Meet Our SENDCo

Mrs Shelley Steer
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo)

If you have any concerns about your child's learning, development or wellbeing, please speak to your child's class teacher in the first instance. You can also contact Mrs Steer through the school office:
📞 01354 638229
📧 Contact the school office here

We value strong partnerships with families and welcome opportunities to discuss how we can work together to support your child.

Welcome to SEND at Townley Primary School
At Townley Primary School, we believe that every child deserves to feel valued, included and successful.

We are committed to providing an inclusive learning environment where all pupils can achieve their full potential academically, socially and emotionally. We recognise that children learn in different ways and that some pupils may need additional support to help them thrive.

We work closely with parents, carers, pupils and external professionals to identify needs early and provide support that enables every child to flourish.

What is SEND?
A child may have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) if they require additional or different support to help them learn and participate successfully in school.

The SEND Code of Practice identifies four broad areas of need:

Communication and Interaction
Children who may have difficulties with speech, language, communication or social interaction.

Cognition and Learning
Children who learn at a different pace from their peers and may require additional support to access learning.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Children who may experience difficulties managing emotions, relationships or behaviour.

Sensory and/or Physical Needs
Children who may have physical disabilities, sensory processing differences, hearing impairment, visual impairment or medical needs requiring additional support.

How Do We Identify and Support SEND?
We use a range of information to identify and understand pupils' needs, including:

• Teacher observations and assessments
• Progress and attainment data
• Parent and carer concerns
• Pupil voice
• Information from previous settings
• Advice from specialist services and external professionals

When a child requires additional support, we work with families to plan appropriate provision and regularly review progress.

How We Support Pupils with SEND
Support may include

• High-quality adaptive teaching within the classroom
• Additional targeted interventions
• Small group or individual support
• Speech and language programmes
• Emotional wellbeing support
• Sensory strategies and adaptations
• Advice from specialist professionals
• Reasonable adjustments to ensure full participation in school life

Support is tailored to individual needs and reviewed regularly with parents and carers.

Working Together with Families
We believe that parents and carers know their children best.

We are committed to working in partnership with families and involving parents in decision-making about their child's support. Regular communication, review meetings and shared planning help ensure we work together to achieve the best outcomes for every pupil.

We also seek the views of children and encourage them to participate in decisions about their learning and support wherever appropriate.

What Should I Do If I Am Concerned About My Child?
If you have concerns about your child's learning, development or wellbeing:

1. Speak to your child's class teacher.
2. Work with school staff to discuss concerns and identify next steps.
3. Arrange a meeting with the SENCo, if needed.
4. Review progress regularly and agree any necessary support.

We encourage parents to contact us as early as possible so that concerns can be discussed promptly.

SEND Information and Policies
The following documents provide further information about SEND provision:

• SEND Information Report
• SEND Policy
• Cambridgeshire Local Offer