Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my child need to be on the SEN register?
At WSM we pride ourselves on Quality First Teaching which is high quality, inclusive teaching to ensure all learners achieve. Should your child require ongoing additional support with one of the four areas of SEN; Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Sensory and Physical or Social, Emotional, Mental Health, then the class teacher will discuss this with you and explain what support is or can be put in place. If your child requires this support for a longer period of time to achieve, then your child's class teacher and the school's SENCO will discuss with you whether putting your child on the SEN register and creating them a detailed Individual Education Plan is a good next step.
If my child is working below within their year group, do they need to be on the SEN register?
If your child is working below the expected standard in their year group or in one subject, this does not mean they need to be on the SEN register. Following our Quality First Teaching, we will ensure the appropriate support, in class, is given to allow them to achieve and close the gap.
What do I do if I have a concern about my child?
If you have a concern about your child, you should speak to their class teacher. Your child's class teacher will be able to explain how your child works in class, any support they are currently receiving, how best to support them at home and any next steps that may be required.
Why do parents of children on the SEN register not attend parents evening?
Here at WSM, we offer parents two 10-minute parents evenings per year; one in the Autumn term and one in the Spring term. If you child is on the SEN register we offer an additional 40 minutes of meeting time with your child's class teacher. This is made up of three 20-minute meetings across the year; one at the end of Autumn term, one at the end of Spring term and one at the end of Summer term.
In these meetings, your child's class teaching will discuss their Individual Education Plans (IEP) and the progress they have made against their personalised targets. Within this meeting, your child's class teacher will also cover all areas that are discussed in a traditional 'parents evening'; friendships, academic achievements, behaviour etc. The purpose of the three meetings are:
Autumn term: Discussion about how your child has settled into their new class, review the targets set for the Autumn term and set more targets for the Spring term based on the progress made from the previous targets.
Spring term: Discussion about the progress made against their IEP by reviewing Spring targets and set new targets for the Summer term.
Summer term: Final review of the targets with a focus on the progress made against the Summer targets, an overview of the year and new targets to be set for the next academic year (Autumn term).
This cycle will continue each year to ensure effective communication between home and school.
At this meeting, the IEP will be shared with yourself and a copy will be available for you to take home.
What is an Individual Education Plan (IEP)?
An Individual Education Plan, is a document which outlines a few specific targets for your child to work on to support them with their learning. Within this document, strategies as to how we, as a school, will support your child in achieving their targets is detailed along with provisions we will put in place. As above, at the end of each term, these targets will be reviewed and new targets will be set. If your child is supported by other external professionals such as, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy etc. their recommendations will also be in this plan.
I would like to know more about special educational needs, where can I find out some more information?
Please follow the link to find about more about special education needs:
Special Educational Needs: an overview