At Shotley Bridge Primary School, our school values underpin the way in which we support all children, regardless of their needs. Our approach to teaching children/young people with SEND has a focus on being:
Inclusive education means supporting all pupils to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of school life alongside their peers. At Shotley Bridge Primary School we pride ourselves on our inclusive approach to education and school life. Staff recognise the individuality of all our children/young people and that some may require additional support in particular areas, endeavouring to support every child regardless of their level of need. Our curriculum includes, not only the formal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum / National Curriculum, but also a range of additional opportunities to enrich the experiences of all pupils. It also includes the social aspects that are essential for lifelong learning, personal growth and development of independence. We ensure that all children are offered the opportunity to participate in all activities by making reasonable adjustments to the organisation of these.
We understand that children learn and develop in different ways. Our staff recognise this and use different teaching styles, resources and plan different levels of work in the classroom to cater for the various ways children learn, this is called quality first teaching. However, some children, at some time in their school life, may need extra help and support in a variety of different ways. Staff are trained to identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional) and to implement these as soon as possible.
Developing honest working partnerships with families, allows the best support to be implemented for all children/young people. Staff know how to have challenging conversations in a sensitive and honest way, to ensure those who know our children/young people best are involved and informed in their education.
By encouraging independence at all age and ability levels we endeavour to develop confidence, improve self-esteem and promote enthusiasm in all our pupils through a rich, stimulating environment and a variety of additional opportunities. All children follow the curriculum at a level and pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times, and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented to promote self-worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence in all.
We ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs. Relevant training is organised and we use a consistent approach to foster meaningful connections with all children/young people. At Shotley Bridge Primary School we involve children/young people in planning their provision, where possible, to ensure they feel they are valued and empowered to make informed decisions about their own education.
At Shotley Bridge Primary School we want all of our children to be supported to overcome the challenges they may face in life. For pupils with SEND this can mean additional support outside of the curriculum in a range of different forms. Using a whole school approach to Growth Mindset we encourage all pupils to have the courage to try new experiences, show resilience when they struggle and the perseverance to never give up on the things they want to achieve. More information about how we support our SEND pupils to overcome their barriers to learning can be found on our ‘How we adapt the curriculum and learning environment for children & young people with SEN’ page.
