SEN Report and Policy

SENCO:  Mrs Joanne Jay, Vice Principal

Special Educational Needs

At St Augustine, all children are valued, respected and welcomed to the school whatever their additional educational need. We will support their learning and ensure they are fully included in all school activities, making full use of external support where appropriate.

Additional Programmes

Listed below is a brief overview of some of the additional programmes we use, when appropriate, to support pupils.

Speech and Language programmes

The school delivers individualised programmes recommended by a Speech and Language Therapist either on a 1:1 basis or in a small group.  These programmes can focus on speech sound production, language development or social communication skills, depending on the child’s needs.   Our Assistant SENCO has a strong working knowledge of a wide range of programmes and works closely with the Speech and Language Therapy Service to plan interventions for our pupils.

BLAST! (Boosting Language, Auditory Skills and talking)

This is a 6 week, daily programme for children in the Foundation Stage and KS1, which teaches attention, listening, memory, rhyme, turn-taking and group work.

  JumpAhead

The JumpAhead programme has been developed by Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists and works to develop co-ordination, fine and gross motor skills.

  Precision Teaching

Precision Teaching is a structured and targeted daily teaching intervention to help improve the fluency and accuracy of reading, spelling and maths.

Toe by Toe

This programme is delivered on a 1:1 basis by Teaching Assistants and is designed for children who find it difficult to decode text, read fluently and / or struggle to read unfamiliar words confidently. 

Therapeutic play

This intervention is accessible to pupils who may be experiencing difficulty with some aspects of home/school life e.g. a family bereavement.  Access to therapeutic play is planned and agreed in consultation with parents/carers.  This intervention supports young people to express any fears or worries they may have in a safe and supportive environment.  Therapeutic play is always delivered 1:1.

Learning Mentor support

Learning Mentor sessions provide support and guidance to pupils who are experiencing difficulties with their learning due to social, emotional or behavioural problems.  These are usually delivered in blocks of 6 sessions on a 1:1 basis working on agreed targets and in consultation with parents/carers.

Sensory circuits

Sensory circuits can be delivered 1:1 or in small groups.  These sensory based movement activities are designed to achieve an optimal level of alertness in readiness for learning. The circuit also promotes self-regulation.

Social skills

Social skills groups are designed to develop skills such as turn taking and interaction, emotional regulation, confidence and self expression.