At Chantry, we recognise that ‘Person-Centred High Quality Teaching’ is key to children’s learning and development and forms the basis for any additional or different provision for children with Special Educational Needs and / or a Disability (SEND). High quality teaching is based on the highest expectations for individual children and draws on what parents, carers and staff know about children’s learning and development. It is differentiated for individual children and uses a range of teaching approaches. Please contact me or a member of the team with regards to supporting your child/children since their return to education. This could be support with physical difficulties, anxiety or mental health issues, learning difficulties, speech and language difficulties or support with behaviour.

Mr. Wadsworth SENCO

How to identify SEN and information about Special Educational Needs (SEN) and what to do if you think your child has SEN: 

What are Special Educational Needs (SEN)?

Special Educational Needs (SEN) is a legal term. It describes the needs of a child who has a difficulty or a disability which makes learning harder for them than for other children of their age.

Around one in five children has SEN at some point during their school years. Some children have SEN right through their time in school.

SEN covers a broad spectrum of difficulty or disability. Children may have wide-ranging or specific problems. Eg, a child might have difficulty with one area of learning, such as letters or numbers. Or they might have problems relating to other children, or to adults. 

What if I think my child has SEN?

You know your child better than anyone else. If your child is pre-school, don’t wait for their next routine health check – visit your GP and ask for their opinion. If your child attends a pre-school speak to their teacher or key worker.

If your child is already in school (including nursery) talk to their teacher. Ask also to speak to the school’s Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), who organises extra help for children with SEN.

Talk to the teacher/ Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) about:
  • why you think your child has Special Educational Needs (SEN)
  • what the school can do to help
  • what you can do to help

Your child’s teacher and the SENCO will use the SEN Code of Practice to work out whether your child has SEN. 

What will the school do?

Schools are required by law to provide an education for all pupils, regardless of their ability or special needs. Every child’s education is equally important.

If the SENCO and your child’s teacher agree that your child has SEN, they will offer your child extra support with the possibility of more support if needed. This could be in the form of the following areas:

  • additional support from a teacher or teaching assistant
  • special classroom materials and equipment
  • observation throughout the day and keeping records
  • support to overcome challenges by finding different ways to engage
  • support with personal care such as eating and dressing.

Whatever the school decides to do to support you and your child you will be informed.

At Chantry we have a range of outside agencies working with us to provide the best outcomes for your child/ children, such as:

  • Education Psychcologist support
  • Specialist Teaching and Learning Centre at SMILE (what does this stand for?)
  • Speech and Language NHS service
  • EAL (what does this stand for) advisor from Kent County Council- Education People