At Church Lane Primary School and Nursery we believe that each pupil has individual and unique needs. However, some pupils require more support than others to learn and achieve. We acknowledge that a significant proportion of pupils will have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at some time in their school career. Many of these pupils may require help throughout their time in school, while others may need a little extra support for a short period to help them overcome more temporary needs. If these pupils are to achieve their full potential, we must recognise this and plan accordingly.

Aims and objectives

Our aim is to provide all pupils with strategies for dealing with their needs in a supportive environment and to give them meaningful access to the National Curriculum/Early Years Foundation Stage. In particular, we aim to:

• To identify and provide for pupils who have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities and enable every pupil to experience success.
• Ensure that all pupils whatever their Special Educational Needs or Disabilities, receive appropriate educational provision through a broad and balanced curriculum that is relevant and differentiated, and that demonstrates coherence and progression in learning.
• Give pupils with SEND equal opportunities to take part in all aspects of the school’s provision, as far as is appropriate.
• Identify, assess, record and regularly review pupils’ progress and needs through individual targets, Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) and making use of care plans where appropriate.
• Involve parents/carers in planning and supporting at all stages of their children’s development.
• Work collaboratively with parents, other professional and support services.
• Ensure that the responsibility held by all staff and governors for SEND is implemented and maintained.
• To work within the guidance provided in the SEND Code of Practice 2014.

Areas of Needs as stated in 2014 Code of Practice

Communication and Interaction

Children and young people with Speech, Language or Communication needs can have difficulty interacting with others. This may be because they have difficulty expressing themselves or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. Children and young people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, including Asperger’s Syndrome are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication, social interaction and imagination, which can impact how they relate to others.

Cognition and Learning

Support for learning may be required when children learn at a slower rate than their peers. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs including Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), where the children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as physical disability or sensory impairment. Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn and isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or medically unexplained physical symptoms. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Sensory and/or physical needs

Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age-related and may fluctuate over time. Children with Visual Impairment (VI), Hearing Impairment (HI), or a Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI) will require specialist support or additional equipment to access their learning.

Definition of SEND The SEND Code of Practice (0-25 years) 2014 states that: A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age or

• Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or post-16 institutions.

  A child under compulsory school age has SEN if he or she is likely to fall within the definition above when they reach compulsory school age or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.   Many children and young people who have SEN may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 “A physical or mental impairment which has a long term and substantial effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities.”   This definition includes children and young people with long-term medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer. Children and young people with such conditions do not necessarily have SEN but where a child requires special educational provision over and above the adjustments, aids, and services required by the Equality Act 2010, they will be covered by the SEND definition.   Church Lane Primary School and Nursery also has regard to statutory guidance regarding supporting pupils with medical conditions. (DFE 2014)