At St. Mary’s we value all children in our school equally.

Not all children with disabilities have special educational needs, and not all children with special educational needs have a disability.

The arrangements for the admission of disabled pupils are the same as those for any child and if a child with a disability meets these criteria, he or she, would be admitted. If a child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs from the Local Authority, and the school is named on the statement, the school would liaise with Westminster to ensure that the extra provision would be adequately funded. Children with Special Educational Needs are assessed when they arrive in school or as soon as their needs become apparent.

The physical environment of the school is accessible. St. Mary’s is mainly on one floor and there is access by lift to all parts of the school. All of our classrooms are fitted with a ‘Soundfield’ audio system that supports children with hearing difficulties. We have an accessible toilet and the medical room has a hoist and an adaptable bed.

St. Mary’s has an inclusive ethos. All teachers have a responsibility to identify and meet the special educational needs of pupils and those children are taught together with their peers as much as possible, but the needs of an individual child might require more than regular encouragement and monitoring; some children need carefully differentiated work, or extra work in small groups, while others may need one-to-one help from a learning support assistant, or input from a visiting specialist teacher or therapist.