Nansen Primary School is an inclusive school. Inclusion is the collective responsibility of the staff, governing body and the community as a whole. We believe that all children are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum. We endeavour to make appropriate adaptations where possible, so that all children have full access to a range of school experiences on offer. If you have any concerns regarding your child please make an appointment to speak to their class teacher or Anne French the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and Inclusion Manager. Parents and staff working together makes a real difference.

Use this link to find help if you need it and also to find things to do around Birmingham.

Behaviour and Discipline

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Equal Opportunities

Gifted and Talented

Learning Mentors

Medical Needs

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Medical Needs

As a school we are aware that childhood obesity is on the increase which can lead to both health and emotional problems. Nansen is proud to have achieved ‘Healthy School Status’. We provide healthy food in our free breakfast club, as playtime snacks and serve healthy school dinners. Drinking water is available to pupils throughout the day. We ensure that the curriculum offers regular opportunities for exercise. For advice on keeping your child fit and healthy please follow this link.

http://www.csp.org.uk/uploads/documents/fit_for_the_future_english.pdf

It is the duty of all parents to make sure that the school is kept informed of their child’s medical needs. We keep class registers of all medical needs so that staff working with the children can support them appropriately. Staff undertake regular medical training for specific needs such as allergies, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy. We have a number of staff trained in first aid, to deal with minor medical issues.

Parents can support their child and the school if they: Tell us of any medical condition their child has Keep contact information up to date (especially home and mobile phone numbers) Make sure that asthma inhalers are up to date and in school Keep pupils at home for 48 hours after the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea Take their child for a free eye test Encourage their child to wear glasses if prescribed and tell us when they should be worn

We regularly liaise with specialist agencies, which support staff, pupils and parents of pupils with medical needs, these include:

School Nurse/ Doctor – work closely with the school to asses and address medical concerns. Referrals are made by school with parental permission or at the request of parents.

Specialist Nurses – advice and train staff on specific medical needs, such as asthma, allergies, epilepsy and diabetes.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) – assessment of emotional difficulties and signposting to support. Referrals are made by school with parental permission or at the request of parents.

For general medical advice go to:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/childhealth6-15/Pages/Childhealth615home.aspx

>> back to top

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Individual Education Plan

Children are identified as having special educational needs if they have a learning or a physical difficulty which requires special provision (something different from or to) other children of the same age.

All pupils on our Special Educational Needs Register have Individual Education Plans (IEPs), which we aim to review three times a year. Parents are invited to attend reviews, they know their children and an open discussion between parents and staff helps us to identify specific support for pupils and can make an invaluable contribution to the quality of provision pupils receive.

When appropriate, children attend reviews and contribute to their IEPs by commenting on their achievements and identifying targets for future progress. All special educational needs pupils are given the opportunity to comment on their progress.

We regularly liaise with specialist agencies, which support staff and pupils with special needs, these include:

Pupil School Support Service (PSS) – offers advice, assessment, training,

Strategies / resources and attend relevant reviews.

Educational Psychology Service (E.P) – works with children with complex needs, offers advice, assessment, training, strategies / resources and attend relevant reviews.

Communication and Autism Team (CAT) – work with pupils who are diagnosed as autistic or are being assessed. They offer advice, training,

strategies / resources and attend relevant reviews.

Specialist support services (SS) – work with pupils with visual or hearing impairment, offers advice, assessment, training,

Strategies / resources and attend relevant reviews.

Speech and Language Therapy Service (SALT) – work with pupils who have been referred either by the family doctor or through the school with parent’s permission. Pupils may be seen at the clinic or at school. Often the therapist will discuss programmes for our support staff to follow.

>> back to top

Gifted and Talented

Definitions

There are many definitions of ‘gifted and talented’. At Nansen we follow the ‘Excellence in Cities’ (EiC) guidance that suggests:

‘Gifted’ learners are those who have abilities in one or more subjects in the statutory curriculum other than art and design, music and PE;

‘Talented’ learners are those who have abilities in art and design, music, PE or performing arts such as dance and drama.

Within the school we recognise that gifted and talented pupils can be:

• good all rounders
• high achievers in one area
• of high ability but have poor writing skills.

We also recognise that those pupils who are gifted and talented do not always show their ability. Such pupils are gifted and talented even though their abilities may be hidden or remain as potential.

Identification

Gifted and talented students are identified by making a judgement based on an analysis of various sources of information including:

• Test scores (end of key stage levels; CAT scores; NVRQ scores)
• Teacher nomination (based on classroom observation, discussions with pupils, work scrutiny)
• Peer or self-nomination
• Parental nomination
• Predicted test/ examination results
• Reading ages

This information is collated by the gifted and talented co-ordinator and the assessment co-ordinator and is made available to all staff. The gifted and talented register is regularly reviewed and updated. If you feel that your child is gifted or talented or if they take part in an activity outside of school that you feel we should know about, please contact either their class teacher or Anne French (SENCO/Inclusion manager).

Parents will be notified at the start of each academic year if their child has been identified as able, gifted or talented. As all children develop and progress at different rates, our register will be reviewed at the end of each academic year. At this time, children may be moved either on or off of the register to ensure that it continues to reflect the top 5-10% of our school population. When a child transfers to a new school, he/she will not automatically be included on the school’s able, gifted and talented register.

http://www.mensa.org.uk/mensa/gifted_and_talented_support.html “The High IQ Society”

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/brain_teasers.htm An American site full of resources for children

http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk/index.php A joining fee applies – family membership is £42 for one year or £82.80 for three years.

Aims

• The raising of aspiration for all pupils
• High expectations of achievement for all students
• Greater enterprise, self-reliance and independence for all students

In order to achieve these aims, we will ensure that all students have opportunities to develop specific skills or talents.

Out of Hours Learning

We offer a range of clubs for all our pupils both at lunchtimes and after school. Pupils who have been identified as Gifted or Talented are actively encouraged to attend. Where appropriate, we signpost parents to events and clubs organised by agencies outside of school.

Nansen’s Got Talent

We hold an annual talent show across all year groups, culminating in a final judged by staff and school council members. All finalists receive a medal. Winners receive an engraved cup and their names are added to our talent show shield. Talents have ranged from singing, dancing, comedians, jugglers, magicians to hula hoops and beat box. Our pupils are bursting with talent.

G&T Web sites

www.masterclasses.co.uk Gabbitas website – out of school days for G&T students. (There is a fee unless on benefits/ tax credits)

http://nrich.maths.org/public/index.php Maths problems, games etc

http://www.howstuffworks.com/ American site. Video clips

http://www.planet-science.com Quizzes and investigations

http://www.brainbashers.co.uk/index.asp Puzzles and quizzes

http://www.signposting.org.uk/bss7/index.php Information about clubs and activities in Birmingham

>> back to top

Behaviour and Discipline

We expect high standards of personal behaviour and respect for others which we hope parents will support and encourage.

As one we succeed, together we excel

Our School Rules We treat each other with kindness and respect. We look after each other and our school environment. We always try our best. We take our turn as speakers and listeners. We take responsibility for our actions.

The aim of Nansen Primary School’s behaviour management policy is to create an ethos and environment that will develop children into individuals that are:

• Courteous
• Confident
• Tolerant
• Respectful of their own, and others need and rights
• Emotionally literate
• Happy

We also aim to:

• Enable the children to make the ‘right choices’ in terms of their actions and reactions;
• Develop a caring and positive attitude towards others, the environment and property;
• Foster an awareness of good citizenship;
• Develop links between home and school, which will provide children with a framework of acceptable standards of social skills and behaviour.

Children's achievements are celebrated in Congratulations Assemblies held every Friday. Pupils are congratulated for academic achievement, good behaviour, lining up and attendance. Rewards include stickers, certificates, praise and prizes – even bikes! Considerate behaviour is also noticed at lunch times and recognised with dinner tickets or an invitation to sit at our “Top Table”.

We say, “No to bullying and racism”. We encourage pupils and parents to report any incidence of bullying or racism to the school so that it can be investigated and dealt with quickly. We hold an anti bullying week every autumn term. If you would like advice about bullying please follow this link: http://www.parentlineplus.org.uk/default.aspx?page=bullying&tags=19

>> back to top

Learning Mentors Nasnen Primary School has a team of Learning Mentors who support pupils with behavioural difficulties and emotional needs. They provide a range of support including: Listening matters Play therapy Anger management Social skills Anna Medford our

Senior Learning Mentor works closely with Rose Ahmed our Community Link Worker to provide support to parents such as, parenting classes and awareness of domestic violence. If you would like to speak to either of them in confidence, please contact the school.

If you would like general advice about parenting please follow this link: http://www.parentlineplus.org.uk/default.aspx?page=bullying&tags=19

Breakfast Club The learning mentors run a free breakfast club from 8.15 Until 8.50 every morning in the canteen. All our pupils are welcome to come in for toast, cereal bars or fruit snakes and drinks such as fruit juice of milkshake. Our grateful thanks go to Greggs who fund our breakfast club.

Attendance

Good attendance is crucial in supporting our pupil’s educational, personal and social development. We have a system of rewards which encourage individual children and whole classes to attend regularly through weekly and termly congratulations assemblies.

As part of their role, Learning mentors record late attendance and contact parents on a daily basis and record the reason for absence.

If absence is longer than a couple of days learning mentors visit the home. If there is further concern the Education Social Worker, Ruhila Kamal is informed.

We ask that parents inform the school of the reason their child is off school, and avoid appointment during school hours as far as possible.

Extended Holidays A form should be completed in the office prior to leaving for a holiday for an extended period of time. Head teacher will only authorise extended leave for exceptional circumstances If the child does not return to school following the authorised period of absence a letter will be sent to parents. Attempts will be made by the school to contact parents, if there is still no response or a valid reason for the pupil not returning to school provided, pupils may well be removed from the school roll.

If you must take your child out of school for an extended period of time you can support your child and the school by encouraging your child to complete one of the following work books:

Key Stage 1 http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/emass/documents/Extended_Holiday_Workbook_Key_Stage_1.pdf

Key Stage 2 http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/emass/documents/Extended_Holiday_Workbook_Key_Stage_2.pdf

>> back to top

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Definitions

NAP Newly arrived pupils. At Nansen we consider pupils as newly arrived if they have come to the UK from their country of origin within the last two years and have had no previous experience or limited experience of speaking English.

EAL stands for English as an additional language and recognises the fact that many children learning English in schools in this country already know one or more other languages and are adding English to that repertoire.

Bilingual is used to refer to those children who have access to more than one language at home and at school. It does not necessarily imply full fluency in both or all of their languages.

Advanced learner of EAL is a term used by Ofsted to describe children who have had considerable exposure to English and are no longer in the early stages of English language acquisition. These are children, often born in this country, who appear to be fluent in ordinary everyday conversational contexts, but who require continued support to develop the cognitive and academic language necessary for educational success. (DFES)

EAL Learners

The majority of pupils at Nansen are EAL learners. We aim to ensure that all EAL pupils are able to:

• Use English at a social level to interact with Nansen’s community
• Use English confidently and competently
• Use English as a means of learning across the curriculum
• Where appropriate, make use of their knowledge of other languages

NAP

The head teacher conducts a welcome interview prior to new pupils starting at Nasen. On induction day pupils and parents are greeted by one of our EAL team and given a tour of the school and a welcome pack. We invite parents to attend a follow up meeting a couple of weeks after their child has settled in to ensure that both parents and pupils are happy with the way they have settled in.

A large number of the teaching and non teaching staff at Nansen are bilingual and we currently have a team of 3 EAL teaching assistance supporting pupils new to English. Staff use a formative assessment booklet to support pupils new to English. They assess pupils in speaking, listening, reading and writing and have regular liaison to discuss pupil progress, needs and targets.

EAL: Special Educational Needs and Gifted and Talented Pupils

The school recognises that most EAL pupils needing additional support do not have SEN needs. However, should SEN needs be identified during assessment; EAL pupils will have equal access to the school SEN provision.

Similarly, the school recognises that there may be EAL pupils who are gifted or talented even though they may not be fully fluent in English.

Equal Opportunities At Nansen Primary School we will continuously strive to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Each person in our school will be given fair and equal opportunities to develop their full potential regardless of their gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious background, sexuality, disability or special educational needs and ability.

AIMS

The school aims to work actively to promote equality and foster positive attitudes and commitment to an education for equality. We will do this by:

• Treating all those within the school community (e.g. pupils, staff, governors, parents and the community) as individuals with their own particular abilities, beliefs, challenges, attitudes, background and experience
• Creating and maintaining a school ethos which promotes equality, develops understanding and challenges myths, stereotypes, misconceptions and prejudices
• Encouraging everyone in our school community to gain a positive self image and high self esteem
• Having high expectations of everyone involved with the whole school community
• Promoting mutual respect and valuing each other’s similarities and differences and facing equality issues openly and honestly
• Identifying, challenging and removing all practices, procedures and customs which are discriminatory and replacing them with practices that are fair to all
• Monitoring evaluating and reviewing all the above to secure continuous improvement in all that we do.