Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

At Marine Academy Primary, we believe all children deserve the very best possible start and we aim to enrich the lives of all our pupils. 

Marine Academy Primary is dedicated to providing the best education for all, and the brightest future. Our mission “To provide an outstanding education that ensures all pupils reach their greatest potential and live by life’s highest values.” is at the heart of everything we do. This is from an inspirational curriculum which gives children experiences on which to base their learning and their future life choices, to a strategic staffing, recruitment and CPD plan which ensures that all teachers and staff members can improve, not because they are not good enough but because they can be even better (Dylan William). 

All children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are welcome at Marine Academy Primary. Full support will be provided to each child who has SEND requirements with well thought out strategies to overcome any barriers to achievement. Marine Academy Primary is a fully inclusive school providing an outstanding and caring education so all pupils can achieve their potential. The Academy has won a range of Inclusion and SEN Awards, including the Education Business Award for Inclusive Education 2015, highly accredited for Education Business Award for Inclusive Education 2016, GHP Social Care Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinator South West 2017, GHP Social Care Award for Excellence in Academic Special Educational Needs Management South West England in 2018 and 2019, winner of the SEN Inclusion Award at the Education Business Awards 2019, the Nasen Primary Provision award 2019, the Bronze Mental Health Charter Award 2025 and the Inclusion Quality Mark 2026. 

Parents/Carers and pupils are fully involved and the progress of children with SEND is monitored towards meeting specifically identified goals and targets.  

The Inclusion Team invite Parents/Carers to a monthly Conversation Café, which takes place the first Monday of every month. Members of the Inclusion Team are on hand to offer advice, give recommendations and answer any questions that Parents/Carers may have regarding the Special Educational Needs or wellbeing of their child. 

The Academy uses specialist strategies, which include a strong commitment towards training and developing all teachers and Teaching Assistants in their understanding of SEN to ensure that everyone is a ‘teacher of SEN’. Our approach reflects the Education Endowment Foundation's model of Inclusive Teaching. We recognise that inclusive practice begins with strong universal classroom teaching for every pupil. Where this is not sufficient on its own, carefully planned adaptations and additional support are provided to enable pupils with SEND to access ambitious learning alongside their peers. These approaches work together to promote participation, independence and success for all learners. 

Excellent care, guidance and support contributes significantly to pupils’ personal development to make them all feel safe and secure and make the best possible academic and personal progress. 

Our school will: 

• Have a designated SENCo who is part of the Senior Leadership team and who has completed the National Award for SEN Coordination.  

• Have a named Link Governor for SEN. 

• Have a SEN Information Report, Inclusion Strategy and SEN policy. These will be available on the website and reviewed yearly by senior leaders and Governors. 

• Ensure pupils wit SEN have full access to extra-curricular opportunities and ensure they are represented in every aspect of school life. 

• Ensure every aspect of the school’s KPI’s have a reporting mechanism for SEN. 

• Ensure leaders are committed to their role in the local area partnership’s strategy to improve the 

experiences of, and outcomes for, pupils with SEND. 

In addition, we will use the following guiding principles as part of our work in supporting children with SEN: 

• First, all staff are aware of the SEN students they teach, tutor or mentor: we consciously build strong relationships with these students, gaining knowledge of their subject strengths and areas for development, their individual contexts and aspirations. 

• We focus relentlessly on developing them as individuals: their talents, their academic endeavours and acknowledge and address the unique barriers they face. 

• At the front of our minds we remember that we are powerful advocates: we have a responsibility to ensure that every student with SEN is prioritised for enriching academic and extra- curricular opportunities that challenge and inspire them. 

• We develop SEN students as leaders in our community: we believe in them; we prioritise them at every opportunity, proactively encourage them to take on leadership roles and ensure they develop the skills in order for them to be successful. 

• We know that excellent teaching is at the heart of success: supported by our ambitious learning culture, our pedagogy, knowledge-rich, cohesive curriculum, consistent routines, feedback, high expectations and strong knowledge of individuals can and do make a difference to our most vulnerable students. 

• We know that excellent teaching is adaptive and meets the needs of the learner: teachers engage with incremental coaching and evidence-informed approaches to refine, develop and improve in order to ensure our learners achieve their potential. We understand the importance of subject mastery and seek always to develop subject knowledge and expertise. 

• We address financial and practical barriers to learning and enrichment: we provide essential equipment where necessary for SEN pupils.  

• We offer opportunities for independent practice: we explicitly teach students learning habits, which are embedded in lessons and monitor their success throughout their school career and intervene, where necessary, to support progress. 

• We raise aspirations and focus on the future: we provide guidance and support that allow our students to explore opportunities they may not have considered. Students are prioritised for careers advice and work experience. We develop strong links with universities and businesses in order to encourage all students to broaden their horizons. 

• We understand that excellent attendance is fundamental to student success: we intervene early and positively when students are absent and ensure that any barriers to excellent attendance are addressed.

 

The Accessibility Plan for Marine Academy Primary and SEND School Information Report can be found below.