SEND

Click on the tabs below to access our SEND documents.

At Kings Rise Academy we are a highly inclusive school and provide support for children with a wide range of additional needs. These needs will be categorised under the SEND Code of Practice 2015 areas of need:

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and also includes supporting pupils with a range of medical needs.

At Kings Rise Academy, we pride ourselves in early identification and assessment of children who we believe have Special Educational Needs. We know and identify children who require extra support when: 

When a concern is raised Miss Gardez will work alongside staff, parents and the pupil to understand the barriers and identify strategies for support. This will lead into a graduated response as part of the Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) cycle. We have a range of assessment tools that we used to track the progress of pupils. These are also used to identify barriers to learning and inform adaptations to provision. 

At Kings Rise Academy, we are committed to the early identification and assessment of pupils with special educational needs to facilitate learning for all.  A four-part cycle, known as the graduated response is used to support with the identification of pupils with SEND. This consists of an assess, plan, do review (APDR) cycle and starts at whole-school level with teachers monitoring the progress of all the pupils in their class. We are then able to identify the type of support a pupil may require. We refer to the different stages of support as Universal (whole class), Targeted and Specialist.  

Specialist

Some of our children’s needs are so individualised that they require the skills, guidance and intervention of a specialist external professional. The external agencies we work with can support the school in identifying specific strategies and provision to put in place within the classroom and school, as well as directly provide interventions when necessary. Some children may require a highly personalised provision which is monitored by the school and external agencies which may include a request for a statutory assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).  Examples of the external agencies we work with include: 

We believe that Parent/Carer-School partnership is key to supporting the needs of our pupils. Parents/ Carers know their children best and therefore, we ensure we are available to listen and understand when Parents /Carers express concerns about their child’s development. throughout our graduated response. 

You will be able to discuss your child's progress and learning with the class teacher at Parent Consultation meetings. 

Class teachers are regularly on the playground at the end of the day or a member of the senior leader team at the beginning/end of the day if you wish to raise a concern . Appointments can be made to speak in greater detail to the class teacher, Mrs Mcelwee, Mr Byrne, Mrs Holder, Miss Long, Mrs Brookes, Mrs Crosbee, Mrs Cruse or Mrs Morton. 

We will ensure we share current interventions, progress and provisions with parents. Parents of children with professionals involved will be given a copy of any documents to ensure collaboration between home and school. 

If your child has an EHCP, or if a statutory assessment for an EHCP is requested, parental view about the provision and outcomes will be discussed through meetings with the SENDCo. 

We offer a range of Pastoral interventions to support children who find social situations difficult and promote positive wellbeing. 

Where needed, we also work with Beacon behaviour support, who provide support for pupils who have difficulty in managing their  behaviour. When appropriate we can also make a referral to Forward Thinking Birmingham or Compass. Our SENDCo is also the Designated Teacher for Children in Care so ensures support is coordinated and the needs of the pupils are met, if they have identified special educational needs.

Kings Rise Academy is a 2-form primary school which has the following adaptations to ensure the school is accessible to all: 

- Corridors accessible to all (Outdoor ramps allow this)

- Building site accessible to all 

- Disabled toilet 

- Disabled parking

- Clearly marked steps

- Learning environments are audited to meet sensory needs 

We work closely with our Trust’s Estate Team to review the accessibility arrangement within our school’s site. 

Where necessary, reasonable adjustments are made to ensure that all pupils can access school trips and outdoor activities. For example, when required, we can hire coaches with a tail lift that will lift a wheelchair on-board. 

As an inclusive school, Kings Rise Academy will always strive to ensure that children with additional needs are able to partake in every part of our curriculum offer. 

This includes educational visits, enrichment activities, social events and after school clubs. 

Our risk assessments are inclusive of children with SEND and reasonable adjustments are made accordingly to ensure access to extra-curricular activities, should this  be required. We work closely with parents/carers and external agencies regarding specific needs, including those children with medical needs, so  that all children have a safe and enjoyable experience. 

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Mcelwee. 

A number of strategies are in place to enable effective transition. These include: 

• Meetings between members of staff so that key information about individual children can be shared. 

• Where appropriate, additional transition plans can be put in place for pupils. This may be through the use of a transition book or a social story, detailing their new classroom teacher with photographs to take home. 

• Sharing of relevant paperwork to ensure provision can be continued from one setting to the next.

On entry:

• If your child is starting at Kings Rise Academy, we liaise with the nursery school/ current school setting to find out as much information as possible about your child’s needs. This will include any targets and paperwork or agencies who might have been involved in supporting your child. 

• Parents/ carers will have the opportunity to visit the school. For children starting in Reception, this will involve an Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Home visit with the Early Years team and stay and play sessions for your child. Both sessions will be provide a range of information to enable you to settle your child into their first school routine. 

• The SENDCo will meet with all new parents/ carers of pupils who are known to have SEND. Transition booklets are made to support this so your child is familiar with the environment and staff. 

• Previous school records will be requested immediately.  

We have a transition programme in place that provides a number of opportunities for pupils and parents to meet with staff in their new school. These opportunities are further enhanced for pupils with SEND through a person-centered approach. This might include ‘moving on’ photo books, additional visits and/ or pupil passports.

For pupils with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP), the transition process will begin at the Year Five annual review, where we will support parents to make decisions regarding secondary school choice. Here, we can involve external agencies, as appropriate, to ensure information provided is comprehensive and accessible. 

Mrs Mcelwee will arrange to meet with the secondary school SENDCo in the Summer Term (prior to transition) to discuss the needs of pupils with SEND and ensure a smooth transition.