At ESMS Junior School, a staged intervention system is used as a means of identification, assessment, planning, recording and review to meet the learning needs of our children.
Staged intervention:
- provides a solution-focused approach to meeting needs at the earliest opportunity and with the least intrusive level of intervention
- involves the child, parents/carers, school staff and, at some levels, other professionals, all working in partnership to get it right for every child.
Staged intervention is designed to be flexible and allows for movement between stages depending on progress. Children can benefit from additional or targeted support, tailored to their individual circumstances at any point on their learning journey.
This targeted support is any focused support that children or young people may require for short or longer periods of time, in order to help them overcome barriers to learning or to ensure progress in learning.
Parents will always be involved in discussions about their child’s needs, how support is being provided and whether any further assessments are needed.
We have 4 stages of intervention at ESMS Junior School:
Stage 0 - Quality First Teaching and Universal Support
Universal support starts with the ethos, climate and relationships within our Junior School. It is the responsibility of all our staff to take a child-centred approach that promotes and supports wellbeing, inclusion, equality and fairness. The majority of our children’s needs are met through universal support.
Stage 1 - Early intervention
School staff are aware that a child may need some intervention to get the most from their learning. When a child or young person may require some early intervention, this is initially the responsibility of the classroom teacher – for example a teacher may adapt how a lesson is taught or provide a visual timetables to help a child cope with changes happening throughout the day.
SfL staff often provide advice and resources to Class Teachers at this stage and record and stage one interventions on the SfL Monitor notes for the relevant class. This information is also handed over at transition time to the child's new class teacher.
Stage 2 - Additional Support
A child may be moved to Stage 2 if staff believe they may need additional support. Examples of support at this stage include extra help from a Support for Learning Teacher inside or outside of the classroom or taking part in a targeted programme (for example RWI Fast Track Tutoring) to help with literacy. Children who need help to cope with the classroom environment may have help at certain points of the day from a teaching assistant or have strategies put in place such as time-out or a quiet space.
A child will likely have a Record of Support form opened at this stage, and parents and carers will be involved in planning how the school will meet their child’s needs.
Stage 3 - Enhanced Support
A child may be moved to Stage 3 if more detailed planning is required to meet their needs or they require input from one or more agencies out with school. This might include speech and language therapists, occupational health workers, social workers, CAMHS or private consultants.
A Child Planning Meeting led by a Lead Professional will likely be arranged, which involves parents and everyone who supports the child making an action plan for next steps to best meet the child’s needs. The Lead Professional will likely be Mrs Fiona Keir, Head of SfL. The LP role can depend on the child's needs and/or previous communications and can also sometimes be a member of the JSLT, such as Mrs Jill Roxburgh, Mr Martin Harkins or Mr Chris Watson.
An Assessment of Need and GIRFEC paperwork, including a plan of action will be opened at this stage.
Stage 4 - Intensive Support
Stage 4 is for children with the most complex needs. Children placed at stage 4 usually need an extensive range of interventions or support and require a high level of planning to meet their needs.