Special Needs

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SEND

Firbeck Academy is an inclusive mainstream school that strives to ensure a safe, happy and caring learning environment where children are able to reach their full potential and authentically recognise themselves and others as individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses. Staff are committed to providing high-quality education for all regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, impairment, attainment and family background.

We aim to be an inclusive school by ensuring that:

• All children and young people are valued equally and take as full as part as possible in all school activities.
• We promote the highest standards of achievement for all pupils through a broad and balanced curriculum.
• We provide a differentiated curriculum appropriate to individual’s needs and abilities.
• We identify barriers to learning and participation that require additional provision as early as possible in a pupil’s school career.
• We have high expectations and suitable targets for our children.
• We acknowledge the vital role that parents play in their child’s education and ensure they are informed of progress and achievements.
• Pupils with additional needs are involved, where practicable, in decisions affecting their future provision.
• Seek the advice and expertise of other agencies and professionals as required.

Our SEND objectives are as follows:

• Identify the needs of pupils with SEN as early as possible. This is most effectively done by gathering information from parents, education, health and care services and feeding schools or early years settings prior to the child’s entry into the school.
• Monitor the progress of all pupils in order to aid the identification of pupils with SEN. Continuous monitoring of those pupils with SEN by their teachers will help to ensure that they are able to reach their full potential.
• Make appropriate provision to overcome all barriers to learning and ensure pupils with SEN have full access to the National Curriculum. This will be co-ordinated by the SENCo and will be carefully monitored and regularly reviewed in order to ensure that individual targets are being met and all pupils’ needs are catered for.
• Work with parents to gain a better understanding of their child, and involve them in all stages of their child’s education. This includes supporting them in terms of understanding SEN procedures and practices, providing regular reports on their child’s progress, and providing information on the provisions for pupils within the school as a whole, and the effectiveness of the SEN policy and the school’s SEN work.
• Work with and in support of outside agencies when the pupils’ needs cannot be met by the school alone such as educational psychologists, behaviour support and Speech and Language Therapists. We also have the use of a Sensory Room at the local Children’s Centre.
• Create a school environment where pupils feel safe to voice their opinions of their own needs. This means providing regular one to one meetings between pupils and their teacher/SENCo and will be made easier by carefully monitoring the progress of all pupils. Pupil participation is a right. This will be reflected in decision-making but also encouraged through wider opportunities for participation in school life.

School Closure Resources

Information websites for professionals, parents and young people:

From The Anna Freud Website: https://www.annafreud.org/coronavirus/

‘A guide to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils and students during periods of disruption’. There are also three videos, one for school staff, one for parents and one for children and young people which may be useful.

Public Health England have produced an easy read version of their Advice on the coronavirus for places of education. You can download it here (https://www.easy-read-online.co.uk/media/53192/advice-on-the-coronavirus-v1.pdf)

National Autistic Society – guidance and helpline for parents’, young people and staff: https://www.autism.org.uk/services/nas-schools/vanguard/news/2020/march/coronavirus-(covid-19)-advice.aspx

Mencap - Easy Read guide to Coronavirus: https://www.mencap.org.uk/sites/default/files/202003/Information%20about%20Coronavirus%20ER%20SS2.pdf

Place2Be – Guide to helping parents answer questions from their children and to support family wellbeing: https://www.place2be.org.uk/about-us/news-and blogs/2020/march/coronavirus-information-for-children/

Young Minds - Talking to your child about Coronavirus and 10 tips from their Parents Helpline to support family wellbeing: https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/

Carers UK - Guidance for carers: https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/health/looking-after-your-health/coronavirus-covid-19

Covibook – an interactive resource designed to support and reassure children aged 7 and under, designed to help children explain and draw the emotions that they might be experiencing during the pandemic: https://www.mindheart.co/descargables

Amaze - information pack for parents https://amazesussex.org.uk/faqs-about-the-coronavirus-for-parent-carers-of-children-with-send-brighton-hove/

Autism Support Team Online Resources

Early Years resource pack – email: AutismTeam@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Facebook Groups with ideas and links:

• Plan C
• Family Lockdown Tips and Ideas

Websites with Free Resources/ideas:

• Twinkle (Free access code; PARENTSTWINKLHELPS Website: www.twinkl.co.uk/offer )
• https://www.space.com/free-nasa-space-projects-at-home-coronavirus.html (Free Space Projects to do at home)
• https://www.tts-group.co.uk/home+learning+activities.html (Free Home learning activities)
• Activity Village https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/
• Zero – three (Early years) https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/3264-at-home-activity-guide

Take a look at websites for Museums, NASA and Mad science for resources and free online viewing opportunities and lessons.

Autism specific:

• National Autisitc society –free resources linked to Autism Awareness week https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/world-autism-awareness-week/schools.aspx

Cornoavirus related links:

Supporting Anxiety:

Young Minds:

https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/what-to-do-if-you-re-anxious-about-coronavirus/

Child Mind Institute

https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/

Social Stories for Primary children:

A Carol Gray social story about corona virus at https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemics-and-the-Coronavirus.pdf?fbclid=IwAR23zxNlbEumpw4oKlM7Xy3VlKnA25b8Gi53N6YiFIeKB9Vx0LQypSPYzzg

Another nice visual story to explain to children: https://twitter.com/thelovelymaeve/status/1238399538878087169 or also available at https://www.thedadsnet.com/this-free-book-is-great-for-explaining-covid-19-coronavirus-to-your-children

Also https://www.ppmd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/The-Corona-Virus-Free-Printable-Updated-2-The-Autism-Educator-.pdf