SEND

Equitable Access to Education at Thurstable.

Irrespective of barriers to learning, diagnosed or otherwise, we strive to ensure that all students have access to our knowledge rich education. We ground our students in the high quality teaching of all of our pupils and provide responsive, targeted support to ensure that the inclusion of students with SEN is equitable. We have high ambitions for our students and use the expertise of the collaborative and nurturing staff body to work with parents, students and professionals to achieve this.

Our work with children who have special educational needs is in line with the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs. The Code is issued by The Department for Education.

Our aim is to identify children with special educational needs, assess those needs in consultation with the parents and the children themselves, and plan an appropriate graduated response. We will seek to meet children’s needs in stages, matching the level of help to the needs of the child. Progress will be reviewed regularly and parents will be consulted and kept informed.

For some children, the school will want to seek advice from outside the school; for example we might ask for an assessment by an educational psychologist. This would be discussed with parents and they would be kept fully informed of any advice the school might receive.

Finally, the best progress for all children is made when a partnership exists between home and school. This is particularly true for children with special educational needs. The school may ask parents to work with their children and to help them at home. Parental support and encouragement are vital.

Parents are welcome to contact the school in order to discuss their children’s needs. There are regular parents’ evenings throughout the year, but parents can make an appointment to discuss their child’s progress with Heads of Year or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) at any time.

The Learning Support Department works with students who face challenges in their day to day learning experiences. We have a large team of Learning Support Assistants who run small group interventions or support students in their classes. All support is aimed at helping students to become independent learners.

To contact our team, please email sendco@thurstable.co.uk