SEND Unit

Staff in the SEND unit

Mrs J Barker– Teacher

Miss N Gutteridge – Level 3 TA/ trainee HLTA

Miss S Messer– Level 2 TA

Mrs Cooper/ Miss Staples (job share) – Level 2 TA

The staffing in the SEND reflects the experience of adults who have previously worked in mainstream school across the Early years age range.  The staff have worked with children with SEN both in mainstream and within the DSP.  Staff will have access to training and a full range of service from the Local Authority and Specialist Education Service (SES).

Designation – Children with an EHCP

Age range – 3- 7yrs (F1 to Yr2)

PAN 10

Aims and Purpose of the SEND unit

• Provide children with specialist teaching targeted in line with their EHCP targets
• Provide a structured and supported environment where the children feel secure, develop confidence and reach their full potential
• Provide a curriculum that meets individualised children’s needs using a wide range of teaching methods and strategies
• Provide opportunities for individualised intervention groups or 1 to 1 sessions
• To work in close partnership with parents, carers and other professionals

Admission criteria

The SEND unit is for children who already have an Education Health Care plan (EHCP) which states specialist provision.  The children have been through the consultation process via the Specialist Education service (SES).  Children who attend Imperial Avenue Infant School do not have priority access to a space in the SEND unit.

Included in this criteria are children with

• Children on or being diagnosed on the ASD pathway

Children who gain a place will mostly be from Leicester city or Leicestershire.

Provision and Facilities

The SEND unit caters for 10 children across early years reception and into key stage one.  All children have an EHCP.  The SEND unit base has a large teaching area, a kitchen area, a changing and toileting area and sensory room.

Communication

Visual Aids 
In the SEND unit, we use a range of visual aids to support with our learning, understanding and communication.  Children will start with objects of reference when transitions from one activity to another.   Some of the things we use daily are:

• A class visual timetable to help us to understand the structure of the day
• An individual timetable for the children who are able to navigate the day more independently.
• Now and Next boards to support some children who require the day broken into smaller steps.
• We also use choosing and communication for many of our activities in class. 
• Communication boards are used for all children that can access these, they involve a combination of words, symbols and photos and support children to request items using simple phrases in a similar way to the PECS communication system.
• The Picture Exchange Communication System is used in the SEND unit Class. All children that can access this will have their own PECS Book. All of the books are different and tailored to each individual child’s likes and dislikes.

Interventions

Children will have access to individual or small group learning - These are used to develop key academic concepts and to support the development of children’s targets.  These interventions may include:

• Attention Autism - This intervention supports children in their attention skills. The intervention is set into 4 stages with the aim to extend the children attention span and interaction with a topic or activity using key language. 
• Language Steps - This intervention focuses on using simple vocabulary. It uses everyday language such as food, animals, clothes etc included in either a one step or two step instruction.
• Fun time - This intervention focuses on attention and interaction as well as turn taking within a small group of children. 
• Big Moves - This intervention helps children to develop the mobility skills and muscles needed to start writing/ mark making.
• Basket tasks - These are small activities used when a child is at the beginning stages of attention. They include quick activities completed using a traffic light system. 
• Intensive Play interaction and Play Interaction - This intervention is used on a one to one basis with a child and adult. Its purpose is to develop a child's ability to accept others being involved alongside them in play, taking turns and then finally playing with another. 
• Lycra/Parachute Games  - This intervention is used to develop verbal requests using learnt phrases and language. It also encourages turn taking within a larger group (up to 10).

Our Curriculum 

In the SEND unit, children will have opportunities daily to practise and develop their personalised learning goals and, where applicable, our academic targets set out on their EHCP.

We will have very open ended topics and these will rotate on a 3 year rolling cycle so that children do not repeat the same topics each year.  Where possible, we will always link these to your children’s interests.  Within each term children will have access to:

• Individual or small group learning - These are used to develop key academic concepts and to support the development of children’s targets.
• Whole Class Activities - These are our interaction activities such as Sensology, Lycra Games and Parachute Games. Our class routines, such as Hello and Good Afternoon are also delivered as a whole class interaction activity. 
• Exploration - Children are given lots of opportunities to play and interact with their peers, sometimes supported and sometimes observed from a distance. Our toys are rotated on a weekly basis to allow children to extend their play skills and encourage them to explore a wide range of resources over time. 
• Choosing - These sessions are built into our timetable and allow children to have time with their high interest activities.

How are we different to the Designated Specialist Provision (DSP)?

• The aim of the DSP is to provide children with specialist teaching targeted at those with communication and interaction difficulties. These children will be taught a semi-formal curriculum and have have specific lessons in the DSP but will then have lessons, which we call inclusion within the mainstream classrooms.  The lessons will be chosen to match the children’s strengths and levels of development.  This enables them to progress within the mainstream environment and curriculum.
• Children within the SEND unit will remain within the SEND base unit only, there will be no inclusion within the mainstream school.

Home school links

Parent/carers are actively encouraged to be involved with all aspects of their child’s education. Parents evening are held twice a year (October and February), EHCP reviews are held yearly but targets reviewed three times a year. Parents/ carers are welcome in school at any time.  Appointments can be made via the school office to arrange a meeting with the teacher at their convenience.

In school we use the Weduc App to communicate with parents. Teachers are able to send messages to parents and vice versa.  Teachers may also post updates on what has been happening within the classroom that week.

Home to school transport

Transport, if needed, will only be provided in accordance with the Local Authority SEND transport policy. This is not organised by the school. Parents can apply for transport by using the following link

Identifying and reviewing Need

The SEND unit will operate within the framework of the revised SEND code of practise 2014 and Local Authority Guidance. All children with an EHCP will have individualised targets. Progress towards these targets will be continually monitored. They are formally reviewed 3 times a year (once will be at the EHCP annual review) with parents/carers. At these meetings, new targets may be set in collaboration with professionals, parents/carers and the child where appropriate. Children’s targets will be communicated with all professionals involved with the child.

Children may also undergo other formal and informal assessments, where appropriate, by the SEND unit staff team, SENCO and other agencies.

Moving on, life after Imperial Avenue

Imperial Avenue is an Infant School, children can only attend an infant school between the ages of 3 and 7. When your child reaches Year 2 the EHCP annual review is held in the Autumn Term and this is called a ‘transition review’. At this review meeting parents (along with advice from professionals) will decide which school their child will transfer to in the next academic year. It is important that parents have researched and visited local special schools so that they can make an informed decision about the correct provision for their child.

Occasionally, after the initial placement and giving children time to settle in at Imperial Avenue it can become apparent that our setting is not appropriate for a child, this could be for a variety of reasons. If this happens parents or school can request an ‘Early Annual Review’ and a new placement can be sought. However, this change of placement may not be immediate due to places in other schools and settings not being available.