At Crosfields we use a graduated response to supporting special educational needs and disabilities. We take a neurodiversity approach whereby we strongly believe that our environment should support all our pupils to access the main curriculum with their peers as much as possible. To this end, The Learning Empowerment Team works collaboratively with classroom teachers, teaching assistants and pastoral staff across all year groups to ensure that the vast majority of needs are met in class through high quality, adaptive teaching.

Where pupils in Pre-Prep demonstrate a need for more targeted support, they may work with specially trained staff in small groups. These sessions focus on the development of phonics and early literacy and numeracy skills. According to the needs of our cohort, interventions focusing on social communication, executive functioning or other needs may also be in place. Woody, our Hub cavapoo, is a trained therapy dog and is often on hand to support our pupils. Our aim with all intervention is to build pupils’ skills to promote increasing independence as they move through the school.

If we feel a pupil needs assessment or intervention from an external specialist, we support parents in pursuing that avenue where they desire and can accommodate visiting professionals within the school environment where appropriate.

For pupils with SEND, the SENCOs are involved at entrance assessment to ensure we can meet need before a place is offered.

We do not charge for any of our Learning Empowerment services in the Pre-Prep.