St Michael's Church of England Primary School

We are a Church of England (Aided) Primary School in Ferryhill.

When is it on?

Time of day
Morning
Afternoon

Who to contact

Contact name
Lindsey Vollans
Contact position
Executive Headteacher
Telephone
01740 651 482
E-mail
bishopmiddleham@durhamlearning.net
Website
St Michael's Church of England Primary School

Where to go

Address
Front Street
Bishop Middleham
Ferryhill
County Durham
Postcode
DL17 9AL

Other details

Related links
Ofsted Report

Local Offer

Local Offer description

Support At St. Michael’s

At St. Michael’s C of E Primary School we are committed to equality. We are committed to the academic and personal development of all children, regardless of ability. We aim for every pupil to fulfil their potential no matter what their needs. Our School is committed to anti-discriminatory practice to promote equality of opportunity and valuing diversity for all children and families.  We aim to:

  • Provide a secure and accessible environment in which all our children can flourish and in which all contributions are considered and valued.

  • Include and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality and diversity.

  • Provide positive non-stereotyping information about gender roles, diverse ethnic and cultural groups and disabled people.

  • Improve our knowledge and understanding of issues of anti-discriminatory practice, promoting equality and valuing diversity.

  • Make inclusion a thread that runs through all of the activities of the school

Access to the school by pupils with disabilities

We make a concerted effort to ensure that the building and facilities assist access for all.

For example –

  • We have accessible toilets.

  • Disabled parking is available.

  • Door width meets accessibility requirements.

  • Ramped access to all facilities is in place.

We are a school of equal opportunities and children are treated equally at the same time as we try to meet every individuals needs. Any disabled pupils who are identified as having Special Educational Needs would also have their needs met through provisions in our SEND policy.

Staff have undertaken considerable training to equip them to meet the varying learning styles and needs of pupils. We respond to the specific needs of children in our school.

St. Michael’s prides itself in being very inclusive and will endeavour to support every child regardless of their level of need.  All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented. We are dedicated to narrowing the attainment gap between pupils with identified Special Educational Needs and/or a Disability [SEND] and non-SEND pupils. We aim to help all learners reach their full potential and we are strongly committed to our responsibility towards the identification and assessment of SEND.

To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum there are some actions we may take to achieve this:

  • Ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school activities.

  • Help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have.

  • Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs.

  • Pupils to gain in confidence and improve their self-esteem.

  • To work in partnership with parents/ carers, pupils and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs and disabilities.

  • To identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional).

  • To make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.

  • Ensure that all children with SEND are fully included in all activities of the school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement.

  • To promote self worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels.

  • To give every child the entitlement to a sense of achievement.

  • To regularly review the policy and practice in order to achieve best practice.

Contact name
Helen Edney
Contact telephone
01740 651 482
Contact email
bishopmiddleham@durhamlearning.net
Links
SEND at St Michael's C of E

How do you identify Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

How do we identify and assess children with SEN?

A special educational need can be a number of different things. For example, your child may be having problems with reading, maths or behaviour which school can help with by putting extra support in at school and by working in partnership with yourself; the parent. It may also be due to a disability which makes it harder for a child to use the same educational facilities that the school provides for the majority of children. For some children this may be a temporary difficulty, while others may have a long term need for special help.

Types of special educational needs can include:

  • General learning difficulties – children whose learning progresses at a slower pace.
  • Speech and language difficulties
  • Behavioural difficulties
  • Dyslexia (difficulties with reading, writing and spelling)
  • Dyspraxia (problems with motor skills and organisation)
  • Dyscalculia (difficulties with number work)
  • Autism
  • ADD / ADHD (attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder
  • Downs Syndrome

The first person to identify that a child has special educational needs may be:

  • Yourself, as parent or carer
  • The class teacher
  • A health visitor
  • Another medical professional

At St. Michael’s we identify children with SEN through ongoing and rigorous assessment and quality first teaching. The use of early intervention under quality first teaching will be used before placing a child on the SEN register. We use a number of different techniques to identify the gaps such as the EYFS profile, KS1 and KS2 SATs, quality first teaching, ongoing feedback and discussions with children and many more. The use of intervention and additional support will be used to narrow the gap before placing a child on the SEN register.

If it seems that your child may have special educational needs, your child’s class teacher or the Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) will assess:

  • What your child is good at and what they need help with
  • What your child would benefit from learning
  • How best to help your child learn

Children thought to have special educational needs will be placed on the school’s special educational needs register and receive one of three levels of support:

  1. SEN Support Plan
  2. EHCP / Statement

The level of support received may change throughout their time at school. School staff will speak to you if they think this should happen and will ask you for your opinion about this.

The level of support received may change throughout their time at school. School staff will speak to you if they think this should happen and will ask you for your opinion about this.

What is a SEN Support Plan?

A SEN Support Plan says what the school, the class teacher and the SENCO plan to do to help your child learn. All teachers should be aware that children learn in different ways. Some need to work at a slower pace to ensure they fully understand one thing before they move onto something new.

A SEN Support Plan will be written in collaboration with the child, parent and teacher and will be child centric. It should:

  • Include short term targets for your child which are linked to their needs
  • Detail any extra support your child will get
  • Identify who will give your child help
  • Say how often your child will get help
  • State how and when the school will look at your child’s progress again (usually at least twice a year)
  • Involve the child

It is good practice for schools to share copies of a SEN Support Plan with parents / carers.

St. Michael’s assess the effectiveness of the provision by:

  • Talking to the child
  • Talking to the parent
  • Talking to the teacher
  • Monitoring the child’s progress
  • Measuring improvement against objectives in SEN Support Plan

How will you support my child with their special educational needs and disability?

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

The school supports children with SEND in a number of ways by:

  • Deploying additional support staff to help children with SEND.
  • Screening each class to identify children with SEND and reviewing their needs and programmes of learning.
  • Setting targets and discussing them with the SENCO so that individual progress is monitored.
  • Providing specialist resources where possible and appropriate.
  • Bringing in specialist support from the Local Authority, from Special Schools and/or specialist agencies for individual children as appropriate.
  • Involving other agencies such as health services and voluntary organisations as appropriate.
  • The use of the Speech and Language Service.
  • Involving parents of children identified as having SEND as much as possible.
  • Including inviting them to attend regular reviews.
  • Providing in-service training for school staff to ensure good support for pupils with SEND.
  • using the Positive Behaviour Policy to support and encourage good behaviour in school.
  • ensuring the designated governor for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has regular contact with the teacher responsible for co-ordinating SEND provision at the school and thereby ensuring the monitoring and evaluation processes that are undertaken take place on an annual basis.

The school adapts the curriculum and learning environment for children with SEND in a number of ways. 

For example:

  • buying resources appropriate to the children’s individual needs
  • group or one to one intervention where appropriate.
  • prompts

How will you make sure my child's education meet their needs?

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's young person's needs?

This section is focused on the Curriculum and provides an overview of the Early Years Foundation Stage [EYFS] Framework and the Curriculum offer for children in Years 1 to 6.

The Curriculum includes all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development.

All children benefit from a range of learning styles at St. Michael’s C of E Primary School including a differentiated curriculum, a range of learning materials, assessment procedures that emphasise pupils’ strengths and achievements, access to IT and computing, booster classes, interventions and a broad range of extra curricula activities.

We ensure that all of our extra-curricular activities are adapted to meet the needs of all children. All our children have the opportunity to participate in school trips, clubs, sports teams and school committees.

Our Curriculum also includes the ‘hidden curriculum’, or what our children learn from the way they are treated or expected to behave. The Rights Respecting School Award and use of Philosophy 4 Children approach demonstrates our commitment to every child’s social, emotional and behavioural development.

St. Michael’s C of E Primary School teaches children how to grow into positive, responsible people, who can work and co-operate with others whilst developing knowledge and skills, so that they achieve all that they can.

To ensure the full coverage of the National Curriculum, each subject area has been carefully mapped across the school. Each topic starts with a question session on what they already know and what they want to know to engage them in their learning.

We follow a ‘skills based curriculum’ whereby the key/basic skills needed to make progress in each subject are embedded within a theme delivered to pupils through questions and investigation which sparks their interest. The planning of topics enables the effective differentiation, progression and assessment of key skills that need to be taught in each year group.

It includes not only the formal requirement of the National Curriculum, but also the range of additional opportunities that the school organises in order to enrich the experiences of our children. This includes the range of ‘extra curricular’ opportunities available to all year groups.

How will we know my child is progressing?

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

How do we consult with our SEN pupils and parents

When writing a SEN Support Plan we work with the child and parent to discuss what they are good at as well as their needs. During this process targets will be made which will be based on individual children’s needs and will be agreed with everyone. The SEN Support Plan will be taking into consideration at all times.

The school takes a person centred approach and it is imperative that pupils and parents feel actively involved in the process.

As part of the process we:

  • Will agree outcomes with parents that have been discussed with the children.
  • Will explain what provision will be provided for the child in school and how parents can help at home.
  • Have regular meetings (once every term) with parents to share work, discuss and review targets and progress.
  • Will support in helping their children at home by sharing ideas and best practice.
  • Will contact parents if there are any concerns.
  • Will ensure that parents are kept up to date with their child’s progress.

How will you support my child's overall wellbeing?

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall wellbeing?

At St. Michael’s we support social and emotional development by: 

  • Providing Philosophy 4 Children at least weekly covering a wide range of issues.
  • Ensuring British Values are embedded across our school days and events.
  • Using mini-buds, buddies and mediators on a daily basis.
  • Intervention and support where necessary.
  • Accessing external services.

At St. Michael’s C of E Primary School we consult with a wide range of agencies and partnerships to ensure the pastoral, medical and social needs of SEND children are met.

What specialist services and expertise is available at or accessed by the staff?

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

Agencies and Partnerships

All external partners we work with are vetted in terms of safe guarding and when buying in additional services we monitor the impact of any intervention against cost, to ensure a value for money service.

  • health services
  • occupational therapy
  • physiotherapy

How are staff trained regarding SEND?

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND have had or are having?

Training

At St. Michael’s C of E Primary School we ensure the staff who work with children with SEND have the appropriate and specific training and knowledge to work effectively with those individual children.

For example –

  • Training from the Hearing Impairment Team
  • SENCO training
  • ELKLAN Training
  • Autism Training
  • Dyslexia Training
  • Handwriting Difficulties
  • Inclusion in P.E.

What activities outside the classroom will there be?

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

Access to the school by pupils with disabilities

We make a concerted effort to ensure that the building and facilities assist access for all.

For example –

  • we have accessible toilets
  • disabled parking is available
  • door width meets accessibility requirements
  • ramped access to all facilities is in place

We are a school of equal opportunities and children are treated equally at the same time as we try to meet every individuals needs. Any disabled pupils who are identified as having Special Educational Needs would also have their needs met through provisions in our SEND policy.

Staff have undertaken considerable training to equip them to met the varying learning styles and needs of pupils. We respond to the specific needs of children in our school.

 

St. Michael’s prides itself in being very inclusive and will endeavour to support every child regardless of their level of need.  All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented. We are dedicated to narrowing the attainment gap between pupils with identified Special Educational Needs and/or a Disability [SEND] and non-SEND pupils. We aim to help all learners reach their full potential and we are strongly committed to our responsibility towards the identification and assessment of SEND.

To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum there are some actions we may take to achieve this:

  • Ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school activities.
  • Help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have.
  • Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs.
  • Pupils to gain in confidence and improve their self-esteem.
  • To work in partnership with parents/ carers, pupils and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs and disabilities.
  • To identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional)
  • To make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
  • Ensure that all children with SEND are fully included in all activities of the school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement.
  • To promote self worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels.
  • To give every child the entitlement to a sense of achievement.
  • To regularly review the policy and practice in order to achieve best practice.

St. Michael’s C of E Primary School is an inclusive Primary School which ensures that all people are treated equally. Further information can be found in our  Anti-bullying policy and Equality Information and Objectives which can be found in our School Policies section of our website.

How will you support my child's needs?

How accessible is the setting/school/college environment?

Access to the school by pupils with disabilities

We make a concerted effort to ensure that the building and facilities assist access for all.

For example –

  • we have accessible toilets
  • disabled parking is available
  • door width meets accessibility requirements
  • ramped access to all facilities is in place

We are a school of equal opportunities and children are treated equally at the same time as we try to meet every individuals needs. Any disabled pupils who are identified as having Special Educational Needs would also have their needs met through provisions in our SEND policy.

Staff have undertaken considerable training to equip them to met the varying learning styles and needs of pupils. We respond to the specific needs of children in our school.

St. Michael’s prides itself in being very inclusive and will endeavour to support every child regardless of their level of need.  All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented. We are dedicated to narrowing the attainment gap between pupils with identified Special Educational Needs and/or a Disability [SEND] and non-SEND pupils. We aim to help all learners reach their full potential and we are strongly committed to our responsibility towards the identification and assessment of SEND.

To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum there are some actions we may take to achieve this:

  • Ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school activities.
  • Help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have.
  • Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs.
  • Pupils to gain in confidence and improve their self-esteem.
  • To work in partnership with parents/ carers, pupils and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs and disabilities.
  • To identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional)
  • To make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
  • Ensure that all children with SEND are fully included in all activities of the school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement.
  • To promote self worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels.
  • To give every child the entitlement to a sense of achievement.
  • To regularly review the policy and practice in order to achieve best practice.

 

St. Michael’s C of E Primary School is an inclusive Primary School which ensures that all people are treated equally. Further information can be found in our  Anti-bullying policy and Equality Information and Objectives which can be found in our School Policies section of our website.

What is available to help my child with their education?

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

How do we consult with our SEN pupils and parents

When writing a SEN Support Plan we work with the child and parent to discuss what they are good at as well as their needs. During this process targets will be made which will be based on individual children’s needs and will be agreed with everyone. The SEN Support Plan will be taking into consideration at all times.

The school takes a person centred approach and it is imperative that pupils and parents feel actively involved in the process.

As part of the process we:

  • will agree outcomes with parents that have been discussed with the children.
  • will explain what provision will be provided for the child in school and how parents can help at home.
  • have regular meetings (once every term) with parents to share work, discuss and review targets and progress.
  • will support in helping their children at home by sharing ideas and best practice.
  • will contact parents if there are any concerns.
  • will ensure that parents are kept up to date with their child’s progress.

What support can I expect for my child?

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

How do we consult with our SEN pupils and parents

When writing a SEN Support Plan we work with the child and parent to discuss what they are good at as well as their needs. During this process targets will be made which will be based on individual children’s needs and will be agreed with everyone. The SEN Support Plan will be taking into consideration at all times.

The school takes a person centred approach and it is imperative that pupils and parents feel actively involved in the process.

As part of the process we:

  • will agree outcomes with parents that have been discussed with the children.
  • will explain what provision will be provided for the child in school and how parents can help at home.
  • have regular meetings (once every term) with parents to share work, discuss and review targets and progress.
  • will support in helping their children at home by sharing ideas and best practice.
  • will contact parents if there are any concerns.
  • will ensure that parents are kept up to date with their child’s progress.

How will I be involved in my child's education?

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

How do we consult with our SEN pupils and parents

When writing a SEN Support Plan we work with the child and parent to discuss what they are good at as well as their needs. During this process targets will be made which will be based on individual children’s needs and will be agreed with everyone. The SEN Support Plan will be taking into consideration at all times.

The school takes a person centred approach and it is imperative that pupils and parents feel actively involved in the process.

As part of the process we:

  • will agree outcomes with parents that have been discussed with the children.
  • will explain what provision will be provided for the child in school and how parents can help at home.
  • have regular meetings (once every term) with parents to share work, discuss and review targets and progress.
  • will support in helping their children at home by sharing ideas and best practice.
  • will contact parents if there are any concerns.
  • will ensure that parents are kept up to date with their child’s progress.

My child is going to be starting or leaving soon, how will you help them?

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

Transition

At St. Michael’s C of E Primary School we recognise how important a successful transition is to our pupils with additional needs.

Transition from each year group

Transition from each year group is supported so that the children have met with their new teachers and are familiar with the new classroom environment and organisation. Transition visits take place during the Summer Term and additional visits are put in place for children with additional needs. Every Reception child is given a buddy on arrival on the transition morning, who will support the child during this period.
For transitions which take place during the academic year i.e. children transferring from other school, a buddy is assigned to the child and additional arrangements are put in place, to ensure a smooth transition.
Reception children are provided with the following opportunities:

  • Nursery children have their lunch in the dining hall with the other children in the school
  • Nursery children join in at playtime with the infant children during the Summer Term
  • Nursery children visit the Reception class weekly during the Summer Term
  • Parent’s meeting
  • Children from Nursery attend assemblies / collective worship weekly during the Summer Term

(The attachment of the private Nursery to our school and the excellent working relationship that we have with them ensures smooth transition in the Early Years)

Transition to Secondary School

We have excellent links with a number of local secondary schools and academies. We support children at every stage of their school carer and we plan for the transition to secondary school to be as smooth and as worry free as possible.

We work in partnership with our secondary schools to provide an enhanced level of transition [funded by the Community Of Learning [COL]] for all year 6 pupils and extra support for those we deem in need. This may take the form of additional visits for pupils, one to one/small group working with secondary school staff or pupil mentoring from secondary schools.

The period of transition depends on the individual needs of the pupil. If it is felt appropriate secondary school colleagues will attend Annual Reviews or EHCP meetings to meet the current class teacher, parents and most importantly the pupil. We have found this strategy particularly useful in easing any worries or concerns parents and pupils may have. We are particularly keen to involve parents/carers as much as possible in their child’s transition to secondary school. School staff will take opportunities to work alongside parents/carers to visit secondary schools in advance of secondary placement applications being submitted to the local Authority.

This ensures parents/carers can make the most informed placement decision for their child. When a secondary school has been allocated to the child, parents are fully involved and consulted at all stages of the transition process.

We talk to the SENCO’s in these schools to ensure that the support the children receive at our school continues into the next phase of their education.

Disclaimer

Durham County Council's Families Information Service does not promote nor endorse the services advertised on this website. Anyone seeking to use/access such services does so at their own risk and may make all appropriate enquiries about fitness for purpose and suitability to meet their needs.
  • St. Michael's C of E Primary School

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Address: Front Street  Bishop Middleham  Ferryhill  County Durham

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