SEND
Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)
Hi, my name is Miss Hawksley, and I am the SENDCo at Victoria Road. I oversee support for students with special educational or medical needs and ensure they are getting the best education they can and their needs are met.
We recognise that every child is an individual, and their learning journeys differ. During their school life, some children may need additional support for their learning or disability. This may involve the class teacher planning targeted tasks, providing additional resources and equipment and supporting focus groups. They may undertake some interventions to help them make greater progress with their learning. Some children are identified as having SEN which may require additional interventions, assessments and referrals to outside agencies for further assessment.
We ensure all children feel included in our school and have everything they need in place to be the best they can be. We believe that every child deserves an education and do everything we can to support them in their learning journey.
If you have any questions or would like any advice, please do make an appointment to come and see me.
Miss Hawksley can be contacted via the main school telephone number 01233 620044 or via email at school@victoria-road.kent.sch.uk
What is SEND?
SEND stands for Special Education Needs & Disabilities. Children with Special Education Needs & Disabilities are given extra help with their learning and / or coping with their emotions, behaviour or other medical reasons that make learning more difficult for them.
Levels of Support
There is a graduated response to supporting children with special educational needs; in class support, SEND support and Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP).
Class Support
This is the school's first level of support, which will involve increasing support and monitoring progress prior to moving to SEND Support.
SEND Support
In addition to standard support, students may receive assistance from specialists who visit the school, like speech and language therapists. All support aligns with the Mainstream Core Standards, ensuring that our SEND provision meets local expectations for mainstream schools (see section below for more details on this).
When a child requires significant support in school, the school may apply for Higher Needs Funding. Simultaneously, teachers and parents can request an assessment from the Local Authority to determine if an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is necessary. An EHCP ensures that the support provided is legally protected and reviewed annually in a meeting which the child is welcome to attend. Furthermore, if a child with an EHCP transfers to a new school, the support outlined in the plan will continue at the new school, if deemed appropriate.
The Local Offer
Every local authority must have a Local Offer. This tells you more about SEN and provides up-to-date information on services that are available in Kent. To find out more about the Local Offer please click on the following link: http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs.
We use the Mainstream Core Standards guidance to help us support our pupils. Please read the information booklet for parents above for further details about this.
Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Complaints
At Victoria Road Primary School, we handle complaints regarding special educational needs and disabilities using our standard complaint procedures. We encourage parents to discuss any concerns with the class teacher, SENCo and Headteacher to resolve the issue before making a formal complaint to the Chair of the Governing Body.
If the complaint is not resolved after it has been considered by the Governing Body, then a disagreement resolution service or mediation service can be contracted. If it remains unresolved after this, the complainant can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Need and Disability), if the case refers to disability discrimination, or to the Secretary of State for all other cases.
There are some circumstances, usually for children who have a Statement of SEN/Educational Health and Care Plan where there is a statutory right for parents to appeal against a decision of the Local Authority. Complaints which fall within this category cannot be investigated by the school.
Here are some of the resources we use at school:
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