Millfield First & Nursery School’s SEND Information Report 2025-26

School Vision & Culture

A warm welcome to Millfield First & Nursery School from Susie Betley, Inclusion Coordinator (SENDCo, CLA & Post-CLA Lead). We currently have 309 pupils on roll with 11% of pupils with SEND. We have 7 (2.27%) pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Pupils on our SEND register may have moderate learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia or dyscalculia), autism, ADHD, speech and language difficulties or social and emotional difficulties, or a combination of these.

What is our school vision for pupils with SEND?

Millfield First & Nursery School is inclusive and nurturing. We want to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their individual needs, make the best possible progress in school, in line with Hertfordshire’s local offer. We want all our children to learn the skills to be happy, resilient, ambitious, independent, safe and healthy.

We have given full regard to the Code of Practice SEND 0-25 years (January 2015), and to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014, the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.

Identification & Assessment

How do we identify pupils with SEND?

In line with the SEN Code of Practice (2015) Millfield deem a pupil to have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) if their needs are “significantly different & more specialised than the majority of their peers”. For some pupils this will be the case for a short time, for others this may be true for the whole of their education. We hold strategic planning meetings throughout the year with external professionals such as Amwell View Outreach, Rivers Primary Behaviour Team, and the Speech and Language Therapy service. We will always speak to parents before adding a child to the SEND register.

What should you do if you think your child has SEND or you are concerned?

• Please come and talk to us. We work in partnership with parents and are always happy to talk to and reassure you. All teachers are teachers of pupils with SEND. Therefore, your first port of call should always be your child’s class teacher. They will be able to listen to your concerns and give you an overview of how your child is getting on in class. If there are continued concerns, the SENDCo will become involved in the meetings and we can talk together about the best way forward. We are interested in your child’s views as well and welcome them to join in at least part of the meeting where appropriate.
• If a pupil joins us with current involvement of external professionals such as Speech & Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy etc. this will continue and we will liaise with the previous setting (school or nursery), you, your child and the relevant professionals to provide the best possible support.
• If a pupil begins to show that they have a difficulty with an area of learning and development that means their needs are significantly different & more specialised than the majority of their peers we will talk to you and your child to discuss ways of better supporting them, which may involve asking for an external professional’s advice and support.
• We will always talk to you and your child if your child continues to struggle to make progress despite high quality teaching and support in school, an external professional may then complete an assessment, always with your consent.

How do we assess pupils with SEND?

• We informally assess all pupils in school daily against lesson objectives.
• Every term all pupils are more formally assessed in school and the results analysed by class teachers and Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and SENDCo to inform future planning & support.
• We regularly monitor pupils with SEND using their Millfield SEND Support Plans (MSSPs). These contain focused targets and strategies that are designed to remove barriers to learning and move your child’s learning forwards. The SENDCo meets regularly with teachers to discuss your child’s progress and any useful strategies recommended by external professionals involved. We agree these with you and your child. You are a partner in this process, and we welcome your opinions as well as your child’s views.
• We use a range of strategies to assess and support your child depending upon their needs.
• We assess pupils receiving additional interventions weekly or fortnightly, with Teaching Assistants and class teachers liaising closely on planning and delivery, using a graduated response (known as the assess-plan-do-review cycle).
• If specialist assessments are required, the SENDCo will refer your child, with your consent, to the relevant external professionals.
• The SENDCo meets termly with the SEND governor, as well as the Headteacher to look at how we can be most effective in supporting pupils with SEND.
• Please see SEND policy for further information.

Parental Engagement

We are committed to working alongside parents and pupils to deliver the best quality education for your child.

How do we involve parents & how will you know how your child is doing?

• Termly parents’ consultation meetings/annual progress report.
• Inviting you to parent chats & forums to involve you in moving school practice forward.
• Regularly inviting parents in for special events, opportunities to work alongside your child in class, informal chats, and opportunities to support reading in school
• Having an ‘open door’ policy should you want to meet with your child’s class teacher or other member of staff. Just speak to them to arrange a convenient time.
• Setting and reviewing SEND targets alongside you and your child.
• Providing home/school communication books where needed.

Who can you contact for further information?

• The school’s number is 01763 271717 and select the Inclusion Team option to speak to Mrs Susie Betley (SEND & Inclusion Lead) or Mrs Beth Taylor (Family Support Worker and Mental Health Lead) if you wish to make an appointment or have a conversation, or you can email them directly.
  • senco@millfield.herts.sch.uk
  • familysupportworker@millfield.herts.sch.uk
• The Hertfordshire Grid for Learning (www.intra.thegrid.org.uk) will also direct you to more information about Hertfordshire schools.
• For support with mental health issues visit the www.healthyyoungmindsinherts.org.uk website.
• See list of useful contacts below.

Tracking & Reviewing Progress

We offer:

• Parents’ consultations in the autumn and spring terms, followed by an annual report on progress with another opportunity for you to speak to your child’s teacher if you wish in the summer term.
• The Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team analyse data on pupil progress with class teachers termly to review and develop support and ensure all pupils are making at least expected progress.
• Termly meetings between you and your child’s teacher regarding your child’s SEND targets.
• An ‘open door’ policy to support partnership with parents.

Provision – Support & Interventions

What kind of support can parents expect for pupils with SEND?

We aim to keep pupils in the classroom to benefit from high quality teaching as much as possible. To enable this to happen we use Teaching Assistants (TAs) to support class teachers in developing your child’s independence. We support and scaffold learning, which means providing learning tasks that are personalised to your child’s needs so they can access it with increasing independence. We provide visual prompts, concrete resources, whiteboards and pens, writing frames, computer programmes, peer support, outdoor experiences and a well-planned curriculum. There is some flexibility around classroom layout for pupils on the autistic spectrum or with other sensory needs. Learning Partners & buddies and are employed across the school. iPads and Chrome books are used to support learning.

We use the graduated approach of ‘assess – plan – do – review’ to constantly monitor the success of the strategies we are trying. Where appropriate we can offer small group or one to one work with a teacher or experienced TA.

We are developing the use of Makaton signing, particularly within the EYFS and with pupils with SEND.

There are opportunities for outdoor learning across the curriculum through our covered outdoor learning areas and outdoor spaces.

We try to accommodate every child’s needs when on school trips too and can be flexible with the Year 4 summer residential trip.

Please refer to the school’s Provision Map.

Which specialist services can the school offer or access?

• Educational Psychologist
• Speech & Language Therapist
• Outreach services from Rivers Primary Behaviour Team and Amwell View
• Speech, Language, Communication and Autism team
• Hearing Impairment & Visual Impairment advisory teachers
• School Nurse
• Therapeutic Play

What training have staff had?

• We regularly train all staff in safeguarding and therapeutic responses to behaviour (Therapeutic Thinking).
• Teachers have received training from Jenny Wright (Herts & Essex Multi-Academy Trust) on supporting children with literacy difficulties.
• We train all teachers how to use a variety of concrete maths resources.
• Susie Betley has an Advanced Diploma in Special Education Needs from Cambridge University. She is a Mental Health First Aider, has Level 2 in Protective Behaviours, and is a Therapeutic Thinking tutor. Susie is also an Advanced Drawing & Talking Practitioner and a Level 7 Therapeutic Play Practitioner.
• Beth Taylor, Family Support Worker, is a Mental Health First Aider, has Level 2 in Protective Behaviours, and is a Drawing & Talking Practitioner. Beth is also a Therapeutic Thinking tutor and a Level 5 Emotional Well-being Practitioner. She is also trained in Early Help for Hertfordshire.
• EYFS staff use the Wellcomm Screening and Intervention for speech and language.
• Key staff are paediatric first aiders.
• All teachers have Level 1 Mental Health training.
• Class teachers have received ISL Autism training.

Roles and responsibilities

The Class Teacher is responsible for:

• Building and maintaining healthy trusting working partnerships with parents and children.
• Checking on the progress of your child and identifying, planning and delivering any additional help your child may need (this could be targeted work or additional support) and letting the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCo) know as necessary.
• Writing Pupil Progress targets/Provision Maps (PM) and Millfield SEND Support Plans (MSSP).
• Sharing and reviewing these with parents at least once each term and planning for the next term.
• Personalised teaching and learning for your child as identified on the school’s provision map.
• Ensuring that the school’s SEND Policy is followed in their classroom and for all the pupils they teach with any SEND. Our teachers recognise that they are all teachers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

The Inclusion & SEND Lead, Mrs Susie Betley, is responsible for:

• Building and maintaining healthy trusting working partnerships with parents and children.
• Developing and reviewing the school’s SEND policy and Information Report ensuring its effective implementation across the school.
• Maintaining a school provision map.
• Co-ordinating all the support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and those with other vulnerabilities, such as children who are looked after by the local authority and children with medical needs which impact on their ability to enjoy and engage in learning.
• Liaising with you to ensure that you are:

-involved in supporting your child’s learning.

-kept informed about the support your child is getting.

-involved in reviewing how they are doing.

• Refer to, and liaison with, all the other people who may be coming into school to help support your child’s learning, e.g. Speech and Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist, Rivers Primary Behaviour Team
• Updating the school’s SEND register (a system for ensuring that all the SEND needs of pupils in this school are known) and making sure that records of your child’s progress and needs are kept.
• Providing support and planning training for teachers and support staff in the school, so that they can help children with SEND to achieve thrive and achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Supporting children who are, or who have previously been, in Local Authority care.

The Headteacher, Mrs Laura Kennedy-Weeks, is responsible for:

• Building and maintaining healthy trusting working partnerships with parents and children.

• The day-to-day management of all aspects of the school; this includes the support for children with SEND and budget.
• The Headteacher will give responsibility to the SENDCo and class teachers but is still responsible for ensuring that your child’s needs are met.
• The Headteacher must make sure that the Governing Body is kept up to date about issues relating to SEND.

The SEND Governor, Mr Alex Tomkins, is responsible for:

• Liaising with the Headteacher and SENDCo and reporting to the governing body on SEND at Millfield First & Nursery School.
• Ensuring that policies relating to SEND are up-to-date and that practice matches policy.
• Making sure that the necessary support is provided for any child with SEND who attends the school.
• Being a point of contact for parents.

Medical Conditions & Individual Health Care Plans

What can the school offer my child with a medical condition?

We train all staff in managing asthma and supporting pupils in administering their inhalers, as well as using epinephrine/adrenaline auto injectors (e.g. EpiPens) to treat anaphylaxis. We are a nut free school. All children with inhalers and epinephrine/adrenaline auto injectors must have Individual Health Care Plans (IHCP) written by the parent and kept in the school office and with the child’s medication.

Previously staff have been trained in supporting children who are diabetic and require insulin. This is bespoke training to the individual child and can be arranged with the child’s diabetes nurse when needed. Again, an IHCP is essential.

We understand that some children also suffer with chronic eczema, and they may bring in named and labelled soap/cream to help reduce the irritation, which is kept in their classroom.

If required, an Intimate Care Plan (ICP) will be completed between home and school to prioritise your child’s well-being and dignity.

If your child has ANY ALLERGIES, it is ESSENTIAL that school are informed IMMEDIATELY. Please contact the school, office 01763 271717.

Please see the following policies on the website: Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions and Children with Health Needs Who Cannot Attend School Policy.

Mental Health & Well-being

What about my child’s mental health & well-being?

The SENDCo and FSW lead on Mental Health and are both Mental Health First Aiders. Please visit the Mental Health section of our website for ideas to support your child and yourself, links to relevant websites and agencies, and strategies to try. If you or your child are struggling, please do come and speak to us. We can refer your child for mental health support if necessary.

How will you support my child with their behaviour?

If your child has difficulty managing their behaviour and self-regulating, we offer a therapeutic and nurturing response within the context of clear boundaries. We recognise all behaviour as communication. This is in line with Hertfordshire’s preferred behaviour response using the ‘Therapeutic Thinking’ programme. Where necessary we put in place individual behaviour plans. We will work closely with you, and external professionals, to identify triggers and points of heightened anxiety. We will provide safe spaces, rewards, clear steps and therapeutic consequences, where they will learn healthy and helpful responses to their feelings, and the strategies and language to manage big emotions.

Please see Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy and Mental Health & Well-Being for Pupils Policy, as well as the Inclusion section of the school website.

Accessibility

Millfield is on a level and has ramps to all raised entrances. There is an accessible toilet.

Please see Accessibility Plan on website.

Admissions & Transitions

Please make all admissions through Hertfordshire County Council for Reception to Year 4 and direct to the school for Nursery.

We recognise transition as significant in the lives of children and provide many ways to prepare them to move smoothly and confidently. There are close links between all the feeder schools in the area. Our Early Years Lead, and SENDCo if needed, visit local nursery settings for pupils who will be joining the school in Nursery or Reception and the SENDCo and Year 4 teacher liaise closely with Edwinstree and Ralph Sadleir, our local middle schools. We will also liaise with schools out of the geographical area by phone and/or email to share all relevant information.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the provision and support your child is receiving, please speak to us. Should you remain unhappy and feel the situation is unresolved, please refer to our Complaints policy on the website.

Useful Contacts

• Support and information group for parents of children with SEND www.familiesinfocus.co.uk/big-news/
• SEND Impartial Advice and Support Service hertssendiass.org.uk
• Speech & Language Advice Line: 01992 823093
• Educational Psychology Service Contact Line: 01992 588574
• Well-Being Service for Parents – Single Point of Access Team: 0300 7770707
• www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/localoffer

September 2025