Beechwood Primary School

Beechwood is an average sized primary school with approximately 370 pupils aged 4 to 11. It is located in the centre of Woodley, a suburb to the southeast of Reading, within the borough of Wokingham. The school shares a site with The Ambleside Centre.

The school’s ethos is one of inclusion. All members of staff strive to understand and support the individual needs of each child.

Contact information

Website
Beechwood Primary School
Scan to visit this website
Contact Name
Miss S E Hunter
Contact Position
Head Teacher
Telephone
0118 969 5976 0118 969 5976
E-mail
office-beechwood@fraysacademytrust.org

Location

Name
Beechwood Primary School
Address
Ambleside Close
Woodley
Berkshire
Postcode
RG5 4JJ
View RG5 4JJ on a map

Accessing this service

Type of School
Maintained
Age Ranges
4 yrs - 11 yrs
Local Offer

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

Local Offer Description

Local Offer last reviewed 12/05/2021

Identification of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 1.1: How does the school identify children/young people with special educational needs and disabilities?
  • Conversations and informal discussions with parents
  • Liaising with previous settings and discussing ‘hand over’ documents
  • On-going assessment and monitoring of progress and attainment of all pupils in line with the school’s assessment policy 
  • Communication between class teachers and Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)
  • Observations and assessments carried out by the SENCO and external agencies  
1.2: What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

Discuss your concerns with your child's class teacher in the first instance
Meet with the SENCO to discuss further your concerns and potential next steps

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?

The child’s class teacher, with guidance from the SENCO

2.2: How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported?
  • Individual Provision Maps and SEN School Support Plans, if needed
  • Parent and child consultation evenings
  • Annual reports
  • Annual Review meetings for parents of children with a Statement of SEND or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
2.3: How will the school balance my child's need for support with developing their independence?
  • Differentiated teaching – taking into account learning styles, tasks and resources
  • Targeted small group or individual support, where appropriate
  • Visual timetables – whole class and/or individual
  • Specific teaching of skills for independent learning
  • Scaffolded support to encourage independence
  • Gradual approach 
2.4: How will the school match / differentiate the curriculum for my child's needs?
  • Teachers plan lessons according to the specific needs or all groups of children in the class
  • Children’s needs and interests are taken into account when planning the curriculum
  • The curriculum is differentiated based on individual children’s needs, taking into account information gathered about each child.
  • Support staff can adapt the teachers’ planning to support the needs of SEND children at a small group or individual level
  • Additional intervention may take place outside of the classroom, if necessary
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?

Strategies are put in place to best match individual children’s needs, often utilising the advice, support and resources of external agencies. Such strategies include:

  • Specific differentiated activities
  • Visual support including pictures, writing frames or word banks
  • Visual timetables
  • PECS/Widgit symbols
  • Reward systems
  • Social stories
  • IT support
  • Radio Aid system
  • Learning walls
  • Multisensory approach to activities
  • Learning breaks
  • Additional / alternative resources provided to support individual needs
  • Consideration of the learning environment
  • Using their special interest 
  • Pre teaching of vocabulary
2.6: What additional staffing does the school provide from its own budget for children with SEND?
  • Additional support from teaching assistants in small groups 
  • Additional adults available for the class so the classteacher can work with the SEN puipil
  • Additional staff to support specific interventions e.g Speech and Language or phonics 
  • Nurture Support
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 / TitleIntervention Type
2.8: What resources and equipment does the school provide for children with SEND?

This will vary for each child. We endeavour to provide the resources necessary for each child based on recommendations made by external agencies/specialist services. We use the following resources and equipment in school at present:

  • Angled writing slopes
  • Pencil grips
  • Specialist ‘easy grip’ handwriting pencils and pens
  • Coloured paper and overlays
  • Fiddle toys
  • Sand timers
  • Sensory equipment e.g wedges, theraputty, ear defenders 
2.9: What special arrangements can be made for my child when taking examinations?

Special arrangements are dependent on the needs of an individual child, in conjunction with the guidance set out each year by the Department for Education. Such arrangements may include:

  • Additional time
  • Scribe/transcription
  • Reader
  • Quiet area
  • 1:1 prompt
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 of attainment
  • Administering of standardised tests, where appropriate, to obtain standardised scores and comparative ages (e.g. reading age)
  • Target setting
  • School Planning Meetings between school and Educational Psychologist
  • Regular discussions between teacher and SENCO
  • Termly provision mapping and pupil progress meetings
  • Parent and child consultation evenings
  • Termly SEND review meetings between teacher and parents
3.2: When my child's progress is being reviewed, how will new targets be set and how will I be involved?
  • Provision Maps are reviewed and updated on a termly basis by the child’s class teacher with guidance from the SENCO
  • New targets set will be based upon information gathered from 3.1, above
  • Previous provision maps will be reviewed and new targets discussed at the termly SEND review meetings between parents and teacher
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?
  • SEND review meetings take place every term to discuss progress with the class teacher
  • An appointment may be made for a meeting with the SENCO at any time
  • Annual Review meetings take place for parents of children with a Statement of SEND or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
3.4: What arrangements does the school have for regular home to school contact?
  • Teachers are happy to arrange meetings to discuss progress and/or issues regarding a child at mutually agreeable intervals
  • Home-School communication books can be established, where appropriate
3.5: How can I help support my child's learning?
  • Ensure that your child attends school every day - avoiding term time holidays
  • Send your child to school ready to learn – on time and with appropriate equipment
  • Support the school with regard to behaviour
  • Read with your child regularly and sign their reading record book
  • Provide support with home learning
  • Maintain regular communication with school regarding issues that may affect your child’s ability to learn and make progress
  • Work together with the school to support agreed interventions
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?
  • Curriculum evenings are held each September to provide information for the year ahead with strategies offered for parents to support learning
  • Subject-specific parent workshops take place at various times throughout the academic year
  • Parenting workshops are signposted to parents
  • The school can make referrals to Family Support Workers, if appropriate
  • School can signpost parents to services such as SENDIASS and CAN
  • SEND coffee mornings for parents
3.7: How will my child's views be sought about the help they are getting and the progress they are making?
  • Discussions with the child
  • Attendance at parent and child consultations and SEND review meetings
  • Those children with a Statement of SEND or Education, Health and Care Plan will have an opportunity to share their views through a questionnaire for the Annual Review
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?
  • Regular monitoring of progress through teacher assessments
  • Impact evaluation of interventions
  • Regular review of provision maps
  • Meetings between SENCO and Link Governor for SEND
  • Regular monitoring by the Curriculum & Welfare Committee of the Governing Body
  • Annual reviews
  • Liaison with external agencies/specialist services
  • Next steps for learning and targets for the children set and reviewed.
  • Discussion with children and parents
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?
  • Jigsaw the mindful apporach to PSHE (differentiated) 
  • Advice and support from external agencies/specialist services
  • Specific intervention e.g emotional literacy, social skills, social stories
  • Teacher/Teaching Assistant support during unstructured times, where necessary
  • Circle of Friends 
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?
  • Clear and consistent whole school behaviour management system
  • Class rewards and consequences system
  • Individual reward and consequence systems.
  • Visual timetables
  • Home-school communication books
  • Report books
  • Social stories
  • Learning breaks
  • External agency support (Foundry College, Educational Psychology)
  • Individual support in the classroom and during unstructured times, as required
  • Safe/time out place, identified with the child
  • Alternative areas to work including individual learning stations
  • Individual Behaviour Plans / Pastoral Support Plans for children at risk of exclusion
4.3: What medical support is available in the school for children with SEND?
  • Trained first aiders
  • Epipen training for staff
  • Diabetes training for staff
  • Staff training available to meet the medical needs of individual children as required
  • Liaison with School Nurse and other Health Care professionals
4.4: How does the school manage the administration of medicines?
  • Prescribed medicines can be given during the school day by staff, provided appropriate paperwork is completed by parents
  • Further information can be found in the school’s policy for administering of medicines
4.5: How does the school provide help with personal care where this is needed, eg. help with toileting, eating etc?
  • ‘Wet room’ changing and showering facilities
  • Wheelchair accessible toilet facilities
  • Adult support arranged, when required
  • Liaison with external agencies and parents
<
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?
  • Educational Psychologists
  • Learning Support Service
  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • CAMHS
  • Sensory Consortium
  • Foundry College (Behaviour support)
  • ASSIST (ASD support)
  • Addington Outreach
  • Family Support Workers
5.2: What should I do if I think my child needs support from one of these services?
  • Meet with the class teacher, in the first instance, to discuss concerns
  • Arrange to meet the SENCO who will be able to advise next steps and make the appropriate referral
5.3: How are speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy services provided?

These are external agencies who come into school to work with specific children for whom a referral has been made

Where follow-up programmes are required, we will liaise to ensure that such programmes are delivered effectively

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?
  • Meet with the class teacher, in the first instance, to discuss concerns
  • Arrange to meet the SENCO who will be able to advise next steps and make the appropriate referral
  • Referrals may also be made through local GP practices
5.5: What arrangements does the school have for liaison with Children's Social Care services?

The designated member of staff responsible for Child Protection is the school link with Social Care – liaising with them as required

Training of school staff in SEND 6.1: What SEND training is provided for teachers in your school?
  • Training provided is dependent on current needs as is delivered either in-house or with the support of external specialists.
  • Recent training has included ASD, ADHD, Team Teach and Attachment Disorder.
  • Training needs are identified through provision mapping, performance management reviews and lesson observations
6.2: What SEND training is provided for teaching assistants and other staff in your school?

Training provided is dependent on current needs as is delivered either in-house or with the support of external specialists.

Recent training has included ASD, ADHD, Team Teach and Attachment Disorder. 'Using Resources to support learning' 

Training needs are identified through provision mapping, performance management reviews and lesson observations

6.3: Do teachers have any specific qualifications in SEND?

The Key Stage 2 leader is a Psychology graduate (BSC Hons First Class) and also has a postgraduate diploma in Inclusive Education (PG dip Inclusive Ed) from the University of Reading.

The SENCO holds the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination and a Post Graduate Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Difficulties.

All teaching staff have experience of teaching a range of SEND pupils.

6.4: Do teaching assistants have any specific qualifications in SEND?
  • The school has a certified Nurture Assistant to support vulnerable learners
  • Designated Teaching Assistants have received specialist training and certification in Emotional First Aid, and supporting SEND learners as part of the NVQ Level 3 qualification.
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 by making careful assessments and judgements of risk in line with Local Authority guidelines 
  • Individual arrangements for children with SEND will be discussed with parents as appropriate
  • Individual risk assessments may be carried out if necessary
7.2: How do you involve parents / carers in planning the support required for their child to access activities and trips?
  • Where appropriate, parents will be consulted during the planning of, and preparations for, an educational visit
  • All recommendations regarding facilities and accessibility at the visit location/ venue will be taken into account in the planning and preparation process
Accessibility of the school environment 8.1: How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?
  • The school building is on one-level
  • There are ramps at most entrances to the building
  • There are two disabled toilets, including one with showering facilities
8.2: Have adaptations / improvements been made to the auditory and visual environment?
  • An environmental audit was carried out in July 2013 for a pupil with a visual impairment. As a result, all step edging has been painted yellow and doors have been marked with high visibility striped tape
  • Further environmental audits will be undertaken as required to meet the needs of a child with complex needs who enters the school
8.3: Are there accessible changing and toilet facilities?

The school has two accessible toilet facilities, including one with shower and changing provision

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

As 8.1 and 8.2

Any further needs will be assessed on an individual basis and adaptations made as necessary

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

The school will consult with any parent/carer who has a disability in order to identify a mutually agreeable form of communication

This may involve communication by telephone, email or, in some cases, through home visits

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

In the first instance the school will utilise a member of staff to act as translator, dependent on language

Translator services will be requested if no member of staff is able to communicate in the parent/carer’s first language

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?

For children entering FS2 at the usual point of entry:

  • Home visits – an opportunity for parents and school staff to gather information
  • School visits
  • Information evening for parents
  • Liaison with pre-school settings
  • Additional transition arrangements for vulnerable children – photo booklet, additional visits, meetings with outside agencies involved etc.
  • SENCO will attend any relevant meetings, e.g. Annual Reviews
  • For children entering at any other time:
  • School visit
  • Liaison with current school/setting
  • SENCO will observe SEND children in current school/setting, if appropriate

Additional transition arrangements for vulnerable children – photo booklet, additional visits, meetings with outside agencies involved etc.

9.2: How will my child be prepared to move on to the next stage within school, e.g. class or key stage?
  • Class visits
  • Opportunities to familiarise themselves with staff and peers in the new class
  • Sharing of information between past and future staff
  • Transition meeting for parents (FS2 – Year 1)
  • Additional transition arrangements for vulnerable children – photo booklet, additional visits, meetings with outside agencies involved etc.
9.3: How will my child be prepared to move on to his or her next school?
  • Liaison with SENCO at next school
  • For vulnerable children, the future setting will be invited to a transition-planning meeting where appropriate arrangements can be agreed
  • Year 6 children are involved in discussions / activities to prepare them for leaving Beechwood and moving on to secondary school.
9.4: How will you support a new school to prepare for my child?
  • Arrangements will be made on an individual basis, and may include:
    • New setting staff to visit child at Beechwood
    • Beechwood staff to visit new setting with child
    • New setting staff invited to attend meetings such as Annual Review
  • Strategies and interventions used to support the child will always be shared, involving external agencies where relevant
9.5: What information will be provided to my child's new school?

A range of information will be shared, including:

  • Academic information (test data, teacher assessments, progress measures, provision mapping, school support plans)
  • Social and behavioural information
  • Medical / physical needs
  • Any important background information.
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
  • Headteacher
10.2: Does the school offer any specific support for parents / carers and families (such as Family Support Workers?)

The school has access to a Family Support Worker, working specifically for the Woodley cluster of schools. Referrals can be made by the SENCO.

10.3: What arrangements does the school have for signposting parents / carers to external agencies which can offer support, such as voluntary agencies?
  • Notice boards outside school building and leaflets in main entrance hall
  • The SENCO may provide targeted information for specific parents by email or letter
  • Every effort will be made to support parents and signpost them to appropriate external agencies as needs arise
10.4: What arrangements does the school have for feedback from parents, including compliments and complaints?
  • Feedback through informal discussions with school staff and Governors, parent and child consultation evenings and questionnaires
  • Complimentary feedback is always welcomed in writing
  • Complaints should follow the appropriate avenue – class teacher in the first instance, followed by the SENCO and then Headteacher
School Admissions and Policy Documents

11.1: School admission arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities

School Admission Link
Beechwood Primary School

11.2: School Accessibility Plan

11.3: Special Education Needs Policy

Last Update

Data last checked:

Is there anything wrong with this page?
Happy face Neutral face Sad face
Skip back to top of page