Coombe Wood School provides support for students with a wide range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). At our school, we will provide all students with access to a broad and balanced curriculum. We are committed to making sure all our students have the chance to thrive and supporting them to meet their full potential.

We are focused on creating an inclusive environment, where provision is tailored to the needs and abilities of students, no matter how varied. All students have an entitlement to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. We believe that all students with additional needs should be taught, wherever possible, with their peers in mainstream classes by subject specialists who use a range of teaching methods and strategies to develop students' knowledge, skills, and understanding.

At Coombe Wood School, we strive to create an inclusive teaching environment that offers all students, no matter their needs and abilities, a broad, balanced and challenging curriculum. We are committed to offering all students the chance to thrive and fulfil their aspirations. We will achieve this by making reasonable adjustments to teaching, the curriculum, and the school environment to make sure that students with SEND are included in all aspects of school life.

Our work with children who have special educational needs is in line with the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs. The Code is issued by The Department for Education. Our aim is to identify children with special educational needs, assess those needs in consultation with the parents and the children themselves, and plan an appropriate graduated response. We will seek to meet children’s needs in stages, matching the level of help to the needs of the child. Progress will be reviewed regularly and parents will be consulted and kept informed.

For some children, the school will want to seek advice from outside the school; for example, we might ask for an assessment by an educational psychologist. This would be discussed with parents and they would be kept fully informed of any advice the school might receive.

Finally, the best progress for all children is made when a partnership exists between home and school. This is particularly true for children with special educational needs. The school may ask parents to work with their children and to help them at home. Parental support and encouragement are vital. Parents are welcome to contact the school in order to discuss their children’s needs. There are regular parents’ evenings throughout the year, but parents can make an appointment to discuss their child’s progress with Heads of Year or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) at any time.