SEND Support
What support is available for parents:
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, we recognise that supporting a child with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) extends well beyond the school gates. To help you access the wider network of expert guidance available in our community, we have compiled a directory of external support services, local charities, and national organizations. A vital starting point for any family is our Local Authority’s Local Offer, which acts as a central hub for regional education, health, and social care services. Additionally, you will find links below to independent advocacy groups, family support networks, and specialised charities that offer confidential advice, practical toolkits, and peer-to-peer support for parents and carers.
ELSA programme - Emotional Literacy Support
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, we recognise that children learn best when they feel happy, secure and emotionally supported.
ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) is an initiative developed by Educational Psychologists. Our trained ELSA provides individual or small-group support for children who may need some additional help with their emotional wellbeing.
ELSA can support children with:
- Recognising and managing emotions
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Friendships and social skills
- Managing worries or anger
- Loss, bereavement and change
Sessions take place in our Blossom Room, providing a calm, safe and nurturing environment. Through activities such as games, talking, role-play and creative activities. Children are supported to develop strategies for managing their emotions and everyday challenges.
How does ELSA support work?
Children may be referred for ELSA support by class teachers or senior leaders, working with the SENDCo. Support is usually provided through a 6 to 8-week programme with clear, individualised aims.
ELSA is about supporting, not fixing. It provides children with a trusted adult who listens, encourages and helps them develop their own emotional skills and coping strategies.
Information for Parents
If there are circumstances that may be affecting your child's emotional wellbeing, please let us know. You can speak to your child's class teacher, our ELSA, Sharon Hirst, or our SENDCo, Sarah Whitehouse.
Drawing and Talking
We offer Drawing and Talking as part of our support for children’s emotional wellbeing. This gentle, child-centred programme provides children with a safe space to express thoughts and feelings through drawing, particularly when these may be difficult to put into words.
Regular one-to-one sessions with a trained member of staff can help children to build confidence, emotional awareness and resilience, supporting them to feel more settled and ready to learn.
Drawing and Talking can benefit children for a variety of reasons and does not require a SEND diagnosis. Where we feel a child may benefit from the programme, we will discuss this with parents/carers.
Zones of Regulation
Please read below about the 'Zones of Regulation' which we use at school and how they can be used at home.
Kirklees Local Offer: https://www.kirkleeslocaloffer.org.uk/
Kirklees Information Advice and Support Service (KIAS): https://www.kias.org.uk/
Carers UK https://www.carersuk.org/
National Autistic Society: https://www.autism.org.uk/
Autism Speaks: https://www.autismspeaks.org/
I Can Talking Point https://ican.org.uk/i-cans-talking-point/
Look UK https://www.look-uk.org/
RNIB: https://www.rnib.org.uk/
Epilepsy Society: https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/
Sensory Occupational Therapy Services for parents https://www.locala.org.uk/services/sensory-occupationaltherapy-service/information-for-parents
ADHD and You: https://www.adhdandyou.co.uk/
Action on Hearing Loss: https://rnid.org.uk/ National Deaf Children’s Society: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/
British Dyslexia Association: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
Dyslexia Action: https://dyslexiaaction.org.uk/
Mencap: https://www.mencap.org.uk