St Silas CE Primary Academy is a very inclusive school. Our teachers adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all children. We use a differentiated curriculum, adjusting our teaching methods, materials, and tasks to support every learner. This includes the use of visuals and technology to help everyone to take part and thrive.
In April 2023, Ofsted made the following comment about our SEND provision:
“Leaders are tenacious in identifying their needs quickly and providing the targeted support that they need. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers, and with external professionals, to enable pupils with SEND to access the curriculum.”
Most of our children receive support within their regular classrooms. However, we may occasionally use small group or individual sessions for specific work to help children catch up or work or a particular area of their learning.
We recognise that some students need extra help to reach their full potential. At St Silas, we have a Beehive classroom taught by our experienced SEND teacher where English and Maths is taught to children needing more support in school. They receive carefully planned lessons to enable them to make progress at their own pace.
Our Rainbow Room is a nurturing and specialised classroom designed for eight children with significant educational needs, including complex autism. These children, who range in age from Year 1 to Year 6, thrive in this setting because the mainstream classroom, with its high levels of noise and sensory input, can be overwhelming. It is a calm and structured space where these children can receive an education that is specifically tailored to their individual needs. We adopt the Equals curriculum, widely used in special schools that focuses on promoting language, communication, and independence. We regularly invite parents to join us for events and celebrations, fostering a strong partnership between home and school. Our learning extends beyond the Rainbow Room as the children participate in a variety of activities to develop their skills in real-world settings.
We continually assess our children's progress carefully. If a teacher is concerned about a student, they will contact parents and our Inclusion Manager. We have access to a wide variety of outside agencies to support the needs of our children. These include Blackburn with Darwen’s SEND Support Service’s Advisory teachers, NHS Speech and language therapists,and the Educational Psychology Service.
If you have any questions or require any further information, please contact Mrs Laura Smith, our Inclusion Manager
Link to Local Offer:
https://www.bwd-localoffer.org.uk/kb5/blackburn/directory/service.page?id=9Cxs8DYrkKI
Link to SENDIASS
https://www.communitycvs.org.uk/index-html/sendiass/