BJS Federation SEND Newsletter
July 2024
Welcome to our final edition of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) newsletter for this academic year.
What a year it has been, with two of our schools receiving OUTSTANDING judgements from OFSTED within months and the SEND provision being highlighted as a strength across the Federation.
In this issue we think about the final weeks of term and the preparations that are already underway in the Federation for a smooth transition in September. We recognise that leaving the familiarity of an old class, to begin somewhere new can be an anxious time for both children and parents, so we are working hard to ensure that conversations happen and provisions are consistently delivered from one year group to the next. There are also tips and advice for what you can do to support your child's positive start to the new academic year.
We will also look at some of the opportunities on offer in our communities over the summer holidays.
We hold our final coffee mornings next week across all three schools, with a focus on Transition and I hope to see many of you there.
If our paths do not cross in the next few weeks, I wish you and your family a happy, safe and relaxing summer.
Best wishes
Kathryn Congdon
Change is good
In life we experience many changes, some expected and some unexpected. Transition from one year to another and one phase to another within primary school is a valuable learning experience as it helps children to recognise the different relationships we have with one another, some permanent and some less so. This being said children typically benefit from a routine and a change to this can be tricky for most of our children which is why we place such value on transition work.
All teachers across the Federation meet to share both the academic, SEND and pastoral information about the children in their class. They will arrange a getting to know you transition session where the children will get to spend time with their new class teacher. The children's current class teacher will select the children in their class who they think would benefit from a transition booklet. These booklets are designed to support you at home in preparing your child for their new class and new teacher. The booklet supports conversations around the new teacher, for example, 'what do you think their favourite colour is?', 'don't you think they'll be excited to learn what an amazing drawer you are?' Along with reassuring the children about the things that will remain with their class of children.
The booklet also contains a holiday count down sheet, which children can use to cross off the days until they return to school. The transition booklets will go out in the last week of term. If you feel your child would benefit from a transition booklet please speak to your child's class teacher.
If your child benefits from a routine try to keep some of the ones that work during the holiday, you could make your own calendar for events you are doing as a family to support your child's routine.
Inspirational Para Olympians
As the excitement builds towards the Olympics and Paralympics this summer in Paris, we will focus on some of the athletes that will be competing at the games and hoping to bring home gold medals.
Iona Winifrith, is the youngest member of the GB Paralympics squad at only 13 years old! She will represent GB in the pool, having first started swimming age 5 at her local pool in Kent. Iona who has short stature will swim in the S7 classification for physical impairment. Since receiving her nomination for Paris on her Birthday she has competed at the European Para Championships and won two titles in Maderia Portugal, improving on her personal best times and setting new British Para-swimming record time.
Wishing you every success Iona for bringing home a haul of medals this summer!
