Special Educational Needs

A child has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

A child has a learning difficulty or disability if they:

1. Have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
2. Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.

Children are not considered to have a special educational need if they speak English as an additional language.

Objectives

Our ethos is inclusive and we work hard with families and with outside agencies to ensure the best possible educational outcomes for all of our children, irrespective of their level of need. Our objectives are:

1. To identify pupils with SEND as early as possible and to ensure that their needs are met.
2. To provide an environment where barriers to learning and participation are reduced to a minimum, therefore encouraging children to feel respected, confident and able to succeed.
3. To provide all our children with a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum that is differentiated to the needs and ability of the individual.
4. To be sympathetic to each child’s needs by providing a strong partnership between children, parents, school and outside agencies.
5. To ensure all pupils make effective progress and realise their full potential.
6. To ensure all pupils take a full and active part in school life.

Categories of SEND

Children’s SEND are generally thought of in the following four main areas;

• cognition and learning – this includes children who have moderate or specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and dyspraxia.
• communication and interaction – this includes children with speech and language delay and those with difficulties in social communication.
• social, emotional and mental health – this includes children who may be withdrawn or isolated, disruptive, hyperactive or who lack concentration.
• physical and sensory issues – this includes children with impairments including hearing or visual difficulties, or other physical difficulties.

Special educational needs and disabilities are categorised in this way in order to allow our school to plan for provision accordingly.

Inclusion

How do we cater for children with SEND?

In keeping with our inclusive ethos, we try to ensure that children receive support and intervention within class wherever possible. This support may take the form of teacher or teaching assistant support on a 1:1 or small group basis. It may also take the form of differentiated or hands-on tasks.

Some interventions do have to be undertaken out of the classroom and these will be integrated into the school day in order to minimise disruption to children’s learning. Interventions that are undertaken out of the classroom are speech and language plans, rehabilitation work and also booster sessions.

Accessibility

Our school is located in a new building, consisting of four main pavilions. The whole building is on the lower ground with no steps, therefore access for all should not be an issue. We also have two disabled toilets, both with a shower.

What can our academy and Trafford offer to children with SEND?

In order to support parents of children with SEND, our school is required to produce an SEND Information Report. This report details information about what is on offer for parents and children with SEND at our academy.

SEND Information Report

SEND Information Report – new layout under construction

Full SEND Information Report available for download below

SEND Information Report

SEND Information Report – new layout under construction

Full SEND Information Report available for download below

Information for Families

Our SEND Information Report forms part of Trafford’s Local offer. The full local offer of services available in Trafford can be found via the Trafford Directory – please see the link below, or by contacting the Family Information Service on 0161 912 1053

Parents can receive extra support and advice from The Trafford Parents Forum, who work in partnership with parents and professionals in the key areas that affect them and children with special needs.  This can vary from a cup of coffee, the opportunity to meet other parents, leaflets and information to invitations to training events and conferences. 

Please also see our incredible resource for our whole school community, a PADLET page with a vast array of links and resources for any children who may have additional needs. Please visit the link to Lime Tree Primary Wellbeing PADLET here:

Contact Details

If you have any queries or would like any further information, either general or specific, please do not hesitate to contact me.

• Mrs K Robertson – SENCo
• Email: krobertson@ltpa.bright-futures.co.uk