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SEND and the curriculum

One in five children at Lincoln Carlton Academy have a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) and these needs are wide and varied.

The SEND offer at LCA has five tiers of support.

Tier 1: Quality First Teaching

Teachers are highly skilled in adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of each child in their class in the everyday classroom environment. This will include some of the following adaptions:

  • Flexible groupings.
  • Adapted tasks.
  • Bespoke learning objectives and success criteria.
  • Individual adult support.
  • Additional scaffolds and models.

Tier 2: Additional intervention linked to SEND profile targets

  • Bespoke visual scaffolds – e.g. colour coded simplified word/sound banks with images.
  • Bespoke visual timetables – at the table (Now, next and then).
  • Additional assessments: SNAP, Salford reading age test, WellComm, speech sound check, strengths and difficulties questionnaire, Boxall profile.
  • Reasonable adjustments to the environment e.g. seating plans, access to work station, safe space within the classroom, use of fiddles.
  • Ergonomic writing supports such as pencil grips, triangle pencils or pens.
  • Universal support from behaviour consultant, school-based occupational therapist.
  • Use of coloured overlays/coloured paper.
  • Some access to ICT support such as laptop and Clicker.

Tier 3: Specialist intervention linked to SEND profile targets

  • Risk assessment and strategy plan (for Social, Emotional and Mental Health or social communication needs).
  • Individual evidence-based interventions such as Little Wandle Rapid Catch-Up, precision teaching, WellComm intervention, Plus 1 or Power of 2, bespoke social stories.
  • Individual intervention advised by external agency e.g. speech and language programmes, physiotherapy programme, sensory diet, handwriting without tears.
  • Individualised reasonable adjustments to the environment such as alternative seating, access to a safe space in or out of the classroom, use of fiddles, busy box or access to alternative seating during carpet time.
  • Zones of regulation approaches including provision of alternative workspaces within or outside the classroom with a range of alternative activities available.
  • Additional movement breaks or roaming during direct teaching time.
  • Involvement of external agencies or internal specialist such as: speech and language therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, behaviour consultant, working together team, educational psychologist, sensory education service, specialist teaching team. Regular use of alternative recording opportunities such as use of laptop, clicker, scribes and readers for assessments.

Tier 4: Children with an EHCP

  • Enhanced adult support (ratios and timings will vary depending on content of EHCP).
  • Bespoke curriculum/timetable. This may include individual now/next visuals, videos/visuals to support micro transitions.
  • Access to alternative environments for some targeted lessons or as break out for brain breaks, sensory breaks or enhanced provision.
  • Total communication approaches – use of visuals (Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Makaton or symbols grids, signing (Makaton or British Sign Language), communication iPads.
  • Specialist small group or individual programmes such as attention autism, sensory group.
  • Bespoke sensory diet, sensory circuits as advised at the specialist tier of OT support.
  • Zones of regulation approaches with enhanced adult support to provide nurture based approaches such as emotion coaching, social commentary, individual 5 point scale. Use of individualised programmes/alternative recording tools as advised by external agencies – children may have access to an individual laptop or iPad.

Tier 5: Children with an EHCP where needs are varied and complex

  • Enhanced adult support (ratios and timings will vary depending on content of EHCP). At this tier the enhanced adult support is likely to be at a significant or profound level.
  • Bespoke curriculum – individual trackers used to track progress, curriculum based on life skills and communication as well as basic skills or in some cases pupils will be working on the engagement model.
  • Access to alternative environments within school may be appropriate for a significant proportion of the school day. i.e. Nurture suite/Explorers room.


You can find more information about how we support children with SEND at our school on the SEND and inclusion page of his website.