Supporting your child with SEND

Many children go through stages throughout their school life where they may be struggling in either reading, writing or maths and their learning may dip, however in many cases with reasonable classroom adjustments they pick up again.  It does not mean that your child has dyslexia or dyscalculia.

However, if these difficulties continue for a long period of time, despite reasonable adjustments, then your child may need a small group or 1:1 intervention.  If your child is not progressing despite the intervention after one to two terms, then we may need to refer to Hertfordshire’s Advisory Team for Specific Learning Difficulties for further support.

Below are Hertfordshire’s Guidance for Dyslexia and Dyscalculia:

• Herts Guidance for Dyslexia (440KB)
• Herts Guidance for Dyscalculia (556KB)

Please find further information and support materials to do at home below:

Dyslexia

• Top 5 Reading Tips (210KB)
• Paired Reading (324KB)
• Fun Ideas for Reading (222KB)
• Developing Fine Motor Skills (377KB)
• Teaching a Word Family (145KB)
• Phonological Games to Play (242KB)
• Spelling (286KB)
• 100 High Frequency Words (53KB)
• Spelling Grid (106KB)
• Supporting your Child with Spelling (279KB)

Dyscalculia

• Digit Formation (380KB)
• Maths Mat - 2, 3, 4, 5 & 10 Times Tables (58KB)
• Maths Mat - 7, 8, 9 Times Tables (53KB)
• 100 Grid - Rounding to the Nearest 10 (339KB)
• Supporting Children to Learn Basic Number Facts (120KB)
• Supporting your Child with Maths Difficulties at Home (333KB)

Speech and language is an essential skill that we often take for granted.  We are seeing more and more children starting school with a Speech and Language Difficulty, most of which are overcome throughout their schooling.

As a school, we focus a lot on speech and language as soon as they start school, our whole Early Years Team is continuously working on language development throughout their practice.  We use a programme called WellComm, which is recommended by Hertfordshire, it is an Early Years Communication Package designed to support the development of speech and language.  This is implemented through whole class teaching or small groups.

We are very lucky to have Mrs West, a highly experienced Speech and Language LSA, who helps oversee the WellComm Programme and works 1:1 with specific children, mostly with an EHCP.    If you have any concerts with your child's speech and language, then please contact your child’s class teacher first.  To contact Mrs West please email her on: charlotte@leavesden.education

We work very closely with our Speech and Language Therapists (SALT), who devise individualised targets for the children and model what interventions they need.  Below are some very useful links from Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust website which will help you at home to support your child further.

• Speech and Language Therapy
• Talking Tips
• Attention and Listening
• Understanding of Language
• Spoken Language
• Speech
• Stammering
• Vocabulary and Word Finding Difficulties
• Higher Level Language
• Social Communication
• Useful Websites
• Useful Videos

Anyone, at any point in their life can suffer from low mood or have anxieties.  It seems that now more than ever our children face many extra difficulties and pressures in their lives, due to COVID with the huge uncertainties associated with it, fear of loneliness and isolation or the internet and constant exposure to social media.

At Leavesden we look at all behaviours as a way of the children communicating with us.  We put in place a range of strategies to support the child, this could be through:

• Classroom adjustments, like special jobs, time out space, check ins with their chosen adult, social stories..
• Carefully selected and monitored interventions with our School Based Family Support Worker (Mrs DeBono), their class based LSAs or SEMH Lead in the school (Leslie Murphy).
• Time in the Nurture Room
• Risk Reduction Plans - RRP. to ensure all adults and children are aware of their expectations and what steps are put in place to support the child in being successful.

If you are at all concerned about your child’s mental health please come into school and talk to your child’s class teacher first.  If your concerns continue then speak to Vicky DeBono, Leslie Murphy or Anna Seidler, who will meet with you and the class teacher.

This document has some wonderful links to further information:

Below are some great websites which can help you at home to support your child further.

• Beyond Blue: Anxiety
• Coping Skills for Kids: Managing Anger
• HCC:  Safe Space Primary Information Packs (pdf)
• Anna Freud Centre: Self-care

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a term that describes a wide spectrum disorder.  It is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how people experience the world and interact with others.  People with this condition generally experience difficulties with social interaction and communication, they can see, feel and hear the world differently to other people.  They can also display behaviours such as rigid thinking, obsessive interests or sensory difficulties.  People living with this disorder will also experience a range of mild or significant areas of difficulty in one or more of the associated attributes.

As every child / person with this disorder can present themselves differently, it is important that as a school we get to know the child well.  This is done by spending time with the child, observing them and talking to them and their parents about the things they like and love doing, their motivators, but also the things that cause anxiety or upset, like changes in routine, noise, smells.  We are currently developing a passport that will then move with the child throughout the school, being continuously developed and added to, to ensure that all adults working with your child have a clear understanding of your child’s needs.

If you are at all worried about your child, then please first talk to your class teacher about your concerns.

As a school, we work very closely with Hertfordshire Advisory Teachers for Communication and Autism, they come into school once a referral has been made to help support the school in putting in place adjustments and support for the child.

Hertfordshire Local Offer, offers support to parents and carers with children who have or are awaiting a diagnosis of ASD.

NHS: Autism information and support

The following support groups are for parents of children with or awaiting diagnosis of children with the disorder.  You will find more links on Hertfordshire’s Local Offer.

HCC: Hertfordshire’s Local Offer

ADD-Vance: The ADHD and Autism Trust - Parents and Carers

The Hertfordshire branch of the National Autistic Society

Space:  Hertfordshire based charity supporting parent/carers of children with autism

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental condition that can present with:

• Inattentiveness,
• Hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

It is a neurological condition which affects the person's brain chemistry.  People with this condition can seem restless, they may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.

Symptoms of ADHD generally get noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstance change, for example they start school.  In most cases the child is diagnosed between 6 and 12 years old.  The symptoms of ADHD generally improve with age.  People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.

ADHD is a persistent pattern of Inattention AND/OR Hyperactivity and impulsivity.  The symptoms need to happen most of the time and have an impact on social, academic or occupational function.  Around 70% of people diagnosed with ADHD have a combined presentation of both Inattentive and Hyperactive/Impulsive, which is harder to diagnose.

At Leavesden, like with all SEND needs and behaviours we look at the behaviours that the child is displaying and put in place strategies to support them.  This information needs to be gathered by knowing the child and talking to the parents.

If you have any concerns with some of the behaviours your child displays, then please first of all discuss these with your child’s class teacher.    If these behaviours still persist then a meeting with the class teacher and SENCo will happen.

For further support and information please visit Hertfordshire Local Offer or ADD-Vance.

ADD-Vance: The ADHD and Autism Trust - Parents and Carers

Hertfordshire Local Offer

We will post flyers and details of courses here as they become available.

• Understanding Teens ADHD & Autism (4MB)
• Understanding ADHD & Autism (2MB)
• Parenting and Family Newsletter (643KB)
• Support Groups Poster Autumn 2022 (421KB)
• Families in Focus Sleep Solutions Fri AM (162KB)
• Families in Focus Handling Anger of children with Autism (163KB)
• Families in Focus Handling Anger Wed AM (167KB)
• Families in Focus Tues AM (166KB)
• Handling Anger of Children with Autism (164KB)
• Families in Focus Complete Guide (166KB)
• Handling Anger in Your Family (166KB)
• Supporting Links - ASD & ADHD Workshops Summer Term 2022 (274KB)

ASD & ADHD Workshops Summer Term 2022

For parents and carers of children aged 2 - 25yrs with suspected or diagnosed Autistic Spectrum Disorder and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.