SEND Specialist Expertise
SENDCO and Staff Expertise
Our SENDCO, Mrs. Kathryn Miu, holds the National Award for SEND Coordination (NASENCO).
Mrs. Miu works closely with our Parent Support Advisor, Mrs. Melinda Izomor. To contact Mrs. Miu or Mrs. Izomor, please use the ‘Contact Us’ section of our website.
The school SENDCO’s role includes:
• Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEND policy.
• Liaising with the relevant Designated Teacher where a looked after pupil has SEND.
• Advising teachers on using a graduated approach to providing SEND support.
• Advising on the deployment of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet the pupil’s needs effectively.
• Liaising with parents/carers of pupils with SEND.
• Liaising with and be a key point of contact for external agencies.
• Ensuring that the school keeps the records of all SEND pupils up-to-date.
• Working with the Headteacher and school governors to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities with regard to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements.
More details of the SENDCO’s role can be found in the SEND Policy (which you can find on our website).
At Newker Primary School all of our staff are responsible for the equality and inclusion of our pupils. Staff expertise is secured in meeting the needs of pupils through:
- Questionnaires
- Performance management
- Pupil progress
- Regular SEND updates shared by the SENDCO
- Staff CPD
Staff receive regular training regarding SEND. Recent training includes:
- Epilepsy training from NHS nurses
- SMART Targets
- Peer monitoring
- Supporting Lowest 20% in Reading (LSAs)
- EEF focus in Maths and English
- Emotional Coaching (all staff including Lunchtime Assistants)
- Supporting Lowest 20% in Maths
- Neglect and Poverty (PSA)
- Makaton
- Team Teach
- Downs Syndrome
The SENDCO works closely with new staff/ECTs/supply staff/students to ensure they are aware of our procedures regarding SEND.
External Specialists and Other Bodies
At Newker Primary School, we actively seek the involvement of parents and carers and other bodies to educate and meet the needs of children with SEND and regularly seek additional advice external agencies. We work with an extensive range of services and professionals to ensure we meet the needs of each individual child. We encourage these professionals to visit school as often as possible to work with our staff and share their expertise.
The professionals within these agencies offer a wealth of knowledge and expertise for us to draw upon and ensure we meet the needs of all SEND children (no matter how complex) both in school and at home. Wherever possible, our staff implement programmes of work linked to these professionals.
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
Each year, children with a wide range of SEND attend our school and we continually strive to cater for their unique needs and ensure they develop a range of skills during their time with us. As a result, we have built relationships with a large network of external agencies to consult with and offer support to children and staff respectively.
Below is a list of some types of agencies we work with regularly (and if you would like further details about any of these, please contact us):
- Durham SEND Information, Advice and Support Service
- Emotional Wellbeing & Effective Learning Team (EWEL)
- Communication & Interaction (Autism & Social Communication Team or Speech and Language Support Team)
- Cognition and Learning
- Sensory Processing
- Movement
- Assistive Technology
- Behaviour Support Services
- CAMHS Assessment Team
- Epilepsy Nurse
- Next Steps Consultancy Counselling Service
- Occupational Health Service
- One Point Children’s Service
- Durham Educational Psychology Service
- Specialist Health Visitor
- Speech and Language Therapy
Please see the Local Offer Website (see our website for the link) for further details about the support offered.
How We Secure Specialist Expertise
Specialist expertise is bought through the school and COL (Community of Learning). It is used to support children and young people with SEND by:
• Prioritising to tailor-make learning to ensure small steps of progress are continually made by all SEND learners.
• Purchasing Educational Psychology to identify additional support for learners.
• Buying into the Crisis response SLA to support our most vulnerable pupils.
• Individual referrals to specialist teams including Autism and Cognition and Learning Team.
• Training staff in relevant areas to meet and support the needs of SEND pupils.
• Providing direct support for children in terms of the staff that support them throughout the day to meet their needs.
• Purchasing a range of SEND resources to support pupils.
Our approach to teaching children & young people with SEND
How we adapt the curriculum and learning environment for children & young people with SEND
How we identify, assess and review children with special educational needs
How we adapt the curriculum and learning environment for children & young people with SEND
How Children with SEND Engage in All Activities
How we evaluate the effectiveness of SEN Provision
Support for Emotional & Social Development
Looked After Children with SEND
