Preston Primary Special Educational Needs

At Preston, we work hard to ensure all our pupils receive high-quality teaching and learning that is inclusive and accessible to all.  This isn’t just about the curriculum or what happens in the classroom, but also relates to the range of clubs and enriching experiences we offer our pupils to further enhance their ability to build positive relationships with their peers, to enable them to challenge discrimination and develop a sense of self-worth in their abilities so that they can go on to make their dreams and aspirations in life, a reality.

We have a whole school vision based around a set of values which underpin everything we do. Our shared values help us to create a place where pupils can thrive.  Our school values are: Respect, Teamwork, Creativity, Independence, Determination and Responsibility.  Through these values we actively promote the development of core personal skills of communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.  Our aim is to create a love of learning for all our pupils, to guide them to understand what it means to be a good citizen and to prepare them for a world of work that could be very different to one we know today. 

At Preston, we recognise that special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn and can significantly impact on their:

• progress in all curriculum subjects due to specific learning difficulties in reading, writing and maths,
• emotional regulation, ability to work with others or to make and maintain positive friendships,
• concentration levels, understanding of language, social interactions and speech development,
• sensory processing, fine and gross motor skills or physical and mental health and mobility.

A child or young person of compulsory school age is said to have SEND if they:

• Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age.
• Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.

Children with SEND may need specific adaptations to the learning environment or activities, extra help or support, or special provision made for them to allow them to have the same opportunities as others of the same age.

At Preston Primary School, all teachers are teachers of pupils with special educational needs and the Class Teacher, who knows the child best in school, should be the first port of call for parents to discuss their child’s needs.  In addition, Preston has a team of staff who may be involved in supporting your child, in addition to their class teacher, and who can also deliver targeted intervention for all four areas of special educational need as outlined in the SEND code of practice which are:

• • cognition and learning,
  • communication and interaction,
  • social, emotional and mental health and,
  • physical and sensory.

In addition, we have a SENDCO who oversees and coordinates the support, intervention, provision and progress of all pupils on the SEN register.

The SENDco for Preston Primary School is Jane Stead who is also the designated safeguarding, pastoral and ASC provision lead.  If you have any questions or enquiries regarding our safeguarding or SEND provision at Preston Primary, please contact Jane Stead on 01803 607075 or via the pastoral team email:  pastoral@preston.torbay.sch.uk

Please use links to our SEND policy and information report in addition to further information which can be found via links to Torbay Council SEND Services:

• Torbay Council’s SEND website provides support, guidance and information for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Torbay: http://www.torbay.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/send/
• SENDIASS Torbay provides free information, advice and support for parents of children and young people with SEND: http://sendiasstorbay.org.uk/
• Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust are working with Action for Children, The Children’s Society and Torbay Council as the 0 to 19 Torbay Partnership to promote the health, development and well-being of children, young people and families in the local area:   About | 0 to 19 Torbay

• Monthly drop in sessions with the Torbay SEND team. They will share the improvements they are making to services. They would also like to hear your views.

  The sessions will take place on the first Tuesday of each month between 6pm and 7pm. The first session will be on 1st November 2022 on Microsoft Teams.

  Any parent or carer from Torbay is welcome to come and join in. (Please be mindful that they cannot discuss individual children/young people)

  To join on your computer, mobile app or room device, visit https://tinyurl.com/TorbaySEND

  Or download Microsoft teams and enter the following:

  Meeting ID: 356 027 397 524
  Passcode: fmfEDq

Autism Enhanced Provision

At Preston Primary School we have an enhanced provision that specialises in meeting the needs of pupils with Autism.  ‘The Nest’ provides 16 places for children of primary school age (4-11 years) who have a medical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and have an EHCP in place. 

The Nest is a positive learning provision that supports pupils to develop ‘ready to learn’ behaviours and to unlock their academic and social interaction potential so that they are able to make friends and join their peers within the mainstream part of the school wherever possible.

We work closely with the mainstream teachers to offer a rich, structured and stimulating curriculum, which is tailored to individual needs.  We provide a caring and purposeful atmosphere within the provision where personal and academic achievements are celebrated and trusting relationships reflect good practice in an environment where a balance between pupil welfare and achievement for all is a prioritised.  

The Nest aims are:

• • To provide an aspirational educational provision which prepares pupils for key transitions through school and into adulthood,
  • To create a safe and purposeful learning environment where pupils can build safe and trusting relationships,
  • To promote independence and positive pupil well-being through teaching key skills in social communication, emotional regulation, social interaction, emotional regulation and self-care.
  • To celebrate small steps in academic and personal development progress, working in partnership with parents, carers, staff and specialist services.

These are some thoughts we have collected, about The Nest:

“An opportunity to access mainstream education with a happy, safe haven to return to when necessary.” Preston staff member, The Nest

“A safe, nurturing, learning environment” Parent of a mainstream pupil

“Happy, warm and friendly.” Preston staff member

“The adults in The Nest keep us safe and help us go to mainstream.” KS2 pupil, The Nest

“The Nest is for children who want to come to Preston, but their brains work a bit differently.” KS2 pupil, Mainstream.

“I love the way the staff explore different avenues to suit the needs of the individual children.” Parent of a KS1 Nest pupil

“The Nest enhances the children's learning & emotional experience within a safe and nurturing environment, with excellent support from caring staff, allowing the children to blossom both academically and socially.” Parent of a KS2 Nest pupil

At Preston Primary School ASD Provision, we believe that no single approach or method is used in the Provision and so we use a range of established autism specific approaches and methods, depending on the needs of the learner.  These include attention autism, aspects of TEACCH, SPELL, PECS, Intensive Interaction, sensory integration diets and Social Stories. 

Further information about autism friendly approaches can be found via following websites:

The National Autistic Society National Autistic Society (autism.org.uk)

The Autism Education Trust  Autism Education Trust

The Communication Trust and Consortium   TCT resources (ican.org.uk)