Inclusion/ SEND
At Watford St John's Church of England School, we are committed to providing a nurturing, inclusive, and aspirational learning environment where every child can thrive. Our aim is to support all children to achieve their full potential by creating a safe, stimulating, and caring atmosphere that respects everyone, celebrates diversity and values the uniqueness of each child.
We are proud of our dedicated Inclusion Team who work enthusiastically to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). All our teachers are committed to teaching all children, including those with a wide range of SEND, and understand the importance of early identification and tailored provision.
We continually monitor each pupil’s progress to ensure that they are fully supported throughout their learning journey, adapting our strategies to meet their evolving needs.
At Watford St John's, inclusion means:
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All children feel safe as part of our school community
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We strive to minimise barriers to children’s learning at the earliest opportunity
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Personalised provision is supported to enable all children to achieve their full potential
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Families are active participants in the decisions affecting their child’s education
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We listen to our children and respect their views
We believe that understanding and supporting children with SEND begins with strong partnerships. We work closely with previous settings, external professionals, all members of our staff team, families, and—most importantly—the children themselves to ensure a comprehensive and personalised approach to their education and wellbeing.
If you have any worries or concerns, Mrs Cavalier, SENCo and the SEND team can be contacted via our School Office, in person, by telephone, 01923 255 017 or by email, office@watfordstjohns.org, Our school office is open from 8:30am -3:30pm Monday- Friday during term time.
The list of websites and resources below are useful to all children but specifically for children with additional or medical needs:
Supporting children to return to School after the school holidays
The school holidays can be an exciting time for children, however we also understand that the school holidays can also mean a change to the regular daily routine and there may be families who are concerned about the first days back to school after school holidays. The following diagram has been created by ADD-vance, the ADHD and Autism Trust to support families to return to a regular routine.
Families First is the term used in Hertfordshire for services that work together to support families who need extra help. These are also known as early help services.
The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services
SENDIASS https://hertssendiass.org.uk/home.aspx
The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services offer information, advice and support for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This service is also offered directly to young people. The service is free, impartial and confidential.
KIDS SENDIASS have developed resources providing information and advice for parents, carers, professionals and young people.
It is a legal requirement that all local authorities have a SENDIAS service and KIDS provide a number of these services across the country.
ADD-vance
ADD-vance is a registered charity with a team of over 20 dedicated trainers, coaches, admin staff and volunteers based in Hertfordshire. The charity supports people affected by ADHD and Autism.
Hertfordshire’s SEND Local Offer
Three minute video about Hertfordshire Local Offer
Hertfordshire Additional Needs Database (HAND)
Delivery Special Provision Locally (DSPL)
We also have access to the Watford, Three Rivers, Bushey and Radlett DSPL website:
DSPL 9 – Watford, Three Rivers, Bushey & Radlett » Home Page
Contactline
Parents/carers and school staff can access this for professional advice on any matter regarding children and young people.
The ISL Educational Psychology Service helps schools, settings and families to understand and manage a wide range of developmental issues and special educational needs. They use psychological based approaches to assess and intervene to enhance the learning, emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people aged 0-25 years.
Our contact line service for parents is open every Wednesday from 2pm until 4.30pm for parents and carers to speak directly with an Educational Psychologist on 01992 588574.
South West Herts Partnership
The team can offer support and advice to families and carers:
https://www.southwesthertspartnership.org.uk/home
Five Ways to WellBeing
Explore the links provided to try to maintain positive mental health. Perhaps you could create a chart and see how many you and your family can tick off?
A toolkit for working with young people in Hertfordshire
Visuals for routine
Link to visual pack
