At Kirkburton Middle School, we aim to provide a high quality education for all children. We believe that all children are entitled to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum. We welcome pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and meet their needs in a positive manner. SEND may be identified before entry or once the pupil is attending school, when a parent or a member of staff may identify them. These needs are discussed with parents, in confidence, at the earliest opportunity. Children who are identified are supported in school through the creation of an Individual Education Plan which will help them meet their identified targets.
The school works in partnership with parents to support a pupil’s development and address his or her needs to enable the pupil to achieve his or her potential. Extra support is provided when necessary, and in some cases, with parents’ consent, the school involves outside agencies to provide additional support.
SENDCo
Mr A Lawlor and Miss J Sharples are the SENDCo for Kirkburton Middle School. You can contact them via email at alawlor@themast.co.uk or jsharples@themast.co.uk or via telephone on 01484 222737. Alternatively, please use the contact form at the bottom of the contact us page on our website and choose SENDCo from the drop down box.
Educational Support Staff
We have a dedicated team of Educational Teaching Assistants in school who support pupil across every subject.
We also have a team of Higher Level Teaching Assistants who support in specific areas of the curriculum.
Please click here to view our full school staff group
Key Documents
Click here to view the school SEND Policy
Click here to be taken to the SEND Code of Practice.
Click here to be taken to the Kirklees Local Offer. Alternatively, you can view it below.
SEND Policies
What services are available in Kirklees?
We have forged some very effective links in our multi-agency approach to working to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs. Some of the agencies we regularly work with are:-
Kirklees Independent Advice and Support Service for SEN and Disability (KIAS) (previously Kirklees Parent Partnership)
The role of KIAS is to ensure that parents have access to confidential and impartial information, advice and support so they can make informed decisions about their child's special educational needs. This is achieved by working in partnership with parents, providing information, services and training, working with relevant agencies and ensuring parents' views influence local policy and practice.
You can contact KIAS via their website (opens new page) or by phone on 0300 3301504.
PCAN (Parents of Children with Additional Needs)
PCAN are an independent, parent-led forum in Kirklees for all parents and carers of children and young people with additional needs aged from birth to 25 years. They provide lots of good information, links to social media for networking with other parents, and together they provide a strong, collective voice so that they can work in partnership with service providers across Kirklees. Together we can improve services for our children and young people with additional needs.
You can contact PCAN via their website, (opens new page) email: info@pcankirklees.org or phone 07754 102336
CAMHS and ChEWS
Kirklees CAMHS is part of Thriving Kirklees, a partnership of local health and wellbeing providers all working together to support the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services - This service can be accessed following referral from a medical professional (G.P./School Nurse). SENCOs can also refer to the service directly. With parental consent, CAMHS will work with us to support children, recommending strategies for staff to use in school.
ChEWS is the Tier 2 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for children and young people in Kirklees. The Service provides short term targeted interventions to children and young people who are aged 5 to 19 and whose emotional needs are impacting on their day to day lives.
For more information about CAMHS, ChEWS and Thriving Kirklees, click this link.
Outreach Support Services
Sometimes schools require additional support and help to support children and young people with complex SEND. Kirklees schools have access to specialist outreach support for all children and young people who need extra help in some specific areas. Children and young DO NOT need to have an EHCP to access this service, it is based on the needs of a child or young person.
Within Kirklees there is specialist outreach support available to help in the following areas:
- Visual Impairment (as well as providing Habilitation outreach support)
- Hearing Impairment
- Physical Impairment
- Complex Communication and Interaction - CCI (including autism)
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health (including behaviour issues and anxiety)
These services can be called upon to support children in educational settings. This can involve supporting pupils or providing advice and training for school staff. With consent, schools can refer to the service.
For more information about specialist support services in Kirklees, click this link.
Speech and Language Service (S.A.L.T.)
Speech and language therapists (SLTs) work with children aged 0-16 years who have communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties. These children may experience difficulties in the following areas:
- Listening to and understanding words/instructions
- Talking in words and sentences
- Using clear speech
- Social communication and interaction
- Fluent speech (stammering)
- Eating, drinking & swallowing
This service can be called upon to support children with speech, language or communication problems. With consent, schools can refer to the service. Some children are also referred via their GP or a School Nurse.
For more information about Speech and Language Services in Kirklees, click this link.
Occupational Therapy
This service receives a referral from a health professional or from a SENCO, with parental consent. They explore, assess and guide provision around various physical difficulties. Often a report to school will be followed by sessions with an assistant from the service. Occupational Therapists provide a child centred, family orientated approach and will see children in a variety of settings most appropriate to them. They enable the child to reach their maximum developmental potential and gain independence in performing daily living activities.
For more information about Occupational Therapy, click this link.
Educational Psychologists
The school is supported by an educational psychologist, who works very closely with the SENCO. Following consent and referral, the educational psychologist assesses and supports individual pupils with special educational needs by providing parents and school staff with detailed reports and suggestions for actions based on identification of need. The educational psychologist is very important in contributing to statutory assessment/Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans.
If you are concerned about your child’s progress or wellbeing, we advise that you speak with the SENCO in your child’s setting in the first instance.
Early Support Service
The Early Support service is here to help identify problems that you may be having as a family as soon as possible and working with you to help you find solutions. The problems may be:
- Difficulties with life as a family and routines
- Children's behaviour
- Your confidence as a parent
- Relationships in the family
- Children's safety
Early Support can be about preventing problems in the first place, helping when they do occur or involving specialist services when they are needed. For more information about the Early Support Service, click this link.
Various other agencies can be accessed according to need. For further support see the link to the Kirklees Local Offer by clicking this link.
Governor with responsibility for SEND:
Jane Turner Brown
Turnshaws Avenue
Kirkburton
Huddersfield
HD8 0TJ
Email: kirkburtonoffice@themast.co.uk
Telephone: 01484 222737