Special Educational Needs & Disability

It is our policy to identify needs as early as possible during the early years so that a specialised programme is implemented which will provide maximum support.  Needs and progress then continue to be carefully monitored by class teachers and our own  Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo). Close consultation with parents is maintained throughout this process.

The SENCo also attends a LIFT (Local Inclusion Forum Team) meeting once a term. This enables advice to be shared from professionals for specific needs and visits to be arranged to further support class staff. 

Click here to read our newly revised SEN Policy following the new SEND Code of Practice.

Click here to read the Local Offer for Kent (KCC).

Advice for parents on special educational needs and disabilities, including how to make informed choices, can be found by clicking here. (Information Advice and Support Kent- iask)

Our approach

Arrangements for pupils with Physical or Sensory Impairment

Parents of children with physical or sensory impairment are asked to give the Principal details as soon as they are offered a place at the academy.  The Principal will arrange a meeting with the SENCo and parents to discuss the ways in which the child’s impairment might hinder her/him from taking a full part in the life of the academy and the ways in which such difficulties will be overcome.  We will then attempt to make any arrangements necessary to enable the child to participate fully in all lessons and activities.  These arrangements may include briefing staff, obtaining special equipment, making minor adaptations to the building and/or rearranging classroom furniture.  These may take time to put into place and may require advice and assistance from the specialist agencies, so parents are urged to see the Principal as soon as possible so that arrangements can be planned.

Budget restraints also have to be considered.

Provisions on offer at Hamstreet

Children are assessed and needs identified early by the school’s SENCo alongside the SEN Tutor and individual programmes are then put in place. These might include the following programmes:

Wordshark and Numbershark 

These are computer based programmes which help reinforce spellings and maths skills. Their use is tailored to a child’s individual needs. Progress is tracked very carefully and links with group work or 1:1 work carried out during the week with the SEN team.

Fizzy/ Clever Hands for Gross and Fine Motor skills.

Fizzy is the gross motor skills programme, focusing on three areas; balance, ball skills and co-ordination. We have a highly trained member of staff who works with identified children to improve these skills which is then closely monitored back in class with teachers. All class staff support children with these needs in class as part of their quality first teaching. The following are resources for use at home to support the above:

Clever Hands Level One   Clever Hands Level Two   Clever Hands Level Three   Resources from OT Programmes

Phonics Programme

The SEN team have a wealth of resources that have been developed over time. Sounds are broken down in to lists and children work on these through varied teaching approaches. Time to apply to written work is also given in sessions and supported back in the classroom by all class staff. This is tracked very carefully to ensure children continue to make good progress. 

Numicon and other Maths support. 

Numicon is a multi-sensory maths approach which uses structured apparatus to raise achievement in Maths. All staff have been trained in using the apparatus in class and also out of class for specific interventions. As with reading support, liaison between intervention staff and class staff is high quality, ensuring children make links between the support they receive out of class and their daily work in class. 

Additionally, the SEN team use the CLIC Maths programme. This is used to teach number throughout the school in every class. Children who are identified as not making as good progress as their peers receive intervention here and concepts are re-visited using CLIC which ensures children are taught with familiar and consistent mathematical vocabulary. 

Other Provision(s) 

Class staff also use materials from programmes that have been recommended by outside agencies, e.g. Speech and Language, outreach support and so on. Progress against small step targets is shared with these agencies to ensure progress.

**More resources can be found by clicking here.**