Croft Primary

Croft Primary School is a very inclusive school where every child matters.

All staff and governors are committed to the inclusion of children with additional needs. We provide all children with equality of access to a broad and balanced curriculum, but also offer appropriate small group support, or individual support as and when required. Subject leaders ensure that staff are empowered with the knowledge and skills to deliver their subjects using pedagogies, reasonable adjustments and resources to provide equality of access for all learners. The SENDCO is very experienced and supports all staff with teaching and providing additional support for SEND learners. 

All children are valued and we aim for everyone to experience success, achievement and to reach their full potential.

There are four categories of special educational needs. These may occur singly or in any combination:

• Cognition and Learning
• Sensory, Medical and Physical
• Communication and Interaction
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health

At Croft Primary School we have rigorous ongoing teacher assessments and termly pupil progress meetings with members of leadership team and the SENDCO to identify those pupils making less than expected progress. The first response is high quality targeted teaching by the class teacher. Where progress continues to be less than expected the class teacher will discuss their concerns with the SENDCO. In deciding whether to make special educational provision, the teacher and SENDCO will consider all of the information gathered from within the school about the pupil’s progress, alongside national data and expectations of progress.

This information gathering will include an early discussion with parents/carers and where appropriate the child. There begins a four-part cycle (assess, plan, do, review) through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited and revised. This leads to a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This is known as the graduated approach. It draws on more detailed approaches and more specialist expertise in successive cycles. If the support needed can be provided by adapting the school’s core offer then a child might not be considered SEN or placed on the SEN register.

If, however, the support required is different from or additional to what is ordinarily offered by the school, the child will normally be placed on the SEN register at “SEN Support.” The school will then seek to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place. This provision will be individualised and will look different for every pupil. Throughout this process we work together with a range of professionals and outside agencies including Speech Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Orthoptists, Occupational Therapists and Paediatricians. Regular reviews are held with parents and children may be taken off the SEN register when their special educational need no longer impacts on their learning. If a child has significant needs, further advice and support from outside agencies is accessed and an EHCP (Education and Health Care Plan) could be applied for and after a 20 week assessment, possibly awarded to a pupil.

Parental support is vital and very much appreciated throughout the process and regular opportunities are provided for parents to see the SENDCO and class teacher to discuss provision, attainment and next steps in their child’s learning journey.