The Local Offer has been developed as part of the new Children and Families Act. It aims to provide information on education, health and social care provision available for disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs, in a way that can be accessed quickly and easily.
Who is producing the Local Offer?
Kirklees Council is working with parents, young people, schools, colleges, early year’s providers and health services to produce the Local Offer.
What information do schools provide?
Schools have a duty to provide information about special educational needs that is accessible to pupils, parents and carers. We need to make sure this information is kept up to date.
Where can I find the Local Offer?
The Kirklees Local Offer can be found at www.kirkleeslocaloffer.org.uk
The above link relates to the Kirklees Local Offer which gives children and young people aged 0 – 25 years with special educational needs or disabilities, and their families, information about what is available in Kirklees across education, health and social care.
It covers:
• SEN support in nurseries and schools
• Health and Social Care
• Choices for school leavers
• Support for parents and carers
• Income and benefits
• Things to do where you live
It is more than a directory of services. It brings everything together in one place. If you have any suggestions for improvements or ideas about what might help you, contact CSA.Admin@kirklees.gov.uk
Fairfield School's Offer
See below for further information on our school's offer
At Fairfield we aim to personalise our offer as much as possible to meet the individual needs of our children and young people. Within class, teachers plan for each child and young person finding unique ways to unlock their potential.
We have a wide range of provision within the curriculum which enrich our offer and give greater opportunity to meet additional and personal needs. To support this, we use the expertise of a wide range of outside agencies and partnerships. They work with our young people but also train and support our staff in developing a greater skill base.
As a result, our curriculum has the flexibility required to meet need whilst being relevant, creative, imaginative and stimulating.
What type of SEN do we cater for?
Fairfield School caters for students with highly Complex Needs including those with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties and those with Multi-Sensory Impairments.
Age range: 3-19
Funding: Local Authority
How will you support my child or young person with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?
The head teacher has responsibility to oversee and plan the educational programme for your child, however this responsibility is delegated to the class teacher. Teachers and support staff work in partnership with parents and carers and the other professionals who support your child. EHC Plans detail the personalised specific educational and care arrangements in place to support your child’s needs.
Teachers liaise with parents and carers, through parent consultation meetings, telephone contact, home-school diaries, annual reviews, EHCP documentation and reports regarding the feedback of progress.
Who will work with my child or young person and how often?
The class teacher will work with your child on a daily basis to ensure progress is achieved. Teachers work as part of a team in class with Educational Teaching Assistants, Activity Support Assistants, Bilingual staff and Interveners. The team who support your child within class will be made known to you.
Who will explain to me what is in place to support my child or young person?
We value productive partnerships with parents and carers and work hard to build close relationships with you. Teachers and class staff ensure parents and carers are fully informed. This is a chance for you to discuss in detail the progress and plans for your child. Home/ school diaries ensure that parents are kept up to date with what is happening in school on a day to day basis. Teachers and support staff complete the diaries and share any significant progress. This is also the opportunity for you to record what is taking place at home or any concerns you may have. Regular meetings take place each term for parents and carers.
How are the governors involved?
Our governors take a keen interest in all aspects of school. Regular, ½ termly governor meetings ensure that governors are up to date with all educational approaches, strategies and events that are happening in school.
Will my child or young person have consistent support from staff known to them?
Your child will be based in a pastoral class group within one of the four pathways in school. This class group will be consistent throughout the academic year. Your child will also have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of staff and students in school through pathway activities enrichment events.
How will you know how effective your arrangements for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are?
We target set and measure all of our students’ progress using a variety of specifically designed assessment tools.
How will both you and I know how my child or young person is doing and how will you help me to support their learning?
Once a year, your child will have an annual review of their Education Health and Care Plan. This brings together your views along with those of school and everyone who helps your child to look at progress and to ensure that the provision remains appropriate.
There is a parent/carer meeting twice a year to discuss your child’s achievements and progress and to plan for the next steps. Teachers write a detailed report at the end of the school year outlining the child’s progress, achievements and next steps.
We also ensure that contact between home and school is constant through the use of home/school diaries which are completed daily. Parents are provided with termly planning and Pupil Personalised Portraits to ensure they are fully informed of activities and progress.
We want to work very closely with you and for you to be involved in planning your child or young person’s education. We welcome ongoing dialogue and discussion between home and school.
Do you offer any parent training or learning events?
Parent training events are offered throughout the academic year as part of the work of the Fairfield Families Group. The parent training and learning events on offer are decided upon by parents and carers themselves, usually at the Fairfield Families meetings. We have run various training for parents on e-safety, Makaton signing, suitable apps and programmes for use on tablet computers at home. The school welcome ideas for future training and support sessions.
What support will there be for my child or young person’s overall well being?
At Fairfield we believe it is important that all our children and young people are encouraged and supported to deal with any needs and issues they may be experiencing. Being mentally healthy means that children feel good about themselves, have positive relationships with others and are able to develop these. Promoting positive mental health supports children with life’s challenges to feel in control and to ask for help from other as and when they need support. The school has achieved the Silver Schools Health and Well-being Award and has 17 trained mental health First Aiders to further support in this. Where appropriate, staff support the social and emotional development of students through circle time opportunities. Students are also encouraged to voice their opinions through School Council meetings.
What pastoral, medical and social support is available for children with SEND?
In addition to the ongoing support from your child’s class and department teams, we have a dedicated nursing team and access to therapy services within school. We also work in partnership with children and adult social care and other partner agencies to ensure appropriate ongoing support. Details of the overall arrangements are outlined in your child’s Education and Health Care Plan.
What support is there for behaviour?
The school a positive behaviour approach which is supported by a comprehensive Positive Behaviour Policy and individual pupil plans, where required. We also have members of staff trained in restorative approaches that can be available to offer support in this area as required.
How will my child or young person be supported to enable them to contribute their views?
We believe strongly that all of children have a voice and should be enabled to make choices. We ensure that every child’s preferred communication strategies are clearly identified and outlined in their Education and Health Care Plan and Pupil Personalised Portrait. This may be through sign, use of symbols, vocalisation, gesture or augmentative and alternative technologies. All children are encouraged to indicate how they feel and action is taken if a child is unhappy.
School ambassadors rare represented from classes across the school. They are encouraged to take an active role in many decisions made in school.
What is your recent and future planned training?
Our in-school training programme ensures there are a wide variety of training opportunities for staff to attend including those based on:
- Safeguarding
- Engagement Model
- Behaviour/Safer Handling
- Multi-sensory impairment
- Feeding and swallowing
- Communication aid use
- Intensive Interaction
- Makaton
- Moving & Handling
- Mental Health & Well-Being
- NPQ Leadership training
- PSHE
- Phonics
Do you have any specialist staff?
School staff have a great deal of expertise in teaching students with a variety of conditions.
MSI qualified teacher
VI Qualified Teacher
Moving and Handling Trainer
Do you have any formal accreditations, charter marks or awards?
Investors in Pupils
MOVE Accredited Award (Silver)
Mental Health in Schools Award (Silver)
Quality Standards Mark in Careers Information, Advice and Guidance.
Makaton Friendly
Kirklees Volunteering Quality Award
ArtsMark (Silver)
Story Massage (Centre of Excellence)
Disabled changing and toilet facilities, including changing places and adult facilities?
We offer a purpose built SEND setting with specialist resources to meet a variety of needs. Facilities include: Sensory Room, Sensory Regulation Rooms, Rebound Room, Hydrotherapy Pool, Interactive Soft Play Room, Track Chair System, Sensory Meadow Area; Sensory Pod;
How do you communicate with those whose first language is not English or who use alternative communication methods other than the spoken word?
We use a Total Communication Strategy to meet the communication needs of our students and also have a number of staff to support bi-lingual support across the school.
How will equipment and facilities to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities be secured?
A variety of funding streams can be identified depending on the equipment needed
What preparation will there be before my child or young person joins you?
Preparation may include some of the following: tour of the school, meeting with your class and class teacher, phased induction and multi-agency placement meetings dependant on needs and requirements.
How will you support a new setting, school or college to prepare for my child or young person?
Upon leaving at Year 14 our students move on to a variety of service providers and college. This process is completed in partnership with; parents, C & K Careers, The Transitions Team, The Learning Disability Team and service provider representatives to ensure a smooth post 19 transition.
Transition meetings also support the process.
How are decisions made about what type and how much support my child or young person will receive?
Describe the decision making process, who makes the decision and on what basis?
Decisions about support are driven by each child’s Statement and/or Education, Health and Care Plan. This process is managed by Kirklees Special Educational Needs and Disability Assessment and Commissioning Team. (SENDACT)
How will you judge if the support has had an impact?
Continual assessment ensures progress is evidenced and built upon. This formation is shared with parents on an ongoing basis through home/school books, telephone conversations, parents group/parental visits, parents’ consultation meetings and through the school review process. Parental input is welcomed and encouraged.
Fairfield School's Offer
What other services do you access including health, therapy and social care services to meet the needs of young people and support families?
At Fairfield we aim to personalise our offer as much as possible to meet the individual needs of our children and young people. Within class, teachers plan for each child and young person finding unique ways to unlock their potential.
We have a wide range of provision within the curriculum which enrich our offer and give greater opportunity to meet additional and personal needs. To support this, we use the expertise of a wide range of outside agencies and partnerships. They work with our young people but also train and support our staff in developing a greater skill base.
As a result, our curriculum has the flexibility required to meet need whilst being relevant, creative, imaginative and stimulating.
Health
Nursing team – Locala: 0300 304 5555 (Option 1) *
Physiotherapy team – Locala: 0300 304 5555 (Option 1) *
Occupational Therapy team – Locala: 0300 304 5555 (Option 1) *
Speech and Language Therapy Team – Locala: 0300 304 5555 (Option 1) *
CAMHS – Northorpe Hall, Mirfield
Single point of contact for Locala Services – 24hr switchboard - 7 days a week
Teams work core hours 9am – 5pm
Social Care
Disabled Children’s Service- 01484 456847
Learning disability Team- Adult Services- 01484 456997
Kirklees Specialist Adult Pathways Team 01924 482164
Kirklees Respite Care- Orchard View 01924 496783
Elm Grove 01924 401697
Local Authority Contacts
Manual Handling Advice
Penny Townsend – Moving and Handling and Back Care Advisor – DCYP
Penny.townsend@kirklees.gov.uk Tel 07976497952
Education Health and Care Plans
SEN Assessment and Commissioning Team, Kirkgate Buildings, Byram Street, Huddersfield HD1 1BY | Tel: 01484 221000
Fairfield School's Offer
What staff training is in place to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities?
As a special school for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, our focus is to meet those complex needs. To facilitate this, we ensure all staff are appropriately trained to meet the needs of the children. Our professional development framework has three strands: essential; core; and elective.
Our in-school training programme prioritises the essential and core training for all staff. In addition, we strive to ensure that staff are able to extend their skills, knowledge and understanding into areas of particular relevance to the school and in line with their own interests e.g sensory integration; intensive interaction; Makaton; PECs etc.
How accessible is your environment?
We offer a purpose-built special school which is fully accessible to children and young people with mobility and sensory impairments. The school has level access throughout, has overhead tracking hoists in all classrooms and mobile hoists can be used where overhead hoists aren’t available. There are accessible toilets and changing spaces throughout the building. The school car park has dedicated disabled parking bays for parent access. The school maintains 2 specialist access minibuses for wheelchair users. Trained drivers within the staff team are available to facilitate valuable off-site activities. We have specialist resources to meet a variety of needs including Sensory Areas, Rebound Room, Hydrotherapy Pool, Interactive Soft Play Room, Track Chair System, Quiet Safe Spaces, Media Suite, Sensory Garden and extensive outdoor spaces.
Fairfield School aims to provide an environment where Total Communication is accepted, valued and developed, where pupils can interact, express needs and preferences, make choices, ask questions, make friends and express feelings. This may include forms of alternative or augmentative communication (AAC).
Where necessary we use the Kirklees Interpreting Service. Bi-lingual staff are available on the staff team where support is required.
How will you prepare and support my child or young person to join the school?
Admissions to Fairfield School are arranged by Kirklees Local Authority. Parents/carers should contact the Casework Officer within the SEND Assessment and Commissioning Team to discuss the options and decider, through consultation which school will best meet your child’s needs.
SEND Assessment and Commissioning Team, Kirkgate Buildings, Byram Street, Huddersfield HD1 1BY | Tel: 01484 221000 (SENDACT)
Children who have special needs are referred to Fairfield through SENDACT who have the responsibility of the Local Authority to write Education and Health Care Plans. Many people may be involved in the process including doctors, educational psychologists, teachers from previous schools, Early Years Support and other therapists.
Any parent considering admission to Fairfield is welcome to visit our school to see the provision we offer, meet the staff and chat to the pupils.
Once it is decided that your child or young person is coming to Fairfield School, we prepare in a number of ways: further visits to the school; meeting with your class and class teacher at home and at school; stay and play sessions; multi-agency meetings; and phased induction dependant on needs and requirements.
How will you support them to move on to the next stage of education or move on to adult life?
Transition meetings help by ensuring we communicate clearly with parents/carers and other professionals that have been involved with a child to enable a successful move to Fairfield.
At the age of 19 our students move on from the Post-16 Pathway to a variety of service providers or to college. This process is completed in partnership with: parents and carers; The Careers Service; The Specialist Adult Pathways Team, The Learning Disability Team and College or Service Provider representatives to ensure a smooth post 19 transition.
How are decisions made about what type and how much support my child or young person will receive?
Decisions about support are driven by each child’s Education and Health Care Plan. The assessment process resulting in an EHC Plan or statement will be completed prior to your child’s registration at Fairfield School by Kirklees Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Assessment and Commissioning Team. (SENDACT)
How will you judge if the support has had an impact?
Continual assessment takes place throughout your child’s time at Fairfield. This is to ensure progress is mapped and built upon. This is shared with parents on an ongoing basis through home/school books, telephone conversations, parents’ meetings and through the school review process. Parental input is welcomed and encouraged.
Who can you contact for further information?
Head Teacher: John Page
SENCO: Bev Brooks
Contact details: Fairfield School, White Lee Road, Batley. WF17 8AS
Email (admin) office@fairfieldschool.uk
Email (SENCO): office@fairfieldschool.uk
Telephone (admin): 01924 326103
Telephone (SENCO): 01924 326103