• We recognise that the family is the expert on their child and work in partnership with them.  
• We involve pupils, parents and staff in writing, reviewing and implementing pupil-friendly and needs-based Individual Education Plans (IEPs).  
• We differentiate the curriculum and resources to promote pupil progress.  
• We seek support and advice from outside agencies to ensure any barriers to success are fully identified and responded to.  
• We ensure there is access to teaching and learning for pupils with SEN, monitored through the school’s self-evaluation process.  
• We evaluate our intervention groups and strategies.  
• We hold termly review meetings for pupils with a SEN.  
• Support staff are placed where they are needed throughout the school to ensure pupil progress, independence and value for money.   

We are a fully inclusive school. We nurture all pupils in order to promote personal, social, emotional and academic growth in all areas of the curriculum (regardless of their gender, ethnicity, social background, religion, sexual identity, physical ability or educational needs).

This document is intended to give information about the ways in which we support all of our pupils, including those with SEN, so that they realise holistic growth. It may not list every skill, resource and technique we use in order to achieve this, as these are continually developed and modified to meet the ever changing needs of individual pupils.

We aim to achieve excellence through the removal of barriers to learning and participation. Our curriculum promotes the development of the whole child as confident, resourceful and independent learners who are able to face the future with resilience and ingenuity.

Through appropriate curricular provision, we respect and acknowledge that children have different educational and behavioural needs as well as aspirations. They may require different strategies for learning and participation; acquire, assimilate and communicate information at different rates; need a range of different teaching approaches and experiences. We strive to ensure all of our children feel that they are valued members of our school community.

Archbishop Runcie C of E VA First School is committed to working in partnership with parents/carers, external agencies and Newcastle Local Authority to ensure the best outcomes for children identified with special educational needs and disabilities.

Every pupil is important to us and is recognised as a unique individual with particular strengths and needs. Staff adopt a range of teaching strategies and approaches, personalising provision to address the learning needs of all pupils.

All children have an entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum that is differentiated. This enables understanding and purpose of learning activities leading to experiencing rates of progress that brings feelings of success and achievement. All children have the opportunity to be part of the School Council.

All learners have equality of provision according to their need and as such benefit equally from school policies, practices and intervention programmes, regardless of their ability. We support children with Special Educational Needs and /or Disabilities in a manner which acknowledges their entitlement to share the same learning experiences enjoyed by their peers therefore maximizing learning and securing future progress.

The school works closely with parents and carers to support children with special educational needs. We encourage an active partnership through an ongoing dialogue and regular meetings. Archbishop Runcie C of E VA First School is fully accessible to any person with physical disabilities.

Staff Expertise

The staff of Archbishop Runcie C of E VA First School have undertaken training led by a range of professionals involved with children with special educational needs and disabilities in the following areas:

• Speech, Language and Communication needs
• Visual Impairment
• CPD in social and emotional development
• Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Dyslexia
• Behavioural support
• Specific Medical needs
• First aid qualified staff
• English intervention and booster sessions/ Systematic Synthetic Phonics sessions
• Maths intervention and booster sessions, including Numicon and Addicus
• Mental health issues including anxiety, stress and attachment disorder
• We pride ourselves on our pastoral care and supporting families around children.

Staff training is on-going, relevant to the children in the school and responds to current national developments in Special Educational and Needs Disabilities provision.

Our Nursery Provision

• Our staff are welcoming and friendly, providing an inclusive, sensitive and positive approach.
• All EYFS staff will develop a relationship with your child. They will identify individual needs and plan for their next steps and access additional support from other professionals where necessary.
• We will work in partnership with you and your child, reviewing targets, and planning for the future.
• We promote an ‘open door’ policy to ensure we are welcoming and respectful to all.
• Each child has a e-Learning Journal (Tapestry) which contains observations, next steps and photographs of your child’s progress and development. You will be encouraged to contribute to your child’s e-journal throughout the year, sending reciprocal information such as photographs and memorable moments. We encourage parents to look at their child’s next steps and offer their observations of their child achieving them.
• We will endeavor to involve your child, enabling them to make choices and engage in activities, and experiences that are of interest to them.
• We will create support within the environment, such as the use of a visual timetable to support the child to understand the routine as appropriate.
• The SENCO will aim to seek additional training for staff, if appropriate, to meet your child’s needs.
• Assessment systems are in place including progress tracking grids and learning journals which are all linked to Development Matters. This can be accessed at: https://www.early-education.org.uk/development-matters