Welcome to our Inclusion Page. Inclusion is at the very heart of school life at Amherst.

At Amherst School we recognise that every child has individual needs. At some stage within their education, some children may need additional support and encouragement within their learning or their social and emotional development. We aim to ensure that every child develops as a learner. We are fully committed to ensuring that every child is given the support and the opportunity to achieve their potential. Achieving our goal to inspire every pupil.

Where a child may require additional support, we put in place extra support to enable the pupil to achieve their potential. In order to achieve this, we use guidance within the Mainstream Core Standards. Sometimes we may also carry out some individual diagnostic assessments in school to help us to identify the type of difficulty a child has so we can target provision effectively. We provide a range of strategies within the classroom environment and additional interventions to assist with learning, language, social and emotional and sensory needs. The range of interventions offered to your child will be shared with you either by their class teacher or by the Inclusion Manager (SENCo). The impact of interventions will be measured and reviewed through Provision Mapping to ensure that they are helping the child to make progress.

On some occasions, the amount of additional need and support may be more significant, leading us to determine that a child has special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Usually, with the support of parents/carers, this will be supported by an agency referral, such as Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy or Specialist Teaching and Learning Services. This enables us to ensure that a full identification of the child’s needs has taken place and that we are supporting them appropriately in overcoming barriers to learning. Some children with support from external agencies or with a diagnosis may not be considered to be SEND where this difficulty does not impact unduly on their learning or wellbeing and the support required in school is not significantly greater than that of their peers.

If a pupil is considered to have SEND, a Provision Plan will be created, with the support of the class teachers and Inclusion Manager (SENCo), identifying outcomes and how we will work towards them. This plan is reviewed and evaluated regularly, together with parents, at least three times each year and provision adjusted where appropriate. Where the child’s needs are complex and severe, it may be appropriate to apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan. This enables outcomes and provision to be planned across a range of different agencies.

From a single intervention to an EHC plan, we aim to reduce barriers to a child’s learning and ensure the pupil is able to make progress. At every point, collaboration with parents/carers will be at the heart of this process to ensure we consider the best interests of the child. Parents of children with SEND will be invited to attend regular meetings and input into the set-up and review of their Provision Plan.

Our SEND provision is led by our Inclusion Manager, Miss Rebecca Watson. 

We have a large team of committed and experienced Teaching Assistants who support our children in class and through small group interventions.

If you have any concerns about your child, you should first speak to the Class Teacher.

Contact details: senco@amherst.kent.sch.uk or 01732 452577

For more information, please see our SEND Policy and Information Report. 

Please find below a range of links and resources which we hope you find helpful in supporting each area of your child's learning and wellbeing: 

For information and signposting to support your school-age child's health and wellbeing, please follow: 

https://family.kentcht.nhs.uk/ 

For the Kent SEND Information Hub and details of the Kent SEND Local Offer, please follow:

https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs