SEND & Inclusion

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities at Holy Family Catholic Primary School

SENCo - Georgina Kershaw

FLO (Family Liaison Officer) - Trish Avis

Pupil Wellbeing Mentor and school Counsellor - Mrs Teresa Harvey

SENCo TA - Jasmin Hayward

Mrs Kershaw, Mrs Avis, Mrs Harvey and Mrs Hayward can be contacted in school using the email address: office@holy-family-maidstone.kcsp.org.uk or phoning the school office on 01622 756778

At Holy Family Catholic Primary School we are committed to inclusion.

Our philosophy is inspired by the Bible story of "The Good Samaritan" and this means that we will do our very best to ensure that everyone is included by meeting their individual needs. We aim to create a sense of community and belonging, and to offer new opportunities for learners who may experience difficulties. This does not mean that we will treat all learners in the same way, but that we will respond to learners in ways which take account of their varied needs. It is very important to us that we recognise that each and every learner is an individual and that we respond to and provide for their needs as best as we can. We carefully monitor the progress of learners using the assess, plan, do and review process, throughout the school year.

We want to help every child to achieve as much as they can; that they have a right to ‘be the best they can be’. We expect teachers to deliver "quality first" teaching, together with highly individualised learning for some children and this means every child is able to access learning, whatever level they might be. Class teachers are fully aware of their responsibility and accountability for all the learners in their class.

We encourage a strong partnership between parents and teachers and through this, the needs of the child, as identified by teacher or parent, are closely monitored so that appropriate actions are taken. The class teacher is the first point of contact for discussion about your child’s needs however the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, Mrs Kershaw, may also become involved.

The school follows the guidelines in the SEND Code of Practice in regards to school based intervention. Some children may need an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) to help them meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and to make progress. Support from external agencies may include speech and language therapists or technicians, counsellor or occupational therapists, In a small number of cases, the child’s needs may be met through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Inclusion at Holy Family Catholic Primary School

What does "Inclusion" mean at Holy Family?

The easiest way to describe Inclusion is to imagine creating a “level playing field”, regardless of faith, race, gender, family dynamics, socio-economic situation, cognitive ability, mental health or physical ability. As we all know, children develop in different ways and at different speeds throughout their lives and for a variety of reasons. At Holy Family, we endeavour to help every single child to make progress, in the best way we can, always remembering that each child is an individual with their own needs, starting points and preferred learning style. Our intention is always to create equitable opportunities for all to succeed and this can sometimes mean offering additional support or resources, or adjusting the way we respond to an individual, in order to provide them with the best possible chances to make progress.

Our curriculum is designed to promote accessibility for all, while continuing to offer challenge to those pupils when they are ready. We have high expectation for all pupils and balance this with enabling pupils to grow in independence in learning through carefully targeted interventions and support when it is needed.

We follow the Rosenshine Principles of Instruction, which enhance our high quality classroom practice. The Rosenshine Principles include strategies such as: checking for understanding, re-visiting prior learning, providing strong models and using effective questioning.

In addition to Rosenshine, we also follow E.D. Hirsch’s ideas about Cultural Literacy and teaching pupils what they need to know to become successful individuals within society. Our curriculum teaches key facts and skills that will equip our pupils to be independent and fully included within their community and for later life.

At Holy Family, we have six Gospel Values: Humility, Respect, Honesty and Justice, Peace, Forgiveness and Love. Along with the teachings from the parable of 'The Good Samaritan', these are embedded in our everyday life and lead all members of the Holy Family Community to treat others as they would wish to be treated. These life values are taught from the very first day that a pupil begins at Holy Family and provide pupils with an understanding of Inclusion and the correct way to treat one another and everyone within the school and wider community.

Inclusion at Holy Family

Subject-specific inclusion at HFCPS