SEND Curriculum

Our vision for all of our pupils is that by the time pupils leave us, they will have received an outstanding education which has fully prepared and equipped them for the next stage of their education.

We strive to ensure our pupils are able to:

Be independent, confident, successful learners with high aspirations
Have a strong moral compass
Have a love of learning
Read confidently
Achieve, at the very least, an age-appropriate level in all subjects

In order to achieve our vision, we must:

Deliver a well-sequenced curriculum which grows in challenge and complexity.
Inspire and engage our pupils.
Be inclusive and ambitious for all pupils.
Build strong relationships with pupils, parents and carers.
Provide a climate where pupils feel safe.
Be rigorous in our monitoring of pupils’ progress and go ‘above and beyond’ to ensure misconceptions and gaps in knowledge are rectified/addressed.
Provide pupils with opportunities to enrich their school experience and broaden their horizons.

Meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs is the responsibility of all teaching staff and their needs are usually met through a differentiated curriculum. The SENCO will support staff to ensure effective provision is in place.

We operate a graduated response to supporting all pupils including those with additional learning needs.

Wave 1 – Quality First Teaching

At Jesmond Gardens Primary School, we respond to the needs of our pupils though flexible classing structures specific to meet the needs of individual cohorts. Due to a rising number of children from vulnerable groups and with additional needs, in 2025-26, we are implementing a graduated classing structure.

Most children including those with SEND will be taught within mainstream classes.

In EYFS and KS2, we offer targeted catch-up classes for those pupils working significantly below age-related expectations, whom need additional support to catch up fundamental skills. This class is staffed with highly skilled practitioners with oversight from senior members of staff to ensure children receive teaching from highly skilled staff in school.

The curriculum within these classes will be prioritised with a greater proportion of time allocated to core subjects to ensure children become fluent readers and strong mathematicians. This early support and intervention is essential to open the doors and unlock learning opportunities so that all pupils are able to access the wider curriculum as they progress through their education.

Movement between these classes is fluid as our long-term goal is for all children to be able to access our ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum.

For a small number of children with an EHCP, we implement a personalised, bespoke curriculum with full time 1:1 support relevant to their individual areas of need. We follow the guidance from external agencies and professionals and implement the recommended provision outlined in their Education, Health and Care plan.

For further information regarding our school curriculum, please see our specific curriculum policies

Wave 2 – Targeted Interventions

For those children with identified needs or those children who may need some extra ‘catch-up’, we offer a range of small group intervention programmes that can help to accelerate pupil progress. Depending on the needs of individual children, they will access different interventions led by trained teaching assistants. The progress within these interventions will be closely monitored and tracked half-termly to measure impact and ensure their effectiveness.

Wave 3 – Specialist Interventions

For some children who require more bespoke support, we offer a range of individualised programmes, usually created in liaison with external agencies such as Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy. Children will have dedicated time each week to work on an individual basis with a teaching assistant to complete activities linked to their personal targets. Progress within these sessions is monitored by school and other agencies and next steps are decided collectively through multi-agency meetings and discussions.

Further details of specific interventions for each area of need is available in the SEND Policy.