The St Thomas Offer

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Question: How can my child with SEND learn successfully at St Thomas CE (VC) Primary School?

 

It can be a worrying and challenging time when you realise your child has a special educational need or disability. Here at St Thomas we work hard with parents and carers, to ensure that we can provide an inclusive environment for every child. This means making reasonable adjustments so that children with special educational needs or learning difficulties can access the National Curriculum.

 

At St. Thomas, we follow the philosophy of adapted teaching, which involves adjusting instruction and removing learning barriers to provide all pupils the opportunity to meet year group expectations. Our school embraces this approach by considering how pupils learn and adapting the scaffolds, scale, structure, and style of each lesson according to need. This may include implementing changes in lesson structure to focus more on the learning approach rather than the task itself. We use scaffolding to provide essential support as students master new concepts and skills. Appropriate task planning ensures that resources match the needs of each student, considering the length of tasks, size of resources, type of exercise books, and tool choices. Additionally, we focus on the detail of tasks by varying the medium, audience, and purpose to both extend and support learning. This comprehensive strategy fosters a more inclusive classroom and promotes student engagement and motivation by recognising and addressing the unique learning profiles of each student. A small group of pupils with specific cognition and learning needs may require a more bespoke programme of study, which would be reflected in their Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP).

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For certain pupils, a nurture-based approach to learning may be beneficial. This approach focuses on addressing emotional needs and development alongside academic learning. For pupils with this identified need, we have developed an in-school provision known as Roots and Shoots. Pupils who access this provision may have an EHCP to support their Social, Emotional and mental Health. Please see the link for more details.

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When a child is experiencing anxiety, loss, or other trauma, their emotional needs may have to take precedence. To support these pupils, we have a provision called The Nest. Pupil's who access this provision may be referred to the Kirklees MHST (Mental health Support team) Please see the links for more details.

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Blossom is our provision for pupils working on the engagement model or older pupils working toward Early Learning Goals. This provision allows opportunities for language development and learning through play. Pupils who access this provision may have an EHCP to support their cognition and learning needs. Please see the link for more details.

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This is what the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2014) states regarding provision;

 

''Schools should assess each pupil’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, building on information from previous settings and key stages where appropriate. At the same time, schools should consider evidence that a pupil may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and, if so, what reasonable adjustments may need to be made for them.'  

 

Please read our SEND policy and  Information Report below. There are also many documents mentioned within it, which are attached also. If you have any queries, please contact Mrs Meade (Acting Head teacher), Mrs Goddard (Deputy Head teacher) or Mrs Bray (SENDCO and Assistant Head teacher). We will be happy to talk to you.