Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)

Miss Hawksley is our SENCO and she will make sure that all the children with special needs or medical needs will get the help that they need at the school. When it is time for any child to move to another school, the SENCO and / or teachers will talk to the new school to make sure that they are told of the progress and the needs of the child.

Miss Hawksley can be contacted via the main school telephone number 01233 620044 or via email at school@victoria-road.kent.sch.uk

What is SEND?

SEND stands for Special Education Needs & Disabilities. Children with Special Education Needs & Disabilities are given extra help with their learning and / or coping with their emotions, behaviour or other medical reasons that make learning more difficult for them.

Levels of Support

There is a graduated response to supporting children with special educational needs; in class support, SEND support and Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP).

Class Support

This is the school's first level of support which will involve increasing support and monitoring progress prior to moving to SEND Support.

SEND Support

This consists of additional or different support and is sometimes provided by someone who comes into the school such as a speech and language therapist or specialist teacher.  We use the Mainstream Core Standards guidance which is a document that shows the provision the local area expect to be available for children with SEND attending a mainstream school (see section below for more details on this).

If a child needs lots of support the school may at this stage apply for Higher Needs Funding to support the child. In addition to this, teachers and parents may ask for an assessment by the Local Authority to see if an EHCP should be put in place. This means that any help provided is protected and checked carefully each year at a meeting. Children will be invited to attend that meeting if they wish. If a child with an EHCP plan moves to another school, the help will continue at the other school if that is appropriate.

The Local Offer

Every local authority must have a Local Offer. This tells you more about SEN and provides up to date information on services that are available in Kent. To find out more about the Local Offer please click on the following link: http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs.

We use the Mainstream Core Standards guidance to help us support our pupils. Please read the information booklet for parents above for further details about this. 

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Complaints

The normal arrangements for the treatment of complaints at Victoria Road Primary School are used for complaints about provision made for special educational needs & disabilities.  We encourage parents to discuss their concerns with the class teacher, SENCo and Headteacher to resolve the issue before making the complaint formal to the Chair of the Governing Body.

If the complaint is not resolved after it has been considered by the Governing Body, then a disagreement resolution service or mediation service can be contracted.  If it remains unresolved after this, the complainant can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Need and Disability), if the case refers to disability discrimination, or to the Secretary of State for all other cases.

There are some circumstances, usually for children who have a Statement of SEN/Educational Health and Care Plan where there is a statutory right for parents to appeal against a decision of the Local Authority.  Complaints which fall within this category cannot be investigated by the school.