The prime SEND contact at Westminster Primary Academy is
Mr Ryan Bold - SEND Coordinator ( SENDCO) , Assistant Headteacher
Mrs Vicky Spence and Miss Becky Dugdale ( Deputy SENDCOs)
If you have any questions regarding SEND please contact the school
At Westminster Primary Academy we are fully committed to offering an inclusive, balanced curriculum that challenges all our pupils to achieve their best by valuing the contribution, ability and achievement of all. We aim to promote an atmosphere and ethos that encourages intellectual, spiritual, moral, physical and cultural development to prepare our pupils to be responsible, caring members of the wider community. We promote respect for the beliefs and values of others regardless of race, gender, religion, sexuality or ability through British Values within the curriculum.
INCLUSIVE PROVISION
THE MEADOW
The Meadow is a two year provision for children in Reception and Year 1 (4-6 years old). All children will have an EHCP with the primary need as Communication and Interaction. Children will join the provision when they are of Reception age and will be able to remain in the setting for up to 2 years. To be eligible for a place in The Meadow, a pupil will have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) stating primary need as Communication and Interaction. This means pupils will have clear and significant difficulty in this area. These pupils may also have other specific needs such as sensory processing and developmental delay. At the time of entry into The Meadow, these pupils have been identified by the Local Authority and Westminster Primary Academy as being unable to attend a mainstream setting. Places in this provision will be commissioned by Blackpool Local Authority in consultation with the Headteacher and Early Years SENCO at Westminster Primary Academy.
KS1 HUB
The KS1 Hub is a provision for children that are in Year 1 and Year 2 (5-7 years old). All children will have an EHCP or are currently within the graduated approach with a high possibility of a referral for an EHC needs assessment to take place. The children will all have their primary area of need as Communication and Interaction or Cognition and Learning. The children will remain in this provision for up to 2 years.
KS2 HUB
The KS2 Hub is a classroom provision running each day from 9:30am - 12:15pm for a small group of KS2 children (currently ranging from Year 4 - 6). The children will all have their primary area of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) need as Cognition and Learning. The Hub will focus on Reading, Writing, Phonics, Maths, Communication skills, and any additional personal targets from Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and SEN Support Plans, which may include: independent, social, sensory and emotional skills.
In school provision beyond first quality teacher:
NURTURE SUPPORT
At Westminster Primary Academy we are very flexible to the needs of the children at any particular time, be that the needs of a particular cohort and at a certain time in the school year ie September. We have the option of utilising various support options across school.
NURTURE / CALMING ROOMS
The purpose of the Nurture Rooms is to strengthen the emotional wellbeing and resilience of pupils with SEND by providing opportunities to gain, build and maintain positive social interactions in a respectful, fun and caring environment. They are a multi-functional rooms that can be utilised as a quiet space to calm down and reflect, work in smaller intervention groups, a reward room and a space where children can learn how to play together. It is also used to provide support for those who find social times difficult or overwhelming.
FOCUS ROOM
The Focus room is a quiet space where children who are struggling to self regulate can go in order to re-focus on their learning behaviours or take a time out of reflect on their choices. In there they can access support with aspects of their work they are finding hard or discuss social or emotional issues that are proving to be a barrier to their learning.
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT
We have a designated member of staff who supports children across school who have speech and language needs or are under an NHS speech and language care plan. This support is flexible depending on needs and can be 1:1, small groups or in class. We use WellComm assessments, ELKLAN, TalkBoost, PECs (picture exchange communication system), Makaton, dual coding and simple sign language to help our children with their initial communication.
LEARNING MENTORS / COUNSELLOR
Our very experienced learning mentors provide a vital role in school in supporting children to overcome barriers to learning. Support can be given in the form a 5 minute chat or piece of toast in a morning to ongoing weekly meetings to work through issues. Work is also undertaken as a mediator in disputes and work on how to be a good friend.
We also have a counsellor working in school 2 days a week for more intense one to one support with social, emotional and educational concerns.
TRAUMA INFORMED
Westminster Primary Academy is a Trauma Informed UK School. We understand that trauma can affect children and adults and have the resources and strategies to support this. For further information please see the booklet below or contact Mrs Debbie Elliott who is our lead teacher on this.
Trauma Informed Booklet
We also work with a wide variety of outside agencies:
Education Psychology
CAMHS
Children's Social Care including Families in Need (FIN), Child in Need (CIN) teams
School Nursing Team
Speech and language therapists
Occupational and specialist therapists
Nurture UK - Mental Health and Wellbeing
Blackpool Educational Diversity - Pupil referral unit
3 local special schools - Park, Woodlands, Red Marsh
Blackpool Behavioural Advisory Team
Blackpool Local Offer
The Blackpool Local Offer gives children with SEND and their families information about the support services the local authority provides. This includes access to impartial advice from the SEND Information, Advice and Supports Services (SENDIASS
For the Blackpool's local SEND offer click HERE.