What is SEND?

All children and young people may experience learning difficulties at some point. This is not unusual. For most children the difficulties are temporary and are soon overcome with help and encouragement from home and school.

The term ‘Special Educational Needs’ is used to describe learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for children to learn than most children of the same age. Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are likely to need extra or different help from that given to other children their age. This help is known as special educational support.

How is SEND identified?

The teacher or parent may become concerned about a child’s progress and together with the SENDCo it will be decided if a child needs SEN support.

Support for SEN

Where it is agreed that a child has special educational needs they will get extra support. This could include anything from more support in lessons or small group work focused on particular areas of need or to one to one support.

Some children and young people with SEN may also have a disability which does not affect their ability to learn but might stop them from being able to do certain day-to-day things.

Who can help?

If you are concerned about your child, do talk to the class teacher. The Class Teacher will then liaise with the SENDCo and you to ensure your child’s needs are being met. However, the SENDCo can also be on hand to offer advice and support to Parents directly.

Meet the SENDCo's

We are Nicola Butcher and Laura Fozzard, we are the Special Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator's (SENDCo) at Buckden CE Primary Academy. 

Laura Fozzard - I have worked at the school for 12 years. In this time, I have been a class teacher, predominantly in year 5 or 6, but have also taught across the school. Whilst here, I have also had the responsibility of leading PE and English, and was in the position of Upper School Head and therefore part of the Senior Leadership Team. 

Nicola Butcher - I have worked at Buckden for over 10 years and during that time I have worked across all the year groups from EYFS right up to year 6. I qualified as a specialist teacher for literacy difficulties in 2022 and have been able to use this knowledge to support teachers across the school. 

As SENDCo's it is our role to ensure that our school is following the SEND regulations as well as establishing consistency of practice across the school. We liaise with personnel in external agencies and other schools to support on SEND matters.

We do hope that you find the following information useful, however if there is something which you would like more information about then please drop into our school office and leave a message for the SENDCo or email me using the address below.

send@bpa.act-academytrust.org

SEN Governor

All schools have a Governor who leads on Special Educational Needs and is the Governing Body’s champion for children with SEND, working with the school  to ensure that no child is treated less favourably, denied opportunity or left behind because they have additional needs.  The Governor meets with the SENDCo regularly to support the work of the school and produces with the SENDCo the annual report to Governors.  The SEND Governor ensures Governors are aware of issues relating to SEND and inclusion. 

For more information about our governors please click on the button below:
 

As well as support from our SENDCo, Buckden CE Primary Academy is proud to have an Early Intervention Family Worker and a Pinpoint Parent Champion available to advise parents and carers.

Our Early Intervention Family Worker can offer parenting courses, as well as more bespoke support and training to parents and carers on a wide range of areas including dealing with behaviour issues, anxiety, school refusal and many others. Her name is Kayleigh Fry and her contact information can be found in the attachments below.

Pinpoint is a Charitable organisation that provides help and information to parents and carers of children with SEND across Cambridgeshire. Our school benefits from having a Parent Pinpoint Champion who is available to offer support. Please see Pinpoint-cambs.org.uk for more information.

Kayleigh and our Parent Pinpoint Champion hold joint half termly drop in coffee morning sessions for parents and carers of all children who attend Buckden Academy, with or without SEND.  Please check our calendar for dates of upcoming events.

The Revised SEN Code of Practice 0–25

The main aims of the SEN Code of Practice are to ensure that:

• Children’s SEN are picked up early and support is put in place quickly;
• Staff have the knowledge, skills and understanding to provide the right support for children who have SEN or are disabled;
• Parents know what they can reasonably expect their local school, college, LA andlocal services to provide, without having to fight for it;
• Aspirations for children and young people are raised through an increased focus on life outcomes, including employment;
• For more complex needs, an integrated assessment and a single Education, Health and Care Plan are in place from birth to 25; and
• There is greater control for parents and young people over the services they and their family use.

The code of Practice 2015 states that local authorities working with their partners must publish in one place information about the services they expect to be available in their area for children and young people aged 0-25 who have special educational needs and /or disabilities (SEND). This is known as the Local Offer.

The Local Offer

The local offer is a ‘front door’ to information from education, health and social care about the provision that is available for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families.

Cambridgeshire’s Local Offer can be found here.

Equal Opportunities for All

We are determined to meet the educational needs of all of our pupils. The school caters for the needs of all pupils with special educational needs and disabilities with or without additional support. All teachers plan, set and mark work which is appropriate and relevant to the individual needs of the pupils. The Special Needs Co-ordinator is responsible for overseeing assessment and provision for these pupils.

Pupils with special educational needs are encouraged to become increasingly independent and take responsibility for their own learning. Inclusion at Buckden Academy is about providing equality of excellence for all in order to promote the highest possible progress and achievement. It also ensures that we recognise and celebrate the differences that exist amongst us, that we treat all people fairly and that we strive to eliminate discrimination wherever it exists.

We aim to include and engage all pupils and to prepare them for full participation in a diverse society. The aims and values of our school are designed to ensure that we meet the needs of all, taking account of gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, language, disability, age and social circumstances.

Further Services that can help:

Pinpoint:
https://www.pinpoint-cambs.org.uk/

SENDiass:

https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/local-offer/local-offer-care-and-family-support/send-information-advice-and-support-service-sendiass

and other helpful websites such as:

https://www.supportiveparents.org.uk/young-people-16-25/our-easy-read-factsheets-and-resources/

http://www.youthoria.org/home/learning/send