Special Educational Needs (SEND)

Didcot Area School Partnership Local Offer

Vision

Our vision for children and young people with special needs is the same as for all children and young people – that they achieve well in their early years and at school; lead happy and fulfilled lives; and have choice and control. (Oxfordshire County Council)

Definition of SEND

A child has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.

(Code of Practice DfE 2014)

Identification, assessment and provision

The school will follow the guidance contained within the Oxfordshire County Council document Identifying and Supporting Special Educational Needs (OCC 2014).

Where learners are not making expected progress and are significantly behind their peers, evidence is gathered from school, home and the learner him/herself to make a detailed assessment of need and put in place appropriate support. For those with the most complex needs, an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan will be agreed. These will replace current statements of special educational needs over the next three years.

Admission of disabled pupils

In accordance with legal requirements, children who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs naming the school in the Statement will always be admitted. Disabled children who need to be admitted to a school on the grounds of physical accessibility have a priority in the school’s Admissions Policy.

Access and provision for disabled pupils

In its day to day operation, the school will work to

• promote equality of opportunity for disabled pupils to all aspects of school life
• eliminate discrimination and harassment
• use every opportunity to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
• encourage participation by disabled people in the life of the school
• take steps to meet disabled people’s needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment
• ensure that all staff are appropriately trained and have access to and the support of relevant outside agencies.
• monitor the progress of disabled pupils.

The school has an accessibility plan showing how it plans to evaluate and improve access to all aspects of the school and school life.

Please see the school’s SEND policy for more details.

This provision supports the local offer of Oxfordshire County Council – please click HERE.