At Swaffham CofE Primary Academy we believe in quality learning opportunities for all.  We strive to ensure that every child meets their potential academically and socially, regardless of need and that every child feels a sense of belonging and inclusion as an integral part of our wonderful school. 

This page will provide you with information about how we support pupils with Special Educational Needs at Swaffham Primary Academy. If you have any questions, or would like to discuss your child's needs, please contact your child's class teacher in the first instance. Our SENDCo, Mrs Rice, can be contacted via the School office. Teachers liaise and work closely with Mrs Rice for a collaborative approach to meet every child's needs. 

Our SEND Information Report and Policy provide information on how we support children with SEND at Swaffham CofE Primary Academy.  We have also included a link to Norfolk's Local Offer which provides information and resources surrounding supporting learners with Special Educational Needs. 

Our Inclusion Strategy is coming soon.

Children on our SEND profile will have an ISP. This is an Individual Support Plan through ou Assess, Plan, Do, Review process.

'Just One Norfolk' is the ‘go to’ health website for Norfolk. https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/ 

You will find a huge range of information about aspects of physical, mental and emotional health for children and families.

On this site, Just One Norfolk, there are some fantastic videos and lots of information about supporting children with their speech and language development. Please take a look https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/speech-language/ 

There are four broad areas of Special Educational Needs which we identify in school as defined in the SEND Code of Practice (2015).  We acknowledge that children’s needs may fall into more than one category.

• Cognition and Learning
• Physical and/or Sensory
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• Communication and Interaction (Social Communication and/or Speech, Language and Communication)

We provide both in class support and out of class intervention, for pupils who benefit from working in a small group with a more intensive level of support in a specific area. 

All staff provide quality first teaching and scaffold learning alongside adaptations to the classroom environment to best suit the needs of their pupils. We keep up to date with current SEN knowledge and best practice through INSET and training for all staff.

Inclusion is at the heart of all we do and we are very proud of our inclusive culture.

At Swaffham Primary Academy we support our SEND pupils through:

• Quality first Teaching
• Pupil voice; the voice of the child is critical at every stage of learning and development. For our non-verbal pupils 'voice' is captured in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, use of Makaton, widgit, visuals, core boards, observations and speaking with those who know the child best.
• Teacher adjustments within class
• Additional resources and support
• Tailored Interventions, which we call Therapies
• Individual Support Plan (ISP). This is our Assess, Plan, Do and Review process. This may include targeted areas as part of Judith Carter's 7Cs, speech and language targets or other targets that have arisen from other assessments or professional advice such as an EHCP.
• A bespoke, individualised provision for children with complex needs. 

The 7Cs explained

Judith Carter's 7Cs supports our assessment and understanding of need. There are 7 areas of learning and development, and within those areas there are sub areas, and we may use these to support specific SEND learners in order to identify their primary needs and areas for development, next steps, strengths and achievements. Every child and their family are an integral part of our SEND provision, so that we can all work together to ensure every child gets the very best provision tailored to their individual needs so that every learner can make progress, feel happy and safe at school and ready to learn. We hold regular meetings with families to review progress, with a great emphasis on pupil voice. If additional meetings are needed, these can be made at any time.

SEND at Swaffham Primary Academy

Navigating Special Educational Needs, the acronyms and jargon, as well as understanding what it means for you and your family can be a daunting process. We want you to know that we are here for you every step of the way. If you have any questions, concerns or anything you would like explained in more detail, please get in touch with the school office and ask to speak to our SENDCo Mrs Rice.

In the meantime please take a look at this document created for families of children with SEND at Swaffham Primary Academy. 

Red Foxes and The Woodland: Our Inclusion Base provides a bespoke curriculum and provision for Complex Needs

At Swaffham Primary Academy, our Pathway Model supports children with complex and predominantly neurodiverse profiles of need. These are often pupils with a sensory profile of need whereby the majority of environments can be very overwhelming for them, so our aim is to reduce their sensory overload. In addition to this, these pupils also have communication challenges which can lead to frustration or a sense of not belonging, and it is our aim to not only equip these children with a range of tools to communicate, but also to feel and know that they belong. This provision is Red Foxes. This is Swaffham Primary’s own inclusion base. 

Within this provision, we have recognised the growing number of pupils who benefit from a more formalised learning approach while still requiring targeted support in areas such as speech, language, communication, personal, social and emotional development, and sensory and motor skills. Developed in partnership with the local authority and our Team Around the School, the model bridges our bespoke specialist provision, Red Foxes, and our base classes. It offers a structured Year 1 curriculum delivered within a nurturing environment, with a higher adult‑to‑child ratio and integrated support for each child’s individual profile of need. This approach enables children to progress towards either mainstream or specialist secondary education, ensuring every learner receives the right balance of academic challenge, therapeutic input, and inclusive opportunity. 

A Typical Day in Red Foxes

Each day in Red Foxes is structured to provide stability and predictability while offering rich opportunities for learning, exploration, and development.

• Morning Circle: The day begins with a welcoming morning circle, where children benefit from adaptive seating, songs for musical sensory input, and interactive experiences like feeling water for rain or using a torch for the sun when discussing the weather.
• Sensory Circuit & Soft Play: To help prepare for the day ahead, children take part in a sensory circuit, supporting regulation and focus, followed by soft play to develop gross motor skills in a fun and engaging way.
• Snack Time: More than just a meal, snack time is an opportunity to develop essential social skills, learning to sit together, use plates and drinks, and engage in simple conversations.
• Phonics & Communication: We use Ann Sullivan’s Phonics for SEN, which is inclusive of non-speaking children. Through the Curiosity Approach and Attention Autism, we foster engagement, interaction, and the use of core vocabulary, supported by movement breaks that encourage focus and self-awareness.
• Sensory Story & Drama: These sessions enhance understanding of vocabulary, anticipation, and engagement through predictable and repetitive storytelling, fostering communication and interaction.
• Creative Exploration: Sensory art and sensory cooking allow children to experience new textures, tastes, and creative processes in a safe, predictable environment, supporting confidence and curiosity.
• 1:1 Communication Support: We use Wellcomm for receptive vocabulary development, intensive interaction, communication boards, and Makaton signing to ensure each child has a way to express themselves and be understood.
• Cognition & Learning: Learning is supported through visual timetables, Reading Eggs, decodable phonics books, and personalised activities that align with the Engagement Model and Number Sense. We also incorporate Blanks Level questioning and Colourful Semantics to further develop thinking and understanding.
• Emotional Regulation & Social Skills: We implement the Zones of Regulation, Social Stories, turn-taking games, adaptive responses, and personalised scripts to help children manage emotions and build positive interactions.
• Sensory & Physical Development: Red Foxes ensures that all sensory and physical needs are met through adaptive seating, a low-demand timetable, a carefully considered sensory environment, and activities like Dough Disco, Write Dance, and Charanga for SEN.
• Independence & Life Skills: Above all, we focus on developing independence, ensuring that each child is equipped with essential life skills that will serve them well beyond their time in Red Foxes.

A Provision We Are Proud Of

Red Foxes is more than a classroom; it’s a community where children are celebrated for who they are and supported to reach their full potential. Our approach is tailored, research-driven, and responsive to the unique needs of every child, ensuring that they experience success in a way that is meaningful to them. We are incredibly proud of the progress our children make, and we invite families to be part of this journey with us.

Every child is different, and we provide opportunities for inclusion for pupils with the most complex needs including participating in performances, class and whole-school events, collective worship and celebration, as well as playtimes and lunch times. The Woodland Inclusion base provides a bridge between the specialist provision in Red Foxes and the base class. The Woodland has a higher adult to child ratio, predominantly focusing on a Year 1 curriculum with opportunities for sensory provision, social interaction support and movement breaks.