Inclusion and SEND

Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Inclusion at Valley.

Everything you need to know about SEND, and the best places to go for support for your child.

A welcome message from the SENDCo/Assistant Headteacher:

Mrs Heaven
*Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion Lead)/ SENDCo*
*s52senco@valley.solihull.sch.uk*

Valley Primary School is committed to the inclusion of all children including those with Special Educational Needs. We pride ourselves on the philosophy that students are recognised as individuals, each with their different strengths, weaknesses and individual learning styles. We welcome all children and foster an ethos which celebrates children’s differences and the talents of all. We believe that every child is unique and each and every one of our children has something very special to offer our school community.

A child has special educational needs if they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age, or if they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from accessing the curriculum provided in school. We are committed to providing high quality education for all pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We have strong systems for the early identification of pupils with SEND and always welcome and work in partnership with parents and carers. We have dedicated SEND leaders in place and endeavour to provide high quality and innovative resources, support and challenge to children with specific educational needs or a specific disability which may impact on their learning. We aim to ensure all pupils aspire for excellence and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. We provide a positive, stimulating & nurturing environment.

If you are concerned about your child’s progress or are considering Valley Primary School for your child who has an identified need, please contact me to discuss how we can help your child to flourish as they grow into an independent young person.

I look forward to working with you to support your child.

Please click on the links below for further information about the SEND provision at Valley Primary School.

You said, we did:

Through feedback collected in a survey from parents of children with SEND and through informal discussion feedback, we have changed our practise at Valley:

You said that there was too much jargon around SEND which you didn't always understand.
We created a Glossary of SEND Terms (see document link above).
You said you didn't know you could ask to meet the SENDCo directly.
We set up drop-in sessions which can be booked via email or phoning the school office.
You said you didn't always know how SEND needs were met in the classroom.
We created a provision mapping document, detailing all of our wave levels of support.
You said the parents evenings were too short to discuss your child's SEND needs.
We offered an additional 10 minute slot following parents evening with your child's class teacher, to meet with the SENDCo to discuss SEN specific queries.
You said communication was not always timely or readily available when needed.
We set up the SENDCo email address for ease of communication where emails are responded to within 5 days. We also accommodate drop in meeting sessions. Further to this, we now follow up all meetings with written documentation of the record of the meeting which is emailed to parents.
You said that you weren't always sure which level of support your child was receiving.
We created a flow chart to help you understand what happens when a child is identified as having an additional need. Further to this, we have created a FAQ on our website page which details the difference between Needs Based Plans, My Support Plans and EHCPs.
You said that you needed help and advice for dealing with your child's behaviour at home.
We are running coffee mornings on Teams, delivered by the SENDCo and external professionals, where advice and strategies will be shared around specific areas of need. We include information about home behaviours in our 'Needs Based Plans' and 'My Support Plans' and set appropriate targets to support you in addressing these needs. Our pastoral team support parents through informal drop in meetings and home visits. We have provided links to areas of support for specific need on our website page (see leaf icons above).

If you have any other ideas on how we can improve SEND provision at Valley, please do not hesitate to get in touch at s52senco@valley.solihull.sch.uk

Useful Links: