Our Approach to SEND and Inclusion

At St Cuthbert Mayne, inclusion is not just a policy - it is a commitment rooted in our Catholic values. Inspired by the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching, we believe that every child is valued, and every child deserves the opportunity to thrive. See this blog written in November that sets out the theoretical framework for this approach: Inclusion – A Gospel-Centred Approach. 

The Changing Needs of Our Pupils  

Over the past two and a half years, the number of children with SEND has increased, as has the complexity of their needs. Many face significant barriers - academic, social, and emotional - that require tailored support. Our approach has evolved to ensure that we meet these challenges with compassion, structure, and high expectations. 

Key Developments in Our SEND Provision  

To ensure every child gets the right support, we have:  

• Restructured our SEND provision – Creating a Team Around a Pupil (TAP) model, ensuring targeted, proactive support.  
• Enhanced staff training – Regular CPD and engagement with Educational Psychologists to strengthen expertise.  
• Redefined support staff roles – Moving away from whole-class support to more strategic, research-based intervention.  
• Developed clearer processes – Including risk reduction plans, reintegration outlines, and mentoring programmes.  
• Repurposed spaces in school – Creating hubs and safe spaces for pupils who need structured support while maintaining their connection to the classroom.  
• Strengthened our partnership with parents – Introducing clearer communication pathways, regular meetings, and structured opportunities for parents to contribute to their child’s support plans. 

Equity, Not Just Equality  

Our approach is rooted in fairness, but fairness does not mean treating every child the same. Some children require more support, and we prioritise our resources accordingly. This is a moral obligation - to ensure every child gets what they need to succeed. 

The Impact So Far  

• Children receiving targeted support are spending more time successfully in class.  
• Behaviour challenges are increasingly being met with structured intervention rather than reactionary measures.  
• Staff confidence in supporting SEND pupils has grown, making teaching and learning more effective for everyone. 
• Stronger collaboration with parents is improving outcomes. Regular communication and shared strategies between home and school have helped many pupils feel more secure and supported in both environments.  

Behaviour, Boundaries, and Support 

We are committed to maintaining a calm and respectful learning environment for all pupils. Where behaviour challenges arise, we take a structured approach, balancing firm boundaries with the right support to help children succeed. Over the past two years, we have strengthened our provision for pupils who struggle with self-regulation, ensuring that interventions are timely, targeted, and designed to help them remain engaged in their learning. While we have had to enact 42 suspensions during this period, these decisions have been made carefully, as part of a broader approach to maintaining a supportive and structured environment for all pupils. 

Safeguarding Our Pupils 

Alongside behaviour challenges, we continue to see an increasing number of complex safeguarding needs among our pupils. Our school safeguarding team works proactively to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time. We follow the Hertfordshire Continuum of Need to guide our decision-making, ensuring that both school-based support and external agencies work together to meet children’s needs effectively. 

What This Means for Our Community  

• Inclusion benefits all – A well-supported child is more engaged in learning, leading to better outcomes for everyone. Calmer classrooms and reduced disruptions create an environment where all pupils can focus and thrive. 
• Stronger relationships, stronger school – When children witness their peers being supported with patience and care, they learn empathy, respect, and understanding - essential life skills that extend beyond school. 
• Improved teaching and learning for all – High-quality inclusive teaching benefits every child. Clear routines, adapted resources, and self-regulation strategies - such as scaffolding and modelling - make learning accessible and engaging. 
• A culture of resilience and self-regulation – Children develop perseverance, self-awareness, and independence when they see that mistakes and struggles are part of learning. 
• A partnership between home and school – We are working to strengthen open communication, shared expectations, and collaboration between parents and school so that every child feels supported both at home and in the classroom. 
• Preparing children for life – Embedding inclusive values into daily practice equips pupils with the skills to work alongside people of all backgrounds and abilities, shaping their future education, careers, and relationships. 

Next Steps  

• We are currently working with an educational psychologist to refine our entry and exit criteria for SEND support, developing a stronger, more flexible model of provision reflecting our high aspirations for all pupils.  
• Strengthen our partnership with parents – your insights and collaboration are invaluable.  
• Maintain high expectations for all pupils while ensuring the right scaffolding is in place through a rigorous focus on adaptive teaching 

For us, inclusion is an active pursuit lived in our daily actions, and together, we are striving to create a school where every child feels supported and able to flourish.