Introduction to SEND at Primrose Hill

Our School’s SEND Information Report explains what we offer children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) throughout their time with us. It explains how we support them on to the next stage of their education.  You may also want to read our SEND Policy , a document that gives more detail about our statutory duties and day to day procedures – for example how we plan the most effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and how we review their progress.

Camden Local Authority also publishes a Camden Local Offer on its website.

http://www.localoffer.camden.gov.uk

This sets out a wide range of information about the specialist services, schools, colleges and organisations that can provide support and information for families of children and young people with SEND.

If you have any queries about information on this website you can contact our School directly. We value parents and carers’ opinions and review and refresh our approach accordingly. The next review date for our School’s offer is November 2022.

Communicating Information About SEND

  • All of our policies are on our website and you can also collect a copy from the office.
  • We are happy to provide additional information or summaries. Please ask the office staff for a Meeting with the Inclusion Manager or our SEND Link Governors – Alice Gray .
  • If you would like to talk to member of staff we will arrange for a member of staff to meet you and answer your questions. Let us know if you need an interpreter or British Sign Language signer. We will do our best to provide this support.

The Purpose of the our School’s SEND Local Offer

The purpose of our Local Offer is to inform parents and carers about:

  • how we welcome children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (these needs are referred to throughout the document as SEND) into our School;
  • how we support them in all aspects of School life and remove barriers to achievement;
  • how we work in close partnership with parents/carers and children;
  • how we make effective provision for all of our children with SEND.

About Primrose Hill Primary School

At Primrose Hill we aim to maximise children’s achievement by removing barriers to learning through a creative, inclusive curriculum delivered in a safe, stimulating environment. As a primary school, we believe we have a key role in society in combating discrimination and promoting fairness, justice and equality through our teaching and in the role models that we offer. Primrose Hill places an understanding of children’s and adults’ rights at the heart of its’ ethos and vision.

In our last, Outstanding OFSTED report (2009), the rating awarded to us for ‘How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress’ within the School was ‘Grade 1 = Exceptionally and Consistently High’. The Ofsted report further stated that such learners ‘receive very effective support tailored to their needs’ and that ‘Pupils who have emotional, social and behavioural difficulties are given high quality support…through the School’s excellent provision for vulnerable pupils.’

When inspected by the Camden School Improvement Service in June 2022, it was found that ‘The leadership and vision on inclusion permeated the whole day and every classroom’. The School’s many examples of successful support include the Nurture Group and the Autistic Resourced Provision, which gives children who may struggle in main class a safe place in school where they can develop, grown and learn.

When inspected by Challenge Partners in November 2021 (a national organisation which conducts practice inspections using Ofsted inspectors and school leaders from across the country), it was noted that ‘There is no distinction between the expectations and provision for the groups of disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND and others. In fact, such is the inclusive nature of lessons, it is difficult to identify who these pupils are. Identification happens early and meticulous tracking and monitoring processes enable strong progress.’

When asked what they liked about our school, the pupils here commented on the ‘amazing lessons’, on the fact that ‘we are all connected together’, and that ‘everyone is happy’; ‘Our school is special because we treat people nicely’.

 

The Grove at Primrose Hill – Specialist Autism Resource Provision

Primrose Hill School opened an Autism Resourced Provision in 2018, in keeping with our inclusive ethos and expertise. ‘The Grove’ supports children per year group (chosen by Camden on the basis of their needs) for whom a mainstream class would not yet be manageable. Our aim is to provide a high level of support and individualised provision in order to enable these children to be integrated and included within the whole school at their own pace. For more information, please see the relevant section in the school’s Local Offer or liaise with Camden’s SEN team directly.

Our parents have also shared their positive experiences of our SEND provision

  • The carer of a Year 1 child stated that they had ‘been supported so much, emotionally and practically…[T]he School team, especially the Inclusion Manager, have been amazing and so professional in all aspects of work with the family. I have a much better understanding of my child’s needs and how much work still needs to be done.”
  • Another parent whose child has a long-term medical condition stated that “everyone in the School always takes her condition very seriously and treats my views (and hers) with as much respect as the doctors and nurses who advise and train them each year… I’m just so grateful that I don’t need to worry about her when she’s at school because I know she’s in safe hands.”
  • Key to parents’ positive experience of our support is our emphasis on communication, enabled by our regular meetings with parents and teachers; as one parent pointed out, “We really appreciate that they give us plenty of information and meetings”.