Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)
Department staff:
SEND Leader: Mrs Sarah Williams
Assistant SEND Leader: Mrs Danika Sigley
Contact number - 01782 235340
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) aims:
Our school aims to be an inclusive school. We actively seek to remove the barriers to learning and participation that can hinder or exclude individual pupils, or groups of pupils. This means that equality of opportunity must be a reality for our children. We make this a reality through the attention we pay to the different groups of children within our school.
The National Curriculum is our starting point for planning a curriculum that meets the specific needs of individuals and groups of children. We meet these needs through:
- setting suitable learning challenges;
- responding to children’s diverse learning needs;
- overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils;
- providing other curricular opportunities outside the National Curriculum to meet the needs of individuals or groups of children. (This includes speech and language therapy and mobility training.)
Teachers ensure that all children:
- feel secure and know that their contributions are valued;
- appreciate and value the differences they see in others;
- take responsibility for their own actions;
- participate safely in clothing that is appropriate to their religious beliefs;
- are taught in groupings that allow them all to experience success;
- use materials that reflect a range of social and cultural backgrounds, without stereotyping;
- have a common curriculum experience that allows for a range of different learning styles;
- have challenging targets that enable them to succeed;
- participate fully, regardless of disabilities or medical needs.
Teaching and Learning is:
- Multi-sensory using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic channels simultaneously in learning.
- Highly structured and sequential.
- Differentiated.
- Continually monitored, reviewed and improved.
Resources:
- The school has a resource bank of teaching materials suited to teaching children with dyslexia.
Children are provided with word banks/lists, coloured overlays, off white paper etc.
Expectations :
- Expectations of achievement are high for all pupils. The achievement of every pupil is everybody's responsibility.
Children with Disabilities:
Some children in our school have disabilities. We are committed to meeting the needs of these children, as we are to meeting the needs of all groups of children within our school. The school fully meets the requirements of the amended Disability Discrimination Act that came into effect in September 2002. All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that these children are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled children. In line with the Equality Act (2010) and the Children and Families Act (2014), we aim to treat all pupils fairly and with respect and provide access or opportunities for all children without discrimination of any kind.
The school is committed to providing an environment that allows disabled children full access to all areas of learning. All our classroom entrances are wide enough for wheelchair access, and the designated points of entry for our school also allow wheelchair access. We are committed to provide specialist desks and chairs for pupils with limited motor-coordination skills. Our Access Plan identifies how we intend to increase the extent to which disabled pupils can take advantage of all that our school has to offer.
Teachers modify teaching and learning expectations as appropriate for children with disabilities. For example, they may give additional time to complete certain activities, or they may modify teaching materials. In their planning, teachers ensure that they give children with disabilities the opportunity to develop skills in practical aspects of the curriculum.
Please click here to view a copy of our school's Accessibility Plan
SEND accreditations:
The National SENCO Award
The Department for Education (DfE) regulations require school governing bodies to ensure that SENCOs who are new to the role undertake the National Award for SEN Coordination. The SENCO has been awarded this qualification and continually strives towards developing staff professional development.
Dyslexia Friendly Status
The school has been awarded the Dyslexia Friendly Schools Status. This award, which is certified by the British Dyslexia Association, celebrates the excellent provision that exists for dyslexic learners in our school.
Autism Advocate
The Assistant SENCO has been awarded the title of Stoke Autism Advocate, a point of contact for staff, pupils and parents.
Partnerships with Parents:
The school actively seek to build a positive working relationship between teaching staff and parents that is based upon an atmosphere of honesty and mutual respect. Teachers listen to the concerns of parents. Parents are invited to attend termly Parent Forums and Learning Passport meetings. If your child has an Education, Health Care Plan (EHCP), annual reviews will also be held in school.
Parent Information Leaflets:
- Preparing Your Child to Return to School
- Parent Information Leaflet EHCP
- Parent Information Leaflet Dyscalculia
- Parent Information Leaflet Dyslexia
- Parent Information Leaflet Hypermobility
- Parent Information Leaflet DCD
- Parent Information Leaflet Anxiety
- Parent Information Leaflet ADHD
SEND Documentation:
- You're never too young to talk parent leaflet
- Accessibility Plan
- SEN Glossary
- Support Groups
- Disability Awareness Booklist
- Local Offer St Gregory's 2022
- Local Offer St Gregory's 2021
- Local Offer St Gregory's 2020
- St Gregory's SEND Policy 2022
- St Gregory's SEND Policy 2021
- St Gregory's SEND Report 2021
- St Gregory's SEND Report 2020
Useful links and websites:
- British Dyslexia Association
- National Autistic Society
- SENDIASS - SEND information an advice service
- SEND Services team
Deaf Awareness:
Find out more about Rachel Shenton who is the patron of the Stoke On Trent charity Deaflinks. Rachel has recently written and starred in a short film to promote deaf awareness. The Silent Child (2017) The Silent Child centers around a profoundly deaf four year old girl named Libby who is born into a middle class family and lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her the gift of communication.
The charity Deaflinks
