Emmbrook Infant School

Emmbrook Infant School is located in Emmbrook Village and has a strong community feel, sitting alongside the Junior School and The Emmbrook Senior School. It has a capacity of 180 pupils, 30 per class

Our school is a very inclusive, safe and healthy community where every child matters and will know they are valued. We strive to provide exciting, inspiring and enjoyable learning experiences.
Our mission statement TEAM-Together Everyone Achieves More - summarises the sense of togetherness that exists in our school and the strong sense of care and nurture that is evident in all areas of school life.

In addition the school has a Resource for Hearing-Impaired pupils which offers a total communication approach to learning for statemented children with moderate to profound hearing loss. The Teacher of the Hearing-Impaired works closely with mainstream staff to ensure supported inclusion and access to the mainstream curriculum.

Contact information

Website: Emmbrook Infant School
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Contact Name: Mrs Corrina Gillard
Contact Position: Head Teacher
Telephone: 0118 978 4259 0118 978 4259
E-mail: admin@emmbrook-inf.wokingham.sch.uk

Location

Name: Emmbrook Infant School
Address: Emmbrook Road
Wokingham
Berkshire
Postcode: RG41 1JR; View RG41 1JR on a map

When is it On/Open ?

Date & Time Information: The office is manned from 8.30am through to 3.30pm daily except school holidays.

Accessing this service

Type of School: Maintained
Age Ranges: 4 yrs - 7 yrs
Eligibility Criteria: Visit the Wokingham school admissions pages of the Council's website.

Provision For

Supporting people with: Hearing impairment

Local Offer - Support available for children and young people with additional needs

Local Offer Description

Local Offer last reviewed 26/09/2022

Identification of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

1.1: How does the school identify children/young people with special educational needs and disabilities?

On-going teacher observations, assessments, experience.
Screeners e.g. dyslexia, reading, spelling, Progress in Maths
Outside agency reports
Talk to parents and use their knowledge
Experiences shared from previous schools and settings.
Children are identified with a hearing loss at an early age through neonatal screening
Children may have received an EHCP from the Local Authority
Children can be referred to the Resource by the Sensory Consortium Service

1.2: What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

Contact class teacher initially regarding concerns
Meet with SENCO and Head
If pre-school child, contact school to arrange a meeting with SENCO and Head

Support for children with special educational needs

2.1: If my child is identified as having SEND, who will oversee and plan their education programme?

Class teacher with SENCO in consultation with parents
Teacher of the Total Communication Base in consultation with class teacher, Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) and SENCO.

2.2: How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported?

Parents evenings
Annual reports
Annual reviews if child has an EHCP
Meetings as needed with class teacher or SENCO
If the child has support from external agencies they will have an ISP
Each child on the SEN register has an individual Support Plan and termly meetings are held to discuss and review progress
Informal meetings with parents as required

2.3: How will the school balance my child's need for support with developing their independence?

Individual Support Plan (ISP)
Visual timetables
Planners
Group support plans
Small group inputs or support to recap key learning points
Visual support in class
Child speak ISPs
Sensitive TA support

2.4: How will the school match / differentiate the curriculum for my child's needs?

The curriculum will be differentiated based on each individual child’s need, taking in to account teacher assessments, advice from outside agencies, the need for small group or 1:1 if needed or specific interventions.

The curriculum for the children who are part of the Total Communication Base will be differentiated based on each individual child’s need, taking in to account teacher assessments, advice from the Teacher of the Deaf, the need for small group or 1:1 if needed or specific interventions. Language is modified/rephrased by the LSA in the class.

2.5: What teaching strategies does the school use for children with learning difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorder, hearing impairment, visual impairment, speech and language difficulties?

Each child’s needs are looked at individually to determine the best strategies for them. Strategies include:

Differentiated activities
Visual support including pictures, writing frames or word banks
Visual timetables
Social Stories
Calm Place
Then and now cards
Reward systems
ICT support
Help walls
Small steps with specific achievable objectives
Multi-sensory approach to activities
Scaling opportunities

Each hearing-impaired child’s needs are looked at individually to determine the best strategies for them. These include:

Differentiated activities
Visual support including pictures, writing frames or word banks
Signed support where necessary
Visual timetables
Reward systems
ICT support
Help walls
Small steps with specific achievable objectives
Kinaesthetic approach to activities

2.6: What additional staffing does the school provide from its own budget for children with SEND?

Nurture Assistant
Teaching Assistants in each year group
Additional teaching assistants and teachers to support specific interventions
Two on-site Teachers of the Deaf
Teaching Assistants qualified in BSL
Educational Audiologist

2.7: What specific intervention programmes does the school offer to children with SEND and are these delivered on a one to one basis or in small groups?

Type / Title	Intervention Type
Talking Partners	Small group
Catch -Up maths	Small group
Catch Up Reading	Small group
Nurture Group	Small group
Circle of Friends	Small group
Nurture	One to one
Speech and Language therapy	One to one
Echo Reading	Small group

2.8: What resources and equipment does the school provide for children with SEND?

Sloping desks
Triangular Pencils and pencil grips
Coloured paper and books
Coloured overlays
Radio aids
Classroom and hall soundfield systems
Signing resources
Speech and language development resources
Listening programmes
Reading books
Visual support materials
weighted jackets
various OT equipment

2.9: What special arrangements can be made for my child when taking examinations?

Additional time
Scribes
Readers
Quiet areas.
1:1 support where appropriate
25% additional time
Quiet areas
Live speech mental maths tests

My child's progress

3.1: How will the school monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this?

On-going Teacher Assessments
Standardised tests that give standardised scores and comparative ages
Support Plan Meetings and parents evenings – a chance to give input from home experiences
On-going language assessments
Annual review meetings
Structured conversations

3.2: When my child's progress is being reviewed, how will new targets be set and how will I be involved?

See above

Support Plans are regularly reviewed and updated based on everyday observations from school staff, as well as from advice from outside agencies and parents.
Support Plans are set and reviewed termly and updated based on everyday observations from school staff, as well as taking advice from Teacher of the Hearing-Impaired and SALT
Termly meetings are held with parents to report on progress and set new targets

3.3: ln addition to the school's normal reporting arrangements, what opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child's progress with school staff?

Support Plan meetings for children who are school action plus each term.

Annual reviews if the child has an EHCP
termly parent consultation evenings
Teachers are happy to arrange meetings to discuss concerns
Teachers of the Hearing-Impaired are happy to arrange meetings to discuss issues

3.4: What arrangements does the school have for regular home to school contact?

Teachers are always happy to arrange a meeting to discuss issues regarding a child.
If it is felt to be useful, home school link books can be used
Email/phone contact

3.5: How can I help support my child's learning?

Read every day at home
Support home learning activities
Visit places of interest at the weekend
Recommendations are given by Teachers of the Deaf and SALT

3.6: Does the school offer any help for parents / carers to enable them to support their child's learning, eg. training or learning events?

The school runs regular curriculum evenings throughout the year for specific subjects where ways to support your child are shown
Signposts to parenting courses are also offered during each academic year
We can signpost parents to specific courses and support groups on offer through Wokingham Borough Council
Support for parents of hearing-impaired children is upon request

3.7: How will my child's views be sought about the help they are getting and the progress they are making?

Termly conferencing meetings between the child and their teacher
If they have an education, care and health plan , they will discuss this in preparation for the Annual Review
in their annual report to parents
regular conversations with thei class teachers about their work

3.8: What accredited and non accredited courses do you offer for young people with SEND?

N/A

3.9: How does the school assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers and young people take part in this evaluation?

Monitoring progress via Teacher Assessments, standardised scores
Outside agencies review objectives set and progress made towards these
Impact of interventions
Discussion with children as appropriate and parents.
Children are aware of own learning targets and next steps
Parent questionnaires at the end of each key stage
Regular meetings with school Head teachers and Local Authority
progress outciomes for all SEN pupils

Support for my child's overall well being

4.1: What support is available to promote the emotional and social development of children with SEND?

Nurture Assistant
Specific interventions e.g. Circle of Friends, Peer Mediators, 1:1 time, Social stories, Lego Club
Teaching Assistants
Targeted 1:1/small group sessions with Teacher of the deaf

4.2: What support does the school put in place for children who find it difficult to conform to normal behavioural expectations and how do you support children to avoid exclusion?

Behaviour Support Plans
Clear guidelines of choice-Traffic Light System
Rewarding the Golden Rules
Reward charts/stickers
20/20/20 lunchtimes
regular sensory breaks
Scaling opportunities
Nurture

4.3: What medical support is available in the school for children with SEND?

First Aid procedures
Hearing Impairment support-Radio aids etc
Staff will take on any training as needed to support medical needs of any child
medical plans where appropriate

4.4: How does the school manage the administration of medicines?

Specifically trained adults according to individual needs of children
First aiders
Medicine policy
Medical Plans

4.5: How does the school provide help with personal care where this is needed, eg. help with toileting, eating etc?

Disabled toilet / shower
1:1support with personal care or during snack and meal times if required

Specialist services and expertise available at or accessed by the school

5.1: What SEN support services does the school use, eg. specialist support teachers, educational psychologists, teachers for hearing impairment and visual impairment, ASD advisory teachers, behaviour support teachers etc?

We use all of the above support services for specific children plus:

Family support workers
CAMHS
Occupational Therapists
Physiotherapists
Speech and Language Therapists
Vulnerable Children’s Education
CAFCAS Officer
Sensory Consortium Service
Three on-site Teachers of the Deaf
Speech and Language Therapist (with specialism in hearing-impairment)
Audiologists from Royal Berkshire Hospital/Ewing Foundation
Cochlear Implant Centre teams
Educational Psychologist
Addington Special school outreach
Foundry College outreach

5.2: What should I do if I think my child needs support from one of these services?

Speak to SENCO who will advise next steps and make referrals as necessary

5.3: How are speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy services provided?

In school staff follow programmes provided by these services for individual children
Specialists come in to support from time to time depending on each child’s needs
In school staff follow programmes provided by these services
The Specialist Speech and Language Therapist provides 1:1 support according to need

5.4: What should I do if I think my child needs to be seen by a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist or physiotherapist?

Single point entry referral can be made via the SENCO. This can sometimes be done through the GP as well.

5.5: What arrangements does the school have for liaison with Children's Social Care services?

School has access to children’s social care services if required.

Training of school staff in SEND

6.1: What SEND training is provided for teachers in your school?

Regular SEN staff meetings
A time to discuss children with SEND is allocated to staff meeting agendas
Training is provided dependent on current needs
SENCO / Head attend training and share with staff
Deaf awareness training given to new staff and annual updates for all staff
Training by outside agencies e.g. Cochlear Implant centre

6.2: What SEND training is provided for teaching assistants and other staff in your school?

Regular SEN staff meetings
A time to discuss children with SEND is allocated to every Senior Team meeting agenda
Training is provided dependent on current needs
SENCO / Head attend a lot of training and share with staff
annual Deaf awareness for all staff

6.3: Do teachers have any specific qualifications in SEND?

No specific qualifications but much experience in dealing with a range of SEND pupils
SENCo has National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination
Two qualified Teachers of the Deaf
Teachers of the Deaf have BSL level 1/2
1 qualified Nuture Assistant
1 qualified CSW

6.4: Do teaching assistants have any specific qualifications in SEND?

Teaching Assistants are given opportunities to attend courses and training to further develop their knowledge and understanding of areas of SEN. Recent courses attended include Nurture Assistants, Early Bird plus, Dyslexic, Speech and Language Support, occupational therapy support , Attachment Disorder

4 Teaching Assistants with BSL signing-Level 1 and 2
1 Communication Support Worker
Teaching Assistants are given opportunities to attend courses and training to further develop their knowledge and understanding of Hearing-Impairment
Courses attended include Speech and Language courses (at Wokingham Hospital) and online Hearing Impairment training
TAs have attended cochlear implant technical update training
many TAs have attened Early Bird training in ASC

Activities outside the classroom including school trips

7.1: How do you ensure children with SEND can be included in out of school activities and trips?

All children are included in out of school activities and trips in discussions with parents and risk assessment undertaken in line with the Local Authority guidelines. Parents may accompany their child if necessary or 1:1 support may be provided depending on the level of need.

All hearing-impaired children are included in out of school activities and trips in discussions with parents and risk assessments are undertaken in line with the Local Authority guidelines. Parents may accompany their child if necessary or 1:1 support may be provided depending on the level of need.

7.2: How do you involve parents / carers in planning the support required for their child to access activities and trips?

Through discussions with parents and school staff.
Advice is also taken from the place to be visited in terms of their facilities and accessibility.
Advice is taken from the Teacher of the Deaf

Accessibility of the school environment

8.1: How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?

The school has wheelchair access via a ramp at the rear of the playground.
Disabled toilet
1 stair lift

8.2: Have adaptations / improvements been made to the auditory and visual environment?

The school has been acoustically treated with lowered ceilings, acoustic tiles, carpets and blinds/curtains throughout
Soundfield systems have been fitted in every classroom and there is a PA system in the hall
The school has a quiet acoustically treated room for 1:1 or small group sessions

8.3: Are there accessible changing and toilet facilities?

Yes – toilet with shower

8.4: How do you ensure that all the school's facilities can be accessed by children with SEND?

All areas can be accessed by a wheelchair if required.
All doors are wide enough for wheelchair access

8.5: How does the school communicate with parents / carers who have a disability?

As previously stated

Using BSL Sign Language/ SSE

8.6: How does the school communicate with parents / carers whose first language is not English?

We use translators where appropriate/necessary

Preparing my child to join the school or to transfer to a new school or the next stage of education and life

9.1: What preparation will there be for both the school and my child before he or she joins the school?

Home visits with school staff
Liaison with current pre-school or setting and visits to meet the child in that familiar setting
Planned transition includes visits into school for the family
School brochure and information pack
Meetings with the family and specialist services involved with them
SENCO to attend TAFs, annual reviews etc if appropriate
Home visits from the Teacher of the Deaf
Liaison with current pre-school or setting and visits to meet the child in that familiar setting
Planned transition visits
TA to accompany child to new setting on visits
Transition book of photos
Meetings with the family and specialist services involved with them
SENCO/Teacher of the Deaf to attend annual reviews

9.2: How will my child be prepared to move on to the next stage within school, e.g. class or key stage?

Additional transition visits (for both parents and child. e.g. going for story time)
Photos of key adults and places in the new team
Next teacher to see child in current setting or team area
Parents introduced to teachers / T.As as appropriate
Teachers meet to pass on information including academic and social needs, specific strategies that work, medical details
Additional transition visits as needed
Photos of key adults and places in the new team
Next teacher to see child in current setting
Parents introduced to teachers / TAs as appropriate
Teachers meet to pass on information including academic and social needs, specific strategies that work, medical details

9.3: How will my child be prepared to move on to his or her next school?

As above

Summer transition Art Course
standard transtion package between Emmbrook Infant and Junior schools consiting of 5 additional visits
Additional visits where required including meeting/working with any future support staff

9.4: How will you support a new school to prepare for my child?

Meet and discuss individual needs in year 2 if the child has an ISP or EHCP
Suggest new school come to visit child in current setting
Share good practise and strategies with new school staff
Teaching Assistant may accompany visits to new school
Vulnerable child transition programme is offered by some schools
Teachers meet to pass on information including academic and social needs, specific strategies that work, medical details
Share good practise and strategies with new school staff
Teaching Assistant may accompany visits to new school
Teachers meet to pass on information including academic and social needs, specific strategies that work, medical details

9.5: What information will be provided to my child's new school?

In discussion with parents, school will share records of interventions, impact, assessments (including teacher assessments, statutory assessments and other standardised tests carried out), diagnosis and strategies that have been developed and been successful.

In discussion with parents, school will share records of interventions, impact, assessments (including language assessments, statutory assessments and other standardised tests carried out), diagnosis and strategies that have been developed and been successful.

9.6: How will the school prepare my child for the transition to further education or employment?

N/A

Who can I contact to discuss my child ?

10.1: Who would be my first point of contact if I want to discuss something about my child or if I am worried?

Class teacher
SENCO
Head
Teacher of the Deaf

10.2: Does the school offer any specific support for parents / carers and families (such as Family Support Workers?)

As previously stated

Reading Deaf Children’s Society
NDCS
Me2 Club
Sensory Consortium Service
Relevant websites
ASSIST
SENDIASS

School can contact the Family and Parenting Support team or Vulnerable Children’s Education team should home schooling be needed at any time

10.3: What arrangements does the school have for signposting parents / carers to external agencies which can offer support, such as voluntary agencies?

School tries to keep up to date contacts for agencies such as Reach and is always happy to help parents/carers find support groups as needed.

10.4: What arrangements does the school have for feedback from parents, including compliments and complaints?