Target Group/ SEN provision in Key Stages 1 and 2 

We have a high number of complex SEN children here at Westmorland and, following national trend, this number is increasing every year. These are children who have followed our graduated response through careful cycles of assessment, plan, do and review but yet are still making incredibly limited progress. They are working below the National Curriculum and are, instead, assessed using the SEN standards. All children have a high level of multi-agency involvement from professionals including, but not limited to, paediatricians, Speech and Language, Behaviour Support, Occupational Therapy, Learning Support and Sensory Support. These children either already have an Education, Health or Care Plan or we are in the final stages of gathering evidence to apply for one.

In September 2022, Westmorland is developing a SEN provision for up to 18 complex children. This year, the children will range from Years 1-5 and, if successful, will progress to include year 6 as the children grow. The class has a full-time teacher, Kelsey Rodgers, and is supported by two teaching assistants at all times, Yvonne Waters and Hannah Walker. The SENCo, Nicola Pritchard, also teaches the class 1 day a week.

Children are selected by the SENCo and the Senior Leadership Team, with the support of parents and will all either have an EHCP or be in the final stages of evidence gathering for an EHCP. An EHCP does not automatically guarantee a place in the Nurture group as some of our children with EHCP recognised needs can access the curriculum in the mainstream classroom. A child’s place in the Nurture Group will be consistently monitored. If he/ she is making accelerated progress then they may return to their mainstream class full time, likewise, if their attendance falls below 90% then they may lose their place in the provision as another child with higher attendance may be viewed to benefit from it more.
Children will all be assigned to a mainstream class where they will be registered and begin and end each day. Wherever possible, children will be included and taught with their peers, including for PE, Art, DT, Dance, Swimming, story time, PSHE, Music, Learning Council and story time. Children will also join their peers for dinner and play times. Children will join year group trips where appropriate but also go on their own trips as a class. The Nurture Group class teacher will work closely in an ongoing capacity with each child’s allocated class teacher to share and review progress and plan next steps in learning. This cohesive approach will ensure continuity against

 targets in all settings and promote the inclusion of each child. Both teachers will attend EHCP reviews and parents’ evenings. The Nurture group teacher, and SENCo, will work closely with a range of professionals including the Educational Psychologist, NHS Speech and Language Therapist who will directly work with the children in Nurture group once a week, Occupational Therapist, Sensory Support Service, Learning Support Service and Behaviour Support consultant- this will ensure that we are working together to meet the SMART targets set out on each child’s EHCP/ SEN Support plan. 
Within the Nurture Group, children’s targets will be addressed throughout the day with all learning planned from their known and supported in a multisensory way. Children will have access to the outside area throughout the day for planned Occupational Therapy work but also to provide high intensity movement breaks. The daily working of the provision will mirror that of Early Years with continuous provision, aimed at encouraging and support the children to generalise all newly acquired skills. There will be a high level of play throughout the classroom as many of the children require modelling and ongoing opportunity to develop their play skills. Emotions coaching and social skills will also be central to their curriculum. As different children will be accessing the classroom at different times, the timetable will be flexible, with different pupils accessing different parts of their curriculum at different points. The bespoke curriculum for these children will have a high focus on independence and life skills and, when children are in KS2, they will access the ASDAN programme. This provision will form a safe space in which our most complex children can thrive whilst also ensuring that all children within Westmorland receive the education that they deserve and are entitled to.