At Hudson Primary, we get to know each child as an individual and monitor their learning, development, wellbeing and progress carefully. We use a range of information to identify when a child may need additional support.

We may identify a need for extra help when:

• A child, parent or carer raises a concern about learning, development, communication, behaviour or wellbeing.

• A teacher identifies that a child is finding aspects of learning or school life difficult despite the support and adaptations already in place.

• Assessment, observation and tracking show that a child is making less progress than expected, or that progress has slowed or stopped.

• A child’s needs are identified through our ongoing Assess–Plan–Do–Review process.

• Information or advice from a relevant professional or previous setting highlights an area where additional support may be beneficial.

• A child’s strengths and needs indicate that they may benefit from reasonable adjustments, targeted intervention or additional provision.

Where concerns arise, the class teacher will work with the SENDCO and other relevant staff to develop a clear understanding of the child’s needs. We will discuss our observations and concerns with parents and carers and consider their views and knowledge of their child.

Support may include adaptations to classroom teaching, targeted intervention, additional pastoral or wellbeing support, reasonable adjustments or specialist advice. We review the impact of support regularly and adapt provision where needed.

Where further specialist advice or assessment may be appropriate, this will be discussed with parents and carers and the relevant processes and permissions will be followed. We work with families and professionals to ensure that support is coordinated and focused on the child’s individual needs.

The class teacher will also work with parents and carers to identify practical ways to support their child at home, helping everyone to work towards shared outcomes and targets.

• If you have concerns about your child’s learning, development, communication, behaviour or wellbeing, please talk to us. Early communication helps us understand your concerns and work together to identify the right support.

  Your child’s class teacher is usually the best first point of contact. They know your child well and can discuss their learning, progress, strengths and any concerns you may have.

  The class teacher will work with the SENDCO and wider school team where appropriate to consider whether additional support, assessment or adjustments may be needed.

  If concerns continue, or if your child already has identified SEND, you can arrange a discussion with the SENDCO and/or Headteacher. They can help you understand what support is currently in place, what further steps may be appropriate and how we can work together to support your child.

  We encourage parents and carers to share concerns early. You know your child best, and your views are an important part of our understanding of their needs.

  Our aim is always to listen, understand, work in partnership with families and ensure that children receive the right support at the right time.

At Hudson Primary School, we want every child to be able to access learning, make progress and experience success. We recognise that children learn in different ways and may need different levels of support at different points in their education.

Our approach is based on the graduated response: Assess, Plan, Do and Review.

1. Quality First Teaching

Every child's education is planned by their class teacher. Teachers adapt their teaching, resources, learning environment and approaches to meet the individual needs of pupils.

This may include:

• Differentiated or adapted learning activities

• Additional explanation, modelling or practice

• Visual supports and practical resources

• Small-group or individual support

• Support from a teaching assistant

• Reasonable adjustments to the learning environment

• Specialist equipment or resources where appropriate

• Our starting point is always to identify what a child needs in order to access learning successfully.

  2. Identifying Additional Needs

  If a child is making less progress than expected, the class teacher will consider their learning profile carefully. This includes looking at their strengths, barriers to learning, attendance, engagement and whether there may be an underlying special educational need.

  Where additional or different provision may be needed, we will discuss this with parents and carers and agree appropriate strategies and support.

  At Hudson, this may include Enhanced Quality First (EQF) provision, where specific strategies and adjustments are identified to support the child's individual needs and help them make progress in smaller, achievable steps.

  Provision is monitored and reviewed regularly so that we can understand what is working and what may need to change.

  3. Involving the SENDCO and Specialist Services

  If concerns about progress or development continue despite appropriate support, the class teacher may seek advice from our SENDCO.

  Where specialist advice would help us to understand a child's needs or identify appropriate provision, we may work with parents and carers to seek advice from external professionals.

  Depending on the child's needs, this could include:

• Educational Psychology

• Sefton's Inclusion and Advisory Services

• Speech and Language Therapy

• Occupational Therapy

• Physiotherapy

• Health professionals and other specialist services

• Where appropriate, referrals are discussed with parents and carers and the relevant permissions or professional processes are followed.

  Specialist involvement does not automatically mean that a child has SEND. Professionals may be consulted to help school and families better understand a child's needs and identify effective strategies.

  Following specialist assessment or advice, recommendations will be considered and, where appropriate, incorporated into the child's provision and reviewed for their impact.

  4. SEND Support

  Where a child is identified as having SEND and requires provision that is additional to or different from that normally available through Quality First Teaching, they may receive SEND Support.

  The child's support will follow the graduated approach:

  Assess → Plan → Do → Review

  The class teacher remains responsible for the child's day-to-day provision, working closely with the SENDCO, parents and carers and, where appropriate, the child themselves.

  Parents and carers will be involved in reviewing their child's progress and discussing future provision. We value their knowledge and understanding of their child and see them as an important part of the SEND support process.

  5. Reviewing Progress

  We regularly review the impact of additional provision. This allows us to ask:

• Is the child making progress?

• What has worked well?

• Are there barriers that still need to be addressed?

• Does provision need to be adapted or increased?

• Do we need further specialist advice?

• What should the next steps be?

• The level of support provided will depend on the individual needs of the child and the evidence available about what is helping them to make progress.

  6. High Needs Funding and EHCPs

  For some children with more complex and significant SEND, additional resources may be required beyond the level ordinarily available within school.

  Where appropriate, the school may work with parents and carers and the Local Authority to explore High Needs Funding (HNF) or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

  An EHCP is a legal document issued by the Local Authority which describes a child's special educational needs and the provision required to meet those needs. Where an EHCP is in place, the provision specified within it must be delivered in accordance with the plan.

  EHCPs bring together education, health and social care information where relevant and focus on the child's needs, outcomes and aspirations. They are reviewed regularly, normally at least annually, to ensure that the plan continues to reflect the child's needs and circumstances.

  Children and young people should be involved in their reviews wherever appropriate, and their views, wishes and aspirations are an important part of the process.

  7. Working Together With Families

  We believe that the best outcomes for children come from strong partnerships between children, families, school and professionals.

  Parents and carers are encouraged to share information about their child's strengths, interests, needs and experiences. We will communicate regularly about provision and progress and will involve families when decisions are being made about additional support.

  Where appropriate, children are also supported to contribute their own views, thoughts, hopes and aspirations.

  Confidentiality and Information

  Information relating to pupils receiving additional support is handled securely and in accordance with our safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection responsibilities.

  Information is shared only with those who need it to support the child's education, wellbeing and safety, including relevant members of school staff and external professionals where appropriate.

  At every stage, our aim is to ensure that support is individualised, purposeful and reviewed regularly, so that every child has the opportunity to make progress, participate fully in school life and experience excellence.

• At Hudson Primary School, we believe that every child should have access to a broad, ambitious and engaging curriculum. Our teachers plan carefully to ensure that learning is accessible and appropriately challenging for all pupils, including those with SEND.

  Where a child requires additional support, the curriculum and teaching approaches may be adapted to meet their individual needs. This could include:

• Adapted teaching and learning activities to provide appropriate challenge and ensure that children can access the curriculum successfully.

• Different resources, visuals or practical approaches to support understanding and independence.

• Additional explanation, modelling, repetition or opportunities for practice where needed.

• Teaching assistant support, which may be provided individually, in a small group or as part of the wider classroom provision. TAs work alongside the teacher and do not replace high-quality teaching.

• Targeted interventions, where appropriate, which may take place individually or in a small group and may be delivered alongside or in addition to the child's usual classroom learning.

• Reasonable adjustments to the learning environment, routines or ways in which children demonstrate their learning.

• Specialist equipment or resources, where these are identified as necessary to remove barriers to learning.

• The class teacher remains responsible for planning and teaching the curriculum, working closely with the SENDCO and other professionals where appropriate.

  We regularly review the impact of adaptations, interventions and additional support to ensure that they are helping the child to learn, make progress and become increasingly independent.

  Our aim is not simply to provide more support, but to identify the right support at the right time so that every child can participate fully in school life and experience success.

• At Hudson Primary School, we believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential to helping children thrive. We want parents and carers to understand how their child is progressing, what they are doing well and how we can work together to support their next steps.

  Keeping You Informed

  You will have regular opportunities to discuss your child's progress, including:

• Parents' evenings and progress meetings, where you can discuss your child's learning, progress, strengths and next steps with their class teacher.

• Informal conversations with class teachers, who are available for brief queries at appropriate times. If a longer or more detailed discussion is needed, we ask that you make an appointment through the school office so that the teacher can give you the time and attention needed.

• Ongoing communication, where a class teacher or member of the SEND team may contact you if they have concerns about your child's progress, learning, wellbeing or development.

• SEND Support reviews, where appropriate, providing an opportunity to look in greater depth at your child's progress, the support that has been provided and what should happen next.

• We will not wait for a formal parents' evening if we feel that a concern needs to be discussed sooner.

  Working Together to Support Your Child

  If your child requires additional support, we will work with you to identify strategies that can be used both at school and at home.

  Where appropriate, this may include:

• Sharing strategies that are working well in school.

• Suggesting activities or approaches that can support learning at home.

• Sharing relevant resources or recommendations from specialist professionals.

• Discussing how your child's strengths and interests can be used to support their learning.

• Working together to identify and reduce barriers to progress.

• Parents and carers have an important role to play in supporting their child's learning. We encourage children to read regularly at home, ideally every day, and to engage with the home-learning opportunities provided by school.

  Specialist Advice

  Where an Educational Psychologist, Inclusion Consultant or another specialist professional has assessed or observed your child, parents and carers will be involved in discussions about the findings and recommendations where appropriate.

  Any recommended strategies will be considered as part of your child's provision and, where appropriate, incorporated into their learning and support plan.

  Reviewing SEND Support

  For children receiving SEND Support, review meetings provide an opportunity to look carefully at progress and consider the impact of the support provided.

  Together, we will consider:

• What progress has been made?

• What has worked well?

• What has not had the expected impact?

• What does your child need next?

• Should current strategies continue, be adapted or be replaced?

• Is further advice or assessment needed?

• The purpose of review meetings is to ensure that support remains focused, purposeful and responsive to your child's changing needs.

  Above all, we want parents and carers to feel that they are partners in their child's education. Your knowledge of your child is invaluable, and by working together we can provide the consistency, encouragement and support they need to make progress and experience success.

At Hudson Primary School, we recognise that children learn best when they feel safe, happy, understood and ready to learn. Supporting children's social, emotional and mental health is an important part of our whole-school approach.

We take a relational and trauma-informed approach and promote our three school expectations of being Ready, Respectful and Safe.

Pastoral and Wellbeing Support

Depending on their individual needs, children may be supported through a range of approaches, including:

• Our PSHE and wellbeing curriculum, which helps children develop emotional literacy, resilience, relationships and strategies for managing feelings and challenges.

• Mindfulness and emotional regulation activities, helping children understand and manage their emotions and develop positive coping strategies.

• Support from our pastoral and inclusion staff, including individual or small-group support where appropriate.

• Therapeutic approaches, which may include Drawing and Talking, Lego-based therapy, sand therapy and other targeted interventions where these are appropriate for the child.

• Support with friendships, relationships, confidence, self-esteem and emotional regulation.

• A range of nurture and sensory approaches, adapted to individual children's needs.

• Opportunities to talk to a trusted adult and develop strategies for managing worries or difficult experiences.

Working With Families and Professionals

We recognise that sometimes children need support that goes beyond what school can provide. Where appropriate, we work closely with parents and carers and may seek advice or support from external professionals and services.

This may include:

• Our Educational Psychologist

• Sefton's specialist inclusion and advisory services

• Health professionals and therapeutic services

• Specialist voluntary and community organisations

• Other appropriate services depending on the child's individual needs

Where a referral to a specialist service is appropriate, we will discuss this with parents and carers and support families to access the right help.

Supporting Children's Safety and Wider Wellbeing

We also provide a range of opportunities and programmes that help children develop the knowledge and skills they need to keep themselves safe and make positive choices. These may include work around:

• Anti-bullying and positive relationships

• Online safety

• Road safety

• Cycling and active travel

• Personal safety

• Healthy relationships

• Emotional wellbeing and resilience

We work with appropriate external organisations and professionals to enhance this provision where this will benefit our pupils.

Every Child Is Different

There is no single approach to wellbeing that works for every child. We therefore consider each child's individual strengths, experiences and needs when deciding what support may be appropriate.

Our aim is to ensure that every child has a trusted adult, a sense of belonging and the support they need to feel safe, confident and ready to learn.

If you have concerns about your child's emotional wellbeing, please speak to your child's class teacher or contact the school office so that we can work with you to identify the most appropriate support.

Hudson Primary School works closely with a range of specialist professionals and services to ensure that children with additional needs receive appropriate support. We draw on specialist advice to help us understand individual needs, remove barriers to learning and develop effective provision.

Specialist Services We Work With

Hudson Primary School accesses and works with a range of Sefton and health services, including:

• Sefton Educational Psychology and Portage Service (SEPPS)

• Sefton Advisory and Inclusion Service (SAIS)

• Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)

• Visual Impairment Team (VI)

• Hearing Impairment Team (HI)

• Community Paediatrics

• Occupational Therapy (OT)

• Physiotherapy (P)

Specialist professionals may provide assessment, advice, training, recommendations and support to help school and families understand and respond to a child's individual needs.

Additional Specialist Services

Where a child's needs require further specialist advice or support, we may work with other services, depending on the individual circumstances. These can include:

• Children's Social Care

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

• Sensory Support Services

• Behaviour Support Services

• School Nursing Team

• Specialist Outreach Services

• Physical Disability Outreach

• Autism/ASC specialist services

• Epilepsy Nursing Services

• Other health, education and community services where appropriate

Working Together

Our aim is to develop a joined-up approach around the child. Where appropriate, specialist professionals work alongside school staff and families to share expertise and develop strategies that can be incorporated into the child's education and wider support.

Advice from specialist services may contribute to:

• Understanding a child's strengths and needs

• Identifying barriers to learning and participation

• Developing appropriate classroom strategies and adaptations

• Supporting communication and interaction

• Developing emotional wellbeing and regulation strategies

• Identifying appropriate specialist equipment or resources

• Planning targeted interventions

• Supporting transition between classes, phases or settings

Parents and carers are kept involved in discussions about specialist support and, where appropriate, referrals are made with their involvement and the relevant consent or professional processes.

The specialist services involved with an individual child will depend on their specific needs and circumstances. Not every child will require support from an external service, and specialist involvement does not in itself mean that a child has SEND.

At Hudson, we value the expertise of our families, school staff and external professionals and work together to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time.

Yes. At Hudson Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that our staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to meet the diverse needs of our pupils.

All staff are encouraged to access relevant training, courses, professional development and specialist advice. Training is identified in response to the needs of our pupils and the priorities of the school. Staff are encouraged to share their learning with colleagues so that expertise is developed across the whole school.

Examples of training and professional development accessed by our staff include:

• Mental health awareness and supporting children experiencing emotional difficulties

• Social skills and communication

• Precision Monitoring

• EpiPen and medical needs training

• Person-Centred Approaches

• Understanding Hearing Loss, delivered by the specialist Hearing Impairment Team

• Visual Impairment training, delivered by the specialist Visual Impairment Team

• Supporting writing for pupils with Autism

• ADHD Foundation training

• Transition planning and support, including training led by Sefton's Advisory and Inclusion Service (SAIS)

• Dyslexia-friendly approaches and resources, including Barrington Stoke

• SENDCO development through Maghull and District Cluster of Schools (MADCOS)

• Charanga Music Therapy training

• First Aid training and regular updates

Staff also work alongside specialist professionals and services to develop their understanding of individual children's needs and to implement recommended strategies within school.

Safeguarding and Child Protection training is provided to all staff and is kept up to date in accordance with statutory requirements.

Our commitment to ongoing professional development ensures that staff continue to develop their expertise and that our provision evolves in response to the needs of the children and families we support.

At Hudson Primary School, we believe that all children should have the opportunity to participate fully in school life, including educational visits, residential experiences, sporting activities, performances, clubs and other enrichment opportunities.

We plan carefully to ensure that children with SEND are included and that appropriate adjustments are made to enable them to participate safely and successfully.

School Trips and Educational Visits

When planning an educational visit, staff consider the individual needs of all pupils attending. This includes:

• Identifying any potential barriers to participation.

• Completing appropriate risk assessments.

• Making reasonable adjustments to activities, arrangements or the environment where necessary.

• Considering additional staffing or adult support where required.

• Working with parents and carers to understand the child's needs and what will help them participate successfully.

• Liaising with specialist professionals where additional advice is needed.

Our aim is to make sure that a child's SEND does not prevent them from accessing the same experiences and opportunities as their peers.

In some circumstances, a child may require a level of individual support that cannot reasonably be provided within the staffing available for a particular activity or visit. We would discuss this with parents and carers and explore appropriate solutions. A parent or carer would only be asked to accompany their child where this was necessary and had been discussed and agreed with the family.

Activities and Enrichment

Children are encouraged to participate in the full range of opportunities available at Hudson, including:

• Educational visits and trips

• Sporting activities

• Music, dance and drama

• Performances and productions

• Forest School and outdoor learning

• After-school clubs

• Enrichment and special events

Our after-school clubs vary throughout the year and may include sport, dance, drama, science, craft, technology and other activities. Clubs are open to all pupils where appropriate, subject to any age or activity-specific requirements.

We consider individual needs when planning activities so that children can participate meaningfully and safely.

Supporting Inclusion

We recognise that inclusion does not always mean every child participating in exactly the same way. Sometimes a child may need adaptations, additional preparation, a quieter space, visual support, additional adult assistance or a different way of accessing an activity.

We work with children and families to identify what will help each child to participate, enjoy new experiences and develop their independence.

Our aim is simple: SEND should not be a barrier to belonging, participation or experiencing excellence at Hudson Primary School.

Hudson Primary School is committed to providing an environment that is accessible, inclusive and welcoming to all pupils, families, staff and visitors.

The majority of the school is located on the ground floor, with accessible main entrances and exits and widened doorways in parts of the building. A small section of the school is on an upper level and, at present, access to this area is by stairs.

We recognise that individual children and families may have different accessibility requirements. We are happy to discuss these with parents and carers in advance so that we can identify appropriate arrangements and reasonable adjustments wherever possible.

Accessibility Facilities

Our current accessibility arrangements include:

• Accessible main entrances and exits

• Widened doorways in parts of the school

• A medical room

• An accessible toilet

• Double doors in some areas of the building

• Accessible ground-floor spaces for learning and activities

Where a pupil has a specific physical, sensory or medical need, we will work with the child, family and relevant professionals to identify appropriate adjustments and support.

Our Accessibility Plan and Equality Information set out our approach to improving accessibility and promoting equality across the school. These documents are available from the school and on our website.

If you have particular accessibility requirements, please contact the school before your child's admission or a planned visit so that we can discuss how best to support them.

Hudson Primary plans its SEND resources carefully each financial year to ensure that available funding, staffing and specialist resources are used effectively to meet the needs of our pupils.

Resources are allocated according to individual need and the provision required, rather than simply according to a child’s diagnosis or SEND category. This may include additional adult support, targeted interventions, specialist equipment, adapted resources, communication or sensory support, and access to specialist advice and services.

Teachers, the SENDCO and school leaders work together to identify the provision children need and review whether it is having the intended impact. Provision may be adjusted as a child’s needs, progress or circumstances change.

Where a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), Hudson works to deliver the provision specified within the plan and liaises with the Local Authority and relevant professionals where additional resources or support are required.

The Headteacher has overall responsibility for the allocation of the school’s SEND budget, working with the SENDCO and leadership team to ensure that resources are used equitably, effectively and in the best interests of pupils.

Our aim is to ensure that every child receives the right support, at the right time, to enable them to access learning, participate fully and experience excellence.

At Hudson Primary, decisions about support are based on each child’s individual needs, progress and barriers to learning. We recognise that children’s needs can change over time, so support is reviewed regularly and adapted when necessary.

Class teachers, the SENDCO and school leaders work together to consider:

• ongoing assessment and tracking of pupil progress;

• the child’s strengths, needs and individual learning profile;

• the impact of the support and interventions already in place;

• information shared by parents and the child;

• advice and recommendations from relevant external professionals, where involved; and

• any changes in circumstances that may affect the child’s learning, wellbeing or access to school.

Where concerns are identified, the school uses a graduated approach of Assess–Plan–Do–Review. This may involve adapting classroom provision, introducing targeted interventions, making reasonable adjustments or seeking further specialist advice where appropriate.

The level and type of support is therefore not fixed. It is reviewed regularly to ensure that provision remains appropriate and that resources are being used effectively to support the child’s progress, independence, wellbeing and access to the curriculum.

Parents and children are involved in discussions about support wherever appropriate, helping us to work together to identify what will make the greatest difference.

At Hudson Primary, we believe that strong partnerships with families make a real difference to children’s learning, progress and wellbeing. Parents and carers are encouraged to share their knowledge of their child and work with us throughout their time at school.

There are many ways parents and carers can be involved, including:

• Attending parents’ evenings and progress meetings to discuss your child’s learning, progress and next steps.

• Arranging a pre-booked meeting with the Headteacher, class teacher or SENDCO when a longer discussion is needed.

• Sharing your views and contributing to your child’s SEND Support Plan, reviews and provision, where appropriate.

• Working with school to identify strategies and approaches that support your child both at home and in school.

• Attending parent workshops, information sessions and events held throughout the year.

• Sharing examples of home learning, achievements and experiences through your child’s ClassDojo portfolio, where appropriate.

• Supporting reading, homework and other learning activities at home.

• Sharing important information about changes in your child’s circumstances, wellbeing or needs so that we can respond appropriately.

• Getting involved in wider school life, including celebrations, performances, community events and opportunities to contribute to school activities.

We value the knowledge and expertise that families bring. You know your child best, and we want to make sure that your views are heard and used alongside information from school and other professionals to support your child effectively.

Our aim is to work in partnership with families, with open communication and a shared commitment to helping every child feel safe, supported and able to experience excellence.

We hope that this information helps to answer your questions.  However, if there is anything else you would like to know please telephone or email using the school contact page.

Please follow the procedure outlined in the complaints policy, which can be found within our 'policies' page on this website.