St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is a two-form entry school, welcoming children from Nursery through to Year 6. Our school community is made up of pupils from a variety of backgrounds, and we deeply value each child’s unique qualities. We are committed to helping every pupil achieve their full potential through a well-rounded and inclusive curriculum that reflects their individual experiences and needs. We uphold high standards for all pupils, focusing on progress, behaviour, and emotional well-being. Our approach aligns closely with the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and the Equality Act 2010.

 

Early Identification and Inclusive Support

At St Mary’s, we place strong emphasis on the early detection of any additional needs. This is achieved through continuous monitoring of pupil progress, working closely with families, and collaborating with outside professionals. We strive to ensure all pupils, regardless of their starting point or ability, make the best possible progress. Tailored support and adaptation of the curriculum help remove obstacles to learning and raise attainment.

 

Recognising Individual Needs

Our approach to identifying and supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is comprehensive. We have an embedded whole-school strategy to spot needs early, working in partnership with parents and carers. Information may come from a variety of sources and is considered carefully to ensure a prompt response. We follow the graduated approach outlined in the SEND Code of Practice (0–25 years), which includes a clear referral system for staff to access support from the SENDCo and wider inclusion team.

Information that may lead to the identification of SEND includes:

  • Conversations with nurseries or pre-schools, parent input, and transition meetings (for early years).
  • Communication with previous schools and external professionals (for mid-year admissions).
  • Observations, academic assessments, baseline data, external reports, and termly progress reviews within school.

 

Areas of Special Educational Need

The SEND Code of Practice outlines four primary areas of need:

Area of Need

Description

Communication and Interaction

Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives.

Cognition and Learning

Specific learning difficulties (SpLD), affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Everyone has a cognitive profile. A simple way to define these cognitive skills is to describe them as the underlying brain skills that make it possible for us to think, remember and learn. These are the skills that allows us to process the huge influx of information we receive each and every day at work, at school and in life. We all have relative strengths and weaknesses in our cognitive profiles but overall most of our skills will fall in the normal range. Where a person has difficulty with the majority of these skills which is reflected in his/her learning and day-to-day living skills he/she is deemed to have a severe learning disability.

Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH)

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Sensory and/or Physical Needs

Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time. Many children and young people with vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI) or a multi-sensory impairment (MSI) will require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning, or rehabilitation support. Children and young people with an MSI have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties. Information on how to provide services for deafblind children and young people is available through the Social Care for Deafblind Children and Adults guidance.

Key Contacts for SEND

The class teacher should be your first point of contact for any concerns about your child’s progress. If you wish to escalate a concern, you can reach out to the Inclusion Team via the school office, by phone, or by email. Contacts include:

  • Miss Creed – Headteacher
  • Mr Murphy – Inclusion Leader/SENDCo
    (Contact via school office: office@stmarys.enfield.sch.uk)

 

Types of Support Available

We provide a graduated response in line with the SEND Code of Practice, tailoring provision to meet individual pupil needs. We access a range of specialist services including:

  • Educational Psychology
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Specialist advisory teachers for hearing, vision, or physical difficulties
  • CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
  • Emotional well-being services such as SWERRL

This work is aligned with the borough’s Local Offer, accessible here: https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/children-and-education/local-offer/

 

Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs

Our Welfare Officer manages individual healthcare plans for pupils with medical conditions. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated in coordination with healthcare professionals. Please contact the Welfare Officer through the school office for more information.

Tracking Progress and Involving Parents

We keep parents informed through regular meetings and reviews:

  • Two formal parent consultations per year
  • Targeted review meetings for children with SEND
  • Annual Reviews for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
  • Multi-agency meetings when other services are involved

 

Staff Development and SEND Training

We invest in ongoing training for all school staff to ensure they can meet the needs of children with SEND. This includes in-house workshops, Local Authority training, and external specialist input. Agencies we've partnered with include:

  • SWERRL
  • Local SEND Advisory Services
  • Education Child Protection

 

Inclusion and Access to the Curriculum

St Mary’s is committed to full inclusion. All pupils are encouraged to participate in educational visits, residentials, after-school clubs, and other enrichment opportunities. Any necessary adaptations or support are made to ensure equal access, including consultation with parents and thorough risk assessments.

 

Transitions

We recognise that transitions can be challenging for pupils with SEND and aim to make them as smooth as possible.

  • Into school: Visits to nurseries, transition books, and meetings with professionals.
  • Within school: Information shared between current and new teachers, support plans handed over, and additional visits if needed.
  • To secondary school: Transition reviews with secondary SENCOs, multiple visits, and tailored support materials.

 

Transport

While the school does not provide transport, families can access support through the Local Authority’s transport services. More details can be found on the Local Offer website.

 

Emotional and Mental Health Support

We understand that some children may face emotional or behavioural challenges. All pupils take part in a structured PSHE programme, and additional interventions are available, such as:

  • 1:1 or group mentoring
  • Social skills groups
  • Lunchtime and playtime support
  • Well-being assemblies
  • Enrichment and extracurricular opportunities

Referrals to outside agencies are made as necessary and discussed with parents beforehand. A home-school communication book may be provided to strengthen collaboration.

 

SEN Information Report July 2024

SEN Code of Practice

Enfield's Local Offer for SEND