Special Educational Needs and Disability at Thoresby

Home Learning Resources

At Thoresby Primary School we are committed to offering an inclusive curriculum to ensure the best possible outcomes for all of our pupils whatever their needs and abilities.

We seek to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are fully included in all aspects of school life. We believe that pupils with SEN and their parents/carers should be at the heart of planning and decision making.

We aim to provide opportunities for pupils with SEN and their parents/carers to play an active role in planning their provision in accordance with the SEND Code of Practice 2014.

Hull’s Local Offer

The local authority has a legal duty to publish information about what is available in the local area to support children with special eduational needs and disabilities and their families.

To find out more, click on the link below:

Parent SEN Coffee Mornings

At Thoresby we hold regular sessions for parents on SEN issues. These sessions are open to all parents, not just those who have children with SEN, and cover a variety of subjects. Friendly and informal, they provide the opportunity to share, learn and ask questions. Why not come along to the next one?

Recent meetings have been about the changes to the SEN Code of Practice and Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

If you would be interested in finding out more about a particular issue relating to special educational needs or disability, please contact the school office with your suggestions.

To find out when the next meeting is happening, look out for the newsletters and check out Twitter.

Further information for parents:

The best thing to do is to make an appointment to have a chat with your child’s class teacher. They will listen to your concerns and talk about what your child is like at school.

Together you will decide what needs to happen next. This might simply be a case of monitoring the situation, or together you might decide to put some extra support in place. Sometimes it might be appropriate for you to have a chat with the SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator); the class teacher will discuss this with you.

If your child’s class teacher has any concerns about progress they will arrange to meet with you to talk about what those concerns are. They will be interested in hearing your views too, and might ask you questions about what your child is like at home, what their strengths are as well as their weaknesses. They might also ask you questions about their earlier development.

Together you will decide what needs to happen next. This might be a case of monitoring the situation, or together you might decide to put some extra support in place. Sometimes it might be appropriate for you to have a chat with the SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator); the class teacher will discuss this with you.

To decide whether or not a pupil has special educational needs we look at the legal definition of SEN in the SEND Code of Practice 2014. This says that:

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

  • Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
  • Have 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.”

Our decision is based on lots of things. Your views are very important, as are the views of your child and the class teacher. We look at progress and the work in books. We observe pupils both inside and outside the classroom. We sometimes carry out a range of tests so that we have a better understanding of your child’s strengths and weaknesses. This helps us to target support more effectively.

The type of support your child receives will depend upon their individual needs and is tailored to help them to achieve positive outcomes. The type of support currently offered in school includes:

  • Differentiation and scaffolding – this is when the class teacher modifies work to enable pupils to do similar work to the other children in the class
  • Small group work – either in or out of the classroom with adult support
  • One to one support
  • Specialised programmes for pupils with particular learning difficulties such as reading, spelling or mathematical difficulties
  • Life skills groups
  • Social skills programmes
  • Communication programmes for pupil with interaction difficulties
  • Language enrichment groups for pupils who need to develop their vocabulary
  • Speech and language therapy programmes
  • Fine and gross motor skills programmes
  • Behaviour programmes

Many pupils with SEN have an individual education plan (IEP) which provides details about the extra support they are receiving in school, and helps parents to support their child at home. The class teacher and SENCO will also be happy to help you with ideas for home.

Most of the time your child will work with their class teacher. Whoever else works with your child, the class teacher retains responsibility for their education. Other adults who might work with your child could include:

  • An ASA (Acheivement Support Assistant)
  • The Emotional Well-Being Worker
  • Another teacher from the same year group
  • The SENCO
  • Specialists from outside the school such as the educational psychologist, teachers of children with physical and sensory difficulties, teachers of children with learning difficulties, speech and language therapists, the school nurse, family practitioners.

We will always let you know before someone from outside the school works with your child.

You will be invited to attend regular progress meetings with your child’s class teacher. At the meeting you will have the chance to discuss the progress that has been made and together you can plan what the next steps are. If you have concerns about your child’s progress, however, you don’t need to wait until the next progress meeting. Simply contact the school to make an appointment to see your child’s class teacher.

Some pupils can find it difficult when they make the move from one class to another at the start of a new school year. This can be a very worrying time for parents too, especially when pupils move from one key stage to the next or from primary to secondary school.

For pupils who would benefit from additional support we make special transition arrangements. These can include:

  • Preparation of a transition book which includes photographs of key people and places in the new classroom or setting, as well as other useful information
  • Short visits to the new classroom or setting
  • Introducing new staff to pupils in familiar surroundings
  • Communication Passports containing important information about the child to share with new staff

I feel the school is a blessing for parents who have the opportunity to send their kids here as they provide the best education and pastoral care possible.

Parents evening feedback

Thoresby gives us opportunities to spend time with the coaches and develop our sports skills.

Children's comments

Thoresby gives me the opportunity to have a great education. The topics are great!

Children's comments

My daughter enjoys all aspects of school life, she involves herself in many activities and represents the school in various team sports. We are pleased with all her progress.

Parents evening feedback

My children are very happy at school.

Parents evening feedback

My daughter is making great progress at Thoresby. Overall I am very pleased with every aspect.

Parents evening feedback

My son and daughter are both very happy at Thoresby. The staff are approachable and helpful and the children are offered a good variety of different opportunities.

Parents evening feedback

I would like to say that both our children – daughter in year 4 and son in year 6, enjoy attending their lessons and their topics they are being taught.

Parents evening feedback

Thoresby is a special place.

Children's comments

Our son has been coming here for 8 years. He will be doing his SATs soon. He loves coming here and loves the food. He has so many friends and loves all his classes too. He gets on well with everybody and all his teachers have been brilliant with him. Thoresby is a good school.

Parents evening feedback

We love Thoresby. Both of our girls go there and have had a fantastic time. It is very supportive and nurturing.

Parents evening feedback

Everybody is welcome at Thoresby.

Children's comments

Our son is absolutely thriving at Thoresby. He has really got on well with his teachers and enjoyed lessons. If asked he would say the dinners are best but his progress speaks for itself. Thank you.

Parents evening feedback

The support from the teaching staff is very good and the pastoral care of our children, especially when needed for our son. Overall very positive.

Parents evening feedback

The outside area is so much fun!

Children's comments

Thoresby is a brilliant school and my kids love coming here.

Parents evening feedback

Thoresby is an amazing school and the best aspect of the school are the brilliant selfless teachers who put the children at the forefront of everything.

Parents evening feedback

Thoresby helps us to learn that we are all unique and special in our own way.

Children's comments

Our daughter started Thoresby in September 2018 – she has grown in confidence and the support from her teachers is constant. We are very happy with everything the school offers and provides.

Parents evening feedback

My daughter has been coming here since nursery and has always loved the school, she is doing really well in all her subjects and I couldn’t be happier with her progress.

Parents evening feedback

We are lucky to have Kaleidoscope every year! We learn so much and everyone comes together for a celebration.

Children's comments

My daughter started in September and she has flourished. Not only in an academic sense but in terms of her social skills and her open-mindedness to others – it’s been a fantastic experience for her!

Parents evening feedback

This school offers varied education in an environment with so many children from so many parts of the world, and do it very well you see happy smiling children every day! Hats off to this school!

Parents evening feedback

All three of my children have been taught at Thoresby with my youngest leaving this year. I have fond memories of Thoresby over the years and found staff helpful and very supportive.

Parents evening feedback

I think Thoresby is an amazing school. The teachers are approachable and my son loves school.

Parents evening feedback

We are very happy with Thoresby, lovely staff and teachers.

Parents evening feedback

Thoresby management team ensure that the school is inclusive and forward thinking. I have always been impressed by the way this school is run and continue to be – especially their dedication to child protection and wellbeing programmes.

Parents evening feedback

I am proud to be part of the Thoresby community.

Children's comments

Thoresby has been brilliant for my boys, really supportive and encouraging.

Parents evening feedback