SEND
Our students with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) have full and equal access to our broad and balanced curriculum.
As a school we have a referral system for staff as we recognise development is not linear, as pupils age the complexity of their needs will change. Some pupils will not have SEND to begin with but will develop SEND as they mature. We collaborate with other schools, agencies, and local authorities to provide high-quality care and academic support for our students with SEND needs.
We encourage our students to reach their full potential with their abilities and interests. They leave us well-prepared for their next steps in education and beyond.
Two documents at the end of this page provide detailed information about SEND, including definitions, roles and responsibilities for supporting students and parents, and an explanation of exactly how our SEND provision is implemented.
It’s really important that students with SEND can thrive within their learning environment and that they feel well supported by reasonable adjustments to support their special educational needs. At Dallam, these needs may include support with the following:
Communication and interaction
This support includes students with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and those who have difficulty understanding and communicating with others. This may include children on the autism spectrum.
Cognition and learning
This support focuses on children and young people who learn at a slower pace than their peers, as well as those with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), including dyslexia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD), dyscalculia, dyspraxia and speech and language difficulties.
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
This support focuses on children who may have become withdrawn or isolated, as well as those displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. The SEND Code of Practice states these behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained.
Sensory and/or physical needs
This support focuses on children with disabilities that prevent or hinder their use of the educational facilities generally provided, including those with visual or hearing impairments, multi-sensory impairments, and/or physical disabilities.
Students with SEND joining Dallam in Year 7
We’re committed to working with parents and carers to understand the needs and personalities of students with SEND. You know your child best and teamed with the knowledge and experience of our SEND team, we can find the best approach to enable your child to get the most out of their school years – both academically and socially.
To ensure a smooth transition for students with SEND joining Dallam School in Year 7, we will get to know them before they arrive by:
- introducing ourselves during visits to the school as part of our transition process
- meeting with the SEND team at their primary school
- speaking to parents and carers to gain as much information as we can about their child
Meet our SEND Team
Mr Surtees, our SENDCo, is supported by a dedicated and enthusiastic team of 13 staff members. Students are supported with their confidence, wellbeing and social development by:
- Learning in a dedicated suite of three classrooms and social spaces designed to support and nurture young people.
- Support in class – our staff use Individual Education Plans to enable a productive and bespoke learning plan for students without an EHCP plan.
- Joining social skills groups and social, literacy and numeracy interventions.
- Target setting for the students to foster independence and self efficacy.
- Regular monitoring of the interventions students receive to ensure progress is seen
- Key workers for students with an EHCP to create that link between home and school.
We use the most up-to-date SEND support methods in the areas of educational psychology, family support, mental health, physical disability support, sensory impairment support and speech and language therapy.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of our SEND provision in person, please contact Mr Surtees at r.surtees@dallamschool.org.
