Welcome to St Clare's SEN Hub

Our Lead Practitioner is Mr Edmonds, who is supported by Miss Cordrey and Mrs Forester. 

At St Clare’s, our SEN Hub is a safe, supportive, and inclusive space designed to meet the unique needs of children with special educational needs. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, learn, and feel valued.

In the Hub, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, carefully adapting it to meet the needs of our learners. This ensures every child can access a broad and balanced curriculum through play-based, practical, and meaningful experiences.

A key focus of our work is on developing communication skills. We use a range of approaches to support this. One of these is PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), a structured method that allows children to communicate using pictures and symbols. This helps them express their needs, make choices, and engage with others, even if they are pre-verbal. You’ll often see our children using picture cards to ask for toys, join in activities, or share how they’re feeling. We also make use of core boards, which are visual communication boards that give children access to a set of keywords they can use to share their thoughts and feelings. 

In the Hub, we also use Attention "Autism" Bucket, a fun and engaging activity designed to help children develop their attention and listening skills. During Attention Bucket, children focus on small, structured tasks or short activities that capture their interest, which helps build the foundations for learning and communication. This approach is particularly valuable for pre-verbal or emerging communicators, as it encourages concentration, turn-taking, and engagement in a motivating and enjoyable way.

Alongside these strategies, we provide opportunities for sensory exploration, structured routines, and personalised support to help pupils develop their social, emotional, and learning skills. Our dedicated team works closely with each child to build confidence, encourage independence, and celebrate progress, no matter how big or small!

Our SEN Hub is not just a place of learning, it’s a community where children are understood, supported, and encouraged to shine.

Tapestry

We use Tapestry, an online learning journal, to record each child’s progress, achievements, and special moments. Through Tapestry, parents and carers can view photos, videos, and observations of their child engaging in activities and developing new skills. We encourage families to check Tapestry regularly to stay updated on their child’s learning and experiences in the SEN Hub.

ClassDojo

We use ClassDojo to share important information about the SEN Hub and school updates. Parents and carers can also use ClassDojo to get in touch with us for non-urgent messages. If a matter is urgent, we ask that it is communicated through the school office to ensure it is dealt with promptly and safely.