Our SEND Provision

At Ribbon Academy, our vision is…

‘To ensure every child feels valued, included and is able to thrive.’

Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating a nurturing, ambitious and inclusive environment where every child feels valued, respected and supported to achieve their full potential. We recognise that every learner is unique, and we celebrate the diverse strengths, talents and experiences that children bring to our school community.

Our SEND provision reflects our belief that all children can succeed when barriers to learning are identified early, appropriate support is provided, and strong partnerships are established between school, families and external professionals. We operate in line with the Durham Local Offer, the SEND Code of Practice (2015), the Equality Act 2010 and Durham County Council’s policies and procedures.

All pupils access a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum that is designed to meet their individual needs while maintaining high expectations for achievement, independence and personal development. Through adaptive teaching, personalised support and carefully planned interventions, we ensure that every child can participate fully in school life and make meaningful progress from their individual starting points.

Our inclusive approach is built upon:

• High-quality teaching that is responsive to individual needs.
• A broad range of teaching strategies and learning approaches.
• Adaptive teaching and personalised learning pathways.
• Access to high-quality digital technology and assistive resources where appropriate.
• Additional support within the classroom.
• Targeted interventions and specialist support programmes.
• Flexible groupings and opportunities for collaborative learning.
• Nurturing support for social, emotional and mental wellbeing.
• Positive behaviour approaches that promote self-regulation, confidence and belonging.
• A wide range of enrichment opportunities, educational visits, clubs and extracurricular activities.
• Assessment systems that recognise and celebrate individual strengths, achievements and next steps.
• Strong partnerships with parents, carers and external agencies.
• Appropriate access arrangements for statutory assessments and examinations where required.

Where children require learning outcomes that are significantly different from age-related expectations, we utilise assessment and progression frameworks such as PIVATS and other specialist tools to identify small steps of progress, inform planning and celebrate achievement.

At Ribbon Academy, we firmly believe that SEND is everyone’s responsibility. Our staff work collaboratively to identify needs at the earliest opportunity, remove barriers to learning and ensure that support is timely, effective and centred around the child. We recognise that not all children who receive additional support will require placement on the SEND Register. Some pupils may benefit from short-term intervention, advice or monitoring, while others may require longer-term or more specialised provision.

Our relentless focus on achievement, wellbeing and inclusion ensures that all pupils, regardless of need or background, are supported to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. We are committed to developing resilient, confident and independent learners who are well prepared for their future education and life beyond Ribbon Academy.

Successful transitions are a key part of our inclusive practice. We work closely with families, early years settings, secondary schools and other professionals to ensure that transitions into, through and beyond Ribbon Academy are positive and well planned. When pupils move on to their next stage of education, detailed information about their achievements, strengths, support strategies and additional needs is shared to ensure continuity of provision. This may include parent meetings, pupil visits, enhanced transition activities and professional discussions between staff.

Our SENDCo, Mrs Kim Flower, leads and coordinates SEND provision across the school. Working in partnership with teachers, families and external professionals, she oversees the identification of need, monitors the impact of support, coordinates specialist provision and ensures that children and young people with SEND receive the guidance and opportunities they need to succeed.

At Ribbon Academy, we are proud of our inclusive culture. Every child belongs, every child matters, and every child is supported to flourish.