Special Needs Places at Finton House
Finton House has a tradition of providing an inclusive educational environment for a number of children with known and described special educational needs, in addition to those pupils in the school who may find some difficulty in an aspect of their learning. The school actively recruits and welcomes such children with SEN and this group can comprise about 10% of the school roll at any one time.
If your child is already on the waiting list for a mainstream place and it comes to light during early childhood development that there is a special educational need, it is vital that you inform the school so that an SEN assessment procedure can be implemented eighteen months prior to school entry. Your child's place will be held whilst the assessments are carried out, but the place is conditional on the results of the assessment.
A place may be offered if, after discussion with parents and with reference to any available documentation, it is felt by the school that we may be able to meet the special educational needs of the child and that the child may gain from the mainstream curriculum and inclusive environment on offer.To establish whether a place can be offered, assessment is carried out by the Assessment Team and recommendations made to the Head, who makes the final decision.
Throughout this process the school will have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2001 and the Disability Discrimination Act Code of Practice for Schools 2002.
Read our Admissions Policy in full.
How Do I Apply?
Contact the Registrar and talk to her about your child. She will then send you a registration form which you should return, together with a £30 registration fee and any relevant reports. Parents are asked to send copies of any new reports or assessments at any stage.
We will acknowledge receipt of the forms, and our SENCO, Caroline Wright, will telephone you to explain the procedure. In April, eighteen months prior to the start of the academic year in which your child is due to start, we will write to ask you to confirm your interest in a place and to request up to date reports and assessments. Additional consent is requested to contact individual therapists or medical practitioners.
The school will then decide whether it is appropriate to offer an assessment, and they may also wish to visit your child at Nursery School. If an assessment is offered, you will be invited to attend in July by the Head of SEN, the SENCO and an Educational Psychologist and where relevant a specific specialist e.g. Teacher of the Deaf.
If a place is offered and you accept, parents are invited to meet the Head and have a tour of the school with the Head of Special Needs. You will also be asked to sign a SEN contract. If a place is not offered the school will give you advice and support in securing an appropriate placement for your child.
