Special Educational Needs

At St John XXIII we welcome everybody into our community. We believe that our community should reflect God’s wish that every child is welcomed and should be provided with the opportunity to achieve his or her full potential.

We hope you will enjoy reading about the variety of ways in which St John XXIII is able to support SEND students to reach their full potential. Please read the St John XXIII Information Report attached which will give you an overview to how we support children with a range of Special Educational Needs in school.

At some time in their school life, children may experience barriers to learning that mean that they have a special educational need (SEN) and require particular action by the school. Teachers take account of these special educational needs and additional provision is made to support the child in their learning. If you have any concerns or worries we are happy to discuss them with you. It is much better to come and discuss them rather than worry. Come to the main office and the staff will help you make an appointment with a member of the Inclusion Team.

Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators are Mrs Wendy Nolan and Miss Alex Alderson.

Our Governor with responsibility for SEND is Ms Michelle Copeland.

SEN Code of Practice

We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment that enables all children to reach their full potential. Our SEN Code of Practice is designed to help parents understand how we support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) throughout their primary education journey.

Our approach is centered on ensuring early identification and tailored support that respects each child's unique needs. We collaborate closely with parents, specialists, and educators to create personalized support plans that promote effective learning and development. Should you have any questions or require further information about our SEN framework and how it might benefit your child, please do not hesitate to contact our SEN coordinator. We are here to assist and guide you every step of the way.

SEN Code of Practice 

SEN Information Report

 Hammersmith and Fulham Local Offer

The Hammersmith and Fulham Local Offer provides information about services that children, young people and their families can expect from a range of local agencies. Knowing what is out there gives you more choice and therefore more control over what support is right for you.

Please click below to reach the Hammersmith and Fulham Local Offer website which provides information about services that children, young people and their families can expect from a range of local agencies.

Knowing what is out there gives you more choice and therefore more control over what support is right for you.

Hammersmith and Fulham Local Offer 

Interventions

• Children will have access to small group and individual support with additional reading or phonics.
• There is access to Wave 2 or 3 strategies such as ‘Read, Write Inc’ , Early Literacy Support and Write From the Start for targeted individuals who meet the criteria for these interventions.
• Additional reading/comprehension practice is available to those children who need it.
• Booster classes are provided where appropriate, for children who are on the cusp of the next Curriculum level, to enhance progress in this area.
• A specialist teacher for dyslexic children is available for those with an identified learning need.
• Opportunities for alternative ways of recording work, such as Clicker, audio and visual are available where appropriate.
• For a small number of pupils who meet the criteria we will ask for the support of outside agencies such as Jack Tizard Outreach,  Educational Psychology, CAMHS.
• Repetitive overlearning strategies to practice certain targeted skills for individuals.
• Access to word mats, visual vocabulary prompts, pre-teaching of vocabulary
• Staff are trained in sentence building teaching strategies as well as narrative and storytelling teaching strategies which may be used in a small group setting

• We will deliver programmes provided by Speech and Language therapists, in conjunction with support provided by the child’s parents at home in a 1-to-1, or individual setting (as suggested by the therapist).
• KS1 children have the opportunity to develop their language skills using the Talk Boost programme in small groups.
• We have a private Speech and Language therapist who works with identified children.
• We deliver a whole school programme called ‘Language for Thinking’ to support language development and comprehension skills in a small group setting.
• Children may have access to additional intervention to pre-teach vocabulary (Word Aware), build their use of language (Barrier Games, Social Skills, Lego Therapy) or develop attention and listening skills (Bucket Time)
• St John XXIII is a ‘Communication Friendly Classroom’ school and ensures that the learning environment supports language development
• St John XXIII works has worked with Voice 21 to ensure all learning has an Oracy focus
• Classes have the opportunity to enjoy supported ‘Show and tell’ activities to promote communication and confidence.
• In class strategies such as talking partners are used to promote good language development.
• All children have the opportunity to develop their speech and language development through drama classes led by a specialist drama teacher.
• Children have access to word mats, visual vocabulary prompts, and  pre-teaching of vocabulary.

• Small group/individual support for example with additional practice for number bonds or tables.
• For a small number of pupils who meet the criteria we will ask for the support of outside agencies such as Jack Tizard Outreach, Educational Psychology. SLIt team..
• Use of 5 Minute Box intervention for KS1 children to develop key number skills.
• Use of Numicon, Cuisinaire and other visual apparatus throughout the school to support learning.
• Booster classes where appropriate in Yr 6, for children who are on the cusp of the next National Curriculum level, to enhance progress to this level.
• Rapid Maths intervention for children who meet the criteria. Teacher led small group work for children that meet the criteria.
• White Rose Maths interventions for those children who are identified as needing the extra support. 

• Pupils are supported in short, small group sessions or 1-to-1 situations depending on their need to discuss strategies to develop self-esteem.
• Our Teaching and Learning policy identifies that marking indicates where a pupil has experienced success and supports how work could be even better, in order to promote confidence and self-esteem.
• There are weekly Good Work assemblies to reward effort, achievement, attitude, behaviour, sportsmanship, citizenship.
• The school has a play therapist who works with identified children.
• We have 3 trained ELSAs at the school who work with children.
• We have a MIND art Therapist who works with identified children who are 8 years old and older.
• Circle of Friends support is provided for targeted children.
• Where appropriate children are supported with Social Stories to support their social skills development

• We can provide ‘meet and greet’ for anxious pupils
• We have a member of the Hammersmith and Fulham MIND team who work across some schools to deliver evidence-based interventions to support young people with mild to moderate mental health issues.
• We can access and work alongside a range of services such as our Play therapist, Localities worker, CAMHS, Primary Intervention Development service and outreach advisory teachers.
• We have an open door policy for anxious parents or parents of anxious pupils.
• We collaborate with our school nurse to support pupils with emotional needs.
• We support transition work at school for the transfer to secondary school.
• Extra visits may be arranged to the new secondary school for targeted children.
• We support all pupils with SEND to move year groups with a move-up session with their new teacher.
• We provide photo books of the new teacher/classroom etc. for certain pupils who need a visual prompts

• Positive behaviour strategies are used in line with our Positive Behaviour Policy.
• We reward positive behaviours and discourage others.
• We have access to the Primary Inclusion Development team to support good behaviour choices and improve self-esteem for a small number of pupils who may have difficulties with behaviour and self-esteem.

• Access to small apparatus such as Numicon, number squares, number lines.
• Access to enlarged materials where required.
• Personalised activities as appropriate.
• Strategies/support to develop independent learning
• Vocabulary displayed in classrooms
• Word mats available
• Seating arrangements to allow a working buddy.
• Personalised activities such as the pre-teaching of vocabulary as appropriate.
• Support/supervision at unstructured times of the day including personal care
• At all lunchtimes an additional teaching assistant available at lunchtimes to lead play opportunities.
• All children are given reminders to use the toilet at break and lunch.
• Certain pupils with recorded medical needs are allowed quick access to the toilet at any time.
• Pupils are reminded to drink frequently and are encouraged to have a water bottle in school.
• All children receive a school lunch and staff monitor that pupils are eating their lunch.

• Teachers plan daily lessons to meet the needs of all pupils in their classes so as to promote learning for all; they may be supported in doing so by outreach advisors such as Queensmill and Jack Tizard outreach.
• Teachers, with the support of the SENCo, may also plan additional provision for small groups (Wave 2) and individuals (Wave 3) to support their learning needs.
• Teachers write Individual Education Plans for children who have a Education and Health care plan or require specific specialised support.
• The teachers and SENCo maintain a provision map to record any interventions a child may receive.
• Teachers assess pupils daily to see how they are accessing their learning. For pupils with SEND they will apply the criteria for access arrangements for pupils taking externally marked or moderated tests.

• Attendance at meetings and preparation of reports.
• All parents receive two report cards in Autumn and Spring and a full report at the end of the year.
• If parents require a separate copy (for example with divorced or separated parents) this can be arranged via the school office.
• There are termly opportunities for all parents to review their child’s progress at Parent’s Consultation Meetings.
• There is an open door policy and parents may speak to staff members at the end of the school day or make an appointment to discuss more lengthy or private matters.
• For pupils with Individual Education Plans the class teacher will contact parents termly to review progress and discuss new targets.
• For pupils working with outside agencies such as Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology etc. parents will be invited into school to meet with these outside professional to understand the nature of the work taking place.
• We contact parents termly to express our concerns and offer support to those whose children have poor attendance.
• Where there is multi-agency working we will have frequent Team Around the Child, or Team Around the Family meetings for some families.
• We liaise with a variety of agencies, such as Localities, who can support families in need.

Provision Map

We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where all children, including those with special educational needs (SEN), can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Our SEN Provision Map is designed to outline the range of support services and interventions we offer to ensure that every child's unique needs are met. We work closely with parents, teachers, and specialist staff to tailor our resources effectively, helping each child to achieve their full potential.

Understanding the importance of transparency, we encourage parents to engage with us in open dialogue about their child's progress and the support mechanisms in place. Our dedicated SEN coordinator oversees the implementation of our provision map, ensuring that all interventions are delivered as intended and are responsive to the evolving needs of our students. For detailed information on specific programs or to discuss your child's needs, please do not hesitate to contact our SEN coordinator directly through the school office.

Provision Map 2025 - 2026 

The Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) cycle is a structured approach we use to ensure every child receives the personalised support they need to thrive academically and socially. This method allows us to tailor our teaching strategies and interventions to meet the unique needs of each student, fostering an inclusive and dynamic learning atmosphere.

The first step in the cycle, Assess, involves carefully identifying a student's individual needs through a variety of assessments. These may include observations, standardized tests, and continuous monitoring of their progress. By understanding the specific areas where a student may require additional support, we can more effectively plan our interventions. The Plan stage then involves setting clear, achievable goals for the student, outlining the strategies and resources we will use to help them achieve these goals.

During the Do phase, our dedicated teachers implement the planned interventions, continually adapting methods as necessary to suit the student’s evolving needs. Finally, the Review stage allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, assessing the progress made towards the set goals and making any needed adjustments to our plans. This ongoing cycle ensures that our educational support is both proactive and responsive, aiming for continuous improvement in all areas of our students' school life.