SEND Support
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)
At Meadstead, we believe in the importance of every child achieving their ‘potential’, making good progress and enjoying their learning experience through 'Quality First Teaching'. As an academy when we plan any learning opportunity, our children and their needs are the central focus.
However, for some of our children there are occasions when additional support is required to allow us to support the next steps in their learning journey. Additional support may be given for a set period of time or for a longer period to ensure every child can access our curriculum effectively and are fully included in learning opportunities and school events. Our parents/carers are informed, included and supported throughout such periods of provision.
If a child’s needs are significantly greater than the majority of children of the same age, or they have a disability which affects their ability to access the curriculum for the age group, then they may be considered to have Special or Additional Educational Needs.
Their needs may be in the area of:
Communication and Interaction
Cognition and Learning
Social, Emotional or Mental Health
Physical or Sensory difficulties.
At Meadstead, teaching and learning opportunities are adapted and continually evaluated (with the support of external agencies when required) to ensure the needs of all of our children are met. Parents/carers should not feel unduly anxious about such additional support, which at our academy allows all children to receive the specific help they need to make the next steps in their exciting learning journey.
The SEND team consists of:
Mr L Bell - Principal
Mrs Louise Stather - SENCO and Vice Principal
Mrs Jackie Guest - Pastoral Lead & Thrive Practitioner
Teaching assistants throughout the school who assist in classroom and extra curriculum delivery.
A glossary of all SEND terms can been found to download at the bottom of this page and you can hopefully find answers to all your questions by clicking through the presentation below. You can now also access the recently produced DfE 'easy-read' SEND guides, one for parents/carers and one for children, from the bottom of the page.
SEND Offer
SEMH Interventions
Our approach is built within the theoretical landscape of relational connection and the comfort and emotional safety in feeling you ‘belong’ as part of a social group. We know that nurturing relationships create a safe and trusting connection and this is at the heart of Hamish & Milo for children to feel happier, heard and connected.
The framework for Hamish & Milo therefore comes from a range of theoretical contexts which hold the quality of relationship at the core of support work and togetherness with peers as a social group. Hamish & Milo is based on attachment aware theory and the importance of early social and emotional development, as well as understanding the emotional stress that many children with SEMH needs experience and the impact on the developing child.
The importance of co-regulation and emotional safety, having language and emotional vocabulary to help make sense of experiences and situations is crucial in the development of emotional literacy skills to enable social relationships, communication and emotional regulation. With this in place, our emotional wellbeing is enhanced and we can engage in learning and the wider world.
Our programmes offer emotion themes that include creative enrichment activities designed to enable discussion about children’s life experiences and emotions. Each activity includes a psychoeducation element to help children understand what is happening in their bodies and minds so that they can begin to regulate and reflect with an empathic adult in a way that supports their emotional wellbeing.
Thrive
At Meadstead we support emotional and behavioural issues using a systematic approach called ‘Thrive’. Thrive supports young people with their emotional health, well being and social skills, all of which are needed for learning to take place. Thrive is based on up to date brain science and research into child development and helps staff in the school to adapt their approach to individual children to build self-esteem, well-being and behaviour. Over the last six months four of our school staff have undergone extensive training in the Thrive approach and they now form the core of our Thrive team.
The Thrive approach begins with a whole class computerised screening, which takes place each September, where teachers answer a series of questions about each child in the class. The software then identifies any scholars who would benefit from a more detailed assessment, which in turn suggests ideas, activities and strategies to support the individual child. We will of course let you know of any concerns revealed by the screening and you will be fully consulted and involved in any follow-up activities. Sometimes it may be useful to share the results with other agencies, for example our educational psychologist or behaviour advisor and we will discuss this with you before making any formal referral. You can find out more about Thrive by downloading the sheet from the bottom of the page and looking at their website here.
Specialist external support
If we (or you) feel that we can’t provide the best support for your child using the resources within the school then we will work with you to seek the most appropriate support. For example, we regularly have an educational psychologist visit us to provide advice and can arrange an appointment if you wish to discuss any issues. Please ask if you feel that this could be helpful.
Pastoral support
Mrs Guest is Pastoral Lead and can provide support for any concerns such as parenting or behaviour difficulties, bereavement, bullying, parental separation, domestic violence or substance abuse. Call in or contact her at any time.