Hello and a warm welcome...
To the 2nd edition of the SEND Bulletin, thank you for reading. Today we will provide you with updates from the teams and some citywide activities that are taking place.
The SEND bulletin is aimed at all education and childcare providers within Sheffield who support young people with SEND. It will come out to you once a month to provide you with specific SEND updates and training/resources.
If you would like to provide any feedback on this issue then please click the button below.
Sign up
Please encourage other education professionals to sign up so that they get the bulletin directly to their e-mail inbox.
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Hi, I'm Rose Ward. I am the Head of Special Educational Needs within Education & Skills, one of the directorates within Sheffield City Council.
My team are working hard this academic year in helping to support children and young people with SEND.
I have some important updates that I wish to share with you on some initiatives we are working on.
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Funding review
February will see the next steps of the SEND Funding Review begin. This will link to Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Post 16.
The local authority has purchased the Imosphere Resource Allocation System. This was agreed last year by the steering group. This is a system which will need considerable input from SENDSARS over the coming months. This is to build the algorithm which will help us all in the accurate costing of EHC plans. The algorithm will use young people’s needs and provision in helping us to do this.
The funding review is using the feedback you gave in the questionnaire that was issued last year. This was for a move to a streamlined model of funding.
If you’d like to leave feedback, comment on the current funding arrangements, or be involved in future developments then click on the button below.
Accelerated Progress Plan (APP)
The APP covers multi-agency transitions and is in it’s 8th month. It is looking at Preparation for Adulthood (PFA) across all ages and stages. It would be great to hear from you about how you are using PFA in your practice and across your service or setting.
Transitions and Preparation for Adulthood conference
There are 2 multi-agency transition conference days planned in March. These are aimed at leaders of settings and services across Education, Health and Care. It is an opportunity to come together, to hear key messages, share experiences and ask questions about multi-agency transition arrangements and Preparation for Adulthood.
There are 120 spaces for each day. Tickets are going fast. Please ensure you’re booked on and encourage others in your organisation to book on too.
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Hi, I'm Kathryn Challis. I am the Service Manager for SENDSARS.
In January 2023 we had 147 new request to assess for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. 81 of these were parental requests, 65 school requests and 1 third party request.
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As of January 2023, we maintain 4686 EHC plans. Around 6% of the young people in Sheffield have an EHC Plan. This is above the national average of 4%.
My team currently consists of:
| Role |
Number of FTE |
| Service Manager |
1 |
| Assistant Service Manager |
1 |
| Locality Manager |
3.6 |
| Inclusion Officer |
16.4 |
We are currently recruiting for more Inclusion Officers.
Phase Transfer
As you are aware the phase transfer deadline for nursery to primary, infant to junior and primary to secondary was on the 15th February. I am pleased to report that we were over 99% compliant with this, finalising 442 out of 443 plans. This is the first time this has ever been achieved in SENDSARS history.
Nursery to primary cohort
- 98% of plans were finalised,
- 68% were given their first preference
- 8% second preference
- 4% third preference
Infant to junior cohort
- 100% of plans were finalised
- 69% were given their first preference
- 6% second preference.
Primary to secondary cohort
- 100% of plans were finalised,
- 63% were given their first preference
- 8% second preference
- 5% third preference
I think it is important to note that over 50% of parents in mainstream primary school requested a specialist secondary school. This is something that has been carefully managed by the team due to the extremely limited number of places available.
You can contact my team by telephone or e-mail.
Telephone: 0114 273 6394
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Hi, I'm Deborah Page. I am Principal Educational Psychologist (PEP).
I will be leaving Sheffield City Council after Easter. Plans are in place to recruit a replacement and there is a strong Senior Leadership team in the Educational Psychology Service who will hold the fort in the interim.
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My team work with every school in Sheffield. We also work with early years settings, colleges, settings outside of Sheffield and with children not on a school roll. We work with around 750 children and young people each year. Around 500 of these are for statutory assessments).
My team currently consists of:
| Role |
Number of FTE |
| Principle Educational Psychologist |
1 |
| Senior Educational Psychologist |
3.5 (plus 0.5 on maternity leave) |
| Educational Psychologist (main grade) |
7.8 (plus 2.6 on maternity leave) |
| Assistant Educational Psychologist |
11.6 |
Multi-Element Plan training
Following the Trauma Informed Schools conference in the Autumn term, the EP service has been rolling out some free training for schools on developing Multi-Element Plans (MEPs).
These are detailed plans for children and young people whose outward behaviour causes us to worry about them and may put them at risk of exclusion.
In drawing up a MEP, we start by identifying what is the function of the behaviour for this child or young person. We then look at how we can support the underlying need which is behind the visible behaviour. An MEP helps us to use the Assess, Plan, Do, review cycle for Social Emotional and Mental Health needs in children. The next training session is on 13th April in the morning at Moorfoot building.
Subscriptions
You will receive an invitation to subscribe to the EP Service for 2023-24. Please e-mail the team if you haven't had contact from us by the end of February.
If you want to secure sessions from the EP service for early intervention and preventive work, we strongly recommend that you purchase a subscription from us. It is unlikely that there will be capacity for you to purchase additional ad hoc sessions throughout the year.
You can contact my team by telephone or e-mail.
Telephone: 0114 250 6800
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Hi, I'm Helen Sanders. I am the Service Manager for the 0-5 SEND Support Service.
As of January 2023, my team supports 681 children.
We are currently recruiting to increase the roles within the team.
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Currently my team consists of:
| Role |
Number of FTE |
| Service Manager |
1 |
| Early Years Inclusion Teachers |
7 |
| Inclusion Assistants |
2.9 |
| Portage Home Visitors |
2.8 |
Transition Offer
The transition offer will be provided in June/July 2023 by the Early Years Inclusion Assistants. They will complete sessions for individual children. This applies to children we are currently supporting. Those who are either accessing an Early Years setting or at home.
Early Years Inclusion Teachers may also attend a transition meeting with settings. They may complete a follow up visit in Autumn term 2023. This is to determine if the child has had a successful transition or if they need further support.
The number of sessions provided will be dependent on need. This can be discussed with your linked Early Years Inclusion Teacher.
Referrals that were received by 16th Dec 2022 for children entering Foundation Stage 2 (FS2) in Sep 2023, will be offered transition support.
Any referrals received after this date, we cannot guarantee they will be provided with transition support. We will endeavour to provide this to as many children as possible.
Early Years Settings: Please remember to complete the Sheffield EYFS Transition Record for each child who is moving into FS2 and share this with their new school.
The Sheffield EYFS Transition Record should also be completed if children move to a new EY setting, at any time of the year.
The next Early Years Citywide SENCo Briefing is on Wednesday 15th March. There are 2 sessions 10.00-12.00 or 18.30-19.30.
You can contact my team by telephone or e-mail.
Telephone: 0114 273 6411
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Hi, I'm Laura Chambers. I am the Service Manager for the Autism and Social Communication Team.
Here are some key points and information that I hope you find useful.
We currently have 1423 pupils currently on our caseload. We supported 126 children during 124 school visits in Autumn Term 2. The school visits are a mixture of drop-in and pupil planning sessions.
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During Autumn Term 2 we have:
- delivered 24 bespoke training/modelling sessions to schools.
- trained 22 senior staff across the city who make up the 1st cohort of Making Sense of Autism ‘Train the Trainer.
- trained 22 delegates to become Good Autism Early Years Practice Accredited.
- implementation of our HUBS Project commenced. This is the Specialist Approach in Mainstream. We are supporting 10 schools develop effective provision for their most complex pupils within Mainstream Schools. This a pilot that we hope to roll out further.
My team currently consists of:
| Role |
Number of FTE |
| Service Manager |
1 |
| Qualified Teachers |
6 |
| Teaching Assistants |
6 |
After the success of our Cohort 1 Train the Trainer (Autism Education Trust) Programme, we will be rolling out our Cohort 2 during the Summer Term! Please look out for our advert – to be sent directly to schools soon!
A list of our available training is listed under the training and resources section.
We have a brand new Twitter page. Please follow us on @SheffAutismTeam
You can contact my team by telephone or e-mail.
Telephone: 0114 250 6800
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Hi, I'm Bernadette Roe-Dean. I am the Service Manager for the Deaf/Hearing and Vision Support Service.
My team currently supports 1300 young people across the city who have a hearing or vision impairment.
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So far this academic year we have:
- offered and delivered training to schools, nurseries, SEND hubs and Post 16 institutions.
- been involved with a Post 16 Preparation for Adulthood conference with Autism Hub planning.
- offered British Sign Language tuition in schools
- contributed to the Achieving Change consultation
- worked with the Royal National Instititute for the Blind (RNIB) on an initiative on joint ways of working
My team currently consists of:
| Role |
Number of FTE |
| Head of Service for Deaf/hearing and Vision Support Service |
1 |
| Deaf Instructors |
2 |
| Educational Audiologist |
1 |
| Specialist Teaching Assistant Audiology |
1 |
| Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) |
30 |
| Teachers training to be QToD |
2 |
| Teaching Assistants (Deaf/Hearing) |
29 |
| Resource Preparation Officer |
1 |
| Resource Preparation Assistant |
1 |
| Qualified Teachers of Visual Impairment (QTVI) |
12 |
| Teachers training to be QTVI |
1 |
| Teaching Assistants (Vision Impaired) |
16 |
If you have any questions on any of the above or need advice, you can contact my team by telephone or e-mail.
Telephone: 0114 273 6410
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Hello there! I'm Wayne Priestley. I am the Communication and Engagement Officer for the Local Offer.
I am wanting to get out and about in schools/nurseries/colleges in the near future to meet parents and SENCOs to get feedback on the new Local Offer website, to see what you and parents would like to see on there. If your school/nursery/college would like to be involved and have me along to meet you and your parents, then please get in touch.
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The Sheffield Directory has improved!
The Sheffield Directory contains useful information for both adults and children. It is also where you will find the Local Offer for families and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
You can find lots of activities in the community, helpful advice and guidance, and how to access local services.
Action for all
Please could you review your Sheffield Directory listing and make any necessary changes. You no longer need a log in to request changes. Simply find your directory entry by searching for it in the search box, once found click on “more details” and select “suggest a change” in the bottom right.
Previously you had to upload all your SEND Local Offer information, now there is an option to include a link to your SEND information on your webpage – please make sure this is added. If you need any help, please contact me by e-mail.
Sheffield Children’s Hospital – Lead Learning Disability Nurse
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Hi, I am Joanne Bowers. I am the new Lead Learning Disability Nurse at Sheffield Children's Hospital. For any advice and support in relation to accessing our services please visit our website.
You can also contact me by telephone or e-mail.
Telephone: 07584 34584
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