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What adaptations might be made to support a child who has SEND?

Class teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the children and young people in their class. Quality-first teaching is our first step in responding to children’s needs. We make sure that all children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum in every year group throughout the school. 

In line with the SEND Code of Practice (2015), every one of our teachers is a teacher of SEND. This means all teachers are responsible for planning and adapting their lessons to meet the needs of every child, including providing extra differentiation and personalised learning when a child is working at a different level, when needed. All staff receive SEND training on an ongoing basis, for example, training on autism or ADHD. 

Every classroom is inclusive and supports a wide range of needs. Adaptations you might expect to see are:

  • Visual supports, including visual timetables, now and next 

  • Strategic positioning in the classroom to support hearing, visual and behavioural needs 

  • Personalised workstations and visual supports are used for individuals with specific needs when needed, such as autism.

  • Alternative recording methods used such as Chromebooks, voice to text, posters and photographs. 

  • Use of carpet spaces, seating and group areas are planned and used to support all learner’s needs. 

  • Access to key words, task planners, learning reminders and scaffolding materials to enable all children to access their learning activities. 

  • Provision of resources such as word banks and number squares are accessible in all classrooms. 

  • Differentiation of teaching, for example, giving longer processing time and pre-teaching of key vocabulary.

  • Use of Assistive Technology to remove barriers and amplify learning opportunities.

We also provide the following interventions: 

  • Precision teaching – targeted support

  • Colourful semantics

  • Lego therapy

  • Social skills

  • Social groups

  • Zones of regulation

  • Phonics groups

  • Reading support

  • Pre-teaching – vocabulary/mathematics

  • Occupational Therapy programmes

  • Handwriting/fine motor skills

  • ELSA

  • SEAL

  • ALIST

  • Wellbeing Woofers

  • Dramatherapy

  • Counselling

  • Targeted lunchtime clubs

Teaching Assistants work under the direction of a class teacher. They sometimes support children to be able to access the whole class work and sometimes lead interventions or ‘catch-up’ programmes for small groups or individuals, e.g. to help them improve their knowledge of phonics, spelling or maths. They always work to promote independence and will support when needed and move away when not.