SEND

St Stephen's Infant School is an inclusive school where every child matters; we aim to identify and address children’s needs early and support their development in the most appropriate way possible.  We celebrate effort and small steps of progress just as much as achievement. 

What are Special Educational Needs

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 or a young person has a learning difficulty if he or she:

(a) Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or

(b) Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions. (SEN Code of Practice 2015)

High-quality teaching, adapted for individual pupils will always be the first step in responding to pupils who may or may not have SEND. 

Early identification of any barriers to learning is key and we welcome parents to share their concerns with the class teacher and SENCO.  Through regular meetings and collaboration, the class teacher/SENCO will gather information about a pupil and their learning needs to identify any special education needs. Parents are always informed if school staff consider that their child has an additional need and parents and children (as appropriate depending upon age and capability) are involved in the planning to meet the need.

 Areas of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

 Additional and/or different provision is currently being made in school for children with a range of needs, including the following 4 main areas as identified in the SEND Code of Practice 2015: 

• Communication and Interaction – e.g. autistic spectrum condition (ASC), selective mutism, speech and language difficulties including developmental language disorder (DLD).

• Cognition and Learning – e.g. Moderate learning difficulties; Specific learning difficulties - dyslexia, dyscalculia and developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

• Social, Emotional and Mental Health – e.g. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attachment disorder, emotional and behaviour regulation, social difficulties, anxiety and general ability and readiness to learn.

• Sensory, Medical and Physical – e.g. hearing impairment, sensory processing difficulties, epilepsy and diabetes.

How we support children with SEND

Our school actively engages with the Kent Inclusion Strategy, working in partnership with a 'Community of Schools' and accessing external expertise through the local Specialist Resource Group (SRG) alongside other specialist agencies. Our Inclusion Lead & SENCO oversees and ensures that appropriate support and provision are in place for all children, working in close collaboration with parents and external agencies where appropriate.

Our teachers retain overall responsibility and accountability for the progress and development of every pupil in their class. To ensure effective support, children’s progress and provision are continually monitored and reviewed using the Graduated Approach—a four-part cycle (Assess – Plan – Do – Review) to secure positive outcomes for pupils with SEN.

Please read our SEN and Disability Policy / SEN Information Report for detailed information on how we identify needs and support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

All SEND policies and reports can be viewed on our POLICIES PAGE