ask to speak to Mrs Rhodes who will support you.

Parents and carers can also access advice and support from SENDIASS, a voluntary organisation for supporting parents/carers of children with SEND. This service work closely with our school and attend our coffee mornings for parents/carers with SEND. 

To access this site, click on the link below:

https://sendiassleicester.org.uk/

At our school, class teachers carefully monitor the progress and wellbeing of all children in their class. They work with support staff to consider their strengths, interests and any barriers to learning.  In conjunction with the SENDCo and the child's parents/carers, teachers explore whether their needs can be met by staff within the school or whether extra support and advice would be useful from an outside agency (Speech and Language Therapy team, Social, Emotional and Mental Health team, Educational Psychology Service etc).

The SEND Code of Practice set out four broad areas where a child may have a special educational need.

They are:

• Communication and Interaction 


• Cognition and Learning 


• Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties


• Sensory and / or Physical needs

At Hazel Community Primary School, we teach children with a wide range of special educational needs and disabilties including:

• Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)


• Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)


• Moderate Learning Difficulties


• Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties


• Dyslexia


• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)


• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)


• Physical Disability 

Some children are supported during their lessons and some children benefit from support at other points in the day such as lunchtimes and transition points.  Some children may have specific learning difficulties e.g. dyslexia that require adjustments to be made prior to the lesson. Children may also have low scores on standardised tests e.g. reading/spelling age. It is important to remember that slow progress and low attainment does not necessarily mean that a child has special educational needs, however, it may be an indicator of a range of learning difficulties or disabilities. Equally, it should not be assumed that attainment in line with age expected levels means that there is no learning difficulty or disability. We see each child as an individual and ensure that support is tailored towards the specific needs of your child. 

If there are concerns about a child's progress, they will be shared with their parents/carers and their views will be actively sought to find out if these difficulties translate into the child's home life as well. Teachers may feel it is necessary to discuss the child's needs with the SENDCo to decide on the next steps to support the child. These next steps may be in-school assessments, specific interventions or referrals to outside agencies for additional support. 

If a child arrives from another school, we contact the previous school to ensure all relevant information is transferred over. This might include information on interventions reports from outside agencies that have given guidance. 

Initially, the best point of contact is your child's class teacher. They will give you an overview of how they are progressing academically and socially. The class teacher is available at the end of each day if you want to speak to them or you can contact the school office to organise a specific time to speak.

Alternatively, you can speak to the school SENDCo, Rebecca Rhodes directly by contacting the school office on 0116 233 8411.

If your child has been identified as having a special educational need, it is your choice as to whether they are placed on our Special Educational Needs Register (SEND Register). This will mean they will receive additional support in one or more areas of their school life and this will be documented on a Pupil Passport that will show specific targets.  The Pupil Passport outlines the child's likes, strengths, needs and next steps. This is a live document that staff, parents and children contribute to throughout the year and  will be updated to reflect the progress the child makes.

The progress of all children on the SEND Register will be monitored carefully by the SENDCo and senior leaders.  It may be appropriate for the school to seek advice and support from outside agencies. If this is the case, parents/carers will always be involved in this decision. A small number of children may go on to have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) which is for significant, ongoing and complex needs. If a child has an EHC plan then they will also have an additional annual review and the plan can stay with them up to the age of 25 if it is deemed necessary. These children will also receive a review in Year 6 to discuss transition to an appropriate secondary school.

At Hazel Community Primary School we comply with the local authority expectations of schools which outline the key ways pupils should be supported in class. The school prioritises staff development and builds in regular opportunities for professional development.  

Children often access interventions that are carefully matched to their needs throughout the school year. This is often in a group situation however sometimes it is on a 1:1 basis. 

Our SEND Governor is an experienced school leader with a passion for supporting children with SEND and regular opportunities to be a 'critical friend' are planned throughout the year to ensure staff are supporting your child the best way we can.

Different interventions and approaches are used to address specific areas and we look carefully at your child’s individual needs when deciding how best to support your child and which interventions to use. The school has a clear system in place for accessing additional funding and parents/carers will be consulted if it is felt this is a viable option for their child.

All teachers are teachers of children with SEND. Your child's class teacher will take responsibility for their progress and development. Teachers will make reasonable adjustments to the curriculum to meet individual need. Our curriculum has been carefully designed and teachers are trained to adapt lessons to meet the individual needs of the children in their class.

Teachers make on-going assessments for all children within the lesson and also over a sequence of lessons. This information informs planning and ensures that lessons are delivered to a high standard. Children receiving specific interventions will have their progress tracked throughout the time they are receiving the support to ensure they are making progress. This progress will be shared with you at regular points throughout the school year. 

The SENDCO, teacher and teaching assistants work collaboratively to produce a Pupil Passport. The purpose of this document is to highlight areas of strength and also set targets for development. The passports are reviewed three times per year.  We actively seek the voice of the parents and encourage parents to attend SEND meetings with the team that support your child.   All children receive an end of year report that informs parents of their child’s progress and achievement over the year. The school SENDCo will be available to discuss your child's attainment and progress at parents evenings but can also be contacted via the school office if you have any questions or queries.

Children on the SEND register are be given clear targets to work on that are aspirational yet achievable. At each review, advice will be given on how parents/carers can help their child achieve these targets. At any point during your child’s time at our school, parents/carers can talk to their child’s class teacher about how they can work collaboratively to support their child. Parents/carers are actively encouraged to access the school website for information on the curriculum and to also follow us on social media. Linking in through social media gives parents/carers the opportunity to start conversations at home about the learning that has taken place in the classroom. We welcome parents into the school and have produced a calendar of events that offer opportunities for parents to learn alongside their children during the school day. 

All children are supported by all adults within our school. We are lucky to have a large amount of teaching assistants that the children know and trust alongside the class teachers. Your child's class teacher spends time out on the playground throughout the week as does the school SENDCo. This allows staff additional opportunities outside of the classroom to support children's wellbeing. 

We have a family support partner in school every day who supports children and their families. Her name is Kelly Gibson and she is available at the beginning and end of each day to speak to parents/carers. Children see her throughout the day but particularly at lunchtime in the school hall and playground. 

We are also lucky to have specialist sports coaches at our school who run activities every lunchtime for children to participate in. This can be a welcome and relaxing break if children find aspects of learning in the classroom a challenge.

We offer both breakfast club and after school clubs. We actively encourage all children to access these clubs and will support children with additional needs to attend where necessary. 

We are able to administer medicines that have been prescribed to a child. Please fill in the appropriate form at the office if this is the case.

Some children may need Individual Health Care Plans to meet specific health needs (for example epilepsy, diabetes or wheelchair use). These plans will be produced collectively by the child, parent/carer, SENDCo and teaching team. 

We have strong links with outside agencies and can support families if they need support in areas outside of school life such as housing, money and training. 

There are a variety of services and expertise that we can access:

• Educational Psychology service


• Early Years Support team


• Learning, cognition and interaction support team


• Social, emotional and mental health support team


• Education Welfare team


• Visual / Hearing Support team


• Speech and Language Therapy team


• Doctors


• School Nurse


• ADHD Solutions


• SENDIASS

The SENDCo and Family Support Worker can support you to access support through the Early Help service. Children and young people can experience are range of difficulties at any time in their life. This may include health, development and behaviour.  Early help is for children and young people of any age and can come from all kinds of services and organisations who work together to support the family.  You might be using some of these services already, but we want to make sure they are providing the right support for you and your family’s needs. For more information about Early Help contact 0116 454 1004 or email early-help@leicester.gov.uk.

• Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)


• Promoting positive mental health


• Positive Handling


• ADHD


• Dyslexia


• Identifying Speech, Language and Communication needs


• Supporting children to manage their emotions


• First Aid


• Diabetes 


• Epipen 

When a child arrives with a need that staff have not been trained in we will always make sure that we access the right training in order to support the child’s need. Training is a high priority for staff at Hazel Community Primary School and we recognise the benefits of accessing training in appropriate areas depending on the needs of the child or member of staff.

We are proud of our inclusive school. Every child, regardless of special educational needs, has the opportunity to take part in some activities outside of the classroom including sporting activities and trips that help build their cultural capital. We work closely with parents / carers to ensure that the needs of the child are met. 

The school is on two levels. All stairs are highlighted. There is a lift to access the second floor. We have accessible toilets in both buildings. We have an Accessibility Plan which we regularly update and this can be found on our website. This is where we seek to improve the accessibility of the building / grounds further each year. We actively welcome the views of the children and their parents/carers when developing this plan. Our Equal Opportunity Policy gives further details Equality Policy and Equality Information and Objectives.

All schools are provided with an overall budget based on the children they have in the school. Some of this budget is spent on ensuring children have what they need to learn and succeed in school. In addition to this, mainstream schools are provided with money for Special Educational Needs. This is called a 'notional SEN budget'. At our school, we also have some children that are entitled to additional funding from the local authority. This is called Element 3 funding. This allows us to offer personalised support for certain children.  There are children with Education Health Care (EHC) plans in our school and this funding is carefully and thoughtfully spent to support these children.

No pupil will be refused admission to school on the basis of his or her special educational need. In line with the SEN and Disability Act 0-25 Sept 14, we will not discriminate against disabled children and we will take all reasonable steps to provide effective educational provision. The LA determines admission, having regard to parental preference and in consultation with our governing body.

All new children and families will be offered a tour of the school and opportunity to meet their class teacher. If your child has been on the Special Educational Needs Register at their previous school, links will be made to ensure a smooth transition and to request information on the support already in place.

The school works closely with surrounding nurseries to ensure successful transitions into our Reception classes. The phase leader makes contact with parents individually on the phone and there are opportunities for enhanced transition arrangements where necessary. 

All secondary schools have transition days where your child be offered the opportunity to spend time at their new school. Sometimes, additional transition days are organised to support children to settle. Hazel Community Primary School liaises closely with the new school setting to ensure they are aware of any individual’s needs and all records are passed on to the new school. If a child transfers to a new school mid-year, all records are passed on and contact is made with the next school over the phone to ensure a smooth transition for the children.

All children in our school with SEND engage in school life alongside children who do not have SEND. They are taught by their class teacher and are a valued member of their class. Specific interventions or tailored support personalise the learning of some children with SEND to ensure they can move forward in their learning but this is overseen by the class teacher and the SENDCo.  Whenever we make decisions, we carefully consider the SEND Code of Practice: 0 - 25 years. We have a duty to ensure that children are not discrimated against. We make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all chidlren with SEND are not at a disadvantage compared with their peers. We ensure that parents and carers are involved in deciding whether a child or young person should be placed on the SEND register and that they are notified of a decision by the school that SEND provision is being made for their child.  Children and young people with special educational needs have a unique knowledge of their own needs and their views are valued. We actively involve children in decision making processes and they contribute to the assessment of their needs, reviews and transition processes.

We regularly review and evaluate the breadth and impact of the support we offer, or can access, and we promote training for individual staff members or whole staff to ensure that we can follow updated recommendations for children in our care.

We are keen to work with you to discuss any concerns or complaints you have. We are available to speak to at the end of each day. We encourage parents/carers to speak to their child's class teacher in the first instance as most worries or concerns can be resolved in this way. If needed, parents/carers may raise concerns with the SENDCo, followed by the headteacher.  Parents/carers may also contact the governors and if still dissatisfied may take their concerns to the Local Authority.

We value the views and knowledge of parents / carers and are keen to work in partnership. There are regular opportunities to come in to the school to see learning in action and we actively encourage parents/carers to join us for these events throughout the school year. This year sees the third year of our successful coffee mornings for parents/carers. All dates are published in the school newsletter and on Twitter in advance. The aim is to allow parents/carers the opportunity to meet each other whilst finding out more about the provision available at our school. We often have guest speakers attending that offer mini training sessions that are always well-received by parents. 

Parents are warmly welcomed to various parent-teacher consultations throughout the year in addition to the whole-school parent /teacher evenings. At the end of each academic year, the children and their families are invited in to a celebration evening where the work of the children is celebrated by those who work with the children or have done previously.