All children are entitled to an effective education that is appropriate to their needs, promotes high standards and supports the fulfilment of their potential. The education they receive should;
 

• Enable them to achieve their best,
• Become confident individuals living fulfilling lives and
• Make successful transitions onto the next stage of their education

What is SEND and how is it identified?

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn or to engage in their learning.

In accordance with the 2015 SEND Code of Practice children are defined as having a special educational need if they:

• Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of pupils of the same age, or;
• Have a disability which prevents or hinders him/her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions

A child under compulsory age has special educational needs if they fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them (Section 20 Children and Families Act 2014).

As a parent you may notice that they may :
 

• Struggle to learn to read or write, or struggle to make sense of something being read to them.
• Find it difficult to follow more than one instruction or to remember something they have just been told
• Struggle to concentrate on things that most of their peers are able to do, or to watch something on the television
• Fall over frequently, bump into things or struggle to learn new physical skills such as riding a bike
• Find turn-taking difficult, or sharing their toys. They may find it difficult to make or maintain friendships.

If you think your child may have special educational needs, you can talk to our:

SEND Coordinator: Miss Jacqui Dart - jdart@dmatschools.org.uk or call 01837 52341

Assistant SENDCO: Kate Sparshatt - ksparshatt@dmatschools.org.uk

You can also get advice from the Home - Devon Information Advice and Support (devonias.org.uk).

This is an independent service the local authority is required to have and it is designed to support children, young people and their families with SEND. They can help to explain things to you and have lots of useful information on their website.

Inclusivity

St James Church of England Primary and Nursery School is an inclusive school and will do its best to ensure that the necessary provision is made for any pupil who has special educational needs or disabilities. We will ensure that all staff in the school are able to identify and provide for those pupils who have special educational needs or disabilities to allow pupils with SEND to join in the activities of the school.

The staff and trustees will work to ensure that all pupils with SEND reach their full potential, are fully included within the school community and are able to make successful transitions between educational establishments.

Our School Offer for Children with SEND

At St James Church of England Primary and Nursery School, we understand that every child is different, and therefore, the educational needs will need to be specific to each individual child. This is very much the case for pupils with Special Educational Needs and disabilities.

No pupil will be refused admission to our school on the basis of his or her special educational need or disability. In line with the Equality Act 2010 we will not discriminate against disabled children in respect of admissions for a reason related to their disability. We will use our best endeavours to provide effective educational provision.

The local offer for children with SEND

From the date that The Children and Families Bill became law, Local Authorities and schools are required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for the children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) aged 0-25. This is the ‘Local Offer’.

The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. It will also be an important resource for parents in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area.

You can find out more about the Local Offer at the Devon SEND Local Offer web pages.

Our SEND Information Reports are published below. 
 

 School Nurse

If you have any concerns about any aspects of your child's health, from bedwetting or toileting issues, to other health concerns, including mental health, parents can either speak to their class teacher or contact the school nurse team directly, using the following details.

Tel : 0333 234 1904

Email : rde-tr.northernphnhub@nhs.net