How We Support SEN
Witton-le-Wear Primary School prides itself in being very inclusive and will endeavour to support every child regardless of their level of need. All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented.
To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum there are some actions 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 SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
- Ensure that all children with SEND 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.
Teaching Styles
At Witton-le-Wear Primary School we have a small team of teachers and classroom assistants who work closely to respond to the individual needs of children. They have a breadth of experience in supporting children with a wide range of needs. Training is constantly reviewed and updated to ensure that the knowlegde and skills of our team matches the needs of the children we have in school with additional training being arranged when and where required. This ensures that teaching styles and methods are appropriate and up to date, enabling all of our children including SEND children to have maximum access to all areas of our curriculum.
In addition, all school staff receive specialist support and training when there is a perceived need e.g. strategies to use when supporting a child with additional needs. as a team, we continually support each other and share expertise to ensure our teaching approaches and styles can be adapted appropriately so that all children reach their full potential.
Children with SEND are supported in a variety of ways – through one to one support, group activities or whole class activities. Teachers and support staff continually review and revise how everyday activities and experiences within the curriculum can be adjusted and targetted to ensure that individual children are fully involved at an appropriate level.
Monitoring progress of children with SEND
In our small village primary school, we have ongoing formal and informal systems in place for all individual children to ensure that progress is monitored closely. SEND children are observed closely and information gained is used to tailor the curriculum to meet the interests of each child, using methods of delivery that are appropriate to their needs. Close partnerships with parents are very much an integral part of this process. If areas for development for become evident, the SENCO will organise staff training to enable them to provide a curriculum that ensures equality and diversity for all.
Types of SEND at the School
At Witton-le-Wear Primary School , we have experience of supporting children and young people with a wide range of need.
The school provides data on the levels and types of need to the Local Authority. This is collected through the school census.
Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum
At Witton-le-Wear Primary school we believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The Curriculum is all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development.
It includes not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum, but also the range of additional opportunities that the school organises in order to enrich the experiences of our children. Our curriculum also includes the social aspects that are essential for life-long learning.
As part of this approach, we are taking part in a project run in conjunction with the Mental Heath Trailblazer Team. This whole programme is divided to offer support, guidance and intervention to both teachers and children as and when the need arises. This will take the form of:
- consultation, advice, support for staff
- supporting and developing whole school approaches to mental health
- using evidence based interventions to aid the mental heath process, both with individuals and targeted groups.
Initially this project is running through 2020/21
You can view or download our Teaching and Learning Policy from the School Policies section of our website.
Please visit Our Curriculum section for further information on our teaching and learning.
How we identify and assess children with special educational needs
Most children and young people will have their special educational needs met in mainstream schools through good classroom practice. This is called Quality First Teaching.
At Witton-le-Wear Primary School we follow a graduated support approach which is called “Assess, Plan, Do, Review”. This means that we will:
- Assess a child’s special educational needs
- Plan the provision to meet your child’s aspirations and agreed outcomes
- Do put the provision in place to meet those outcomes
- Review the support and progress
As part of this approach, we will produce a SEN Support Plan that describes the provision that we will make to meet a child’s special educational needs and agreed outcomes. Parents and carers will be fully involved in this process.
A small percentage of children and young people with significant learning difficulties might need an assessment that could lead to an Education, Health and Care Plan. Full details can be found on the Durham SEND Information, Advice and Support Service website.
You can find details of how we adapt the curriculum and make it more accessible for pupils with SEN below:
Staffing and Specialist Qualifications/Expertise
Mrs Sophie Foster is our Special Educational Needs Coordinator. She liaises closely with school staff and external agencies. We work closely with parents and pupils through all stages of the SEND process.
