Dunston Hill Community Primary School is an inclusive school and as such, it is our belief that all children have an equal right to a full and rounded education, which will enable them to maximise their potential.
Our SEND ‘offer’
Every child matters to us here at Dunston Hill; all of our staff invest in responding to each child’s needs. We recognise that appropriate advice, support and resources are required to achieve this for some children in the mainstream curriculum. All children and their parents/carers are entitled to be treated with respect and have their views taken into account.
We use our best endeavours to secure special educational provision for children for whom this is required, that is ‘additional to and different from’ that provided within the differentiated curriculum to better respond to the four areas of need identified in the SEND Code of Practice (September 2014):
1. Communication and Interaction
Speech, language and social communication needs can include difficulties with:
- Understanding language.
- Using language.
- Understanding how to communicate socially with other people.
- Conditions include: Specific Language Disorder, ASD/ASC (Autism), Asperger Syndrome, speech sound disorders/delay.
- Stammering – advice given to families about how to access support from outside agencies.
2. Cognition and learning
Speech, language and social communication needs can include difficulties with:
- Understanding language.
- Using language.
- Understanding how to communicate socially with other people.
- Conditions include: Specific Language Disorder, ASD/ASC (Autism), Asperger Syndrome, speech sound disorders/delay.
- Stammering – advice given to families about how to access support from outside agencies.
3. Physical and Sensory
Sensory and physical needs can include difficulties with:
- Vision
- Hearing
- Gross motor co-ordination
- Fine motor co-ordination
- Self-organisation for daily living
- Conditions such as cerebral palsy, physical injury, dyspraxia
4. Social, Emotional and Mental Health
This includes all those young people who experience short but significant periods of high anxiety, stress, distress or anger that affect their education.
It also includes young people who have a range of longer-term recognised mental health conditions.
For both groups, issues can include:
- Forming and maintaining relationships
- Bereavement
- Attitudes to attainment
- Attendance
- Self-esteem
- Life outside school
When a child is identified as needing SEND Support, we will take action to successfully identify and remove barriers and put effective SEND provision in place.
All teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs.
Please read our SEND Policy and SEND Information Report where you will find answers to questions such as:
- What do I do if I am concerned about my child’s needs?
- When will my child be placed on the SEND register?
- Will my child always remain on the SEND register?
- When will my child’s needs and progress be discussed?
- What is an EHCP?
- Will professionals other than school staff members become involved with my child?
- What other SEND professionals are there?
- How can I support my child at home?
- What do I do if I am unhappy with the support my child is receiving?
Something that parents/carers regularly ask questions about, as outlined in our policy, is an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) – this process and support is clearly outlined on the Gateshead Local Offer website, which can be found here.
As outlined in our SEND Policy and SEND Information Report, it is often essential to refer to external professionals/agencies. Some of these professionals/agencies include:
- Educational Psychologist (EP)
- High Incidence Needs Team (HINT)
- Low Incidence Needs Team (LINT)
- Early Years Assessment Intervention Team (EYAIT)
- Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)
- Primary Behaviour Support (BPS)
- Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS)
- Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
Our Nurture and Inclusion ‘offer’
We are incredibly lucky here at Dunston Hill – we have our wonderful full time Family Support Worker, Mrs Cox.
As you will be aware, some children’s needs go beyond cognition and learning and some of our children can find it difficult to manage feelings, emotions, social situations and behaviours. Here at Dunston Hill, we offer bespoke provision to meet the individual needs of our wonderful children to enable them to succeed in various aspects of their life not just education.
The Dunston Den
We have a safe, calm nurture room, which is used for small group and 1:1 nurture sessions and is open to all children every lunchtime.
The Dunston Den is our happy place. Somewhere we go to chat to friends and adults, play a game, share an activity or just sit quietly and think. A place that is small enough to feel safe and BIG enough to use our imagination. It helps us feel calm, confident, positive and ‘absolutely awesome!’
The Dunston Retreat
We have a fully equipped, state of the art sensory room – another safe space for our children to access.
- Range of stimuli including vibro pool, light-up popcorn tube, chill out tunnel.
- 1:1 planned therapy.
- Spontaneous therapy to support regulation.
Forest School
- Hands-on learning experiences.
- A ‘break’ from the indoors.
- Teamwork opportunities.
- Confidence building.
- Part of lunchtime nurture provision.
PEG Time
- PAUSE, ENGAGE and GROW!
- Each child has a named peg.
- 1:1 same day chats with Mrs Cox (about anything) – simply move peg to indicate PEG Time is required.
Nurture and Inclusion Team
Miss V Tuart
