Updated September 2023
Children learn and develop in different ways and may need extra help and support at various points throughout their time at school. Some children, at some time in their school life might have additional or different needs and it may be that they will be on our SEN register for a short period or a long period of time. However, children’s needs will be frequently reassessed regularly in order to ensure that the provision is suitable and supports every child’s development.
Our SENCO, working alongside class teachers, oversees all SEN provision, different approaches to teaching and monitors progress of any child requiring additional support across the school. The class teacher will oversee, plan and work with each child with SEND in their class to ensure that progress in every area is made. This is Quality First Teaching and is where the work is highly differentiated and suits the needs of all children, it comes in the form of a lesson rather than an intervention programme. Alongside Quality First Teaching, that your child will receive in lessons, there may be a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) working with your child, either individually or as part of a group, if this is seen as necessary by the class teacher. This means that children may be taken out of the classroom for these sessions but they will continue to work on the same areas as the rest of the children in their class which ensures that they can go back into the classroom with a smooth transition. The regularity of these sessions will be explained to parents when the support starts and identified on SEN Support Plans.
To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum and learning environment there are some actions and adaptations we may take to achieve this:
- Ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school activities.
- Help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have.
- Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs.
- Pupils to gain in confidence and improve their self-esteem.
- To work in partnership with parents/ carers, pupils and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs and disabilities.
- To identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional)
- To make suitable provision for children with SEN to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
- Ensure that all children with SEN are fully included in all activities of the school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement.
- To promote self-worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels.
- To give every child the entitlement to a sense of achievement.
- To regularly review the policy and practice in order to achieve best practice.
The provision for pupils with SEN across the four Broad Areas Of Need may include some of the following interventions;
Communication and interaction – Speech and language programmes, Speech and Language Link, Listening Skills and Lego Therapy. We also work with the County Durham Autism Spectrum Communication Team.
Cognition and learning – Magical Spelling, guided reading and writing, Auditory and Visual Memory Skills, Visual Perception and Visual Discrimination.
Social, Emotional and Health Difficulties – Talkabout is used to help pupils with their social skills. We have a PSA (Parent Support Advisor) and Learning Mentor to support pupils and their families in school and we can also refer pupils to a councillor.
Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties – For Gross Motor Skills interventions we use the Early Years Movement (DCC Programme) and Move It! (DCC Programme). For Fine Motor Skills we use Frostig, Write from the Start TR books, Speed Up! and Cutting Skills.
Children that are receiving additional support and intervention programmes have a SEN Support Plan. Parents are invited into school to review and discuss support and progress with staff every term. The children also meet with their teacher and discuss their support plan and are asked what they feel helps them to make progress.
More details on how we adapt information, our environment and curriculum can be found in the School Policies section of our website.
How are the Governors involved and what is their responsibility?
Governors are kept up to date on the progress of SEN children. Individual children are not named in this instance and confidentiality is maintained at all times. One of the Governors is responsible for SEN and they liaise with the Head Teacher and SENCO, they also discuss the funding arrangements of staff and resources for SEND children. The Governors agree priorities for spending within the SEN budget with the overall aim that all children receive the support they need in order to make progress.
