Inclusion and Support for SEND Children – Our Commitment

At Nun Monkton Foundation Primary School, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their individual skills, needs or abilities. The inclusion of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is at the heart of our caring and nurturing ethos, where every child’s uniqueness is supported and valued. We are committed to creating a learning environment where diversity is celebrated and every child feels valued and supported.

We understand that providing bespoke support is essential in helping SEND children achieve what they are capable of. We use personalised strategies, collaborate teamwork and a nurturing approach to ensure that every child can access the curriculum and develop the confidence and skills they need for success.

We support and assess all pupils regularly and that is the same with SEND pupils. Often, assessment steps for SEND pupils will be broken down into either smaller steps or there is more regular review.

Our commitment to inclusion goes beyond academic achievement. We foster understanding, empathy and respect across our school and aim to build a culture where all children can learn, grow and develop together. For us, inclusion is something that staff and pupils alike are committed to and shapes what we do to support each pupil (including any support detailed in an existing Education Health Care Plan).

Glossary of Abbreviations used:

EHCP: Education Health and Care Plan

IBP: Individual Behaviour Plan

IEP: Individual Education Plan

SEND: Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

SENDCo: Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Coordinator

SEND Hub: NYCC Local Authority Craven, Harrogate, Ripon & Knaresborough Locality Hub

TA: Teaching Assistant

 Identifying Special Educational Need

We endeavour to provide an inclusive education for all children and tailor the curriculum to meet individual needs, allowing children with additional needs to learn alongside their peers. Our staff work closely with our Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator (SENDCo), Melissa Parker, to identify potential barriers to learning and implement the support needed for that learner to thrive.

Sometimes children already have SEND needs identified before starting school and we will work closely with parents, the child’s previous setting and the Local Authority SEND team to ensure we are ready to welcome the pupil with appropriate support when they begin their time at our school.

Sometimes a child may be identified as having a Special Educational Need at some point during their journey through our school, if they

• Experience greater difficulty in learning compared to age related expectations.
• Have a disability that impacts their ability to access school facilities and activities.

If you or a teacher have concerns about your child’s progress, we will work closely with you to identify any needs and implement the right support.

How we support Children with SEND

At Nun Monkton we recognise and celebrate that we are all different and are committed to supporting children in overcoming barriers to learning to enable them to reach their potential. We have a graduated approach, adapting support for children with SEND as needed.

Quality First Teaching

Teachers are responsible for providing Quality First Teaching (QFT) within their daily practice, and all our children receive high quality, differentiated teaching which meets their individual learning needs. Our smaller classes help teachers to know each pupil and their progress well.

SEND support

• If a child is not making the expected progress, the teacher (along with parents) may come together to discuss an initial concern. A concern about a SEND need may come from school or home.
• Children are given specific and relevant input, which may be in the form of a short-term intervention. It does not mean that a child will necessarily be placed on the SEND register. These targeted children will be closely monitored and their progress tracked and reviewed. For some children they may then be able to make progress through the usual Quality first Teaching.
• For some children they may be identified as needing further additional support or a specific educational need may be highlighted. At this point targeted interventions for children will be put in place. Children may have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Behaviour Plan (IBP) put in place and placed on the school SEND register. This will be discussed and agreed with parents, so that everyone working with the child is aware of the support they need. This may include input from external specialists when necessary (e.g. speech and language therapy or the SEND Hub). An Educational Psychologist may be involved to help with the assessment and support of a specific need. An IEP or IBP identifies clear SMART targets which outline the area for development specific to the pupil. It will clearly state the target and how this is achieved by pupils, with the support of required in class and through clearly defined interventions. These will be regularly reviewed as part of our ongoing ‘Assess, Plan, Do’ review cycle. All staff working with pupils will be aware of their current targets.
• We have excellent working links with the local SEND Hub who will support us in supporting pupils where necessary.

EHCP – for children with complex, lifelong needs, an EHCP ensures tailored support both in school and through external agencies.

• In cases where needs are significant, we recognise children may qualify for an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and work closely with the child, parents, SENDCo and other external agencies as needed to support families through the process of gaining an EHCP.
• Any children who require an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will have annual and interim reviews; these will be collaborative between external agencies, school staff and the child’s family. EHCP targets will feed into the Pupil’s IEP SMART targets.
• We also recognise that some additional needs require very specialist experience, support and skills. In these instances, we seek support and specialist help from the North Yorkshire Council SEND team, make referrals and work with outside agencies to provide tailored support for the child and family. This includes visual and hearing impairment, particular physical and medical needs, as well as learning needs.

How we work with families

Your input is invaluable and we work to keep families informed and involved through:

• Regular meetings and progress meetings.
• Clear communication about any concerns or additional support plans.
• Sharing and discussing IEPs/ IBPs.

Support with transition

Moving or changing (transition) can be challenging for any child, but particularly for children with SEND. We take steps to ensure any transitions to new situations, within the school day, changes to usual routines or transition to a new class or school are as smooth as possible. Some examples are:

• For new pupils – visits to the school, taster sessions and getting to meet key staff.
• Moving to secondary school/ a new setting – meetings with staff from the new school, additional visits to the new school, tailored transition plans and social stories.

Our SEND Team roles

Class teachers: your first point of contact for any concerns about your child.

SENDCo (Melissa Parker): oversees SEND provision, liaises with external agencies and ensures your child’s needs are met.

Headteacher (Lauren Evans): responsible for overall school leadership and management including SEND.

SEND Governor (Rachel Morrison) : Monitors SEND provision, ensuring it continues to meet high standards.

Resources and Accessibility

Our school is accessible to all children, including those with SEND. It is a smaller, older building with two storeys, which can cause us some issues. However, we are always adaptable and look to support every child’s needs by being creative, flexible and ready to think around problems to help accessibility.

These currently include:

• Single level access,
• Flexibility to move children and classes within the building to avoid the need for a child to go upstairs,
• Reasonable adjustments to support participation in activities including PE, residential trips and before / after school clubs.

Emotional and Social Support

We recognise the importance of every child’s emotional well-being. Sometimes a child may need extra support at times or as part of their ongoing SEND need.  We offer:

• Social skills and emotional literacy support from all staff,
• Particular emotional support through social stories or programmes such as ‘circle of friends’ or bereavement support,
• Structured PSHE (personal social and health education) sessions,
• Lunchtime and playtime activities designed to build social skills.

Key Contacts 

If you have concerns or questions about your child’s progress, please speak to their class teacher

If you have any questions or want to arrange a meeting with our SENDCO, please contact the School Office in the first instance.
Email: sbm@nunmonkton.n-yorks.sch.uk
Phone: 01423 330313 

Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator (SENDCO): Melissa Parker 
Email: m.parker@nunmonkton.n-yorks.sch.uk

Headteacher: Mrs Lauren Evans 
Email: headteacher@nunmonkton.n-yorks.sch.uk

SEND Governor: Rachel Morrison 
Email: r.morrison@nunmonkton.n-yorks.sch.uk