Beaudesert Lower School provides an inclusive, broad and balanced curriculum for all children that builds upon and celebrates each child’s skills, talents and abilities. We have high expectations of every child and strive to help them achieve their full potential through the removal of barriers to learning and participation. We want all our children to feel that they are valued members of our school and the wider community. To accomplish these aims we pride ourselves on high quality first teaching and early intervention. We provide a range of effective support, strategies and programs for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We make sure that we have processes in place so that additional needs can be identified early and we offer a range of provision according to identified needs.
Through appropriate curricular provision, we respect the fact that children:
Through the inclusive practice in all parts of the school day from all staff we enable all children to achieve alongside their peers.
A child is considered to have SEND if they have defined difficulties over and above those generally experienced by the majority of their peers. These difficulties may be within one or more of the broad areas of need as identified in the updated 2015 Code of Practice and Central Bedfordshire’s Graduated Response to SEND.
These are: Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Sensory and Physical, and Social, Emotional and Mental Health.
Early identification is vital, and the school uses a graduated response to children’s SEND. The class teacher makes an initial identification, underpinned by evidence, and shares their concerns with the SENDCo and parents. This is an additional, school-based layer to the official graduated response of Central Bedfordshire. It is called ‘Initial Cause for Concern’ and it reflects our commitment to early intervention and the raising of the child’s profile for support and monitoring by the SENDCo and Senior Leadership Team.
Sometimes parents raise the initial concern; if you know or think that your child has Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND) please let us know straight away. If you are concerned about your child, then please also share the information so that home and school can work together more effectively.
If you have any concerns that your child may have Special Educational Needs or concerns regarding your child’s progress and well-being then you should speak to your child’s class teacher initially. Alternatively you can contact Mrs Allison Gaulton our SENDCo , via the school office email or by phone on 01525 373 019.
All children receive quality first teaching which is adapted to children’s needs to help them to access the curriculum. All teachers will plan lessons according to the specific needs of the children in their class. When planning they will take into account the needs of your child and make reasonable adjustments to ensure every child is able to reach their full potential. If appropriate, specific resources and strategies may be used to support your child. This may include coloured overlays, pencil grips or providing alternative methods for recording written work. Teachers or Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) may be allocated to work with your child on a 1:1 basis or in a small group to target more specific needs.
The SENDCo oversees all support and tracks the progress of all SEND children across the school. The class teacher and the SENDCo will work together to discuss a child’s needs and what support would be appropriate. This will be shared with parents at least on a termly basis and provide an opportunity for you to discuss your child’s needs, support and progress.
In school we monitor each child’s progress in learning with the National Curriculum against age related expectations. We hold pupil progress meetings each term which involve the Head teacher, class teacher and SENDCo to monitor and review targets and plan next steps. Teacher assessment, standardised tests and pastoral information from all supporting staff are combined to monitor attainment and progress.
If a child is in need of additional support, we will initially discuss an in-school ‘Initial Cause for Concern’ with the child’s parents. It is designed to identify some initial early gaps and steps are taken to narrow that gap with a range of strategies and support. This concern can be for any of the range of areas identified by the Central Bedfordshire’s Graduated Response.
If your child’s progress in any area of SEND continues to cause concern then discussions are held with all parties (parents, class teacher, support staff and SENDCo) and your child may then be added to the SEND register. We will then create an individual support plan which will have personalised targets and specific additional provision. These targets are reviewed with parents and children termly. This is called Stage 1. A child on stage 1 is also informally reviewed and monitored by all class based staff each half term.
Some children do not make the progress expected following intervention at Stage 1; and Individual Support Plan reviews may highlight a need for additional support from external agencies and a higher degree of personalised approaches. It is at this stage that a decision would be made with parents to move the child to Stage 2 Support. Further assessments may involve a specialist such as the Educational Psychologist, Paediatrician, Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Support team, Outreach services of special schools or allocated Speech and Language Therapist. You will be consulted at each stage of this process and consent sought.
Should a child still continue to cause parents and school concern, fall significantly below national expectations or not be achieving their full potential due to other specific barriers to learning, we may consider an application for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Extra funding in addition to the school’s SEND budget to specifically support the child’s needs on a more personalised manner may then be available to access. This is Stage 3.
Parents or carers are always given copies of any specialist assessment reports by the individual agencies and can discuss them with the SENDCo or class teacher as required.
The school operates a cycle of assess/plan/do/review to meet the needs and adapt support for children needing additional support. This is ongoing but is also part of the review process for SEND children through a termly meeting with parents and class teacher including an annual review.
Our SENDCo has gained the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (NASENCO) and organises in-house and outside agency SEND training for staff; calling on the services of the specialist providers, such as our Educational Psychologist, Speech Therapist and Outreach teachers as necessary. We identify training needs annually to meet the needs of the current staff and children they are supporting. Online courses are also accessed to keep skills up to date and to support new staff. School has staff with training from the ASD advisory service. Some staff have attended specific training on ADHD, Sensory Processing Difficulties, Speech and Language Support, Attachment Disorder and supporting children with social and emotional difficulties. A wide range of staff have benefited from early intervention training for strategies for managing anxiety, working with children with SEND in the classroom and understanding sensory needs.
Children with SEND are actively encouraged to participate in all school activities. For example, they are allocated responsibilities in class and around the school and may join the School Council and School Speaker team. All children are included in all areas of the curriculum and we aim for all children to be included on school trips. Access to after school clubs is fully inclusive. Independent providers of after-school clubs are made aware of any children with SEND so they can plan appropriately. School trips are often accompanied by a higher ratio of adults to children with SEND. This follows a separate risk assessment when appropriate for specific difficulties and areas of need. Reasonable adjustments, as far as is practical within the school’s allocated budget, are made regularly in consultation with parents so that children benefit from all events.
Risk assessments are carried out and procedures would be put in place to enable all children to participate at the schools discretion and with consultations with you. If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that 1:1 support is required or that an activity may not be suitable for your child, then this would be discussed with you prior to the activity.
Careful consideration is given to preparing pupils with SEND for transition at all stages. Initial contact is made with the setting previously attended and with the parents as soon as we are notified that a pupil with SEND is transferring into our school. This includes the involvement of the Early Years Advisory Service when children are first joining our school into the Reception Class.
When pupils are changing classes, teachers liaise together, sharing information and preparing the pupil well in advance of the move. This may involve extra visits to the new classroom/ teacher, photograph books etc. Where necessary an individual transition plan may be drawn up to support the child as well as the use of photos of new staff and environments.
In Year 4 parents and carers have the opportunity to visit middle schools before deciding and expressing a preference. School is also willing to support visits to school with parents of children with an EHCP. Class teachers, the head teacher and the SENDCo will pay particular attention to preparing pupils with SEND for transfer to middle school, addressing both the learning and the wellbeing concerns that may arise. Our SENDCo personally meets with the appropriate Middle School SENDCo to transfer information. Middle schools usually offer extra visit days for children with SEND.
Our children usually transfer to:
Gilbert Inglefield Middle School https://www.gilbertinglefield.org/
or
Brooklands Middle School https://www.brooklandsschool.co.uk/
What support is available to parents and carers?
Mrs Allison Gaulton, our SENDCo is available to meet with parents throughout the school day and after school hours. She can be contacted via the main school office to make an appointment
Central Bedfordshire Council’s SENDIASS (Previously known as Parent Partnership Service)
0300 300 8088
Early Help Assessment for additional homelife support
Further information for families and practitioners
Central Bedfordshire SEND local offer
https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/15/sen_and_disability_-_local_offer
CBC SENDIASS
Email: SENDIASS@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Updated October 2023
Beaudesert Lower School
Appenine Way, Leighton Buzzard
Beds, LU7 3DX
01525 373019
Head Teacher: Mrs V Pearce
Office Manager: Miss C Brunton
