SENCo: Mrs R Price
SEN Department: wgssend@wgsp.org.uk
Additional Educational Needs and Special Educational Needs
‘A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age’
The SEN Department can offer support to those students who have particular barriers to learning. The department is made up of a team of staff who specialise in different areas of need and who provide support within the classroom and can deliver small group interventions, as necessary. Termly CPD provides information to teaching staff on strategies to best support students with varying needs within the classroom. With the launch of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, the emphasis is on support coming from within the classroom in order to be fully inclusive. This means teachers utilise an array of Quality First Teaching strategies in lessons and adaptive teaching methods in lessons. These are the first steps in meeting the needs of all students in the classroom.
Where the needs of a student are greater than which can be successfully met by the classroom teacher, the SEN team can organise for relevant screening, testing and intervention as appropriate. We are currently able to offer small group tuition for a number of interventions including reciprocal reading, social skills, time, EAL and emotional wellbeing. We hold referral meetings once a fortnight to examine all referrals from staff and parents regarding students and implement strategies to support, as necessary.
In addition to this, we have a team of Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) and Higher-Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) who work closely with students both within and outside the classroom, either on a one to one basis or small group support where necessary. The LSA/HLTA team are supported by our SEN Admin Assistant – Mrs Bullock and line managed by our SENCo – Mrs Price.
We regularly organise termly coffee afternoons for parents to attend and to date have invited a number of speakers to attend including Medway Parents and Carers, Fortis Trust and Medway SENDIAS. We work with a number of external agencies including educational psychologists, occupational and speech and language therapists.
Questions about your child’s progress?
If your query or concern is subject specific, please speak to your child/ward’s teacher who will be able to assist.
Otherwise, please email your questions or concerns to the SEN team email address above and a member of the department will be in touch.
Below are some relevant and useful links:
