Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
'The school has high expectations for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), will learn.'
'The school has successfully developed a broad and rich curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.'
'The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately and swiftly. These pupils benefit from carefully tailored support to enable them to access the curriculum easily. They achieve well as a result.'
'Pupils, including pupils with SEND, are asked what kinds of activities they are interested in. These are then added to the provision on offer such as forest school and film club.'
Ofsted, 2024
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Mr Lee Singleton
SENCO
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Mrs Jayne Narraway
Headteacher, Senior Mental Health Lead and Designated Safeguarding Lead
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Mrs Hannah Brinksman-Wood
Pastoral Lead and MELSA
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Mrs Jean Williams
Inclusion Governor
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Miss Rebecca Sullivan
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant
Newchurch Primary School is an inclusive school, who belives in equality for ALL pupils and we work together to support and care for all children and their families in our school community, including those with additional needs. Any admissions to Newchurch are in line with the Warrington Local Authority admissions procedures for community school. https://www.warrington.gov.uk/primary-school-admissions
National guidelines state that all schools must adhere to the ‘Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 0-25 Years’ (June 2014) when deciding how best to support children with SEND. The Code of Practice supports schools and parents in the process of identifying and catering for SEND children and young people from birth to 25 years of age.
The Code identifies four primary areas of SEND:
1 Communication and interaction
2 Cognition and learning
3 Social, emotional and mental health issues
4 Sensory and/or physical needs
At Newchurch Primary, there is a step-by-step graduated model of action and intervention to support children with SEND. We ensure that all pupils in our school are treated with respect and have full access to a broad and balanced curriculum by making adjustments to the curriculum to facilitate access..
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)
At Newchurch Primary School, we recognise that children's emotional wellbeing is just as important as their academic success. We are committed to creating a nurturing environment where every child feels safe, valued and supported to thrive both personally and academically.
To help achieve this, we offer support through our Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme. ELSA is a nationally recognised intervention developed by Educational Psychologists and designed to support children who may be experiencing social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.
Our trained ELSA works closely with children to help them develop the skills they need to understand and manage their emotions, build positive relationships and develop confidence and resilience. Sessions are tailored to meet individual needs and provide a safe, supportive space where children can talk, reflect and learn strategies to support their wellbeing.
ELSA support may focus on areas such as:
- Understanding and managing emotions
- Building self-esteem and confidence
- Developing friendships and social skills
- Coping with anxiety and worries
- Managing anger and strong feelings
- Bereavement and loss
- Emotional regulation and resilience
- Supporting transitions and change
Children may be referred for ELSA support by teachers, parents, carers or other professionals where additional emotional support has been identified. Sessions are usually delivered on a one-to-one basis or in small groups and aim to empower children with practical strategies that they can use in school and beyond.
At Newchurch, our ELSA provision complements the wider pastoral support available across the school. Through our core values of Respect, Resilience, Reflection, Resourcefulness, Responsibility and Reciprocity, we encourage children to develop the confidence, self-awareness and emotional understanding needed to become happy, successful learners and responsible members of our community.
We believe that when children feel emotionally secure and supported, they are better able to engage in learning, build positive relationships and reach their full potential.
Working in Partnership with Families
We understand that the best outcomes for children are achieved when school and home work together. We value strong partnerships with parents and carers and will work collaboratively to ensure that children receive the support they need. Where appropriate, we will share strategies and resources that can be used at home to help reinforce emotional wellbeing and resilience.
If you would like to find out more about our ELSA provision, please contact the school office and a member of our pastoral team will be happy to help.
Mediated Learning Support Approach (MeLSA) is an evidence-informed approach developed by Educational Psychologists to help children become more confident, independent and successful learners. Rather than simply supporting pupils to complete a task, MeLSA focuses on how children learn, helping them to develop the thinking skills, strategies and self-awareness needed to overcome challenges and make progress independently.
At Newchurch, we have a trained MeLSA practitioner who work alongside pupils, teachers and support staff to identify barriers to learning and provide targeted support. This may include individual or small-group interventions focusing on areas such as memory, attention, organisation, problem-solving, metacognition and learning behaviours. MeLSA principles can also be applied within the classroom to adapt tasks, promote positive learning habits and encourage pupils to reflect on their own thinking. The approach is particularly beneficial for pupils with SEND, those who require additional support with learning and any child who would benefit from greater independence and resilience as a learner.
By developing pupils' learning skills alongside academic knowledge, MeLSA helps schools build capacity to support a wide range of learners and promotes long-term success both in and beyond the classroom.
Mental Health Support Team (MHST)
At Newchurch Primary School, we are committed to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing for all members of our school community. We believe that good mental health is fundamental to children's happiness, personal development and academic success. By fostering a supportive, inclusive and nurturing environment, we aim to ensure that every child feels valued, understood and equipped to overcome life's challenges.
As part of this commitment, we work closely with the Mental Health Support Team (MHST). MHST is an NHS service that supports schools to develop a whole-school approach to mental health and provides early intervention for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
The MHST works alongside school staff, families and other professionals to help children develop the skills and strategies needed to maintain positive mental health and emotional wellbeing. Their support is focused on early identification and intervention, helping to prevent difficulties from becoming more significant barriers to learning and everyday life.
How MHST Supports Children and Families
The MHST can provide support in areas such as:
- Anxiety and excessive worries
- Low mood and feelings of sadness
- Emotional regulation and resilience
- Friendship and social relationship difficulties
- Managing transitions and change
- Self-esteem and confidence building
- Parent and carer guidance
- Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing
Support may be offered through individual interventions, group programmes, consultations with parents and carers, and advice for school staff. Referrals are made in partnership with families where an identified need exists and appropriate consent has been obtained.
A Whole-School Approach to Mental Health
Our partnership with the MHST forms part of our wider commitment to supporting children's wellbeing. Alongside our pastoral care, PSHE curriculum, ELSA provision and safeguarding practices, MHST helps us to create a school culture where mental health is openly discussed and where seeking support is encouraged.
Through our core values of Respect, Resilience, Reflection, Resourcefulness, Responsibility and Reciprocity, we help children develop the emotional awareness, coping strategies and confidence needed to thrive in school and beyond.
Working Together with Families
We recognise that parents and carers play a vital role in supporting children's mental health and wellbeing. We are committed to working collaboratively with families to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time. Through our partnership with MHST, parents and carers may have opportunities to access advice, guidance and practical strategies to help support their child's emotional wellbeing at home.
Our Commitment
At Newchurch Primary School, we strive to ensure that every child knows they are listened to, cared for and supported. By working closely with the Mental Health Support Team and our wider community, we aim to promote positive mental health, build resilience and help all children flourish as confident, successful learners.
For more information about our mental health and wellbeing provision, please contact the school office and a member of our pastoral team will be happy to help.
SEND Local Offer
Warrington Borough Council is committed to ensuring that all people, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, between the age of 0 and 25 years of age receive the best outcomes possible. Therefore, the Warrington Local Offer provides information about facilities, offers and opportunities for people with SEND all in one place. Click the link below to look at the website to find out more.
https://www.warrington.gov.uk/SEND
ADDVANCED SOLUTIONS
ADDvanced Solutions Community Network encourages, equips and empowers children, young people and their families living with neurodevelopmental conditions, learning difficulties and associated mental health needs. Their engaging, community-based, learning, coaching and mentoring programmes will help you and your family to better recognise, understand and meet your individual needs, enabling you to manage the day to day challenges.
SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
Warrington SEND, Information, Advice and Support Service helps parents, carers and young people with special educational needs in early education settings, schools and colleges.
At Newchurch, we aim to start reading and writing interventions at an early age. The type of intervention will depend on the severity of the child's difficulties.
Interventions can range from regular teaching in small groups with a learning support assistant who delivers work set by teaching staff, to 1-to-1 sessions.
Most interventions focus on phonological skills, which is the ability to identify and process word sounds. These interventions are often referred to as phonics.
Phonics interventions can involve teaching a child to:
- recognise and identify sounds in spoken words (for example, helping them recognise that even short words such as "hat" are actually made up of 3 sounds: "h", "a" and "t")
- combine letters to create words, and over time, use the words to create more complex sentences
- practise reading words accurately to help them read with more fluency
- monitor their own understanding while they read (for example, by encouraging them to ask questions if they notice gaps in their understanding)
Interventions are delivered in a highly structured, multi-sensory way with a focus on development in small steps and involve regularly practising of what has been learnt.
In some cases, technology will be used e.g. talk to speech technology, reading apps etc.
How you can help your child
Read to your child
This will improve their vocabulary and listening skills, and will also encourage their interest in books.
Share reading
Both read some of the book and then discuss what's happening, or predict what might happen. By reading to your child, you will be providing a model of fluency.
Overlearning
You may get bored of reading your child's favourite book over and over, but repetition will reinforce their understanding and means they'll become familiar with the text.
Silent reading
Children also need the chance to read alone to encourage their independence and fluency.
Make reading fun
Reading should be a pleasure, not a chore. Use books about subjects your child is interested in, and make sure that reading takes place in a relaxed and comfortable environment.