SEND

SEND-

According to the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Code of Practice January 2015, a child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty if he or she:

1. Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
2. Has a disability which 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 or mainstream post-16 institutions. SEN Code of Practice (2014, p 15 and 16)

We are committed to providing an appropriate and high quality education to all the children. We believe that all children, including those identified as having special educational needs have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum, which is accessible to them, and to be fully included in all aspects of school life. High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. 

Children that are judged to have SEN are included on the schools SEN Register as being at School Support level along with their area of need. The four broad areas of need are;

• communication and interaction
• cognition and learning
• social, emotional and mental health difficulties
• sensory and/or physical needs.

Children who have an EHCP (Education Health Care Plan) are also included on the register as having so.

All children with SEN will have SEN Targets which are shared with you three times a year via their Class Teacher. Those children who have an EHCP of are in receipt of High Needs Funding will have Personalised Plans with Outcomes that are shared with you three times a year via the school SENCo.

For any further information or support please speak to me or the Inclusion Coordinator, Mrs Elks.

Mrs E Hill ehill@mandm.school

Minster C of E Primary School SEND report 2023-2024

This key document meets the legislative requirements for SEND information reports, which are set out in schedule 1 of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (ESND) Regulations 2014 and paragraphs 6.79-6.81 of the SEND Code of Practice.

Dyslexia

An information sheet for parents/guardians of children with dyslexia on our practice as a Dyslexia Friendly School.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difference, a combination of strengths and weaknesses, which affect the learning process in reading, spelling, writing and sometimes number and calculation. Dyslexic learners may also have accompanying weaknesses in short term memory, sequencing and the speed at which they process information. These are skills that everyone needs if they are to learn effectively in a busy classroom. They are also key skills for life.

Dyslexia is lifelong condition that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support is available to improve reading, writing, memory and organisational skills and help those with dyslexia be successful at school and work.

The Kent Policy is:

“Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy learning at the ‘word level’ and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities. It provides the basis for a staged process of assessment through teaching.”

(A working definition of Dyslexia, British Psychological Society, 1999 :18)

There is no single type of dyslexia.

Dyslexia covers a wide range of difficulties and it is unique for each individual. Alongside causing difficulty in the skills needed for learning to read, spell and write, it can also cause issues with organisation and memory.
In using the term Dyslexia at Minster CEP School we will have considered the following questions:

• Does the pupil demonstrate an accurate /fluent/complete grasp of word, spelling and reading?

• Have the appropriate learning opportunities been provided? (Small group Letters and Sounds with opportunities for over learning and reinforcement).

• Is there a persistent need despite much additional effort/instruction?

In a Dyslexia friendly school the focus has changed from establishing what is ‘wrong’ with pupils in order to make them ‘better’, to identifying what is right in the classroom in order to enhance the effectiveness of learning.

Early identification is important.

In order for us to identify children as early as possible we follow the process below. Any child who is not making expected progress in their reading and writing will be considered in terms of provision and whether quality first teaching is in place.

Step 1.

All children receive daily input (KS1 & EY) or input three times a week (KS2) for Letters and Sounds (this is dependent on need in the older years). Children are actively encouraged to use this skill in both reading and writing.

Children who display difficulties receive additional support through extra time with a teacher or Teaching Assistant. This may be to support them with the use of flash cards as a way of building up a bank of known high frequency words that can be read and spelt at speed.

Classes are well organised and use a variety of strategies to support all children, in particular children with learning differences. These include;

Appropriate seating, visual cues/aids, visual timetables, use of symbols, VAKing (visual, auditory and Kinaesthetic (doing) ways of teaching/learning), Multisensory approach, mind mapping, alternative recording of work e.g. cartoon strips, diagrams, illustrations, practical equipment, modelling of ideas/techniques and model making, scaffolds/planners, word banks/alphabet, use of coloured backgrounds on Interactive whiteboards/ computers/worksheets, use of different colours to break up/differentiate blocks of writing, avoidance of large amounts of copying especially from the board, chunking of instructions with repetition and time given to allow information to be processed, using buddy/partners to assist reading/ writing, brain breaks and PRAISE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

ICT games – Word shark, Nessy, internet games e.g. phonic skill games and memory games and typing practice on BBC Dance mat.

Step 2.

Class teacher will refer to SENCO when Phase 1 has been fulfilled.

Inclusion leader will check the following;

• Evidence, lack of progress (tracking of reading age/levels)

• What has been put in place to assist within the classroom?

• Parental concerns/wishes

• Pupil’s views

• Hearing & Vision tests are clear.

The following then need to be complied to form a base line

• Computerised assessment using the Lucid CoPS. This is a computer programme that helps us identify the probability of dyslexia.

• Reading ability is gained through the PM Benchmark kit.

• Teacher Assessments

• Letters and Sounds assessments.

How might dyslexia affect how my child feels and views themselves?

An impact of dyslexia is low self-confidence. When you can’t seem to do the things other people find easy it can be frustrating. When you stop trying there is no hope of success.
The first step is to make a child with dyslexia understand that they can succeed with a different approach.

Try not to compare your dyslexic child with their siblings or peers. It is really important to build their self-confidence.

How can I support my child at home?

Organisation Strategies-

A person with dyslexia is likely to find it difficult to organise everyday tasks.

• Provide checklists. Set routines.

• Colour-code their timetable so that lessons can be seen at a glance.

• Pack school bags the night before and put them by the front door.

• Establish a place where everything must be put away immediately after use.

Reading Strategies-

• A person with dyslexia may find reading tiring.

• Read little and often.

• Share reading so that more of a book can be covered.

• If a phonic approach isn’t working try flash cards as a way to build up a bank of known high frequency words. Choose six words to work on. Make three cards of each of the six words. Go through the pile showing each word and grouping them back together. These words can also be used to play pairs memory games.

• Encourage your child to re-read books or sections of books so that they become more familiar and can be read at pace.

• When stuck on a word say- “What would make sense and start with a __?” This will encourage them to use meaning not just visual information.

• When stuck on a word encourage your child to chunk to solve rather than sounding out the whole word. Chunking can be flexible e.g. sand-pit h-ouse st-r-eet

Spelling Strategies-

We still teach spelling using a traditional method of ‘Look, say, cover, write, check’ but this may not work for your child. If you do not find this method helpful try the following-
 

• Mispronounce the word the way it is spelled e.g. ‘want’ say ‘w…ant’. This is good for silent letters and for ‘Wed…nes…day’.

• Link the word to a picture. A picture is more readily remembered and acts as a visual clue. For example, ‘first’ is often misspelled as ‘ferst’. Draw an ‘i’ winning a race and say ‘I come first’. They will remember the picture of the ‘i’ which is the part of the word which is forgotten.

• Mnemonics- This strategy uses a phrase where the first letter of each word spells the one you want to remember. As a mnemonic for ‘does’ say “does Oliver eat spaghetti?”
  The first letter of each word spells the word ‘does’.

• Drawing a funny picture will reinforce the memory.
  Try to start the mnemonic with the word you want to remember.

Whenever you can make learning fun…

Chunk it – small steps, do not over burden with too much, too soon.

Forgotten Already – a more able dyslexic will learn the concept quickly, but will forget just as fast.

Revise constantly – make it stick with lots of repetition and revision. At the beginning and end of each new idea quickly revise.

Make them laugh! – have a sense of humour, make it fun, we learn when we are enjoying ourselves.

Criticism kills – but praise gives power!

Be flexible and innovative – if they do not understand it one way then try to think of another.

Boom! Boom! Boom! – Lots of short activities keep them keen and focused.

Dyslexic’s get tired – they have to concentrate harder so they get tired more quickly.

Everyone learns differently – discover the way your child learns best and use this.

Don’t despair! – Dyslexic’s have good and bad days.

Concentration –

Many dyslexics experience difficulty focusing on reading and writing, for any length of time. Concentration can be developed with small times tasks. (Nessy at home version available). Time various tasks with a stop watch, keep a record of the time taken to show improvement.

Do not put your child under too much pressure to read - it should always be enjoyable – let your child re-read favourite stories as often as they wish.

Do share books/magazines/newspapers etc. with your child – choose a fairly quiet time, try not to have other children too close by, do not expect your child to read when they are tired especially just before bed – read to them at this time.

Join the local library – children should choose own books – CD stories are a brilliant way to develop vocabulary and interest in books.

Create a real purpose for writing e.g. thank you letters, invitations, shopping lists etc.

If your child struggles with homework let your child’s teacher know, if possible use alternatives (discuss this with the class teacher e.g. type homework instead, comic strips, you could scribe for them (please write exactly what your child says do not be tempted to edit along the way!).

We learn by seeing, sounding and doing.

We teach with word pictures (seeing), say aloud (sounding) and writing (doing).

All these need to be done together and at the same time.

If you hear something you are unlikely to remember.

If you hear and see something you are more likely to remember.

If you hear, say, see and do you are most likely to remember.

Websites/contacts –

A small selection of the many site and contacts that are available to you are as follows- www.dyslexia-east-kent.org.uk/ Our local Charity - £20 annual membership (entitles you to be able to borrow books & resources from the DEKS library.

www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/ (British Dyslexia Association)

www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk (Dyslexia Action)

The Harris Foundation for Dyslexia (filter lenses) – Tel: 0845 230 1771

www.eyecanlearn.com Free online games to develop memory skills.

www.nessy.com Free trial or subscription to reading and spelling games designed for dyslexic children.

BBC dance mat. Free online touch typing.

Waterstone’s Guide to Books for Young Dyslexic Readers – produced in association with the Dyslexia Institute.

Bedgebury Foundation- You can apply for financial aid to pay for assessments or access to specialist teachers.

Summary

As a school we use dyslexic strategies in every class room as good practice for all children. Dyslexia cannot be cured; but those with dyslexia or dyslexic tendencies can learn strategies to overcome the differences they are faced with.

Think Positively – remind your child they are not the only ones, many of us have to use strategies to overcome problems. There are many positive role models in today’s world and those who have shaped our world into what it is today.

Tom Cruise, Steve Jobs (founder of Apple computers – company responsible for Ipod’s), Walt Disney, Lewis Carroll (author of Alice in Wonderland), Richard Branson (Entrepreneur – Virgin company), Sir Winston Churchill,(former British Prime minster) Eddie Izzard (comedian), Sir Steve Redgrave (Olympic Rower). Orlando Bloom (actor), Kiera Knightley (actor) are just a few they might be able to recognise.