The Children and Families Act 2014 became law in September 2014. The Act reforms the way special educational needs is managed in schools. A new Code of Practice provides statutory guidance to schools for the support of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

This new Code of Practice is available to view or download on the Department for Education website. Useful summary documents are also available on a range of websites, outlining the reforms to special educational needs support and how any changes to statutory practice may affect your child.

The latest full draft SEN Code of Practice (January 2015) can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf

Midsomer Norton Schools' Partnership SEN Policy
For information of the Midsomer Norton Schools' Partnership SEN Policy, please click here
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Send Gateway
A useful summary document can be found at sendgateway.org.uk

NASEN
The National Association of Special Educational Needs (NASEN), is a very useful organisation providing guidance to parents and professionals on a wide range of special educational needs issues. There is up to date information on their website about these latest reforms. To find out more about this useful association please link to: http://www.nasen.org.uk/

​​The Local Offer
​The local offer is about the help and support the local council offer to children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). The local offer for BANES can be found on the Rainbow Resource website. This website provides all of the information about what help and support is available in Bath and North East Somerset. https://www.rainbowresource.org.uk/

The SEND Partnership Service (SPS)​
The SEND Partnership Service (SPS) offers free, confidential, impartial and legally based information to children and young people aged 0-25 years who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and their parents or carers. https://www.spsbathnes.org.uk/pages/home/parent-carer

At Somervale School we have high ambition for our SEND students.  Joining Somervale School starts a partnership between the students, their parents and the school in supporting them to be ambitious, challenged and supported to achieve academic success in line with their peers.

We do not narrow the curriculum, instead we focus on unpacking and scaffolding all subject areas to ensure they have the same opportunities as all students in accessing a broad and balance academic curriculum.

Our excellent SEND and Inclusion Team focus on developing strong relationships with the students and home to ensure that we deliver a top class offer.  All staff at the school are fully trained and have an excellent understanding of the wide variety of needs our students have and are able to adapt their teaching and practices accordingly.

On leaving Somervale School we ensure that our SEND students have the necessary tools and qualifications to prepare them for the next step on their education and to make a meaningful contribution to the world of work and society as a whole.