At Cuffley, we follow a tiered, graduated approach to supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This approach ensures that all pupils receive the right level of support at the right time, according to their individual needs.

• Ordinarily Available Provision (Universal Tier):
  The majority of pupils, including many with additional needs, have their needs met through high-quality, inclusive classroom teaching. Teachers adapt lessons, use differentiated resources and apply targeted classroom strategies to help every child access learning successfully. This level of support is known as Ordinarily Available Provision and forms the foundation of our inclusive practice.
• Targeted Support (Targeted Tier):
  Long-term targeted support involving external specialists to address emerging or persistent needs. This may include specialist advice from external agencies designed to help children make sustained progress alongside their peers.
• Specialist Support (Specialist Tier):
  For children with more complex or long-term needs, provision is formally detailed in an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Your child’s class teacher is responsible for their overall progress, development, and wellbeing. They work closely with teaching assistants and the SENCO team to identify needs early, plan and deliver appropriate support, and regularly review progress to ensure interventions remain effective.

Parents and carers of children with SEND are invited to meet with school staff three times a year to discuss their child’s progress and provision.

• Ordinarily Available Provision (Universal): Pupil Passport meeting (Autumn) and two parents’ evenings
• Targeted support: Pupil Passport meeting (Autumn) and two Learning Plan review meetings
• Specialist support: EHCP Annual Review, a Pupil Passport meeting, and one additional review meeting

Our graduated approach is based on Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP). The range of support, strategies, and adaptations that every teacher provides as part of day-to-day classroom practice to ensure all pupils can access learning successfully.

• Differentiated teaching to suit varying levels of ability and learning styles.
• Adapted resources such as visual supports, writing frames, word banks, and manipulatives in maths.
• Clear and consistent routines, supported by visual timetables. 
• Use of targeted questioning, additional processing time, and pre-teaching of key vocabulary.
• Flexible seating, and supportive classroom layouts to aid concentration and regulation.
• Emotional regulation approaches such as the Zones of Regulation to help pupils manage feelings and behaviours.

For most pupils, including many with additional needs, these adaptations are sufficient to help them make good progress.

Where a child requires more support, we provide help through our Graduated Approach, which ensures that support increases in line with need:

• Ordinarily Available Provision (Universal Tier): Inclusive, high-quality teaching with in-class adaptations.
• Targeted Support (Targeted Tier): Long-term targeted support involving external specialists to address emerging or persistent needs.
• Specialist Support (Specialist Tier): Involvement from external professionals and provision set out in an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for pupils with complex or long-term needs.

This tiered system allows us to personalise support across areas such as learning, communication, emotional wellbeing, and physical or sensory development, ensuring that every child receives the right support at the right time.

The wellbeing of every pupil is central to what we do.

• Ordinarily Available Provision includes the Zones of Regulation, mindfulness activities, and calm, reflective spaces.
• Targeted support may include small group or individual sessions to build emotional literacy, resilience, and social understanding.
• We also work with external agencies such as Emotional Wellbeing Practitioners, CAMHS, HIVE and the Family Support Service where specialist input is required.

Our SENCO, Mrs. Hannah Bedwell, holds the National Award for SEN Coordination. All staff receive regular professional development on inclusive teaching and SEND strategies through weekly training and INSET days.

We work with a range of external specialists, including:

• Educational Psychologists
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Occupational and Physiotherapists
• Specific Learning Difficulties and Autism Advisory Teachers
• Hearing and Vision Impairment Teams
• Emotional Wellbeing Practitioners and Family Support Services
• Behaviour specialists 

We value parents and carers as key partners in their child’s education. Depending on your child's level of SEND support, you will have the opportunity to meet your child's class teacher to update their pupil passport and review progress. Your child will also contribute to their Pupil Passport to share their views.

We follow the Assess–Plan–Do–Review process:

• Assess: Identify needs through observation and discussion.
• Plan: Agree on strategies and interventions with parents and staff.
• Do: Implement the agreed plan.
• Review: Evaluate progress and make adjustments as required.

We are committed to ensuring that all children, including those with SEND, are fully included in all aspects of school life. We work closely with families to plan and provide appropriate support with reasonable adjustments so that all children can participate safely and confidently in school trips, clubs, and enrichment activities.

Our site has step-free access and includes an accessible toilet. We make reasonable adjustments to support pupils with physical or sensory needs, and we regularly review our environment to ensure accessibility for all learners. You can read our accessibility plan which is published on our website under policies.

We plan transitions carefully for all children, particularly those with SEND. This may include additional visits, meetings with new teachers, play and stay sessions, transition books, and close communication with secondary schools. For pupils with an EHCP, transition planning begins in Year 5 to ensure continuity of support. Transition plans are personalised for those children who need them therefore, each one will look different.

We allocate resources flexibly to ensure that each child’s needs are met effectively. Most support is provided through high-quality, inclusive teaching within our Ordinarily Available Provision. Where additional intervention or specialist input is required, resources are matched to the child’s assessed needs and reviewed regularly.

Decisions about the level of support are made through the Assess–Plan–Do–Review process, based on your child’s progress and individual needs. Parents, teachers, the SENCO, and external professionals (where involved) work together to agree the most appropriate level of provision.

• Class Teacher – your first point of contact
• Mrs. Hannah Bedwell (SENCO) – senco@cuffley.herts.sch.uk
• Mrs. Wendy Wing (Headteacher) – head@cuffley.herts.sch.uk

If you have a concern, in the first instance please contact the SENCO or the headteacher. 

If you have a complaint, please refer to our Complaints Procedure.  

Where can I find information about the Local Authority’s Local Offer?

The Hertfordshire Local Offer provides detailed information about local services, support, and opportunities for children and young people with SEND and their families.  You can access it here:
👉 Hertfordshire Local Offer Website