Inclusion Policies
Special Educational Needs & Wellbeing
We are an inclusive school. At Bel Royal School we understand that all pupils are individuals, and we provide for a wide variety of pupils with additional needs across the key stages. For most pupils, their needs can be met by the class teacher in the classroom environment without any additional support.
Some pupils may need additional support which we can provide for in a number of different ways, including individual learning targets; teaching assistant time and intervention programmes. This could be because they have what would be termed ‘Special Educational Needs’. This need could be short term, longer term or something that may impact on the child for the rest of their lives.
Special educational needs (SEN) are an extremely broad area and can refer to a wide variety of different needs a child may have. SEN can relate to:
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Learning needs (e.g. reading difficulties or working memory issues)
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Social and Communication needs (e.g. Speech and Language needs, ADHD or Autism)
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Emotional, behavioural and well-being needs (e.g. anxiety, attachment)
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Physical needs (e.g. Hearing loss, mobility issues, motor control)
A few pupils may have needs which require support from external professionals such as Speech and Language, Occupational Therapists or Educational Psychologists.
How are Special Educational Needs identified?
At Bel Royal School we aim to identify and support any pupils with special education needs as soon as possible, starting in our Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception).
Often, the child’s class teacher may notice a child is having difficulties, or it may be noticed by a different professional such as a health visitor, or a parent may share a concern with the school. If it seems that your child may have a Special Educational Need then the class teacher will initially work to find ways to support them. If the class teacher has continued concerns, they will speak to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) who will determine the next steps. You will be informed if any specific action is taken or if we would like to involve another agency before this happens. Usually, your signature will be required on a referral form.
Each term the school has a Planning and Review meeting (PARM) where a wide range of professionals that work with the school come together to discuss children that we want to support. In this multi-agency way, we are able to ensure children get the right support as quickly as possible.
How do we support pupils with Special Educational Needs?
Bel Royal School provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. Within the classroom, class teachers set suitable learning challenges and respond to pupil’s diverse learning needs through the resources they use, the different teaching styles they adapt and the planning they put in place.
If pupils require additional support to help them overcome their ‘barrier to learning’, they will be set individual targets which are personal to the needs of the child at that time and detail targets and provision to be put in place. The school also provides a range of intervention programmes designed to support specific learning needs and wellbeing.
A positive school/parent partnership is crucial to support a child with Special Educational Needs and we work closely with all our parents on a regular basis to support their child in achieving their full potential.