SEND

The school has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The term special educational needs includes the following:

• children with learning needs such as dyslexia or dyspraxia
• children with developmental needs such as Down Syndrome
• children with sensory needs such as hearing impairment
• children with social, emotional and behavioural needs
• children with medical needs
• children for whom English is not their first language
• looked-after children
• vulnerable children
• gifted and talented children

We have a very strong team of teachers and teaching assistants to support children with SEND.

• Inclusion Leader - Mr Tom Angus
• SENDCo - Mrs Michelle Tyrie
• Assistant SEND - Ms Lucy Hession
• Specialist Teaching Assistants (SPTAs) e.g. for Down Syndrome, autistic spectrum disorder, EAL etc.
• Additional teaching staff to enable some children with SEND to be taught in small groups for core subjects
• School Counsellor - Miss Becca Owens - to support children with emotional needs

All pupils are supported to feel secure within the school environment and staff receive training to ensure they are confident to meet the specific needs of each child. Specific facilities and adaptations are provided when necessary to ensure that disabled pupils are not treated less favourably than other pupils, e.g. disabled toilets or hearing loops.

The Governing board and teaching staff do their best to secure the necessary provision for any child who has special educational needs and disabilities and ensure that, where the Head Teacher has been informed by the LA that the child has special educational needs or disabilities, those needs are made known to all who are likely to work with him or her. The school considers the needs of new pupils with regard to all aspects of accessibility and the necessary action is taken and support given, using guidance from appropriate external agencies where necessary.

All children are given equal access to both curricular and extra-curricular opportunities, with additional adult or peer support where necessary, so far as that is reasonably practical and compatible with the child receiving the necessary special educational provision, the efficient education of other children in the school and the efficient use of resources.

The school is fully accessible to pupils or adults using a wheel chair or other walking aids, with ramps where necessary and a lift for those unable to use the stairs. All classrooms have provision for the introduction of sound fields.

The school actively seeks the involvement of parents in the education of their children. The support and encouragement of parents is often the crucial factor in achieving success.

The school admits children in accordance with the LA admissions criteria. As a result of LA moves towards greater inclusion, children with high levels of additional need, e.g. Down Syndrome, physical disability and visual impairment are  welcomed into St. John's.