At St Swithun’s Catholic Primary School, we believe that every child is unique, valued and created in the image and likeness of God. We are committed to providing an inclusive education in which all children are supported to participate fully in school life, make progress and achieve their potential.

Children may need additional support at different points during their time at school. This may be related to their learning, communication and interaction, social and emotional development, or physical and sensory needs. Some children may require support for a short period of time, while others may have longer-term special educational needs or disabilities.

Our aim is to identify barriers to learning as early as possible and work in partnership with children and their families to provide appropriate support.

High-quality, inclusive classroom teaching is at the heart of our approach. Class teachers are responsible for the progress and development of every child in their class, including those with SEND.

Teachers regularly assess children’s learning and consider the support, adaptations and resources that may help them to succeed. This might include adapting teaching approaches, providing additional scaffolds or resources, giving targeted adult support or providing opportunities for additional practice.

Where a child needs support that is additional to, or different from, the provision normally available to pupils of the same age, we follow the graduated approach of Assess, Plan, Do and Review.

This means that we:

Children’s needs and progress are reviewed regularly, and provision is adapted when necessary.

Parents and carers know their children best and are an important part of the SEND process.

If we have concerns about a child’s progress or development, we will discuss these with parents and carers. Equally, we encourage families to speak to us if they have concerns about any aspect of their child’s learning or development.

Where additional SEND support is needed, we aim to work together so that families understand their child’s needs, the support being provided and the progress they are making.

Children should be involved in decisions about their education and the support they receive.

We encourage pupils to talk about what helps them to learn, what they find difficult and what they would like to achieve. Their views help us to understand their individual needs and make decisions about the support that will help them to be successful.

Sometimes a child may benefit from advice or support from professionals outside school. With parents’ or carers’ involvement, the school may seek advice from appropriate specialist services.

This can help us to understand a child’s needs more fully and identify strategies, adaptations or additional support that may be beneficial.

We want children with SEND to feel that they belong fully to our school community.

We aim to make reasonable adjustments and provide appropriate support so that children with SEND can access the curriculum and participate in the wider life of the school alongside their peers, including educational visits, clubs, celebrations and other school activities.

Our approach is centred on each individual child, recognising their strengths as well as identifying the support they may need.

If you have concerns about your child’s learning or development, your child’s class teacher will usually be the best person to speak to first.

Our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) oversees SEND provision across the school and works with children, families, staff and external professionals to help ensure that pupils with additional needs receive appropriate support.

SENCO: Mrs Palmer Haynes
Contact: [email protected]

You can also contact the school office if you would like to arrange a conversation with our SENCO.

More detailed information about how we identify and support children with SEND can be found in our SEN Information Report, which is reviewed annually.

You can also read our SEND Policy, which sets out the school’s overall approach, responsibilities and procedures.

Families can find further information about services and support available locally through the Portsmouth SEND Local Offer.