Our SENDCo is Miss Sarah Fitzsimmons.
At Priorswood we believe ALL children should have access to learning and there should be no barriers to their learning.
But it can be worrying if you feel that your child has a special need and/or disability.
If you’re worried about your child’s progress, start by speaking with your child’s class teacher. You can also book a meeting with the school’s SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator).
We believe that high-quality teaching is the foundation for helping every child succeed. Our teachers use inclusive approaches that remove barriers to learning and make sure all children feel supported.
What does this look like in practice?
For most children, support starts with identifying what they find tricky and then adapting lessons to meet their needs. This might include:
- Using different teaching strategies
- Personalising tasks
- Offering extra help in small groups or one-to-one
A Graduated Response:
We follow a clear process called Assess, Plan, Do, Review This helps us give your child the right support:
Assess – We look at why your child might be struggling.
Plan – We decide what support they need and how we’ll help.
Do – We put the support in place. For example, your child might get one-to-one reading help three times a week.
Review – After a set time (like a term), we check how things are going. We meet with you to talk about progress and decide what to do next.
Further Support:
Sometimes, children benefit from support from specialists. If this is needed, we will always ask for your permission first.
Support might come from:
- Somerset Virtual School team – helping children feel included in school
- Autism Outreach Team – supporting children with autism or suspected autism
- Community medical teams – including Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and Educational Psychologists
Extra Support for Families
Somerset Parent Carer Forum
This is a group run by parents for families with children who have additional needs. They offer:
- Advice and guidance
- Support groups across Somerset
Phone: 01458 259384 | Website: Somerset Parent Carer Forum https://www.somerset.gov.uk/send/somerset-parent-carer-forum-spcf/
Link to the Local Offer:
Somerset’s SEND Local Offer is our local hub of information and guidance for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), their families and professionals in Somerset. Explore services available to support you and how to access them.
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/children-families-and-education/the-local-offer/
For more information on Priorswood provision for SEND please see the full Information Report.
