Welcome to our Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) section
St James Catholic Primary School is a fully inclusive school where the needs of all of our children are central to our educational philosophy. We aim to develop the social, cultural, intellectual, aesthetic, physical, moral and spiritual attributes of each and every child in our care.
The pursuit of excellence is at the heart of our school and forms an integral part of the education we offer which enables all pupils to develop to their full potential. Children of all backgrounds and cultures are welcomed, valued and supported to allow all to make the very best progress they can. We aim to remove barriers to learning and participation to promote the development of all children as independent learners. We understand and acknowledge that children have individual educational needs and require personalised strategies for learning and participation. We endeavour to meet individual needs as we know that children benefit from a range of different teaching approaches and experiences.
Supporting Pupils at St James Catholic Primary – Intervention
All pupils at St James are encouraged to have high expectations and do their very best. We recognise some children may need extra support to help them achieve and this is provided in the classroom as 1:1 and small group support by the class teacher and teaching assistant. It may also be provided outside of the classroom as specialist intervention.
Children are assessed and supported by specialist intervention teacher, Mrs Lamb, and work in pairs and small groups to improve their reading, writing and phonological awareness. They are supported to develop their own strategies to make them into independent learners and make good progress in all subjects.
Supporting Pupils at St James Catholic Primary – Transition
Children with SEN are fully supported to make a smooth transition from KS1 to KS2 and from primary to secondary school.
Children moving between key stages in primary school have the opportunity to meet their new teacher in their new classroom. They will spend the day becoming familiar with their
surroundings and the expectations of the teacher in their new key stage. For children requiring more support, a phased transition of class and teacher visits will be arranged so
that they feel comfortable and can begin the new school year with ease.
For children moving from primary to secondary school, a phased transition over a period of weeks will be offered during the Summer months. Regular communication takes place
between the primary and secondary SENCO’s, class teachers and children, to ensure everyone has all the necessary information. Children are encouraged to provide information about themselves so the process is child centred.
Moving into adulthood is a big change for young people, especially when they have SEND. At St James we work hard to prepare children prior to making these next steps towards adulthood. We work with a number of partner agencies from Health, Social Care and Environment in offering support to children.
Supporting Pupils at St James Catholic Primary – Extra Curricular Activities
All pupils at St James Catholic Primary School have equal access to after school clubs, enrichment activities, educational visits and residential experiences.
There are a high proportion of SEN children accessing after school clubs and they are fully represented. Educational visits are organised to ensure all children are included and the settings are fully accessible. Additional support is put in place to ensure no child is marginalised.
Residential activities are fully risk assessed by the School, Trust, Local Authority and Residential Facility and measures put in place to support children with additional needs.
Additional Support for Families
At St James Catholic Primary we recognise that families with SEN children may sometimes need additional support from external agencies. At St James we work closely with a range of agencies that can offer support to families of children with SEN and are detailed below.
Early Help for Families https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/4326/Ask-for-Early-Help-support
Young Carers Service http://www.humankindcharity.org
Parent Carer Forum http://www.stpcf.org
The Autism Hub https://sendlocaloffer.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/10825/The-Autism-Hub
First4Adoption https://www.first4adoption.org.uk/
Adoption and Permanency Support https://www.pac-uk.org/
British Dyslexia Association http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
Additional SEN Policies and Information
Please find the following helpful links to the South Tyneside Local Offer.
South Tyneside Local Offer Page
South Tyneside Local offer Website
Our school SENDCO is Mrs Philippa Lamb who can be contacted through the school email address info@stjameshebburn.co.uk or by telephone 0191 4832647.
Our school Link Governor for SEND is Mrs Sharon Grewcock who can be contacted through the school email address info@stjameshebburn.co.uk or by telephone 0191 4832647.
