SEND
At St. Augustine's Catholic Primary School, we are dedicated to supporting all children, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to thrive academically, socially, and spiritually. Guided by our core values of Love, Kindness, Respect, Resilience, and Patience, we collaborate closely with parents, carers, and families to ensure the best outcomes for every child. Together, we create individualised plans that address the unique needs of children, fostering their growth in a nurturing and inclusive environment.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Our Acting SENCo, Mrs. Carra, is passionate about supporting children and families, ensuring they feel valued and heard. She works collaboratively with staff, families, and our governing body to deliver high-quality provision tailored to the needs of our pupils. Should you wish to discuss your child’s needs, Mrs. Carra can be contacted via email at b.carra@st-augustines-hythe.kent.sch.uk.
Our dedicated team works closely with the governing body to review and improve SEND provision, ensuring that every child’s needs are met effectively. By fostering a strong partnership between school, home, and external agencies, we strive to build a supportive community where every child can flourish.
For further details, please refer to our SEND Policy and Information Report available on the school website.
What is a Special Educational Need?
SEN/D is the acronym for 'Special Educational Needs / Disability'
The SEN/D Code of Practice 2015 gives the following definition of Special Educational Needs:
- A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.
- A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.
Communication and Interaction Needs (C&I)
Can include one or more of the following:
- Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
Cognition and Learning Needs (C&L)
Can include one or more of the following:
- Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) e.g. Dyslexia, Dyscalculia
- Moderate Learning Difficulty
- Severe Learning Difficulty
Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH)
Can include one or more of the following:
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Mental Health Conditions
- Attachment difficulties (including Attachment Disorder)
- Behavioural difficulties and Emotional Regulation difficulties
Physical and Sensory Needs (P&S)
Can include one or more of the following:
- Physical Disability
- Complex Medical Needs
- Hearing Impairment
- Visual Impairment
- Multi-sensory Impairment
- Sensory Processing Disorder
SENCo
Special Educational Needs Coordinator
We work closely with parents, carers and families to make sure that we can all achieve the best for children with SEN/D and to ensure that we plan provision carefully for children with a wide range of needs. If you have a concern about your child, you should speak to your child's class teacher in the first instance. Following this, it may then be necessary to arrange a meeting with the school's Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo).
Please use the following contact details to speak with our SENCo if you have a concern about your child or if you are a new parent of a child with SEN/D looking to find out more about our school and the provision we can offer. You may contact the school office to arrange an appointment, send an email directly or you are welcome to have an informal conversation on the school gate at drop off or pick up time.
The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) for St Augustine's Catholic Primary School is:
Mrs. Beth Carra
Contact Number: 01303 266578 (School Office)
Email address: b.carra@st-augustines-hythe.kent.sch.uk
The Local Offer
The Local Offer in Kent
The Local Offer gives children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and their families’ information about what support services the local authority have available in their local area:
https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs
Watch the video produced by Kent County Council explaining The Local Offer and the process parents can expect from identifying a Special Educational Need to accessing the support available:
KCC Special Educational Needs - Local Offer on Vimeo
IASK is a service which offers free, impartial and confidential advice, information and support to parents of children of children aged 0-25 who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities:
IASK have produced the following document for parents explaining Kent's Local Offer:
Useful Links
SEND code of practice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
The Mainstream Core Standards outlines the provision that the local area expects to be made available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities attending mainstream schools. Please see the following guide for parents for more information: https://www.kelsi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/117257/Special-educational-needs-mainstream-core-standards-guide-for-parents.pdf
