What does SEND look like at Sacred Heart Primary School? (2023-2024) 

SENDCO - Mrs Pauline Brewin

Welcome to the Special Education Needs and Disability page. Here at Sacred Heart we believe in all of our children. Our children are the heart of our school and we work together to ensure they are safe, well cared for, well-educated, healthy and enjoy life. We aim to respond to the diversity of our children around their backgrounds, experience, strengths, needs, skills and knowledge. We aspire to offer our children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities a broad and balanced curriculum that enables them to reach their potential and thrive as unique individuals.

We enrich our learning environment with team work, enthusiasm and a ‘can do’ strength-based approach where our children are at the very heart of it all.

In partnership with staff, parents, carers, governors and outside agencies, we aim to ensure barriers to learning are overcome and our children are given opportunities to achieve, succeed and experience an enriching education.

We have a wide range of skilled staff trained in many different areas such as Makaton, Braille, SCERTS (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support), Intensive Interaction, Precision Teaching, Emotional Coaching, Trusted Adult Training, Speech, Language and Communication, and Autism in order to embrace and support the diverse needs of our children.

As a school we have close links with Speech and Language Therapists (both Enhanced and NHS) that help with whole school speech, language and communication development, as well as Child Education Psychologists, Advisory Teachers from Inclusion Support and Hearing and Visually Impaired Teachers. This team helps ensure our staff is providing the right level of care and support for our children, as well as offering continuous professional development whole school.

Here at Sacred Heart we believe in the importance of Mental Health and our mission to ensure our children’s well-being is at the very heart of our curriculum. We have passion for Mental Health Awareness and have skilled staff trained in emotional coaching in order to support our children with social and emotional needs. We ensure that all children are cared for, nurtured and have the appropriate support when needed through access to the following:

• Nurture Group
• Anxiety and Depression Workshops
• Anger Management
• Bereavement and Counselling
• Drawing and Talking
• Lego Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Managing Emotions
• Self-esteem
• Resilience,
• Social Skills
• Friendship
• Mindfulness
• Self-regulation

Our passion for Mental Health and our mission to ensure our children’s well-being has led us to achieve the Sandwell Charter Mark.

If we feel your child needs to be put on our Special Educational Needs and Disability register (short term or long term), you be involved in discussions with your child’s class teacher and with the SENDCO. Parents will receive a letter explaining the reasons and information about adjustments, support and interventions that will be in place for your child. Every term your child's Pupil Passport containing important information and any learning or support plans, interventions and adjustments will be shared and reviewed at regular meetings with your child’s class teacher. Your child may also have targets from external agencies such as Speech and Language or Sandwell Inclusion Support (if they are involved with your child), these will form part of their support. The Pupil Passport and Learning/Support Plans are key documents that ensure consistency for all members of staff that will be working with your child to ensure the right support and provision are in place.

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s Special Educational Needs or would just like some advice or a chat, please don’t hesitate to contact us 0121 557 1511, or on office@sacredheartpri.com.

Please also feel free to come along to one of our SEND coffee mornings. These are a perfect opportunity to speak to other parents who have children with Special Needs and Disabilities, as well as listening and speaking to external agencies such as the school nurse, counselling services and family support services.

Sandwell's Local Offer

What is the Local Offer?

The Local Offer is a Local Authority’s publication of all the provision “they expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people in their area who have SEN or are disabled, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.”

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/send

Our Nurture Provision

                      Our Attachment and Trauma mission

                        Social Stories

Social stories are usually used for children who have Autism (ASD) or have traits of, as it explains certain situations to them in a way in which they can understand more clearly. However, please feel free to use these if you may feel it would benefit your child.