At Highwood there is a designated, nurture environment named Juniper Class. Juniper Class is situated in a purpose built classroom at the heart of the school and is equipped like all of our other classrooms, however it incorporates designated spaces should children need a quiet place away from others. Nurturing sessions, such as breakfast and lunch clubs, take place for the children and their friends at Highwood Primary School.
The Inclusion team are based in Juniper. This team consists of Mrs Vicky Fernandes (SENDCo), Miss Zahidah Dodwell (Welfare Manager), Mrs Nicola Royle (SEND Senior Assistant), Ms Teresa Jenn (SEND TA), Mrs Jenny Hughes (Behaviour Assistant) and Mrs Katie Kenwright (Inclusion TA). We support children within Highwood Primary School who may fall into the rationale from our SEN and Inclusion Policy:
Inclusion is concerned with the learning, participation and equal opportunities of all children and young people, all of whom have a right to access the curriculum. It has wider implications than the identification of children and young people with special educational needs. It could apply to any or all of the following:
- girls or boys where there are gender issues;
- minority ethnic and faith groups, travellers, asylum seekers, refugees, children entitled to free school meals and those born in the summer;
- children who need support to learn English as an additional language (EAL);
- children with special educational needs who may fall into one of the four categories from the SEND code of practice (January 2015): Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties; Sensory and/or Physical Needs;
- Children who may be gifted or talented;
- Children in need including those in public care;
- Other children, such as sick children; young carers; children from families under stress and children who are at risk from disaffection and exclusion from school.
Promoting inclusion will help all children and young people to realise their potential in terms of achievement and learning through access to curricular and extra-curricular activities within school.
