Red Barn Primary School is a one-form entry mainstream school located in Portchester, Fareham. As part of our school vision, we strive to ensure that children achieve well in both progress and attainment through offering a stimulating and nurturing environment for them to learn in. We hope that the information outlined in this Information Report explains how we cater for our children with special educational needs or disabilities.

We understand that Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) covers a range of needs: cognition and learning; communication and interaction; social, emotional and mental health difficulties and sensory and physical disabilities. We value the relationship between the parents/carers, children and the school to ensure that a child’s education is a successful experience.

How does Red Barn Primary School know if children need extra help?

We constantly observe and monitor children’s welfare and behaviour as indicators for a child requiring additional help as well as listening to children and/or parents’/carers’ opinions. Within school, regular and rigorous monitoring of performance is paramount to ensure that children are best supported to make good or better progress. Class teachers, who are responsible for reviewing the progress of the children in their class, employ daily assessment for learning to ensure that children’s next steps are taught. On a termly basis, teachers will update their class tracking documents. If your child’s progress is slower than expected, additional provision may be planned in at the start of each term, depending on levels of attainment. Details of how you as parents are involved in this process are found under ‘How will you help me to support my child’s learning?’

The school also conducts assessments on children whose progress is slower than expected or if parents and staff feel there is an underlying barrier to the child’s learning. These may be in the form of Reading (Salford Reading test), Spelling (Vernon Spelling test) or specific learning difficulties tests (PHAB test). We also have the option of referring to the Schools Therapy Pack for advice on other areas such as Speech and Language. Regular, honest discussions with parents as well as in-school observations are used as the indicators for emotional and behavioural difficulties.

We also work with Hampshire Educational Psychology (HEP) who assist us in catering for special educational needs and disabilities.

Our class teachers will meet with you at least twice a year and welcome contributions from parents and carers in terms of communicating any issues that the child may have. There is always an opportunity for you to meet with staff between these formal meetings and these can be arranged through the school office.

External agencies, such as doctors, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) will also inform the school if there has been diagnosis and/or interventions that require school action.

A child’s needs will be cross-referenced against the SEND Criteria booklets to ensure consistency.

What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

We recognise the key role that you, as parents and carers, play in the education of your child and encourage you to contact your child’s class teacher, the SENDCo or the Headteacher at Red Barn Primary School if you have concerns. Details of how to contact HEPS are available from the SENDCo. Depending on the nature of the concern, parents may also seek the advice of their doctor.

How will school support my child?

Cognition and Learning needs:

Wave 1: All children at Red Barn Primary School receive differentiated teaching in the core subjects, meaning that teachers use appropriate techniques to endeavour that all children can access the curriculum – and this is known as ‘Wave 1’. In Reading, Writing, Numeracy and Spelling, children are generally taught in attainment groups meaning that the teaching input is at an appropriate level for the children. The teachers use thorough assessment strategies to identify the next steps for the children and these are planned on a daily basis with the aim of providing your child with an appropriate level of input the following day. Children will be expected to apply learning independently at stages throughout the learning journey, and are supported to do so by appropriate working walls, models and images.

Wave 3: Children who have been identified as requiring additional help are recorded on a Provision Map which outlines the extra support they will receive. If a child is working significantly adrift of age related expectations (ARE), they will receive additional support with specific targets being set by the teacher.  Learning Support Assistants and class teachers work in partnership to review the targets regularly so that the next steps can be identified. A child is never withdrawn from their Literacy, Numeracy, Spellings or Science lessons to undertake these sessions – they are in addition to the Wave 1 and (possibly Wave 2) sessions.

Any child who receives additional intervention (Wave 3) for Reading, Writing, Numeracy and Spelling will have clear, focused targets identified by the class teacher in liaison with the Learning Support Assistant and SENDCo. These targets are shared with the child in the form of a target bookmark.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health:

We employ two Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA) who receive regular training on how to support and improve the welfare of children. The ELSAs work with children who may be experiencing emotional difficulties on a weekly basis and are also deployed at lunchtimes to teach children strategies for positively interacting with their peers and resolving conflict. Within school, our ELSAs provide a one to one opportunity for children to address issues they may be experiencing and provide strategies for the child to use. You are encouraged to contact your child’s class teacher if you have any concerns over your child with regards to their emotional well-being and a request for the support of the ELSA may be made. The SENDCo and ELSAs prioritise the referrals.

Sensory (Hearing and Visual) and Physical:

Through discussion with you, we will follow the advice offered by external agencies on how best to provide for your child’s needs. This could take the form of following personalised programmes from health agencies and providing your child with appropriate equipment and resources. Assessments and changes to the programmes are carried out by external agencies and they will liaise with both you and the school to inform of any changes.

Communication and Interaction:

We can refer to the Speech and Language Therapy Service if there are concerns over a child’s ability to communicate and interact effectively. The SaL service will assess and may leave a programme of activities for the school to administer.

The Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT) will arrange a review of your child’s progress towards their targets and this can take place at school. You will be informed of progress through contact from the SaLT.

We would also seek the input of the Communication and Interaction Team if a child was eligible to receive this support.

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

There are two Parents’ Evenings each year (Autumn and Spring Term) which provide an opportunity for parents to discuss the progress of their child and teachers can explain how parents can support at home. We are happy to arrange further meetings for parents and these should be arranged through the school office. The SENDCo and Head, if available, would be happy to attend these meetings.

The school is able to offer details of relevant agencies for parents to contact for further support.

The school is able to provide parents with details of how to support the teaching of Phonics, Spellings and Numeracy in the form of a booklet. Workshops on these areas may also take place and be led by the Headteacher and subject co-ordinators within school.

Class teachers will set home learning which is appropriately pitched so as to allow all children to access it at their level. We also have subscriptions for online programmes such as TT Rockstars (from Year 2 onwards) which will provide your child with the opportunity to practise literacy and numeracy skills at home as well as in school.

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

All staff at Red Barn undertake annual training on Child Protection and are clear on the signs and strategies for dealing with children who are experiencing issues. There are four trained Designated Safeguarding Leads in place and these are the Headteacher, the Deputy Headteacher/SENDCo, an admin assistant and a senior teacher. Children feel comfortable about talking to an adult if they have a problem. The annual questionnaire to children indicates that an overwhelming proportion of children feel that there is an adult for them to talk with in school should they have a need.

The ELSAs attend ELSA supervision to share good practice with colleagues from different settings and these meetings are facilitated by an Educational Psychologist. Regarding needs of a medical nature, there are eleven staff members trained in the delivery of First Aid and four Paediatric trained First Aiders in conjunction with our Health and Safety Policy.

We appreciate that lunchtimes can be a challenging time for children so we have taken measures to ensure that this is as well managed as possible. Some of our Learning Support Assistants are deployed to be pro-active in ensuring that your child experiences a positive lunchtime. The lunchtime staff are aware of the specific needs of pupils and are able to monitor and target intervention as and when is needed. Provision is made in the lunch hour so children have the opportunity to partake in sporting activities and supervised use of the Adventure Trail when weather permits. The Personal Development Learning (PDL) curriculum is delivered at Red Barn Primary School, and Relationships and Sex Education is taught in conjunction with the related policy.

We also support children of Service families to help them cope with the demands of deployment. For children from Service families, we also offer a weekly opportunity to e-mail and send photos to any parent on deployment. We greatly appreciate our Service families informing us of when deployment is taking place in order for us to make the appropriate provision within school. Our Forces Lead attend a termly Forces Network meeting.

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

Depending on the nature of your child’s need, the Headteacher, SENDCo or staff could seek advice from the following agencies:

Hampshire Educational Psychology (HEP)

Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT)

Specialist Teacher for Visual Impairment (STAVI)

Specialist Teacher for Hearing Impairment (STAHI)

Primary Behaviour Support Team (PBST)

School Nursing Team

Occupational Therapy

Physiotherapy

Communication and Interaction Team

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team (CAMHS)

Locality Team e.g. to offer Positive Parenting

Outreach support from special schools

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having?

The SENDCo attends regular network meetings with other SENDCos to share good practice and offer support and advice to each other as well as attending the annual SEND Conference in order to be familiar with the latest updates from the Hampshire SEND team.

The Headteacher is responsible for determining the training. Meetings are used as an opportunity to share good practice such as activities and resources as well as disseminating any new ideas from external training opportunities. All staff who receive training are expected to share this with other members of staff where relevant.

In recent years, members of Red Barn Primary School have attended training on the following themes:

How accessible is the school environment?

The school site is a one-storey building so the vast majority of areas are accessible to all. The Key Stage 1 playground and independent working area in the library are on a different level and accessed via steps only. The school can be accessed using a gradual path as an alternative to steps. The school has an accessible disabled toilet. The Year 6 classroom is only accessible via steps however alternative arrangements would be made if the need arose.

With inclusion at the heart of our practice, risk assessments are carried out ahead of school trips with the aim of ensuring risks can be minimized sufficiently to allow all children to participate. We endeavour to use transportation with wheelchair access where possible. When relevant, we would liaise with you about transportation to and from an event.

Link to Red Barn Accessibility policy

How will the school prepare and support my child when joining Red Barn Primary School or transferring to a new school?

We understand that transition can be an anxious time for both you and your child and we place great importance on knowing and understanding your child’s needs before they start with us. Your role in helping us achieve this is very important and greatly appreciated.

If your child is joining Red Barn Primary School from a different setting, we will offer a tour of the school at a time that is convenient to both parents/carers and staff. If your child has existing needs identified, we will attend transition meetings with the current setting to ensure a smooth transition.

Children joining our Reception class will be invited to a series of ‘Stay and Play’ sessions where they will meet the key members of staff working with them as well and become familiar with the layout of their new setting. You will be invited to attend an evening meeting to be informed of all arrangements regarding joining the school and meet all members of staff at Red Barn Primary School. Children attending the attached Red Barn Pre-School will undertake sessions with the Reception staff on a weekly basis in the Summer Term. Reception class staff are happy to visit children either at home or in their nursery setting and will liaise with you to arrange this if requested.

For parents with children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) who wish for their child to join Red Barn Primary School, we would offer to meet you to discuss how we would be able to meet the needs of the child. We may seek the advice of Hampshire SEND team to ensure that we could best provide for your child.

It may be that the Local Authority have determined the level of support a child must receive, Red Barn Primary School will adhere to this.

When your children leaves Red Barn Primary School, the level of need will determine whether and additional transition meeting is required to ensure that the next setting will be familiar with the needs of the child ahead of their move. Parents will attend this meeting as will staff from the next setting to agree the provision that will be in place. If you have concerns over your child’s transition from Red Barn Primary School to a different setting, you are welcome to discuss these with the class teacher, Headteacher and SENDCo.

How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

With children in receipt of an EHCP, the Local Authority in which you reside has determined the targets your child will work towards as well as the level of funding they will receive – and Red Barn Primary School will adhere to this. Parents will be invited to attend Annual Review meetings where the long-term objectives are reviewed and specific targets are set. Professionals from other agencies are invited to attend or contribute to these meetings to ensure a full picture of the progress and future needs are discussed.

Red Barn Primary School’s class teachers will carry out termly reviews of pupil progress. Each term, the SENDCo will review the needs of the school and determine the deployment of the Learning Support Assistants accordingly. Depending on the level of need, the SENDCo and class teacher may seek the advice of an external agency for advice on how to best support the child. This is also the case for visual, hearing, physical and emotional and behavioural difficulties.

How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?

Your child’s class teacher will invite you to attend two Pupil Progress Reviews a year. If you wish, you may request additional meetings to discuss their child’s progress and provision with either the class teacher, SENDCo or Headteacher and these can be booked through the school office. Through the meetings offered, parents are able to offer suggestions as to areas that they would like addressed and the school will act accordingly if in agreement.

Who can I contact for further information?

In the first instance, we encourage you to contact their child’s class teacher, and then the SENDCo or the Headteacher. We aim to be able to answer any questions you have or signpost you to external agencies for additional support or advice. The Governor responsible for overseeing SEND or Chair of Governors can be contacted through the school office.

Parents can also access Hantsweb, a website with further information and links. https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning

The new Hampshire SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service) can be contacted via the website: www.hampshiresendiass.co.uk; email: hampshiresendiass@coreassets.com or telephone: 0808 164 5504.

Click here for Hampshire’s Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

Last Updated: March 2024