SENCO and SEN Staff
Our SENCO is Ms Gayle Luke is in possession of The National Award for SEND Coordination and has attended recent training:
- SENCO as a Strategic Leader
- Costed Provision Map Training
- Attention Difficulties Training
- SEND Leadership
- Precision Teaching
- Understanding Autism
- Impact of Sensory Issues on Learning In The Classroom
- Breaking the Cycle of Emotionally Based School Avoidance
- Makaton Training
It is the SENCO’s job to:
- Oversee the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy
- Liaise with the relevant Designated Teacher where a looked after pupil has SEN
- Advise teachers on using a graduated approach to providing SEN support
- Advise on the deployment of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet the pupil’s needs effectively
- Liaise with parents/carers of pupils with SEN
- Liaise with and be a key point of contact for external agencies
- Ensure that the school keeps the records of all SEN pupils up to date
- Work with the head teacher and school governors to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities with regard to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements by phoning the school on 01388 816351or sending an email to: middlestonemoor@durhamlearning.net
More details of the SENCO’s role can be found in the SEN Policy and the Teaching & Learning Policy which you can find in the School Policies section of our website.
External Specialists and Other Bodies
The school enjoys good working relationships with a wide range of people who provide services to children with SEND and their families.
The external specialists may:
- Act in an advisory capacity
- Extend expertise of school staff
- Provide additional assessment
- Support a child directly
- Suggest statutory assessment is advisable
- Consult with all parties involved with the child
These include:
Social, emotional and mental health include:
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- Educational Psychologist (Nicola Cockram)
- Crisis Repsonse (On Occasion)
- PRU (Pupil Referral Unit- On occasion)
Communication and Interaction include:
- Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)
- Autistic Spectrum Disorder team (ASD)
- Social Communication Assessment Team (SCAT)
- Advisory Inclusion Teachers
- Occupational Therapist (OT)
- Access Technology
Cognition and Learning include:
- Cognition and Learning Team formerly the Special education Needs and Disability Team
- Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
- Educational Psychologist (Nicola Cockram)
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health service (CAMHS)
Sensory and Physical include:
- Movement Difficulty Service
- Occupational Therapist Service (OT)
In addition we would also liaise with:
- Durham SEND Information, Advice and Support Service
- School Nurse Service
- other medical professionals such as paediatricians
- The Hearing Impaired Service
- Educational Welfare Officer
- Inclusion & Achievement – Behaviour Intervention Team
- Looked After Children
- One Point
- Social Workers
The agency involved would depend on the area of concern and teaching staff would discuss this with SENDCO and parents/carers before action would be taken.
We would also take into account any advice from other professionals and would put this into practice. The child may then receive further differentiation of activities or more opportunities to participate in small group intervention activities.
How We Secure Specialist Expertise
Our Additional Needs Budget is used to support children and young people with SEN. Middlestone Moor Primary School 2019 – 2019 designated budget = £98.117.
This is used to support children and young people with SEND by:
- Improved pupil:teacher ratio
- Purchase of additional resources to support specific outcomes for pupils
- Tracking and monitoring of achievement
- Targeted intervention and support programs
- Specialist Teaching Assistants to provide effective support
- Early identification and assessment
- Improved ICT resources – iPads/ New Model Interactive Whiteboards in all classrooms/ Laptops
- Continuous CPD for all staff
- Purchase of Service Level Agreements to provide additional specialist and targeted support
- Education Visits
If a child has complex special educational needs, we could also receive additional funding from the Local Authority to meet the agreed outcomes.
For further information please view the High Needs Funding Operational Guide (2017-2018) on the Gov.uk website.
A Costed Provision Map will be developed in liaison with the child, young person, parent or carer. An example of a costed provision map can be found here:
If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.
