Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

At Hampton, we pride ourselves on our provision for all children.  Our policies ensure all children are included and have equal opportunities.  We have highly qualified Learning Support Assistants who support children (in and out of the class), who may have learning difficulties and specific additional needs.

Our building is designed to ensure easy access with ramps, hand rails and electronic doors for disabled access.  Toilets have been adapted with handrails to give support and encourage independence.  We have a medical room to cater for children who have specific personal and physical needs.

Our pupils succeed through Quality First Teaching.  Our learning environments are stimulating, well organised and used flexibly to support a range of different interactive teaching and learning styles.  Lessons are differentiated to include all abilities.  Pupils with more complex needs are identified as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) may require Personalised/individualised learning with long term interventions.

Children who are identified as SEND will be on the school’s SEND register as ‘SEN support’ or having an ‘Education Health Care plan’.  We believe it is very important to work closely with parents and carers and always inform and discuss any concerns we have with parents about their child’s education.

The mainstream core standards document summarises and presents the provision that the local area expects to be made available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities attending mainstream schools. It provides guidance for schools, parents and carers and professionals working with children and young people.

Our class teachers have a key role to play in the consistent implementation of the mainstream core standards. They know our learners best, understand their learning styles and are in the vital position of having the biggest impact on the graduated approach to enhance their support. 

SEND updates

The Children and Families Act (2014) aims to ensure that all children, young people and their families are able to access the right support and provision to meet their needs. The Act outlines a Code of Practice for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

This legislation transformed the system for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including those who are disabled, so that services consistently support the best outcomes for them. The Act extended the SEN system from birth to 25, giving children, young people and their parents/carers greater control and choice in decisions and ensuring needs are properly met. It takes forward the reform programme set out in Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability: Progress and next steps by:

• Replacing statements and learning difficulty assessments with a new birth-to-25 Education, Health and Care Plan, extending rights and protections to young people in further education and training and offering families personal budgets so they have more control over the support they need;

• Improving cooperation between all the services that support children and their families and particularly requiring local authorities and health authorities to work together;

• Requiring local authorities to involve children, young people and parents in reviewing and developing provision for those with special educational needs and to publish a ‘local offer’ of support.

Children and Families Act: Mainstream schools must ensure that children or young people with SEN engage in the activities of the school together with children or young people who do not have special educational needs (section 35 of the Children and Families Act 2014). One of the key duties is for the school to use their ‘best endeavours’ to support children and young people with SEN. (This applies to mainstream and alternative provision settings.) This means doing everything that could reasonably be expected of them.

SEND code of practice: Schools have clear duties in regard to the support of children and young people with special educational needs under the SEN and Disability Code of Practice 2015 (the “Code”). Schools must “have regard” to the Code. This means that they should do what it says or be able to explain why they have not done so, and what alternative action has been taken. The law is underpinned by the principle that where a parent of a child with SEN, or a young person with SEN, wants a place in a mainstream setting, they must not be denied it on the basis that mainstream education is unsuitable, or that their needs or disabilities are too great or complex. 

The Equality Act: Schools have a range of duties under the Equalities Act 2010, including duties relating to disability. The Equality Act is a law which protects you from discrimination. It means that discrimination or unfair treatment on the basis of certain personal characteristics, such as age, is now against the law in almost all cases.

What is the Local Offer?

The Local Offer was first introduced in the Green Paper (March 2011). The Green Paper set out its recommendations for revision to SEND provision for children and young people. The revision recommended ‘a local offer of all services available to support disabled children and children with SEN and their families. This easy to understand information will set out what is normally available in schools to help children with lower level SEN as well as options available to support families who need additional help to care for their child.’ The Green Paper has now progressed to a White Paper which means it became law from September 2014.

The Local Offer provides parents/carers with information about how to access services in their areas, and what they can expect from those services. With regard to Education, it lets parents/carers and young people know how schools and colleges will support them, and what they can expect across the local settings. There are 14 questions, devised in consultation with parents and carers and other agencies for schools to answer. These will provide information to parents and carers to enable them to make decisions about how best to support their child's needs.

More information about the ‘Local Offer’ can be found on the link below

If you have any queries about your child's SEND, please do not hesitate to contact the school. We constantly strive to operate an inclusive school where concerns can be freely discussed.

Please refer to our SEND policy for more details.

At Hampton Primary School we believe that every child must be provided with opportunities to develop socially, emotionally, academically and physically to achieve the highest possible standards and we have a holistic approach to our pupil and family’s welfare. 

Staff in the Wellbeing Team are here to offer specialist help, support, advice and can be easily contacted directly through the office.

SEND Information Hub

SEND Local Offer