SENDCo: Mr Jarvie

At Elmley Castle C.E First School, we value the abilities and achievements of all children and are committed to providing the best learning environment for each pupil. It is our belief that everyone has equal rights to a full and rounded education and SEND pupils are never at a disadvantage because of their needs. 

We adhere to Section 69(2) of the Children and Families Act 2014 and Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014, including the Code of Practice: 0-25 years.

Special Education Needs and Disabilities:

The changes in the Children and Families Act 2014 affect the way children with special educational needs and/or Disability (SEND) are supported in schools. This approach places pupils at the centre of planning for their needs. 

The key principles of the legislation are:

• Young people and their families should be involved in discussions about the support they need, so they can share their knowledge and liaise with the school on the young person’s progress.
• Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs) have replaced statements of special educational needs.
• School Action and School Action Plus have ceased and been replaced by a single school-based category for children who need additional specialist support.

What we offer:

Elmley Castle C.E First School uphold children’s right to education and recognise the diverse educational needs within its community. We acknowledge those needs may change and require a range of provision. We believe we have a duty to offer that provision where we can, to foster inclusion and provide full educational access. Some children need increased support to access learning because 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 him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools
• have a disability as defined under the Equality Act, which affects their ability to access and benefit from the educational opportunities generally enjoyed by children of the same age.

Equality:

We will try to ensure that all barriers to equal access in our school are reduced or overcome in line with the Equality Act 2010: advice for schools.  We monitor and track progress of all children so that the support provided is as effective as possible. We welcome the full engagement of parents and carers and where necessary seek support and advice from specialists outside of school to ensure we develop and maintain a range of flexible resources to meet the needs of all children.

Elmley Castle C.E First School - SEND Policy (2025)

Areas of Need:

The ‘Code of Practice’ states that there are four main areas which cover Special Educational Needs and Disability:

• Communication and Interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• Sensory and/or Physical

Was your child born before 37 weeks?

There is a lot of research looking into why children might find different areas of learning tricky. There is strong evidence that some children born preterm (before 37 weeks) may be more at risk of experiencing difficulties with their learning. Teaching teams have received training in raising awareness of how to support children who were born preterm and it would be really useful for us to be aware of pupils who were born early. 

If your child was born before 37 weeks it would be really useful for us to know. If this applies to your child and you would be happy to share this information please email in to office@elmleycastle.worcs.sch.uk.