Tirlebrook Primary School
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Welcome to Tirlebrook Primary School SEND webpage.
Tirlebrook Primary School follows the Graduated Pathway and the Assess, Plan, Do, Review model.
Level 1 - all children have access to quality first teaching
Level 2 - interventions are planned to support children and help them reach their potential for a planned period of time; your child may have an Accelerated Learning Plan (ALP), MyPlan or MyPlan+
Level 3 - interventions planned are specific to the individual needs of each child; your child may have a MyPlan+ or this may progress to an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP)
Communication with parents, pupils, teachers and the SENDCo will happen throughout this process so that everyone is informed and can have their views, ideas and opinions heard and shared. At Tirlebrook we believe that this process works most effectively when everyone works together as a team.
The code of practice clearly states that a child has Special Educational Needs (SEN) when their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age (Code of Practice 2015, Identifying SEN in schools, 6.15, page 94). This means that not all pupils who have a learning difficulty or disability have Special Educational Needs. We are here to support all children and parents so if you suspect that your child might have a learning difficulty or/and a Special Educational Need, please arrange to speak to your child's class teacher or the Tirlebrook SENDCo to discuss your concerns further.
SEND Documentation & Information
| Name | Format | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Files | |||
| SEND Policy 2023.pdf | |||
| SEND Information Report 2023.pdf | |||
| Tirlebrook Offer of Early Help 2023-2024.pdf | |||
| Disability Equality Scheme and Accessibility Plan 2022 - 2025 Rev Aut 2025.pdf | |||
| Information_for_Parents_and_Carers_on_Gloucestershire_s_Graduated_Pathway.pdf | |||
| Assess_Plan_Do_Review.png | .png |
SEND Code of Practice
The 4 Areas of SEND as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice (2015): Communication & Interaction, Learning & Cognition, Social, Emotional & Mental Health and Physical & Sensory.
Communication & Interaction
Communication and Interaction can encompass a lot of needs and issues that a child may have and includes children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and those with Speech, Language and Communication needs.
Children and young people with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others; this may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication.
Learning & Cognition
Learning and Cognition can cover a range of needs and includes children with Specific Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Profound Learning Difficulties and Multiple Learning Difficulties.
Support for learning may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate support and differentiation. Learning and Cognition conditions include dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia.
Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Children affected by social, emotional or mental health may impact their ability to learn.
Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways, including becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour; these behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained.
The Code of Practice clarifies that persistent disruptive or withdrawn behaviours do not necessarily mean that a child or young person has a special educational need. Where there are concerns, there should be an assessment to determine whether there are any casual factors such as undiagnosed learning difficulties, difficulties with communication or mental health issues. If it is thought housing, family or other domestic circumstances may be distributing to the presenting behaviour a multi-agency approach may be necessary (Code of Practice 2015, Identifying SEN in schools, 6.21, page 96).
Physical & Sensory Needs
Children with a physical or sensory need may suffer from a hearing, visual or multi-sensory impairment and includes children with physical difficulties.
Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided - these difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time. Many children with and young people with a vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI) or multi-sensory impairment (MSI) will require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning. Some children and young people with a physical disability (PD) require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers.
When a child is identified as having a Special Educational Need (SEN), their progress, attainment and provision is monitored by the SENDCo. The pupil will be supported with an individualised MyPlan that is tailored to the pupil’s needs. The SEN Support Plan follows the access, plan, do, review cycle and is reviewed regularly. The review process will evaluate the impact of the support and interventions. Parents and pupils are part of this process and their views contribute to this process. Parents are informed about their child’s SEN Support Plan at regular intervals throughout the academic year (and at relevant and appropriate timings according to the needs of the child) to ensure that the child's needs are being met, that the provision provided has a positive impact and that communication between home and school is effective. For some pupils, additional funding might be available based on the complexity of the pupil’s needs and the provision already available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a MyPlan?
A MyPlan is a document that records the specific difficulties that a child may have. It is a joint process of deciding the areas of need and formulating “outcomes” which are achievable steps that can be made in a short period of time. A MyPlan is shared with teachers, teaching partners, parents, the child and the SENDCo and is reviewed every term or more frequently, if necessary.
In order to gain the views of the child and ascertain strengths and difficulties, what helps and what doesn’t help and likes and dislikes, a MyProfile sheet is completed with them - this is also shared with parents and the child gets a copy to take home with them.
When would a child need to progress to a MyPlan+?
If a child has support from a number or outside agencies in order to meet their needs, then a MyPlan+ could be instigated. In this situation, a MyAssessment document is also completed with the parents - this is a holistic view of the family and is designed to prevent parents from having to repeat their story every time a new professional is involved with their child. MyPlan+ documents are reviewed termly and parents and external professionals involved are invited to attend a review meeting with the class teacher and SENDCo to discuss progress and next steps.
When can a child or young person get an EHCP (Educational Health Care Plan)?
If a child or young person has complex educational and/or health needs, an EHCP assessment can be requested. Requests can be made by the school, parents or by health and social care. The Local Authority will then collect evidence and information from a variety of sources, i.e. teachers, parents, social care and health professionals, as well as the pupil themselves. After evaluating the evidence that have been collected, the Local Authority will decide whether the pupil is eligible for an EHCP. If an EHCP is not granted, parents have the right to appeal against the decision made. EHCPs are reviewed annually and parents and the pupil are included in the reviewing process.
Does a child with SEND have access to the same lessons?
All pupils at Tirlebrook Primary School have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. All teachers are responsible for providing that broad and balanced curriculum to all pupils. Depending on the pupils’ needs, adjustments may be made in order to enable the pupil to engage with learning and access the curriculum. The Code of Practice clearly defines that all teachers are teachers of pupils with SEND. All teachers are responsible for identifying pupils with SEND and, in collaboration with the SENDCo, are responsible for ensuring that the needs of those pupils are met through differentiation and, when necessary, additional provision above and beyond the one available to the rest of the class.
Who should I speak to if I have concerns or worries about my child?
Parents should speak to their child’s class teacher in the first instance if they have any concerns or worries about their child. If it is felt necessary, a meeting can be arranged with the SENDCo (Miss Helen Stratford) who will be able to offer advice, signpost to external agencies and discuss the appropriate next steps.
Websites & Support
- Dyslexia Association (Glos) - Gloucestershire Dyslexia Association is a charity that works to increase awareness and understanding of dyslexia and to provide information, education and support to dyslexic people and parents and teachers of dyslexic children in Gloucestershire.
- Early Help (Glos) - Early help is about supporting families who are struggling with the day-to-day challenges they are facing. This could be when first becoming a parent or when a parent first faces a challenge that they feel they need help to manage, regardless of the age of their children, (pre-school, school age or leaving school).
- Family Information Service (Glos) - Free impartial, confidential information, advice and signposting for families with children aged 0-19 and the professionals working with them.
- Graduated Pathway Explained (Glos)
- I CAN - I CAN is a charity that helps children with speech and language difficulties across the UK. The charity works to create a society where their special needs are recognised, understood and met, so that they have the same opportunities in life as other children.
- SENDIASS (GLOS) - SENDIASS Gloucestershire provides information, advice and support on matters relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- Tic+ - Teens In Crisis is a Gloucestershire based charity which is committed to Crisis Prevention, Intervention and Care for 9-21 year olds. Children are able to access support and counselling quickly, easily and safely; support for parents is also offered.
- Young Minds - Young Minds offers free, confidential online and telephone support, including information and advice, to any adult worried about the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25.
