Special Educational Needs & Inclusion
Mrs Marsden (our School SENCO) can be contacted via the school office:
020 8874 5900 or by email.
School life at West Hill gives all pupils the continuous opportunity to thrive in an inclusive and nurturing environment. We truly believe in education for all and really value the principles of inclusivity, growth-mindset and a nurturing school approach.
We encourage pupils to think about their successes as well as the areas that they need to improve on. A focus on respect, responsibility, keeping safe and being kind is a part of our core values. We believe that helping pupils to learn and grow is a collective responsibility for all of the staff, pupils, parents and the community. Our high expectations of each and every pupil inspires all to rise and overcome challenges in a supportive and caring environment.
Curriculum:
Our curriculum enables all pupils to learn and progress to the best of their ability. We have clear systems in place for the identification of children with additional needs. The children are supported with their academic learning ensuring work is adapted and accessible.
We are proud to serve a community of pupils that speak over 30 languages and our curriculum is enriched to reflect a wide range of cultures, customs and religions. Our inclusive and creative curriculum encourages all pupils to research and learn from different artists, sporting heroes, pioneering scientists and other notable people.
Relationships:
We pride ourselves on good working relationships with parents to discuss the needs of their child and use the expertise of other professionals to support children with special educational needs. We work closely with the Speech and Language Therapists and Educational Psychologists, who support our pupils.
Celebrate achievements:
A key part of our inclusive practice is the focus on positive praise for all children. Children are placed on the class recognition board daily, awarded star of the week certificates, challenge certificates, and postcards of commendation which are sent home. There are weekly assemblies where good behaviour and effort are celebrated.
Enrichment:
Each year we celebrate diversity by holding an International Week and Black History Month. However, we endeavour to continuously celebrate our wonderful diverse community and reflect this through our curriculum.
West Hill Pupils are lucky enough to go on numerous educational trips throughout the school year and to be involved in a range of exciting in-school and external projects and clubs including music, sports and art.
Pastoral Support:
Our pastoral approach at West Hill supports and promotes child and family emotional health and well-being. We support all aspects of a child’s development i.e. social, emotional , behavioural and academic progress. We have one fully trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) who works with the children within a group or 1:1. We have recently started a Nurture Group during some afternoons for up to 8 pupils. The group is run by our trained ELSA and trainee ELSA.