Special Educational Needs (SEN)

‘In the light of Christ we will shine together’

Jesus said: I am the light of the world. John 8.12

Live as children of light – for the fruit of the light is all that is good and true and right. Ephesians 5.8-9

St Mary’s Church of England Academy is committed to providing the highest quality of education for all children. Our school ethos is inclusive and nurturing in order to allow all children to explore their potential and discover their strengths.

Meet our SENDCO, Lucy Blackford.

What types of SEND do we support at St Mary's?

Areas of SEND are split into 4 key areas as outlined in the diagram below. Many common diagnoses fall into specific categories of SEND however the SEND Code of Practice requires education settings to support pupils with a holistic approach. This means that the child’s needs across all areas of SEND not a diagnosis leads the way for support.

How do we identify SEN? Who should I contact if I have a concern?

For parents with a concern, the first port of call is always your child's class teacher. They are the person working directly with your child who will be able to suggest and make adaptations in the classroom. In supporting children we work through what is known as the gratuated approach. The cycle follows an assess, plan, do review process.

With early identification it may be that a child needs short, specific support which requires reasonable adjustment to the curriculum. At this point the support would be given, and if reviewed as successful, the child is able to access the appropriate curriculum again.

If the initial support is not successful the process is repeated. This time the process will include a meeting with the SENDCo who will observe the child in class, and work with parents, pupils and staff to create a plan using reasonable adjustments. At this point the pupil is added to the SEN Register at SEN Support. This SEN Support is available for as long as the pupil requires.

If further support is required the SENDCO, teachers, pupils and parents will work with external agencies to obtain additional support or a possible diagnosis. Beyond this, it may be agreed necessary to apply for an EHCP. Further details around EHCPs can be found in the useful links section.

What support and adaptations are available to pupils with SEND at St Mary's?

Equity in Education means ensuring every student has the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances. For children with SEN needs, this centres around making reasonable and specific adjustments to the curriculum, learning and school environment. The Suffolk Inclusion Framework can provide you with a detailed list of the adjustments it expects schools to make. This is known as Universal Offer.

Suffolk Mainstream Inclusion Framework

Many of these are part of every-day practice but below are the specific adjustments we are able to offer at St Mary’s:

Communication & Interaction

Cognition & Learning

Social, Emotional & Mental Health

Sensory & Physical

Support Staff

We are extremely fortunate to have a large number of experienced support staff who work directly with children in core subject areas every morning.

In the afternoon staff work with children across the school in a specific intervention area. This allows them to become experts in their field with children working with the best possible member of staff to help them. We hope that over time this will benefit children who will travel through school with the same consistent support. Interventions we offer are outlined in our support and adaptations section.

How do we involve pupils and their parents/carers in their education?

This year we are aiming to make big improvements in the way we involve our families around SEN.

We have set up a new SEND Parent Forum which aims to build a group of parents and staff who advocate for our SEND children, share challenges and experiences and build a better understanding of the local and national picture of SEND.

This year we have also introduced a new IEP (Individual Education Plan) format to make SEN targets, clearer and more manageable for families and children. Parents will be able to interact with and contribute towards these plans online and are entitled to 3 meetings a year to discuss their child’s plan face to face with their teacher. ISet up a Provision Map Account here: Provision Map Parent Login

Please speak to your child's classteacher for the access code to their IEP.

From this Year we will be holding an IEP Review Week each term where appointments will be available for parents and carers to book a meeting slot.

Term	IEP Review Week
Autumn	22nd September 2025
Spring	9th February 2026
Summer	18th May 2026

In addition to IEP Review Meetings parents and carers continue to have the opportunity to meet with their child’s class teacher to discuss any queries or concerns they have. The SENDCO is available for any questions or concerns the class teacher may not be able to answer including being available at Parents Evening.