The prime SEND contact at Westminster Primary Academy is
Mrs Sue Collins - 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.
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.
Thrive
The purpose of Thrive is to support pupils attending Westminster Primary Academy who have significant emotional and learning needs which are having a negative impact on their achievement and progress in school.
Aims:
- Provide opportunities for accelerated learning and achievement, through smaller group sizes and higher adult ratios.
- Support pupils to overcome the challenges placed on them by their social and emotional needs and teach strategies to overcome these.
- Promote a positive attitude towards learning so that pupils enjoy coming into school and have improved self-esteem and resilience.
Purpose: Thrive is designed to be a 12 week (or a term) intervention during which time pupils will have a supported, phased re-integration back to their base class.
Nurture 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.
Nurture Friendly Schools
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.