SEND

SEND stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The Code of Practice states that:

A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability, which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age
• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions

If your child is registered as having SEN this does not mean that they are not academically able. There are a range of SENDs that can be supported in different ways in school.

If we feel that your child needs extra support with their learning and there is a special educational need or disability, your child’s class teacher will contact you. You will be involved in the discussion around whether you consent to this and will be asked to sign a registration form. You will also be asked some basic question around your child’s health and development, which will support our understanding of your child’s needs. Once your child is registered as having SEND they will receive enhanced support at school which can come in many different forms.

If you have any concerns around your child’s learning and development please speak to their class teacher. If you have any outside agency involvement with your child (e.g. GP, paediatrics, speech and language, health visitor) please let your child’s class teacher know and they will be able to advise you on our next steps as a school. This may mean that the school SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator) Miss Begley will speak with you to discuss how we can support you and your child.

No. Your child can be de-registered at any time. If your child’s class teacher feels that your child has made significant progress and no longer requires extra support we will discuss removing them from the SEND register with you.

There are four categories of special educational needs and disabilities.

Cognition and Learning – this refers to the thinking skills and thought processes that a child has acquired. Learning needs can differ between subjects and situations.

Communication and Interaction – this refers to speech, language and communicating. This can also include Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other diagnosed conditions.

Sensory and Physical – this can include hearing loss/impairment, visual impairment, sensory processing difficulties and physical difficulties. There is a variety of reasons for these needs including congenital conditions, injury or disease.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health – this is a broad term which refers to the social interactions, emotional well-being and mental health of pupils.

At Village Primary School we endeavour to deliver first high quality teaching and learning for all our pupils. If your child is registered as having SEND your child will receive support in school. This usually involves extra intervention work from both teachers and teaching assistants, highly differentiated resources and work or support from outside agencies such as speech and language support.

If your child requires more targeted and specialist support they may receive Higher Needs Funding (HNF). This is applied for by Village Primary School and you will be contacted by the class teacher and SENDCO if we feel that your child would benefit from this.

The next level of support is for your child to have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This is a legal document which stays with the child until they are 18. It is reviewed annually and ensures that children with higher needs are receiving the correct support from all agencies.

All SEND children will have an Individual Educational Plan (IEP), which details the need for support, support provided, targets and progress. Parents and carers are involved in the target making and RAG rating process and we value your support with this. IEP’s are discussed during parent consultation week and when necessary throughout the year.

Stockton Borough Council provides a Local Offer which can be used to find support. They also offer the SENDIASS service, which provide support and advice for parents of children with SEND.

Local Offer

The class teacher is the first point of contact to discuss your child’s needs. The SENDCO (Miss Begley) can also be contacted via the school telephone number 01642676768 for further discussion and support.