Last Updated - November 7, 2024
Eden Park believe that their school is a happy school, with high expectations, a caring atmosphere and an exciting challenging curriculum, but above all, a school that children really want to come to.
We have a well-equipped, purpose-built Foundation Stage area which includes our
Frogs Nursery. Children start school in this enclosed, nurturing environment with its
inviting outdoor learning area.
Eden Park Infants’ School and Nursery is a part of Coast Academies Multi-Academy Trust (MAT)
Executive Head: Mr Ken Kies
Head of School: Ian Morgan
Nursery: Yes
Early Years Provision : Nursery
DfEE No: 3751
Type of School: Academy
Contact Name : Mr K Kies
Contact Position : Executive Head
Telephone : 01803 854011
Fax: 01803 852678
E-mail : admin@eppsa.org.uk
Website : www.eppsa.org.uk/
Notes : Executive Head: kkies@coastacademies.org.uk
Parent Organisation : Coast Academies Multi-Academy Trust (MAT)
Name : Eden Park Primary School
Address : Eden Park Primary School Academy
Eden Park
BRIXHAM
DEVON
Postcode : TQ5 9NH
Age Ranges : From 3 years to 11 years
Related links : Tadpoles Nursery (Brixham)
SEND at Eden Park Primary & Nursery School (eppsa.org.uk)
Across the Coast Academy Trust we have a shared philosophy of high quality teaching and learning for all pupils, this isn’t just about the classroom but also the range of clubs and enrichments we offer children to further enhance their ability to confidently interact with the World. As a Trust we have a vision based around a set of values which underpin everything we do. These values differ slightly in their terminology but the outcome remains the same. A high quality environment with shared values and a place for children to thrive.
At Eden Park the values are: Respect, Teamwork, Creativity and Independence.
At Preston the values are: Respect, Responsibility, Independence, Teamwork, Creativity and Determination.
We have a team of staff who may be involved in supporting your child in addition to their class teacher and class/intervention based teaching assistants. When a child is identified as having a special SEND which requires a more bespoke provision, the trust can offer:
We aim to include every child in all that the Trust has to offer. Therefore where possible we will assess and adapt activities to meet the specific needs of a child with SEND alongside their peers.
All teachers expect to see a broad range of ability within each class and recognise that slow progress is not always an indicator of SEND. Before identifying a specific SEND we would consult with parents/carers and consider factors relating to gaps in education (perhaps due to changing schools, traveller lifestyles or refugee children seeking asylum). We will also explore difficulties that could be experienced by a child in care, a young carer, a child at risk of exclusion, a cross-gender transition, a child with English as an additional language (EAL), a child with a physical disability or medical need or even families seriously disadvantaged by poverty or social isolation.
Whatever difficulty a child is having, the Trust will endeavour to initiate a strategy, intervention, enrichment or appropriate form of support to meet that need. Where children are mainly functional within a class environment and making progress they would not be considered to have a SEND, but would continue to access the support they needed wherever possible. If individual needs are identified as having a significant impact on a child’s ability to function or access learning then they could be recognised as having a SEND and further advice from external agencies would be sought in partnership with the parents.
The MAT adheres to the graduated response as identified in the SEND code of practice: assess, plan do review. It is our intention that each cycle or stage becomes more and more focussed on improving outcomes as we drill further down into the child’s specific needs.
Stage One:
Stage Two:
Stage Three:
Our schools are open and friendly. We recognise that parents have a crucial role to play in their child’s education and are always willing to talk with you about the best ways we can help make your child’s experiences at school happy and successful.
Staff welcome and will initiate dialogue about the children in their care and take pleasure in contacting parents to share examples of how a child has excelled during the day. If a child have been involved in an incident during the day, we may contact parents to share this information or invite them in for a meeting if their child is experiencing a persistent difficulty or if we have noticed an unusual change in their attitude or behaviour. Where a parent has raised a concern for their child, we will always endeavour to fully investigate or explore this in order to resolve the issue for their child.
For difficulties arising outside of the school day families could be directed to Torbay services that they can access for themselves such as:
Sites dedicated to supporting families with online safety:
The children themselves are offered opportunities to share their views or worries with trusted members of staff either on a 1-1 basis or within their classes or small groups. Where children find communication difficult, we would try to find an appropriate means for them to share their ideas and support them in achieving their goals or resolving a difficulty.
Teachers plan for individual pupils and differentiate within their planning for the full range of abilities in their class. During School Development Meeting (SDMs at Preston/Eden Park and Team Meetings at Cockington) sessions children are discussed within each phase group and SEND and potential SEND children are highlighted and discussed. They are then flagged up to the SENDCO through this process and suggestions made of interventions, resources or particular programmes to try. Constant feedback and dialogue is encouraged between the class teacher, SENDCO and the parents so a full understanding of the child’s needs can be gathered. A Provision Map will then be put in place (Individual Support Plan at Cockington). This is the place where the list of everything that has happened or is happening with the child is recorded. The teacher is responsible for updating the child’s provision map, the map will be shared with parent’s every time it is updated. If further professional advice needs to be sought that is the role of the SENDCO.
Support Staff are expected to use the teachers planning and adapt it for the specific needs of the child. This could mean the use of identified physical resources or breaking down the task into smaller chunks, providing brain breaks or using a visual prompt that promotes independence. Support staff are expected to annotate planning to reflect how much progress a child made, suggest next steps and deliver interventions to support further progress.
As a MAT we promote independence in children through our core values and would only provide a 1:1 support assistant in exceptional circumstances and this would be kept under constant review as our aim would be to build the child’s independence and resilience so they do not become over-reliant on constant adult intervention.
We try to make children’s learning exciting, fun, meaningful and challenging. We insist on high standards which we are then proud to share.
Our projects start with an exciting experience or challenge to capture the children’s interest and generate enthusiasm. Learning skills, curriculum skills and knowledge are taught rigorously through a range of engaging and challenging activities which are adapted at the point of learning if a child’s response to it is unexpected. A high quality outcome brings together the children’s learning, at their level of ability, in a meaningful way and is shared with parents and the community. Children with SEND are expected to work alongside their peers for as much of the learning experience as is applicable and activities will be differentiated to enable them to contribute and achieve.
By creating these opportunities, the areas of the curriculum are fully covered ensuring that the children’s learning is always given a context and allows our children to become immensely proud of their own achievements. However, dedicated skills sessions run alongside our “Learning Experiences” to ensure full and regular teaching of areas that are not being covered within that learning experience.
Under the Equalities Act (2010) a condition which is long term (defined as a year or more) is considered to be a disability. This would include children with a hearing or visual impairment or long term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, cancer. Sometimes, in the instance of a child having a medical condition, the Health Service will create health care plans and the MAT will coordinate recommended provision to best meet the needs of the child. These children may be held at SEND Support or have an EHCP depending on how significant the need is and how able the child is able to manage that need. This process will allow the MAT to plan ahead in order to prevent disadvantage or discrimination. We will always endeavour to make reasonable adjustments and provide resources which will allow the child to flourish and succeed.
At Eden Park the buildings can be accessed at different levels and are suitable for wheelchair access. Ramps and lifts have been provided to aid manoeuvrability. There are designated disabled toilets and a shower room on each site.
Our schools take advice from specialist practitioners to ensure that children who are partially sighted can use either sites with a good degree of independence. For example, coloured markings on the steps and in the playgrounds ensure that everyone accessing the school grounds can see the edges of steps and posts and can anticipate shifting levels. Textured ropes have been secured around posts to ensure that they can be spotted more easily. We try hard to provide good acoustic conditions in all of our classrooms so that the effects for children with hearing difficulties are minimised for example, they have carpeted areas, curtains and quiet areas. We have also used the specialist hearing loop system when recommended for particular children.
The school’s budget includes designated money for supporting children with special educational needs. Children with an Education & Health Care plan are allocated an additional amount of funding to meet the provision needed that is over and above what is required by their peers. Some funding may come from the Pupil Premium – a set of funds allocated to schools to work with children registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years. Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months and children of service personnel. Schools are made accountable for how this money is spent and all resources and support are reviewed regularly and changes made as needed.
The amount of support your child receives will depend on their age, ability and barriers to learning.
All classes have general TA support which is used strategically for any child who needs help or intervention.
We allocate TA support on a needs led basis and each child is planned for to support these needs. We want all of our children to have a good degree of independence and to learn skills which will equip them for future life. However there may be certain times or lessons where extra support will be necessary. We may also consider putting in more intense TA support if needs are significantly impacting upon a child’s learning, but this would normally be for a short period of time and kept under review. We have access to a wide range of technology and resources to help our children to access their learning in a way which suits them. We make good use of iPad apps and writing programmes such as clicker 6.
We will also use the support of specialist external services if it is needed.
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development will take place across all curriculum areas. Teachers will inspire in pupils an enthusiasm for learning. All adults will model and promote expected behaviour, treating all people as unique and valuable individuals and showing respect for pupils and their families.
Teachers will use creative strategies and challenging questions to engage pupils in their learning and relate it to their own experiences.
This can be achieved through maximising both planned and spontaneous opportunities to:
Children with social and emotional needs will have access to a large pastoral team who are able to offer support which is designed around the individual. Our schools have fully trained Thrive practitioners who also manage specific lunchtime provision.
We welcome and encourage families who would like to consider sending their child to our schools to book a tour of the school. This will give parents an opportunity to ask questions about their child and find out how specific SEND can be supported.
On initial entry into school we encourage parents to let us know if their child has any already identified particular needs so that we can begin to have conversations around how we can meet them.
When moving from class to class, all children are given an opportunity to meet their new peers and class teacher in July during a class swap day. This is when photo books and any specific resources and health and safety issues can be identified and planned for. For children who need an enhanced transition plan, this can be co-ordinated by a member of our pastoral team.
Children are prepared for the move into the next part of the school when moving between phases by having tours of the building, joining the next phase for playtimes and working in different parts of the building at different times of the day. This is done with the support of familiar adults so the child can discuss their concerns and ask questions as necessary.
At the end of KS2, arrangements are made for parents to meet the SEND Team from the local secondary schools at the beginning of the school year prior to transfer. In some cases the SEND/Pastoral Team will liaise with school and arrange additional transition sessions for children who will find the move stressful or difficult. All SEND records and reports are transferred to the secondary schools at the end of KS2 or to the receiving school if the child leaves before this.
Safeguarding children is taken very seriously at our schools. All new and existing members of staff at Academies have a safeguarding overview of Trust procedures on or as close to day one as is possible. All new members of Academy Staff are sent on the basic level one safeguarding training provided by Kulinda Solutions at the local teaching school. All existing members of staff have a level 1 refresher safeguarding course once every three years. All level 3 trained staff attend a refresher course every two years provided by the TSCB.
The Academy Council member with the responsibility for Safeguarding and the DSL meet every term. From this meeting a report is written and evidence is provided, this is then shared with the academy council and directors.
Keeping children safe online is promoted in lessons as well as through specific age appropriate e-safety sessions which are delivered by specialist visitors to the schools.
The link below allows you to access a brilliant resource which gives you guidance on how you can help your child to stay safe whilst they’re online. It gives specific information surrounding cyber bullying, coping with peer pressure, social media and on-line gaming.
http://www.vodafone.com/content/digital-parenting/learning-and-fun/digital-parenting-magazine.html#
Our schools are delighted to be able to offer an extensive range of clubs that provide all children with the opportunity to gain confidence, self-esteem and new skills in a variety of situations. The clubs are mainly free and are run by volunteer members of staff and are run before and after school as well as lunchtimes.
The comprehensive list of clubs varies and often includes: Football, Choir, Dance, Computers, Lego, Sewing, Netball, Art, Media and many more. The school runs the Children’s University scheme which rewards children for their attendance at clubs and activities. We issue the passports free to encourage greater participation and have reward assemblies to receive certificates. Those with enough signatures in their passport get to “graduate” at Plymouth University!
The school will endeavour to make all extra-curricular clubs accessible to any pupil who wishes to participate. Children with SEND will not be discriminated against and will make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled children and young people are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers.
The progress of all children is discussed and planned by teachers on a regular basis and monitored by designated members of the senior leadership team. SEND Support children are regularly discussed with the Educational Psychologists (with parental permission) employed by Torbay Council and this helps us to be clear about what the child’s needs are and whether there is anything else we need to put in place.
Children who have a target and provision map, Thrive or SALT programme will have their progress reviewed regularly throughout the year in partnership with their parents. The child will be consulted as part of this process and where possible, their views will be considered in setting next step targets. The SENDCO and members of the pastoral team will co-ordinate and monitor the provision being made for pupils on the SEND support record.
For children who have an EHCP or Statement, we invite a member of the Torbay SEND team to annual review meetings. Alongside this all of our annual reviews are monitored, a report written and fed back to us by a designated member within the Torbay SEND Team.
The Trust’s SENDCO is part of the senior leadership team at both Trust Schools, whilst at Cockington the SENDCO reports directly to the pastoral lead, who is part of the SLT.
It is the role of the SENDCO to:
We will also monitor and review our SEND Policy and Provision by:
The Trust places high value on good quality training.
We have links with the AET and all our staff have had the basic Autism training, we also have a number of staff with the advanced training for this who are our school autism champions. We place high value on developing professional development around SEND by enabling SENDCO’s and aspiring SENCO’s to gain the national SEN award.
The Trust also places high value on the use of JPD (Joint Practice Development) to enhance teacher pedagogy that develops their ability to deliver high quality lessons. This ultimately improves outcomes for all children including those with SEND. Alongside this we run more bespoke training for members of staff for certain children or groups of children e.g. Makaton, PIPS, Talk Boost, Read Write Inc, Counting for Calculating to name a few. Our staff have access to a number of assessment/diagnostic tools, e.g. dyslexia portfolio and dyscalculia assessment and a variety of high quality interventions. New Staff have a specific induction that involves Safeguarding and SEND information alongside opportunities to meet staff from other schools to share best practice.
Once a child is identified as having SEND the parents are invited in for a review meeting and a target and provision map is set up and refined with input from home as well as from school. In this meeting various members of the pastoral team as well as the class teacher and parent(s) talk through what the needs are and set smart, achievable targets designed to improve the outcomes and measure progress. As part of this process the parents sign the provision map to state that they understand that their child will be added to the SEND register and they are happy for us to share information with other external agencies who we might call in to support the child. This is then reviewed termly with the parents.
If a child demonstrates sustained progress over time, including during times of transition, within their identified areas of need and no longer need specialised individual support and planning, we would look to take them of the SEND register. This would be celebrated and shared with the child and their parents and may involve a light touch monitoring to ensure progress is maintained.
Where, despite the MAT taking relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the SEND of the child and they have not made expected progress, the MAT or parents may recommend initiating a request for an EHCP assessment.
Where children do have an EHCP (or statement) these are reviewed annually in addition to the termly update meetings.
Families need to contact the class teacher in the first instance to seek advice and support for their child. Where a need is identified, this will always be passed to the Pastoral Team who would then be able to offer in house services or signpost families to relevant external services. Where parents and carers feel that a situation has not been dealt with effectively they will need to follow the MAT complaints policy which can be found on the schools websites. We are happy to listen to and reflect upon the suggestions and views of parents and would always encourage them to come and talk to us.
A copy of the individual school offers can be found in the SEND Policy appendix and SEND School offer documents which can be found on our websites.
If more information is required or parents have any specific enquiries they should contact Mrs Deb Mawbey on the direct pastoral line: 01803 855300 or you could email the team at: pastoral@eppsa.org.uk
At Coast Academies we work closely with all partner agencies to promote quality outcomes for children. Within Torbay we have excellent links with the Torbay SEND team and make very good use of their expertise. We also work with the hospital team and have made strong links with the various departments used by our children e.g. paediatrics, speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, CHAMS etc. Our children also benefit from various outreach services provided within the Bay for example, Chestnut Outreach for behaviour/emotional support, Mayfield Outreach for Learning Needs and our newly commissioned in-house autism outreach service, which is Bay wide.
The Trust SEND teams have to work with several Local Authorities and has to tailor its approach to this dependent on the authority. We will always look to hold multi agency meetings wherever possible as this is the most efficient way of getting to the crux of the child’s needs. However, if some external professionals are unable to attend we will always ask for a report to be written so their views can be considered. If requested, the schools will accompany parents to external agency meetings.
Across the Coast Academies Trust, we have SEND teams who work to support staff members to carry out their duties and it is this team’s responsibility to liaise closely with other services and agencies such as Torbay SEND, School Nurse etc. Within the Pastoral Team there is expertise in various areas including autism, ADHD, Attachment disorders and learning difficulties and nurture.
CLA children are closely planned for and monitored using an E-PEP system if they are a Torbay child. Any out of county CLA children are monitored using the procedures provided by their home Local Authority. The CLA designated teacher and deputy attend all centralised training and report to the Academy Council Safeguarding Lead as part of the Safeguarding meeting.
Other related Information: Anti-Bullying, SEND and Behaviour policies are available to view on the school website.
