SEND & Inclusion
Our Inclusion Manger & SENCo is Mrs. Ruth Cowell. If you would like to speak to Mrs.Cowell about your child's needs, please contact the school office 01772 335025 or email r.cowell@ourlady-st-gerards.lancs.sch.uk
Statutory Information
Our SEND information report and policy can be accessed via the Special Educational Needs Section.
What is Inclusion?
In simple terms, 'Inclusion' is about the way we structure our classrooms and the learning to ensure that all our children can learn and participate together. At our school, we treat each child as an individual but take into account their needs so that they can be included in the whole curriculum. When a child has a long term Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND), a medical need, a language need (e.g. learning English as an additional language - EAL) or even just a short term additional need, we work together with parents to ensure that these needs are met. Meeting these needs ensures that the child can learn and progress alongside their peers. Please see our Pastoral Support pages for information about our Pastoral Team and the types of pastoral support we can provide.
Our Lady & St Gerard's Primary School is an inclusive school, which offers a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum for all its pupils. We believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The Curriculum is all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development.
It includes not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum, but also the range of additional opportunities that the school organises in order to enrich the experiences of our children. Our curriculum also includes the social aspects that are essential for life-long learning.
Each child’s teacher will be finding ways to support children with any additional needs, including:
- Changing the way activities are planned and delivered
- Matching activities to the ability / need of each child (differentiation)
- Adapting learning materials such as equipment and activities to suit each child’s needs
- Offer small group or individual support
With the permission of parents/carers we may seek additional advice from outside specialists such as health professionals, specialist teachers or educational psychologists who would:
- Carry out further assessment of the child’s needs
- Provide advice to schools on how to best support the child
- Suggest resources that would help the child make progress
Our teachers/teaching assistants work in partnership with parents and the Inclusion Manager (Mrs Cowell) to find ways to support each child with their needs, including giving parents ideas on how to help their child at home.
We believe in positive intervention, removing barriers to learning, raising expectations and levels of achievement and working in partnership with other agencies in order to provide a positive educational experience for all our pupils including those with a special educational need or disability.
At Our Lady & St. Gerard's Primary School, we ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs make the best possible progress. The school values the importance of early identification and working together with parents to ensure children have the opportunity to reach their potential, academically and socially.
Click on the stars below for more information
There are a variety of resources available to support children with particular needs on the Oak Academy Specialist pages. Click the image to access the pages.