Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

At Alderbury and West Grimstead Church of England Primary School, we believe every child should feel valued, supported and able to achieve their very best. Our vision of Foundations for Life is rooted in Kindness, Justice and Respect and this applies to all pupils — including those with special educational needs and disabilities.

We are proud to be an inclusive school where every child is encouraged to flourish academically, socially and emotionally. We see ourselves as a school family, where every child and every family is known, valued and supported — whatever barriers they may face.

🌱 Our Approach

We follow the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2014) and the Children and Families Act (2014). Our aim is to identify and support children’s needs as early as possible, ensuring that every pupil receives the right help at the right time.

We use a graduated response — Assess, Plan, Do, Review — to tailor support for each child. This means:

• Assess: We identify a child’s needs through observation, assessment and discussion with parents.

• Plan: We agree clear, achievable targets and outline the support to be provided.

• Do: Teachers and support staff deliver the planned strategies and interventions.

• Review: We regularly evaluate progress and adapt provision as needed.

This cycle ensures that support is responsive and effective, helping children to make meaningful progress.

🤝 Working Together

Partnership is at the heart of our SEND provision. We work closely with parents and carers, valuing their insight and involvement in every stage of their child’s learning journey. Parents of pupils on the Special Educational Needs register receive an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), created using the graduated response outlined above. These plans set clear, achievable targets and are reviewed regularly. Updated ILPs are shared with families so that home and school can work together to support progress and celebrate success.

Children are encouraged to share their views and take an active role in shaping their own learning. Their voice matters — we listen carefully and respond with empathy and respect, ensuring they feel included, understood and supported.

🧠 If You Are Worried About Your Child’s Learning or Development

If you ever feel concerned that your child may have a special educational need, we encourage you to speak with us as soon as possible. The first step is always to arrange a conversation with your child’s class teacher. They know your child well and can discuss what they are seeing in school, listen to your concerns and explore simple strategies that may help.

If further support or investigation is needed, the class teacher may then involve Mrs Wilkinson, our SENCo, who can help decide whether additional assessment, targeted support or an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) would be appropriate. This forms part of our graduated response, ensuring that any support is carefully matched to your child’s needs.

We want every parent to feel heard, reassured and fully involved. No concern is too small — early conversations often make a big difference.

🧩 Support and Provision

Support may include:

• Classroom strategies that make learning accessible for all

• Targeted interventions for specific areas such as reading, spelling or emotional wellbeing

• Individual Learning Plans (ILPs)  with personalised goals

• Access to specialist services such as Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists or ELSA support

• Inclusive opportunities to participate fully in school life, clubs and visits

📞 Contact Us

If you have any questions or would like to discuss SEND provision at Alderbury and West Grimstead, please contact:

Mrs Caroline Wilkinson (SENCo)

Email: SENCo@alderbury.wilts.sch.uk

Telephone: 01722 710 464