Watcombe Primary School is relatively large with approximately 250 kind, caring and hardworking pupils whom they are very proud of.  Nearly all of the year groups are full but they always try to accommodate and welcome new families.

Head Mr Adam Morris

Who to contact

Telephone : 01803 327419
Fax : 01803 322172

E-mail : admin@watcombe-primary.torbay.sch.uk

Website : www.watcombe-primary.torbay.sch.uk

Where to go

Address : Moor Lane
TORQUAY
DEVON

Postcode : TQ2 8NU

Other Details

Costs

Details : null

Availability

Age Ranges : From 3 years to 11 years

Related links : Watcombe Children’s Centre Nursery

Local Offer

Watcombe Primary School: SEND and Accessibility (watcombe-primary.torbay.sch.uk)

SEN Information

What special education provision is available at our setting?

• We strive to meet all pupils needs, including those with SEND, initially through quality first teaching (good quality teaching) which is differentiated (well matched) to pupils abilities and supported by targeted teaching assistant support in small groups or 1:1 where necessary.
• Watcombe Primary School has close relationships with a variety of agencies which help us support pupils with SEND, such as: Educational Psychology, Speech and Language therapy, Local authority advisory services, health professionals through our school nurse and Specialist Outreach services offered by other schools.
• School staff attend a variety of training to help meet pupils needs, for example, we have THRIVE trained staff to help support pupils with emotional and social development difficulties – we operate a pastoral unit (‘The Hub’) where pupils receive 1:1 or small group THRIVE activities. Also, we have a service level agreement with the Speech and Language Therapy service so that trained teaching assistants can carry out speech and language programmes within school.
• We have specialist interventions running to support children where a need is identified.
• As part of our pastoral team, we have a Family Support Worker who work closely with children alongside the families.

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

Watcombe Primary is an inclusive provider and will consider placement for any child (aged 3 -11) regardless of their needs or disability, whose parent/s request a place. (Following guidance of Equalities act 2010)

Providing a place is available and the necessary admissions documentation is complete, the school will discuss the needs of a child with parents/carers and how they will be met, working in partnership with other relevant parties/agencies. Having established a child’s needs, the school will then make every reasonable effort to access training and resources so that a child can access our provision. 

Facilities and access arrangements for pupils with disabilities, which include a disabled lift, ramps, level access to classrooms and toilets and washing facilities, are outlined in the school’s accessibility plan.

As an inclusive school, we strive to treat all pupils equally favourably, regardless of their needs or disabilities in accessing our provision, including curricular and extracurricular activities.

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

The school will follow the guidance set out in the SEND code of practice 2014 and follow the school graduated response when an additional need is identified.

We know when pupils need help if:

• Initial concerns are raised by parents/carers, teachers or the pupils through the school referral process.
• Limited progress is being made – identified by the school’s half termly progress data analysis procedures- despite intervention to address it.
• There is a change in the pupil’s behaviour
• Outside agencies have identified a particular need eg. Speech and language difficulty
• There is a confirmed medical diagnosis or ongoing medical investigation

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

Before a place is offered, the school will:

• Offer an initial visit to look around and ask questions, including a discussion regarding any needs.
• Gather information from various sources, including, parents, previous schools and outside agencies to inform our discussion.
• Discuss a suitable transition process, for example a part time timetable, for when the child joins the school – this will be regularly reviewed by staff and parents/carers.
• Liaison with other schools and exchange of records

When the child has a place, the school will consult with parents through:

• Universal termly parent/teacher meetings, including information regarding any passports (support plan), implementation plans and mid or end of year reports.
• Opportunities to speak to teachers at the end of the school day
• Appointments with the SENCO
• Invites to ‘feedback’ meetings with outside agencies such as an Educational Psychologist
• Where necessary, offering home/school communication books or asking for questionnaire feedback regarding interventions.

When the child has a place, the school will consult with children through:

• Regular feedback as outlined in the teaching, learning and assessment policy.
• Regular discussion of progress towards meeting targets
• Reflection/discussion of impact of interventions
• Participation with specific pastoral support programmes

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

• We strive to meet all pupils needs, including those with SEND, initially through quality first teaching (good quality teaching) which is differentiated (well matched) to pupils abilities and supported by targeted teaching assistant support in small groups or 1:1 where necessary.
• When a child has identified special educational needs, we strive to ensure that appropriate extra resources are allocated to meet those needs eg. access to our pastoral support or specific, 1:1 or small group, learning interventions
• When necessary, and in consultation with parents/carers, the school would seek advice from outside agencies to offer help, advice and support to meet a child’s particular needs eg. Speech and Language therapy, Educational Psychology, Outreach services and Local authority advisors.

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

When a child has been identified with special needs:

• Their work will be differentiated by the class teacher to enable them to access the curriculum more easily.
• Teaching assistants (TAs) may be allocated to work with the child in small groups or 1:1 to target needs that are more specific. 
• Develop skills or knowledge across the curriculum in subject areas appropriate to their year group and ability.
• They may be given a Pupil Passport (support plan). Specific targets will be set and support targeted, according to their area of need, which will be regularly reviewed by school staff, including the SENDCO, and shared with parents, including copies at least termly through parent/teacher meetings
• If appropriate, specialist equipment may be provided eg. Writing slopes, pencil grips, coloured overlays

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

The school calls on the support of a variety of outside agencies and professionals, including local authority advice, to gain access to expert guidance and specialist equipment.

The school offers a graduated approach to identifying and supporting SEND. Through this, the school, in consultation with other agencies will access the services, provisions and equipment that a pupil may need.

How is this provision funded?

Provision is funded from the school’s budget, an element of which is allocated for SEND.

Some pupils who have an Education and Health Care plan will have a ‘top up’ allocation of funding (element three) to further enhance provision to meet needs.

If it is identified that additional funding may be required, the school will apply for this to the local authority.

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

The school operates an ‘assess-plan-do-review’ approach to identifying pupils’ needs and matching support as appropriate (subject to resources). A range of interventions and support is available to meet a wide range of needs, both academic and pastoral. Pupils will be regularly assessed and resources committed to meet their needs.

We have targeted interventions to address specific needs, both academic and pastoral.

There are a significant number of adult support assistants across the school who support pupils with both academic and pastoral needs. These adults are trained in a wide range of approaches.

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

At Watcombe, as an inclusive school, we believe that:

• Every child needs to feel that they belong, that they matter and that they are valued for their unique qualities – this belief is embedded in our school aims and values.
• Working in partnership with parents is vital, and parental contributions are welcomed and valued.

We believe that the healthy emotional and social development of all our pupils is at the heart of them being successful at school – making children ready to learn.

As a result, some staff at Watcombe are THRIVE trained (an approach to supporting healthy emotional and social development). We offer 1:1, small group and family THRIVE interventions in our pastoral unit (‘The Hub’) to support pupils.

We can also offer 1:1 therapeutic work such as ‘drawing and talking art therapy’, and are in the process of widening staff counselling skills. We have a number of TA’s who specifically support SEMH development.

We have a whole school positive behaviour policy which rewards the ‘good’ as well as sanctions for poor behaviour choices.

We have a parent liaison worker who works with both pupils and parents in school, and can signpost parents to help and support available in the wider community, including CAMHS, Early or Targeted Help.

Staff are also trained in attachment development.

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

Many strategies are in place to support pupil’s transition to or from the school. These include:

• When joining the school in reception, there is a transition programme, gradually building from part time to full time attendance, which can be tailored to individual needs as required.
• For pupils with specific needs, who may join the school at other times, a bespoke transition programme can be agreed and regularly reviewed to make sure pupils make a ‘successful’ start.
• Within school, each class will spend some time with their new teacher before moving year groups – staff liaise to hand on important information, including that of any special needs.
• When moving schools, liaison takes place between the staff from the different settings, where important information will be passed on. In the case of Y6 moving to secondary school, new staff visit pupils in their existing school before official induction visits.
• Where necessary, identified pupils may have an extra transition visit arranged by the SENDCO to new settings to reduce anxiety, as well as small group discussion/intervention about ‘moving on’ with our pastoral team.

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

Our parent liaison worker and/or SENCO can signpost parents to support agencies in the wider community and are available to help with any referrals where possible.

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

Various different clubs run at various times throughout the school year. These are run either by internal school staff or in partnership with other providers, subject to the necessary safeguarding checks. As an inclusive school, all clubs are open to all pupils regardless of ability or specific needs.

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

For all pupils, progress and attainment data for Maths and English is reviewed each term. This allows us to identify children who may be having difficulty or be falling behind. As a result, curriculum targets are set and interventions may be put in place to support them. Children are continually informed about how well they are doing through adult conferencing during group work or feedback through our Teaching, Learning and Assessment policy.

For some SEND children at school support, whose needs are deemed to require support additional to what is normally provided, individual targets and provision may be set out on an passport (support plan) – these are reviewed regularly by staff, overseen, and monitored by the SENDCO. Pupils are regularly consulted to comment on progress, and parents are informed termly through parent/teacher consultations. Staff are also available by appointment to discuss pupil’s progress at other times.

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

All teaching and learning is regularly reviewed through monitoring of lessons by senior staff.

The impact of specific interventions used in the school is monitored through analysis of pupil progress data.

Individual interventions are monitored through regular data review meetings, where staff are able to discuss the needs, progress and attainment of individual pupils, including those with SEND.

Parents are encouraged to comment on provision through termly parent/teacher consultations or by making an appointment to see the teacher or SENCO.

Children with SEND are given regular opportunities to comment through: self assessment, pupil conferencing and contributing to the school council for example.

The Governing Body has an identified SEND link Governor who is involved in the strategic overview of the SEND provisions and outcomes.

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

Training for all adult support staff is regarded as an important part of school improvement. All staff are encouraged to seek out or are signposted to relevant training to support and improve their role through our performance management/appraisal process.

Members of staff have received training related to SEND.

For example:

• THRIVE training to support pupils with social and emotional development
• Speech and Language training to support pupils with communication difficulties
• Positive behaviour training to support pupils with challenging behaviour
• Attachment training

The SENDCO has access to the local SEND forum which informs schools of relevant training and allows schools to share good practice.

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?

Watcombe Primary School maintains a special needs register, and parents are informed of any identified needs or difficulties through a graduated approach.

Parents are encouraged to comment on provision through termly parent/teacher consultations, including information about Passports (support plan), or by making an appointment to see the teacher or SENDCO. Where parents are unable to attend parent/teacher consultations, a copy of the most recent Passport will be sent home.

Where more regular contact is deemed necessary, arrangements can be made eg. a child may have a home/school book for daily contact, or there may be regular review meetings with parents of children on a pastoral support programme or who require a ‘bespoke’ transition programme to another setting.

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

At Watcombe Primary School we would always seek to work closely with parents and pupils to resolve concerns before it got to the stage of a complaint.

If any parent has a concern, they would be encouraged to meet with the class teacher initially, and then the SENDCO or head teacher.

In the event of a dispute, the school governors, head teacher and local authority will work closely with parents to come to an agreed resolution.

Parents are able to download the school’s complaints procedure from the school website, or it can be requested from the school office.

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

If your child has a specific need and you would like more information about what we can offer at Watcombe, please contact us on 01803 327419 to arrange a visit; or contact us by e-mail at admin@watcombe-primary.torbay.sch.uk ; or visit the school website at www.watcombe-primary.torbay.sch.uk

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?

At times, it may be necessary to consult with outside agencies to receive their more specialised expertise. If additional support is needed, the school will seek support from other professionals such as:

• Educational Psychology service (at present the school has a ‘buy back’ agreement with regular visits booked in throughout the school year for referred pupils to access)
• Speech and language therapy/outreach service (at present the school has a service level agreement with this service which provides regular in school reviews of referred pupils by a therapist and a programmes of work is provided for school staff to implement)
• School nurse (at present visits the school on a weekly basis)
• Paediatricians
• Outreach services
• CAMHS (Child and adolescent mental health service)
• Local authority advisors
• Portage
• MHST (Mental Health Support Team)
• SENDIASS

As a school we will signpost, encourage and support parents/carers to engage with these services.

The school also employs a Family Mentor, whose responsibility includes signposting outside support agencies to all parents, including those with children who have SEND.

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

As an inclusive school, we offer all our provisions to all pupils, including those looked after by the local authority.

The school has a specific teacher who is designated to oversee the provisions and progress of CLA.

The school works in partnership with the Virtual School to ensure CLA receive the support and provision they need.