Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool

Gainford CE Primary School and Preschool offers provision for 3-11 year olds in a wonderful village setting. You can find us close to Piercebridge lying between Darlington and Staindrop. The school has very strong links with the local community. There is wrap a round care provsion in the form of Breakfast Club and Afterschool Club. Gainford Primary and Preschool actively promotes Christian values, having good links with St Mary's Anglican Church.

We are an inclusive school and all are welcome.

When is it on?

Time of day
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Session information
Monday to Friday 7.45am - 5.30pm

Who to contact

Contact name
Chris Riley
Contact position
Headteacher
Telephone
01325 730 274
E-mail
gainford@durhamlearning.net
Website
Gainford Church of England Primary School and Preschool

Where to go

Address
Low Road
Gainford
Darlington
County Durham
Postcode
DL2 3DR

Other details

Cost description
There are costs for childcare before and after school:
£4 per hour from 7.45am to 8.45am
£3 from 3.30pm to 4.30pm
£4 from 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Referral required?
No
Referral and availability notes

No referral required.

Age range
3 - 11 years
Related links
Ofsted reports

Local Offer

Local Offer description

Gainford CE Primary School and Preschool are committed to equality. We aim for every pupil to fulfil their potential no matter what their needs. They are committed to antidiscriminatory practice to promote equality of opportunity and valuing diversity for all children and families.

The school aim to:

  • Provide a secure and accessible environment in which all their children can flourish and in which all contributions are considered and valued.
  • Include and value the contribution of all families to their understanding of equality and diversity.
  • Provide positive non-stereotyping information about gender roles, diverse ethnic and cultural groups and disabled people.
  • Improve their knowledge and understanding of issues of anti-discriminatory practice, promoting equality and valuing diversity.
  • Make inclusion a thread that runs through all of the activities of the school

Gainford CE Primary School prides itself in being very inclusive and will endeavour to support every child regardless of their level of need. All pupils follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate to their abilities. At times and when it is felt appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented.

To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum there are some actions the school may take to achieve this:

  • Ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school
    activities
  • Help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have
  • Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all
    pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs
  • Pupils to gain in confidence and improve their self-esteem
  • To work in partnership with parents/carers, pupils and relevant external
    agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs
  • To identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special
    consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional)
  • To make suitable provision for children with SEN to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum
  • Ensure that all children with SEN are fully included in all activities of the
    school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement
  • To promote self-worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels
  • To give every child the entitlement to a sense of achievement
  • To regularly review the policy and practice in order to achieve best practice

How the school support SEN

A special educational need can be a number of different things. For example, your child may be having problems with reading, maths or behaviour, and school can help by putting in extra support and by working in partnership with yourself. It may also be due to a disability which makes it harder for a child to use the same educational facilities that the school provides for the majority of children. For some children this may be a temporary difficulty, while others may have a long term need for special help.

Types of special educational needs can include:

  • General Learning Difficulties – children whose learning progresses at a slower pace
  • Speech and Language Difficulties
  • Behavioural Difficulties
  • Dyslexia (difficulties with reading, writing and spelling)
  • Dyspraxia (problems with motor skills, organisation)
  • Dyscalculia (difficulties with number work)
  • Autism
  • ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
    Disorder)
  • Downs Syndrome
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Other Physical/Medical Needs

Children learn and develop in different ways. Teachers recognise this and use different teaching styles, resources and plan different levels of work in the classroom to cater for the various ways children learn. This is called Quality First Teaching and is something schools must provide for all children. However, many children, at some time in their school life, need extra help.

Because of this, schools must:

  • Talk to parents/carers if they think their child has a special educational need and let them know what special help the school is giving
  • Appoint a member of staff as the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
  • Have a written Special Educational Needs policy – a copy should be made available for parents
  • Take account of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice.

This is advice given to schools by the government which outlines what schools should do to support pupils with SEN and gives recommendations for good practice Examples of the type of support which may be provided may be as follows, but will depend on the nature of the child’s needs:

  • Differentiation of work in class (and homework)
  • Some additional small group support with a teacher or support staff
  • Additional resources e.g. word banks, number squares, use of commercial schemes
  • Teaching activities to be adapted to the preferred learning style of the child, e.g. a multisensory, practical approach or use of visual cues
  • Use of ICT to support learning
  • Individual behaviour systems/charts
  • Adaptation of the Curriculum or classroom
  • Interventions to support specific difficulties (i.e. dyslexia, dyspraxia)

Both teaching and support staff are involved in regular training to support the work they do with children with SEND. This includes having sound knowledge of, for example, dealing with communication difficulties, children on the autistic spectrum and dyslexia.

Support staff have further specialised training for both these and other areas of need within the school. Specific training to deliver interventions has included:

  • Working with children’s Speech & Language difficulties
  • Supporting children with ASD
  • Lexia
  • Team Teach
  • De-escalation strategies
  • EpiPen Training
  • Epilepsy Training

How does the school identify and assess children with SEN?
The school aim to identify children who have any difficulties as soon as possible so that appropriate support can be given from an early age. Full use is made of information passed to the school when a child transfers from early education provision and the school use assessments during the Foundation Stage to identify pupils and any difficulties they may have (observations on entry, Foundation Stage Profile, Speech and language Link, teacher assessment/observation). Other methods used by teachers to identify pupils with SEN are as follows:

  • Discussion with parent/carer to see if they have noticed anything/have any concerns
  • Ongoing teacher assessment and observation
  • Progress against the Early Learning Goals in the Foundation Stage
  • Progress against Literacy and Numeracy Objectives
  • Performance against National Curriculum level descriptors
  • Standardised screening or assessment tasks
  • Results from SATs (end of Years 2) and teacher assessment in Year 1

If it seems that your child may have special educational needs, your child’s class teacher or the Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) will assess:

  • What your child is good at and what they need help with
  • What your child would benefit from learning
  • How best to help your child learn
  • Once provision is identified, time is allocated to individuals or groups to best suit their learning style, ability and need.

This is monitored and can be changed once the impact is assessed.
Monitoring and Tracking of children with SEND is through the same methods as
identification. Assessment is ongoing, although more formal once each term.
Identified needs are evaluated and discussed in light of assessment results and through staff discussion.

Pastoral Medical and Social Support 
The care, guidance and support within the school is excellent.  The school pride themselves in knowing every child's abilities and needs.

The school has well trained staff who are up-to-date with many aspects of well-being, some having very specialised skills which can support children with complex needs or in vulnerable circumstances.

Children may also have access to a Counsellor, and families may be supported by the Parent Support Advisor. The school works closely with 'First Contact' services and the Education Welfare Officer.

Several members of staff are trained in specific medical procedures for children with identified needs. Almost all staff have some form of First Aid training, from basic to enhanced. Staff are also trained in delivering medicines in school.
The school is accessible to all of its users and there are very few steps. The
curriculum can be modified for those who require for example there is an accessible toilet area.

How the school consult with SEN pupils

Teachers/SENCO and Support Staff identify where provision is needed. Provision is planned and interventions are allocated to individual needs. The children take an active role with setting their targets, discussing them with the class teacher/SENCO.

The children have regular meetings with Support Staff to discuss their progress and support.

Parents are able to talk to their child’s teacher at termly parents/carers evenings and are also invited at these times to speak to the SENCO about any concerns they have. Parents/carers should be aware of the school's ‘open-door’ policy and are welcome to come into school at any time to discuss any concerns they may have.

For children with the highest level of need/support, the school, and everyone
involved with the child, will attend an Annual Review to determine future levels of support and provision.

The Government has asked all Local Authorities in the UK to publish, in one place, information about the services and provision they expect to be available in their area for children and young people from 0 to 25 who have Special Educational Needs and/or a Disability (SEND).

Gainford CE Primary School are committed to the equal inclusion of all pupils in all areas of primary school life. The school recognise the diverse and individual needs of all pupils and take into account the additional support required by those children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Further information about the Local Offer can be found on the County Durham
Families Information Service (FIS) website. A link to this site is below:-
http://www.countydurhamfamilies.info/kb5/durham/fsd/home.page

The school is also developing its own more specific offer. 

Contact name
Chris Riley
Contact telephone
01325 730 274
Contact email
gainford@durhamlearning.net
Links
SEND at Gainford Church of England Primary School

How do you identify Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?
  • Discussion with parent/carer to see if they have noticed anything/have any concerns
  • Ongoing teacher assessment and observation
  • Progress against the Early Learning Goals in the Foundation Stage
  • Progress against Literacy and Numeracy Objectives
  • Performance against National Curriculum level descriptors
  • Standardised screening or assessment tasks
  • Results from SATs (end of Years 2) and teacher assessment in Year 1.

 

 

How will you support my child with their special educational needs and disability?

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?
  • High quality teaching
  • Progress monitored closely
  • Opportunities for free play, child intitiated learning; some adult-led learning; learning inside and outside
  • A named person for each EYFSS child
  • Good communication with parents

How will you make sure my child's education meet their needs?

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's young person's needs?
  • Work is appropriate to the age/need of each child
  • Children's interests are used in lessons especially in the infants
  • A mixture of subject specific lessons and thematic work (topics)
  • Teachers use their marking and assessments to plan the next steps in learning.

How will we know my child is progressing?

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

The school know how the chidren are doing through high quality marking; observing children and other assessment excercises

You will know how your child is doing through:

  • Termly parents evenings
  • Termly school reports
  • Informal meetings and conversations
  • Home/school books or diaries especially for younger children

How will you support my child's overall wellbeing?

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall wellbeing?
  • High Quality teaching
  • Teaching assistants and learning support assistants
  • A general learning support teacher
  • Lunchtime supervisors help at lunchtimes
  • Playground buddies help at break
  • Fruit is available for infants at breaks
  • Water is freely available
  • Any bullying is tackled rigorousy

What specialist services and expertise is available at or accessed by the staff?

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting/school/college?
  • Parent support advisor
  • Educational Psychologist
  • Speech and Language Support
  • School Nurse
  • Physiotherapy service
  • CAMHS
  • Behaviour support
  • Occupational Health
  • Counsellors
  • and others too!

How are staff trained regarding SEND?

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND have had or are having?
  • Working with children’s Speech & Language difficulties
  • Supporting children with ASD
  • Lexia
  • Team Teach
  • De-escalation strategies
  • Epipen Training
  • Epilepsy Training

Training in the new SEN Code of Practice

What activities outside the classroom will there be?

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?
  • Your child will be included in school activities including trips
  • Activities will be adapted if at all possible to include all children

How will you support my child's needs?

How accessible is the setting/school/college environment?
  • The school is very accessible
  • There are single steps outside 3 rooms and 1 step from the infant decking to the playground - other than this the site is flat

What is available to help my child with their education?

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?
  • Schools resources are allocated and matched to children's educational needs.
  • Typically, the greater the need, the more resources are allocated
  • This might mean for example that a child with an education, health and care plan has significant support from a Learning Support Assistant; a child with a lesser need receives regular small group work using differentiated work; if there is a concern that there may be a special educational need the child will be monitored closely and if there is no special educational need they receive 'Quaity First Teaching'

 

What support can I expect for my child?

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?
  • The amount of support that a child receives relates to the need that they have
  • For children with an Education, Health and Care Plan, this is based on a 'costed provision maps' that indicate the level of provision in terms of staffing and resources required

How will I be involved in my child's education?

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?
  • It is recognised that parents are vitally important in their children's learning
  • Parents are consulted on a range of issues eg through a parental questionnaire and parents meetings as well as more informally
  • By helping children to come to school on time, fully equipped and to ensure they have completed any homework.
  • Parents can volunteer to help in the school for example with reading or trips
  • They can become involved in the PTA (FoGS)
  • They can become parent governors
  • If parents are interested in getting more involved they should contact the school

My child is going to be starting or leaving soon, how will you help them?

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?
  • There are transition arrangements in place with a number of secondary schools
  • Typically, a teacher from the secondary will visit the school on one or more occasions to meet with children
  • There are typically 3 transition days at the new setting
  • If a child has a specific need, additional transition visits are arranged
Disclaimer

Durham County Council's Families Information Service does not promote nor endorse the services advertised on this website. Anyone seeking to use/access such services does so at their own risk and may make all appropriate enquiries about fitness for purpose and suitability to meet their needs.
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Address: Low Road  Gainford  Darlington  County Durham

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