At St Michael’s we believe that every child deserves the chance to thrive. We celebrate individuality and are committed to providing the right support so that every pupil can succeed, whatever their needs.
- SENDCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator):
- Daniel Thomas – sendco@stmichaels.enhanceacad.org.uk
If you would like to discuss your child’s needs, please do get in touch or phone the office to arrange an appointment. We are always here to help.
🧩 What is SEND?
Children may have SEND if they need additional support in one or more of these areas:
- Communication & Interaction (e.g. speech, language, social communication, autism)
- Cognition & Learning (e.g. dyslexia, memory or processing difficulties)
- Social, Emotional & Mental Health (e.g. anxiety, behaviour, emotional regulation)
- Sensory and/or Physical Needs (e.g. hearing, vision, mobility, physical disability)
We work closely with parents to ensure every child gets the right support at the right time.
🔎 Identifying and Assessing Needs
We identify pupils with SEND through:
- Teacher observations and classroom assessments
- Standardised tests and screening tools
- Concerns raised by parents or carers
- Advice from external professionals
🎯 Support in School
We provide a range of support tailored to individual needs, including:
- High-quality teaching adapted for all learners
- Small group or 1:1 interventions in areas such as reading, writing, maths or speech and language
- Targeted support from teaching assistants
- Specialist equipment or resources where required
Our goal is to help children develop independence, confidence and a love of learning.
📈 Reviewing Progress
- We review each child’s progress at least once a term
- Parents are invited to review meetings and receive regular updates
- Children are encouraged to reflect on their own progress and take part in setting targets
🤝 Working with Families
We know that children make the best progress when school and home work together. We:
- Keep open communication with parents and carers
- Involve families in all decision-making
- Share strategies so that learning can be supported at home too
👩🏫 Staff Training & Expertise
- Our SENDCO, Daniel Thomas, is a qualified teacher with the NASENCO qualification.
- All staff receive regular training on supporting a wide range of needs
- We seek advice from external specialists to ensure we provide the best possible support
🏥 Working with Other Professionals
When needed, we work with:
- Educational Psychologists
- Speech & Language Therapists
- Specialist Teaching Services
- School Nursing and CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services)
🔄 Supporting Transitions
Moving schools or year groups can feel daunting. We provide extra support to help children with SEND during transitions, including:
- Additional visits to new classrooms
- Meetings with new teachers and parents
- Personalised transition plans for children moving to secondary school
✨ At St Michael’s we believe that every child matters. Our aim is to provide a safe, supportive and inspiring environment where all pupils — with or without SEND — can grow, achieve and shine.
