Additional Educational Needs
Additional Educational Needs (AEN)
At Castle Hill Primary we make additional provision available to all pupils as and when they need it. We carefully track how well pupils make progress in interventions so that we can make changes where necessary. Some pupils have Special Educational Needs (SEN) that require highly personalised provision and these pupils are recorded on our SEN Register. We have reduced the number of pupils on our SEN register over the past few years, but we still have more pupils with SEN than most other schools in Kent. Because we have a high level of need our pupils are particularly well supported by other services such as the Specialist Teaching Service, our local Special School, Speech and Language therapists, occupational therapists and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). We work closely with parents and families to make sure that we can all achieve the best for children with SEN and make sure they can move on to the next stage of their education with the best possible skills for learning.
We have an excellent team of staff led by Mrs S Stockley, Assistant Head – Access and Inclusion, to support the Additional Educational Needs of all children.
We currently have a Learning Mentor and over 20 Teaching Assistants who are able to support your children. Most children at some point in their school life will experience a problem that may require additional help and support.
Balanced System
Speech, Language and Communication development are important life skills. They are linked to learning, attainment, behaviour, social and emotional development as well as mental wellbeing. We are committed to supporting the speech, language and communication development of all our pupils. We are working in partnership with our NHS link speech & language therapist, Clare Bradfield, as well as specialist teachers to continue to improve our practice and provision and help to ensure that all our children reach their potential. Your child may therefore come into contact with a speech and language therapist within their classroom or around school.
If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language or communication skills, please speak to your child’s class teacher in the first instance. We will then work together with you to agree next steps.
You will be kept informed about any plans to support your child.
Committed to inclusion
It is important that you discuss any needs that your child may have before they start with us; this will enable us to have the appropriate support in place for them. We need to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of every child as fully as possible.
If you have any concerns about your child once they have started school, please do not hesitate to contact us. If we are experiencing any problems in school we will contact you and discuss the most appropriate course of action to enable us to support your child.
Castle Hill School is fully committed to inclusion, and for the most part, teaching will take place within the classroom environment. Children may be withdrawn for some additional support and, where appropriate, outside agencies may be involved in supporting your child. This will not be done without your full consent.
Mrs S Stockley – Assistant Head Teacher & SENCo (Inclusion)
Miss K Stanley – Early Years SENCo ( Nursery, Reception & Year 1)
Mrs F Godden – Learning Mentor
