OAKFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL
SEND Information Report
What types of SEND do we provide for?
Oakfield is a happy, welcoming and inclusive school, where everyone is treated equally and expectations are high. Teaching and learning is firmly focussed on the needs, abilities and enthusiasms of all our pupils and we provide a tailored approach to supporting pupils with additional needs, giving extras support to those pupils who need it most. We believe that, by providing high quality learning opportunities in a fully inclusive setting, we can achieve our mission of ‘preparing our children for a successful, ambitious and happy future.’ We tailor our provision to meet the needs of pupils who may experience barriers to learning which relate to:
1. Communication and Interaction
2. Cognition and Learning
3. Social, Emotional and Mental Health
4. Sensory and/ or Physical
Or may relate to factors in their environment, including the learning environment they experience in school.
How do we identify and assess pupils with SEND?
The school’s system for regularly observing, assessing and recording the progress of all children is used to identify children who are not making adequate progress and who may have additional needs. The school uses the following definitions of adequate progress:
Closes the attainment gap between the child and their peers
Prevents the attainment gap from growing wider
Is similar to that of peers starting at the same attainment baseline, but less than the majority of peers
Matches or betters the child’s previous rate of progress
Ensures full access to the curriculum
Demonstrates an improvement in self-help or social or personal skills
Demonstrates an improvement in the child’s behaviour
The school’s system includes reference to information provided by
Baseline assessment results
School’s internal progress measures
Attainment in relation to age related expectations
Progress measured using PIVATs descriptors
Standardised screening and assessment tools
Observations of social, mental and emotional development
An existing Education, Health and Care plan
Assessments by a specialist service, such as educational psychology identifying additional needs
Another school or LA which has identified or provided for additional needs
Every pupil is discussed in our half termly pupil progress meetings, where attainment and progress over time are considered. If a child continues to give cause for concern, a graduated approach is employed. At cycle 1, the class teacher will ensure appropriate support is provided within the class and speak with parents/ carers. If adequate progress is not made after one term, the pupil may
move to Cycle 2, when they will be included on the school’s SEND register and the Inclusion Manager will become involved in ensuring that appropriate provision is in place. This provision may include referrals to outside agencies for additional support and advice.
For a child who is not making adequate progress, despite a period of SEND support, and in agreement with the parents/ carers, the school may request the local authority to make statutory assessment in order to determine whether it is necessary to provide an EHC plan for the child. The school is required to submit evidence to the local authority whose panel makes a judgement about whether or not the child’s needs can continue to be met from the resources normally available in school. This judgement will be made using the local authorities criteria for making a statutory assessment. Planning, provision, monitoring and review processes continue as before while awaiting the outcome of the request. When a pupil is awarded an EHCP, they will move to Cycle 3 within our graduated approach.
This process included children who are looked after by the local authority.
Who is our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) and how can he/she be contacted?
Our Inclusion Manager (SENCo) over the mainstream school is Mrs Rebecca Britner. Our SENCo over the SEND units is Miss Adele Noble. They can be contacted at the school on 0161 368 3365 or by email at: r.britner@oakfieldhyde.co.uk , a.noble@oakfieldhyde.co.uk
What is our approach to teaching pupils with SEND?
High quality learning opportunities are provided for all children in all classes at Oakfield. This includes provision specifically tailored to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
In order to make progress, a child may only require differentiation of the plans for the whole class. The differentiation may involve modifying the learning objectives, teaching styles and access strategies. Under these circumstances, a child’s needs are provided for within the whole class planning frameworks and individual target setting. Differentiation is recorded in the daily planning by the class teacher. Monitoring of progress is carried out by the class teacher and used to inform future differentiation within whole class planning. The child’s progress is reviewed at the same intervals as for the rest of the class and a decision made about whether the child is making satisfactory progress at this level of intervention. It is sometimes necessary to offer an additional intervention, which may be delivered by the class teacher or a member of our support staff, to address gaps in the pupil’s attainment. Interventions may take place in small groups, or on a 1:1 basis, depending on need. This support may take place in the classroom, or in a smaller, quiet space outside the classroom. Interventions are usually offered for a limited period with a very specific aim. On completion, progress is assessed to evaluate the impact of the intervention and determine if further intervention is appropriate.
How do we adapt the curriculum and learning environment?
A variety of strategies are employed to support pupils with SEND. These include:
Differentiation
Flexible class grouping
Adaptations to lesson content
Varied teaching approaches
Alternative recording methods (e.g. use of IT, scribing, voice recording)
Additional physical resources (e.g. writing slope, pencil grip, ‘wobble’ cushion, adapted text, overlays, workstation)
Additional adult support
Adaptations to the physical environment to improve accessibility
Personalised intervention and workspaces
Personalised timetables
1:1 or small group withdrawal
Adaptations as recommended by other professionals
How do we enable pupils with SEND to engage in activities with other pupils who do not have SEND?
There are no barriers to inclusion for our pupils with SEND to engage in the activities in school. All pupils are able to access all extra-curricular activities. All trips, visits and residential trips are accessible to all pupils.
How do we consult parents of pupils with SEND and involve them in their child’s education?
Staff and parents/ carers work together to support pupils identified needs. Parents/ carers whose children are being recorded as having additional needs are invited to meet with the Inclusion Manager and class teacher and take part in the education planning process.
We hold reviews for parents/ carers where the child’s strengths as well as areas for improvement are discussed. Where we make suggestions as to how parents/ carers can help at home, these are specific and achievable and parents/ carers are clear about the action to be taken and the way in which outcomes will be monitored and reviewed. All targets are copied and sent to parents/ carers.
Parents/ carers evenings provide regular opportunities to discuss concerns and progress. The school operates an open door policy where parents/ carers can access a first day response to any concerns or queries they may have.
Where outside agencies such as educational psychologists are involved with a child, parents/ carers are always invited to provide input into information gathering and reports are discussed at consultation meetings. Parents/ carers are invited to attend and contribute to person-centred annual reviews with EHC plans.
How do we consult pupils with SEND and involve them in their education?
Pupil voice is a vital part of planning to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Throughout the phases of our graduated approach, the child is asked to contribute their views with regards to their strengths, needs and appropriate strategies to support them. An annual, child-centred review takes place for all our pupils with EHC plans.
How do we support children moving between different phases of education?
We aim to ensure that any point of transition for a child with SEND are managed efficiently with the appropriate support for that child.
When a child moves school during the primary phase, our Inclusion Manager contacts the receiving school’s SENCo and ensures that he/ she knows about any special arrangements or support that needs to be made for the child. All relevant records are sent on to the receiving school.
When a child moves class within school, information is passed on to the new class teacher during the preceding term and planning for provision is undertaken. All children visit their new classroom at the end of the summer term to become familiar with new staff and their new environment. If necessary, a transition book can be provided to support pupils with SEND and individual transition plans can be put in place.
When a child moves on to high school, the Inclusion Manager meets with the SENCo of their secondary school to discuss specific needs of the child and a transition package will be put together for them as required. Additional high school visits can be arranged if required.
How do we support pupils with SEND to improve their emotional and social development?
The school has a pastoral manager and emotional wellbeing lead who provide group and individual support/ intervention. School also has an ELSA support worker.
Support staff are trained in therapies to support emotional and social development.
Advice from Educational psychologist/ CAMHS/ SaLT are used to inform support provided.
What expertise and training do our staff have to support pupils with SEND?
The mainstream Inclusion Manager has significant teaching experience and was also the teacher in charge of the SEND unit for pupil’s with moderate learning difficulties. The SEND unit’s SENCo also has significant teaching experience and is currently the lead teacher over the SEND units. The mainstream Inclusion Manager is non-classroom based and is available to provide support and advice to staff in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND. They both attend regular local SENCo cluster meetings and also attend training and hub meeting sessions through the Enquire Learning Trust. Both are a member of the senior leadership team.
The school’s wellbeing lead is mental health first aid trained and is also a member of the senior leadership team.
The ELSA has completed ELSA training and attends regular supervision sessions to support development of practice.
SEND training for staff is scheduled on a termly basis and additional training is provided for staff on a needs basis as required. Support staff have received training to deliver a wide range of interventions to provide support to pupils with SEND.
The school’s Pastoral Manager has experience of working with pupils who have barriers to learning and their families. She is child protection and EHA trained.
How will we secure specialist expertise, equipment and facilities to support pupils with SEND?
Each child’s needs are met on an individual basis in conjunction with the relevant professional agency. We will always ensure that recommended resources are provided for pupils with SEND. The school receives funding to support pupils with SEND from a number of sources:
A proportion of funds allocated per pupil to the school to provide for their education (The Age Weighted Pupil Unit)
The notional SEND budget
Pupil premium funding for pupils who meet certain criteria
For those pupils with the most complex needs, the school may be allocated additional special educational needs funding
The funding is used to provide the specialist expertise, equipment and facilities to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
How do we involve other organisations in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND and supporting their families?
The school works in close partnership with a number of agencies in order to meet the needs of pupils with SEND and support their families. We consult and liaise with:
Educational Psychologists – Applied Psychologies (Private SLA)
Speech and Language Therapy – Thrive Communication Therapy (Private SLA)
Speech and Language Therapy – NHS
Occupational Therapy – NHS
Tameside Specialist Outreach Support Service – TSOSS
Health professionals
CAMHS
Sensory Support Service
Referrals are made to appropriate agencies in order to ensure that appropriate provision is in place to support pupils with SEND and their families. Staff incorporate advice from professionals in their planned support for pupils with SEND.
How do we evaluate the effectiveness of our SEND provision?
Progress and attainment are reviewed and discussed at pupil progress meetings each half term. Progress towards targets is discussed and the effectiveness of strategies and / or interventions that have been used is evaluated. The senior leadership monitors the progress of pupils with SEND each term to evaluate the impact of provision and to identify and adjust provision as changing needs arise. The quality of teaching is monitored regularly as part of the school’s ongoing monitoring cycle.
How do we handle complaints from parents of pupils with SEND about provision made at the school?
Complaints are handled as outlined in the school’s complaints procedure 2025-2026.
What support services are available to parents?
OKE (Our Kid’s Eyes) OKE is a registered charity based in Tameside. The charity is run by volunteers, who are local parents of children who have special educational needs, who know first hand the impact that having a child with SEND has on the whole family.
TASCA – Tameside Action for Social Communication & Autism Support Group – TASCA is a parent run support group for families with children who have Autism Spectrum Condition and communication difficulties in the Tameside area. www.TASCAtameside.com
Youth in Mind – The Hive is a mental health and wellbeing hub run for children and young people aged 8 – 18 in Tameside and Glossop. They offer a variety of support for children and young people struggling with low level mental health issues or in need of wellbeing support. www.togmind.org/youth-in-mind/the-hive 0161 330 9223
Where can the local authority’s offer be found?
The local authority offer can be found at www.tameside.gov.uk/localoffer
Rebecca Britner
September 2025
Review date: September 2026