Our SEN Information Report – which is part of Durham County Council’s Local Offer – provides details about how we support children and young people with Special Educational Needs in our school.
The SEN Information Report was reviewed and updated on June 2022 and will be reviewed annually.
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age. (CoP 2015, p16)
We are a large, fully inclusive mainstream school and welcome all children equally. We hold the Inclusion Quality Mark which is a nationally recognised validation of our inclusive practice and ongoing commitment to developing educational inclusion. We aim to identify children with SEND as early as possible so that the correct provision can be made available. We work together in partnership with parents and carers to ensure the best outcomes for children in our care. 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.
At Shotton Hall Primary School, we recognise that all pupils are entitled to a quality of provision that will enable them to achieve their potential. Quality First Teaching aims to engage and support the learning of all children & young people. It places a strong focus on pupil participation in learning .We believe in positive intervention, removing barriers to learning, raising expectations and working in partnership with other agencies to achieve the best outcomes for our children. Our school recognises there are particular groups of pupils whose circumstances require additional consideration by those who work with them to support their SEND.
At Shotton Hall Primary School, we have a Designated Teacher for Looked after Children who ensures all teachers in school understand the implications for those children who are looked after and have SEND.
There are four broad areas of SEND, these are:
- Communication and Interaction
This area of need includes children with Autism Spectrum Condition and those with Speech, Language and Communication Needs
- Cognition and Learning
This includes children with Specific Learning Difficulties, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
This includes any pupils who have an emotional, social or mental health need that is impacting on their ability to learn
- Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties
This area includes children with hearing impairment, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical difficulties.
Through meetings, observations, assessments and data analysis the SENDCo, class teachers and support staff will identify any children who appear to have additional needs.
Early identification is key and a ‘short note’ of early discussions with parents/carers will be implemented and monitored on a regular basis. SEND Support is where a pupil is identified as having a special educational need and school will follow a graduated approach which takes the form of cycles of “Assess, Plan, Do, Review”
- 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 of each individual child
A range of interventions can then be implemented and monitored closely. Depending on the individual needs of the child these will target academic and/or therapeutic support. As part of this approach every child with SEND will have an individualised SEND Support Plan that describes the child’s needs, outcomes & provision to meet those needs. Parents/carers and child (where appropriate) views, is an integral part of the process. If a child’s needs are more complex then an Education, Health and Care Assessment would be appropriate
This SEND Information Report should be read alongside the school’s SEND Policy, the Equalities Information and Objectives and the Accessibility Plan.
Key Contacts
- Mrs J Bowmaker, Head teacher
- Mrs R Hext, Deputy Head teacher and SENDCo
- Mr T Watson Link Governor
SEND Admissions
For information on the admission of pupils with a disability, please visit the School Admissions section of our website and view the Accessibility Plan in our School Policies section.
If you would like to discuss your child’s SEN in more detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.
The full range of local support available for children/ young people with SEND and their families within and outside of school can be found in the County Durham Local Offer
