Inclusion

Robert Blair is a small, mainstream, community school with one class in each year group. Despite the challenging national situation regarding funding for Special Educational Needs we have an unwavering commitment to inclusion and diversity with the aim that every one of our pupils has a full sense of belonging within our school and our community.

We strongly believe that all pupils should be provided with equal opportunities regardless of their age, gender, language, level of attainment, ethnicity, medical condition, background or their special educational needs or disabilities and other attributes which can be perceived as different, including race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

Inclusive education at Robert Blair means that all pupils attend and are welcomed by the school in age-appropriate classes and are supported to learn, contribute, and participate in all aspects of the life of the school. We want our pupils to be safe, achieve, be healthy, enjoy life and grow up to be successful adults who will make a positive contribution to the society in which they live. Where children have additional needs, we ensure that steps are taken to prevent these from becoming a barrier to learning and strive to ensure that they attain the highest levels of achievement that they can. We work closely with specialist services across Islington to provide the highest quality support that we can.

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Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

We understand that all children are individuals, and their journeys will be unique. Children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) are highly valued and respected at Robert Blair by all staff and children and are supported by dedicated, skilled and motivated teachers and support staff.

We are committed to meeting the needs of every pupil at the school and have high expectations of all pupils whatever their needs and abilities. We take a holistic approach, teaching a creative, inclusive and enriched
curriculum that helps every child reach his or her potential. In addition to our Inclusion Manager, we have a Pastoral Care Lead, a Learning Mentor and a Sensory Room on site. We work hard to ensure that a child’s individual challenges are addressed and monitored so that every child makes progress, both academically and emotionally.

“This is a highly inclusive school. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. These pupils are supported well and make good progress from their starting points.

The school’s inclusion team ensure that pupils with SEND receive high-quality support during lessons which enables them to be successful. Additional adults and teachers plan carefully to ensure that their pupils can access the challenging curriculum. They know their pupils very well and carefully tailor learning to their needs. Pupils with SEND thrive as a result.

Pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics as a result of the good support they receive.”

– Robert Blair Ofsted Report 2019

What different types of support are available for a child with SEND at Robert Blair Primary School?

There is a graduated approach to SEND at Robert Blair Primary School with three different levels of support for children with additional needs:

1. Quality first teaching by class teacher
2. Targeted interventions
3. Specialist interventions or groups run by outside agencies including:

• Speech and language therapy
• Occupational therapy
• The Schools Wellbeing Service
• CAMHs schools’ worker

School staff with specific responsibilities for SEND

At Robert Blair, we have appointed an Inclusion Manager and a Pastoral and Welfare Lead who support the Headteacher in determining the strategic development of SEND policy and provision in the school. They are also responsible for the effective leadership, organisation and management of inclusion and inclusive practice and in developing a clear, distinctive vision for inclusion both now and in the future.

Our SENCO is Josephine Leal, she be contacted on 0207 6074115 or by email via admin@robertblair.islington.sch.uk

We have several specialist SEND Learning Support Assistants who support children with Education, Health and Care Plans within the school.

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Our Inclusion Team

Our Pastoral and Welfare Lead, Miss Salik, leads on Mental Health and Wellbeing along with our Learning Mentor. They are more than happy to assist your child with an issue they might be facing. Your child’s teacher will also know to speak with the Inclusion Team if they have any concerns.

We have introduced an Inclusion Team Referral form so that all staff can refer children to the Inclusion Team in every class.

The Inclusion Team meet regularly to plan and develop ideas to improve the wellbeing of the pupils at Robert Blair. We hold regular sessions for parents and carers.

After School Club and children with SEND

Our After School Club (ASC)/ Breakfast club only has two staff on duty to look after all the children – often one member of staff is outside and one inside. We have no funding to employ additional staff.

Children from Reception to Year 6 attend ASC
If your child has additional support needs and you want them to attend After School Club we will carry out a risk assessment to ensure that we can meet their needs and keep the safe.
This applies to all children with an EHC Plan and any child who needs support with behaviour, safety or toileting.

Please contact the SENCO or Pastoral and Welfare Lead via the school office to arrange the assessment.

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Local Services

Available to children and families with SEND that Robert Blair Primary School works closely with.

Bright Futures, Early Help 5-19 (school-age to 19 years).

Bright Futures provide whole family support to families with school-aged children up to 19 years old/25 with SEND.

What Bright Futures can help with:

We know that being a parent is not always easy and that all families need extra help at some stage as children grow up. Bright Futures will work with you and your family to understand what you need to make lasting positive change and get the most out of family life.

Bright Futures works with families to:

Work with trained family workers at your home or in our community locations, during the day or in the evening.

What do Bright Futures do?

• offer information and advice through our outreach sessions, as well as parenting programmes and family support.
• find out you what you and your family need and plan what we need to do together.
• bring together other services to work with us depending on what you need. For example, this might be housing, school or early years services, health services, adults services, debt or grants advice, employment services.
• Occupational Health Services from the Whittington NHS Trust
• Speech and Language Therapy Services from the Whittington NHS Trust – currently this service is available for children with EHC Plans from Reception upwards

King’s Cross Clinic

Growing Hope King’s Cross is a charity offering free therapy for children and young people (0-18) with additional needs. We also provide support for parents, carers and siblings through our groups and courses. Our clinic is open to everyone in the Camden and Islington area. You can refer your child for therapy using the link on the website.

07734 858 876 – King’s House, 242 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JY

Islington Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

If you know a child or young person that requires mental health support or intervention and you would like to refer for a service please follow the link below and complete the referral form which will be screened by the Islington Social, Emotional and Mental Health Intake team (which includes CAMHS services).

The form can be accessed on the Islington Council website, or you can call 020 7527 3355 to speak to the duty clinician.

If you are a child or young person under the age of 18 or are worried about a young person, and live in Islington, you can call the NCL (North Central London) 24/7 mental health support line on 0800 151 0023. The line is open 24 hours a day and you will be able to speak to a mental health professional who can help you decide on the best course of care.

Islington SENDIAS (SEND Information and Advice Service)

• Islington SENDias provide a SEND Advice line for parents and carers living in Islington staffed by IPSEA trained staff to provide high quality SEND advice at point of contact.
• Advice line hours: Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm
• Call: 0203 031 6651
• Or email the advice line: islingtonsend@family-action.org.uk
• We aim to respond to your enquiry within 2 working days

What do SENDIAS provide?

• Impartial Information, Advice and Support on Special Educational Needs and Disability, for parents/carers and children and young people aged up to 25, who live in the London Borough of Islington. We are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
• Offer: Advice, information and support on education, health and social care issues.
• Support for parents/carers and children/young people to express their views and wishes
• Support at meetings with schools and the Local Authority
• Help to complete Special Educational Needs and Disability related paperwork.
• Early disagreement resolution, including help with mediation and preparation for first-tier SEND Tribunal
• Support around the Education Health Care plan process and Annual Reviews
• Support with applying for disability related benefits
• Access to clear information to parents/carers and young people about access to the Local Authority’s ‘Local Offer’, how it is used and its availability; Information on other organisations, groups or specialist services locally or nationally if further support is required