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Key Information

SEND

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

We have a dedicated Inclusion Team that work closely to ensure children’s needs are identified and support is put into place. The team consists of: 

  • SENCO: Miss. Cottle 
  • Family Support Worker & Mental Health Lead: Ms. Kerr 
  • Inclusion Link Governor: Maria Hall 

At Tannery Drift First School we want all pupils to have equity in access to our engaging and aspirational curriculum and to foster a lifelong love of learning. The focus of our SEND strategy is to ensure that all pupils are supported to maximise their potential in all areas of school life. 

Our robust approach to monitoring learning and pupil progress allows us to effectively identify potential barriers to learning early in a child’s school journey. We recognise and celebrate children’s strengths in all areas of school life and ensure that inclusive quality first teaching embeds strategies to support pupils with additional needs.  

Collaboration between senior leaders, teachers, and teaching assistants alongside parents and pupils, enable us to devise and provide carefully targeted support to ensure excellent outcomes for pupils both academically and socially.  

We also recognise that our pupils with additional needs may not always have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities – we therefore proactively promote opportunities, such as clubs and trips and carefully consider the provision at play and lunchtime to facilitate engagement and enjoyment for all pupils. 

Our approaches are always inclusive - children without special educational needs also benefit from the strategies employed in supporting our SEND children.  

Wellbeing Support and Interventions 

Prevention and early identification 

  • Zones of Regulation 
  • Jigsaw scheme (PSHE) 
  • Growth Mindset 
  • Sensory breaks and the Daily Mile 
  • Each classroom has a nurture nook or quite area 
  • We are fortunate at Tannery to have two safe spaces: The Rainbow Room (used for 1:1 and wellbeing interventions), and the Sensory Garden. 
  • Use of Mental health focused story books 
  • Training all staff in mental health 

Internally provided 1:1 

Internally provided groups 

External Providers & Referrals 

  • NESSie My World and Me 
  • Protective Behaviours 
  • Short-term support for anxiety, bereavement, and anger 
  • Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) 
  • Enhanced Zones of Regulation 
  • Nurture Group 
  • Friendship and Conflict Resolution Group 
  • Self-Esteem Group 
  • ELSA 
  • North Herts Primary Support Services 
  • Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners 
  • Stand-by-me Children's Bereavement Support 
  • STEP 2 
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) 

At Tannery Drift First School, we are very fortunate to have our own Family Support Worker, Ms Kerr, who plays an active role in supporting families and children within our school community. Her knowledge and wealth of experience is invaluable at helping families navigate challenging situations, strengthen relationships, and build resilience. She also plays a crucial role in safeguarding the welfare of children and ensuring their wellbeing. Please see our Family Support page for further information.  

 

Contact information 

For more information on the Special Educational Needs at Tannery Drift First School, please contact Miss Cottle via, admin@tannerydrift.herts.sch.uk

 

The Hertfordshire Local Offer 

Hertfordshire’s Local Offer lets parents and young people know what special educational needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire, and who can access them. For further information, please visit: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/the-hertfordshire-local-offer.aspx

DSPL (Delivering Special Provision Locally) is a Hertfordshire-wide partnership approach where parents, carers, staff in early years settings and schools, further education colleges, local authority officers and representatives from other agencies, work together as part of an Area Group, to ensure that there is a range of provision and support services available in their local community that: 

  • Meets the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), aged 0-25, as close to home as possible. 

  • Improves outcomes for wellbeing and attainment 

  • Widens choice for children and parents/carers 

  • Removes barriers to learning 

  • Uses resources more effectively 

Tannery Drift First School is part of DSPL1 Area 1: Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock and Royston. For further information, please go to: https://nhdspl.org.uk/