Cotwall End is a fully inclusive primary school that aims to support and welcome each individual as a valued part of our community. We aspire for every child to achieve their true potential and be prepared for the next stage in their educational journey leading towards adulthood as happy, successful and well-rounded individuals.
At Cotwall End, we recognise that children learn at different rates and that many factors may affect their achievement and readiness to learn. We understand that many children, at some time in their school career, may experience barriers to learning, and we recognise that these maybe long or short term.
As a school, we aim to identify barriers to learning as early as possible and provide access to a variety of differing provisions that are tailored to and nurture their individual needs.
If you are worried about your child’s learning needs, please make an appointment via the school office with our SENCO, who will be happy to discuss any concerns that you may have.
Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND)
Special Educational Needs
and Disabilities Co-Ordinator (SENCO)
Mrs Sarah Mason is our SENCO.
Mrs Mason can be contacted via the school office on 01384 818730 or you can email her at info@cotwall.dudley.sch.uk if you have any questions or queries regarding SEND.
Parent Support
SENDIASS
Dudley Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) provides a range of free, confidential and impartial support to parents/ carers, children and young people on all matters relating to SEND.
Dudley SENDIASS information is now part of the Dudley Local Offer.
Dudley SENDIASS Helpline: 07900 161383 or 07929 777744
Dudley SENDIASS Email: dudley.sendiass@dudley.gov.uk
Dudley Local Offer
Dudley’s Local Offers is a one stop resource of information and services available to children and young people (aged 0-25) with Special Educational Needs and/ or Disabilities (SEND), their parents, carers and families.
Dudley Local Offer - https://www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/localoffer/
Dudley SEND Local Offer- https://dudleyci.co.uk/send-local-offer
WeLoveCarers
WeLoveCarers is a charity run by carers for carers that focuses on empowering carers with a network of support, information and advice.
Web page - https://www.welovecarers.org/
E-mail: hello@welovecarers.org
Telephone: 01384 396626
SEND Useful Links
COMMUNICATION
Speech and Language UK is part of the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance and provides information, advice and support for children with communication difficulties.
Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. A range of free resources and advice is available for children and their families.
Following Directions Monsters APP -
Creative and engaging tool designed to improve auditory memory and following directs.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: Apple devices.
SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
The main UK charity for supporting people with Autism and their families contains useful advice and resources.
The National Attention Defecit Disorder Information and Support Service provides information and resources about all aspects of ADHD and associated conditions.
Email: info@addiss.co.uk
Telephone: 020 8952 2800
The UK’s leading charity for autistic people and their families provides support, guidance and resources.
Championing the rights and creating opportunities for autistic children and young people, Ambitious About Autism provides information and an online support network for families.
Provides support, advice and services for autistic children.
Autism West Midlands provides an information helpline, activities and events, support and training for parents and carers.
Helpline: 0121 450 7575
The Blue Goose- Dudley Autism Support for Parents
Support group for parents or relatives with ASD, PDA, ODD or ADHD.
Young Minds is the UK’s leading charity supporting children’s and young people’s mental health. The website provides a range of advice and resources for children and their families.
Touch and Learn APP -
This app is a wonderful way to explore, teach and discuss emotions, facial expressions and body language with younger children.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: Apple devices.
Cove is a mental health music journal that captures feelings and emotions and helps with anxiety.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: All devices.
Smiling Mind uses mindfulness and meditation to help with anxiety and overall mental wellbeing.
Chill Panda supports children to learn how to relax, manage their worries and improve their wellbeing.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: All devices.
WRAP lets you create your own personalised plan to help keep you well by recording what makes life more difficult and what helps.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: All devices.
The Headspace- Meditation and Sleep app helps children to learn to reduce stress, build resilience and sleep more peacefully through age specific meditation and mindfulness.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: All devices.
Pzizz can help to calm minds and aid sleep.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: All devices.
COGNITION AND LEARNING
Mental Up APP -
Working memory refers to how we hold on to and work with information stored in short-term memory. It’s part of a skills called executive function.
The MentalUp app has a variety of interactive memory and brain training games that will strengthen the mind within minutes.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: Apple devices.
Letter Reflex APP -
Fun and interactive way to work on letter and number reversals.
Age range: 5+
App compatibility: Apple devices.
ABC Spelling Magic 1 and 2 is an app for emergent readers to learn the sounds of the alphabet.
Online early phonics and spelling activities.
Interactive games to improve spelling, typing and listening skills.
Doodle Math APP -
Boosts confidence and maths skills with cool maths games and fun questions.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: All devices.
Doodle Tables APP -
Interactive multiplication app for KS1 and KS2.
Age range: 5+
App compatibility: All devices.
SPECIFIC LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty that affects a person’s ability to understand number-based information and maths.
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which primarily affects reading, spelling and writing skills.
Provides information and advice of local support groups for families with children with Dyspraxia.
PHYSICAL AND SENSORY
Dexteria Jr. APP -
Hand and finger exercises aimed at developing fine motor skills and handwriting readiness.
Age range- 2-6 years
App compatibility: Apple devices
Super Stretch APP -
Series of exercises and relaxation techniques to develop core strength.
Age range: 4+
App compatibility: Apple and Android devices.
Hypermobility is where joints bend further than average and affects around 30% of the population.
Hypermobility Syndrome Association provides support, practical advice and self-management tools to support children, young people and their families with hypermobility.
The only UK charity solely dedicated to providing support, information and advice for deaf children and young people, their families and professionals.
RNIB, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, is the UK’s leading sight loss charity who offer practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and carers.
The pioneering word of the RNIB not only helps with braille, talking books and computer training, but with imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a neurological condition in children that can affect the way the brain processes information from the senses.
The Sensory Processing Disorder website provides information, advice and strategies to support children and their families with SPD.
If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made to speak to the SENCO or Head Teacher, who will discuss the issue and make every effort to resolve the problem.
SENCO: Mrs S Mason
Head Teacher: Mrs C Williams
Welcome to our SEND information report which is part of the Dudley Local Offer for Learners with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). All governing bodies of maintained schools and maintained nursery schools and the proprietors of academy schools have a legal duty to publish information on their website about the implementation of the governing body’s or proprietor’s policy for pupils with SEND. The information published must be updated annually. The required information is set out in the SEN Code of Practice 0 -25 Years, September 2014.
As a school we believe that the special educational needs of pupils are best met when there is effective collaboration and communication between school, families, pupils and other agencies. We aim to foster good working relationships with all these groups, especially parents.
For further information please use the following links to help you.
SENDIASS - Dudley (formerly Dudley Parent Partnership Service)
Please click on the link below to take you to Dudley’s Local Offer
http://www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/localoffer/
Please click on the link below to take you to Special Educational Needs Support (SENS) in Schools and Educational Settings within Dudley.
Specialist Inclusion Services are the services that work within Early Years settings, schools, families and partner agencies to support children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities.
Specialist Inclusion Services consists (please click to read further information):
Hearing Impairment Service (HIS)
Physical Impairment & Medical Inclusion Service (PIMIS)
Specialist Early Years Service (SEYS)
Visual Impairment Service (VIS)
The Pastoral Suite
At Cotwall End School we believe passionately about supporting the whole child. Positive self-esteem and confidence is essential for children to become successful learners. We provide the necessary support for any pupils experiencing emotional difficulties.
Our Special Educational Needs Coordinator, Mrs S. Mason , works with staff, parents and pupils to organise appropriate support from outside agencies and provision within school. A special educational need can be a social and communication need, physical and sensory, cognition and learning or due to mental health difficulties. For some children, outside agencies, such as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health service are vital to offer a diagnosis, medication and advice to parents and school. Other children, may work in a group with the school nurse, Tracey Smith, to target some of their difficulties such as anger. Tracey does monthly drop ins for parents and children- please see our newsletter for dates.
The Jungle
‘The Jungle’ is a warm and welcoming space used for interventions across the school. Some pupils will have SEN interventions in the room, such as speech and language therapy, or targeted interventions such as Precision Teaching (an intervention recommended by Educational Psychology and the Learning Support Service). Lunchtime club is also held in the ‘The Jungle’, which is enjoyed by many children.
The Hut
‘The Hut’ is a safe, supportive environment led by our pastoral lead Mrs Willis within school. Pupils come into ‘The Hut’ for many reasons, including worries (such as going to the dentist or a fall out with friends), a change in
circumstance they are finding it difficult to cope with (such as a bereavement or parent’s separation), for lunchtime club (children may be having difficulties on the playground for a variety of reasons) and for nurture (the 100 minute model).
Referrals to ‘The Hut’ are made via children themselves (they can post a worry to Mrs Willis at any point in the school day) or from staff.
‘The Hut’ pupils choose many different ways to express themselves: verbally (for some children this may be a chat with an adult), through art (such as sand play, drawing, painting and crafts) or drama (role play).