Outreach Services

Introducing the Larwood Outreach Service

The service is delivered to mainstream primary pupils in Reception, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 within the DSPL 2 area (Stevenage).

Our Outreach team is led by Stuart Jacobs – a serving practitioner here at Larwood who has worked previously in mainstream, as well as working alongside the Deputy Headteacher at Larwood with various behaviour related projects. The team is continually evolving and growing to ensure we meet the needs of the area.

Pupil focused support.
Supporting the development of effective behaviour management strategies.
Guidance for creation, implementation and review of behaviour support plans.
Creating, and supporting staff to create, resources to support learning.
Strategies to assist with inclusion.
Advice on differentiation and curriculum development.
Facilitate discussion with parents and other professionals for additional support.
Discussion to generate, implement and review ideas and strategies.

Services on Offer

We currently offer 3 main types of support

for mainstream schools

Pupil Focused Support: Support and advice directed at a specific pupil.
Phase support: Support and advice for a class, cohort, or phase.
In-reach: An opportunity for mainstream staff to spend time at Larwood.

Pupil Focused Support

Supporting the development of effective behaviour management strategies.
Guidance for creation, implementation and review of behaviour support plans.
Creating, and supporting staff to create, resources to support learning.
Strategies to assist with inclusion.
Advice on differentiation and curriculum development.
Facilitate discussion with parents and other professionals for additional support.
Discussion to generate, implement and review ideas and strategies.

Phase Support

Support for 3 weeks rather than the current 5-week format for individuals, enabling it to run after a panel and conclusions to be made ahead of the next one.
The support will look to identify behaviour patterns, triggers, incidents, rewards and consequences currently used, interventions in place, as well as any potential timetable concerns.
If after one block of 3 weeks there are individuals that require more bespoke and tailored support, they would move on to the individual tier 3 caseload if agreed by the behaviour board at the following panel.
Morning or afternoon session in the phase with time dedicated to discussion with the SENCO, phase/year group lead, class teachers and teaching assistants where appropriate.
Observations at varying points of the morning or afternoon session would take place and strategies would be fed back on a weekly basis with an expectation that these are trialled ahead of the visit the following week.
There will be the opportunity to discuss individual children and needs throughout the support, but the phase approach would look to identify any underlying issues and offer potential solutions that may result in a reduced need for individual tier 3 referrals.

The Outreach programme reached out to a record number of schools and pupils during
the past academic year. The outreach team carried out over 930 observation visits
supporting 26 schools across Stevenage and over 100 pupils.

“I would like to say how much we have appreciated the services' support over this academic year. Your help in supporting them to survive and even thrive in a mainstream environment has been invaluable. They have all benefited tremendously from being part of the programme.

I would like to particularly comment on how supportive it has been to have Larwood staff meeting with parents, that has been a super help and support both to school and the families.

I am particularly grateful for how flexible you all are to revisit previous children and to always be just a phone call away for all those random bits of emergency advice we all need from time to time.

I do hope you will continue to grow and develop your staffing for this service, I'm not sure how we would all be managing in mainstream without Larwood Outreach being part of the Local Offer!

I look forward to working with you all in the future to support our young people and their families.”

(Evaluation feedback from Round Diamond school)

Outreach	Year 7
Children Supported	108	Increase 44 pupils
Ages Supported	All
Schools Supported	26	Increased by 4
Visits Conducted	938	Increased by 443
Monitoring Visits	19	Increased by 11
Attendance Increase	82%	Increased by 3%
Timetable Increase	89%	Increased by 3%
Increased T/T or Full	89%
Fixed Term Exclusions	84	Down by 4
Permanent Exclusions	2	Same
Phase Visits	7	Increase of 3

In-Reach

Visits to Larwood school to:

Observe general practice or specific strategies.
Share ideas and resources.
Undertake Larwood in-reach training courses.

How do I make a referral?

Complete both the Tier 3 Outreach Referral Forms. These can be obtained from the school office or are downloadable below in WORD format. School focused or pupil focused referrals can be submitted on the same form.

Post them to: Outreach, Larwood School, Webb Rise, Stevenage, SG1 5QU.

Email them to: outreach@larwood.herts.sch.uk for data protection reasons, these must be sent password protected.

For a pupil focused referral, the forms must be signed by parents.

You will receive a confirmation email when your referral has been received and a member of the team will be in touch when support is available.

For further information, or to make a referral, please telephone the school office on: 01438 236333 or email: outreach@larwood.herts.sch.uk

Behaviour Panels

These panels take place monthly

Attended by:

DSPL2 Lead
Larwood Headteacher
Outreach Lead
Provision Lead
DSPL2 Manager
Tier 2 Hub Head Teacher
DSPL2 Headteacher
ISL Area Manager Lead Practitioner (5–25)
Behaviour Steering Group
Integration and In-Year Manager and SEN Officer

Minutes to be recorded

Higher quality discussion, sharing of information and handover where necessary

Chronology:

Referral
Panel - Outcome
Initial discussion
Observation
Strategies
Implementation
Feedback
Review
Re-refer/Monitor

Outreach Tiers Overview Tier 1 - Universal Provision

Intended outcome: The Class Teacher and staff will use strategies within the classroom and for the playground in order to enable the child to function successfully during the school day.

What should Tier 1 look like?

All primary schools will identify a named Behaviour Lead.
The Behaviour and Mental Health Champion is an experienced member of staff – qualified teacher or HLTA, SENCO.
The Behaviour Lead will support their colleagues with observation, advice, and strategies. They will review progress and keep records.
All primary schools will have a clear behaviour policy, provide induction for stakeholders, have a clear communication system between home and school, train staff in de-escalation, provide in-house support and CPD, and offer pastoral and family support work.
It is expected that the leadership of the school will support new staff with general behaviour management strategies.
The Behaviour and Mental Health Champion will observe and record any support/interventions to inform future referrals.

Evidence Expected from schools

Behaviour management plans.
Individualised planning – reasonable adjustments made.
Evidence of strategies used and impact, including strategies that did not work.
Engagement with parents and carers.
Engagement with external professionals.
Clear chronology and records kept.
Clear baseline assessment of needs – SDQs, Boxall, etc.

Tier 2 - Behaviour Partnerships (Hub Schools)

Intended Outcome: To share and develop good practice in behaviour management and self-regulation.

What happens at Tier 2?

One of the four DSPL2 Hub schools will offer support and strategies.
Hub schools are not experts but have a broad range of experience and strategies to support appropriate behaviour in the classroom and playground, and have supported within their own school.
Support can be either systemic across the whole school/year group or individual for one child.

Support may include:

Generic support and behaviour advice for teachers, TAs, and MSAs.
Reviewing policy and current practice.
Resources to support positive behaviour.
Visits to the hub school.
Basic training for MSAs and LSAs.
Peer observations.

How to access?

Prior to making a referral for Tier 3 support, schools must have completed the following:
Professional/external agency advice.
Begun to collate EHCP evidence or have an application in process.
Whole-school approach to de-escalation – shown clear engagement with families.

Tier 3 - Larwood Outreach

Intended Outcome: For more children to remain in mainstream schools receiving the education they need to overcome their difficulties.

Support in Tier 2 needs to be in place in order to receive support from Tier 3:

Supporting the development of effective behaviour management strategies.
Guidance for creation, implementation and review of behaviour support plans.
Creating, and supporting staff to create, resources to support learning.
Strategies to assist with inclusion.
Advice on differentiation and curriculum development.
Facilitate discussion with parents and other professionals for additional support.
Discussion to generate, implement and review ideas and strategies.

What is expected from schools?

Effective communication is the key to a positive outcome for all.
Teachers need to be given time to meet with the Outreach provider and commit to the agreed strategies.
We work on an ‘Assess – Plan – Do – Review’ format to measure impact and effectiveness.
All weekly visits are written up and emailed out within 48 hours of the visit taking place.
Evidence Tier 1 and 2.
Complete Tier 3 checklist.
Complete Tier 3 referral.
For a pupil-focused referral, the forms must be signed by parents.

Please Note:

Prior to making a referral for Tier 3 support, schools must have completed the following:
Professional/external agency advice.
Begun to collate EHCP evidence or have an application in process.
Whole-school approach to de-escalation.
Shown clear engagement with families.

Tier 4 - The Willow Centre

Intended Outcome: A therapeutic intervention programme designed to help children be successful in their mainstream school.

What does Tier 4 provision look like?

A short-term intervention for a maximum of 16 weeks designed to enable children to develop some of the skills they need to succeed in a mainstream setting.
The Willow Centre provides a therapeutic learning environment and a curriculum which is tailored to meet the needs of each individual child.
Tier 4 is a partnership intervention with schools; staff at The Willow Centre will work collaboratively with schools to support the child and develop the provision in place for them.