At Butterwick Primary School, we recognise that a number of our children will have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and we strive to meet the individual needs of every unique child.  Some of our children may need a little extra support throughout their time with us to overcome temporary hurdles, whilst others may require more sustained support to achieve their full potential. 

All of our teachers are trained to support children through careful planning and Quality First Teaching.  Your child's class teacher is your first point of contact with any concerns.

Mrs Rolfe is the school's SENCO (Special Education Needs Co-Ordinator) and can be contacted at the school on 01205 760256 to discuss any matters linked to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.  

Our staff work in partnership with children, parents and Governors to ensure a common understanding of our aims and objectives. Special Educational Needs are defined as covering all learning difficulties except those arising from a difference of language between home and school. 

The emphasis is on defining the child's Special Educational Needs and stating the most appropriate provision, wherever possible, alongside children without such needs as long as:

a) Account is taken of parental wishes

b) The child's needs are met

c) That other children continue to receive an efficient education

d) Resources are used efficiently.

A child centred approach is used reflecting each individual's ability, needs and interests together with available parental help There is close cooperation between the staff, and the special educational needs of the children are discussed with our SENCo. The strategies and methods of teaching adopted may vary, depending on the needs of the pupil. The Special Educational Needs Policy at Butterwick aims to meet needs by:

a) Identifying pupils as early as possible with special educational needs through regular use of assessments by class teachers and also external agencies, if needed.

b) Enabling all staff to meet the needs of these pupils and keep up with developments in the area of S.E.N.

c) Making the curriculum accessible to all pupils through differentiation and the use of different learning styles

d) Working closely with parents and outside agencies.

 

What are Special Educational Needs and Disabilities?

The Special educational needs and disability Code of Practice June 2014 defines Special educational needs (SEN) as ‘a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made’.

A child has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
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.

Under the Equality Act 2010, a disability is defined as ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’.

Areas of Needs as stated in the 2014 Code of Practice

Communication and Interaction

Children and young people with Speech, Language or Communication needs can have difficulty interacting with others. This may be because they have difficulty expressing themselves or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. Children and young people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, including Asperger’s Syndrome are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication, social interaction and imagination, which can impact how they relate to others.

Cognition and Learning

Support for learning may be required when children learn at a slower rate than their peers. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs including Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), where the children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as physical disability or sensory impairment. Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn and isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or medically unexplained physical symptoms. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Sensory and/or physical needs

Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age-related and may fluctuate over time. Children with Visual Impairment (VI), Hearing Impairment (HI), or a Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI) will require specialist support or additional equipment to access their learning.

Definition of SEND The SEND Code of Practice (0-25 years) 2014 states that: 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 has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age or

• Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or post-16 institutions.

 A child under compulsory school age has SEN if he or she is likely to fall within the definition above when they reach compulsory school age or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.   Many children and young people who have SEN may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 “A physical or mental impairment which has a long term and substantial effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities.”   This definition includes children and young people with long-term medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer. Children and young people with such conditions do not necessarily have SEN but where a child requires special educational provision over and above the adjustments, aids, and services required by the Equality Act 2010, they will be covered by the SEND definition.   Butterwick Primary School also has regard to statutory guidance regarding supporting pupils with medical conditions. (DFE 2014)