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Welcome to this edition of our SEND Newsletter.
In this edition you will find information on the Better Futures Project, Reception applications, Mental Health support and much more. |
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Better Futures Project
Ensuring Northumberland’s children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have access to the right support for them and their families is a key priority for the local authority.
As part of this commitment the SEN team have successfully introduced new developments to the service over the course of the last couple of years which were recognised as part of the huge steps forward that the authority has taken in this year’s Ofsted and CQC inspection.
However, there is more to be done and as part of the next phase of development’s the team is embarking on the ‘Better Futures Project’ which will review and further develop robust Educational Health Care (EHC) systems to manage demand and ensure best value for money so that families have confidence in the way the local authority fulfils its duties to learners with SEND.
Led by SEND Specialist, Jude Nash, along with Nicola Taylor, Head of Inclusive Education Service and SEN Transformation, the project will rely on consultation and coproduction with a number of colleagues across the council, partner organisations and families of children and young people with SEND. It will last around 6 months.
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Reception applications now open
Primary and First school applications for a reception place in September 2022 in Northumberland are now open.
Embarking on this journey will most likely be both a scary and exciting one for parents and carers. It will be one of the most important decisions you will make about your child’s education, and for that reason we encourage you to find out as much information as possible about the school(s) you and your child are interested in and the Admissions Policy for each school.
Making that choice will involve a great deal of planning and research; planning a visit to the school, viewing their online prospectus, checking performance tables and researching Ofsted reports can all help in that decision process.
The schools admissions portal can be accessed until Saturday 15 January 2022 when applications close.
Offers for reception places will be made on National Offers Day – Friday 15 April 2022 where parents will receive an email if applying online or by post if applying by paper. |
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Who to contact
If you know someone who thinks their child may have special educational needs, or simply need some information, advice and support, contact our SEND Information and advice and support service.
It is a self-referral service.
Telephone: 01670 623555 or 01670 620350
Email: iass@northumberland.gov.uk
For more information visit the SEND Information and advice and support service page HERE. |
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Kooth
Kooth is a mental health and wellbeing service that is available to support Young People aged 11-25 across Northumberland, with whatever they may need.
The Kooth website is available 24/7, 365 days of the year, giving Young People access to articles, discussion boards, peer to peer support and self-help activities alongside the opportunity to contribute to all parts of the site.
They can also speak, via text based chat, with one of Kooth's online counsellors or emotional wellbeing practitioners between 12 noon and 10pm Monday-Friday and between 6pm and 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.
If you think this would benefit your child, their sibling or another family member encourage them to sign up today and start getting the additional support they may need. |
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Sensory Support Service
The Northumberland Sensory Support Service is a team of specialist staff who work across the county with children and young people with hearing impairments (HI), vision impairments (VI) and multi-sensory impairments (MSI).
It is important for all children to make good progress, achieve well and enjoy their school and family life, and staff from the service support the children and young people from 0-19 along with their families and schools/educational settings to be able to do just that.
If you would like to talk to anyone in the team, please phone 01670 624854 and our admin team will deal with your enquiry.
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National DLD Awareness day
In October we celebrated National DLD Awareness. Developmental Language Disorder affects on average two children in every class at primary age. You can read more about it here.
Here's the staff at Whittingham C of E primary school wearing the purple and yellow colours. This school have embraced DLD and have been using many of the strategies successfully with their pupils!
We just wanted to share this with you and say 'Well done Team Whittingham!'
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