Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Meeting the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and disabilities at Valley View.
SEND Co-ordinator: Mrs H Dowling
Contact Details: Tel: 0113 255 4972 E-mail: office@valleyviewschool.org.uk
SEN Information Report 2023-2024
Inclusion at Valley View
At Valley View, we aim to offer excellence and choice to all our pupils, whatever their ability or needs. We have high expectations of all of our pupils and we use a range of strategies to remove barriers to learning and participation. It is the ethos of the school that all our pupils feel valued, are a part of the school community and reach their potential.
We work in collaboration with Leeds City Council to provide the Local Offer for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. For more information on the Local Offer please click below:
SEND provision
All SEND provision is overseen and managed by the Senior Leadership Team in school and is co-ordinated by the SENCo (Mrs H Dowling). The SLT monitor, review and evaluate all SEND provision on a regular basis throughout the year. Any SEN funding may be spent on additional services, additional staff, additional training and resources to meet the needs of pupil with SEN.
Our accessibility plan shows how we ensure that children with Special Educational Needs and disabilities can access the facilities within our school.
Admission Arrangements
All children who have an Education, Health Care plan (EHCP) will be allocated a place as long as school feels it can meet the needs of the pupil. This applies for both starting school and for in-year admissions. Click here to read our Admissions Policy
SEND children as individuals
All our children are treated as individuals and the classteacher, alongside other support staff, plan an appropriately differentiated curriculum for our children with additional needs to ensure high quality teaching and learning with effective support and resources. If necessary, IEPs (Individual Education Plans), IBPs (Individual Behaviour Plans) and Care Plans are put in place and reviewed regularly. In school, a range of carefully tailored interventions are developed, reviewed and evaluated to ensure maximum progress for our pupils. Key assessments ensure that children are on track to meet targets and planning accurately addresses need. Progress, targets and plans are regularly reviewed and evaluated to inform next steps.
School also accesses support from other agencies where necessary. These include: Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Health Service, Physiotherapy Service, School Nursing Team, CAMHS and the Educational Psychologist Team.
At Valley View, we understand the vital role parents and carers play in their children’s education and the importance of a strong partnership between school and home. Parents / carers are invited to attend Parents’ Evenings twice a year to discuss their child’s progress. Where children have more complex needs parents will be invited to more frequent reviews.
If you have any complaints please refer to our complaints policy below:
The following policies are also available on the website and reflect the school’s commitment to inclusion, the safety/well-being of our pupils and the steps we take to prevent discrimination against SEND pupils (see Equality Information & Objectives).
SEN Policy
Behaviour Policy
Equality Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
The following information is designed to answer any questions parents may have about Special Educational Needs at Valley View. If you have any further queries or comments please contact the school’s SENCo (Mrs Dowling) or the Headteacher (Mrs Griggs) on 0113 2554972.
What do I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
If you have concerns about your child, talk to their classteacher. You might want to do this at a parents’ evening session or make a separate appointment to see them. You can also make an appointment to see the school’s SENCo Mrs Dowling, who organises provision for children with special educational needs (SEN).
How will school support my child?
At Valley View, appropriate provision will be put in place for your child depending on what their need is. For most pupils extra help will be provided in the classroom and managed by the classteacher. This could include individual support during whole class teaching and individual learning, small group support and additional activities. For some children, outside support may be arranged in the form of sessions with the school’s Speech and Language Therapist, an Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Inclusion workers etc.
How will the curriculum be matched to my child's needs?
The curriculum is differentiated to enable access and to meet the needs of all our children. If your child has complex, specific or general learning needs they may have an individual educational plan (IEP) or an individual behaviour plan (IBP) which details any special arrangements. These will be regularly reviewed and new targets set.
How will I know how well my child is doing in school? How will you help me support my child's learning?
At Valley View, we hold two Parents’ Evening sessions in which parents/ carers discuss the progress of their children. The SENCo will be available during these meetings for further discussion and support where necessary. Alongside this, there will be other SEN review meetings at various points of the year. The SENCo and your child’s teacher are available to discuss your child’s progress and next steps.
Parents / carers can support their child’s learning by making sure homework is completed, attending parents’ meetings, attending assemblies, performances and celebration events. Parents are kept informed about teaching and other events through class newsletters and the weekly school newsletter “Valley View Voice”. Teaching staff are also available to meet with if a parent needs advice about supporting their child’s learning.
How accessible is the school?
The school is fully accessible on one level and has appropriate access, ramps and disabled toilet. The school works effectively with relevant professionals to enable children with specific needs to attend the school e.g Occupational Therapists.
What support will there be for my child's overall wellbeing?
Valley View’s caring and supportive ethos is often commented on by parents, pupils, visitors and new members of staff:
“ …a friendly, caring , motivating and inspirational school. I appreciate all that you have done and I thank – you” Parent comment July 2013
The emotional and social needs of our pupils are a priority for all staff and the school works hard to provide the highest standard of pastoral care for our pupils. The school’s Learning Mentor works throughout the school to support vulnerable pupils and families. The school considers training in Child Protection of paramount importance. Staff are all trained in Child Protection procedures and the school has four members of staff who are the designated members of staff for Child Protection. Pupils’ safety is also extremely important and pupils at Valley View are made aware of how to keep safe in and out of school and also how to keep safe when using the internet.
What specialist services and expertise are available or accessed by the school? What training are the staff supporting children with SEN having/had?
We work with a wide range of professionals who provide us with specialist advice. These include the Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, School Nursing Team, STARS Team (support for pupils with autism), Visual Impairment Team and others.
Staff have received training in phonics, spelling, speech and language training and Wave 3 interventions to use with specific children.
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom?
The school works hard to ensure that all out of school activities are accessible to pupils with additional needs and will deploy the necessary staff to these activities.
How will the school help my child on transfer to the next phase of their education?
All pupils participate in “Transition days” in the Summer Term. During this time, all pupils meet their new classteacher and take part in lessons in their new classroom. Alongside this, teaching staff meet to discuss the pupils’ progress, attainment and other information. Where necessary, parents of pupil with additional needs meet the new teaching and support staff. Transition to high school is very important for pupils with SEN and the SENCo meets with specific staff from high school to ensure a smooth transition.
How are the schools resources/funding allocated and matched to children's needs?
The school is funded on a national formula per pupil. Blocks of £6,000 are allocated depending on the number of children who meet the criteria and who are on the school’s inclusion register. The school can apply for a top-up, based on strict criteria, if it is felt that a child’s needs are above that which can be provided through the £6,000 block. The school uses the additional funds to put appropriate support in place to meet the specific needs of a child. This may take the form of a key worker to support the child to access a personalised timetable, develop independence and access all areas of the curriculum.
How are parents and carers involved in the school?
Parents are kept informed of teaching and learning events via half termly class newsletters, text message service and the weekly school newsletter “Valley View Voice”. There is a weekly celebration assembly to which all parents / carers are invited and a PTA “Friends of Valley View”. Parents are also invited to a wide range of performances and concerts throughout the year.
Who can I contact for further information?
Please contact either Mrs Griggs (Headteacher) or Mrs Dowling (SENCo) via the school office Tel no: 0113 255 4972
