SEN

New Chapter Primary School Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Information Report 2025 - 2026

 

NB: The term parents within this document relates to parents, carers and guardians.

At IFtL Trust Schools, we believe that all children can succeed and reach their full potential, in line with their individual needs and abilities. We value the importance of a nurturing environment where the children feel supported whilst also gaining independence on their developmental journey. At IFtL schools we look beyond the external presentation of behaviour to fully understand the specific needs of pupil and continually reflect on best practice and provision that would facilitate their progress.

At New Chapter Primary School, our core principles of Learning, Love and Laughter underpin our ethos and daily working practices. We aim to enhance and enrich the lives of our children by enabling them to make the most of outstanding learning opportunities within and beyond the curriculum. We try to instil an appreciation that there are no limits to what a young person can achieve, and we support them to develop the skills, knowledge and attributes needed, to successfully shape and respond to the future.

We pride ourselves in providing a caring and happy atmosphere where each child feels valued and part of an inclusive community. We aim to provide not only the right academic atmosphere, but also an education that fosters the intellectual, social, physical and emotional development of each child, which equips them with the skills for lifelong learning and personal growth.

We achieve this by involving pupils in purposeful, relevant and challenging activities and providing them with a wide range of balanced learning experiences and opportunities. In this way we feel our children can learn to make choices, solve problems and become independent learners and responsible people.

We also encourage and foster tolerance and consideration for others by promoting a clear secular moral framework, which promotes honesty, integrity, tolerance and respect, as well as an appreciation of individual and collective responsibility.

We aim to meet the needs of individual children through highly effective teaching and learning. There is an emphasis on early identification of needs and the provision of supportive and preventative strategies which reduce barriers to learning. We work in a flexible way to develop effective partnerships with children and their parents, the SENCo, specialist teaching staff and external professionals.

Provision of pupils with SEND is a matter for the school as a whole. In addition to the Governing Body, Headteacher and SENCo, all members of staff are responsible in ensuring every child is given opportunities to support and develop their learning.

What is the Local Offer?

The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011). This is a statement which identifies the services available to support disabled children and children with SEN and their families at a school and Local Authority level.

The Local Offer is a directory of information that helps families to find and access support and, through getting families feedback on the Local Offer, will become a useful tool in considering what services need to be changed and developed. All local authorities are required to have their own local offer as part of the government’s SEND reforms.

The Local Offer for Milton Keynes can be found on the following website:

https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/schools-and-lifelong-learning/send-local-offer

What will it do?

The Milton Keynes framework outlines the Local Offer to provide parents/carers with information about how to access services in their area, and what they can expect from those services. It will let parents/carers and young people know how school will support them.

How does New Chapter identify if a child has Special Educational Needs and Disabilities?

All children are unique and learn in their own way. If a child finds it harder to learn than other children of the same age or has a disability which makes it difficult to take full part in their community, then they may have a special educational need and could require some additional support at school.

To help us identify whether a child may require additional support, we ensure that we receive information from the child’s previous educational setting or medical services, to ensure we are fully aware of any pre-existing needs and can ensure we successfully plan and manage their admission into their new school/class.

We rigorously monitor pupil progress to help identify which children require additional support. If parents have concerns about the progress or attainment of their child, they are encouraged in the first instance to make an appointment to speak to the class teacher to discuss their concerns, who will then liaise with our SENCo (Mrs Trigg).

At New Chapter, children are identified as having SEND through a variety of ways, including:

• Concerns raised by parents or teachers (from current or previous setting).
• Limited progress being made, academically, socially or emotionally - despite targeted support being put into place.
• Liaison with external professionals.

What should you do if you think your child may have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities?

We value and accept the positive role and contribution that our parents and carers can make. We make every effort to work in full collaboration with parents/carers, recognising and respecting their roles and responsibilities. Parents are encouraged to work with the school and other professionals to ensure their child’s needs are accurately identified as early as possible.

In order that parents play an active part in their child’s development, the school endeavours to provide relevant information so they can reinforce learning in the home setting. Parents/teachers can request meetings to speak to each other about pupil progress at any point during the year, with parents being encouraged to raise their concerns as soon as they arise. We endeavour to support parents so that they are able to recognise and fulfil their responsibilities and play an active and valued role in their child’s education.

 What are the arrangements for supporting and consulting parents/carers?

We aim to support parents so that they:

• Have knowledge of their child’s entitlement within the SEND framework.
• Understand procedures and documentation relating to their child’s level of SEND.
• Have access to information, advice and support during assessment and any related decision-making processes linked to SEND provision.

We recognise the challenges parents can face when their child is identified as having SEND and we aim to provide support and understanding for the parent at this time.

In collaboration with the school’s SENCo, parents will be informed if any SEND have been identified.  Parents will be invited to review their child’s SEND during our termly parents’ evening meetings. At these meetings, both pupil and parent voice are gathered as part of the child’s Individual Learning Plan.

Where necessary, parents can seek additional help, advice and information from other advisory services. As a school, we welcome the advice and support offered from the SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS).

This service can be accessed through the following:

Telephone: 01908 254518

Email: mksendias@milton-keynes.gov.uk

How are children with SEND supported at New Chapter?

We employ a team of LSAs, who offer specific, targeted and personalised learning across the key stages. The team bring with them a wealth of experience and use this in developing support strategies for the most vulnerable children.

Children who require targeted interventions are supported in a range of groupings, where they access a curriculum that is suited to their level of need. Children who receive support at this level will receive an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), which outlines the support they are currently receiving in school and the outcomes that are being worked on. If you have any queries regarding your child’s ILP, please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher in the first instance.

Children who have an EHCP have a more personalised timetable, where support is delivered in a range of ways, which have been agreed at the planning meeting (which takes place once a draft EHCP has been written by the Local Authority).

All pupils are entitled to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum and as a result, the majority of our pupils with SEND are taught with their peers in mainstream classes by class teachers and study the curriculum appropriate for their age. All level so support are timetabled in consultation with the class teacher and SENCo to minimise the impact of withdrawal on delivery of the curriculum; actively seeking to ensure curriculum needs are met.

All teachers in their planning and teaching strive to:

• Provide suitable learning challenges;
• Meet pupils’ diverse learning needs;
• Remove the barriers to learning and assessment;
• Provide all learners access to a broad and balanced curriculum.

The class teacher has overall responsibility for the planning and teaching of the curriculum for all children, which is monitored by the school’s middle and senior leaders. With advice from the SENCo, teachers match the learning to the needs and abilities of the SEND pupils. Teachers and LSAs use a range of strategies to develop pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills, including the use of ICT. Where appropriate, materials are modified, or additional adult support is provided to enable pupils with SEND to access the learning and assessment processes.

How will the curriculum be matched to a child who needs extra support or has special educational needs and/or disabilities?

Parents are invited in to discuss their child on a more formal basis three times a year, although they are welcome to meet with the SENCo at any point in the year and this can be done by making an appointment via the main office. Individual Learning Plans and reviews, which are discussed and shared with parents, have specific targets, which all adults involved with the child need to support.

 What support is offered to support children’s well-being?

The Pastoral Team, which is led by Miss Alice Hedges, consists of experienced members of staff who support children in their general well-being. Members of the team have dedicated phases / year groups / children that they are attached to, which supports the fostering of positive and trusting relationships.

As a school, we endeavour to support all children with their learning in a holistic manner. We are committed to providing an outstanding education for all our children. As a result of our high aspirations, we have created a pastoral room, which has a sole purpose of supporting children’s social and emotional and mental health needs. The room can be used as a ‘break out room’ when children have become saturated by their academic lessons and need a ‘haven’ to go to for a short period of time. The Pastoral Lead is responsible for the timetabling of the room to ensure as many children as possible benefit from accessing both the room and the sensory resources that form part of it. The Pastoral Team are equipped in supporting children who experience difficulties with behaviour. Social stories are used as a way of unpicking issues which are then supported by assigned members of the pastoral team. For all children, there are a range of incentives to support them in coming to school. Attendance is recognised during weekly celebration assemblies and individual attendance is rewarded at the end of each term.

Regular ‘pupil interviews’ take place within school; views and opinions are listened to and acted upon by a member of the Pastoral Team. Specific groups of children are identified and asked a series of non-intrusive questions which gives an indication into how they are accessing all aspects of school life.
Our Behaviour Policy, which includes guidance on expectations, rewards and sanctions is fully understood and in embedded by all staff. We regularly monitor attendance, support pupils returning to school after absence and take the necessary actions to prevent prolonged unauthorised absence.

What training do staff receive?

Our SENCo has achieved the Post Graduate National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination and takes advantage of relevant up-to-date training to support her role. Our class teachers and support staff have collectively received training focusing on a range of different areas of SEND, including:

• Deaf Friendly Schools.
• Attachment.
• Speech, Language and Communication needs.
• Anaphylaxis and allergy training.
• Safeguarding Training is provided annually for all staff.

The school works closely with medical professionals in detailing plans of support for those requiring it. The school nursing, diabetes and epilepsy team support school in ensuring staff are fully aware and adequately trained in the medical needs of specific children.

 Extra-curricular Activities

Activities outside of the classroom are offered to all children – irrespective of their level of need.

Our Equality Policy promotes involvement of all of our learners in all aspects of the curriculum including activities outside the classroom. Where there are concerns for safety and access, a personalised risk assessment is carried out to consider which reasonable adjustments can be made to meet any additional needs. If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required, a parent may also be asked to accompany their child during the activity in addition to the usual members of staff.

How accessible is the school environment?

We have an Accessibility Plan in place and where feasible, make reasonable adjustments to improve the accessibility of our environment to meet individual needs. Our policy and practice adhere to The Equality Act 2010. Disabled toilets, which are located on the ground floor, enable wheelchair access for changing as well as for personal care. We monitor the languages spoken by families within our setting and make use of EAL support within MKET and endeavour to arrange for a translator to attend meetings whenever necessary.

How do we prepare, welcome and support children who are joining New Chapter or moving on to another school?

We have an induction programme in place for welcoming all new learners to our setting. We have very good relationships with our feeder settings and the settings that our pupils move onto; we share information to support pupils’ learning and well-being at transition. A transition programme operates between New Chapter Primary School and all receiving secondary schools. Arrangements are made based upon the needs of the child, whereby a child may have a 1:1 tour of the new school where they are enabled to take photographs and put these into a passport for them to become familiar with, ahead of them transferring to another school. Additional visits can also be facilitated for those who are deemed as requiring such support. All such arrangements are discussed with parents to ensure they are fully aware of the additional support being put in place for their child.

Further support is provided as necessary for those additional visits to the new setting, both individually and as part of an enhanced transition programme for identified pupils. Meetings are held between the pre-school settings and New Chapter Primary School to ensure we have a full understanding of each and every child’s individual needs.

How are resources allocated and matched to help support children with special educational needs at New Chapter?

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.

In-class inclusive practice is clearly defined in our setting, and we expect all staff to deliver this. Should additional intervention support be required, this is undertaken after consultation with the relevant staff, the learner and their families as necessary. All interventions are monitored for impact and outcomes are defined at the start of any intervention. The SENCo oversees all additional support and regularly shares updates with the SEND Governor.
If appropriate, specialist equipment may be provided for your child e.g. writing slopes, pen and pencil grips, specialist equipment for hearing and visually impaired children.

Who can a parent/carer contact for further information?

In the first instance, parents/carers are encouraged to talk to their child’s class teacher.
For students with SEND, further information and support can be obtained from the SENCo.
For students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, further information and support can be obtained from the Pastoral Lead.

Mrs Rachael Trigg - SENCo

senco@newchapterprimary.co.uk

Miss Alice Hedges - Pastoral Lead

Which specialist services and expertise are available to New Chapter?

In additional to support within school, we also work closely with the following Local Authority services:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
• Children and Family Practices
• Educational Psychology Team
• Family Centre
• Health Visitors
• Inclusion and Intervention Team - focusing on: Cognition and Learning; Communication and Interaction; Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment.
• Mental Health Support Team (MHST)
• Occupational Therapy
• School Nursing Service and specialist nursing teams e.g. Diabetes Nurse, Sickle Cell Nursing Team
• Social Services
• Speech and Language Therapy Service (IFtL)
• Speech and Language Therapy Service (NHS)

Further information regarding the support offered by Milton Keynes Local Authority can be found at:

https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/schools-and-lifelong-learning/send-local-offer

Important Documents

Accessibility Plan 2025 - 2026