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SEND

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Welcome to Vigo's Special Educational Needs page. On this page you will find various links to advice pages, support services and other resources which you might find helpful. 

We have a very experienced SEND team at Vigo, all of whom work hard to support and nurture the children to have a positive learning experience. 

Third Party Professional testimonials: 

"I can never thank you guys for everything that you have done for ******* and continue to do. Vigo is an amazing school and additional needs never seems to stop you guys supporting and encouraging students to be part of school life."

"I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to you all. Since our child joined Vigo, we have been absolutely blown away by the school’s fantastic culture and ethos. As a mother of five, including one child with complex SEN needs, I have experienced a wide range of schools and, unfortunately, have seen first-hand the devastating consequences when things aren’t done well. Because of this, I believe it is essential to recognise and celebrate when a school gets it right — and Vigo truly does.

It has been such a gift to become part of the Vigo family. The Year R team — and in particular Miss Newham — have been incredible: supportive, kind, understanding, and non-judgemental. The level of SEND knowledge, inclusion, and genuine expertise within the team is abundantly clear. Every child is recognised as an individual, and support is thoughtfully tailored to their needs. It is a joy to watch the interactions between staff and children, and knowing that my child is safe and happy is priceless.

Every member of staff I have met exudes the same sparkle, energy, and warmth — and each one knows my child.

I truly believe that if all schools operated the way Vigo does, many of the challenges currently affecting the country — such as the attendance crisis and shortage of special school places — would improve significantly.

Please keep doing what you are doing. In our eyes, you are beyond outstanding."

Meet our SEND team: 

  • Mrs S Wright - SENCO 
  • Mrs C Neale - Resourced Provision Manager (The Rainforest)
  • Miss H Croxford - Stepping Stones teacher 
  • Miss P Ive - Inclusion Lead 
  • Mrs R Renouf - Attendance Support Worker/SEN Admin
  • Mr G Kew - Assistant Headteacher and Ready to Learn Provision Lead
  • Mr W Stott - Lead Thrive Practitioner and class teacher 
  • Mrs K Parry - Child & Family Worker
  • Mrs R Dance - Mental Health Lead 
  • Ralph - School Therapy Dog 

If you would like to discuss your child, please contact our school office using adminoffice@vigo.hants.sch.uk with the name of the staff member you would like your email to be forwarded to. 

 There are four SEND areas: 

 

 

 

SEND courses available to parents 

The following courses are free and available for parents to book: 

 

SENDIASS

Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Services

Hampshire SENDIASS is an impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) that aims to make a positive and lasting difference for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers. They do this by providing timely confidential, impartial information, advice and support through our online resources, at events and workshops, via our helpline service and through individual casework.

Visit their website for further advice and support - https://www.hampshiresendiass.co.uk/ 

 

EHCPs

What is an EHCP? 

An Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) is a legal document which describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve.

The special educational provision described in the EHC plan must be provided by the child or young person’s local authority. This means an EHC plan can give a child or young person extra educational support. It can also give parents and young people more choice about which school or other setting the child or young person can attend.

An EHC plan can only be issued after a child or young person has gone through the process of an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.

EHCP Process and timeline 

The first part of the process starts with school having a meeting with parents/carers to discuss your child's additional needs and how we can work together to ensure your child receives support and is able to reach their full potential. An educational psychologist will come into school to observe your child and will then produce a report outlining key areas for development and specific areas where support is required. 

Once this is complete, school will work hard to pull together as much evidence as possible for the EHCP application. Evidence includes school assessment outcomes, reports from external agencies and attendance data alongside examples of your child's work, such as independent writing if appropriate. 

The application will be sent by school to the Local Authority who will make a decision whether an EHCP will be made for your child. They have 16 weeks to make a decision. The Local Authority will then draft a copy which will be made available to parents and school through the EHC hub online - parents have 15 days to comment, including naming a specific setting for your child. The Local Authority then has 20 weeks from the date they receive the request for assessment to provide the final EHC plan. 

You can find free weekly workshops available on the SENDIASS website which will provide information and advice about the EHCP process - https://www.hampshiresendiass.co.uk/workshops/ 

You can find further information on EHCPs here - https://fish.hants.gov.uk/kb5/hampshire/directory/advice.page?id=BW9Wl_SIIDk 

 

Autism Awareness

 

  1. Emotional landscape of support offered to our children
  2. SEN Parent Guide
  3. Special Educational Needs Policy 2025-2026
  4. SEN Information Report 2025-26