SEND & Inclusion
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
SENCo - Georgina Kershaw
Mrs Kershaw can be contacted through the school office:
Email: office@holy-family-maidstone.kcsp.org.uk
Telephone: 01622 756778
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At The Holy Family Catholic Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that every child is welcomed, valued and fully included in the life of our school.
Our approach to inclusion is inspired by the Bible story of The Good Samaritan and our belief that every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to flourish.
We aim to create a strong sense of community and belonging, providing appropriate opportunities and support for children who may experience barriers to their learning. Inclusion does not mean treating every child in exactly the same way. Instead, it means recognising each child's individual strengths and needs and responding in a way that enables them to participate, learn and make progress.
Supporting Every Child
We want every child to achieve as much as possible and to “be the best they can be.”
Our teachers are committed to providing high-quality, inclusive teaching, with additional and individualised support where appropriate. This helps ensure that all children can access learning and make progress from their individual starting points.
Class teachers have responsibility and accountability for the progress and development of every pupil in their class, including pupils with SEND.
We carefully monitor children's progress throughout the school year using the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle. This enables us to identify needs, put appropriate support in place and regularly review the impact that support is having.
Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers
We recognise that parents and carers know their children best. A strong partnership between home and school is therefore an important part of identifying and supporting a child's individual needs.
If you have concerns about your child's learning, development or progress, your child's Class Teacher should normally be your first point of contact. They will be happy to discuss your concerns and explain the support currently available.
Where appropriate, our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), Mrs Georgina Kershaw, may also become involved to provide further advice and support.
SEND Support
The school follows the SEND Code of Practice and uses a graduated approach to identifying and meeting children's special educational needs.
Depending on an individual child's needs, additional support may include targeted interventions, adaptations to teaching and learning, or an individual support or learning plan.
Where further specialist advice is required, we may work in partnership with external professionals and services. These can include Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, counsellors and other specialist professionals.
For a small number of children with more complex or significant needs, additional support may be provided through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Throughout this process, our aim remains the same: to work closely with children, families, staff and professionals so that every pupil feels included, supported and able to flourish.
What does 'Inclusion' mean at Holy Family?
At The Holy Family Catholic Primary School, inclusion means ensuring that every child is valued, supported and given the opportunity to succeed.
Every child is unique. Children develop in different ways, at different rates and from different starting points. They also bring their own strengths, experiences and individual needs to school.
Our aim is to create equitable opportunities for every pupil, regardless of faith, race, gender, family circumstances, socio-economic background, cognitive ability, mental health or physical ability.
This does not always mean providing exactly the same experience for every child. Some pupils may need additional support, different resources, reasonable adjustments or a different approach to help them access learning and make progress. By recognising and responding to individual needs, we aim to give every child the best possible opportunity to flourish.
Subject-specific inclusion at HFCPS
An Inclusive Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to be accessible, ambitious and challenging for all pupils.
We have high expectations for every child and provide appropriate challenge as pupils develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. At the same time, carefully targeted support and interventions help pupils overcome barriers to learning and develop greater confidence and independence.
Our teachers continually consider how best to adapt their teaching so that pupils can participate fully in lessons and experience success.
High-Quality Teaching
Our classroom practice is informed by Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, which support effective teaching and learning.
These principles include:
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revisiting and building upon prior learning;
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presenting new learning in manageable steps;
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providing clear explanations and strong models;
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using effective questioning;
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checking pupils’ understanding; and
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providing opportunities for guided and independent practice.
These approaches help teachers identify misconceptions, respond to pupils’ needs and ensure that learning is secure before children move on. Our curriculum is also informed by E. D. Hirsch’s work on cultural literacy and the importance of developing a strong foundation of knowledge.
We want our pupils to acquire the knowledge, vocabulary and skills that will help them understand the world around them, participate confidently in their communities and prepare for the opportunities and responsibilities of later life.
Inclusion through our Catholic Values
Our commitment to inclusion is deeply rooted in our Catholic faith and the values that shape everyday life at Holy Family. Our six Gospel Values are:
Humility • Respect • Honesty and Justice • Peace • Forgiveness • Love
Together with the teachings of the parable of The Good Samaritan, these values encourage every member of the Holy Family community to recognise the dignity of others and to treat people with kindness, compassion and respect.
From their first day at Holy Family, pupils are encouraged to understand that everyone is unique, everyone belongs and everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.
Through our teaching, relationships and everyday actions, we seek to create a school community in which every child feels welcomed, included and able to flourish.
Here are some links that may be useful to you:
Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – Parents Guide
Mainstream Core Standards - a Guide for Parents
Maidstone Children's Therapies Support videos (The Pod)
Talking to your young child about Autism
Information for children about what autism is
Suggested questions for parents of children with SEND to ask at Secondary open days
