Pate’s Grammar School SEND Department supports high-achieving pupils with SEND to enable them to develop and reach their full academic potential through individual support tailored to their needs.  At Pate’s most needs can be met in the classroom through Quality First Teaching, but if specific additional support or intervention is required this is provided on an individual basis to prevent these needs becoming a barrier to learning.  

Our SENDCO, Ms Jane Elcome, joined Pate’s in January 2020 having previously worked as a SENDCO and Manager of an Enhanced Provision for students with Communication and Interaction Needs and holds the National Award for SEND Coordination and the Post Graduate Award in Proficiency in Assessment for Access Arrangements (PAPAA).   

The SEND department combines with the Pastoral Support Hub and offers a safe haven within the main school. Students identified as requiring SEND support will have a Student Support Profile to ensure that their needs are being met both in and out of the classroom, allowing accessibility and inclusion in all areas of school life, enabling them to be fully active members of the school community. Pate’s follows the Gloucestershire SEND Graduated Pathway and some students with specific needs may have a My Plan, My Plan Plus or EHCP.  As appropriate, the SENDCO supports SEND students in collaboration with families, pastoral and academic colleagues, external agencies, and the Local Authority.  The SENDCO may also assess for and arrange ‘Access Arrangements’ for exams if appropriate.  

What are Special Educational Needs?

‘A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special 
educational provision to be made for him or her. 

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she: 

• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, 

or 

• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.’ SEND Code of Practice, 2015 

A Special Educational Need falls into one of four categories: 

• Communication and Interaction 
• Cognition and Learning 
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health 
• Physical and Sensory 

Some children may have needs in multiple categories. 

We will make reasonable adjustments to accommodate any student’s SEND needs. 

We welcome enquiries from parents of pupils with identified SEND requirements to discuss how these might be met, whilst being mindful of the school’s admissions criteria. The SENDCO can be contacted by email or by telephone to the School’s Main Office and our SEND Policy can be found on the School website.   POLICY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (patesgs.org) 

SENDCO:  Ms Jane Elcome 

Email: jane.elcome@patesgs.org 

Telephone: 01242 523169 

Additional Information: 

The Gloucestershire Local Offer is available here 

Gloucestershire can provide you with impartial advice here