St. Mary's C of E Primary School (Edwinstowe)

St Mary’s C of E Primary School Local Offer.

Mission Statement

We believe that St Mary’s C of E Primary School is a place where the whole child can develop in a secure and happy environment. Our school community is underpinned by Christian values, we have a kind and caring ethos where it is safe for our children to take risks and make mistakes and experience success. Our relationships with the children provide positive role models based on mutual respect, support and trust. Our school has a very positive "can-do" culture where praise and encouragement prevail, and children achieve.
We aim within our small school to nurture confident, emotionally resilient and thoughtful individuals, who understand the positive contribution that they can make in the world.

St Mary’s C of E Primary School recognises that a child has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special education provision to be made for them defined in the Code of Practice 2014. A person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:

• Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age.

Or

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

St Mary’s C of E Primary School makes provision in accordance with the Code of Practice 2014, the SEN and Disability Act (amended 2011), Index for Inclusion (updated 2001), the Equality Act 2010. Our SEND policy and practice aim to reflect these principles.
Special Educational Needs or disability is identified as learning, communication, interaction, emotional health, physical and sensory needs. The identification of SEND forms part of the overall approach to monitoring the progress and development of all pupils.

Objectives for SEND at St Mary’s C of E Primary School are:

• Identify the needs of children with SEN as early as possible by gathering information from parents, education, health and care services prior to the child’s entry into school to facilitate a supportive transition into school.
• Monitor the progress of all children to review the effectiveness of the strategies and plan next steps in learning to ensure that the children reach their full potential.
• Make appropriate provision and adaptations to overcome all barriers to learning and ensure pupils with SEN have full access to the National Curriculum.
• Work with parents closely to gain a better understanding of the whole child.
• Work with outside agencies that support children with SEN when the child’s needs cannot be met by the school alone.
• Create a school environment where pupils feel safe to voice their opinions of their own needs.

How do we meet these aims?

• Create strong, nurturing relationships with the children so they can feel confident to share their thoughts and feelings about their own needs.
• Assess all children against age related expectations and establish a clear baseline of understanding, knowledge and skills.
• Use support plans to ensure that the child’s next steps in learning are clearly identified, taught and reviewed to monitor progression.
• Make adaptations to the curriculum and classroom environment to ensure provision is as inclusive as possible.
• Keep parents informed by having termly structured conversations in which support plans are made, give an annual report, in addition to individualised forms of communication personalised to the needs of the child and their family.
• Specialised outside agencies will be utilised if school alone are unable to meet the child’s needs, of which parents/carers will be fully informed.
• Professional development training is accessed by staff to best support children with SEND.
• Transition plans are created around the needs of the child when a transfer takes place, such as moving to another class or setting.
• St Mary’s has a qualified SENCO in post who works closely with the Headteacher and a named governor.

Further information can be obtained from the Headteacher, the SENCO, the school office or the Local
Authority.