Special Educational Needs and Disability Key Contacts

Mrs Priest & Mrs Thompson: Interim SENDCo - EYFS

Mrs Verity Priest: SENDCo - KS1

Mrs Tracie Thompson: SENDCo - KS2 and ARP

Rebecca Ludlow & Christina Fell: ASD ARP teacher 

Email: office@oakgreen.bucks.sch.uk.

Tel: 01296 423895

The contact for compliments, concerns or complaints from parents/carers of pupils with SEND:

Miss Caitlin Joseph: Inclusion Assistant Headteacher

Email: office@oakgreen.bucks.sch.uk.

Tel: 01296 423895

Abida Khokher: SEND Governor

Email: office@oakgreen.bucks.sch.uk.

Tel: 01296 423895

Special Educational Needs

At Oak Green School we recognise that sometimes learning can be challenging for pupils and that some children may have barriers to their learning.  We are an inclusive school offering a broad and balanced education and provide quality first teaching for all pupils. If pupils have been identified as having additional needs, we offer individualised support to these children. We have an Additional Resourced Provision (ARP) for Autism for children in Reception up until Year 6.

Equal importance is placed on academic achievement, through a stimulating, board and balanced curriculum, and enrichment and a personal development curriculum. We respect the unique contribution every individual can make to our school community. Caring for the well-being of all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Learning Difficulties and Disabilities, is fundamental to the school’s ethos.

Children on the SEND register (registered stage 2 - 4) have an Individual Provision Map (IPM).  This support plan outlines desired outcomes, type of provision, time and financial costings.  These are shared with parents and carers three times per year. 

We have Teaching Assistants to support those children with additional needs.  They are trained to run a number of interventions.  Below is a sample of some of the interventions that pupils may access: 

• Precision Monitoring - to support pupils with specific numerical or literacy difficulties.  
• OT resources pack - to support pupils with gross/fine motor difficulties.
• Social Stories - for children who struggle with self-awareness and understanding of social expectations (run via Sunflower Team).  
• Nurture Groups - a small group for children who may benefit from self-esteem and confidence work or who are in need of more adult attention than can be provided in their main class (run via the Pastoral Team).

Individual Provision Maps and Ordinarily Available Provision

Assess, Plan, Do, Review as set out in the SEND Code of Practice 5.36

Assess

If we feel your child has SEND, we will write an Individual Provision Map, which as a mainstream school we must provide. This plan identifies your child's needs, the action needed and planned outcomes. However, if your child's needs are severe or complex they may go straight to the next step - formal assessment.

Plan

The IPM outlines desired outcomes, type of provision, time and financial costings (when appropriate).

Do

We have Teaching Assistants to support those children with additional needs. They are trained to run a number of interventions and support children in class with the targets outlined on their support plans.

Review

These are shared with parents and carers three times per year.

Universal Provision (UP) promotes a consistent ethos to supporting children receiving SEND Support. This approach has been created by schools, professionals and parents and is a fantastic user-friendly, accessible resource for all. It outlines the special educational needs that children may have across the four broad areas, with easy to use provision suggestions for all members of school staff and families alike, as well as strategies for the whole school and quality first teaching.

Admissions information

The admission arrangements for children with SEND follow the Buckinghamshire Council admission arrangements, as we are a school maintained by the local authority. Careful identification is made at the admission stage of any individual needs, ensuring continuity of support and a graduated approach.

For children accessing the ARP, this will need to be stated in their EHCP. For any child with an EHCP that we feel would benefit from the ARP, this can be addressed at the Annual Review.

More information can be seen in our SEN Policy and Accessibility Policy.

Accessibility Information and Equality Information

Our school aims to treat all its pupils fairly and with respect and take steps to prevent disabled pupils from being treated less favourably than other pupils. This involves providing access and equal opportunities for all pupils without discrimination of any kind.

We aim to:

• Increase the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the curriculum
• Improve the physical environment of the school to enable disabled pupils to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services provided
• Improve the availability of accessible information to disabled pupils
• Include opportunities to access extra-curricular activities.

At Oak Green School, we ensure all staff have a consistent approach to offering high quality provision for all pupils supported by an ongoing CPD programme. This ensures all disabled pupils can participate in the curriculum as all staff are able to differentiate the needs and understand each pupil as an individual.

This high quality provision includes quality first teaching, but also bespoke interventions focused on pupils' needs, using external agencies and professionals where needed.

Our school values are Honesty, Respect, Friendship, Kindness, Trust and Fairness and our school motto is ‘Believe, Achieve, Succeed’. All pupils and staff are taught these and embody them throughout school life which promotes a high level of equal opportunity for all.

The physical environment of the school and our facilities support disabled pupils in many ways such as accessible toilets. Our pupils with SEND needs will have relevant arrangements put in place to meet their unique needs. We regularly audit the physical environment to identify any improvements that need to be made as we strive for the highest standard.

Depending upon the specific need, alternative forms of information will be provided for pupils as appropriate; this is supported by access arrangements.

For more information please see our Equality Objectives page and Accessibility Policy 

Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP)

All decisions regarding placements in the ARP are made by the County.  Up to 12 children, who have been identified as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) and whose primary need is ASD, can attend. 

The Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) is part of Oak Green School and is situated in two classrooms within the mainstream building.  Within the ARP there is also a sensory space. 

The process for admission into the ARP is as follows:

• A child will have a diagnosis/or on the pathway of ASD
• At an Annual Review, professionals and parents will agree that a change of placement may be needed (when a child is in a mainstream, or special school setting).  This could be done at the normal review, or an Emergency Review could be called by either the school or the parents if it is felt that the current setting is no longer able to meet needs.
• Once the County receives the paperwork from this, they will consult with ARPs.
• Where possible, ARP staff will go and observe the pupil in their current setting.
• They will respond to the County.  It may be that they are full, or that they cannot meet needs, or they may be able to meet needs.
• Paperwork is then presented at the placement panel and a decision is made, by the County, as to the type of provision.  

This is the process for children within our mainstream setting as well.

Each child has access to the National Curriculum which is differentiated to meet their specific needs, together with social skills training, regular speech and language therapy and daily life skills guidance.  The children sometimes work in small supported groups in the ARP, in a structured and organised environment where visual symbols are used to reduce anxiety and to regulate behaviour, or, where integration is appropriate, in mainstream classes with support from ARP staff. As the ARP is attached to the mainstream school, its primary focus is to include the children, with support, into mainstream classes. However, we will only integrate children into lessons that are appropriate for them, taking into consideration the pace, levels of anxiety and self-esteem.

Useful Links

We are proud to have excellent links with multiple external agencies. You may find the following links of use.

Bucks Local Offer

A Local Offer gives children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and their families information about what support services the local authority that will be available in their local area.

Integrated SEN Service (iSEND)

The Integrated SEN Service supports children and young people with SEND who already have an EHC Plan, or those referred for an EHC Needs Assessment.

Telephone: 01296 382 269

Online: Contact form

· Aylesbury Bucks EHC coordinators senaylesbury@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

· Specialist Teachers st@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

· Educational Psychologists epsadmin@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

SEND IAS

Provides free, confidential, impartial information, advice and support on all matters relating to special educational needs and disability for children and young people aged 0 to 25 and their parents/carers.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service CAMHs

CAMHS help children and young people up to 18 who, for various reasons, may be struggling to cope with everyday life because of difficult feelings, behaviour or relationships.

Most of the time when we are sad, angry, stressed or worried these feelings pass within a few days, but if they go on for a while and stop us from enjoying and coping with life, then CAMHS can help. 

Just as we go to the doctors when we are physically ill, sometimes we need extra help with our mental health. You can self-refer.

CAMHS is also a diagnostic pathway for Neurodiversity - the referral can be made and triaged by CAMHS.

Children's Speech and Language Therapy in Buckinghamshire

The service supports children and young people to develop effective speech, language and social communication skills. Where appropriate we help children and families to learn to use alternative means of communication such as signing. We also work with children and young people who have problems eating or drinking.

The Speech and Language Therapist will develop a programme of work together with the child or young person, family, Early Years/School teaching staff and Specialist Teaching Service. Working in partnership with parents and staff is crucial for effective working at home and within the child/young person’s daily communication environment.

Will offer training and advice for some children and individual or group therapy to others. This relates directly to the nature of the communication difficulty and the outcome of assessment for the child/young person.

The Buckinghamshire Primary Pupil Referral Unit

The Buckinghamshire Primary Pupil Referral Unit was formed in September 2011 with the amalgamation of The Oaks (Amersham), Woodlands (High Wycombe) and Pathways (Aylesbury).

Provide support for children experiencing significant social, emotional or behavioural difficulties in their mainstream primary school. Children may be supported by outreach or by attendance at one of our units. They serve all maintained primary schools in Buckinghamshire.