At Clifton, we are committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are fully included in school life and have the support they need to learn, develop and thrive.

We have high expectations for every child. Having SEND does not change our ambition for what a pupil can achieve. Our aim is to identify and remove barriers to learning, provide appropriate support and enable children to become increasingly confident and independent learners.

Every Teacher is a Teacher of SEND

Supporting pupils with SEND is a whole-school responsibility. Class teachers are responsible for the progress and development of every pupil in their class, including those receiving additional or specialist support.

High-quality, inclusive classroom teaching is the starting point for all pupils. Teachers consider children's individual strengths and needs and make appropriate adaptations to teaching, resources, the learning environment and the ways in which children can access and demonstrate their learning.

Our Inclusion Team works alongside teachers to provide advice, support and challenge and to help ensure that provision for pupils with SEND is effective and consistent across the school.

Identifying Additional Needs

Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. A child experiencing difficulty does not automatically mean that they have SEND.

Where there are concerns about a child's progress, development or ability to access learning, we work to understand what may be creating a barrier and what support may be needed. This may involve looking at children's work and assessment information, observing them in different contexts and speaking with the child, their family and the staff who know them well.

Where appropriate, we may also seek advice from specialist professionals.

Early identification is important because it allows us to respond to children's needs and put appropriate support in place as soon as possible.

Assess, Plan, Do, Review

Where a pupil requires additional SEND support, we follow the graduated approach of Assess, Plan, Do, Review.

Assess – we build a clear understanding of the child's strengths, needs and barriers to learning.

Plan – we agree the outcomes we are working towards and the provision, adaptations or interventions that will support the child.

Do – the agreed support is put in place, with the class teacher retaining responsibility for the child's learning and progress.

Review – we consider the impact of the support, listen to the views of the child and family and decide what should happen next.

This is an ongoing cycle. Provision is adjusted as children's needs change and as we learn more about what helps them to succeed.

Additional and Specialist Support

Some children may need support that is additional to or different from the provision ordinarily available within the classroom.

This might include targeted individual or small-group intervention, additional resources or equipment, changes to the learning environment, or particular strategies used throughout the school day.

Where appropriate, we also work with specialist professionals and services to help us understand a child's needs and identify effective approaches.

You can find out more about this on our Specialist & Therapeutic Support page.

Working in Partnership with Families

Parents and carers know their children extremely well and are an important part of identifying needs, planning support and reviewing its impact.

We aim to have open, constructive and ongoing communication with families. If we have concerns about a child's learning or development, we will discuss these with parents and carers. Equally, we encourage families to speak to us if they have concerns or information that may help us better understand their child.

Where a child is receiving SEND support, families will be involved in reviewing their progress and considering appropriate next steps.

Listening to Children

Children should have a voice in decisions that affect them.

We want pupils with SEND to understand their strengths, recognise what helps them to learn and, as they grow, become increasingly confident in expressing what they need.

Children's views are therefore an important part of planning and reviewing support. How we gather those views will depend on the child's age, development and communication needs.

Independence, Not Dependence

Our aim is not simply to provide more adult support. We want children to develop the skills, strategies and confidence to become increasingly independent.

Support is therefore carefully considered so that it enables children to access learning while continuing to develop independence, resilience and confidence.

Our Inclusion Team

Our Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion and SENDCo, Miss Barum, leads SEND provision across the school and works closely with pupils, families, teachers, support staff and external professionals.

If you have concerns about your child's learning or development, your child's class teacher should usually be your first point of contact. They can discuss how your child is learning in school, the support already in place and whether further advice from the Inclusion Team may be helpful.

Further Information

More detailed information about how Clifton identifies and supports pupils with SEND can be found in our SEND Information Report and SEND Policy.

Families can also find information about services and support available locally through Ealing's SEND Local Offer.