At Vale View School we understand that family life can sometimes be difficult and complicated.  From time to time there may be situations where you need extra help and support.  To support our families we provide an early help offer; this means that we can be more effective in preventing problems from affecting a child's ability to learn, thrive and be successful.  

At Vale View we are committed to working in partnership with children, parents and carers to identify concerns early.  Together we explore what support may be helpful and work collaboratively to ensure that all children can thrive both in school and at home.

Below are some examples of the early help that we can offer at school to support children, their parents and carers:

Family Support

Parents are able to seek support in the first instance via Mrs Jenkins in the school office.  This could include support with school meals, uniform, shoe vouchers, school-related paperwork and food bank referrals.  Mrs Jenkins can also sign post parents to other local sources of support.  

Attendance Support

Parents are welcome to contact a member of our attendance team to discuss concerns around their child’s attendance.  Advice can be provided around how the school can support attendance concerns through referrals to outside agencies or other forms of support.  This can include how to support families where children may be at risk of 'emotionally-based school avoidance'.  

Class Teacher and Teaching Assistants

Parents are able to contact their child’s class teacher via email; they are the first point of contact for any worries or concerns.  Teachers also provide a welcome meeting in term 1, and there are 3 scheduled parent meetings per year.  Individual meetings can be arranged via email or a telephone call to the school office.

Pastoral Support Mentor

Our PSM is available at the start of the day for parents to share messages and concerns or for children who need an initial ‘check-in’.  Mrs Biles is also a trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA).  She can make assessments of children’s social and emotional readiness for learning, then recommend whole-class approaches, small groups and individual provision that can be planned and delivered to support children.

Club Offer

We provide a programme of free clubs for children to attend after school.  Our clubs offer is revised six times per year to ensure that they are responsive to children’s needs and interests.  The clubs seek to support the development of children's social skills and offer experiences beyond the National Curriculum.  The school also offers breakfast and wrap-around care after the school day has finished.  Breakfast club is held at Priory Fields School where members of Vale View staff then walk children back to Vale View for the start of the school day.  Wrap-around care is provided at St Martins school through an external provider called Tiger Club.  

Outside Agencies

Referrals can be made to our school nursing team either for physical or emotional needs.  We can also support with making referrals to other external services, including Family Help.