SEND Policy

Special Educational Needs Policy

This policy statement has been written with regard to:

• Statutory requirements and the SEND Code of Practice 2015 
• Early Years Guide 0-25 SEND Code of Practice 2015 
• Students and Families Act 2014 
• Keeping Students Safe in Education 2018 
• Statutory Guidance on Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions 2014 
• Sunderland LA’s SEND policy and Guidelines for the Identification of SEND 
• Sunderland LA’s strategies for Inclusion 
• The aims of the Link School 
• The Link School’s Equal Opportunities Policy 

Principles and Objectives

As a Centre of Excellence for Inclusion, the Link School is committed to ensuring that the necessary provision is made for every learner in our school community. The Link School is passionate about inclusive education and, with a strong focus on partnership working, strives to meet the needs of learners who have a special educational need, disability, learning difficulty or are vulnerable and disadvantaged. 

A student is defined as having SEND if he or she has a learning difficulty, which calls for a special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to learners of the same age or, that the student has a disability, which hinders them from making use of educational facilities from those generally provided by schools for students of the same age, within the same area. 

The Code of Practice (2015) states that all students and young people are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress so that they: 

• Achieve their best
• Become confident individuals, living fulfilling lives, and
• Make a successful transition into adulthood whether into employment, further or higher education or training.

The Code of Practice also provides an overview of the range of needs which is divided into 4 broad areas:

• Communication and Interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
• Sensory and, or Physical Needs.

The school believes that all students with a Special Education Need or disability (SEND) must have their needs recognised, assessed and appropriate and effective intervention put in place. All staff have due regard, as part of their professional standards and duties, to promote equality. 

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You can read our full SEND Policy by downloading the PDF below:

  SEND Policy – PDF