Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 

At Bitterne Church of England Primary School, we believe that every child should feel welcomed, valued and included. Rooted in our Christian vision and values of Hope, Courage and Creativity, we recognise that every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to flourish.

We are proud to be an inclusive school where all children are supported to learn, develop friendships and participate fully in school life. We recognise that children have different strengths and needs, and we work to remove barriers so that everyone can feel a sense of belonging, develop confidence and make progress.

Inclusion begins in the classroom. Through high-quality teaching, appropriate adaptations and support from our dedicated Inclusion Team, we aim to meet children's individual needs and provide equal opportunities for success.

We value the knowledge and experiences of parents and carers and are committed to working together to identify needs, plan support and review progress. Children's views are equally important, and we encourage them to have a voice in decisions about their learning and wellbeing.

Above all, we have high aspirations for every child and are committed to helping them achieve their potential.

Inclusion in Everyday School Life

 Our Inclusion Team

Our Graduated Response to SEND

At Bitterne Church of England Primary School, we use a graduated approach to identify and support children with additional needs, ensuring that they receive the right support at the right time.

Our graduated response considers children's needs across the four broad areas of SEND: Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health; and Sensory and/or Physical Needs.

Teachers and the Inclusion Team regularly review children's needs and progress, identifying any barriers to learning and adapting support where necessary. We follow the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle, working closely with children, parents and carers to agree support, monitor its impact and plan next steps.

Our aim is to provide early, effective support that helps every child develop confidence, independence and achieve their potential.

Our Ordinarily Available Provision

At Bitterne Church of England Primary School, we believe that meeting children's individual needs begins with high-quality, inclusive teaching. Our Ordinarily Available Provision describes the support, strategies and adaptations that we aim to make available as part of everyday teaching and school life.

This may include visual supports, practical learning resources, adapted tasks, sensory strategies, structured routines and additional opportunities to practise and develop skills. These approaches help remove barriers to learning and enable children to participate, develop independence and make progress.

Children do not need a formal diagnosis or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to access appropriate support. Teachers work closely with families and our Inclusion Team to identify needs and make adjustments, seeking additional advice or specialist support where necessary.

Our aim is to create an inclusive learning environment where every child feels supported, valued and able to succeed.

Our Nurture Provision – The Nest

The Nest is our dedicated nurture provision, offering a calm, welcoming and supportive environment for children who benefit from additional social, emotional or sensory support.

Led by our Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) and overseen by the SENDCO, The Nest provides carefully planned activities and opportunities for children to develop confidence, build positive relationships and strengthen their social and emotional skills. It also offers a quieter, low-stimulus environment for children who may find aspects of the school day overwhelming.

Children are identified for the provision by the SENDCO according to their individual needs. Our aim is to help children develop the strategies, independence and emotional regulation skills they need to feel secure, participate successfully in classroom learning and flourish within the wider school community.

Support for Parents and Carers

At Bitterne Church of England Primary School, we recognise that parents and carers know their children best. We value our partnership with families and are committed to providing advice, guidance and practical support when needed.

Our Family Support Officer works closely with families and can help them access support from external services, including the Mental Health Support Team (MHST), No Limits and the School Nursing Team. This may include advice, signposting and assistance with referrals where appropriate.

We also offer regular opportunities for parents and carers to meet with our SENDCO such as:

• SENDCO Coffee Mornings: Held half-termly, these relaxed and welcoming sessions focus on SEND-related topics and provide opportunities to meet other parents, share experiences and ask questions.

• SENDCO Drop-In Sessions: Held fortnightly after school, these sessions offer parents and carers the opportunity to discuss questions or concerns directly with the SENDCO without needing an appointment.

We want every family to feel listened to, supported and confident that we are working together to achieve the best possible outcomes for their child.

Our SEND Information

• Bitterne Church of England SEND Information Report download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineBitterne Church of England SEND Information Report

Other Useful Information

• Southampton SENDIASS (Special Needs Advisory Service) is a resource for signposting parents and carers to organisations to help you in Southampton. https://www.southamptonsendiass.info/useful-organisations/

•  Southampton City Council - The SEND Local Offer. A directory to seek support, to find information related to SEND, EHC (Educational Health and Care Plans) and to locate contact information related to the SEND Team.  https://sid.southampton.gov.uk/kb5/southampton/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0
•  Southampton City Council - Ordinarily Available Provision. This guidance aims to support schools to deliver on the inclusion strategy by setting clear expectations of what all schools should be providing and the support and guidance that the Local Authority will provide to enable schools to deliver on these expectations. Ordinarily Available Provision Guidance (southampton.gov.uk)Useful SEND Websites
• www.ipsea.org.uk – A useful site for free, legally based Special Education advice
• www.autism.org.uk – The National Autistic Society website, the main UK charity for supporting people with ASD and their families (contains lots of useful advice and resources)
• www.attentionautism.com – For more information on Attention Autism and how you can support your child to develop attention and turn-taking skills
• www.widgit.com/resources - Symbol resources for different topics and areas of life, including resources for fire safety and about visiting the doctors/dentists
• www.special-needs-kids.co.uk – An information directory for parents and carers
• www.iassnetwork.co.uk – Advice and support for parents of children with SEN
• www.autismuk.com – Lots of information on ASD
• www.downs-syndrome.org.uk – Advice and support, including booklets to help with independent toileting, sleeping and managing behaviour
• www.autismspeaks.org – A comprehensive site, with a useful resource library
• www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_social_stories.html - A really useful set of social stories to share with children, covering topics ranging from coping with a new baby in the family to getting a haircut to making friends. The National Autistic Society website also provides guidance on writing your own personalised social stories

Fun websites with highly visual games for using with children to consolidate early skills: