Woodgate Primary Academy
"Working together to be our best"
SEND
Our SENCO at Woodgate Primary Academy is Mrs Jenny Bird.
Mrs Bird is in school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
If you would like to make an appointment please contact the school office on 01444 461329.
SEND Information Report - see policy section for SEND policy and accessibility plan
Foster carers
West Sussex Parent Carer Forum
We hope you are well and have had a positive start to the 2023/2024 academic year!The West Sussex Parent Carer Forum (WSPCF) is run by parent carers for parent carers of children and young people with SEND (0 - 25 yrs) and their families. But... What exactly is a Parent Carer Forum?We are a part of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) which is a membership led organisation of 150 parent carer forums from across England. All forums are then divided into 9 regional areas, which follow the same regional breakdown as the Department of Education (DfE) Local Authority regions. WSPCF is the official representative for West SussexWe are part of the Southeast regional group (SE19) along with 18 other Parent Carer Forums. Each forum is different and managed individually (we are an independent charity), with all our feedback gathered in the regional areas and then collated to form the NNPCF's key priorities and objectives and fed directly into the National Government. As a member of the NNPCF, we are funded through a DfE grant, which outlines how we must work as a Parent Carer Forum. Our key role is to ensure that parent carers can participate more in the strategic planning and decision-making around services for children and young people with SEND in their area – we call this Coproduction.
Head over to our WEBSITE, FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM for more information, including how we started, what we do and our current events. You can also sign up to the Forum's mailing list. You can do this HERE! |
Citizens Advice in West Sussex - free online webinars about disability benefits
Citizens Advice in West Sussex are delivering free online webinars about disability benefits to help parents and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). These sessions are in place to support people to apply successfully for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for those under 16 and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people 16 or over. The aim of these webinars is to help parents and carers learn more about their eligibility for these benefits and to have the opportunity to learn more about how to fill the applications out themselves, as well as gain awareness for other disability benefits available. These webinars are in group session format and take place on Zoom. The webinars are hosted on different dates and times to benefit as many as possible. For more information or to sign up, visit: https://www.advicewestsussex.org.uk/advice/send-information-and-support/ |
Parenting Support
Are you in contact with adults who cannot read or who struggle to read? Read On - West Sussex is a newly launched library initiative, which matches volunteers to adults who want to learn to read. If you know someone who could benefit from this service or would like further information, please email Read.On@westsussex.gov.uk |
Dear parent carers,
The Autism and Social Communication Team (ASCT) are pleased to announce that they will be running further cohorts of the CUES parenting course.
This course is designed to help parent carers of autistic children and young people, or those with social communication differences, to develop the strategies needed to support the ability to cope with uncertainty in everyday situations.
If your child has a preference for certainty, this course may benefit you!
A requirement of this course is that you have previously attended one of the following parent training session, prior to CUES:
- Early Bird +
- Autism specific courses run by Enabling Families
- Exploring Autism (previously ASCSURE) run by the ASCT
The first of these cohorts will be delivered remotely on Tuesday evenings, and is due to begin after half term. There are still limited spaces available. Please contact Victoria.andrews@westsussex.gov.uk if you are interested in attending this particular cohort. Other cohorts will be running throughout the year and details of these will follow in the New Year.
The course is run over 8 weeks, and each session is 2 hours, so please only contact if you are able to commit to attending all 8 sessions.
Dates and times are as follows:
- 07.11.23 – 6-8pm,
- 14.11.23 – 6-8pm,
- 21.11.23 – 6-8pm,
- 28.11.23 – 6-8pm,
- 05.12.23 – 6-8pm,
- 12.12.23 – 6-8pm,
- 02.01.24 – 6-8pm,
- 09.01.24 – 6-8pm.
Kind Regards,
Kind regards
Kelly Sibley
Kelly Sibley Autism and Social Communication Team – Advisory Teacher |
CAMHS Support for Parents
Disability - busting myths
Aspens.org.uk Autism Central is here to help! Support for parents and carers
- Mental Health Awareness Week & where to get support
- E-wellbeing.co.uk is an online service for young people across Sussex that can help them access the right support and information (including referrals to specialist treatment via the new Single Point of Access).
- Your Mind Matters also has some very useful information for young people, families and professionals.
Free mental health support from CAMHS
Disability Register Launch events
The West Sussex Disability Register team and library staff had lots of fun welcoming children, young people and families to Burgess Hill and Worthing Libraries during February to celebrate the Disability Register! Over 100 people attended the events and enjoyed a magic show, music and circus skills, made their own sensory book, enjoyed some cake or fruit, had a play in our sensory area and more. Each event ended with a Story Magic session featuring our sensory story collection. If you or any families you work with came along and want to let us know what you enjoyed, what we could improve on or what you would like to see at future events please get in touch with the Disability Register Team or visit our Disability Register page for more information or to sign up to the register. Look out for more SEND friendly events in libraries soon! |
Free online SEN resources
We have been helping to support parents with Free Government Funded SEN Online resourses.
Topics include Neuroscience in ages 0-7, Autism, Dyslexia, ADHD, Mental Health and Challenging Behaviour.
https://theaimgroup.co.uk/courses?postcode=rh1&q=&sort=popular
Information from the school nurse
Short Breaks in West Sussex
We have produced a Three Minute Guide to the changes to Short Breaks in West Sussex. View and share the video on YouTube Share the video on social media such as Facebook using this link. We would encourage you to take three minutes to watch the guide and please can you share on your social media and through your parent carer networks. |
West Sussex Children and Young People's Plan
For further information please email cypp@westsussex.gov.uk |
Cost of Living!
This is the link for the Broadfield Hub, they can advise about crisis payments, food parcels etc
Crawley Broadfield Family Hub - West Sussex County Council
https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/find-a-family-hub/crawley-broadfield-family-hub/
Help for Households - Get government cost of living support link for parents to support
https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/?utm_campaign=H4H_UK&utm_medium=Search&utm_source=Google&utm_content=Generic&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqoibBhDUARIsAH2OpWjEuqR401CeZcV4t55xzB7RIN-R-MD3fy7lCX5MMxWK1c44nXQRZO0aAtW2EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Reaching Families a range os support for parents/families with additional needs
https://www.reachingfamilies.org.uk/
West Sussex Mind | Homepage Training and support
https://www.westsussexmind.org/
Transition Time!
In September many of our children will face new changes. We have been working hard on the transitions to make them as smooth as possible. Children have been given transition information to take home. If you require a transition pack, please let us know.
Transition to secondary school
Zones of Rgulation
At Woodgate Primary we use the Zones of Regulation to help us understand and manage our emotions.
This video explains more and how parents can support at home too:
Useful Resources
West Sussex Parent Carer Forum
West Sussex Parent Carer Forum is a charity led by parents of children/young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) age 0-25. Our aim is to make sure that West Sussex services meet the needs of SEND children/young people and their parents. We accomplish this by working in partnership with local authorities, education settings, the NHS and other providers to highlight where local services, processes and commissioners are working well, or challenge when changes or improvements need to be made. We achieve this by gathering the views of parent carers (via forum groups, surveys, social media feedback and more). We also help parent carers to navigate the world of SEND by providing information, signposting and training. This is generalized via our Facebook page and can also be tailored to the needs of the individual by one of our four Participation Officers – who represent the North, South, East and West of the county. A child/young person does not need to have a formal diagnosis for a parent carer to access our community. We encourage parent carers to follow us on Facebook @WestSussexParentCarerForum, which provides the opportunity for parent carers to participate with interactive posts. It also provides regular updates on events, surveys, training, important SEND news and signposting. You can contact us via Facebook messenger or via: office@wspcf.org.uk. Our website address is: www.wspcf.org.uk. |
Compass Card for children with SEND
Have you heard about Compass Card WSx, the free leisure card that provides discounts and freebies for 0 to 25s with additional needs? Run by Sussex-based charity Amaze and funded by West Sussex County Council, there are around 300 venues in and around Sussex that provide a Compass Card deal and you can see them all on the free Compass Card app or on the offers page on the Compass Card website. Once you have a Compass Card, you can sign up to a weekly e-newsletter, ‘Compass News WSx’. It’s packed with leisure info and there are regular free offers too. Check whether you’re eligible for Compass Card WSx.
To find out more follow the link below:
https://www.compasscard.org.uk/compass-card-offers/
SEN support during Lockdown
All parents and carers are encouraged to keep in contact with school if they have any queries or concerns, via emails sent and school letters.
Class teachers, SENCO and Headteacher are contactable through their school email address or via the school office if there are any concerns.
Class teachers are keeping a close eye on children’s engagement in live lessons and work. They are offering extra time after a live input to explain the work further to those who are struggling.
Class teachers are contacting families by phone if they have any concerns and to check how SEN pupils are getting on.
The SENCo is kept up-to-date with SEN progress via weekly Staff meeting, email, Whatapp (initials only used) or phone calls.
SENCO and Head contact SEN pupils for which we have concerns and offer ways to support children (see below)
Packs of resources have been sent to families and paper copies are available from school. Any family unable to collect we would do our best to deliver.
The resources include:
Number lines
100 square
Year 1and 2 common exception words (KS1)
200 high frequency words (KS2)
Letter formation/ alphabet sheet
Phase 3 and 5 sound mat
A social story about learning from home during lockdown
sensory activity ideas
calming activity ideas
A visual timetable
Class teachers are to supply children with specific resources to support a lesson and to ask the SENCO when further resources are required.
1:1 sessions are offered for some children with SEN with a TA – teachers will plan for this.
Places at school have been offered where appropriate to support SEN.
Our groups of children are still very small when online so teachers prepare tailored lessons that include support for SEN children.
In reception the teacher is able to deliver live maths and English session across the week for a group of 4 children. She also prepares workbooks for some SEN children who prefer to work this way.
In KS1 we are delivering daily phonics to groups of between 4 and 5 children.
In KS 2 our year 3 group works on their own with a teacher delivering live lessons with up to 6 children.
Our year 4-6 work at a similar ability and work with a teacher in live sessions with up to 9 children.
SEN children are also able to access personalised online programmes to support their learning such as Time Tables Rock Stars, Sum Dog, My Maths, Readiwriter, Oxford Reading Owls and Reading Eggs.
We have also built in a well-being afternoon – where children are encouraged to do something that makes them feel good.
We have daily tutor sessions and story time where teachers can see how children are getting and children can ask questions.
The Learning Mentor is arranging sessions to support children with specific needs.
As this situation is new to all of us we are working together with all stake holders and reviewing regularly and working hard to put in place the right support for all children.
We are still continuing to work with outside agencies, seeking advice, making and continuing with referrals and sharing this information with all stakeholders.
We are also continuing to train staff and TAs e.g. social stories and comic strips and therapeutic approach to behaviour.
Please see documents attached.