Inclusion and SEND at St Thomas Primary School
What does inclusion mean at St Thomas Primary School?
At St Thomas Primary School, we work closely with children and their families to ensure we understand the needs of those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We are committed to inclusion and ensuring we provide the best for children with SEND. We know that any challenging behaviour is a communication of an unmet need. All staff are highly trained in the most up to date strategies in de-escalation and calming techniques. We respect and value every child as a unique individual and pride ourselves on the high reputation we have gained over many years for our whole-child approach, particularly with children identified as having SEND.
Our SEN Policy can be found on our Policies page.
Our school SENDCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) is Mrs Sandy Chenore.
How do we describe SEND at St Thomas Primary School?
There are four types of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), decided by the Department for education for which provision is made at St Thomas Primary School:
If a child has SEND (Special Educational Needs), then their needs will fit into one or more of these categories. A school’s provision for SEND is defined as support that is additional to or different from that which is available to all students.
A full description of SEND provision at St Thomas is available within our information report:
SEND information report 26/27
There is also further information about SEND contained in our SEND Policy:
SEND policy
Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP)
Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP) supports children and young people’s additional needs through high-quality, inclusive teaching and reasonable adjustments within mainstream school resources. Under the SEND Code of Practice, OAIP ensures that schools make provisions accessible to all students, fostering inclusive environments with practical strategies across the whole school. Through the graduated approach—Assess, Plan, Do, Review—schools can identify and address needs early, helping every child reach their potential.
OAIP Framework (pdf)
Ordinarily available inclusive provision (PowerPoint file). Click the speaker icon to hear the commentary.
What are Devon’s responsibilities for SEND?
From 2014, local authorities and schools have been required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25. This is called the ‘Local Offer’.
The Local Offer aims to improve choice and transparency for families and is an important resource for parents in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area.
Details of the local offer, produce by Devon County Council, can be found on the link to the website below.
> > https://new.devon.gov.uk/send/.
What describes equality at St Thomas Primary School?
At St Thomas Primary School, we consider ourselves incredibly lucky to welcome children from across the world and value every child for their individuality. In line with our school value of respect, we ensure that no one is unfairly disadvantaged due to their age, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, disability or religious beliefs. We encourage opportunities to share and learn about cultures from around the world and use our PSHE lessons to embed learning around discrimination and prejudice.
How is St Thomas Primary School accessible to all?
The main entrance is suitable for wheelchair access however the doors would need to either be propped open or held by a member of staff.
The main reception desk is not lowered but staff are happy to assist by coming out to the front of the desk.
There is one accessible toilet located close to the main reception desk and we have a lift to allow users to access the first floor, if required.
