At Murrayfield Primary Academy we work hard to make sure every child has every chance to receive a good education, whatever their circumstances. In England, it is estimated that 14.6% of all pupils have a Special Educational Need (SEN). Many of these children and young people, particularly those with complex SEN needs, too often end up outside mainstream education, despite parents/carers and the children themselves having a strong preference for effective inclusion. We have a genuine commitment to inclusion for all pupils to give them every opportunity to meet their potential.

You may be aware that we worked with Suffolk County Council to open a specialist SEN unit here at Murrayfield last autumn. The unit, called Leap Pad, is led by Sarah Wright, our SEU Lead and Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing, and was created to accommodate children in lower and upper Key Stage 2 who need additional support for autism and challenges with sensory processing. It gives children an environment which is beneficial to their particular needs, and also lets them learn in smaller groups with specialist staff, which brings its own benefits.

However, this doesn’t mean they miss out on the value that being in a mainstream school provides. We make sure children are able to move fluidly between the specialist unit and the general school so they can still enjoy the benefits that being in mainstream education brings, and they spend about 40-50% of their time there.

As we are part of the Paradigm Trust we have access to more SEN resources than we would if we were operating on our own. This gives us great flexibility when it comes to providing specialist support to ensure the best possible outcome for each child. For example, our fellow Paradigm Trust school, Piper’s Vale Primary Academy in Raeburn Road also has a new SEN unit. This one supports children in Reception and Key Stage 1 who have autism and/or challenges with sensory processing. Murrayfield pupils are able to access this unit and the benefits it provides, and we can also move staff seamlessly between settings in order to provide the best outcome for our children.

If you would like to find out more about SEN provision at Murrayfield, please contact Sara Johnson on 01473 728564 to discuss it.