SEND
Special Educational Needs at Hollywell Primary School
Hollywell Primary School is an all-inclusive school where diversity is celebrated. Every child at Hollywell Primary is a valued and important member of our learning community and we are proud of everyone's achievements. We recognise that children learn and progress in different ways; some children have barriers to their learning and at Hollywell we work with children and their families to support them on their learning journeys.
If you are concerned that your child isn't making the progress you feel they should be making and may have special educational needs (SEN) talk to their teacher. You know your child better than anyone else.
Ask also to speak with the school's Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), Mrs Sibley. The SENCO leads the support for children with SEN across the school, managing provision, referrals and funding applications, as well as liaising with external services.
If you are concerned about your child
Talk to the teacher/SENCO about:
- why you think your child has SEN
- whether your child learns at the same rate as other children their age
- what the school can do to help
- what you can do to help
What will the school do?
Schools are required by law to provide an education for all pupils, regardless of their ability or special needs. Every child's education is equally important.
If the SENCO and your child's teacher agree that your child has SEN, the school will take a 'graduated approach' - this means 'step-by-step'. They will offer your child extra support, with the possibility of more support if needed. Your child's teacher and the SENCO will monitor your child closely, and assess where necessary, to get the best picture of your child's strengths and needs. This will inform us of the best way to support them in making progress at a rate which is good for them and meeting their targets.
Throughout this whole process, you have the right to be informed and for your views, and your child's views, to be taken into account. School are committed to working closely with you and your child at every stage.
The school SENCo is Mrs Sibley: ssibley@hollywellprimary.org
Levels of support offered for SEND pupils at Hollywell Primary School:
Quality First Teaching: High quality class teaching, sometimes with the support of a Teaching Assistant. This will be with support of the SENCO to identify the best teaching strategies and resources to support your child within the classroom setting.
Small group and 1:1 intervention: Planned and targeted interventions to meet a specific learning need or gap.
Family SENCO support: Support visits, assessments and observations with the Kimberley Family SENCO. Regular monitoring and progress checks.
Springboard referral to Schools and Family Specialist Services (SFSS): Referral through the Family SENCO to specialist services, including: Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Educational Psychology, School Behaviour and Attendance Partnership, Physical Disability Team.
Referrals to Small Steps: For possible diagnosis and family support and training through Specialist Practitioners at Community Paediatrics.
Educational Health Care Plans: For our children with the most complex needs, a highly individual plan unique to that pupil will be produced and reviewed yearly by school and managed by the Integrated Children's Disability Service (ICDS).
Click here for information on Educational Health Care Assessment and Plans.
Definitions of special educational needs (SEN) taken from section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:
a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.
A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if they fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.
Our Special Educational Needs Policy
At Hollywell we aim to provide every child with access to a broad and balanced education.
Our aims are:
- to enable and encourage all children to develop their full potential;
- to create an environment that meets the special educational needs of each child;
- to ensure that the special educational needs of children are identified, assessed and provided for;
- to create an environment that helps develop a child’s self esteem
- to make clear the expectations of all partners in the process;
- to identify the roles and responsibilities of staff in providing for children’s special educational needs;
- to enable all children to have full access to all elements of the school curriculum;
- to ensure that parents are able to play their part in supporting their child’s education;
- to ensure that our children have a voice in this process.
You can find out about Hollywell Primary School's provision for and commitment to children with Special Educational Needs as part of Nottinghamshire's local offer. The school has an accessibility plan. Please find the link below. If you would like to make comments on this do not hesitate to contact Mrs Sibley in school.
Schools must publish information on their websites about the implementation of the Special Needs Policy. Please see the SEND Information Report below.
The SEND Local Offer
The SEND Local Offer is a resource which is designed to support children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families. It describes the services and provision that are available both to those families in Nottinghamshire that have an Education, Health and Care Plan and those who do not have a plan, but still experience some form of special educational need. The SEND Local Offer includes information about public services across education, health and social care, as well as those provided by the private, voluntary and community sectors.
You can find a Parents Leaflet explaining this in more detail by clicking here.
Or you can get straight to the Local Offer page at
www.nottinghamshire.sendlocaloffer.org.uk
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SEN Annual Report
SEND Local Offer
Special Educational Needs & Disability Policy
SEN Support in Mainstream Schools - Full Document
SEN Support in Mainstream Schools - Parent Summary
Accessibility Plan
Accessibility Audit and Plan 2023- 2026
Children experiencing difficulties with social, emotional health or mental health (SEMH)
This section includes all those pupils who experience short but significant periods of high anxiety, stress, distress or anger that may have an effect on their well-being or education.
It also includes young people who have a range of longer-term recognised mental health conditions.
For both groups, issues can include:
- Forming and maintaining relationships
- Bereavement
- Attitudes to attainment
- Attendance
- Self-esteem
- Life outside school
Every child at Hollywell Primary School can access:
Quality First teaching with appropriate differentiation (including best SEND practice)
- Understanding and support from all members of staff
- Access to assessment for identification of significant needs
- Transition support into new year groups and Key Stages
- Dedicated and caring staff who value all students
Support may include:
- Transition support arrangements
- Interventions (behaviour/social skills/self-esteem/stress management)
- Social group interventions
- In-class support
- Drawing & Talking therapy
- ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) sessions
- In school counselling sessions
SEMH Support
At Hollywell Primary School we value the mental health of our children above all else.
If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, or would like some support in managing this at home, please contact Mrs Sibley (SENCo) or Mrs Ellis (Mental Health Lead).
Further information about Social, Emotional and Mental Health Problems
The BBC Newsround website is a great source of further information about child and adolescent mental health problems. Here is a short film about the importance of talking about your feelings and problems:
This short film explores autism from the perspective of an autistic child, Rosie: