Part of castle school education trust

"Castle School Education Trust is committed to high quality education across the primary, secondary and sixth form key stages. Our schools cover the South Gloucestershire area. We encourage independence within each school within a strong framework of values."

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Downend

To report a child's absence for years 7-11 please email dow-studentabsence@cset.co.uk or call 01454 862395.  For 6th Form please call 01454 862333.  

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

A special educational need is defined as ‘a learning difficulty or disability that makes learning a challenge for a child’. Children with SEND have greater difficulty learning than other children of the same age.

At Downend School we provide a safe, supportive and challenging learning environment, which aims to inspire and empower young people to grasp opportunity; to reach their potential and excel; to develop responsibility and integrity and to respect themselves and others. Downend School aims to ensure that appropriate provision is available to enable every student to do this through equal access to curriculum opportunities, which meet individual learning needs.

At Downend School we have a comprehensive network of support available to ensure that every student with special educational needs reaches their full potential. This support comes from collaboration with the SEND team, pastoral team, student support services and teaching staff. The documents below outline this support in more detail.

Downend School tracks the progress of all students identified as having additional needs and monitors the impact of interventions. Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan and those as identified as SEND support are included on our special educational needs register.

Our SEND team

  • SENCO - Sharon Davey
  • Deputy SENCO - Melissa Tothill
  • ELSA support - Rebecca Sweeney
  • Literacy intervention team - Permanent members of staff based in the study centre
  • Teaching Assistants - Permanent members of staff

Further information

The documents below provide further information which shows the provision of support we offer students with Special Educational Needs and Disability at Downend School.

School Information report 2022-2023

Questions and Answer sheet

Downend School provision map of support

Support for Parents

South Gloucestershire Parents & Carers is a supportive community for parents and carers of children (0-25) with additional needs and disabilities:

Website: www.sglospc.org.uk

Supportive Parents is a parent-led organisation providing the Parent Partnership Service for Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. This service is confidential and provides independent parental support to parents of children with special educational needs.

Website: www.supportiveparents.org.uk