SEND Information
Welcome to our SIR (SEN Information Report) which is part of Durham County Council’s Local Offer for children and young people with Special Educational Needs. Our SEN Information Report will provide details about how we implement our policy and practice to deliver high quality SEN provision for children and young people with SEN.
Hartside Primary Academy School’s Local Offer
The SEN Information Report below was reviewed and updated in September 2025.
Definition
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age. (CoP 2015, p16)
Broad areas of need
There are four broad areas of special educational need, these are:
| Communication and Interaction Includes pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)and those with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). |
| Cognition and Learning Includes pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD). |
| Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties Includes any pupils who have an emotional, social or mental health need that is impacting on their ability to learn. |
| Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties Includes pupils with hearing impairment, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical difficulties. |
Hartside Primary Academy’s ethos & approach
At Hartside Primary Academy School we believe ‘every child can make progress and succeed’ and recognise that all pupils are entitled to a quality of provision that will enable them to achieve their potential. This vision shapes all we do and helps us understand who we are as a school and why we are here. Our values (respect, kindness, empathy, grit, self-control, integrity) are the building blocks for strong foundations for lifelong learning, personal growth, development of independence and citizenship.
The vision – ‘every child can make progress and succeed’ – drives our commitment to the equal inclusion of all pupils in all areas of school life. As a school we recognise the diverse and individual needs of all of our pupils and take into account the additional support required by those children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), such as positive intervention, removing barriers to learning, raising expectations and levels of achievement and working in partnership with our pupils, parents and external agencies. Our School is committed to anti-discriminatory practice to promote equality of opportunity, prevent disabled pupils from being treated less favourably and valuing diversity for all children and families.
This SEND Information Report should be read alongside the school’s SEND Policy, Admissions arrangements, Accessibility Plan, Equalities Information & Objectives, Safeguarding Policy and Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy which can all be viewed on our Policies and Procedures page.
Consultation in production of SIR and Review arrangements of SIR
At Hartside Primary Academy we ask parents to complete a questionnaire annually. Our pupils may share their views by completing ‘My Views’ independently or with a member of staff by writing or drawing. The information gathered from parents and pupils is used to improve our SIR.
Key Contacts
Mrs D. Simpson is the Headteacher and can be contacted on 01388 766686 or by emailing: hartside@hartside.org.uk
Mrs N. Clarkson is Designated Special Educational Needs Coordinator and can be contacted on 01388 766686 or by emailing: hartside@hartside.org.uk
Beth Hodgson is our designated SEND Governor and can be contacted on 01388 766686 or by emailing: hartside@hartside.org.uk
If you would like to discuss your child’s SEN in more detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.
The full range of local support available for children/ young people with SEND and their families within and outside of school can be found in the County Durham Local Offer
