SEND
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
SENDCo: Miss Sharon Miller
All Sunderland schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and are supported by Together for Children Sunderland to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. All schools are supported to be as inclusive as possible, with the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities being met in a mainstream setting wherever possible.
The broad areas of SEND need are:
Communication and Interaction
Cognition and Learning
Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties
Sensory and /or Physical
A child has SEND when their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision that is different from or additional to that normally available to the pupils of the same age. Higher quality teaching normally available to the whole class is likely to mean that fewer pupils will require such support. Such improvements in whole class provision tend to be more cost effective and sustainable.
In Sunderland, schools work from the SEND ranges
Sunderland’s Parent Carer Forum have produced some helpful pieces of information in relation to the SEND Ranges which can be found on their website- https://sunderlandpcf.co.uk/send-ranges-send-strategy/
According to each area of need children are given a ‘Range’ which outlines the type of provision, strategies, and referrals (if appropriate) that are recommended. This document also outlines ‘descriptors’ which are used to find an appropriate ‘Range’ in relation to the need that a child may have; this is referred to as ‘presenting behaviour’. You will be informed of your children’s SEND Range; however, if you are at all unsure, please contact your child’s class teacher or SENDCo. It is important to note that following the graduated approach, a SEND Range may change over time (increase or decrease) in accordance with the presenting behaviours that school and/or parents recognise within the child.
What is the Local Offer?
The Children and Families Bill became law in 2014. From this date Local Authorities (LA) and schools are required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) aged 0-25. This is the ‘Local Offer’. The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. It will also be an important resource for parents in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area.
Click on the link for the Sunderland local offer
What is the Special Educational Needs Information Report?
Schools utilise the LA Local Offer to meet the needs of SEND pupils as determined by school policy and the provision that the school is able to provide. Schools refer to this as The Special Educational Needs Information Report.
USEFUL LINKS FOR PARENTS
SUNDERLAND AUTISM OUTREACH TEAM
DAISY CHAIN PROJECT - AUTISM & NEURODIVERSITY
The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service.