Sands School is committed to ensuring that as far as possible, all children at the school with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are supported with the accommodations they need to learn and thrive. Sands School takes a child-centred approach to learning. In our approach to learning, we treat all students as individuals who are on their own unique learning journeys, with their own approaches which may present as an ever-evolving picture of need and divergence.
The pedagogy at Sands School has been developed with this approach in mind and consequently much of what we do as part of our core offer mitigates many of the difficulties students experience in their learning. Additionally, our democratic ethos and ‘homely’ environment go a long way to supporting the needs of students, having the effect of reducing the anxiety experienced by many students which may be caused by the need to conform to a set of externally imposed standards.
As a result, in many respects, there is often no clear distinction between young people with identified special educational needs and everyone else.
Our Core Offer
Our flexible, individualised approach to learning suits a wide range of needs and abilities. Our core offer describes the support available to all students regardless of needs or diagnoses.
- Personal tutor to guide and support students
- Every voice listened to
- Freedom of movement and access to learning spaces outside of lessons
- Flexible timetable with option to attend classes outside of year group
- Ability to learn at own pace
- Small class sizes
- TA support in many lessons and bookable support with course work in GCSE years
- Homely environment and no uniforms
Further support
Where students are identified as needing support beyond our core offer a graduated response can be initiated to identify the right support needed. Sometimes this higher level of support will only need to be temporary to set a student back on the right track. We are not able to offer a higher level of support on a long term basis under our core offer.
EHCPs
We welcome applications from students with EHCPs. The first step in the application process is to discuss the needs of your child as detailed in their EHCP with our SEND team. We can only take forward applications where we believe there is a high chance we will be able to meet the child’s needs either within our core offer or with additional support funded by the EHCP. Due to limited resources we are only able to consider applications for two students with an EHCP at any one time for the incoming year 7 cohort.
Further information
For more information please see our SEND policy or get in touch with your questions for the SEND team.