SEND Information
Please find below information regarding the provision for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at St. Mary's.
SEND Magazine
The SEND Link Newsletter
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Local Offer
For parents and carers of children and young people who have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities.
We hope you will find this termly newsletter useful and informative. Please share with your families.
This edition includes:
- Updates from Trafford SENDIASS, Trafford Parents Forum and Local Offer Advisor
- What’s On – activities, training and support
- Have your say about health visiting and school nursing here in Trafford Council, new Mediation service and Schools Capital funding
- Free parenting courses, how to get a vaccination status letter, new Trafford skills service
- Local Offer bitesize training and annual report.
- New SEND wellbeing group launching soon, new Trafford ESOL service, Birthday campaign around foetal alcoholic spectrum disorder
SEND – useful information
If you would like advice from professionals outside school you may find the following numbers and websites useful:
- Trafford Local Offer
- Trafford SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) | Trafford Directory
- Trafford Family Information Service (FIS)
- Statutory Assessment Service – 0161 245 7439
- Trafford Admissions
- Trafford School Nursing Team - 0161 912 3395
- The British Dyslexia Association – 0333 405 4555
- The Dyspraxia Foundation – 01462 454986
- Headway: The Brain Injury Association – 0115 924 0800
- Sale and Altrincham Mencap – 0161 828 5678
- Trafford Speech and Language Therapy Service – 0161 912 2592
- Trafford Sensory Impairment Support Service (TSISS) – 0161 912 5526
- Together Trust - Sleep Tight Trafford (sleep problems) – 0161 283 4848
Autism
Why did we create this video?
At the AET, we believe that autism is a difference not a deficit.
We want to promote wider understanding that autistic people have strengths and differences in three key areas of development.
Recognising and understanding these differences leads to better support being available for autistic children and young people in education.
Key to this understanding is recognising that the autistic spectrum is a not a single line from low to high; it is a complex combination of many overlapping characteristics.
While there may be some shared characteristics, every autistic person is unique, with their own strengths, differences and needs.
We champion a world where being different is something to be celebrated and where all autistic learners experience a positive education that supports their wellbeing.
We’d love for you to do the same.
Social stories are an evidence-based intervention for individuals with autism or social communication difficulties, no matter what their age. Research shows that social stories really do make a difference to explaining why things happen by using visuals (pictures) and words to support the person in knowing what it going to happen and what to expect with something that they find tricky. These need to be shared with your child / young person multiple times for the message to be embedded for them.
The site is American, so there will be reference to things which are not appropriate for life in the UK. It is worth checking the site regularly as more social stories will be added over time.
The Autism Little Learners social stories are also listed specific to school, home, and community, which may help you to locate what you need.
Autistic Society Greater Manchester (ASGMA) – 0161 866 8483
National Autistic Society, Trafford – 01254 888 535 ·
Dyslexia
Research suggests that approximately 10% of the UK population experience dyslexia, meaning that roughly 3 children in every class may present with dyslexic tendencies. At St Mary's we try to ensure that we put in place strategies so that pupils can overcome any barriers to learning from this specific learning difficulty. We also feel that it is important to emphasise how non-'neurotypical' brains can be celebrated! In July 2024, we were successful in our bid to become a Dyslexia friendly school, achieving the Dyslexia Association Quality Mark for Education.
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficult that is commonly associated with trouble learning to read. However, it can also translate to scribing skills (poor handwriting, trouble with letter formation, finding it difficult to copy from the board etc.), memory and organisation skills.
More information can be found on these websites:
ADHD
Down’s Syndrome
- National Down’s Syndrome Society – 01278 429 089
- South Manchester Down’s Syndrome Support Group – 07593 542 107
National Societies
- National Blind Children’s Society – 0300 303 7000·
- National Deaf Children’s Society – 0808 800 8880
- The Sickle Cell Society