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SEND Local Offer
School Local Offer
What does Fortuna offer children with Special Educational Need?
Fortuna school is a primary special school for children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties (E.B.D). The school is in Lincoln and was opened in 2003. Fortuna is the only E.B.D primary school in Lincolnshire and currently has 67 children on roll, between the ages of 5 and 11.
Fortuna school is proud of its nurturing ethos. Through our principals and practice we aim to provide children with essential early experiences to support their academic, social and emotional development.
We aim to enable children to gain the understanding and strategies required in order to turn around difficult behaviour that hinders their chances of success.
Values:
- We value the importance of early nurturing experiences as a foundation for all future learning.
- We value the expectation that behaviour can change and children can be supported to make the right choices for their own future well being.
- We value unconditional acceptance of the child as paramount in enhancing their feelings of self worth therefore enabling them to reach their full potential.
Aims:
- To work with the child’s primary carers in helping to effect appropriate adjustments in order to meet the educational, emotional, health and social needs of the “whole child”.
- To provide a broad and balanced curriculum appropriate to the individual needs of the child.
- To provide the children with early life experiences through play ensuring a secure developmental base for future learning.
What specialist expertise and facilities does Fortuna have?
All the staff at Fortuna are highly skilled in working with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The staff team consists of the Senior Management Team (S.M.T), 7 teachers and 17 Teaching Assistants. In addition to this we have a Child and Family Office and a Play therapist. All staff are trained in the use of Team Teach, with two of our Teaching Assistants being qualified trainers.
Fortuna offers an after school club to pupils which gives the children access to a variety of experiences and activities.
How will Fortuna allocate the specialist expertise and personalized support?
Children are taught in classes of between 8 and 10 pupils with a teacher and two teaching assistants per class. Class groups are carefully considered by the SMT, thinking about each individual child’s emotional development level, educational levels, previous school experiences, friendships and relationships.
Each child has an Education, Health Care Plan and where appropriate an Individual Education Plan.
Additional support by specialists such as the Speech and Language service, Occupational health and Educational Psychologist are accessed by referrals made by the schools Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator (SENCO).
Support from the schools play therapist is considered on an individual basis, dependent upon the need of the child and their ability to access the therapy.
Who provides the provision and support for your child?
Class teachers are responsible for planning the child’s day to day educational curriculum and personal and social development, ensuring that they are meeting the objectives from the National Curriculum and the child’s individual statement objectives. Pupils are assessed on a termly basis and the Assessment Co-ordinator and SMT monitor their progress.
Each child has an annual review, at which all agencies involved with the child are invited to. This review assesses the progress the child has made over the year against their special educational needs statement objectives.
The play therapist works closely with the parents and carers of the children she is involved with, giving regular feedback. She also feeds back any relevant information to class teams, ensuring that the whole process of play therapy is a cycle and continuous.
What support will there be to ensure your child’s emotional health and well-being?
At Fortuna educational activities are interspersed with essential play and Personal, Health, Social Education (PHSE) activities to ensure essential ‘building blocks’ for the child’s development are in place.
At Fortuna we work closely with primary carers to ensure that they are fully involved in their child’s education and well being. We have a strong emphasis on home and school working together to make holistic change. To establish continuity between home and school the child and family officer works with both the child and care givers.
Fortuna are committed to ensuring all of their pupils attend school on a regular basis and therefore work closely with parents and carers to enable this to happen. This can on occasions mean that school staff will support the child with the transition from home to school.
Who will be involved in delivering, monitoring and reviewing your child’s educational, health and care plan?
All staff and professionals involved with the child are responsible for delivering the child’s educational, health and care plan.
Staff within the child’s class will regularly monitor the child’s progress and feedback to the Senco and SMT.
The Senco and SMT will review the child’s plan and discuss this with parents and carers.
How will your child be involved in their education, health and care plan?
At Fortuna we feel that the child’s views on their progress are paramount in them making future success. Staffs who work closely with the child will endeavor to relate the child’s views and opinions at review meetings and where appropriate the child will be invited to meet with the Senco to share their thoughts.
How will the curriculum be matched to meet the needs of my child?
At Fortuna children follow the National Curriculum, which is differentiated to their level and need. We provide an immersive approach, which stimulates and engages children using the environment, the senses, ICT, WOW days, educational visits and visitors. Teachers start with the children and look at how engagement can be built on, and then design learning activities, with the national curriculum requirements to meet these interests.
Alongside the National Curriculum teachers plan a variety of play and PHSE activities and opportunities to meet the emotional needs of the individual. These are carefully matched to the child, giving them the strategies, skills and support for them to make positive changes in their behaviour.
Fortuna has a strong nurture ethos and a belief that children thrive when they have strong boundaries and routines. All of the staff are trained in the principals of nurture. Child development and play are always key areas for staff professional development training and this training is used throughout the school.
All staff use the same principals of establishing strong boundaries and routines throughout the school, which ensures that the children feel safe and secure.
What opportunities will there be for you to discuss your child’s attainment and achievement?
At Fortuna we believe that the link between home and school should be a strong one. Fortuna has an open door policy for parents. We are in regular contact with parents and carers through telephone calls and home/school diaries.
Every child has a review of their Education and Health Care Plan annually, where their progress is discussed and reviewed against their statement objectives. Parents and carers also receive an annual report.
How will your child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
At Fortuna we believe that all children should be included in educational visits as these enhance the child’s learning experiences. Children all have individual risk assessments with potential behaviours identified and each individual trip or visit has its own risk assessment.
Through Fortuna’s extended day provision we strive to provide the children with new experiences within school and in the community. We aim to provide them with life skills to deal with unfamiliar situations whilst developing their capacity to have fun and enjoy themselves!
How will Fortuna prepare and support your child to join the school?
Initially you and your child will be invited to look around our school and to come for an interview. The interview process is simply an opportunity for parents and carers to share any information regarding the child with school. The child will then attend on an induction programme, usually for two weeks, attending for a few hours a day working towards full time schooling.
How will Fortuna prepare and support your child to transfer to a new setting?
At Fortuna we offer children the opportunity of reintegration into a mainstream setting. This happens when the child, school and home feel they have the skills necessary to undertake this and manage it. The child has an individualised programme tailored to meet their needs and develops over a period of time.
Fortuna works closely with all secondary settings to ensure that the child’s transfer to their new school is a smooth one. School staff support the children every step of the way.
How can I be involved in supporting my child?
Parents and carers can support their child through communication with school, creating those solid home/school links.
They can support through the completion of home work tasks and reading.
How can I access support for myself and my family?
Fortuna school will offer as much support as possible to you and your family. The child and family officer and SMT are always available either through telephone calls, meetings or home visits.
We will also offer advice on where to seek help and support from outside agencies where appropriate.