Inclusion and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability)

All children make progress at different rates according to their age and stage of development, especially in primary education. At Bishop Perrin School, we are committed to identifying needs, making reasonable adjustments and providing additional support and to any child in need. Provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities is underpinned by high quality teaching.

Quality first teaching (QFT) and early intervention are key aspects of our approach to supporting children with SEND. Teachers take account of the needs of individual children and adapt lessons and tasks to ensure the curriculum is pitched at the right level for them. Some lessons/tasks may be adapted (scaffolded) differently to ensure equal access. In the classroom, children may work in a variety of groupings, such as small supported groups, 1:1 with an adult, and mixed ability and similar ability groups to support learning and to meet children’s needs.

If any parent has concerns about their child’s development, we encourage them to discuss these with their child’s class teacher.

Class teachers and senior leadership monitor the progress of all children and in liaison with the Inclusion Leader will use a range of recommended and research-based criteria to identify a child who may appear to have a particular learning need. Additional support and resources will then be used to support that child and the impact of the support reviewed.

In the first instance, additional support for a child who has been identified as not progressing in-line with their age-related expectations, or who is experiencing difficulties accessing the curriculum, will receive targeted and specific support in class. This may involve a specific intervention led by a teacher or teaching and learning support assistant and/or appropriate adjustments made to how they access the curriculum.

Sometimes a child will only need adaptations and support for a short time after which they will stop if the child is able to maintain the progress without them. They will continue to be monitored to ensure there is no regression. Where the need for support lasts for longer than one cycle of ‘assess-plan-do-review’ (typically six weeks, or one half term) this will be referred to the Inclusion Leader who will seek advice and action from other professionals in collaboration with parents and the class teacher and the child could be considered to have a special educational need. All children who have an identified special educational need and/or disability have a learning support plan which is created and reviewed by class teachers in collaboration with parents and carers as part of the ‘assess-plan-do-review’ cycle.

The school has close links with a range of external agencies who are able to offer support, guidance and interventions. In collaboration with parents/carers, children can be referred to specialists for speech therapy and occupational therapy, or to the Achieving for Children (AfC) Educational Psychologist and Education Inclusion Support Service (EISS). The school engages services including:

  • A Child Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) commissioned from the South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust who can work directly with families to support behaviour and anxiety.
  • Two trained Emotional Learning Support Assistants (ELSAs) (https://www.elsanetwork.org/about/) who work 1:1 and in small groups with children to support their mental health and wellbeing
  • A qualified movement psychotherapist who works with a limited number of children a year to support their emotional wellbeing through 1:1 play therapy and group sessions.

Key Staff

Inclusion Lead – Miss Mary McAvoy (Inclusion working days: Monday and Tuesday) 0208 894 1447 / info@bishopperrin.richmond.sch.uk

School Welfare Officers - Mrs Jackie Sandell and Mrs Alison Stock (Part-time)

The Richmond Council local offer of services provided via Achieving for Children can be found at www.afclocaloffer.org.uk, and they can be contacted by telephone on 0208 547 4722 or via email: sendlocaloffer@achievingforchildren.org.uk

Click here for local offer services provided by Hounslow Council

Bishop Perrin School SEND Information Report

Please click on the link below to access information for parents about the ways in which our school will support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.  We update our report annually.

Bishop Perrin School SEND Report 23/24

 

SEND Local Offer in Kingston and Richmond

 

Supporting children with additional educational needs to be able to access the curriculum

Bishop Perrin School ensures that all children with additional needs have opportunities to access our curriculum, thrive, flourish and demonstrate their abilities and overcome barriers. Our priority is to provide Quality First Teaching for all pupils –

‘High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN’ Code of Practice 2014 6.37.

Teachers regularly adjust their practice to ensure all children have access to the teaching. This includes:

  • differentiating the activity, including for challenge
  • arranging and adapting class furniture and seating plans;
  • adjusting the format of resources such as the whiteboard, books and reading materials;
  • supplying specialised writing tools and classroom equipment;
  • using visual timetables as well as implementing a variety of teaching styles to engage and include all pupils;
  • supported teaching groups.

We also look at the whole school day and the wider school environment, responding to individual needs and making adaptations when necessary, such as:

  • small group support at lunchtimes;
  • play therapy, Emotional Learning Support Assistant (ELSA) support, friendship, nurture and Lego therapy groups;
  • monitoring the attendance at school clubs and extra-curricular activities of pupils with additional needs;
  • individual risk assessments and adjustments for children to be able to access school trips and educational visits;
  • sensory toys and tools to help with focus and concentration.
  • Teaching and Learning Support Assistants (TLSAs) are deployed according to need and additional hours, as outlined in Educational Health Care Plans.

We encourage parents to liaise with the school about any issues or concerns they may have about enabling their child to be able to access the curriculum so we can work in partnership to gain the best outcomes.