SEND and Inclusion

At St George’s, we are committed to creating an inclusive school where every child is valued, understood and supported to achieve their potential. We believe that all teachers are teachers of SEND and that high-quality, inclusive teaching is the foundation of effective support. We work closely with children and families to understand individual needs and ensure that support is carefully considered, timely and appropriate. Our staff continually develop their knowledge and practice through ongoing training, reflection and collaboration, enabling us to provide the right support in the right way, while promoting pupils’ independence and participation in all aspects of school life.

We recognise that children may have a range of additional needs, which are broadly grouped into four areas: Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health; and Sensory and Physical Needs. Wherever possible, we meet these needs within our mainstream classrooms through high-quality adaptive teaching, reasonable adjustments and targeted support, working in partnership with families and specialist professionals where this is needed.

At St George’s, we believe that every teacher has a responsibility for meeting the needs of children with SEND. If you have a concern about your child, your child’s class teacher should be your first point of contact. They know your child well and will be able to discuss your concerns, consider what adjustments or support may be helpful and work with you to agree next steps. Where a concern relates to a particular lesson or area of learning, please speak to the relevant teacher in the first instance.

Our starting point is always high-quality, inclusive classroom practice. Through adaptive teaching, reasonable adjustments and appropriate support, we aim to ensure that children can access the curriculum, feel safe and included, and develop their independence. Teachers work closely with our SEND team to seek advice and consider different approaches where a child is experiencing difficulties.

Where concerns continue despite appropriate classroom support and targeted intervention, we will work with families to explore the reasons for these difficulties and consider whether further assessment or more specialist support is required. Where appropriate, this may include seeking advice from, or making a referral to, external professionals and agencies.

**For further information about how we support children with SEND at St George’s, please see our SEND Report at the top of this page.**

If you have concerns about your child’s development or feel they may have a Neurodevelopmental need, we recommend speaking with your GP in the first instance, although they will also ask you to speak to school.

Conditions such as Autism and ADHD are health conditions and any formal assessment or diagnosis is carried out by appropriate health professionals and it is always worthwhile to have a record of a conversation about your concerns on your child’s NHS file.

Please speak with your child’s class teacher in the first instance, who will then speak with the SENDCO who will discuss the next steps. This may include a recommendation of a referral through the local Single Point of Access (SPOA) process with the NHS.

If this is the case, St George’s can support you with the referral and, where appropriate, provide the relevant information and evidence from school. We will also keep you as informed as possible as you progress through this process.

We can work alongside you and put appropriate support in place in school while you are waiting for further advice or assessment. We understand that waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments can be lengthy, but it is important to note that a formal diagnosis is not required for us to provide support in school. We will respond to your child’s identified needs and make reasonable adjustments wherever we can.

What is the SPOA process?

SPOA stands for Single Point of Access. It is a way of requesting support from local health and other children’s services when there are concerns about a child’s development, learning, behaviour or emotional wellbeing.

If you, your GP or school have concerns about your child, a SPOA referral brings together information about the difficulties your child is experiencing and the support that has already been tried. The referral is then considered by the appropriate professionals, who decide what support, assessment or further referral may be most appropriate.

A referral does not automatically mean that your child will receive a diagnosis. The purpose is to make sure that their needs are considered and that they are directed towards the most appropriate service or support.

There are a number of organisations and services available to support families beyond St George’s. You may find the following useful sources of information, advice and guidance:

• Derby’s SEND Local Offer – information about local services, support and provision for children and young people with SEND and their families.
• Derby SENDIASS – independent information, advice and support for children and young people with SEND and their parents and carers.

• Derbyshire’s SEND Local Offer – information about SEND services and support for families living within Derbyshire.

• Derbyshire DIASS – independent information, advice and support for children and young people with SEND and their parents and carers.

We have included these links to help you find additional support and information alongside the support available through school.