Provision for children with Special Educational Needs and/ or Disabilities (SEND) at Greatstone Primary School
At Greatstone Primary School we strive to provide a high quality education to all children enabling them to achieve their full potential. We believe that all children, including those identified as having special educational needs or a disability, are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum and to be fully included in all aspects of school life. We endeavour to promote an inclusive and nurturing ethos, promoting a sense of belonging and community, ensuring all children feel safe, secure and loved on a daily basis, with both their academic and social and emotional needs being met. In order to achieve this, we aim to respond to, and support, learners in ways that take account of their learning needs and varied life experiences. We believe that an inclusive education for all is about promoting equal opportunities for all learners, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, impairment, attainment and background.
We strive to develop strong working relationships with parents and professionals to ensure that an individual’s Special Educational Needs and/ or Disability is met, enabling them to flourish. We strive to work collaboratively with both our parents and our children to ensure that the appropriate provision that an individual requires is personalised to their needs and that the child’s future aspirations and best interests are at the centre of each decision.
Inclusion Team:
Who can I talk to if I am worried about my child’s development and/ or learning?
At Greatstone Primary School we have our Inclusion Team, which consists of 3 staff members and combines both the Pastoral and Inclusion teams. This team consists of Louise Summers (Inclusion Director and DSL), Hannah Ferris (Safeguarding and Pastoral Director) and Elaine Warne (Family Liaison Officer). If you have any concerns regarding your child’s needs or you would like to discuss the provision for your child, you can either speak to your child’s Class Teacher or a member of the Inclusion team. You can either call the school office on 01797 363916 or send an email to the appropriate person.
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Louise Summers Inclusion Director for rep | Hannah Ferris Safeguarding and Pastoral Director | Elaine Warne Family Liaison Officer (FLO) |
The SEND Code of Practice:
The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice provides schools and local authorities with statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to The Children and Families Act 2014. The code, which came into force on 1st September 2014, explains the duties of schools and colleges to provide reasonable adjustments, auxiliary aids, services and support for children and young people with SEN and disabilities.
The New SEN Code of Practice:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
The SEND Strategy
The aim of the SEND strategy is to improve the educational, health and emotional wellbeing outcomes for all of Kent’s children and young people with special educational needs and those who are disabled. This strategy incorporates the Accessibility Strategy (under paragraph 1 schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2012).
The Local Offer/ The SEND Information Hub:
The Children and Families Act 2014 requires the Local Authority and schools to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25.
The Local Authority refer to this as the ‘Local Offer’. The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. It will help parents and young people to understand the range of services and provision in the local area and contribute to a more equal partnership in planning for the needs of children with SEND. Follow the link below for more details:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs
The Mainstream Core Standards:
The Mainstream Core Standards is provision that the local area expects to be made available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities attending mainstream schools. Below are two documents that have been produced to support schools, professionals and families with implementing the expected provision for children and young people identified as having a special educational need and/or disability.
SEN Mainstream Core Standards – guide for parents
Policies:
SEND Policies / SEND Information Report:
Our Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Policy and Information Sharing Report is regularly updated and sets out our school’s systems for identification, assessment, monitoring, reviewing and evaluation of Special Educational Needs provision for children with SEND. Schools utilise the Local Offer to determine how they will meet the needs of SEND pupils in accordance with the school policy and the provision available within that particular school. Information detailing the school’s approach to supporting children with SEND is detailed in the SEND information report/policy. The policy was developed to comply with the revised Code of Practice and through consultation with parents/carers, staff and representatives from the governing body.
Link to SEND Policy click here
Accessibility Policy:
Our accessibility policy is reviewed every three years. We have identified key aims to improve the accessibility for key learners at Greatstone Primary School. These aims will be reviewed annually in line with the School Strategic Improvement Plan.
Link to Accessibility Policy here
Useful Websites:
Listed below are some websites that you may find useful and informative:
SEND Guide for Parents and Carers (DfE, 2014)
Information, Advice and Support Kent (IASK) – offers confidential and impartial information, advice and support to children, young people and their families.
Kent Autistic Trust – a free service providing information, advice, support and training to individuals, families, caters and professionals affected by ASC across Kent and Medway.
Includes Us 2 – is a charity that provides information, advice, support and social events for disabled children and their families.
Speech Link Parent Portal – a parent support site for children with speech and language difficulties.