Annual report 2020: Inclusion and SEN Team review
Head of Inclusion: Kirsty JamiesonNurtured Learning (NL) provision
The focus this year has been on working with teachers, TAs and the NL teams to explore and plan for how to include children who may not always be able to be with their peers due to attending one of our NL provisions or being on a highly personalised provision which may be part-time or not in school.
Resource Base provision
The Resource Bases at River Mead and Castle Mead have continued to develop their provision and inclusion strategies. The Resource Base teams and school SENCOs have increasingly worked together to create and develop a wide range of provision across our schools. This includes working with the Trust Maths Lead to consider how best to support the teaching and learning of maths for children with complex needs.
The Harbour Nurtured Learning Programme
The Harbour programme has continued to meet a gap in provision among schools in the locality for young children with emerging Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Provision has widened considerably over this pilot phase period, reaching children in a broad range of schools within CSL and beyond.
The second evaluation highlighted many strengths, including how ‘in-reach provision offers opportunities for individual, group and family work through creative therapeutic work and extended Thrive® approach activities. Creative music and art sessions delivered by specialist practitioners have a highly beneficial impact on family relationships’. The report clarified potential next steps in the Harbour’s development.
The Harbour team maintained virtual support for families and schools throughout the lockdown period.
Lockdown
During lockdown the Inclusion and Behaviour leads worked together to create principles and plans for ‘emotionally safe’ schools, for adults as well as children. This enabled each school’s leadership team to incorporate these resources and CPD sessions into their professional development offer for all staff. This need for high quality and relevant information (from the wealth of information and resources circulating) in these unique circumstances highlighted the strength of the TMAT structure which encourages and facilitates working collaboratively.
Safeguarding
There were significant safeguarding challenges during the months of lockdown where fewer children were able to attend school. The Inclusion and safeguarding teams worked tirelessly to support children, families and staff throughout this period. All staff received training on the potential impact on children and their families, how they might recognise signs of need or child protection concerns. As well as how to keep themselves well and emotionally safe. We introduced an easily accessible electronic system via the websites whereby staff, parents or members of the community could report concerns or make requests for help. And each school followed rigorous systems for maintaining regular contact with families.
The Mead Ofsted
In November 2019 The Mead had its Ofsted Inspection which included a number of positive comments about inclusion. There was also mention of safeguarding:
