Special Educational Needs and Disability

Contact Details:

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO):  Emma O'Brien 

Tel 0116 2737047

Email: parents@spinneyhill.leicester.sch.uk

senco@spinneyhill.leicester.sch.uk

Family Support Worker: Leona Wallace

Tel 0116 2737047

Link Governor for SEND: Bernie Ranzetta

For information about our Designated Specialist Provision (DSP) Please follow the link below:

Link to Our DSP Page.

Welcome to the page for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) at Spinney Hill Primary School. 

Please click on the links below to find information about what we offer at Spinney Hill if you are concerned that your child has an identified need or disability. There is a lot of information contained within these documents but if you feel that you would like something to be explained in more detail or you have any other concerns that you would like to discuss, then please use the contact details above to arrange an appointment with the SENCO,  Emma O'Brien  or the Family Support Worker, Leona Wallace. 

Special Educational Needs & Disability School Offer

• Parents or Carers and pupils will be consulted before their child is placed on the SEND Register and advice and strategies from the local authority's Best Endeavours Reasonable Adjustments (BERA) document will be implemented.

• Pupils on the SEND Register will have access to an intervention strategy that meets their individual needs.

• Teachers will review the progress and attainment of groups of pupils who are on the SEND Register and who have access to an intervention strategy with the SENCO at the end of the intervention period.

• Pupil progress will be reviewed once a term and fed back to pupils and parents at Parents Evening or other meeting and through the school’s reporting process.

• Referrals to local services such as Educational Psychology, Special Needs Support teaching service and Health services will be made only in consultation with parents / carers. This may take the form of a discussion and completion of a referral form.

• Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan will have a statutory annual review to which the pupil, parents or carers and relevant local services will be invited.

• Parents have the right to appeal to the Local Authority if they decide not to amend an Education, Health and Care Plan following an annual review.

• Teaching assistants will be deployed in such a way as to maximise effectiveness for pupils with SEND.

• The views of both parents and pupils will be considered through parent and pupil representation in the review of policies that directly affect pupils with SEND ( for example SEND, Dyslexia Friendly, Behaviour,  Anti-Bullying, Disability Equality Duty, Intimate Care Policy, Medical Needs Policy).

• The contents of policies shall be made available to parents.

Inclusive Mainstream Fund

At Spinney Hill Primary, we believe that every child has the right to a high-quality education and the chance to achieve their very best, no matter their starting point or the language they speak. Inclusion is the "Golden Thread" that runs through everything we do.

Our Inclusion Strategy for 2026-2027 is designed to make sure every pupil feels safe, valued, and understood. Here is how we are working for your child:

1. A Focus on Talking and Communication

We know that for many of our children, learning English while also learning school subjects is a big task. We are creating "communication-rich" classrooms where teachers use:

• Visual toolkits: Pictures and "now/next" boards to help children understand what is happening next.
• Oracy focus: Special ways of teaching that help children build their confidence in speaking and interaction.

2. Supporting Feelings and Behaviour

We believe that behaviour is a way of communicating. If a child is struggling, we look for the reason why.

• Self-Regulation: We teach children how to understand and manage their own big feelings so they are ready to learn.
• Safe Spaces: We are making our classrooms and playgrounds even more supportive so every child feels they belong.

3. Teaching That Fits Every Child

Our teachers use "adaptive teaching." This means they don't just teach one way; they change their methods to make sure everyone can join in.

• Scaffolding: We provide extra "helpers" in lessons—like word banks or physical tools—so no child is left behind.
• Expert Coaching: Our leaders  and outside of school experts work closely with teachers to keep improving how we support different learning needs.

4. Finding Help Early

We don’t wait for a child to fall behind. We work hard to identify any extra needs (like speech or literacy support) as early as possible.

• Better Transitions: We are working closely with local pre-schools so that when your child starts at Spinney Hill, we already know how to help them succeed.

5. Working Together with You

You are our most important partners. We want to support you just as much as we support your children.

• Parent Workshops: We will host sessions on how to support your child’s communication and feelings at home.
• Home Resources: We will provide tools like visual schedules or language support that you can use with your child outside of school.

Our goal is simple: to make sure that at Spinney Hill, inclusion is not an "extra" service, but a guaranteed part of every single day for every single child.

The Local Offer

The Local Offer from the Local Authority brings together in one place information about health, education and social care for:

• children and young people from birth to 25 years old who have a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND)
• parents and carers of children with SEND
• professionals working in health, care and education
• providers of services for children and young people

Please follow the link below to see a short animation explaining the Local offer:

Family Information | What is the Local Offer? (leicester.gov.uk)

This is the link for the Local Offer website:

https://families.leicester.gov.uk/send-local-offer/