Special Educational Needs and Disability

SENDCO - Naomi Andrews (Deputy Headteacher)

Please contact Miss Andrews if you have any SEND concerns via the school office.

Special Educational Needs

At Bedgrove Junior School we recognise that pupils may have barriers to their learning or that sometimes learning can be challenging for pupils.  First and foremost, we provide quality first teaching for all pupils. If pupils have been identified as having additional needs we offer individualised support to target their needs, this may be support in the classroom as well as 1:1 or group interventions.

Every child on the SEND register has a SEND Support Plan (SSP).  This outlines desired outcomes, type of provision, time and staffing.  These are shared with parents and carers three times per year. Parents' and children's views are also gathered as part of the process of writing an SSP (SEND Support Plan).

We have Learning Support Assistants to support children with additional needs who are trained to run a number of interventions.  Below is a sample of some of the interventions that are monitored by the SENDCo:

• Zones of Regulation - to support children in understanding their own and other's emotions and how to manage these emotions.
• OT resources pack - to support pupils with gross/fine motor difficulties
• Social Stories - for children who struggle with self awareness and understanding of social expectations.  
• Direct phonics - for pupils who have not responded to other phonics teaching or interventions.  
• Toe-by-Toe - systematic, one-to-one, phonics teaching.
• Little Wandle phonics scheme
• Zones of Regulation - to manage self regulation skills to control behaviours.
• ELSA Groups - a small group for children who may feel insecure in school or who are in need of more adult attention than can be provided in their main class.
• LEXIA intervention - to support skills in reading.

Please find below some information which we hope parents may find useful. There are some examples of web pages you can access for further support and some further documentation which may help pupils with specific needs.

Guidance to support schools and education settings, clearly outlining their roles and responsibilities to students and young people in their care.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Recommended books to support your child.

'I can be who I want to be even though I have ADHD!' By Robert Gregory 

'All dogs have ADHD' by Kathy Hoopmann

'Mrs Gorski, I think I have the Wiggle Fidgets' by Barbara Esham

'ADHD is our Superpower!' by Soli Lazarus 

Dyslexia

Recommended books to support your child:

'Xtraordinary People Made By Dyslexia' by Kate Griggs

Occupational Therapy (OT)

DCD (Dsypraxia)

Useful websites for supporting children with anxiety

Children and Mental Health

You may be aware that mental health conditions in children are on the rise, with a major NHS report indicating that as many as 4 children in a class of 30 could be contending with serious emotional disorders. This has been heightened by the National Lockdowns that have occurred. It's down to each of us to help the children in or lives that are struggling.  We have an excellent pastoral team led by Miss Gore where we can provide help for pupils in school. the guide below may be useful for parents to use at home to support their child.

Speech and Language Parent Portal

Visit https://speechandlanguage.info/parents for lots of FREE speech and language resources, advice and tips for parents working at home with their children who have SLCN. 

Social Stories
Some children may find a change in their routine, such as a snow day, very difficult to cope with or understand. This short social story may be useful to help them with any anxious feelings they may have about this unplanned change.

SEN Coffee Morning for Parents

Thank you for all those parents who have joined us for our successful coffee mornings.  We had some very positive feedback from the sessions.  Parents have found it useful to discuss strategies that they use at home, understanding the structure of SEN procedures at Bedgrove Junior School and looking at a range of resources to support learning at home. Parents also enjoyed the opportunity to network with other parents.

Here are some useful 'take aways' for working with children with ASD:

• Allow your child space and time.
• Observe them within the home environment - what are their triggers? Are there different points of the day and why may this be the case?
• When your collect your child from school - don't ask if they have had a good day.  Just greet them with a 'hello' and allow them time to tell you about their day.  If you feel that you need to ask, then ask them, 'What have you learnt today'.  
• Try to use social stories and communication cards to understand friendships and discuss different viewpoints.