St. Marychurch C of E Primary and Nursery School is in the eastern side of Torquay, in walking distance of St. Marychurch town centre. The school have a purpose built, modern Nursery as well as Infant and Junior sections. They have a dedicated Breakfast Club area, recently opened and a modern Family Learning Centre and ICT suite. There are two extensive hard play areas and an adjacent sports field. Sport is The school are very near to the Parish Church which thery use every week for services. 

Head Mrs Nikki Prentice

St Marychurch C of E Primary & Nursery School is a member of St Christopher’s Multi Academy Trust (MAT)

Who to contact

Telephone : 01803 329070
Fax : 01803 312891

E-mail : MRY.Admin@stcmat.org

Website : www.st-marychurch-primary.org.uk

Parent Organisation : St Christopher’s Multi Academy Trust (MAT)

Where to go

Address : Hartop Road
TORQUAY
DEVON

Postcode : TQ1 4QH

Other Details

Availability

Age Ranges : From 3 years to 11 years

Related links : St Marychurch C of E Primary School – Breakfast Club
St Marychurch Pre-school
St Marychurch Pre-School Parent & Toddler Group

Local Offer

SEND – Key Information – St Marychurch Church of England Primary School and Nursery (st-marychurch-primary.org.uk)

SEN Information

What special education provision is available at our setting?

Here at St Marychurch C of E Primary and Nursery School we believe in meeting the needs of every child and have a very inclusive approach.

Our school Vision statement is:

Nurturing minds. Fulfilling Lives

Our vision, “Nurturing Minds, Fulfilling Lives”, is placed at the heart of our school. It was developed after much collaboration amongst staff; exploring our demographic – knowing our families and the area; collecting pupil voice; responses from parent questionnaires and feedback from visitors to our school. Our carefully chosen Christian Values and Learning Attitudes support our vision and that of our MAT; these are underpinned by our curriculum which has been designed to allow us to realise our Vision.

We passionately believe that, in order for our children to live fulfilled lives – enabling them to explore their potential – we have to nurture them; caring and protecting them while they are growing; enabling them to take risks; challenge themselves and learn from a wide variety of experiences both in and out of the classroom environment.

All children receive Quality First Teaching from the class teacher. For your child this would mean:

• That the teacher, through strong subject knowledge, has high expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
• That all teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
• Different ways of teaching are in place so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve more practical ways of learning.
• Our graduated approach to meeting every child’s needs is through the use of the Graduated Response Tool.

In addition to this, facilities and support include:

• Specific strategies suggested by the SENDCo (Special Educational Need Co-ordinator) or outside agencies involved with the child.
• Specific group work with a smaller group of children (often referred to as Intervention groups).
• Designated areas for 1:1 interventions or small group support
• Group SEAL  (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning)
• Feelings Through Art.
• Draw and Talk.
• Lego Therapy.
• Spirals.
• Circle of Friends.
• Peer Mentoring – Buddy System.
• iPads access technology
• Specific Learning Difficulties interventions eg. Toe by Toe
• Advice and support from School Nurse
• Our own trained counsellor, Family Support Worker and Welfare and Attendance Officer
• Close liaison between health visitors and social workers
• Portage workers and Early Years Advisory support
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Access to Mayfield, Coombe Pafford, Visual Impairment and Chestnut outreach
• A range of Literacy and Maths interventions including:
  • Language Link
  • Little Wandle Letter and Sounds Revised Phonics
  • Herts KS2 & KS1 Fluency

This approach enables us to meet the very wide range of needs within the school.

What criteria must be satisfied before children and young people can access this provision/service?

• We are an inclusive school and consider placements for any child aged 3-11
• We follow the guidance as laid out in the Equalities Act 2010
• We work in close partnership with parents / carers and other parties / agencies to meet children’s needs
• Having established the child’s needs we access training and / or resources to make every reasonable effort to enable the child to access our provision
• For admissions criteria please visit our website: www.st-marychurch-primary.org.uk and look in the admissions section

How do we identify the particular special educational needs of a child or young person?

• At St Marychurch we continually assess and observe every child and record their progress. Through this and dialogue with parents/carers any concerns are identified. The class teacher will initially put in place support, such as pre-teaching. If this level of intervention does not achieve the required support at this point we would look to put in measures which are additional to and different from the mainstream support. At this point, it will be considered if the child’s needs should be added to the SEND register. Through discussions with parents/carers, if we feel a child needs to be added to the SEND register a letter will be sent to inform you. 
• We may approach other specialists and agencies for support with permission from parents/ carers. 
• We regularly involve your child in decisions about their needs through conferencing and through discussions with their class teacher and the SENDCo.  We follow the guidance set out in the SEND Code of Practice. 
• We gather information from families, children and other agencies and liaise closely with any other settings. 
• We liaise with previous schools and settings. 
• We may use some diagnostic tools and assessments to understand your child’s needs in more depth. 
• SENDCo will observe and offer support and guidance. 
• We may seek advice from educational outreach providers, health professionals, educational psychologist and other experts. 
• We will always endeavour to make reasonable adjustments to meet need. These may include physical adjustments to space for example, or taking a particular pedagogical approach.

How do we consult with parents and/or children and young people about their needs?

At St. Marychurch consultation takes the following form:

• Prospective families are very welcome to visit us and have a tour of the school.
• Your child’s class teacher will make an appointment to discuss any concerns you have and is available for brief updates at the beginning and end of the day.
• The SENDCo is available to discuss your child’s progress and any concerns you have. 
• Parents Evenings are held in the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms following brief written reports and a more detailed report is given in the Summer Term.
• Home visits for children starting in our Early Years Foundation Stage help to gather vital information on how we can best support all children. 
• We share information with parents / carers in a variety of ways including verbal exchanges and home / school books and reports three times a year. 
• We consult with parents / carers to ensure we are meeting their needs – through annual questionnaires. 
• For children with Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs), annual reviews take place to monitor and evaluate the continued effectiveness of the provision outlined in the EHCP. 
• We have good liaison with pre-schools and other settings to ensure smooth transitions into school. 
• We also liaise closely with secondary schools and other schools to ensure smooth transitions for children leaving us. 
• There are child-led Transition Passports for children with particular needs to ensure the child’s voice is heard.
• There are a lot of paths for children to express concerns about their happiness at school including conferencing with class teachers, Pastoral LSAs, Worry Box, trained Year 6 Peer Mediators, trained Year 6 Peer Mentors, Circle Times and PSHE in all classes and an embedded collaborative approach to learning in all classes. 
• We consult with children to ensure they are happy through annual questionnaires. 
• All questionnaires are analysed with results fed back to Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Governors and families. From this actions are identified within the School Improvement Plan (SIP).

What is our approach to teaching children and young people with special educational needs?

At St. Marychurch we have an approach of quality first teaching which means we know all of our children regardless of any special educational need. We:

• Use a wide range of teaching strategies including collaborative and ability groupings to ensure that all children are appropriately supported without limiting their opportunities. 
• Plan a curriculum which is engaging, inspirational and relevant; we have an approach to learning which means all children begin to take some responsibility for knowing their next steps and this then begins to personalise the curriculum for every child. A child with a particular need or area of difficulty would still be encouraged to do this – the support may vary to enable it to happen. 
• Are aware of children’s different learning styles and ensure lessons cater for a wide range of these across any day. 
• Ensure there are Equal Opportunities for all which is enshrined in our SEND Policy and Procedure. 
• Teach children with special education needs alongside their peers and our collaborative approach to learning ensures that they work with children of all abilities. However, when necessary class teachers and LSAs will personalise the tasks and curriculum to ensure that all children’s needs are met. 
• Treat all children equally and with respect. However, where Special Educational Needs have been identified we ensure that we provide appropriate resources and approaches to meet their needs. 
• Work with other professionals and follow their advice in creating Individual Support Plans (ISP). 
• Deploy our LSAs across single teams which means they can specialise in the support they offer – for example Speech & Language (S&L) or bring together a small group of children all needing support with number.

How can we adapt our curriculum for children and young people with special educational needs?

At St Marychurch all children receive a broad and balanced curriculum which meets their needs as learners in the 21st Century living in Torbay.

• We want children to leave us as well-balanced young people equipped with the skills and attitudes to enable them to succeed at secondary school and beyond. For further details of our curriculum please click here.
• We believe that every child should be able to join in with all activities and make every effort to adapt resources and activities in accordance with our knowledge of children’s needs to ensure that this happens. 
• Class teachers plan lessons with due regard for the specific needs of all children in their class to ensure all needs are met. 
• All teachers and Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) are aware of children’s Individual Support Plans and differentiate accordingly.

How will we ensure we get the services, provision and equipment that children and young people need?

At St Marychurch we make every effort possible to obtain the services, equipment and resources that all our children require to let them be successful at school. We call upon the support of professionals and work closely with them. They include but are not limited to:

• Specific equipment which may address a specific need for example:
  • Wobble cushions 
  • Stand up desks 
  • Individual ipads/devices 
  • Differentiated keyboards 
  • Individual apps 
  • Lap blankets 
  • Weighted jackets 
  • Ear defenders 
• Early Years Advisory Teacher 
• Educational Psychologist 
• School Nurse and other Health Professionals 
• Outreach from Mayfield and Combe Pafford 
• Other outreach specialists 
• Torbay Safeguarding Hub – Social Workers and Family Support Workers

There may be times when, despite our best efforts, we are unable to provide resources and facilities to meet a child’s specific needs. Please see our accessibility plan to see what we are aspiring to. (School website – key information – SEN & Inclusion- accessibility plan). Transition for all children needs to be given careful planning and consideration. However, for children with special educational needs extra thought needs to be given. We ensure that all children with identified needs carry out a personal enhanced transition this includes: 

• writing a passport for the next teacher/school 
• extra visits 
• extra time with new/relevant staff 
• meetings with parent/carer and relevant professionals

How is this provision funded?

The following are all funded by the school: 

• All teaching staff and some levels of LSAs. 
• Part-time SENDCo. 
• Trained Pastoral Leads in all teams. 
• School counsellor (1 day a week). 
• Family Support Worker. 
• Additional 1:1 LSA support for children where appropriate and this may include those with EHCPs. 
• Additional MTAs for some children. 
• Educational psychologist (Funded by our school buy-back to the LA)
• Outreach teacher for Autism Spectrum Condition (Funded by our school buy-back to the LA).

We also have access to various outside agencies including: 

• School nurse (Funded by NHS). 
• Speech therapist (Funded by NHS). 
• Outreach support from the Chestnut Centre (Funded by LA). 
• Outreach teacher for Visual Impairment (Funded by LA). 
• Outreach teacher for Hearing Impairment (Funded by LA).

What additional learning support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how do they access it?

We aim to meet every child’s needs within our school but when additional learning support is required we look for support from other professionals such as:

• Speech and Language specialists.
• Health Visitors and Social Workers.
• Mayfield and Coombe Pafford outreach.
• Advisory teachers for visual and hearing impairment.
• Outreach staff from the Chestnut Centre (Thrive).
• Action for Children.
• The Children’s Society.
• Support Groups for families.
• Early Years Advisory support.
• Portage.
• Well-being Practitioner.

We signpost, encourage and support parents / carers to engage with these services. 

How do we support and improve the emotional and social development of children and young people with special educational needs?

At St Marychurch we have an inclusive approach. We believe that every child needs to be supported with their Social and Emotional development and value every child for their unique qualities. We offer: 

• Weekly PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health Education). 
• Weekly SEAL Worship. 
• A trained Pastoral Team with a Pastoral Lead Support Assistant in each team
• Weekly Group SEAL is run by trained Pastoral LSAs. 
• Pastoral LSAs provide a range of structures to support children with Social and Emotional needs including Daily Check Ins, Circle Of Friends approaches and various Social Skills groups as required 
• School Counsellor (1 day a week). 
• Family Support Worker who supports parents, carers and children through home visits. 
• We run and signpost various Parenting Courses which are available to all parents and carers.
• The school has an inclusive approach. 
• Our Christian values of Love, Joy, Peace and Kindness underpin all that we do.
• Trained Year 6 Peer Mediators support with conflict resolution amongst children at playtimes and lunchtimes. 
• We have a positive Behaviour Management policy based on relational approach with clear protocols and expectations. We have a range of positive behaviour management structures and approaches.

How do we support children and young people with special educational needs moving between phases of education and preparing for adulthood?

We recognise that transitions can be difficult for many children with SEND and take steps to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible.

If your child is moving to another school:

• We will contact the school SENDCo to pass on information about any support that your child will need.
• If the school is local, we can arrange for staff to visit your child before transition or the SENDCo or our Pastoral LSAs can take your child for a visit to their new school if this is felt necessary.
• We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.

When moving classes in school:

• Information will be passed on to the new teacher in advance of the move (usually in July for a move to a new class).
• Where it is felt necessary, children with SEND will complete their own Transition Passport to ensure a continuity of care and to meet children’s needs
• At least one class visit will be arranged to meet the new class teacher, and more if needed.
• Where it is felt necessary, the SENDCo will hold a transition meeting for the child. Parents / carers and class teachers will be invited. Where it is felt appropriate other professionals and the child will also be invited to this meeting.
• SEND meetings are held in September between SENDCo, class teacher and LSAs to discuss the support needed for all children with SEND.
• If more support needs to be provided for your child’s transition such as a photo book, this can be completed in the term before the transition takes place.

In year 6

• SEND staff from local secondary schools usually visit St Marychurch in the summer term to gather information about the children before transition takes place. They meet with the class teacher and SENDCo to ensure information is passed on.
• We request extra visits from secondary schools for vulnerable pupils before transition where this is necessary.
• Children will visit their new school for Induction Day in July (1 or 2 days)
• We publicise open days which are held by most secondary schools in the Summer/Autumn term prior to transition. These are usually for parents and pupils to attend and are the parents’ responsibility 

In EYFS

Good liaison with pre-school and other settings are in place to ensure smooth transitions into school;

• Staff visit pre-schools and nursery settings prior to children transferring to us; where they have not attended another setting, home-visits will be carried out
• Where a child is transferring to reception from our school nursery the staff will visit them in nursery and work with nursery staff to get to know the child
• Children are invited to ‘taster’ sessions where they attend the reception classes and meet staff prior to starting in nursery or reception
• Children who have not attended our school nursery will be encouraged to book a home visit.

*Certain face-to-face meetings have been impacted by Covid-19 and are either conducted via online meetings or on the telephone*

What other support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how can they access it?

• We signpost parents / carers to the Torbay Directory 
• When a child has an identified need we will provide leaflets, events and services to the best of our ability
• We signpost to GP/ support groups / courses where available
• Other support is listed on our school website.

What extra-curricular activities are available for children and young people with special educational needs?

Extra-curricular activities are fully inclusive and wherever possible all children are encouraged to take part. We try and enhance a child’s experience in school by offering a range of things including:

• wrap around care including Breakfast Club and After-School Club. 
• a broad variety of clubs run by teachers, LSAs and outside providers. 
• All children are invited to go on residentials in Year 4 and Year 6. 
• Visits and visitors are all considered to ensure they also are as fully inclusive as possible

How do we assess and review progress towards agreed outcomes, and how are parents, children and young people involved in this process?

We assess and review progress regularly as detailed below. Our approach to each of these strategies will be amended to meet the needs of the individual and the assessment type. For example a child with visual impairment may be given a reader or scribe for a test, a child may need extra time on a test or exam – we try and use the same guidelines used in Statutory tests throughout the school. All assessments are made relevant to the curriculum the child is working with not necessarily age linked.

• Class teachers monitor progress continually/daily and use this to base next learning upon. 
• Each term teachers record and track attainment against national expectations.
• Class teacher regularly conference with children to discuss their progress and feelings about learning with them. 
• This progress is monitored by the Headteacher and SENDCo termly. Children not making expected levels of progress are identified and measures are put in place to address this. 
• At the end of each key stage all children are currently assessed using formal SATs (Standard Attainment Tests) This is a government requirement with results being published. 
• Children in Year 1 are assessed through the national statutory phonics screening tests.

If your child has an Individual Support Plan (ISP), which identifies specific activities and learning, this will be reviewed at least twice a year (October and March). Children are partners in the writing of these. All ISPs will have ‘SMART’ targets with are – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. These will be taken into account when assessments are being made or set.

How do we assess the effectiveness of our special needs provision and how are parents, children and young people involved in this assessment?

• Regular monitoring including learning conversations, book scrutiny and pupil voice is triangulated to help us reflect on the provision for all pupils, the SENDCo does this specifically for our SEND pupils.
• Appraisal, self-reflection and CPD processes enable teachers to constantly review and develop their practise. 
• We work collaboratively with other schools, with the Multi Academy Trust (MAT) and locally within Torbay. 
• We consult parents and children about our provision in different ways. 
• The SENDCo attends regular training and keeps abreast of new developments.
• We share good practice with other local providers. 
• Annual report to governors is made. 
• Annual parent and child questionnaires are used. 
• Parent and child are asked to make contributions to annual reviews. 
• SENDCo’s annual action plan is reviewed regularly. 
• ISPs are monitored termly (October, February and June) by class teacher and SENDCo. Where progress is measured against the SMART targets and the Graduated Response Tool.
• The SEND Governor – Carly Deans meets with SENDCo once a term and then reports back to the Local Governing Body.
• Processes are checked through self-evaluation, external audits and multi-academy trust audits.

How do we ensure that teaching staff and other staff have the expertise needed to support children and young people with special educational needs?

Class teachers have a handover meeting to familiarise themselves with the children coming into their class. This includes checking if relevant training is in place to meet needs. The SENCo attends all local training and organises regular training for staff. We arrange training from other professionals to meet particular children’s needs.

Recently these have included:

• Epi-pen training.
• Talk Boost training for Reception teachers and LSA.
• Whole-school training on Brain-Injured Children from specialist.
• ADHD Training from specialist.
• Attachment and Trauma training.
• Stammering training run by Speech Therapists.
• Draw and Talk training run by Educational Psychologists.
• Understanding Anxiety run by Clinical Psychologists.

Through regular monitoring and during professional discussions with staff we are able to identify any training needs or utilise strengths teachers have

How do we keep parents informed where children and young people have special educational provision but do not have an Education Health and Care Plan?

• All information from outside agencies is discussed either directly or through a report with parents. 
• Homework can be adjusted to suit your child’s needs. Please see the class teacher if this is an issue. 
• Regular parent consultations are also held, one each term usually following the half term break. When we are concerned about your child’s progress or behaviour we will raise a concern with you verbally and arrange to meet with you to discuss ways forward. 
• When necessary, we use other methods to liaise more regularly. These could be regular meetings / daily diaries or other appropriate formats. 
• Our school website gives information about our setting. 
• New parents meetings are arranged for children joining us in EYFS. Class teachers hold a welcome meeting at the start of each school year. 
• You can contact us directly by phone or email. 
• The class teacher is regularly available to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you may have and to share information about what is working well at school and at home so that strategies can be shared. 
• Parents are invited in at least once a term to view children’s work. The SENDCo is always available to discuss your child’s progress and any concerns you may have. Appointments can be made through the school office. 
• The Family Support Worker works out of school hours. Her appointments are managed by the Pastoral Lead and SENDCo. This is usually a home visit.

How can parents, children and young people make a complaint about our provision?

If you have concerns about our provision you can speak to your child’s class teacher to try to find a way forward.

Further support can sought from: 

• The SENDCo who will liaise with the class teacher and yourself to find the best way forward for your child. 
• The Headteacher. 
• The SEND Governor.

Pupil Voice: 

• We believe in empowering children to express their concerns and feelings. We have regular Class Councils which feed into a well-managed School Council. We also have a wide variety of methods in which children can express their concerns including:
  • School Worry Box 
  • Lunchtime Suggestion Box 
  • Well established pastoral Team of LSAs 
  • Annual Pupil Survey

We also encourage parents to contact SENDIASS Torbay for further independent information, advice and support.

Our complaints policy can be found here https://www.st-marychurch-primary.org.uk/policies/

How can parents, children and young people get more information about the setting?

• You can ring us 01803 329070 or email us mry.admin@stcmat.org
• You can see our school record on the Torbay Local Offer
• You can read about us on our website
• We welcome visits from prospective parents / carers and will arrange tours of the school and arrange an appointment with Headteacher or SENDCo when required
• You can read our OFSTED and SIAMS reports

How the school involves other bodies, including health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in meeting children and young people’s SEN and supporting their families?

Staff at St Marychurch School liaise with health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations through regular scheduled meetings, alongside further consultations, emails, telephone conversations and staff training as and when required – this in turn allows a varied and flexible approach towards supporting our pupils with SEND and their families according to the child’s needs.

The SENDCO holds scheduled meetings (usually termly) with the:

• Headteacher
• Educational Psychologist
• Speech therapist
• School SEND governor

Involvement of other bodies including local authority support services, health and social care also take place through:

• Multi-agency meetings.
• Staff training e.g. school nurse epi-pen training.
• Referrals to/reports from Occupational Therapy support.
• Referrals to & reports/goal summaries from Speech & Language Therapy services.
• Liaisons with/reports from paediatricians and GPs.
• Telephone consultations.
• In school consultations e.g. ADHD consultation meetings with specialists.
• Outreach support from Mayfield, Combe Pafford and Chestnut schools.
• ICT outreach support.

What arrangements are in place for supporting children who are looked after by the local authority and have SEN?

Charlotte Wannell is the designated lead for looked after children, who liaises with the child’s carers, social worker and family (if appropriate), to ensure that any additional needs are identified and met. Advice and training from a range of support services, including the Virtual School, may be accessed as appropriate.

Each looked after child has a PEP (Personal Education Plan), identifying academic and social & emotional targets, and these are monitored and reviewed termly in the PEP meeting; any additional provision is identified and costed within the plan.