The SEND Local Offer website has all the local services to help. Find out what is on offer from Central Bedfordshire Council by clicking the link below:
Local Offer Website

​SENCO

Mrs S Harris (NASENCO)

Early Years SENCO / Assistant SENCO

Mrs R Waters

Early Help Support and Advice / Family Worker

Mrs Colomb

For more information about the curriculum for our SEND learners please contact Mrs Harris via the school office. 

Totternhoe is a fully inclusive school. We firmly believe that all children can make great individual progress and do so in a supportive happy community. Admissions are dealt with by the Local Authority (please see the admissions tab). If your child already has an EHCP, please ask your SENCO to call an interim review where we can discuss your child's needs and whether Totternhoe will be the best setting to meet those needs. 

We work closely with families and actively encourage parents and carers to come into school to meet with class teachers and Mrs Harris (SENCO) and Mrs Waters (Assistant SENCO). We hold Individual Education Plan meetings termly where SMART targets are set with you and your child.  Our open-door policy means we can meet more regularly if your child's needs are greater. It can take up to 8 weeks for a request for a referral to be actioned and your class teacher will work on this with you. 

At Totternhoe we will not tolerate any form of discrimination and actively promote to our children that everyone is different and we all learn in different ways and at different speeds. Reasonable adjustments are put in place in conjunction with parents to ensure that everyone is successful and happy at school. We will always act on concerns from pupils and/ or parents and want to work with you every step of the way. 

We are currently looking at improving our site to be more wheelchair friendly with a ramp at the front entrance to the school. 

Intervention groups 

At Totternhoe it is part of school life to sometimes be a part of a group in addition to lessons. We strive to extend, stretch and support all children's learning and development to achieve a greater depth of understanding. 
 

A letter is sent home each term informing parents/carers if their child is part of an intervention group. If you would like more detail please speak to your child's class teacher. 

SEND Parent/ Carer Drop-Ins

If you have a concern, or would just like to chat to Mrs Harris or Mrs Waters, we will be hosting half-termly drop-ins specifically for those of you with a child who has  SEND or who may have SEND. 
SEND drop-in dates will be posted on ClassDojo.

SENDIASS

SENDIASS are a free, impartial and confidential service offering young people with SEND and their families information or support around all aspects of SEND. Visit their new, independent website packed full of information which they hope is useful to young people and their families as well as professionals.  
https://cbsendiass.org/
They are now running an “Ask SENDIASS” session for young people with SEND and their families to discuss their queries and concerns with a SENDIASS officer.  This will run alongside the normal access routes into the service and they hope to get back a version of our more traditional face to face drop-ins next academic year. 
Click here for more information about the independent advisory service.

The SNAP Website can be accessed here

SNAP PCF (Special Needs Action Panel, Parent Carer Forum) is an independent, parent-led organisation for families of children and young people (0–25) with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Central Bedfordshire.

They've been championing the voices of parent carers since 2013, growing to a community of over 2,000 members. Together, they share real-life experiences, raise awareness of the challenges families face, and work with education, health, and social care services to make things better for our children and young people. They have a Partnership Agreement that sets out how they work in equal partnership with local SEND services

Additional Information

There are a number of useful information booklets that you can access here: 

Autism Bedfordshire

Please follow this link for information, services and advice from Autism Bedfordshire for parents/carers:

Autism Bedfordshire

NHS information from Bedfordshire and Luton Community Children and Young People's Health Services

Our local NHS website, serving the communities of Bedfordshire and Luton, is a wealth of helpful information and support for parents, carers, and professionals.

You can access their website here.

Neurodiversity is the many different ways people's brains work and develop. It shows that there are lots of ways that brains can work that are completely normal. These are not good or bad, they're just different. This is based on science from brain-imaging studies.

Neurodiversity is the broad range of different ways brains develop and work.

Every neurodivergent child and young people is individual. It's important to learn about your child or young person's neurodiversity. This will help you to understand them better. It will also help you to parent them.

There are things that neurodivergent children and young people can find hard. These should not take away your child's strengths and skills. Encourage and support your child so that they can succeed and thrive.  Remember, neurodivergent children and young people will grow up into neurodivergent adults.

For full information about Neurodiversity support follow the link here.

Here are some helpful links to useful pages:

A whole person approach

Helping your child with sensitivities

Jargon buster

Neurodevelopmental assessment and diagnosis process

Positives of neurodiversity

Waiting for a diagnosis

Neurodiversity online training and workshops