SEND Information Report - 2023/2024
Welcome to our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Report. In this section of our school website you will find lots of useful information about the support we offer pupils with special needs or disabilities.
Key Staff
Our Inclusion Manager is Mrs Emma Mills, who leads our Additional Needs Team.
Our Special Educational Needs Coordinators are Miss Jo Gallagher & Mr Matt Henshaw.
Key members of this team that you may meet include:
Mrs Louise Walker, our Special Needs Officer who works closely with parents, carers and outside agencies.
Mrs Romeena Mir, Mrs Farkhanda Ahmed and Mrs Sadia Hussain, our Learning Mentors who work across school supporting children with a wide range of needs.
Our Special Needs Governor is Mrs Pauline Campbell. Mrs Campbell visits school regularly and works closely with Mrs Mills to monitor and review the quality of our special needs provision across school.
You can contact any of the staff above by telephoning school on 01484 223975 or emailing office@birkbyjuniorschool.co.uk
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At Birkby Junior School we aim to create a secure, accepting, collaborative and stimulating school community in which everyone is valued and all pupils can achieve their best. All the children at Birkby Junior School make good progress but some children with special needs often require more support during their time in school.
We are proud to be an inclusive school and work hard to increase learning and participation in wider school life for all pupils, including those with special needs.
All of our pupils are entitled to a broad, balanced and challenging curriculum. This includes pupils who have special needs or disabilities, those for whom English is not their first language and those who are gifted or talented. By setting suitable learning challenges, responding to our pupils different needs and overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils, Birkby Junior School strives to ensure that all pupils learn and make good or better progress.
We work hard to build good relationships with parents and carers, as well as with the other professionals who may be supporting us. In this way, we believe that we can support all children to reach their full potential.
To find out more please click on the link to read our Special Educational Needs Policy.
Birkby Junior School has a range a facilities to help disabled pupils to access our school, these include ramps, lifts and the provision of two disabled toilets. To find out about how we are continuing to make our school accesible for all children please read our accessibility plan.
To find out more about special educational needs provision in Kirklees please visit the following website:
www.kirklees.gov.uk/localoffer
This is for families of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The Local Offer contains information about services relating to special educational needs, disabilities, education and more for children and young people aged 0-25. It is part of the new Children and Families Act which has brought in a number of important changes about support and services.
Kirklees Local Offer will continue to develop over the coming months with the support of PCAN (Parents of Children with Additional Needs) and young people, to cover:
- Learning - from early years through schools, colleges to employment.
- Health - from GPs and health visitors to hospitals and specialist care.
- Social Care - from assessments for support, safeguarding, to respite and short breaks.
- Other services - such as leisure and after school activities.
- Self-help information about a range of conditions and related subjects.
Admission Arrangements
Birkby Junior School prides itself on it's inclusive ethos and welcomes children with SEND. Parents are encouraged to talk about their child's special educational needs on admission. This ensures that school staff can plan personalised transition for those children who may require additional support.
We are always pleased to meet new parents in person and show them around. Please telephone the school to make arrangements, or write or call in – ask for Miss Gallagher or Mr Henshaw, our SENCOs who will be happy to meet with you in the first instance so that we can do everything reasonably possible to meet your child's specific needs.
Our SENCOs will liaise with feeder schools to make sure that information about your child's needs and the provsion required is accessed before your child's first day at our school. This is helps us to make sure that staff know your child's needs well and can fully support them during their transition to a new school.
Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan will have a detailed transition programme prior to their admission.
How to apply for a place at Birkby Junior School
Children with an EHCP – in Kirklees the SENDACT Team have responsibility for consulting with school about the admission of children with an EHCP. You can find their contact details below;
- SENDACT (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Assessment and Commissioning Team)
- Phone:01484 456888
- Email:SENACT@kirklees.gov.uk
https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/working-with-children/special-education-documents.aspx
Children at SEN Support – you can apply for a school place through the usual Kirklees admission arrangements, either for a change of phase or in year admissions. You can find their contact details below;
- pupiladmissions@kirklees.gov.uk
- 01484 225007
https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/admissions/apply-primary-school-place.aspx