Local Offer. To access the Stoke on Trent Local Offer, please use this hyperlink.
At Goldenhill Primary Academy we strive to support all children to enable them to reach their full potential. In order to do this, many steps are taken to support them through their learning journey. Quality First teaching is vital; however, for some children there are occasions when further additional support may be needed to help them achieve their targets.
Children and Families Act 2014
The Children and Families Act takes forward the Government’s commitments to improve services for vulnerable children and families. It underpins wider reforms to ensure that all children and young people can succeed, no matter what their background. The Bill reforms the systems for adoption, looked after children, family justice and SEN.
The reform programme is set out in Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability: Progress and next steps by:
Who are the best people to talk to at Goldenhill Primary Academy about my child’s educational difficulties and / or special needs?
Teachers
Teaching Assistants
A Teaching assistant (TA) or Learning Support Assistant (LSA) may be allocated to a pupil with exceptional special educational needs and/or disabilities or to work with small groups of children under the direction of the class teacher.
SEND Governor
The SEND Governor is responsible for:
How can I talk to someone about my child if I need to?
You can contact your child’s class teacher or the SENCO by telephoning or visiting the Academy to make an appointment.
As an Academy we welcome regular communication between parents and ourselves to discuss any matters of concern.
The Head Teacher and SENCO are responsible for:
The day to day management of all aspects of the support for children with SEN and/or disabilities. They give responsibility to class teachers and LSAs but it is still their responsibility to ensure that your child’s needs are met.
Ensuring that parents are:
What kinds of Special Educational Needs are provided for at Goldenhill?
Goldenhill aims to provide a broad, balanced and inclusive curriculum for all children. We strive to make reasonable adjustments to all aspects of Academy life in order to achieve this. The kinds of Special Needs we provide for are varied but may include children with:
Visual impairments
Hearing impairments
Medical requirements
Autism / ASD
Dyslexia
ADHD
Moderate Learning Difficulties
Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties
Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
Physical Disabilities
How does Goldenhill Primary Academy know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
We know when children need help if:
If your child is not making expected progress or if there is another indicator of concern the Academy will discuss with you:
Sometimes a child may need some short-term help if there is a change in circumstances e.g. a bereavement or family breakdown. Please talk to your child’s class teacher, the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), or the Head Teacher if you have any concerns or think that your child may have special educational needs. At Goldenhill, Mrs. Howson is the SENCO. Your concerns will always be taken seriously – your views on your child’s development and progress are always valuable.
How will Goldenhill Primary Academy staff support my child?
All children have individual needs. Children in our Academy with SEND will receive support that is specific to their individual needs. This may all be provided by the class teacher or may include:
The class teacher (sometimes with the SENCO) will always explain to you what the concerns are and also explain to you what the plans for your child include. If outside agencies are used, we always ask your permission before making a referral. If you have any queries related to the interventions or support that your child receives, please contact the class teacher or the SENCO.
You will be asked if you have any thoughts, comments, concerns or worries at your child’s IEP review. Please do not feel that you have to wait until the review to bring up any concerns. Contact your class teacher straight away if you have any worries at all.
If a specialist professional works with your child, there may be recommendations that are made, which may include:
How will teaching approaches and the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
We aim to provide an inclusive, creative, child led curriculum that will equip children to be successful in life.
Our curriculum is designed to match your child’s needs by offering personalised learning which is differentiated according to their ability and their style of learning. This will develop their skills as learners and help them to become more independent, enabling them to progress and reach their full potential. The classroom environment may also be adapted to suit individual needs e.g. providing a workstation or a visual timetable. Where a child has been identified with SEN, their work will be differentiated by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily. Regular assessments identify the gaps in your child’s learning / understanding. This information is used to plan future provision.
Regular parents’ evenings also provide opportunities for parents/carers to discuss the curriculum with the class teacher.
How will both you and I know how well my child is doing and how will you help me to support their learning?
Class teachers are always happy to discuss how well your child is doing; IEP reviews are held termly and are an opportunity for you to ask questions about how well your child is doing and for us to advise you in how to support your child’s learning at home. However, these discussions do not need to be limited to the regular IEP meetings. You are always welcome to simply drop in and ask your child’s class teacher. Annual reports and Parents evenings also provide information about academic progress. Some children may also have a home/Academy communication book so that parents/carers and teachers can monitor progress, record concerns or share achievements.
All reports from outside agencies are passed to you with their ideas for support or resources that may be used at home.
How can I evaluate how effective the Academy provision for SEND is?
There are a variety of ways in which you can evaluate the effectiveness of our provision. These include:
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including Academy trips?
Activities and Academy trips are available to all children. Financial assistance via the Academy’s Pupil Premium allocation is available to ensure access to all activities where payment is needed. Where a professional makes a recommendation for a child to receive additional support out of Academy hours, parents will be supported and signposted to the relevant service.
For activities off Academy premises, risk assessments are carried out, and procedures are put in place to enable all children’s participation. If it is decided that 1:1 support is required to support a child, an additional staff member or a parent may be asked to accompany a child during the activity/trip
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
The well-being of all of our pupils is our primary concern at Goldenhill. Children are supported with their social and emotional development throughout the Academy day, through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) are integral to our curriculum.
We offer counselling support through sessions with our own Academy counsellor and regular small group well-being sessions that are timetabled into the school day for children who require social and emotional support.
Additional support from specialist staff is arranged as needed for individual pupils, both in and out of the classroom; a tailored personal plan may be put in place for pupils with the highest need
Our Behaviour Policy; which includes guidance on expectations, rewards and sanctions is fully understood and in place by all staff.
We regularly monitor attendance, support pupils returning to Academy after absence and take the necessary actions to prevent prolonged unauthorised absence.
Relevant staff are trained to support medical needs and in some cases all staff receive training. We have a medical policy in place.
Pupils’ views are sought through Academy council and other forums.
What training opportunities are there for staff supporting children with SEND?
It is the Head Teacher or SENCO’s responsibility to support class teachers in planning for children with SEN and provide in-house training where possible and necessary. The Academy has an Academy development plan, including identified training needs for all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children including those with SEND. This may include whole Academy training on SEND issues or to support identified groups of learners in the Academy, such as ASD, dyslexia etc.
Individual teachers and support staff attend training courses run by outside agencies that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class.
How accessible is the Academy environment?
We will always do our best to meet individual needs, and we are always happy to discuss individual access requirements. We have toilet and changing facilities adapted for disabled users. As part of the annual review of Academy premises carried out by the LA, accessibility issues are always considered in light of any individual needs.
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 adheres to The Equality Act 2010
Please refer to the Accessibility Plan for Disabled Pupils on the Academy website for more details on how we are able to support your child in school.
How will Goldenhill Primary Academy allocate resources to support my child’s needs?
The Academy budget received from the Local Authority, includes money for supporting children with SEND. The Senior Leadership Team, in conjunction with the Academy Business Manager, decide on the allocation of the total budget for Special Educational Needs in consultation with the Academy governors.
The Senior Leadership Team discuss all available information about SEND in the Academy, and decide what resources/training and support is needed. SEND funding is usually allocated to employ staff and outside specialists and to buy resources and equipment.
Where a child has significant needs that the Academy feels it cannot meet, or no longer meet, the Academy will apply for a statutory assessment of the child. This may lead to further support being provided by the LA through an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Parents can also request that the LA carry out a statutory assessment of their child’s needs.
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
Each child is assessed individually and a personalised package of support provided dependent on need. If these needs change, support is adjusted as necessary. Additional assessments from outside agencies will sometimes mean an increase of support and/or resources.
If a child joins from another Academy, information provided by the feeder Academy, along with our own assessments, will enable Academies to allocate resources/support for the child.
How can I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child?
We work in partnership with parents to support each child/young person’s well-being, learning needs, progress and aspirations.
We operate an open-door policy to allow parents to contact their child’s class teacher with ease.
Parents are invited to become involved in Academy-life through a number of means e.g. The Family Forum, hearing children read and ongoing invitations to Academy events throughout the year. They are also asked for their views / opinions and ideas about their child’s learning on a regular basis through termly IEP reviews. At these reviews the children are asked to express their views and opinions about their learning and are involved in the decision making process.
Our Governing Body includes Parent Governors/representatives.
What specialist services can the Academy access?
We have access to a wide range of specialist services as follows:
Autism Outreach Service
CAMHS
Counselling Services
Educational Psychologists
Occupational Therapists
Academy Nursing Team, Paediatricians and GPs
Social Care teams
Child Protection Officers
Speech and Language Therapy
Children Missing Education Officers
Inclusive Learning Service ( including hearing and visually impaired services )
Physiotherapy
Parent Partnership
Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service
How will Goldenhill Primary Academy support my child’s transition to and from Academy?
Induction for all Early Years children usually takes place at the end of the Summer Term, and includes visits to the Academy, and an induction meeting for parents. The Academy offers optional home visits where circumstances allow.
For children who transfer mid-year, LA procedures are followed. The LA’s ‘Local Offer’ is available on the Stoke on Trent City website and from a direct link on the Academy website. For children transferring at the end of Y6, additional transition visits are arranged with the secondary Academy, and additional meetings between parents and SENCOS are arranged as necessary. We will also make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
If a child has a current Early Help assessment, we ensure that all professionals are involved in supporting the transition process.
What do I do if I want to make a complaint about the SEND provision for my child?
In the first instance, please make an appointment to see the SENCO who will be happy to hear your complaint and endeavour to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, please refer to the Academy complaints policy which can be found on the Academy website.
Who can I contact for further information?
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your child’s education, please contact:
Please contact the Academy if you have any further questions.
Tel: 01782 235790
Local Offer
In order to access Stoke on Trent’s Local Offer please click on the hyperlink below: