Support for Learning

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities

The SEND department is based in Learning Support, a classroom within the Learning Resource Centre. We are ideally located at the centre of the school, close to Heads of Year. We also work closely with Harriet Wellbeing Centre.

We aim to promote inclusion in all aspects of school life and work as a whole staff body to ensure fairness and access to the curriculum for all our learners. We aim to celebrate successes in all areas of a child’s life, not just academic, and we aim to support students in achieving wider outcomes.

How we support our students:

• In-class support
• Intervention groups
• Liaison with specialists

How can I contact the SENCo/Deputy SENCo?

The SENCo/Deputy SENCo attends Parents’ Evening and runs ‘drop-in’ sessions.

There is an annual SEND Information Evening for Parents held in the Autumn term. This is an opportunity for families to meet the SENCo/Deputy SENCo. Your initial contact will be with the tutor, who can either help answer your questions, or put you in contact with the SENCo/Deputy SENCo.

SEND Report

SEND Policy

Costello Accessibility Team  

Students with SENd meet and discuss how they learn, share ideas, and help the SENd Department find ways of supporting them in and out of the classroom. Come and talk to us if you have any ideas about how your child could be better supported at The Costello School.

In-Class Support

We work with students in the lessons to help them access the work the teacher is delivering.  We create and provide resources to help structure activities, re-phrase and explain key concepts or ideas, teach subject vocabulary, check the student’s understanding of the tasks, and generally help the students settle into the lesson.

Intervention Groups

We run small group intervention sessions, such as Breakfast Club, Reading Group and AcceleRead/AcceleWrite.  We also run one-to-one sessions for students, such as spellings, subject-based work, reading, coursework and exam techniques.

Staff Training

As well as running whole staff training, we are invited into department meetings to discuss strategies and pedagogy for specific subjects.  We run sessions about all four categories of the SEN register: cognition and learning, communication and interaction, physical and sensory, and social, emotional and mental health.

External Agencies

We work alongside several external agencies, such as Hampshire Educational Psychology Service and the Specialist Teacher Advisory Service.  We also work with representatives from Parent Voice, CAMHs, Basingstoke and Southampton Hospitals, paediatric services, disability charities and inclusion advisors.

How can I support at home?

Home learning is a key part of education and often a concern for students and parents; we would like to support you where possible in supporting your children. 

What do I do if I am concerned?

The tutor is the best person to contact initially if you are concerned about anything. The students see their tutors every day and build strong relationships with them. If you feel the tutor is unable to help then please contact your child’s Head of Year.

Useful Websites

SENDIASS (Tel: 0808 164 5504 Email: hampshiresendiass@coreassets.com)

Heads Together http://www.headstogether.org.uk/

NHS Mental Health Support www.nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth/Pages/Mentalhealthhome.aspx

The National Autistic Society http://www.autism.org.uk/

Dyslexia Action http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/

RNIB (Royal National Institute for Blind People) http://www.rnib.org.uk/

NDCS (National Deaf Children’s Society) http://www.ndcs.org.uk/

Tourette’s Action http://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/