SEND
At All Saints, we are commitment to inclusion as well as to providing an environment where every child can thrive. All children, regardless of their needs, are valued and supported. We believe in equal access to education, the celebration of individual differences and that all children have the right to access high-quality education tailored to meet their unique needs and abilities. The school follows guidelines set out in key legislation such as the Children and Families Act (2014) and the SEND Code of Practice (2015) to identify, assess, and support children with SEND. We pride ourselves in early identification, which allows us to provide timely and effective support. In addition, we work closely with parents, carers, and professionals to ensure all children receive the support they need.
Types of support provided:
• Adapted teaching
• Interventions or small group work
• Access to specialist resources or professionals (e.g. speech therapists, educational psychologists, primary mental health workers or outside agencies such as STIPS or Freemantles)
Role of the SENCO
Mrs Walters is our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). She can be contacted by emailing head@allsaints-tilford.sch.uk. Mrs Walters works closely with staff, parents, and external agencies to ensure every child with SEND has the support they need. If you have any questions about your child’s needs, then please contact her directly.
Parental Partnership
We value the partnership with parents and carers and believe it is essential in supporting children with SEND. Together, we develop SSAs (SEND Support Arrangements documents) to ensure every child’s needs are met. The progress of children with SEND is regularly monitored and SSAs are reviewed termly and shared with parents.
ELSA
What is ELSA Intervention?
An ELSA in a school is an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant. ELSAs are specialists with a wealth of experience of working with children and young people. ELSAs are trained and regularly supervised by Educational Psychologists.
Scope of practice
ELSAs can only work within their scope of practice and cover things they are trained to. Any concerns out of their scope of practice should be discussed with their Educational Psychologist and potentially referred on to outside agencies. ELSAs support, not fix.
ELSA Relationship/ ELSA at All Saints
Hannah Odell is our ELSA at All Saints. She is a warm, kind and caring person, who wants to make children and young people feel happy in school and to reach their potential socially, emotionally and academically. She understands the barriers to learning that some children and young people might have and can help them with this.
Hannah supports the children and young person’s emotional development and helps them cope with life’s challenges. Hannah will also help children and young people to find solutions to problems they might have.
Relationships are key in helping children and young people to feel safe and nurtured. The ELSA intervention is about creating a reflective space for the child or young person.
What areas does an ELSA help with?
- Loss and bereavement
- Emotional Literacy
- Self-esteem
- Social Skills
- Friendship issues
- Relationships
- Managing strong feelings
- Anxiety and worries
- Bullying
- Conflict
- Emotional Regulation
- Growth Mindset
- Social and therapeutic stories
- Problem solving
How are children or young people referred for ELSA?
- Class teacher referral
- SENDCO referral
- Parent referral through their school
- Child referral through their school
- Outside agency referral
How long should an ELSA Intervention last?
ELSA interventions should be short term with clear aims. They are usually half a term to a full term in length.
Transition Support
The school provides additional support for children with SEND during key transitions such as starting school or moving to Junior School, by offering additional settling in sessions and liaising with external agencies and the Junior school SENCO. This helps to ensure that children with SEND settle into school life or move confidently onto their next educational stage.
Accessibility and Inclusivity
Our school is committed to ensuring its facilities and resources are accessible to all children, with adaptations made to meet individual needs where necessary. For example, we have step free access for wheelchair users into the main school buildings and Home Lodge.
Further Information
If you think that your child may have additional needs and/ or a disability or are in the process of identifying your child's needs, you can find out more on the ‘What to do if you think your child has Additional Needs or Disabilities? webpage. Furthermore, you can read more about the Surrey Local Offer for parents and carers of children with SEND here: https://www.surreylocaloffer.org.uk/parents-and-carers
Additional Support for Parents:
- If your child needs support with their emotional wellbeing and mental health then help can be accessed via Mindworks here: https://www.mindworks-surrey.org/i-am-parentfamily-membercarer
- For support with children who have ADHD, you can access Positive Parenting courses led by Barnardos here: https://www.mindworks-surrey.org/our-services/neurodevelopmental-services/barnardos-1/surrey-positive-parenting-service
- If you are a parent who needs support with a child who has autism or ADHD then you can contact the Neurodevelopment Helpline: https://www.mindworks-surrey.org/our-services/neurodevelopmental-services/out-hours-advice-line
The SEND Team are:
SENDCo Mrs Walters
Mental Health Lead Mrs Heffer
EAL Co-ordinator Mrs Walters
ELSA Mrs Odell
All belonging under the umbrella of God's love, we enable children to flourish in His beautiful world as we love one another, persevere in learning and experience joy.
