Welcome to our webpage for parents and carers about special educational needs and disabilities at St Peter's.

Our aim is to help you:

• Understand what special educational needs are
• Understand what the school can do to help your child
• Play a full part in your child’s education and explain how you can get involved so that your views are heard.

What are special educational needs?

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which makes it harder to learn than most children of the same age, or if they have a disability which makes it difficult to use the educational facilities in the school.  Some children may need extra help because of a range of needs such as thinking and understanding, physical or sensory issues, emotional and behavioural difficulties or issues with speech and language or how they relate to and behave with other people.

What will school do? 
St Peter’s regularly reviews the progress of all pupils.  When a pupil has special educational needs, teachers will undertake additional assessments if necessary, adapt planning and implement strategies to meet the pupil’s needs. Where appropriate, these interventions will be recorded on a provision map alongside personalised short term targets. The impact of these interventions will be regularly reviewed either by the class teacher and other adults supporting the child in school, or when a range of support is in place, by school staff and parents together.  The child may also contribute part of this review meeting if it is felt to be beneficial.   Where necessary the cycle of ‘assess- plan- do- review’ will continue.

For a very few pupils with the most complex, significant and long term needs, a Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) may be appropriate.  This plan is for children and young people who need more support than is available through special educational needs support.  EHC plans identify pupils’ educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs.

What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs?

If you are concerned that your child may have difficulties with learning, it is important to speak to someone as soon as possible as parents are often the first to notice any difficulties.  You could speak to your child’s class teacher, the school’s Special Educational Needs Team (Mrs Allcock or Mrs Matthews) or the head teacher.  Alternatively you could contact your doctor, school nurse or health visitor.

How you can help your child

Parents have a vital role in their child’s education.  To help the school work effectively with you and your child, you should:

• Communicate regularly with your child’s teachers in order to share information about your child and alert them to any concerns you have about your child’s learning
• Support your child at home with their reading and homework.

Useful Contacts and Organisations

You are always welcome to contact

Mrs Allcock      

or

Mrs Matthews  

through the school office. There are many voluntary organisations that help children with disabilities or learning difficulties and their parents. We are able to pass on details of many of these.

For more information on children with special educational needs check out the DfES publication Special Educational Needs – a guide for parents and carers. This, and lots of other information can be found at the following website: www.education.gov.uk/schools

Mrs Hannah Roberts - Deputy Head & SENCO

Email: hroberts@stpetersjunior.org.uk