SEND
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Our SENDCo is Mrs Melanie Leeson.
She is in school every Tuesday and can be contacted via the school office:
Telephone: 01935 862568 or email: office@westcoker.somerset.sch.ukAt West Coker, we are an inclusive school. Our aim is for all pupils to achieve their potential personally, socially, emotionally and academically in all areas of the curriculum. We are small village school split within two classes. Our staff have a wealth of experience and we are fortunate to have a fully trained THRIVE Practitioner. Access to the school is via a small incline from the main road and the main building is over two levels.
All Somerset maintained schools have a similar approach to meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and are supported by the Local Authority to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in school. We are committed to supporting pupils with needs in all four broad areas of the SEND Code of Practice: Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Social and emotional mental health and Sensory and/or Physical needs.
Somerset SEND Local Offer
Details on how the local authority supports pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities can be found in Somerset’s local offer which can be accessed via this link: www.somerset.gov.uk/local-offerSomerset Parent Carer Forum can be accessed via this link: https://somersetparentcarerforum.org.uk/
Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool now replaces the Somerset Core Standards. The tool sets out the provision that is ordinarily available in Somerset schools at both the Universal and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support levels. The tool can be accessed via this link Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool
Somerset SENDIAS- SEN and Disability, Information and Advice Service (formerly Somerset Parent Partnership) can be accessed via this link: https://somersetsend.org.uk/
Somerset SEND Newsletters can be accessed via this link:SEND Newsletter sign up (somerset.gov.uk)Somerset Big Tent provides a range of services including positive activities, therapeutic services and specialist support to increase positive wellbeing and improve mental health within children and young people aged 5-25 in Somerset.
https://www.somersetbigtent.org.uk/
SEN Information
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Our Special Educational Needs policy can be found on our policy page.
Our SENDCo, Mrs Melanie Leeson, can be contacted via the school, or directly by e-mail at the following address: Melanie.Leeson@westcoker.somerset.sch.uk
Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties, which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or distressing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) or attachment disorder. Below are resources, which may be useful in helping you to support your child if they have social, emotional or mental health needs.
building-resilience-in-children-age-0-12-a-practical-guide
children-and-young-people-with-anxiety-a-guide-for-parents
coping-with-self-harm-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers
keeping-your-cool-nspcc-guide-to-managing-childrens-anger
Communication and Interaction
Communication and interaction
Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times in their life.
Below are resources, which may be useful in helping you to support your child if they have communication and interaction needs.
attention-autism-key-points-handout-key-points
comic-strip-conversations-information
good-listening-sitting-visuals
Cognition and Learning
Cognition and learning
Cognition refers to the thinking skills and thought processes that a child or young person has acquired through their prior experience. Learning needs are on a continuum and can vary across subjects and situations. Children with learning needs may learn at a slower pace than their peers despite appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties can be general or specific and related to one or more areas of the curriculum. Difficulties may be short-term in one or more areas or severe and long term.
Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.
Below are resources, which may be useful in helping you to support your child if they have cognition and learning needs.
alternatives-to-writing-handout
helping-your-child-to-generate-ideas
supporting-your-child-with-maths
Sensory and Physical
Sensory and physical
Sensory needs can include hearing loss and/or visual impairment or sensory processing difficulties. Physical difficulties can occur for a variety of reasons, e.g. congenital conditions (some progressive), injury or disease. The important consideration in this area is the degree to which the difficulties impact on a child’s or young person’s ability to access educational opportunities.
Below are resources, which may be useful in helping you to support your child if they have sensory and physical needs.