What is SEND?

Special Education Needs & Disability Provision

What are Special Educational Needs?

A special educational need can be a number of different things. For example, your child may be having problems with reading, maths or behaviour, which school can help by putting extra support in at school and by working in partnership with yourself. It may also be due to a disability which makes it harder for a child to use the same educational facilities that the school provides for the majority of children. For some children this may be a temporary difficulty, while others may have a long term need for special help.

Children learn and develop in different ways. Teachers recognise this and use different teaching styles, resources and plan different levels of work in the classroom to cater for the various ways children learn. This is called Quality First Teaching and is something schools must provide for all children.  However, many children, at some time in their school life, need extra help.

Who to speak to about SEND?

Mrs R Bickerstaff is the Special Educational Needs Coordinator

Miss K. Fountain is the Assistant Special Educational Needs Coordinator

What to do if I think my child has SEND?

You know your child better than anyone else. If your child is pre-school, don’t wait for their next routine health check – visit your GP and ask for their opinion. If your child attends a pre-school speak to their teacher or key worker.

If your child is already in school (including nursery) talk to their teacher. Ask also to speak to the school’s Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), who organises extra help for children with SEN.

Talk to the teacher/SENCO about:

  • why you think your child has SEN
  • whether your child learns at the same rate as other children their age
  • what the school can do to help
  • what you can do to help

Your child’s teacher and the SENCO will use the SEN Code of Practice to work out whether your child has SEN.

Supporting and Improving Emotional and Social Development
Support for improving emotional and social development is always a priority at St Benedict’s. We have a learning mentor in school who works with children, parents and staff closely to ensure timely and effective support is put in place for any child who needs it, our Learning Mentor is also ELSA trained to support children’s emotional literacy. These sessions are also a valuable opportunity to ensure the voice of the child is at the centre of planning and delivering the most effective provision. Members of staff are trained to deliver the Rainbows Bereavement Support program, more information about this is available from Mrs Noble. Children can also be referred to Sandcastles Play Therapy to support their emotional well-being. Jigsaw PSHE is embedded within the curriculum. This programme offers a mindfulness approach to supporting children with their person, social and health education. St Benedict’s are also working with Headstart South Tees to support children in school with mental health, from this, mental class health champions are allocated and support mental health activities across school.

Admission Arrangements for students with SEND

St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School aims to be a fully inclusive school. In accordance with the Education Act 1996, if a parent wishes to have their child with a Statement/EHC Plan educated in a mainstream school, the Local Authority must provide a place, unless this is incompatible with the efficient education of other children, and there are no reasonable adjustments that can be made to prevent the incompatibility. The Equality Act 2010 prohibits schools from discriminating against disabled children and young people in respect of admissions for a reason related to their disability.