Children with SEN will settle more quickly into school if everyone involved in their learning and well-being have a shared understanding of their needs. Therefore, we encourage pre-schools / feeder schools and parents to contact the SENCo, Mrs Hayes-Smith (through the school office) at the point they are considering Sandling. We will make an appointment to meet and discuss any reasonable adjustments that can be put in place. This will also involve a tour of the school if this has not already been done.

Once it is confirmed that your child will be joining us, we like to arrange a transition meeting where you, as parents/carers, and all the adults involved in supporting your child meet and share the strengths and the differences of your child. At this meeting we also draw up an action plan to support transition which may involve extra opportunities for your child to visit our school as part of their preparation. The principle is that the more we know the more we can support and help.

Please be aware that the end of June and July is a particularly busy time for transition and so the earlier we know, the more likely we are to be able to arrange meetings.

The first point of contact is your child’s class teacher as they are the person in school with whom they spend the most time with. Make a list of your concerns and make an appointment to see the class teacher. The class teacher may agree that they have similar concerns or they may ask for a few weeks to observe these areas more closely and to meet with you again. We support all needs through the use of a provision map which details interventions being run for that class. Interventions will be trialled, if they are successful, then no further investigation is required. If they do not help, a referral to the SENCo, Mrs Hayes-Smith, will be needed.

If the class teacher feels that there may be a difficulty that needs exploring further they will complete a referral, with your permission, to the SENCo who will determine any assessment / observation that needs to be undertaken. These will be carried out within 25 school days and the results fed back to you along with any actions to be taken.

If there is an identified need that relates to learning then it will be explained that your child is going to be placed on the SEN register in school so that the SENCo monitors your child along with the class teacher. It also means that you and your child (KS2 only) will be invited to SEN support meetings (Personalised Plan meetings) three times a year. These meetings last 10 minutes and involve the SENCO, Class Teacher, Teaching Assistant and yourselves. They look at the long term targets for your child in the area they have difficulty and break these down into achievable steps throughout the year.

Some children have a disability or a medical need e.g. severe allergy which does not affect their learning in any way and whilst it is therefore not a Special Education Need, it is vital we meet to ensure any necessary care arrangements are in place for when your child starts.

If this is the case then please contact our Family Liaison Officer, Mrs Arnold, to arrange a meeting to discuss requirements.

We currently have:

• all steps marked with yellow lines
• car drop off disabled bay
• designated staff trained in medical needs (as they arise)
• electronic white boards in teaching rooms – it is recognised that children with Learning difficulties and problems with their sight or are partially sighted find it easier to learn when an electronic white board is used.
• all staff trained in Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Dyslexia
• medical forms for parents to complete on entry to help us identify pupils and / or parents with disabilities / medical needs so that we can offer any support required.
• software purchased to support pupils with learning difficulties

A local authority survey of our site recognised that our corridors are too narrow to enable slope and step access and having been built on a slope most of the school site has stepped access which may affect those with mobility difficulties.

Please talk to us if considering a place at Sandling so that we can work together to look into any reasonable adjustments that may be required.