School works closely with feeder pre-school groups and other professionals if a pre-existing issue has been identified. 

In school, we assess each pupil’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry into reception. Class teachers make regular assessments of progress throughout the school year for all pupils and identify those whose progress:

• Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
• 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

Further assessments may then be carried out to gain a better picture of a pupil’s needs, such as using a dyslexia screener. This will initially involve classroom observations and scrutiny of their work and progress.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEN. 

When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.