Special Educational Needs
SENCO
Penny Wardell is the school's Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and is responsible for the arrangements for provision for children at risk of underachievement including those with Special Educational Needs throughout the school. She is an Assistant Headteacher and member of the Senior Leadership Team. As Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, Penny Wardell :
- Works closely with the Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team, Class Teachers and Teaching Assistants to co-ordinate provision for children across the school.
- Manages the Teachers and Teaching Assistants working with individual or small groups of children with additional needs.
- Manages the Teaching Assistants working 1-1 with children with Education Health and Care Plans and those assigned with High Needs Funding.
- Maintains a register of children with Special Educational Needs, and monitors the progress of the children on the SEN register.
- Has responsibility for the day to day operation of the SEN Policy and Information Report.
- Liaises with the Specialist Teaching Service and Educational Psychology Service to gain advice and support for children who are at risk of underachievement or have SEN.
- Works closely with parents of children with SEN.
- Applies for Education Health and Care Plans and High Needs Funding for children when appropriate.
- Refers children for assessments by specialists as necessary, including Community Paediatrics, Speech and Language Therapy Service, Occupational Therapy.
To contact the SENCO team either phone us on 01892 523006 and select option 2, or email: senco@st-james.kent.sch.uk
The SEN Team
The school uses both Teaching Assistants and Teachers to support children who are at risk of underachievement. The majority of support is put in place in class as part of the normal school day, but there are also a range of groups which run outside the classroom. These change according to the needs of the cohort of pupils, but may include Early Literacy Support, Talk Boost Groups, Speech Link activities, Nurture Group, Social Communication and Interaction Group, Maths Groups, Writing Groups, Jump Ahead and BEAM, Sensory Circuits and Memory Phonics.
The school uses both Teaching Assistants and Teachers to support children who are at risk of underachievement. The majority of support is put in place in class as part of the normal school day, but there are also a range of groups which run outside the classroom. These change according to the needs of the cohort of pupils, but may include Early Literacy Support, Talk Boost Groups, Speech Link activities, Nurture Group, Social Communication and Interaction Group, Maths Groups, Writing Groups, Jump Ahead and BEAM, Sensory Circuits and Memory Phonics.
The SEN Governor
The school allocates a Governor with responsibility for SEN at St James' Primary School. She has regular contact with the SENCO and reports to the Governing Body on the school’s SEN provision.
The school allocates a Governor with responsibility for SEN at St James' Primary School. She has regular contact with the SENCO and reports to the Governing Body on the school’s SEN provision.
Identification and assessment
At St James’ Primary School we identify children with additional needs as early as possible in order to put in provision to support them with their learning. We carry out Baseline Assessment with all children and Language Link and Speech Link assessments when appropriate. Class Teachers monitor and track progress of all children continually. Tracking documents are completed and shared with the Senior Leadership Team for analysis twice per year. The SENCo meets with the Class Teachers three times a year to discuss the children’s progress. Children with additional needs may be identified at any stage in their school life. Children who are working Below the Programme of Study in Year 1 will continue to work on the Development Matters Early Years Curriculum until they have achieved the Early Learning Goals. Children who are working Below the Programme of Study in Year 2 and above will be assessed using the P Scales.
At St James’ Primary School we identify children with additional needs as early as possible in order to put in provision to support them with their learning. We carry out Baseline Assessment with all children and Language Link and Speech Link assessments when appropriate. Class Teachers monitor and track progress of all children continually. Tracking documents are completed and shared with the Senior Leadership Team for analysis twice per year. The SENCo meets with the Class Teachers three times a year to discuss the children’s progress. Children with additional needs may be identified at any stage in their school life. Children who are working Below the Programme of Study in Year 1 will continue to work on the Development Matters Early Years Curriculum until they have achieved the Early Learning Goals. Children who are working Below the Programme of Study in Year 2 and above will be assessed using the P Scales.
