Special Needs

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An online get together with other SEND parents, carers and professionals who understand.

Click this link to book - Cuppa and Chat

About this Event:

We are delighted to bring our highly regarded Cuppa & Chat to ZOOM online, to support parents, carers and professionals of children with SEND.

This is an opportunity grab a cuppa and chat with others who understand online.

BOOKING IS REQUIRED - places are free. You're welcome to make a donation that goes towards keeping the services we provide for families alive during this difficult period. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM/JUNK MAIL FOLDERS FOR THE LINK TO THE ZOOM EVENT! This will take place every other Wednesday at 8:30pm

Speech, Sign and Song Club

We're a small friendly music club for young children who need extra help with social and communication skills.

We provide regular music groups for children who have communication difficulties, with their parents or carers. Click this link. Speech Sign Song

A well resourced and informative website.

In this challenging time, we are all concerned about the mental health and well-being of our children. This website has lots of resources on a range of topics including trouble sleeping, anxiety, grief, loss, and worry.

https://www.jwbridgethegap.com/

Some useful supporting videos on a range of topics.

Please note that there may be a small fee for some of these (normally around £5)

• Bedtime and Sleep Available to watch here
• Home schooling Available to watch here
• Creating Positive Relationships Available to watch here
• Hungry Heart Available to watch here
• Calming the angry child Available to watch here
• Teens in Crisis Available to watch here
• The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting with Sarah Naish Available to watch here
• Introduction to De-escalation and Protective Interventions Available to watch here
• Therapeutic Parenting in Real Life Available to watch here
• Separation Anxiety Available to watch here
• Lying and the Shame Game Available to watch here
• Managing Siblings Available to watch here
• Introduction to Attachment Available to watch here

Learning Support Team are Live on Facebook.

They are there to support you during lockdown so visit them at Facebook Learning Support

Emotional Well-Being

Some times we need some help with our emotions. This website has lots of fantastic resources you can download to use (or make yourself if you don't have a printer)

Free Resources

There are fantastic links to learning resources and webpages as well as SEND resources and Well-Being support.

Useful support and advice

Support and advice for children with SEND

Outstanding Resources from Rosehill School

Sensory Processing Resources

More Sensory Resources here.

Sensory Resources

Iris Magazine

Ask Us Nottinghamshire is your local Information and Advice Support Service (IASS) for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire - they have create an informative and useful magazine to support you and your family during the coronavirus pandemic. Click the link in the sidebar.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

We take the emotional well-being of our pupils, families and staff very seriously and we work hard to support everyone in the best way possible including, where necessary, working with outside agencies such as CAMHS. We have several staff who are fully trained Mental Health First Aiders and Miss L Moore is our Mental Health Lead for school. Should you have any concerns about the mental well-being of your child or yourself then please come and speak to Miss Murphy (SENDCo) or Miss Ellen Woodhouse (Family Support Assistant).

Free Support

A new Dropbox has been created full of resources, leaflets and information on a range of topics such as EHCP, transition, sleeping, toileting, social stories and much more.

Access Dropbox by clinking this link https://www.dropbox.com/

For the username and password, please ask Miss Murphy (SENDCo)

This year, I will be looking for parents/carers to join/lead a new Focus Group. We will work together to improve provision for children both in school and at home, whilst helping to engage parents/carers. Our first focus will be related to i​mproving vocabulary for all children and reviewing the school's Information Report.

More information to follow, or come and speak to me in school.

Miss Murphy(SENDCo)

Children's SEND Forum

Here at Victoria Primary School, we believe ALL children should have a voice in school.

Similar to the school council, representatives from years 4-6 meet once a term to discuss what is working well for children with SEND in school and what changes they would like to see to help them make progress and access their learning more efficiently.

Our next meeting will be when school opens again to plan for the remainder of the year!

HOW HAVE THE CHILDREN BEEN INFLUENTIAL AT VPS?

In February 2023, the group met to discuss Autism Awareness Day and agreed to another Super Sock Day following last year's success. Unfortunately, school was closed but children and teachers still got involved (see top of the page).

On Thursday 12th December 2019, we met to discuss the SEND Targets. Children were confident that these were effective documents but offered a few tweaks including how to make them even more personal to them.

On Tuesday June 18th 2019, we discussed our findings on what has helped us to make progress in our writing and what we could do better - including using dictaphones to help record ideas! We also discussed our transition to new year groups and those of us moving to secondary school. We have already passed on some of our ideas to the SENCo at NUAST!

On February 11th 2019, the SEND Forum conducted a learning walk around school focussing on learning environments. They looked at what would help or hinder their concentration in classrooms, discussed how the classrooms made them feel and what positive/negative impact it might have on their ability to learn. It was an insightful journey, with lots to celebrate and staff have already made changes to their classrooms to consider the needs of ALL learners!

We also discussed difficulties faced when writing and how teachers can adapt teaching and learning to better support children with SEND, this will form our focus for our next meeting in April. Finally, we agreed on a focus for Autism Awareness Week - see below!

On November 19th 2018, we discussed what makes us anxious and how we can keep our minds healthy. We also began investigating some new interventions to help us with our learning across school and developed a questionnaire which we distributed before the end of term for Miss Mousley to collate.

We met again on June 18th 2018 with our school governor, Mr Henderson, to talk about transition and managing anxiety. This discussion has enabled us to change and improve our transitional support for children with SEND. Mr Henderson was very impressed by their questions and discussions.

On April 17th 2018, Some of the children from our SEND Forum briefly met the school's SEND Governor. They talked about what is working well and any improvements they would like to see in the school. Mr Henderson was incredible pleased with the children's responses and the confidence they showed in their very important role!

On 20th March 2018 at our meeting, the children were fantastic and helped to organise resources for Autism Awareness Week. They also came up with the motto for the week;

"We are all different, but we stand together as one."

New Sensory Room

For some children, the lights and sounds of school can be overwhelming and can cause anxiety or difficulty with learning. Our new sensory room will allow children time to process and understand their sensory needs. Our new projector, which creates moving images across the walls, will also be used within our curriculum to support children with their reading and writing.

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Previous Parent Forums.

The aim of these termly events is for you to find out about specific support that is available in school for your child and to be able to see resources and activities that you can use at home to support your child’s development on a range of topics such as

• Speech, Language & Communication development (0-11years)
• Emotional well-being
• Behaviour support
• Routines and timetables.
• Support with housing, finances and local support groups.

Thank you to those who came to our previous events to meet other parents/carers, take resources and ask questions.

Congratulations to our raffle prize winners.

Our next event will involve outside agencies - keep your eyes peeled.

At Victoria Primary School we aim to provide every child with access to a broad and balanced education. This includes provision for those children attending EYFS and the National Curriculum in line with the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.

We aim to be an inclusive school by ensuring that:

• All children and young people are valued equally and take as full as part as possible in all school activities.
• We promote the highest standards of achievement for all pupils through a broad and balanced curriculum.
• We provide a differentiated curriculum appropriate to individual’s needs and abilities.
• We identify barriers to learning and participation that require additional provision as early as possible in a pupil’s school career.
• We have high expectations and suitable targets for our children.
• We acknowledge the vital role that parents play in their child’s education and ensure they are informed of progress and achievements.
• Pupils with additional needs are involved, where practicable, in decisions affecting their future provision.
• Seek the advice and expertise of other agencies and professionals as required.

Our co-ordinator for pupils with Special Educational Needs is Miss Murphy. Our Pastoral Lead is Anna Byrne. Our SEND and pastoral team are happy to provide families with support and advice; we can be easily contacted via the school office.

The "Local Offers" for SEN Provision for both Victoria Primary School and Nottingham City Council can be found to the right of this screen

Key information

SENDCo: Miss E Murphy.

SENDCo post taken up: November 2023.

SENDCo Vision:

To be part of a team, building an extraordinary school for children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities to ensure they feel safe, equal to their peers & happy.

To support staff to help these children achieve the best they can, develop their holistic growth whilst improving inclusion across the school and wider community.

SEND Governor: Mr Ben Pickering

Useful Websites

http://www.ppsnotts.org.uk/

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Parent Partnership Service supports parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities living in two local authority areas – you can contact us if you live in Nottingham City or anywhere within the county of Nottinghamshire. You can also contact us if you are about to move into either of these areas.

​​ http://www.rainbowpcf.org.uk/

Rainbow Parents Carers Forum is a support group and voice for parents & carers
who have a child with a special educational need and/or disability (SEND). We are a parent led organisation whose mission is to “Support and Empower Families to be Heard and Achieve Better Outcomes”.

http://www.askiris.org.uk/

The IRIS Project is a one-stop shop offering information, advice and support to parents and carers of children and young people with disabilities based in Nottingham.

​ https://www.family-action.org.uk/

Family Action transforms lives by providing practical, emotional and financial support to those who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation across the country. Our innovative services reach out to those in need, we strengthen families and communities, build skills and resilience and improve the life chances of children and adults.

https://thefamilygrapevine.co.uk/east-south-notts/directory/children-additional-needs/

The Family Grapevine is an amazing directory-style magazine for parents and carers in East & South Notts and Nottingham, full of the sort of local information that every family needs from bump to teens!

https://www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/plan-a-visit/accessibility/autism-friendly-venues

With a more thorough understanding of special needs on the rise, autism friendly events have begun to be implemented throughout the UK, allowing those on the autism spectrum, along with their carers and families, to enjoy and take part in regular events and attractions.

https://www.relaxkids.com/

One of the leading experts in child relaxation training, classes and resources. We offer quality products and services to help children become resilient and give them tools and techniques to manage their emotional, and mental, health.

https://www.selfhelp.org.uk/

Self Help UK is the leading specialist organisation in promoting, supporting and encouraging Self Help Groups, both locally in Nottinghamshire and nationwide.
Self Help groups enable people to take better control of their circumstances or conditions, gain strength and support from others, and improve their self-care.

https://skybadger.co.uk/

SKY BADGER IS A CHARITY THAT FINDS HELP AND ADVENTURE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ALL OVER THE UK.

​ https://www.sossen.org.uk/index.php

We offer a free, friendly, independent and confidential telephone helpline for parents and others looking for information and advice on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

https://www.pawsitivesquad.co.uk/

Pawsitive Squad CIC was founded in July, 2018 by Heather Pyne, a Nottingham based student and dog trainer to provide dog support services to young people with disabilities who’s needs were not being met by other organisations.

Community Events

Jigsaw Youth Club

Jigsaw Youth Club works with young people on the Autistic Spectrum who would like to develop social and lifeskills. This is done in a variety of environments that are aimed to provide opportunities for lifelong learning.

Our approach is very practical, seeing a young person and their strengths and talents before any different abilities. We work with the young person to involve them in the planning of their journey to adulthood, helping them discover their future by taking control of the present.

Monday 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Oliver Hind Youth Club, Edale Road, Nottingham NG2 4HT

Contact Name: Danek Jackowski

Telephone: 0776 220 7532

E-mail: jigsaw.yc@gmail.com

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​https://www.national-ice-centre.com/whats-on/relaxed-skating-sessions/

Autism Friendly Cinema Experience

Join us on the second Sunday of every month at 10am for our Autism Friendly Screenings

Showcase are proud to present Autism Friendly screenings in partnership with not-for-profit support provider, Dimensions. We think it's important that anyone can experience the delights of cinema, and hope that with a few adjustments, cinema can be enjoyed by those that are sensory sensitive.

You will also be able to bring your own food and drink and we welcome you to move around the auditorium.

Relaxed Performances at the theatre and concert hall.