Special Educational Needs
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
At Colehill First School, we are committed to offering an inclusive curriculum to ensure the best possible progress for all of our pupils whatever their needs or abilities. If you have any questions about your child's needs please contact our Inclusion team, either by ringing the school office or emailing office@colehillfirstschool.org
Our Inclusion Team:
Mrs Sarah Fairman - Inclusion Lead
In September 2014, a new Code of Practice was launched for schools in England with regard to pupils with Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities (SEND). Please click here to access the full document.
In March 2022 the government complete a review for SEND. A link to this document can be found here
What does the term Special Educational Needs (SEND) Mean?
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:
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have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age;
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or have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.
Definition taken from the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice: for 0-25 years (2014)
What are the SEN Areas of Need?
The 2014 SEND Code of Practice (reviewed January 2015) outlines four broad areas of special educational need that include a range of difficulties and conditions:
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Communication and Interaction Needs
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Cognition and Learning Difficulties
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Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs
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Sensory and/or Physical Needs
But while many children and young people have difficulties that fit clearly into one of these areas; some have needs that span two or more areas; for others the precise nature of their need may not be clear at the outset. Please see the details listed on the diagram below to identify which special needs are listed under which broad area of need.
For further information regarding Special Educational Needs, please visit Wimborne Academy Trust’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Website by clicking here.
SEND Policies
Click the links below to access the documents.
The SEND Information Report outlines the school's provision for pupils with SEND and how the school will implement its SEND Policy.
The policy includes information about how the school prevents those pupils with SEND from being treated less favourably than pupils with no SEND.
Colehill First School Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy (Click Link)
Use the attached document below to the school’s latest accessibility plan. The school buildings and grounds are designed to maximise access to all pupils, including those with disabilities.
Colehill First School Accessibility Plan
Dorset Council SEND Local Offer provides information on services and activities for children and young people living in Dorset aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities.
Dorset Local Offer (Click Link)
Admission Arrangements for Pupils With SEND
Admission Arrangements for Pupils With SEND - Under the school’s admission arrangements, pupils with SEND are treated no less favourably than their peers without SEND.
Initio Learning Trust’s Equality Act Statement
Initio Learning Trust’s Equality and Diversity Policy
Colehill First School - Admissions Arrangements Policy
Useful Links
Initio Learning Trust SEND Page
Book an appointment with Dorset Family Support worker here
If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, please refer to our Safeguarding page.
Comment from parents:
‘Starting school for a child with SEND can be worrying for both parent and child equally. The inclusion lead and class teacher couldn't have helped more to alleviate our and our child's anxieties. They offered us meetings well in advance of the start of the school year, where they listened to our concerns and reviewed reports and assessments from our paediatrician and other health professionals. They met with our child's nursery teacher to get a full understanding of how their needs affect both their well-being and learning journey within an educational setting. They invited our child in for extra settling-in sessions to make sure s/he knew the setting and to help form a stronger bond with the class teacher and they gave us a social story all about the school, all so that they would feel more secure and less anxious on their first day. They were really open to advise from us, our child's previous practitioners and from outside professionals on what works best to help and support our child in the setting and they put a plan in place before the start of term to help nurture a supportive and meaningful start to our child's time at Colehill... and they even put up with our endless emails and still meet us with a smile every day! Thank you for all you have done so far.’