SEND at Old Town

At Old Town First School and Nursery our children are at the heart of everything that we do. We want our curriculum to develop individual talents and unknown potential and to challenge all learners to be better tomorrow than they were today.

Therefore, at Old Town Infant School we believe that ALL children, regardless of their learning needs, have the right to a fully inclusive education at school. From learners who have specific barriers to their learning, to those who need challenging further, we strive to provide personalised learning for all.

There are a variety of reasons why children sometimes do not make the progress expected of them and at Old Town Infant School we aim to support these children through a wide variety of strategies, which might include one or more of the following:-

• Focus groups – extra time to work on activities done in class e.g. handwriting, fine motor skills activities
• Precision teaching – revisiting specific skills e.g. phonics or maths
• Small intervention groups – for literacy, maths or language skills 
• One to one intervention – with a member of staff, with activities tailor made to the individual learner.
• ELSA – emotional literacy support for children who need some support with managing feelings, a confidence boost or getting along with others.

Our class teachers ensure that through careful planning and assessment that activities are differentiated to allow all of our learners to access high quality learning. Teachers monitor and assess learners regularly to quickly identify any gaps in learning that need to be consolidated. They may provide a bit of extra support in group work or use nurture groups, small groups who may work with an adult to revisit and cement aspects of learning.

When children need specific one to one intervention support, they may work with our SEN Teaching assistants. Our very experienced and dedicated SEN team realise that every child is unique, and tailors learning to suit each individual. They plan for and deliver structured, fun and engaging activities to support children who have barriers to their learning. They recognise the need to boost confidence and celebrate achievements, no matter how small. When children receive extra support like this, their teacher will create an Individual Education Plan (IEP) with very clear and achievable targets for the child to work towards. This document is shared with Parents/Carers as well as the SEN team, with a view for everyone involved to support the achievement of these targets. IEP’s are reviewed every term at Old Town Infant School.

If your child has an IEP they will be on our Special Educational Needs register - we will to talk to you about this. If your child no longer needs this level of support they will be removed from the SEN register.

Sometimes our learners and teaching staff need to get expert advice in order to support children who are not making expected progress. In this case we would ask other professionals for help and advice. We work closely with the following outside agencies:-

-Paediatrician or doctor

-School Nurse

-Educational Psychologist

-Speech and Language Therapists

-Outreach services (Montacute, Winchelsea or Longspee)

-Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS)

 Any referral made to outside agencies is only made only after discussions with parents; there is often a form to complete which requires parental consent.

If, despite all the extra support from professionals, a child is still not making any progress, then we may ask the authorities to carry out an Educational Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA). This could lead to an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) - this is a legal document that says what support your child needs and which school can meet your child's needs.  We will talk to you and involve you fully in this process.

If you have any questions about Special Educational Needs at Old Town Infant School, please telephone us on 01202 673966 or email us at oldtown.office@coastalpartnership.co.uk, marking the subject as “FAO – SENCo”. Your email will be passed on and responded to as soon as possible.

Local Offer - Link to local authority website information for SEND

https://www.fid.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/send-local-offer