Stanley Primary School is proud to be a very inclusive school.  We value the abilities and achievements of all pupils and strive to provide the best possible environment for learning.  We are committed to giving all our children every opportunity to achieve the highest of standards regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, attainment or social background.

We recognise that many pupils will have additional needs at some time during their school life and the school’s Inclusion policy and practice help pupils to move towards managing their needs and achieving their full potential.

The Governing Body believes that admission criteria should not discriminate against pupils with any additional need following the guidance in the SEN (special educational needs) code of practice: ‘Pupils with special educational needs …….. must be treated as fairly as all other applicants for admission’.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

A child has special educational needs if he or she requires special educational provision to be made to enable them to access the curriculum.  Children are not regarded as having learning difficulties solely because their language is different from that in which they are taught. 

Support for children with SEN is:

• Full time education in class, with additional help and support by the class teacher through a differentiated curriculum
• Periods of withdrawal to work in small groups with a teacher of Learning Support Assistant (LSA)
• Periods of withdrawal to work on a one-to-one basis with a support teacher
• In-class support from a LSA
• Support from specialist services (eg Speech and Language therapy) within the class or as part of a withdrawal programme
• The school believes that for the SEN provision to be successful, it is important that early identification takes place and that there is timely and continuing communication with parents.

English as an Additional Language

At Stanley Primary we have around 10% of our children for whom English is not their first language.  A number of these children have particular learning requirements which are linked to their progress in learning English as an additional language.  These children have skills and knowledge about language similar to monolingual English speaking children.  Even though children may have English as an additional language their academic skills may well be in advance of their ability to communicate in English.

To support these children the following provision is made:

• Early assessment of children’s language level on admission to the school – including a home language assessment when appropriate
• Support within the classroom through a differentiated curriculum
• Provision of dual language books
• Withdrawal session supported by a Learning Support Assistant
• Translation of assessment material when appropriate (in KS2)
• Support by EMTAS (Ethnic Minority Traveller Achievement Service)
• A 6 week language course for beginners to English

Able Pupils

The school maintains a register of Able Children who have shown exceptional ability in a variety of areas.  The school recognises that some children will demonstrate a particular aptitude for which additional opportunities will need to be provided. 

There are a number of ways staff identify able children.

• On completion of classroom activities
• On completion of termly nursery tracking sheets
• Via assessments and observations of children
• Through our termly monitoring of individual pupil progress
• Through optional SATs

The following provision takes place throughout the school.

• Extension tasks within the classroom as part of planning to meet every child’s individual needs
• Ability setting in mathematics/literacy for differing lengths of time a week dependent on age
• Thinking skills/puzzle groups in KS2
• Able writers’ groups
• Children occasionally working with older children
• Opportunities to attend occasional sessions at local secondary schools in KS2
• Use of outside specialists
• Information provided to children and parents about out of school provision e.g. directing talented sporting children to higher level coaching at a local club

Child Protection (safeguarding)

The health, safety and well-being of all our children are of paramount importance to all adults who work in our school.  Our children have the right to protection and they have the right to be safe in school.  The school has the duty to protect children in school and to deal appropriately with any information concerning the protection of children outside of the school environment.

All staff undertake regular Child Protection training to ensure that any signs of abuse are recognised and that correct procedures are followed.  The school’s Child Protection named officers are the headteachers Hilary Bower and Ian Dickinson.  All matters relating to Child Protection concerns are passed to the named officers who will liaise directly with Social Services when necessary.

Anyone with any worries concerning the safety of a child can contact the school’s named officers or Social Services directly.