Meet the Team
Who should I contact if I would like to discuss my child’s special educational needs?
The provision of support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is led by Dene Magna’s Director of SEN. The SEND Team includes Higher Level Teaching Assistants, Teaching assistants and the Exam Access Assessor. We also work extensively with a range of external professionals involved in the education, health and care of young people, including the Educational Psychology Service, NHS, CAMHS, and other specialist services. If you think your child may have special educational needs please contact the SENCO and/or Assistant to the SENCO.
If you think your child may have special educational needs please contact the SEN team sen@denemagna.gloucs.sch.uk
SENCO – Mrs H Dixon-Gough Director of SEN
h.dixongough@denemagna.gloucs.sch.uk
Assistant to the SENCO- Mrs S McCarthy
s_mccarthy@denemagna.gloucs.sch.uk
Sen Administrator - Tammy Roberts
t.roberts@denemagna.gloucs.sch.uk
How does Dene Magna ensure that the staff have the expertise to support and work with my child?
The SENCO’s job is to support the class teacher in planning for children with SEND. This may include whole school training on SEND issues or to support groups of learners in school e.g. students with dyslexia or strategies to support students with ADHD. Training can take place through whole staff training or by individual teachers and support staff attending courses that are relevant to the needs of specific children in their class. The aim is to ensure consistency of the school’s approach for children with SEN. In addition to this:
• All of our teaching and support staff have had training around understanding trauma• A number of our TAs have been trained to deliver emotion coaching
• We have a TA who has had training in delivering Speech and Language programmes planned by a Speech and Language Therapist
• A number of our TAs have had training on moving and handling alongside first aid training
• A number of our TAs have had physio training planned and delivered by the physiotherapist.
What SEND training is available to staff?
In order to maintain and develop the quality of teaching and provision to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils, all staff are encouraged to undertake training and development. All teachers and support staff undertake induction on taking up a post and this includes a session with the SENCo to explain the systems and structures in place around the school’s SEND provision and practice, and to discuss the needs of individual pupils. Staff training needs will be discussed as part of the PMR cycle, and both teaching and support staff will be made aware of training opportunities that relate to working with pupils with SEND. The SENCo leads a half termly staff SEN session to focus on the progress of a year group in focus and the needs of individual SEND students.