A Church of England Academy
School SEN Report 2024-2025
Welcome to Countess Anne School’s SEN report, part of the Hertfordshire Local Offer and complies with section 69 (2) of the Children and Families Act 2014 and Regulation 51 and Schedule 1 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.
According to the Code of Practice 2014, “a child or young person has Special Educational Needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special education provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty if he or she has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or has a disability that prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools”
At Countess Anne School, we work hard to deliver outstanding academic provision that recognises the need for excellence in teaching and learning, a holistic provision that encourages Christian hope; building spirit and soul through faith orientated pastoral care and inspirational provision through a modern curriculum that celebrates diversity and provides new opportunities.
- How does the school know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
The school adopts the levels of intervention as described in the SEN Code of
Practice. The Code of Practice advocates a graduated response to meeting pupils’ needs.
If the school decides, after consultation with parents, that a pupil requires additional support to make progress, the SENCo, in collaboration with teachers, will support the assessment of the pupil and have an input in planning future support and add the pupil to the SEND register. The class teacher will remain responsible for planning and delivering individualised programmes, with support from the SENCo and external agencies if required. Parents will be closely informed of the action and results on a termly basis.
If you have any concerns regarding your child’s progress or well-being, then please speak to either your child’s class teacher or Mrs Rebecca Lawlor (SENCo) to discuss your concerns.
- How will the school support my child?
In order to meet the learning needs of all pupils, teachers differentiate work and deliver quality first teaching. They work to meet individual learning needs, to assess work and plan homework effectively. Where pupils are identified as having special educational needs, the school provides for these additional needs in a variety of ways.
The provision for pupils is related specifically to their needs. The range of provision may include:
- in class support for small groups with an additional teacher or Teaching Assistant
- small group withdrawal with TA or CT
- individual class support / individual withdrawal art therapist.
- further differentiation of resources
- online Maths tutorial group / maths sets
- external interventions
- provision of alternative learning materials/ special equipment
- provision of additional adult time in devising interventions and monitoring their effectiveness
- staff development/training to undertake more effective strategies
- access to Specialist Teaching and the Educational Psychology Service or other support services for advice on strategies, equipment, or staff training.
The class teacher, supported by the SENCo and where appropriate specialist agencies, will use a Learning Profile (LP) to plan targets and interventions for your child to help them make progress in their learning. You will be given the opportunity to discuss the targets and the progress that your child is making with your child’s class teacher throughout the process.
The length of time an intervention runs and frequency of extra provision varies according to the need but will be monitored and reviewed regularly.
- How will I know how my child is doing?
At Countess Anne we are able to provide a variety of opportunities to inform you of how well your child is doing and the progress that they are making:
- Parent Consultations and the termly report that comes following the meeting
- Open afternoons
- Celebration assemblies
- Learning profile meetings
- Home / School communication books- upon request,
- Annual reviews of Educational Health Care Plans (EHCP),
- Telephone, email and online conversations,
- Regular meetings with class teacher if necessary,
- Additional appointments made with the class teacher or SENCO via the school office.
- How will the school’s approach to teaching and learning be matched to my child’s needs?
The school follows a graduated approach to SEN support:
ASSESS- what are the child’s needs
PLAN – work and interventions at an accessible level
DO – carry out appropriate support and with suitable resources,
REVIEW- how effectiveness was the intervention and the work; was progress made.
It is the responsibility of the Class Teacher to plan work for the children in their class. The Class Teacher will use regular assessment methods, such as marking work, to inform their planning and ensure that progress is being made. Teachers also track children’s progress against assessment criteria to ensure their level of understanding. Tracking data showing individual progress is continually updated and monitored by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the SENCo. Teachers also use a high level of differentiation to ensure every child’s needs are met.
Intervention groups are used when a child’s need requires a more specific area of learning. This may be led by the Learning Support Assistant (LSA), Class Teacher or the SENCo. The intervention groups support children with similar needs who require a specific program of intervention to enable to make progress.
Other provisions and support available:
- Differentiated spellings
- Adult support in class (LSA or Class Teacher working alongside a child to support their learning).
- If your child has a higher level of needs, this may result in a referral to relevant outside professionals such as an educational psychologist, a specific learning difficulty (dyslexia, dyspraxia) adviser or the speech and language service. Please refer to the Herts for Learning Local Offer for full details of support available in schools.
- Children requiring emotional support will be referred to our Pastoral Care Team and this may result in a referral to Art Therapy, CAMHS or other support teams.
- In some cases, when a child’s needs are more complex than the school may apply for an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP). An EHCP will normally be provided where the LA considers the pupil requires provision beyond what the school can offer. An EHCP will include details of learning objectives for the child. An EHCP will normally be provided when the Local Authority considers the pupil requirements of provision are beyond that which the school can offer. An EHCP will include details of learning objectives for the child.
There will be opportunities to have regular discussions with you and your child where appropriate with the class teacher and SENCo.
- What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
At Countess Anne school we want all pupils to feel safe and have a happy experience with us. We consider the social, emotional and mental health of children to be an important part of our school ethos, recognising that children learn best when they are safe and happy.
We have a wide range of ways to support children with their social and emotional wellbeing. Through collective worship, RE sessions and the Christian values that underpin our school community, we encourage children to live out these Christian values by supporting and nurturing each other. Children have opportunities to reflect on our school values and nominate others for awards in Kindness, Respect, Forgiveness, Courage, Perseverance and Gratitude.
Our PSHE curriculum equips children with the vocabulary to talk about their and other’s feelings. Our MAKE BELIEVERS are an elected council of children, over seen by the Head Girl and Boy, who uphold the school values, inspire and lead. Through projects with the local community they fundraise, raise awareness and provide a support network for children.
We have a Pastoral Care Team who oversee the wellbeing of our school community. The team works closely with our Family Support Worker and Art Therapist to provide advice and support for families, children and staff. For some of our children, a tailored intervention is used to boost confidence, self-esteem or develop their social or emotional skills; often using their peers as role models. Occasionally, external agencies may be consulted to provide expert advice in relation to significant or complex emotional or social, such as Educational Psychology and the DSPL5 support team.
All staff have undertaken first aid training and if a pupil has a specific need, staff will be trained to administer this medication. When medication is to be administered during the school day, the school will work with families and professionals to enable this. All medical information is confidential but when there is a medical need –e.g an allergy- that needs to be shared with staff, a plan will used to communicate this.
- What training have the staff, supporting children and young people with SEND, had or are having?
The school’s SENCO has successfully completed the National Award for SEN Coordination in October 2019 and regularly attends SEN updates and briefings. The school’s Mental Health Lead looks at wellbeing across the school and works with staff to provide support for children.
Staff at Countess Anne have been trained by specialists in a wide range of SEN areas, for example: visual and hearing impairments, autism, protective behaviours and emotional needs. Staff have worked with specialist bases to receive outreach training.
There are weekly staff meetings where training, information and resources are shared.
Where a training need is identified, staff attend courses run by specialists in that area of SEND and then the training is implement to support the needs of the child or group of children.
Staff are very supportive and will offer advice to each other, especially when children are transitioning to new classes.
- What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
The school works with the following services:
- Specific Learning Difficulties Outreach Team
- Educational Psychology
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Art Therapy
- School Nurse
- Outreach services at Woolgrove School
- Advisory Services – Autism and Hearing Impairment
- Family worker
- Occupational Therapy
Class teachers work closely with the SENCo to assess the needs of our children and make referrals to the appropriate services when needed. Families are consulted prior to a referral being made.
- How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
Termly reports showing your child’s progress and attitude to learning are provided as well the opportunity to attend parent consultations. During this meeting, your child’s class teacher can suggest ways in which you can support your child’s learning at home. Homework tasks are regularly give out through Google classrooms and, when required, remote learning can be delivered. Hard copies are also available.
Our website offers parent support pages and courses being run for parents. https://padlet.com/rlawlor1/countess-anne-school-sen-area-uocu8y62ff0ynbmb
As well as the reporting opportunities mentioned in section 3, staff are always willing to meet with families to help them to support their child’s learning.
- How does the school enable constructive partnership working with families?
At Countess Anne, our school and wider community are important to us and we would encourage you to meet regularly with your child’s class teacher, SENCo or Head Teacher if you had any concerns regarding your child’s education. Teachers will discuss your child’s Learning Profile with you if your child is on the SEN register and receiving additional support for their learning. The learning profile allows staff to plan, deliver and review interventions to help your child make progress in their learning. Each term, the class teacher will discuss this profile with you and how much progress your child has made towards their targets.
For children with EHCP’s, review meetings with be scheduled for you to attend with the class teacher and SENCO.
Parents are also encouraged to join our Governing body and work closely with staff on school development. The SENCo reports details of SEN to the Governing body to develop policy and practice through the school.
- How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom, including school trips?
Pupils with SEND are encouraged to take part in all areas of our school life, alongside other pupils, where it is practical and compatible with their needs. We will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments where needed following discussions with parents. A risk assessment will be carried out and medical needs taken into consideration.
There are a wide range of activities for children to experience when attending our school, such as: school plays, sports clubs, gardening clubs, mountain climbing on residentials and being part of our MAKE BELIEVER (school council) -mentioned in section 5.
- How accessible is the school environment?
The school is on one level and pupils with a disability have access to a disabled toilet.
Eden House has an internal lift to allow access to upper areas.
Children with visual impairments are provided with large print texts. Assisted listening devices for children with a hearing impairment. For those who find written text difficult to access, phone or online meetings can be arranged.
We monitor the languages spoken by families in our settings and make use of translation sites / translators when necessary.
- Who can I contact for further information?
In the first instance, parents/carers are encouraged to contact their child’s class teacher.
For students with SEND, further information and support can be obtained from the SENCO or School Family Worker where appropriate. For students with SEND, further information and support can be obtained from the SENCO or School Family Worker where appropriate.
Further guidance can be obtained from the school’s Governor for SEND or the school’s Head Teacher.
If parents/cares wish to complain about the provision for their child then they should do so using the School’s Complaint Policy which can be found on the school website.
- How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school, transfer to a new school or the next stage of education and life?
We have an induction process for welcoming all new learners to our setting.
We have good relationships with our main feeder settings and with settings that most of our children move onto; we share information to support pupils’ learning and well-being at transition.
Further support is provided as necessary for those with SEND including additional visits from both staff and pupils to old and new settings respectively.
Within school transition from one year to the next is supported by a transfer of information from one teacher to the next and by holding a changeover day so that pupils can experience their new class teacher and room prior to moving. Children with SEND who required additional transitions sessions are accommodated with more frequent trips to their new classroom and time with their new teachers.
Older pupils also receive additional Sex and Relationships education and attend the Crucial Crew event in order to equip them to make safe and healthy decisions as they move into adolescence.
- How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
Our finances are monitored and audited regularly and we utilise resources to support the strategic aims of our setting as well as individual learner needs.
We seek to ensure a ‘value for money’ service, therefore all interventions are costed and evaluated.
- How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
Should additional support be required the amount of which is decided upon by taking into account the individual needs of the child but also the needs of the other children in the class.
The type of support is decided upon after consultation with the relevant staff, the child and their family as necessary.
All interventions are monitored by the SENCo and class teacher.
- How can I find information on the local authority’s Local Offer of services and provision of the children and young people with special educational needs and disability?
Details of the local offer can be found at:
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/the-hertfordshire-local-offer.aspx
