SEND

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities

SENDCo: Mrs Susan Lambert (Tel: 0191 5813090) 

Susan Lambert is our designated SENDCo. She works closely with the Senior Leadership Team and all staff to ensure pupils with SEND are fully supported.

If you would like to discuss your child’s SEN in more detail, please contact the school to arrange an appointment.

Inclusion 

At St Cuthbert’s Primary, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. It shapes our curriculum, our teaching and the way we care for every child in our school community.  

Catholic Social Teaching, the UNICEF rights of the child and our local community context inspire the relationships we build and the curriculum we teach. We help children to understand the importance of respect, compassion and celebrating the uniqueness of every individual. Every child should feel valued, welcomed and celebrated for who they are and have the right to learn, grow and develop their individual talents in a supportive environment. 

Our curriculum is ambitious and carefully planned so that all children can access rich and meaningful learning. We hold high expectations for every child. At different times in their school journey, many children may experience a barrier to learning for a variety of reasons. When this happens, we adapt our teaching and provide the right support so that every child can succeed. 

Teachers carefully plan lessons to remove barriers to learning. They use strategies such as modelling, scaffolding and clear explanations to help all children access learning. Where needed, we make reasonable adjustments so that children can take part fully in lessons while still being appropriately challenged. 

We use assessment information thoughtfully to understand each child’s strengths and next steps. This helps us to: 

  • Adapt teaching to meet individual needs 
  • Provide targeted support where it is needed 
  • Check that support is effective and make changes when necessary 

Inclusion is not just about lessons. It is about making sure every child feels they belong in our school. Strong relationships, consistent routines and a caring pastoral approach help children feel safe, confident and ready to learn. 

All children are encouraged to take part in the wider life of the school, including: 

  • Trips and enrichment activities 
  • Sports, arts and creative opportunities 
  • Personal development experiences that build confidence and teamwork 

Support for Children with SEND 

High-quality teaching is always the foundation of what we offer. This is part of what we call our Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP).  However, we know that all children learn in different ways, and at times some may need extra support.  We use a graduated approach to support children with SEND. This means we work closely with families to identify needs early, put support in place and regularly review how well it is working. 

The process follows four stages: 

Assess 

We carefully look at your child’s strengths, needs and any barriers to learning. This may include teacher observations, assessments, discussions with parents and the views of the child themselves. 

Plan 

Together, we agree the support that will help your child make progress. This may include adaptations in the classroom, targeted interventions or additional resources. Clear outcomes are identified so everyone understands what we are working towards. 

Do 

The planned support is put into place. Class teachers remain responsible for the progress and wellbeing of every child, supported by the SENDCo and other staff where appropriate. 

Review 

We regularly review the impact of the support with parents, staff and the child. This helps us celebrate progress, identify next steps and make any changes needed to ensure the support remains effective. 

This cycle is ongoing and allows us to respond flexibly to children’s changing needs. Our aim is always to provide the right support at the right time so that every child can thrive both academically and emotionally. 

Additional support might look like: 

  • Targeted small group support for a specific need e.g. in reading, writing or maths 
  • Adaptations to the learning environment to support sensory needs 
  • Access to wellbeing support such as Drawing for Talking 
  • Access to specific resources or equipment 

By identifying and removing barriers to learning quickly, we support children with SEND to take part in all areas of school life. We want every child to feel safe, confident and able to thrive, and we celebrate the strengths and achievements of all pupils. 

Pastoral Support 

At St Cuthbert’s Primary, we know that children learn best when they feel happy, safe and supported. We place great importance on children’s wellbeing and emotional development and aim to create a caring environment where every child feels valued and listened to. 

We offer a range of support to help children develop confidence, manage emotions and build positive relationships, including: 

  • All pupils learn about feelings, self-regulation and wellbeing through our Zones of Regulation work as part of the PSHE curriculum 
  • Social stories may be used to help children understand routines, expectations and social situations 
  • Our work in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing has been recognised by County Durham, and we have a dedicated Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead in school 
  • Attendance and welfare support, including regular check-ins to support children and families where needed 
  • Strong links with our local Family Hub, helping us provide early support for both parents and pupils 

If you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing, behaviour or emotional development, please speak to your child’s class teacher in the first instance. We value working closely with parents and carers to support every child. 

 

Key SEND Documents

Full details are provided in our SEND Policy, available on the policies page.

The SEND Information Report should be read alongside the school’s SEND Policy, Equalities Information and Objectives, and Accessibility Plan, available on the policies page.

Further Information & Support

The full range of local support available for children and young people with SEND and their families, within and outside of school, can be found via the County Durham Local Offer .

Useful Links