Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Mrs Hutson

SENCO

Miss Higgins

Assistant Headteacher KS1

Deputy SENCo

At Moston Lane, we are committed to promoting a love of learning and fostering high aspirations for every child. We believe that all pupils can achieve success. However, there may be times during your child’s education when they require additional help or support, either for a short period or throughout their time in school.

To ensure that every child receives the right support, the following staff members play key roles in meeting their needs:

  • Your child’s class teacher – responsible for your child’s learning and progress, and for ensuring that lessons are appropriately planned, accessible, and responsive to their individual needs.

  • Teaching Assistants – support all pupils within the classroom. Some Teaching Assistants work with small groups or individual children to help them access learning and achieve their targets.

  • The SENCo, Mrs Hutson – oversees all aspects of Special Educational Needs provision across the school and co-ordinates the support in place for pupils with additional needs.

Levels of Support for Pupils at Moston Lane

At Moston Lane Primary School, Quality First Teaching (universal provision) underpins all of our support for pupils with additional needs. High-quality, carefully planned teaching—appropriately adapted and responsive to each child’s learning profile—is the first and most important step in meeting pupils’ needs and ensuring they make strong progress.

For some children, high-quality classroom teaching alone may not be enough. In these cases, we provide school-based SEN Support, which may include targeted interventions, personalised strategies, or additional adult support to help pupils overcome specific barriers to learning.

A smaller number of pupils may require a higher level of provision that goes beyond what the school can ordinarily offer. These children may be supported through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which outlines long-term outcomes and the specialised provision needed to meet their individual needs.

We describe this as graduated support, ensuring that every child receives the right help at the right time.

 

The Speech Bubble

At Moston Lane, we are supported by The Speech Bubble, our speech and language therapy service. A qualified Speech and Language Therapist works in school one day each week, providing direct support to pupils through both group sessions and individual interventions.

In addition to working directly with children, the therapist plays an important role in strengthening speech and language provision across the school. They train Teaching Assistants to deliver high-quality, structured speech and language interventions, ensuring consistency and impact. They also work closely with class teachers, offering professional advice, assisting with target setting, and completing assessment reports to help inform teaching and support plans.

For your child to access this service a referral form needs to be completed.  

Educational Psychologist and Outreach Services

At Moston Lane, we work in partnership with a range of external specialists to ensure pupils receive the most appropriate and effective support. Our allocated Educational Psychologist visits school to assess identified pupils, provide consultation for staff and families, and offer expert guidance on learning, behaviour and emotional needs. Their assessments and reports contribute to a deeper understanding of each child’s strengths and barriers, helping us shape tailored support and inform future planning.

Alongside Educational Psychology, we also access a variety of outreach services—such as behaviour support teams, sensory and physical impairment services, and communication and interaction teams. These professionals work with staff to provide strategies, model approaches, assist with target setting, and offer additional assessments where needed. Their input enables us to strengthen the provision in place for pupils with a wide range of needs, ensuring every child is supported to thrive both academically and socially.

 

Mrs Matley

 

The Oasis Room

The Oasis Room is a purpose-built nurture space designed to support pupils who may be experiencing social, emotional or mental health difficulties. It provides a calm, accepting and supportive environment where children can work individually or in small groups to develop confidence, resilience and positive relationships with both staff and peers.

The Oasis Room offers a flexible, preventative resource that responds to the individual needs of pupils. The team carries out ongoing assessment to understand each child’s emotional presentation, using this insight to help them build positive behaviours, strengthen their self-esteem and re-engage successfully with classroom learning. Through consistent routines and trusting adult relationships, pupils are supported to regulate their emotions, use their curiosity in constructive ways and participate more fully in school life.

Referral Process

Referrals to the Oasis Room are made collaboratively. Pupils are assessed using the Boxall Profile, and the inclusion team carefully analyse this information to identify those who would benefit most from targeted support. Class teachers may raise concerns about children who are showing signs such as difficulty listening, impulsive or aggressive behaviour, withdrawal or challenges forming relationships, or those who have experienced significant changes or risk factors in their lives. This ensures that the right pupils receive the right support at the right time.

Key Documents:

Manchester City Council also have an Information, Advice and Support (IAS) service that supports families of children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).  

Click on the link below for more information

Useful links:

Link to the local offer - https://hsm.manchester.gov.uk/kb5/manchester/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0  

Nurturing Approach to Education at Moston Lane

At Moston Lane Primary School, we are committed to a relational and nurturing approach to education. Our practice is guided by the Six Principles of Nurture, which underpin high-quality teaching and learning and support the holistic development of every child. These principles help us to promote positive emotional wellbeing, secure relationships and strong academic progress within a supportive, whole-school environment.

To further understand and meet pupils’ needs, we utilise the Boxall Profile Online to assess social, emotional and mental health development. The insights gained from this assessment enable staff to build a deeper understanding of each child, ensuring that emotional and developmental needs are considered alongside academic attainment. This approach allows us to provide targeted support and create an environment where all children can thrive.

Six Principles of Nurture 

Children’s Learning is Understood Developmentally

Child-Friendly Definition: We all learn in our own way and in our own time.

Children develop at different rates and in different ways. This principle recognises that effective teaching begins with a clear understanding of each child’s developmental stage. By adopting a child-centred approach, practitioners respond to pupils’ individual needs, ensuring that teaching and support are tailored appropriately.

At Moston Lane, we:

  • Use Learning Plans to identify specific needs and set personalised targets for pupils on the SEN register.

  • Use Pupil Passports to ensure all staff are aware of each pupil’s needs and strengths.

  • Use the Boxall Profile to monitor and track pupils’ social and emotional development over time.

The Classroom Offers a Safe Base

Child-Friendly Definition: Our school is a safe place to be.

A nurturing environment begins with a classroom that provides security, consistency and emotional safety. When children feel safe and supported, they are better able to engage in learning, form positive relationships and manage their emotions. This principle emphasises predictable routines, trusted adults and calm, structured spaces that help reduce anxiety and promote wellbeing.

At Moston Lane, we:

  • Offer breakfast to help pupils start the day feeling settled and ready to learn.

  • Organise pupils into ‘teams’ rather than traditional classes to promote belonging and connection.

  • Develop child-led team charters that encourage ownership and shared responsibility.

  • Create thoughtfully designed classroom environments, including designated calm spaces to support regulation and reflection.

Nurture is Essential for the Development of Wellbeing

Child-Friendly Definition: We believe in ourselves.

Nurture plays a vital role in developing children’s self-esteem, confidence and emotional resilience. By fostering an ethos that celebrates individuality and personal achievements, schools help children to feel valued, capable and understood. When pupils experience consistent encouragement and positive reinforcement, their sense of wellbeing strengthens, enabling them to thrive both academically and socially.

At Moston Lane, we:

  • Provide targeted weekly sessions in our Oasis Room to support pupils experiencing social, emotional or mental health difficulties.

  • Work closely with Place2Be, who offer one-to-one counselling and tailored mental health support within school.

Language is Understood as a Vital Means of Communication

Child-Friendly Definition: We use our words to talk about how we feel.

Language is central to how children express their thoughts, emotions and needs. Developing emotional literacy helps pupils communicate effectively, reducing the need to convey feelings through behaviour. By supporting children to use words to describe their experiences, we help them build healthy relationships, manage emotions and engage more positively with learning.

At Moston Lane, we:

  • Have a SENCo who is trained in ELKLAN strategies to support speech, language and communication development.

  • Provide weekly access to a speech and language therapist who works directly with pupils and staff to enhance communication skills.

All Behaviour is Communication

Child-Friendly Definition: Our behaviour can show how we are feeling.

Children often communicate their emotions through their behaviour, especially when they may not yet have the language or confidence to express themselves verbally. Behaviours can reflect feelings such as frustration, anxiety, anger, tiredness or excitement. Recognising behaviour as a form of communication allows adults to respond with empathy, consistency and support, helping children to understand their emotions and learn positive self-regulation strategies.

At Moston Lane, we:

  • Use communication charts to help pupils identify and express their feelings.

  • Embed restorative practices within our Behaviour Policy to repair relationships and support reflective conversations.

  • Follow a relational behaviour approach that prioritises understanding, connection and emotional safety.

The Importance of Transition in Children’s Lives

Child-Friendly Definition: We can cope with changes in our lives.

Transitions, both big and small, can be challenging for children. Significant transitions—such as starting nursery, moving into a new year group or transferring to secondary school—require thoughtful preparation and support. Equally, the smaller daily transitions, such as moving between activities, lessons or environments, can have a considerable impact on a child’s sense of security. Understanding and supporting these moments helps children to manage change confidently and calmly.

At Moston Lane, we:

  • Use visual timetables in every classroom to help children anticipate routines and understand the structure of their day.

  • Hold transition days each year to ensure strong communication and collaboration between current and new teachers.

  • Establish consistent rules and routines so that even micro-transitions are predictable, smooth and well supported.

 

What This Means for Your Child

  • Teachers and Behaviour Leads hold restorative conversations with children following an unhelpful choice, helping them reflect on what happened and consider positive strategies for next time.

  • All staff use consistent positive reinforcement and actively look for opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate children making the right choices.

  • Pupil voice is valued and acted upon through questionnaires, class discussions and PSHE lessons.

  • We recognise that children learn and develop at different ages and stages, and this is reflected in our curriculum design, teaching approaches and support systems.

How You Can Work With Us to Support Your Child

  • Attend review meetings and share your insights to help us build an accurate picture of your child’s needs.

  • Ensure we have up-to-date contact information so communication remains clear and effective.

  • Join us for school events, such as assemblies, celebrations and workshops.

  • Encourage your child to talk about their day, their learning and what they enjoy at school.

We Nurture Parents Too

  • We welcome all visitors into a safe, supportive and respectful environment.

  • We work closely with parents, carers and external agencies to support the whole family around the child.

  • We provide regular updates about your child’s progress, wellbeing and development to ensure you feel informed and involved.