Our SENCo is Mrs Cross (Assistant Headteacher)

Email: senco@inspireforest.co.uk or call the school on: 020 8777 2808​

At Forest Academy we believe that:

• All children should be equally valued, whatever their abilities or needs.

• Every child is entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum that is adapted to meet their individual learning profile.

• All teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs (SEN).

• All pupils can fulfil their potential through high-quality teaching, targeted support, and encouragement.

• Effective provision for children with SEN is strengthened through strong partnerships between parents/carers, pupils, the Local Authority, and external agencies.

We are committed to meeting the needs of every child and fostering a truly inclusive school community. There is a shared expectation that all pupils—regardless of their specific needs—receive inclusive, responsive teaching that enables them to make the best possible progress and feel valued as part of school life.

As a flagship Inclusion Quality Mark school, Forest Academy provides a wide range of support for pupils with needs relating to:

• Communication and interaction

• Cognition and learning

• Social, emotional and mental health

• Sensory and/or physical needs

Support is always tailored to the individual and based on robust assessment, both internally and in collaboration with specialist professionals. Our aim is to help pupils develop independence, confidence, and resilience—not to remove challenges, but to equip them to meet them.

Many children will experience additional needs at some point during their time in school. These may be short-term or ongoing and may relate to academic, emotional, physical, or social development. Some pupils may have diagnosed learning difficulties or Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice (2014).

The class teacher plays a central role in identifying and addressing any additional needs, supported by our experienced SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator). Most children with SEND will be supported within the classroom through differentiated teaching, small group work, and individualised targets—reviewed regularly to ensure progress is sustained.

We work in close partnership with families and maintain open, consistent communication to ensure that provision is joined-up, transparent, and rooted in shared goals.

As a Croydon school, we follow the borough’s local offer and work closely with the Local Authority to ensure that our approach aligns with borough-wide expectations. Our aim is simple: to ensure that all pupils, regardless of need, make meaningful progress and feel a true sense of belonging at Forest Academy.

We are proud to be a fully inclusive school that welcomes, celebrates and supports diversity in all its forms.

Croydon Locality SEND Support

For more information on Croydon’s Local offer, CLICK HERE.  

Forest Academy is proud to be part of Croydon Council’s Locality SEND Support initiative, which aims to strengthen early intervention and targeted support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who live in Croydon.

As part of a local cluster of schools—from nursery through to Year 11—we work collaboratively to access advice, resources, and specialist input that allow us to respond quickly and effectively when a child begins to show additional needs that cannot be met through our school’s existing SEND provision.

This joined-up approach allows us to:

• Access school-to-school support and professional advice without delay

• Refer children to specialist services where needed

• Apply for early years SEN funding (SENIF) or Locality funding for older pupils

• Implement timely interventions to prevent children from falling behind

By sharing resources across our cluster, we can direct support to the children who need it most—efficiently and without unnecessary bureaucracy. If, after this early support, it is agreed that a child may benefit from an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the locality group works together to ensure that a well-evidenced application is submitted swiftly, including input from relevant professionals.

This initiative does not affect children who already have an EHCP, attend Enhanced Learning Provision (ELP), or are placed in special schools. It is specifically aimed at Croydon-resident pupils who are beginning to show emerging needs.

As always, parents and carers are central to every decision we make. We will involve you from the start and review your child’s support regularly to ensure it is appropriate and effective.

If you would like to learn more about Croydon Locality SEND Support and how it works at Forest Academy, please contact our SENDCo. We will be happy to talk you through the process and answer any questions you may have.