SEND

The admission arrangements at Hawkinge Primary School do not discriminate or disadvantage disabled children or those with special educational needs (see admissions policy for more information). The school also endeavours to meet the needs of pupils with an Educational Health Care Plan and decisions on the admission of pupils with an EHCP are made by the Local Authority

We know when pupils need help if:

• concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers, teaching assistants or the pupil’s previous school
• there is lack of progress
• attainment is below national expectation
• there is a change in the pupil’s behaviour
• a pupil asks for help

We will ensure that every child receives the support and help they need in a timely manner.  In some cases, if a child is requiring a lot of additional support or if, despite a high level of support, is making limited progress, we will seek to add them to our SEND register as needing ‘SEN Support’.  This will be done through discussion with parents/carers.  This is a dynamic list that children can be added to or removed from at any time, depending on how appropriate it is to their needs.  All children’s needs will continue to be evaluated using a ‘assess, plan, do, review’ cycle. 

If you have concerns then please contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance. If appropriate, the class teacher will raise their concerns with the SENCo (Miss Hanner) or the Headteacher. For the complaints procedure regarding the provision made for pupils with special educational needs please refer to the complaints policy (there is a link at the top of this page).

Hawkinge Primary School provides an inclusive environment and staff, through consultation with parent/carers, previous schools and external agencies, work hard to meet the needs of all pupils, regardless of any SEND.

The SEN Code of Practice 2015 states that “High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.”

In Hawkinge Primary School, the quality of teaching was judged in our last Ofsted inspection to be outstanding. Each pupil’s learning is planned by the class teacher; it is differentiated to ensure the pupil’s individual needs are fully met, regardless of whether that child has any special educational needs or an EHC plan. This may include additional focused support by the teacher or teaching assistant as part of our quality first teaching. Targets are set for all pupils in consultation with the children.

Every pupil is discussed six times a year at Hawkinge’s Pupil Progress Meetings with all members of staff that are involved in the teaching and learning of that year group, Mr O’Brien and Miss Ward.

During Pupil Progress Meetings pupils are identified for intervention and support (e.g. writing, maths, social skills, fine motor skills). Interventions and additional provisions are detailed using Edukey Provision Mapping and Learning Plans. Examples of extra support available at Hawkinge Primary School are Precision Teaching techniques, Language Through Colour, Language Link, 1:1 Reading and Reading Comprehension, Touch Typing, Nessy Reading and Spelling Support, Fizzy, Fine Motor Skills, the use of Clicker 8, Speech Therapy, 5 Minute Boxes, Toe By Toe, Nurture Groups, Lego Therapy, Emotional Regulation, Sensory Circuits etc.

Parents are informed if their child is receiving additional support at parent evenings and through additional conversations as required. If a more intense or specialised package of support is required, external agencies are involved, with permission from the parent, either through the LIFT process or engaged through the school.

In addition, at the end of each daily English and Maths lesson, any children who have not fully met the learning objective will be identified for ‘Keep Up, Catch Up’ sessions which will take place that day or the following morning, ensuring that all pupils are ready for the next lesson’s learning.

Additional meetings and targets will be set and reviewed for pupils with an EHC Plan: parents, SENCO, relevant staff and external agencies, and the pupil (where appropriate) will all contribute to this.

Across the school, teachers and TAs have a high level of expertise in a range of SEND areas. For example, speech and language, Dyslexia, ASD, social and emotional difficulties and supporting and supporting physiotherapy. The SENCO is also able to ‘screen’ for difficulties including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Visual Stress and to make suggestions of ways forward with this. At times, it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive specialised expertise. This is always done in collaboration with parents/carers. The agencies used by the school include:

• STLS – Specialist Teaching and Learning Services
• Educational Psychologist
• CYPMHS (Kent Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service)
• Inclusion Team
• Social Care and Early Help
• Children’s Therapy Team (Speech & Language/Occupational Therapy)
• School Nurse
• Behaviour Support Service
• Counselling

As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements. Facilities we have at present include:

• toilets adapted for disabled users
• wide doors in some parts of the building
• disabled parking bay
• care suite to meet the needs of individual pupils

The school also has the following adaptations in place to meet sensory and physical needs:

• appropriate seating, acoustic conditioning and lighting
• adaptations to the physical environment of the school
• adaptations to school policies and procedures
• access to alternative or augmented forms of communication
• provision of tactile and kinaesthetic materials
• access to low vision aids
• access to specialist aids, equipment or furniture
• regular and frequent access to specialist support

At Hawkinge Primary School, all children are valued and respected. Expectations of all children are high and children are encouraged to always do their best. Our inclusive approach allows all children to succeed. Hawkinge Primary School is committed to developing an anti-bullying culture where the bullying of adults, children or young people is not tolerated in any form. As part of our broad and balanced curriculum, we teach about diversity, including, but not limited to, learning about the Paralympics and successful Paralympians; learning about a range of additional needs, including dyslexia, ADHD and Autism and how many successful adults (including some famous faces) have overcome difficulties or been enabled by these diagnoses; and promoting the 5 Ways to Wellbeing to establish good mental health for all. All subjects, including PE, are differentiated so that all children can learn and experience success. Our latest Ofsted report noted that SEND needs are identified and suitable provision implemented so that these pupils make good progress and that high levels of staff expertise mean that pupils’ needs are well met.

As a school we understand that changing schools can be distressing for some children and therefore we aim to make the transition process successful through:

• encouraging new entrants to Hawkinge to visit and join us for an afternoon. We also contact the child’s current school so that we can properly prepare for their arrival.
• supporting a pupil leaving Hawkinge to join another Primary School by ensuring all relevant information is shared.
• supporting a pupil leaving Hawkinge and joining a secondary school. The SENCo and Year 6 teaching staff meet with the secondary SENCo and/or complete all relevant documents.
• arranging additional visits to secondary schools for some pupils as well as carrying out transition support sessions with other local primary schools.
• passing on SEN pupils files to their relevant secondary school.

Your child’s class teacher, in the first instance, or Miss Hanner (SENCO) senco@hawkinge.kent.sch.uk or Miss Ward (Head Teacher). All will be able to refer you to internal or external support services if needed. The SEN policy can also be found on our Policies page.