Inclusion & Diversity
St. John’s is proud to be an educationally inclusive school. The achievement, well-being and perspective of every person in the school matters and this is made evident in our vision and ethos.
Our school is a rich, diverse community where everyone, no matter what their background or ability, is encouraged to look to the horizon for the possibilities of what can be achieved, both for themselves and those around them. In a safe, empathic learning environment we offer the best possible education, support and guidance we can, to every child in our care.
We are a school for all of Bristol.
Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND)
Our philosophy is one of inclusion and we warmly welcome children to our school who might need extra support with their learning.
We aspire to have all children working and learning together and achieve this through the exceptional skill of our staff. By allowing our children to individually adapt and personally learn, everyone has an opportunity to access and articulate the full curriculum, in the same environment.
We understand there are times when children’s needs are greater and they may require additional support in the classroom, and occasionally there may be times when children have very specific needs, and programmes take place out of the classroom.
During their school career children may also need extra support with learning, friendships, or with expressing themselves and managing their emotions. They may have a visual impairment, a hearing impairment or difficulty with physical mobility. At St. John’s we are committed to including everyone, working together with you and your child to support your child’s needs, and in doing so enhancing both our school and local community.
What is the Local Offer?
Bristol Local Authority has a duty to provide a ‘Local Offer‘ which provides detailed information about the support available for children with SEND in Bristol.
What can St. John’s Primary School offer your child if s/he has Special Needs?
At St. John’s CE Primary School, we embrace the fact that every child is different and, therefore, the educational needs of every child are different. We aim to be a fully inclusive school that provides an appropriate and high-quality education for all children, including those identified as having ‘special educational needs or disabilities’. We follow a graduated approach to support children at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way depending on their need, whether it’s for academic, social or emotional support.
Please click on the Graduated Approach Pyramid for further information.
If you have any questions about your child’s progress you are always welcome to discuss this with your child’s class teacher in the first instance.
You can also speak to our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinators (SENDCos):
Mr Tony Weir (Lower Redland Road) and Miss Lizzy Coombes Huntley (Worrall Road) via 0117 353 2090 or sendco@stjohnsprimary.org.uk.
By sharing information and knowledge, we can develop a good understanding of your child’s strengths and differences together.
The SEND Report below answers questions that you may have about our local offer and SEND provision. Our SEND Policy, Equalities Information and the Accessibility Plan are available on our policies page.
Other useful links:
Bristol Parent Carer Forum – https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/
Bristol Parent Carer Events – https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/events/
SEND and You – https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/
FLORA (Families, Local Offer, Resources and Advice) – https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/2021/05/24/flora-bristols-send-local-offer/
National Autistic Society – https://www.autism.org.uk/
British Dyslexia Association – https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
National Deaf Children Society – https://www.ndcs.org.uk/
Bristol's Written Statement of Action April 2020
Please find below Bristol’s Written Statement of Action (WSOA), and the Ofsted/CQC approval letter, published recently.
The Written Statement of Action is Bristol City Council’s response to the Ofsted/Care Quality Commission (CQC) Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) inspection which took place in our local area at the end of last year. It is a transparent, formal framework for improving SEND provision which has been developed with a number of partners and incorporates the views of parents and carers.
Ofsted require that the Written Statement of Action must be published on local websites, so that parents, carers, children and young people can understand the actions we are taking to improve the effectiveness of the local area in identifying and meeting needs, and improving outcomes for children and young people who have SEND.
Pupil Premium
At St. John’s we believe very strongly that all children, particularly disadvantaged pupils, deserve the best possible education and we should work together to enable them all to ‘fly high like an eagle.’
Do you receive fianancial support?
Do you serve in the military?
Is your child eligible for free school meals?
Is your child a Looked After or Previously Looked After Child?
If the answer to any of these questions is YES then the school may receive an additional grant designed to help disadvantaged pupils in all areas of their school life.
We have high expectations for every child and understand that our children are individuals with a range of needs, both in terms of learning but also socially and emotionally. We aim to harness the opportunities given to us through the pupil premium grant to ensure teaching is excellent and that additional support and interventions are of high quality and high impact.
We strive to eliminate inequalities and have a ‘can do’ approach towards all we do with our children and families. The senior leadership team support staff to believe in the potential and ability of all our children and are dedicated to giving our learners every opportunity to do their best.
If you have any questions about pupil premium you are always welcome to discuss this with your child’s class teacher or the pupil premium leads Ali Vining or Laura Swithinbank, alternatively the school office can help. If you think you might be eligible for the pupil premium grant and free school meals, more information can also be found on the Bristol City Council website which includes a link to the online application process.
Please consider applying as this additional funding can make a real difference to your child and others in the school
Our Pupil Premium Strategy Reports below outline how our school spends this funding.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
At St. John’s we welcome students from all over the world into our school and we are proud to have a number of pupils with a range of fluency, for whom English is not their first language.
Currently approximately 15% of our children are from overseas including China, the Middle East, Europe and America. We value greatly this linguistic and cultural diversity and provide an excellent English education that offers true integration into British culture and life in the city of Bristol. We have a successful track record of enabling overseas pupils to quickly become conversant in English and make rapid progress allowing them to access the curriculum and enjoy school life.
There is a whole school approach to settling in new students, with parents and teaching staff working together to ensure cultural, linguistic and academic needs are met, and the positive contribution international children make to our local community is recognised and celebrated.
Recognising each child as a unique individual is part of what makes St. John’s such a special place. This diversity is celebrated throughout the school and children are encouraged to see bilingualism as a talent, with different cultural backgrounds playing an integral part in the community that enriches our vibrant school.
To arrange a visit or talk to us about how we can support your child, please contact the school via 0117 903 0251 or office@stjohnsprimary.org.uk