Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
Roles and Responsibilities
SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) – Mrs Charlotte Hendrie
Contact details for the SENCO:
01952 951200
Lawley Village Academy SEND Offer
What are Special Educational Needs (SEND)?
“Children have SEND if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special education provision to be made for them.”
Children are recognised as having a learning difficulty if they:
- have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age
- have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age.
Identification
Children learn at different rates and in different ways. At Lawley Village Academy, we are committed to early identification, assessment and intervention for children who may have special educational needs. Systematic assessment of all children, in line with the relevant and agreed school procedures, enables early identification of possible learning difficulties. Class teachers will notify the SENCo using the agreed referral process and a profile is compiled to determine the child’s strengths and areas to be developed. We can then identify and implement the appropriate strategies for the child.
The class teacher, SENCo and other relevant parties, including parents and teaching assistants, may work together to build the profile of the child. School Support may then be initiated if the profile suggests additional support is required. This additional support will be recorded in the form of a class provision map and where appropriate an Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
Further advice and professional support is sought and implemented as is considered necessary for the individual needs of children.
The 4 Areas of Need
There are four areas of need as stated in the SEN Code of Practice, 2014. Whilst these four areas broadly identify the primary need of a pupil we also consider the needs of the whole child, which may also impact on a pupil’s progress.
• Communication and Interaction (C&I)
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
- Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
• Cognition and Learning (C&L)
- Specific Learning Difficulties (SPLD) E.G. dyslexia, dyscalculia.
- Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)
- Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD)
- Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty (PMLD)
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
- Depression
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Eating Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
- Mental Health Issues
- Social Disorders
• Physical and/or Sensory Needs (P/S)
- Visual Impairment
- Hearing Impairment
- Multi-Sensory Impairment
- Physical Disability
SEND Curriculum
Where children have additional needs, they will be supported in accessing the full curriculum through specialist equipment and/or human resources.
The curriculum is planned to be multi-sensory in order to support children’s differing learning styles.
In order to meet the learning needs of all children, teachers differentiate teaching and learning and the activities they provide on a daily basis. Where children are identified as having special educational needs, the school provides for these additional needs in a variety of ways. The provision for children is related specifically to their needs.
Accessibility
All children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) should be able to reach their full potential in school. At Lawley Village Academy, this means giving them access to the school building, the outside environment, the curriculum and the wider school life. Adjustments will be made and support will be put in place, where necessary, to ensure the children can access all of the above.
Progress & Assessment
Good progress for children with special educational needs is the same as good progress for all children - we assess and track all children’s progress and attainment on a regular basis using our in school systems.
Transition
Transition is crucial for our SEND children. To ensure they are prepared for Reception, their next class or secondary school, staff are equipped with the information about each individual child they need to ensure the transition is smooth.
At Lawley, preschool aged children are invited to attend a transition morning or afternoon during the summer term. Close links are maintained with other nursery settings allowing for effective information sharing. On starting school in the Autumn term, children in Reception have a phased start.
As children progress through each year and key stage group, close communication and information sharing is maintained between teachers and support staff allowing for smooth transitions.
Close links are created with secondary schools to ease transition into the children’s secondary phase of education.
Pupil Voice
The SENCo meets regularly with the SEND children. During this time, they discuss what is working well and what can be put in place to support the young people with being successful learners.
Parent Voice
Parents are welcome to contribute to Lawley Village Academy through open conversations with school staff. They are also welcome to discuss concerns with their child’s class teacher or the school’s SENCo.
Useful Documents
Lawley Village Academy SEND Information Report September 2024
Useful Websites
Telford and Wrekin SEND Local Offer
SENDiass - Telford support team for those seeking advice in regards to SEND
Glossary
SEND – Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities
SEN – Special Educational Needs
SENCO – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator
EHCP – Education, Health and Care Plan
SALT – Speech and Language Therapy
CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
EP – Educational Psychologist
LSAT – Learning Support Advisory Teacher
BSAT – Behaviour Support Advisory Team
ASC – Autistic Spectrum Condition
SIS – Sensory Inclusion Service