How we identify and assess children with potential special educational needs

SEND may be identified if a child’s progress:
- is significantly slower than that of their peers
- fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
- fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
- widens the attainment gap

Information is gathered through the teachers’ observations and assessment, standardised assessments (baselines and SATs etc), parent/carer concerns, or by external agencies.

At Foley Park, we ensure that children’s current skills and levels of attainment and progress in all areas are assessed and monitored regularly by the class teachers and SENDCo. Furthermore, each term the SENDCo attends Pupil Progress Meetings, during which teachers share current provision and create next steps for the next term. 

At Foley Park Primary Academy, a range of specific, more specialised tests are used (usually by the SENDCo or Educational Psychologist) to assist in the identification of individual needs, to plan targeted support for them and use as a benchmark for measuring the impact of subsequent interventions.
These may include:
- British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS)
- Salford Sentence Reading Test
- Sandwell Early Numeracy Test
- York Reading Accuracy and Comprehension (YARC)
- Helen Arkell Spelling Test (HAST 2)
- Phonological Assessment Battery (PhAB2)
- Test of Visual Perception Skills (TVPS)
- Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL)
- Detailed Assessment of Speed Handwriting (DASH)

School is also supported by a named Speech and Language Therapist – Bethanie Hancox.