Mellis Church of England Primary School - 'To Be Our Best'

How we adapt the curriculum and learning environment for children & young people with SEND and other protected characteristics

All pupils have the entitlement to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. All teaching and support staff are aware of the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement, and with advice from and the support of the SENDCO, teachers match the learning to the needs and abilities of the pupils. They use a range of strategies to develop the pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills including the use of ICT. Where appropriate, materials are modified or support is provided to enable pupils with SEND to access the learning or the assessment processes.

The school and SENDCo regularly review issues related to pupils with SEND to include classroom organisation, teaching styles and methods, materials and tasks to determine how these could be improved. Children are supported in a variety of different ways as appropriate to their needs, which include individual support, in small groups and in class. Withdrawal sessions are used carefully to support pupils with specific academic, behavioural and/or emotional difficulties. Withdrawal sessions are timetabled in consultation with the class teacher to minimise the impact of withdrawal on delivery of the curriculum, actively seeking to ensure curriculum needs are met.

The Wider Curriculum

In addition to the statutory curriculum the school provides a wide range of additional activities. These include a range of musical, creative and sporting activities/ clubs etc. Pupils with SEND are actively encouraged and supported to join in and benefit from these activities.

Children learn and develop in different ways and may need extra help and support at various points throughout their time at school. During their school career, many children will face barriers to learning that will require support.  These needs can be met in various ways.

Quality First Teaching (QFT)

Most children receive their support through good classroom practice (QFT).

This will include:

·        Changing the way lessons are planned and delivered

·        Matching activities to the ability / need of the child

·        Adapting learning materials such as worksheets, concrete resources, books and activities to suit THE child’s needs

·        Small group support.

A child may require SEN Support, if the quality first teaching and specific interventions used to help overcome their barriers is found to be insufficient in meeting their needs.

Our SENCO, working alongside class teachers, oversees all SEND provision, different approaches to teaching and monitors progress of any child requiring additional support across the school to ensure the right support is put in place for each child. The SENDCO will advise staff on how to help each child, arrange additional training if necessary and well as liaising with other professionals. Children’s needs will be frequently reassessed regularly in order to ensure that the provision is suitable and supports every child’s development.

The provision for pupils with SEN across the four Broad Areas of Need may include some of the following interventions;

Support for children with physical needs:

• Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum
• Gross Motor Skills interventions.
• Fine Motor Skills interventions.
• Specialist  support from outside agencies e.g. Occupational Therapy
• Specific physical therapy planned for by specialists

Support for children with speech, language and communication needs:

• Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum
• Daily Speech and Language interventions.
• Specialist group support from outside agencies e.g. Speech and Language Therapy

Support for children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties:

• Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum
• Participation in the Therapeutic Interventions such as the Getting Along Programme or Lego Therapy
• Specialist support from outside agencies e.g. CAMHs and EWEL team

Support for children with cognition and learning needs:

• Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum
• Maths and English specific interventions
• Specialist support from outside agencies e.g. Educational Psychology Service or Cognition and Learning Team
• Specific individual support for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong and what this means for your child e.g. Dyslexia, Dyspraxia
• Range of teaching and learning styles;
• A broad range of extra-curricular activities, including After-School
• Differentiation

Children with SEND have a Support Plan. Parents are invited into school to review and discuss support and progress with staff every term. The effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress will be reviewed. The class teacher, working with the SENDCO, will revise the support in light of the pupil’s progress. If a pupil does not make expected progress over a sustained period of time, school will consider involving specialists.

More details on how we adapt information, our environment and curriculum can be found in the Accessibility Plan which you ca find in the School Policies section of our website.

Mellis is an inclusive school and recognises that all children may need additional support at some time in their school career, for a number of different reasons. We aim to identify any Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND) quickly and put intevention strategies in place to ensure that pupils with SEND are valued, encouraged and supported to fulfill their potential. We seek additional support and guidance from a number of professional agencies as appropriate.

Mrs Jessica Shaw is the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDco).

Mrs Jane Albery has been our specialist SEND governor until her retirement from the governing body in March 2024; the School's two new governors (effective April 2024) both have professional SEND experience, and we look forward to benefiting from their expertise and oversight as we integrate them both into the Governing Body.

Please click the documents to the right to see our current SEND Policy documentation and our current Local Offer.