My name is Megan Plumtree and I work as Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-Ordinator. I am responsible for working with children, teachers, parents and external agencies to support children who have additional needs. I am also supported by Mrs Jayne Spencer, who assists me in my duties.
We endeavour to always be around to offer support or a listening ear to anyone who needs one. The best way to contact us is via ClassDojo, where we can all be messaged directly. Another great way to access our support is to attend our coffee mornings where you can meet other parents of children with SEND, key members of staff and occasionally other professionals from external agencies including Compass Changing Lives (a mental health charity) with whom we work closely.

Initially, concerns about your child’s education can be discussed with their class teacher who will then be able to advise whether the input of the SEND team is necessary. If so, all of the SEND team are contactable via ClassDojo or the school office. Miss Plumtree has SENCO responsibilities and will be happy to assist you with any concerns you may have. Mrs Spencer is also available as our assistant SENCO. Between us we are responsible for the day to day management of SEND at Ripley Junior School and the arrangement of additional support and specific provision for those that are identified as needing it, including those children with an Educational Health Care Plan.

All school staff are involved in the process of identifying SEND. If a member of staff or a parent identifies a possible learning need for a child, the flow chart below is followed.

If further action is required, the following options will be explored:
1. Referral to external agency or service. This will be done by a member of the SENCO team, in conjunction with class teacher and never without the support of adults at home.
2. Adding the child to the SEN register or watchlist if more appropriate.
3. Application for additional funding as part of a graduated response if deemed necessary by the SENCO team.
4. More regular observations of the child by the SENCO team to monitor progress and assess ongoing need.
5. Creation of a ‘one page profile’ for the child. This is a document that outlines the child’s needs and what adjustments are necessary to support them. These are accessible by all adults working in the classroom, including supply staff, to ensure the child’s needs are met at all times.

Once your child has been added to the SEN register, a one page profile could be created for them, as discussed above. Here is a blank example:

It includes a profile of the child's areas of strengths and developments, their targets for that term and how the graduated approach (assess, plan, do, review) will be used to assess the impact of the support the child receives during the term. Our Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle looks like this:

Depending on the needs of your child they may receive some of the different provision available in school, listed below.
Cognition and Learning
We have teaching assistants who are trained to:
1. Support children in small groups or 1:1 within the classroom.
2. Pre and post tutor children outside the classroom to ensure they experience success within the classroom.
We have support from our learning mentors and outside agencies to support children with learning needs.
Communication and Interaction
We run intervention groups to support children gain skills relating to speech, language and communication.
We run intervention groups or use social stories to support children learn and understand different social skills.
We work with the Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT) team, who visit us within school.
We help children when things change by using transition booklets and visual timetables.
We work with the Autism Outreach team) to help support children who learn in different ways.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
We get advice from Educational Psychologist trained in working with children who have social, emotional and mental health needs.
Our Family Support Worker supports children and families in a wide variety of ways.
Our Learning Mentors provides 1:1 mentoring sessions
Teachers set high expectations for behaviour and have support from school leadership to do so.
Structured lunchtimes including additional adult support to offer a set routine on a daily basis.
We are a THRIVE school and offer individual, group and whole class plans and sessions.
Some of our TAs are trained in positive play and offer sessions to those who need it.
Although we hope it is never needed, bereavement support is available.
Sensory and/or physical needs
We run intervention groups for children to develop both their fine motor and gross motor skills, such as physical literacy.
We undertake sensory audits to ensure our environment is as comfortable as possible for those with sensory needs.
Where necessary, we work with occupational therapy and other external agencies to support the children in our care.

In September 2014, a new government code of practice was introduced for the management of special educational needs in schools. Please click on the following link to be taken to an informative website detailing contact details and available provision under the new 'Derbyshire Offer.'

If you wish to access independent, impartial advice about SEND, you could contact DIASS who are the Derbyshire Information Advisory Service for SEND, whose details can be found below: