At The Duston School, we are committed to ensuring that every child receives the support they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We recognise that students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) may require additional provision, and we want to outline the support available to your child and explain how our SEND approach works.

Our SEND Approach

Our SEND provision is designed to meet the diverse needs of students and is tailored to each individual. We work closely with families to ensure that the right support is in place, whether short-term interventions or long-term arrangements. The focus is always on enabling students to access learning, achieve their potential, and feel safe and supported in school.

Layers of Support

We operate a three-layered support system to ensure that students with SEND are supported holistically:

Layer One: Classroom and Tutor Support

• Form Tutors are the first point of contact for students and families. They provide daily pastoral care, monitor attendance, and offer emotional and academic support.
• Classroom Teachers deliver Quality First Teaching, adapting lessons to meet individual needs. They act as role models and ensure inclusive learning environments.

Layer Two: Year Team Support

• Heads of Year and Assistant Heads of Year oversee behaviour, attendance, and curriculum delivery. They provide emotional support and guidance, working closely with families and staff to ensure students’ needs are met.

Layer Three: Specialist and Targeted Support

• SEND Team: Led by our Strategic Lead for SEND and SENDCo, the team includes specialists in cognition and learning, social-emotional needs, communication, and sensory/physical needs. They coordinate bespoke support plans and interventions.
• Safeguarding Team: Ensures student safety and wellbeing, offering confidential support and early help.
• Positive Impact Centre: Offers a range of interventions including wellbeing sessions, peer mentoring, counselling, and mental health support.

SEND-Specific Provisions

1. SEND Hub

Our newly established SEND Hub provides structured, timetabled support for students with identified needs. This includes:

• Targeted interventions in literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development.
• Access arrangements for exams.
• Assessment and review of support packages.

2. SEND Alert Button

This system allows teachers to request support discreetly during lessons for children with SEND. A member of staff responds promptly, using the student’s support passport to apply strategies that help them re-engage with learning. This is a supportive measure, not a disciplinary one.

3. Laptop Access

Students with diagnosed difficulties in handwriting or processing may use a laptop during lessons. Devices are signed in and out daily; we do not issue personal laptops.

4. Brain/Sensory Breaks

Where appropriate, students may take supervised breaks within their lessons as part of their support plan. These are structured and not unsupervised.

5. Accessing Support

To access SEND support, students must have a diagnosed need (e.g., Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, and medical conditions affecting learning). Support is tailored and may include:

• Classroom adaptations.
• SEND Hub access.
• SEND Alert system.
• Individualised interventions.

Welcome from the SENDCo

Welcome to SEND at The Duston School

Welcome to The Duston School.

As SENDCo, I am delighted to welcome you to our SEND and Inclusion pages. At The Duston School, we are committed to ensuring that every student feels valued, supported and able to achieve their full potential. We believe that all young people deserve an inclusive education that celebrates their strengths, recognises their individual needs and enables them to thrive both academically and personally.

We understand that navigating Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can sometimes feel overwhelming for families. Our aim is to work in close partnership with parents, carers, students and external professionals to ensure that the right support is in place at the right time. We recognise that every child is unique, and our provision is designed to meet a diverse range of needs through a graduated and personalised approach.

Our dedicated SEND team works collaboratively with teaching staff, pastoral teams and specialist services to provide high-quality support for students with identified SEND. Whether this involves classroom adaptations, targeted interventions, specialist provision, examination access arrangements or support through our SEND Hub, our focus is always on helping students become confident, independent learners who can fully participate in school life.

We are proud of our inclusive culture and the positive relationships we build with our students and families. We encourage open communication and welcome opportunities to discuss any concerns, questions or support needs you may have.

We hope that the information on these pages provides a helpful overview of the support available at The Duston School. If you would like to discuss your child's needs, please do not hesitate to get in touch: send@thedustonschool.org.

Miss A Thomson
SENDCo