What is the local offer?

The purpose of the local offer is to enable parents, carers and young people to see more clearly what services are available to them in their local area and how to access them. It covers provision for children and young people from birth to 25 and includes information on education, health and social care services.

What does it mean to me?

At Market Field School, our local offer shows what support and services we have throughout the school for children and young people. It extends to other services and links to the local authority local offer, so that our families can see what is available to them in the local area.

Vision

Communication is at the core of everything we do. This is in terms of our communication with families and professionals and the total communication approach we use in school with all pupils.

You can communicate with school in person, by phone, via our class Dojo APP, and by email. On a daily basis, we have a private messaging facility in class Dojo for you to communicate with our class teachers and senior management team. For parents who do not have class Dojo, we will continue to use the communication book.  On starting school, we will show you all our facilities and ensure you see the classroom your child is due to attend. We hold regular parent/carer meetings and organise the annual review meeting of your child's individual needs.

We also complete an SEN information report which is presented to Governors every year to give you information about school and update you on developments over the past school year. A copy of this can be found on the school website.

Our philosophy is that our children and young people come first. It is our job to ensure all our children and young people have the tools to equip them for the next stage of their life, be it transition to a new phase of the primary school, secondary school, college or beyond. We strive to provide an exemplary educational experience for all of our children and young people and to be ‘more than a school’ for our children, young people and their families. We are committed to working in partnership with parents and professionals.

More information on our values and philosophy can be found on our website.

Market Field School is characterised by high expectations for all pupils, regardless of learning difficulty or disability. There is a well-established innovative curriculum informed by careful and thorough assessment that supports personalised learning for each pupil. At the core of the curriculum is an emphasis on the development of communication skills. The personal and social development of pupils underpins every interaction within the school, ensuring that all pupils are treated with dignity and respect. 

Curriculum

EYFS: We are committed to partnership with the local authority, PCT and parents to achieve early intervention and assessment for children. We work closely with local nurseries to ensure early intervention and smooth transition as necessary.

More information about our EYFS curriculum can be found on our curriculum pages.

Primary: We follow the National Curriculum  and sessions are delivered using a cross-curricular approach.  Pupils are assessed using our own learning ladders in the main part of the school and in the Autism Bases. Where pupils join us during the primary phase, we work with their previous school to ensure a smooth transition.

More information about our primary curriculum can be found on our curriculum pages.

Secondary: At Key Stage 3, we follow the National Curriculum and sessions are delivered using a cross-curricular approach.  Pupils are assessed using bespoke learning ladders in the main part of the school and in the Autism Bases. Young people may move to subject specialists for different lessons. At Key Stage 4, pupils follow the requirements of their exam courses, which are mapped against the requirements of the National Curriculum. All lessons are taught by subject specialists.

More information about our secondary curriculum can be found on our curriculum pages.

Facilities:

We have a wide range of specialist rooms in the school including

• Soft Play rooms x 2
• Library
• Sensory Rooms x 2
• ICT facilities in every classroom and laptop trolleys for research-based projects.
• Complex needs facilities for sensory integration
• Gym, which is also used for assemblies.
• The dining room for whole school use, which is also used for smaller gym groups.
• School Nurse/Doctor treatment room and office
• Food Technology room with full disabled access
• Science Room
• Multi-gym facilities with treadmills, exercise bikes, weights and punch bags.
• Art room
• 2 Speech and Language rooms
• Lift access to the first floor.

Transport:

The school is equipped with six 17 seater minibuses as well as a smaller 9 seat MPV. We have minibus drivers within the school who take pupils on a range of class trips. Transport to and from school is arranged by the Local Authority, and we work closely with them to ensure pupils are grouped according to their needs.

Accessibility:

Our school is fully accessible to all and has a linear feel to it. Our primary age children are housed on the ground floor and have access to a sensory room and soft play. Our year 6 and secondary age children are on the first floor. We have a fully maintained lift which ensures access for all children (and adults) within the building.

The school is fully accessible and there are security systems throughout school to maximise safety and pupil independence.

Classrooms: All of our classrooms have Interactive Whiteboard facilities and computer facilities. Most of our classrooms have access to sinks for snack time/washing up. Classes in our primary school have direct access to the toilets, with toilet areas sitting en-suite to the classrooms. Our children in the senior school have access to toilet blocks on their floor which are monitored frequently to ensure they are clean and safe.  

IT: We are equipped with computers in every classroom, additional laptops, tablets, tuff cams, Easi-Speak microphones and other assistive technology.

Staff:

Senior Management: We have a Head of School, a Deputy Head of School and 4 Assistant Headteachers, all of whom have an area of responsibility for an aspect of school development. 

Teachers: We have 37 qualified teachers employed at the school, some of whom have additional management responsibilities. In addition, we have 7 unqualified teachers who are experts in their field and are treated as and referred to as teachers. Some teachers are subject specialists in Science, Art and PE, others have developed specialisms over time. Our teachers are from a variety of backgrounds; primary and secondary. Some teachers have gained additional qualifications in Autism, Makaton, Elklan, BSL and Dyslexia.

Higher Level Teaching Assistants: We have 2 fully qualified higher level teaching assistants who take over teaching responsibilities should a teacher be absent. When they are not being used as cover teachers, they rotate into classes so that they are familiar faces to all pupils.

Learning Support Assistants: There are 115 learning support assistants employed by the school who are based in a named class. Some LSA’s have undertaken additional qualifications in BSL, Elklan, Makaton and Therapeutic Communication.

Admin Team: We have 10 staff on our admin team, all of whom have specific roles. 

Medical Team: The school has a fully qualified nurse.  All training for our medical staff is refreshed frequently. She helps support the rest of the staff with first aid training and medical training to support the individual needs of pupils in their class.

Catering Team: We have 4 staff on our catering team who cook to order in excess of 160 hot meals a day.

Midday Assistants: We currently employ 21 midday assistants to supervise children and young people over the lunch hour. The majority of these also act as Learning Support Assistants and are familiar with the needs of our pupils.

Premises Staff: We employ a site manager as well as an assistant site manager. We have 8 cleaning staff who work between 3 and 6pm.

Bank Staff: We have a small bank of relief LSA’s whom we call in to cover absence elsewhere. Most of these work at the Smile Time holiday club and are familiar with the children and young people. Our bank staff receive the same training as our other Learning Support Assistants.

Health:

Speech Therapist: Our speech and language therapists and assistants work with a variety of children and young people over the week in both individual and group sessions.  Our speech therapists are involved in the Annual Review process and work alongside teaching staff and visiting professionals to ensure needs are best met. 

Medical Team: The school has a fully qualified nurse.  All training for our medical staff is refreshed frequently. She helps support the rest of the staff with first aid training and medical training to support the individual needs of pupils in their class.

Physiotherapist: The school has a visiting physiotherapist who comes to carry out physiotherapy assessments and to make recommendations about exercises which need to be implemented. These are carried out by the school nursing team.

Occupational Therapist: The school has a visiting OT who advises on exercises which need to be implemented or specialist equipment that needs to be ordered.

CAMHS: We have links with CAMHS to ensure pupils have access to the care they require. 

Consultant Paediatrician: A consultant paediatrician carries out medical reviews on all our pupils once a year. This information is shared with the family GP. On occasion, she brings other visiting professionals with her. Parents are invited to this meeting.

Other professionals: Visiting optometrists, audiologists, dieticians, podiatrists and other professionals visit the school as appropriate. 

Leisure:

School Residentials: We offer all our young people in years 6,7,9 and 11 the opportunity to go on a school residential break each year. This is increasingly further afield depending on age - staying within South Suffolk or North Essex for Primary and year 7, Norfolk in year 9 and North Wales for year 11. This offers parents a period of respite and allows our pupils opportunities they may not experience elsewhere. Further information on our school residentials can be found elsewhere on the website.

Duke of Edinburgh: Our students in years 10 and 11 on the Learning to Know pathways are offered the opportunity to participate in their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. This happens on one day a week, in school time, with the year 11 residential incorporating the Bronze Expedition.

Advice: We aim to be a ‘hub’ of knowledge and expertise. We work closely with our visiting professionals to seek advice as requested. Our therapeutic support team have excellent networks with local parenting and support teams. Useful links to advice can be found on our website.

Local Facilities: We publish events run specifically for children and young people with SEND on class Dojo or occasionally by sending leaflets home.

Care:

Emergency Care: We currently have over 20 staff trained in Emergency First Aid, alongside our nurse. Some of our pupils have open-door policies with the local children’s ward. Where this is the case, class teachers have emergency details. Lifesaving medication is kept in school for some of our pupils – this is kept with the school nurse and also in their classroom. An AED device is kept in the front Admin office.

Social Workers: Social Workers are invited to Annual Review meetings and to other meetings as appropriate. Our therapeutic team work closely with families and social workers, often providing a bridge between the two. Further information on Social Care and how to get a Social Worker can be found on the Essex County Council website.

Respite/Direct Payments/Personal Assistants: Whilst some of our staff act as respite carers for our pupils, applications for this need to be made via the social worker.

Transitions:

Admission to Reception: Our EYFS team work closely with the nurseries to ensure that pupils who are named in our intake start transition as early as possible. This may include our EYFS staff attending Annual Review meetings at the nursery, visits by our staff to the nursery setting to observe the child, the child visiting the school and the classroom and finally, the child visiting the school on our moving up day to be with all our new intake.

Entering School: Where a child in the primary phase moves to us during the school year, we make every effort to ensure a smooth transition. If this happens quickly, it is not always possible, but usually it would involve a visit by the new class teacher to the current school to observe, followed by a few afternoon sessions here with the new class and then finally starting full-time.

Class to class: In the summer term, the new teacher will drop in to observe children with their current teacher and, on occasion, to teach sessions. We have a moving up day in July when all our pupils move to their new classes to spend the day with their new teacher. A parents evening in July to allow parents to meet the new teacher.

Entry to school in year 7: We have a year 7 transition teacher who attends as many year 6 annual reviews in primary schools as possible to get to know the pupils' needs. She will also observe the young person in class. The young person will be invited to attend several morning sessions in our current year 7’s before attending the moving up day in July when all our pupils move to their new classes to spend the day with their new teacher. A parents evening is held in July to allow parents to meet the teacher.

16 plus: In years 10 and 11, all of our pupils attend open days at the local colleges. They also attend careers conventions to get an idea of what is out there. In year 11, pupils attend open days again and once their final placement has been chosen, start the transition process which is outlined by the local colleges and special schools with sixth forms. Where time permits, an additional work experience placement may be offered in year 11.

Governance:

The Role of the Board of Governors

Our Board of Governors has three key roles:

• To provide a strategic view of where the school is heading

 This means that we decide what we want the school to achieve and set the framework for getting there.  We achieve this by reviewing policies, setting aims and deciding on priorities for improvement to be included in the School Improvement Plan.  We take advice on all of this from the head teacher but then make our own decisions.

• To act as a critical friend to the school

 As a critical friend, we offer support, constructive advice, a sounding board for ideas, a second opinion on proposals and help where needed.  We also challenge, ask questions, seek information, improve proposals and seek to arrive at the best solution for all concerned.

• To hold the school to account for the educational standards it achieves and the quality of the education it provides.

Setting targets for the school to achieve in light of national and local priorities lies at the heart of this aspect of our role. We also systematically monitor and formally evaluate the outcomes.

Procedures

We do not intervene in the day-to-day running of the school.  Our responsibilities are exercised in partnership with the Headteacher and the staff of the school.

Further information about who we are and what we do can be found on the website.

Assessment:

EHC Plans:

All pupils/students attending Market Field School have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). 

Curriculum reports:

We publish curriculum reports once a year for our pupils. For the Primary school and Key Stage 3, these are published in the Summer term and parents/carers are invited to a parents evening after this to discuss the report.

At Key Stage 4, reports are published in the spring term. This is to ensure our pupils have the opportunity to respond to their predicted grades and have all the information they need to make college applications. Again, parents/carers are invited to a parents' evening after the publication of the report to discuss the content.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress throughout the year. All of our teaching staff can be contacted via telephone message to the main reception, through the home/school communication books or through the Dojo App.

Annual Reviews:

Annual Reviews of EHCP’s are held at school at the end of the school day throughout the year (usually on a Monday or a Thursday). These will usually be chaired by the class teacher/form tutor, but there may be additional representation from Speech and Language, Therapeutic Support, Medical team or Senior Management.

Annual Reviews in the Autumn term are usually for our year 11 pupils, to enable applications to post 16 provision to happen in a timely fashion. Representation from Transitions Pathways attends all year 11 and year 9 reviews and as many year 10 ones as possible.

Other professionals:

Other professionals may also conduct assessments as necessary. This may include but is not exclusive to educational Psychologists, Speech Therapists, specialist teachers and medical professionals. We aim to keep parents and carers informed of these assessments as and when they happen.

Frequently asked questions:

How will Market Field School support my child with special needs?

Every child who comes to Market Field School has an Education, Health and Care plan which provides a full assessment of your child's special needs.

Market Field School staff will talk to you about these assessments and ensure that we plan for your child or young person's needs with that information. We also do home visits, liaise with any professionals that have worked or assessed your child and observe your child in any previous setting or at home. All this planning helps us to know your child or young person's interests and dislikes, your views and family needs, and then we can set up support in the classroom and in liaison with yourselves.

How will my child get access to the curriculum? How would you support their learning?

All our children and young people have full access to the curriculum. Our planning is personalised to ensure that all pupils have full access and experience success in their learning.

Access to the curriculum is also supported through the use of specific resources and IT equipment.

How will the school inform me of my child’s progress, and who should I approach for information regarding their learning?

You are able to speak to your child's teacher about what your child is doing at school; we use Class Dojo, home school books, phone and email contact, parents/teacher evenings and annual reviews.

Do the teaching staff and support staff have all the necessary training?

All staff in Market Field School are qualified and trained to the appropriate level they are employed at. Every member of staff who joins the school undergoes a further comprehensive induction training programme which includes:

- Safeguarding
- Therapeutic Thinking (formerly Essex Steps)

All training is updated on a regular basis. Observations of staff ensure that the knowledge and skills are implemented in the classroom. 

At Market Field, we believe that training should be ongoing to ensure high standards are maintained for all our children and young people. We have five specific development days across the year, meaning training can be kept updated and refreshed. We also have regular meetings which cover further areas such as changes in the curriculum, new research or input from outside professionals.

Does the school provide training and courses for parents/carers to support the education and care for the children?

We will put parents and carers in touch with providers who may be able to help. Should the need be great enough for a course such as Makaton, we would endeavour to provide it in house.