Inclusion
Inclusion at Cottesmore St Mary
Every child at Cottesmore St Mary, with all their individual needs and gifts, is seen as a unique gift from God. Everyone at the school is committed to meeting the pastoral, social and academic needs of each child and it is seen as part of the Catholic life of the school community. Children with Additional Educational Needs are valued, respected and entitled to develop to their full potential. We strive to identify children with Additional Educational Needs as soon as possible so that we can make learning a happy and successful experience. We believe that support is likely to be more effective if both pupils and parents are involved and hold regular meetings and forums with families. We are also fortunate to have access to a range of specialist staff, who are able to support children learning and pastorally, meeting a range of needs.
Cottesmore St Mary is a mainstream primary school and welcomes children with SEND in one or more of the following areas:
• Communication and Interaction
eg: speech, language and communication needs (SCLN); Autistic Spectrum Condition
• Cognition and Learning
e.g.: specific learning difficulties (SpLD) dyslexia; moderate learning difficulties, global developmental delay
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH)
eg: attentional or hyperactivity difficulties, low mood/anxiety/depression, attachment disorders.
• Sensory and/or Physical Needs:
eg: visual impairment (VI); hearing impairment (HI), developmental coordination disorder, sensory needs.
*Please note our building is not currently accessible to children with severe mobility difficulties or who are wheelchair users*
• Medical needs:
We follow the statutory guidance on supporting pupils at school with medical conditions.
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Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy
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SEND Information Report 2025-2026
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Equalities information
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Waves of Provision at Cottesmore St Mary
A graduated approach: All pupils will be provided with high quality teaching, sometimes referred to as Quality First Teaching (QFT), that is differentiated to meet the diverse needs of all learners.
There are 3 stages known as ‘waves’ that outline the provision that we provide for our pupils.
Brighton & Hove has published its Local Offer to tell you what services are available for children or young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and/or a disability. The Local Offer covers health, education, social care and the voluntary sector.
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities
Waves of Provision at Cottesmore
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Keeping you informed
Inclusion Lead: Mrs Anna Mullans
annamullans@cottesmore.brighton-hove.sch.uk
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Designated teacher for Children in Care (CiC) and children Previously in Care (PiC)
We value the partnership between school and the families of the children we work with. We work closely with pupils, parents, carers and families. We will always take time to listen to concerns. We put the child at the centre of our work and consider this when planning ways forward. We use Provision maps, which are documents that detail the additional provision your child will receive. We use our assessments and knowledge of each child to create an individual plan.
We welcome families into school to discuss any questions or concerns about your child’s progress. Please speak to your child’s teacher to arrange a suitable time. If you would like to meet with our Inclusion Coordinator, Mrs Anna Mullans please contact the office or email: annamullans@cottesmore.brighton-hove.sch.uk
Advice for parents
AMAZE
Amaze gives information, advice and support to parents of children with special needs and disabilities in Brighton & Hove. They work to empower parents to help their children live fully socially included lives.
Click the image to link to the AMAZE website.
Child and family wellbeing support
Family service directory
Information about Young Carers
Support for Mental Health and wellbeing
Family support
Cost of Living Support
Disability Form
Positive parenting talks
Support & Resources in Brighton
Supporting children with English as an Additional Language
Brighton and Hove is a rich and culturally diverse city and we are enriched by the many families in our school community for whom English is an Additional Language. We are able to support any child learning the English language through the way we teach and with one to one programmes and small group interventions. We celebrate the languages spoken and all diversity in our school through celebration assemblies and class work. We access support from Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) and provide children with direct, specialist teaching as well as Bilingual Language support and family liaison.
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