SEND bulletin June 2024

    Events

    Family school partnership award (FSPA) online launch event

    • Do you want to improve the way your school or setting works in partnership with families to deliver better outcomes for pupils?
    • Would you like to harness the power of parental engagement to support you in meeting wider school priorities like improving attendance, supporting transition or your Race Equality work?
    • Would you benefit from reassessing your strategy for engaging successfully with all parents?
    • Would you like to celebrate all the positive work you already do to support families and share good practice?
    • Would your school or setting value working with colleagues across Ealing and receiving FREE, high-quality training and support for your staff and leaders?

    Read the FSPA flyer to find out more, book a place at the FSPA online launch event on 3 July, from 9.30-10.30am via MS TeamsThe training is free, high quality and more than 85 Ealing settings have already enhanced their work with families using this award. Email or call Libby to find out more: lgiarraputo@ealing.gov.uk

    SENAS News

    Level descriptors

    Here are the level descriptors for special school pupils and pupils attending additionally resourced provisions and specialist resourced provisions (ARPs and SRPs), attached to mainstream schools. The LDs:

    • describe needs
    • and what sort of curriculum
    • environment
    • behaviour support
    • family support and staff training and expertise
    • is required to meet those needs.

    This should help all schools be familiar with the provision available in Ealing.

    ERSAs in second half of Summer Term: not the best time to submit

    The code of practice allows for anyone to request a statutory assessment of SEND at any time of year. However, there can be difficulties in sending in a request later on in the Summer term.

    Consider holding onto any ERSAs you have prepared for submission and send them at the start of the autumn term. To have a quality assessment that will help the pupil access the best possible provision, they need to be assessed in their educational setting. This is not possible while schools are closed.

    From now until September, the evidence gathering weeks will fall primarily in the school holidays – to be avoided in the best interests of the pupil. Your consideration will be much appreciated by your professional colleagues in the EP and therapies services.

    Repeat a school year

    At this time of year schools sometimes get requests for a pupil to repeat a year of school, also known as education out of cohort or setting back. Make sure you and the families are aware of what to consider when considering setting back.

    For children with EHCPs. The LA should be informed. The guidance for summer born 4 year olds deferring their school start is slightly different – parents have a right to request this.

    Educational psychology service (EPS) evaluation

    Headteachesr and SENCOs are invited to complete the evaluation below for the EPS and submit by 12 July 2024. We realise that you are extremely busy and that this is yet one more pressure on your valuable time. We have kept the questionnaires as brief as possible and anticipate that they should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Your feedback is invaluable and is used when planning and reviewing service delivery to ensure we deliver the best possible services to children, families, schools, and nurseries. We look forward to receiving your completed questionnaire. Here is the survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EPS23-24

    SEN and inclusion videos – Now in 4 community Languages

    Videos for parents of children with additional needs are now available in 4 community languages to make them even more accessible to parents and carers.

    The aim of the videos is to:

    • Offer reassurance to parents and reduce stigma around SEND
    • Offer clear information and advice to parents on a range of topics relating to SEND assessment, diagnosis, and processes
    • To signpost parents to additional support for their child and their family

    You can view, link, or download the videos via EGFL (public link so can be shared with parents) as below:

    How to use the videos

    Schools can use the SEN and inclusion videos with parents in several ways:

    • Upload to the SEND pages on your school website
    • Show at SEND coffee mornings or meetings
    • Use with individual parents to support conversations around SEND
    • Share through social media such as Twitter or Facebook
    • Use them at specific times during the school year for example key transition points
    • Share them with staff so that they can signpost parents to them

    If you have any feedback to offer, contact Libby Giarraputo at the School Partnerships and Enrichment Team: lgiarraputo@ealing.gov.uk

    Summer term training

    Support CYP with SEND to Understand Healthy Relationships: Ealing Tickets, Thu, Jul 4, 2024 at 4pm | Eventbrite

    Early Help: Innovation and Impact - Home Page (earlyhelpconference.com) – suggested by Dawn Clegg from Springhallow.

    Talks from University of Reading Autism Wellbeing Hub – speakers generally have a neurodiversity-affirming approach. News and events - Centre for Autism (reading.ac.uk)

    Planning for SEND in your EYFS cohort part 2: 3 July 2024

    Therapeutic Thinking Tutor Training – request place on waiting list 25-27 June.

    Team Teach Connect – Central Fee option

    Currently, when you train staff using Team Teach, to have certification your school must pay a fee of £150+Vat, which includes access to the Team Teach connect platform and resources. If you are interested in getting together with other schools and paying a central fee, let me know – if there is enough interest an arrangement may be possible.

    Opportunities for wider involvement and participation

    Steering group vacancies

    The HAF Team are seeking to have school representation on the HAF steering group. The steering group meets three times a year (1 hour meeting on-line) and provides strategic direction to the implementation and delivery of Ealing’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme.

    We follow the guidelines and criteria as set out under the DfE’s HAF Programme. We would like to have one primary school and one Special school representative from each of the following groups:

    If any school would be interested in filling this role, or finding out more about what is involved, please email HAF@ealing.gov.uk(link sends e-mail).

    SEN Governors

    Here is the presentation from the SENCOs and SEN Governors Network was held last week online Governors and SENCos discussed the kinds of questions SEN Governors might ask their SENCOs. In the Autumn term face to face meetings are being planned to follow on from SENCO networks.

    Signposts for parents

    Toileting and sleep workshops from the Early Start SEND and Inclusion Team – for children 0-5. Parents can book by email or phone

    Resources

    Ealing Padlets

    A number of Ealing professionals are using padlet to share resources, training and useful links.

    Using sports premium to improve playtimes for children with SEN

    https://theresehoyle.com/what-can-you-use-your-sports-and-p-e-premium-for-in-your-school/

    NSPCC Speak out Stay Safe programme – SEN specific resources

    If you are also safeguarding lead you may already know about the Speak Out, Stay Safe resources – but if not don’t forget that there are SEN specific resources in their programme as well. The NSPCC is keen to get more Ealing schools signed up. Schools SEND form | NSPCC Learning

    NASEN

    NASEN Live takes place on the 5 July 2024. Even if you can’t attend, check out the speakers and themes to see if they resonate with those you are facing in your setting. nasen LIVE Speakers and Panellists | Nasen

    Top tip

    The Bell foundation have a great range of resources for EAL pupils, including pupils who have SEND.

    EAL and SEND: Seven principles for ensuring inclusive and integrated provision English as an additional language education primary schools (headteacher-update.com)

    Did you know?

    Learners using multiple languages transfer skills from one language to another and use strategies such as translanguaging to make meaning and construct knowledge. Being aware of these helpful strategies will help schools to see “bilingualism as an advantage …. (that) does not cause, or contribute to a speech, language, or communication disorder” (RCSLT, 2024).

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    Last updated: 24 Jun 2024

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