Key Documents

SIAMS	Policies	S.E.N.D.
Premium Spending	Ofsted & School Performance	Equality & Opportunity
Attendance	Safeguarding	Vacancies

OUR APPROACH TO SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AT CHESTERTON
At Chesterton Primary School, we believe that we build 'Firm Foundations For Life' beyond Chesterton C of E School for all children, including those with additional needs. All children face challenges of varying kinds, whether they be as a direct result of learning needs or social and emotional needs. Our approach is a holistic one, where we aim to help the children to understand any particular barriers they may have and then focus on strategies to support them with overcoming these additional difficulties.
We believe that there is a fine balance between supporting our children with identified needs through adaptations to their school experience, and ensuring that children receive the important message that they can achieve their best whatever their needs. We aim to promptly recognise what are genuine difficulties for our children, but we also have the intent to enable our children to feel positive about themselves. We believe that no one is defined by their 'need' or 'diagnosis'; everyone is an individual. As far as is possible, support is discreet and aims to boost confidence and promote a positive 'Mindset'. Our greatest successes are achieved when children have grown in confidence about themselves and have developed (with support) their own strategies to cope with particular difficulties that they encounter as a result of their additional needs. We also recognise that areas of additional need may also result in other particular areas of strength for those children. We celebrate our differences and recognise all of our children are individuals and, at Chesterton, are treated as such.

Inclusion (SEND & Pupil Premium)
At Chesterton C.E. Primary School, we value children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Our school vision of 'Building Firm Foundations For Life' and our school values of Respect, Compassion, Resilience, Hope, Integrity and Humility are all part of our inclusive approach and certainly guide our approach to vulnerable learners.
We are a mainstream Local Authority Church of England (VA) Primary School that fully complies with the requirements outlined in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2014) which can be found here.

What is SEND?
A child or young person has SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) if they have a need which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. The SEND Code of Practice defines a pupil having SEN at paragraph 6.15 as: 'where [the pupil's] learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age'.
This may be a need related to one of more of the following:

• Communication and Interaction Needs: This includes children with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN), as well as those on the autism spectrum who may have difficulty with social interaction and understanding language.
• Cognition and Learning Difficulties: This covers learners who require special support for learning at a slower pace than their peers, including specific learning difficulties (SpLD) like dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia.
• Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) Difficulties: Children in this category may show their needs through withdrawing, becoming isolated, or exhibiting challenging, disruptive, or disturbing behaviour, often linked to underlying mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
• Sensory and/or Physical Needs: This covers disabilities that hinder or prevent a child from fully utilising general educational facilities. Examples include hearing impairments (HI), visual impairments (VI), multi-sensory impairments (MSI), and physical disabilities.

Who can support me with my child's SEND?
Having a child with SEND can be worrying and challenging. At Chesterton, we recognise this, and we want to help parents by working closely together. A parent/carer's first point of contact is always the class teacher; most concerns are easily addressed this way. Additional meetings may be necessary with the SENDCo, external professionals or the Headteacher. The school encourages parents to share their concerns quickly. If you need more support, we can put you in touch with SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Advice and Support Services) who will be happy to help.
This is the link for SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Independent Advice and Support Service):

Who is in charge of SEND in this school?
The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo) is Mrs Laura Craig whose regular working days are on a Wednesday (full day) and Thursday (part day). She works in collaboration with the Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher, class teachers and Home School Link Worker, assisting in the development of inclusive classrooms and teaching practices and the day-to-day management of SEND in school. She will meet regularly with class teachers to assess the progress children across the school and will be involved in a review of whether a child needs additional support.

How can I support my child?
There are lots of ways you can help. The best way to help is to talk to the teachers and ask questions if you have them. Don't be afraid to share information that might be useful to the school, for example, share any worries your child may have. If you need to, ask your child's teacher for their advice and support, they can arm you with lots of ideas and tips.
The SEND Information Report (please see link below) outlines our aims and all our arrangements for SEND co-ordination and management, including identification, assessment and provision.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy
Download our School SEN Information Report

Locality Community Support Service for Families
Oxfordshire's Early Help Guide for Families