Special Educational Needs and Disability

At Northwood Primary School, provision for children with additional needs as at the heart of what we do. Our ethos around equality is that we pride ourselves on putting children first and ensure that we provide an environment which supports children irrespective of their gender, race, background of need.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can affect many children throughout their school life, and beyond. Whilst disabilities generally impact children long-term, not all Special Educational Needs should be seen as ‘Life Long’. SEND is seen by Northwood Primary as the child requiring provision that is additional to, or different from the rest of the class. For example, a child may have additional needs due to having specific learning difficulty; may possess Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties, or significant hearing issues. We are very mindful that every child is unique, and we ensure that a carefully planned approach is taken to ensure that all children have access to high quality teaching so that those with additional needs have opportunities to realise their full potential.

Policies

Our school has a variety of key policies which directly impact our provision for children with SEND and ensure that we fully comply with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations (2014). These are all available as part of our school website and can be found on our policies page.

  • SEND Policy
  • Accessibility Plan
  • Anti Bullying
  • Equality Policy

SEND Information Report

The school’s SEND Information report is a valuable source of information for parents in relation to SEND. This report outlines our ethos, the provision for SEND, accessibility and support. If you have any questions about SEND at Northwood Primary School, please do not hesitate to contact our school SENDCo, Miss H Kelly.

Information Report Policies & DocumentsDownload
SEND Information ReportDownload

Support for SEND

Miss H Kelly is our school SENDCo and can be contacted by contacting the school office on email admin@northwood.lingfieldtrust.org.uk or via telephone 01325 267 222 should you have a query or concern.

For parents of children with an identifies, or undiagnosed special educational need, it is important to know who you can turn to for specialist advice and guidance beyond school. As such, in Darlington, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) is a free, impartial support-service who can provide information on issues relation to SEND. To find out more about what this service has to offer, please use the link SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS) | Darlington Livingwell

For parents looking to develop their understanding of the SEND process, this video is a useful tool.

The ‘Local Offer’

Schools are only parts of the ‘Local Offer’ that local areas must provide for children with SEND needs. Please use the link provided to see how Darlington Borough Council are coordinating this offer, the services they provide and information to support families across the region.  Darlington SEND Information | Darlington Livingwell

Lingfield Trust

The Lingfield Trust SEND Expert Panel plays a crucial role in supporting the provision for children with Special Educational Needs across our schools. We have created a shared directory of expertise, allowing SENCOs to request support from colleagues with specific skills and knowledge. In addition, we have developed a shared directory of resources and impactful training, which all schools can access to enhance their practice. To further support staff development, we are aiming to provide specific training videos for schools to use at their convenience. Additionally, the SEND Charter has been created to set clear expectations and guidelines for best practice across the Trust, ensuring that all pupils receive the highest standard of support.