At Harefield Primary School, our aims are: -

• To provide quality first teaching for all, including those learners with SEND.
• To form a positive working partnership with parents, consulting with and reporting to them from the outset and at regular intervals on their child’s progress.
• To ensure that all staff are alert to any indications that a child may be experiencing difficulties at school, including early identification of SEND.
• That children be assessed as soon as possible when difficulties are recognised, using a range of screening and assessment materials.
• To plan and implement a programme of support adhering to the approach described in the SEND Code of Practice.
• To involve the pupil in planning for and reviewing the provision for their needs wherever appropriate.
• To consult fully with the class teacher and teaching assistants (TAs) at all stages.
• To collaborate with all external providers of support.
• To monitor, record and review the effectiveness of the programme on a regular basis, making adjustments where necessary.
• To accurately assess and track the progress of children with SEND and work to ensure that attainment for these children improves.
• Providing appropriate training and support to professionals within the setting in regards to SEND.

Person responsible for SEND provision at Harefield Primary School:

Claire Sambles (Inclusion Lead/SENDCo)

Harefield Primary School, Yeovil Chase, Southampton, SO18 5NZ.

Telephone: 02380 463 240.

Email: harefieldinfo@hpslive.net

Speech, Language and Communication needs

(SEND register: Communication and Interaction)

We are very fortunate here at Harefield to have a very experienced Speech and Language Teaching assistant who spends three full days a week managing the Speech and Language case load. We also have access to qualified Speech Therapists from Speaking Space on a fortnightly basis. Speech and Language is a key area of need for the children who attend Harefield and so a large amount of our resources are allocated to supporting children to make good progress in this area.

Deb Hawkins is our Speech and Language Teaching Assistant. Hers is a specialist teaching assistant role. Deb has had additional training and receives regular updates, as well as clear supervision and support from Speaking Space. She supports children with language disorders, pronunciation and speech production issues, as well as social communication. She also liaises with our allocated NHS speech therapist for those children who are on the NHS speech therapy caseload.

If it is felt your child needs additional support with their speech, language or social communication, consent will always be sought first. Then any targets which are set are regularly sent home and updated following reviews. Not all children with speech and language targets will be on the school’s SEND register, as their speech difficulties may not be affecting their learning or social skills.

Learning needs

(SEND register: Cognition and Learning)

All children need support with their learning at different times and it is the school’s role to give them that support.  They may be finding a particular subject more difficult or they may be struggling to focus.  This does not necessarily mean they have additional learning needs.  They may be identified as having SEND if they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age and they need help that goes beyond normal differentiated and personalised teaching.  That help may need to be additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age.

If your child needs support with their learning, this will be delivered by the teacher in class and/or by a trained adult in an additional individual or small group intervention.

Where further advice and support is needed, school can refer to the Southampton Educational Psychology Service.  The school’s link Educational Psychologist can then work with school to assess a child’s needs in more detail and suggest additional support.  This would only be necessary if the actions that the school have already tried have not led to progress over a period of time.

Sometimes a child’s difficulties with learning can be due to a specific difficulty such as dyslexia, but this is often not the case.  At school, we are not able to diagnose specific learning differences, but we are able to administer a dyslexia screen which can give an indication as to whether your child may be at risk of dyslexia.  There is information about this below.

Emotional and Mental Health Needs

(SEND Register: Social, Emotional and Mental Health)

We all have mental health. Mental health is about our feelings, our thinking, our emotions and our moods. Looking after our mental health is important. We all have small feelings every day: These sometimes feel strong and overwhelming, whether happy or sad, but they go away before too long. Sometimes we experience big feelings: These feel strong and overwhelming for a long time. They stop us doing what we want to in our lives.  If children’s emotions become overwhelming and it impacts on their wellbeing and everyday life, they may need additional support.

Harefield Primary is working towards becoming a Trauma Informed School.  This means that we understand the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on children and we recognise that children’s behaviour is often a communication of their trauma.

In school, as well as Trauma Informed trained staff, we have two trained ELSAs.  They can offer individual and/or group work to children, working on a specific emotional/wellbeing target.

We also have a Family Support Worker who can help parents to manage their child’s emotional and mental health needs at home, and can also signpost parents to support if they need it for their own mental health.

Referrals can be made to the NHS Mental Health in Schools Team (MHST) who can work with parents on understanding and supporting their child’s emotional difficulties.  Referrals can also be made to CAMHS (Child Adolescent and Mental Health Service) where needed, once parents have completed parenting workshops.  In addition, referrals can be made to the School Nursing Team who can support with issues such as sleep and eating difficulties.

Physical and Sensory Needs

(SEND Register: Physical and Sensory)

Some children have physical needs which need to be supported in school.  This can be fine motor (small movements and hand control) or gross motor (large movements, stability and balance).  They may need physio or occupational therapy, which can be arranged through an NHS Physio or Occupational Therapist.  These therapists work with adults in school to set a targeted program which is then delivered regularly in school.  Some children may need additional support by adults in class, which may involve additional intervention such as handwriting and pencil control work.

Some children may benefit from additional resources, such as pencil grips, wobble cushions to support stability when they sit or desk slopes to help with writing.

Some children may have additional sensory needs, which may or may not be the result of a need such as Autism or ADHD.  These children can benefit from extra support such as movement breaks, their own workstation or careful seating in the classroom.  Resources such as fiddle toys, ear defenders and chew toys can also help some children.  Sensory resources for home can be purchased through Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/sensory-equipment/s?k=sensory+equipment

Children with physical and sensory needs may or may not be on the school’s SEND register, depending on the impact that their needs have on their learning and their social skills.

Useful websites

The Local Offer: The Local Offer is a hub if information about the services and support available in Southampton for children with Special Educational Needs aged 0-25

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/schools-learning/send-local-offer/

SEND Information Advice and Support Service: SENDIASS aims to empower parents/carers, children, and young people to play an active and informed role in making decisions about their education, health, and social care.

https://www.southamptonsendiass.info/

Re:Minds: Re:Minds is a Southampton based organisation supporting families whose children/young people have Autism, ADHD or other neurodiverse needs and/or mental health needs - with or without a diagnosis. 

https://www.reminds.org.uk/

Autism Hampshire: Autism Hampshire’s Advice and Guidance team offers a wide range of free services to support individuals and families. The service is available pre, during and post diagnosis via the telephone, by email or by appointment at their Hampshire based office.

https://autismhampshire.org.uk/

Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service: CAMHS is a NHS specialist service that aims to help young people aged 5 -18 years and their families who are finding it hard to manage their emotional and psychological health, and who are suffering with acute, chronic and severe mental health problems.

https://hampshirecamhs.nhs.uk/