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 disrupting learning 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.

SEND Related Policies

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Updated: 20/03/2024 344 KB
Updated: 02/10/2023 87 KB