SEND and Inclusion

Our Inclusion Manager here at Barming Primary School is called Mrs Collie.

Mrs Collie is also our Designated Teacher for Looked After Children.

Mrs Collie works to support all children from Free School Meals, SEND children to our EAL children to ensure we support every child.   We are inclusive of all children.

Mrs Collie's - Hours of work are:

Monday – 08:15 – 3.30pm

Tuesday – 08:15 – 3.30pm

Wednesday – 08:15 – 3.30pm

Thursday – 08:15 – 3.30pm

Friday - 08:15 - 3.30pm

Please contact Mrs Collie via the school contact number - 01622 726472 if you wish to speak to her about your child or make an appointment to see her.

Definition of Free School Meals:

Free School Meals are different from 'Universal Infant Free School Meals', which is a Government initiative which provides all children with a nutritious meal during term time if they are in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2.   For children in Years R-6 who are eligible for free school meals, there is also further support in the form of school holiday vouchers, and half term activity vouchers.

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

NB: qualifying families can still apply for free school meals, even if their child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 as as a school we can get extra funding if you do.

To check your own eligibility for Free School Meals, please visit the following page, or contact the school office:

Free School Meal Eligibility Check

Definition of SEND - Special Educational Needs and Disability:

A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. 

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty if he or she:

1. Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
2. Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools. SEN Code of Practice (2014)

Definition of disability: 

Many children and young people who have SEN may also have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 – that is’…a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’.  This definition provides a relatively low threshold and includes more children than many realise: ‘long-term’ is defined as ‘a year or more’ and ‘substantial’ is defined as ‘more than minor or trivial’ SEN Code of Practice (2014)

Definition of EAL - English as an Additional Language:

English society is multilingual, with an estimated 360 languages spoken across the country.

Advantages of being multilingual:

Research tells us that maintaining at least 2 languages is an advantage for later academic achievement.   It’s desirable for children who are potentially bilingual and multilingual, to be supported in all the languages available to them.

The role of parents and carers:

It’s better for young children to communicate with their parents in the dominant home language, especially if parents are not fluent English speakers themselves.

Quality First Teaching

At Barming Primary School we ensure..

• Clear learning objectives in every lesson that explain the skill the children are learning.

• All children know why they are learning a specific skill or knowledge and how this new skill or knowledge will be used in future lessons
• Independent tasks are adapted in order to support less able pupils and to challenge more able pupils
• Comments in the children’s books and through verbal feedback are used to move pupils forward in their learning. All pupils are expected to respond and act upon the teacher’s comments and questions.

How does this support children with SEND?

• It takes the diverse needs of learners into account
• It builds on pupils' prior learning
• It involves a range of techniques, including whole class work, structured group work, guided learning and individual activity
• It embeds assessment  techniques throughout the lesson

Everyone is welcome here at Barming Primary School.

Inclusion for all

Here at Barming Primary School we pride ourselves on being a caring and inclusive community.   We welcome all children, regardless of their backgrounds, religions, diversity, needs, including physical, educational or behavioural difficulties.

There has been a lot in the news recently about cut backs to SEND funding, this is a national picture, but one that affects children in Kent too. Places in Special Schools are limited and highly sought after, which is why mainstream schools, like our own, are now providing education for a wide range of children.

All children have the right to an education and we have to work together to ensure this happens by providing an inclusive education for all.

Being the parent of a child with additional needs, being new to a country, having a different background, race or religion can be an isolating experience.   It can also be embarrassing when your child does not present or behave like other children, your child may not be invited to tea or parties, you may feel that other parents on the playground keep away from you.

I would like to ask that all of our community extend tolerance and kindness to each other.   It is easy to be quick to judge and we all do it at times, but we must try and remember that some children look no different to any other children and their disabilities may very well be hidden.

Embracing difference and extending tolerance are life lessons and our children are often much better at it than we adults.   Let’s all work together to continue to keep Barming Primary School a caring and inclusive environment for all our children.

SEND strategy published

The SEND Strategy Document has been published on the following link:

https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs/send-strategy/strategy-for-children-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities 

Diversity

What is the difference between diversity and inclusion?

The quick answer is that diversity is difference, and inclusion is welcoming this difference.

The quotable answer is that diversity is being invited to the disco and inclusion is being asked to dance.

The philosophical answer is diversity is something you have and inclusion is something you do or diversity is more of a fact, inclusion is more of a feeling.

The scientific answer is that diversity is the difference and inclusion is getting the best out of that difference.

It is possible to have a diverse company where people do not feel included - and it is also possible to have an inclusive company, which is not very diverse.   At Barming we try to be inclusive and diverse.

Does Diversity Just Mean Someone Looks Different? 

The range of diversity is enormous and includes all differences, the most common being differences such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, age, social status, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs.

Diversity often focuses on the differences between people. Inclusion is the act of welcoming and encouraging those differences.

Diversity is not just about visible differences, in fact, all the ways people can differ, extends way beyond visible differences.

The iceberg image below is used to describe diversity.   In diagrams like this, the water line represents all the differences we can usually see - or ‘visible diversity’.   Everything below the iceberg is usually invisible diversity. 

Even though all the diversity below the waterline is invisible diversity, it is still diversity.   People can differ hugely in their political beliefs, thinking style, personality, character and life experiences - these differences can become more noticeable the more you get to know someone, or they may remain hidden.

The ‘Inclusion’ in diversity and inclusion focuses on creating an environment where all different kinds of people feel like they belong, have fair (equitable) access to opportunities, and can thrive and succeed.

At Barming Pre-School and Primary School we strive to be as diverse and as inclusive as we possibly can - working with families to achieve this.