At Shakespeare Primary School, we strive to create a happy, secure and stimulating learning environment in which all members of the school community can grow in self-esteem and develop their potential as human beings. We embrace the fact that every child is unique, and therefore, the educational needs of every child are different. This is particularly the case for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

We are an inclusive school and aim to support all children, meeting their individual needs within our school budget. All children and young people are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress. For children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND), we aim to address any barriers to learning that they may face in a way that has the greatest impact. We seek to identify the needs of our children and respond with a range of teaching strategies to provide support that allows them to be happy and healthy and achieve their full potential.

We believe that parents and carers are their child’s most important educator, and we seek to support you as you help your child through their next steps in learning. With a relentless determination to knock down all barriers faced, we develop the unique child, ensuring they flourish through our educational offer.

As a school, we have three core priorities that sit at the heart of our mission:

•   Improving standards for all children

•   Closing gaps in learning for all children, regardless of their background or starting points

•   Embedding knowledge and developing skills in all curriculum areas for all children.

We ensure that we meet the needs of SEND pupils and this is explained in our School SEND Information Report below.

Our Inclusion Coordinator (SENDCo) is Mrs Claire Parker.

Mrs Parker or a member of the SEND team can be contacted through the school office by calling 01752 312048 or via email at send@spsplymouth.org.

Our SEND and Pastoral Team 

Miss Courtney Lobban is our Head of School and has strategic oversight of our Special Educational Needs provision. She is responsible for meeting with the SEND team weekly to ensure that concerns are identified early, and barriers are removed swiftly.

Mrs Claire Parker is the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). She is responsible for working with staff, outside agencies, the local authority SEND Team and parents to ensure that pupils with SEND from Nursery to Year 6 are supported appropriately.

Mrs Rebecca Radford is part of the school’s Special Educational Needs team. She is responsible for ensuring the graduated approach is robust and provides in class support for teachers, teaching assistants and pupils. She is accredited with the PgCert National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination from Plymouth University.

Mrs Alison Shute is the school's Pastoral Support Leader in Year 5/6. She works with pupils who need to support transitioning into school, managing conflicts with other pupils, understanding and managing their emotions and is able to support when a situation has upset them either at home or in a school. 

Miss Leanne Rice is the school's Pastoral Support Leader in Year 3/4. She works with pupils who need to support transitioning into school, managing conflicts with other pupils, understanding and managing their emotions and is able to support when a situation has upset them either at home or in a school. 

Mrs Nina Foster is the school's Pastoral Support Leader in Year 1/2. She works with pupils who need to support transitioning into school, managing conflicts with other pupils, understanding and managing their emotions and is able to support when a situation has upset them either at home or in a school. 

Mrs Jodie Moon is the school's Children and Families Support Worker. She works with families who need additional support outside of school as well as supporting the child when in school. Jodie is available daily to support families. Shes is contactable via email and her school mobile phone. In addition, she runs coffee morning and parents groups. 

The school Accessibility Plan can be found here.