Our school currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:

• Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, speech and language difficulties
• Cognition and learning, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties, epilepsy
• Moderate/severe/profound and multiple learning difficulties

We will assess each pupil’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, which will build on previous settings and Key Stages, where appropriate. Class teachers will make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:

• Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
• Fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
• Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
• Widens the attainment gap

This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEN. 

When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.

We will have an early discussion with the pupil and their parents when identifying whether they need special educational provision. These conversations will make sure that:

• Everyone develops a good understanding of the pupil’s areas of strength and difficulty
• We consider the parents’ concerns
• Everyone understands the agreed outcomes sought for the child
• Everyone is clear on what the next steps are

Notes of these early discussions will be added to the pupil’s record and given to their parents.

We will formally notify parents when it is decided that a pupil will receive SEN support.

Firstly, the class teacher will differentiate and target specific areas for the child, and monitor closely. The child will have access to in class resources such as word mats, practical maths equipment and phonics mats. If the child is still not meeting the targets, a more specific intervention may then be put in place by the Key Stage Co-ordinator in the first instance and if a child still does not achieve their targets then the SENCo will co-ordinate an individualised programme of support.

Differentiation is the process of taking a specific skill, and creating an activity that fits a child’s current level, with an achievable amount of challenge built in. This will involve several levels across the class, and is done through careful planning in year group teams. Some children may require a specific activity of their own.

Below are some examples of common adaptations which ensure all pupils’ needs are met:

• Differentiating our curriculum to ensure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1:1 work, teaching style, content of the lesson, etc.
• Adapting our resources and staffing
• Using recommended aids, such as laptops, coloured overlays, visual timetables, larger font, etc.
• Differentiating our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.

We make use of Somerset’s Graduated Response tool in order to identify further strategies to children’s specific barriers to learning. This document provides many example strategies which can be discussed and planned for in relation to each child’s needs.

Please see the following link for more detail:

https://beta.somerset.gov.uk/the-graduated-response-tool/

If a child comes into school with a specific medical need, the staff working with that child are given appropriate training to support the child. There are personal care facilities to prevent lifting in the disabled toilet area. Plans are created with parents to support staff and these are followed for children with diabetes/epilepsy/nut allergies. If children have severe food allergies they may need to eat with a small group of children whose lunches will not trigger an allergic reaction. Medications are administered by specific staff who may need to be trained e.g epi pens, insulin. Inhalers and epipens are stored in class and administered by classroom or lunchtime staff as appropriate. All children who have specific medical needs will be considered for a Medical Care Plan. The Medical Care Plan will detail the child’s specific needs and any interventions that might be necessary. The development of this plan will include parents, office staff, SENCo as well as other key adults and agencies where necessary.

Teachers create a supportive and caring environment in their classes and staff are watchful for children who may be withdrawn or tearful and need someone to chat to. Sometimes, children benefit from having a key adult that they can check in with each morning. Nurture provision and our ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) is in place to support children with on-going social and emotional difficulties.  Our ELSA is trained to deliver the Drawing and Talking (https://drawingandtalking.com/) therapeutic intervention which offers children a space in which they can express and work through difficult feelings and experiences. We are also able to offer Forest School sessions for children who would benefit from smaller, outdoor group activities. We have a sensory room (Star) which helps children to learn to self-regulate their emotions and improve their sensory integration. Children whose behaviour puts them at risk from exclusion are discussed at the Frome Behaviour Panel, which has the power to issue further support if required. Parents of children with these difficulties are given the opportunity to work with the Parent and Family Support Advisor (PFSA) and the ‘Family Support Practitioners’ (FSP) worker.

If a child with a specific need comes into the school, or a specific need is diagnosed during a child’s time at Vallis, we are able to access professional support. This may be through Visual Support teachers, Hearing Support teachers, the Physical and Medical Support team, or the Autism & Communication Service. We also access the Integrated Therapy Service to gain support from Speech and Language Therapists (SALT) and Occupational Therapists. If we feel a child needs support from an Educational Psychologist or Learning Support, we are able to request involvement through our annual EP and SSID meetings. We also access the PFSA and FSP workers, and as required work with outreach workers from our local Special School. We run Forest School and Nurture provision. We have an ELSA, a specialist SALT TA and also run ILI (Individual Literacy Intervention).