Hello!
My name is Mrs Smith and I am the Class 15 teacher, Assistant Head and SENDCO.
My name is Ms Fenton - Non-Teaching SENDCO.
What is a SENDCO?
We are responsible for the operation of the SEND Policy and coordination of specific provisions made to support individual children with SEND. The staff team at Monkwood Primary work hard to monitor students’ progress and where it is felt that a child may need additional support, interventions are planned and put in place. As members of the SENDCO team, we also liaise with external agencies in order to create a team behind the child.
If you have any questions - please do not hestitate to contact us through the school office.
Mrs L Smith
Assistant Headteacher & SENDCO
esmith@monkwoodprimary.org
Ms B Fenton
Non-Teaching SENDCO
bfenton@monkwoodprimary.org
The With Me in Mind team have been in school supporting and working alongside staff to strengthen the provision for the children in our care.
This half term, we have worked closely on implementing a range of Flower workshops within school as well as delivering a range of different workshops.
After the Easter break, we have organised some fabulous workshops such as Kindness, SATs and transition. We will also be hosting a transition parents workshop on 24th June at 3pm for any parents who wish to attend.
The implementation of Hamish and Milo at Monkwood Primary has been a transformative step in supporting the emotional well-being of its pupils. By integrating this structured wellbeing intervention, the school provides a dedicated space for children to explore complex emotions—such as friendship, resilience, and anxiety—through the relatable characters of Hamish and Milo. The program’s success is rooted in its nurture-led approach, which allows staff to facilitate small-group sessions that encourage open dialogue and self-reflection.
Teachers and pastoral leads have noted a significant improvement in the students' ability to articulate their feelings, leading to:
Increased emotional literacy across various year groups.
Stronger peer relationships as children learn empathy through the program’s narratives.
Reduced classroom disruptions, as students gain better self-regulation tools.
We are incredibly proud of the significant progress pupils are making across a wide range of successful interventions currently running at Monkwood.
These targeted sessions are crucial in providing tailored support where children need it most. Our interventions include the Sensory Circuit, which helps pupils regulate their senses and prepare for learning; specialised Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) interventions to boost communication skills; and focused groups designed to improve both fine motor skills (essential for writing) and gross motor skills (supporting balance and coordination).
The dedication shown by both the staff and the children has resulted in demonstrable breakthroughs, and we celebrate the fantastic steps forward and the increased confidence our pupils have achieved so far.
Our recent Book Fayre was a spectacular success, and it was wonderful to see the school buzzing with such a vibrant love for reading. From the moment the cases opened, our students displayed incredible enthusiasm, carefully browsing the shelves and discovering new stories to get lost in. We are delighted to share that thanks to your amazing support, we achieved fantastic sales, which in turn has earned the school a significant amount of scholastic rewards to spend on brand-new books for our classrooms and library. It was heartening to see so many children excited to take home a new adventure, and we are so grateful to the parents and carers who visited and helped make this event such a "bestseller."
We are maintaining an ongoing drive to push maths achievement forward across the school, focusing specifically on securing quick recall of timestables facts. A key component of this initiative is our hugely successful weekly TT Rockstars battle, which inspires healthy competition and commitment to practicing times tables. We are particularly proud of our wonderful Year 4 children who are currently leading the way, setting a brilliant example with their enthusiasm and dedication, and often topping the leaderboards. Keep being amazing everyone!
It has been a busy and exciting time for our learners as they ventured beyond the classroom to bring their studies to life! Year 5 stepped back in time during their visit to Kelham Island, where they immersed themselves in Sheffield's industrial heritage, while Year 3 enjoyed a wild adventure at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, getting up close with incredible species from around the globe. Across both trips, our staff were incredibly proud to see every child consistently demonstrating The Monkwood Way. From showing deep respect to the museum curators to displaying wonderful kindness and curiosity at the park, our pupils were true role models for our school. Their impeccable behavior and polite manners were noted by members of the public, proving that Monkwood students are exemplary ambassadors for our community wherever they go.
Our recent Easter Craft sessions were a wonderful highlight of the term, bringing a fantastic sense of community and creativity into the heart of the school. It was a joy to see so many parents and carers working side-by-side with their children, diving into a sea of glitter, card, and glue to create some truly "egg-ceptional" masterpieces. These sessions provided a valuable, relaxed space for families to connect with the school environment and with one another, fostering a warm atmosphere of shared learning and fun. The pride on the children's faces as they showed off their handmade decorations was a testament to the success of the event, proving once again that some of the best memories are made when we create together.
We are incredibly proud to celebrate the roaring success of our recent Safari Hunt, organised by our fantastic POPs team.
Pupils from across the school channelled their inner explorers, embarking on a thrilling adventure that combined outdoor fun with a truly heart-warming cause.
Thanks to the staggering generosity and enthusiasm of our school community, we are thrilled to announce that the event raised over £2,700 for the Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity. This phenomenal contribution will go directly toward supporting the life-changing work the hospital does for children across our region.
Seeing our students engage so passionately with such a worthy cause was a highlight of the term, proving that when we work together as a team, we can achieve something truly extraordinary!
We are absolutely delighted to unveil our newly improved Sensory Room, which has undergone a fantastic transformation to better serve pupils across the entire school. This revitalised space now offers an even more immersive and calming environment, featuring upgraded tactile equipment and soothing visual displays designed to support emotional regulation and sensory exploration. It has quickly become a vital "hub of calm," providing students with a dedicated place to decompress, refocus, and recharge whenever they need it most.
We would like to give a huge shout out to Miss Dyson for all of her incredible hard work, vision, and dedication in creating a fantastic environment. Her commitment to creating a high-quality, inclusive resource has already made a world of difference to the wellbeing of our children.
We are delighted to share the fantastic success of our recent SEND reviews, which have highlighted the incredible progress our children are making through their bespoke learning pathways.
These sessions have been more than just progress updates; they have served as a vital opportunity for us to collaborate closely with parents and carers, ensuring that the support we provide in school perfectly aligns with the experiences and aspirations you have for your children at home. By sharing detailed insights into classroom strategies and individual milestones, we’ve been able to refine our approach to ensure every child feels empowered to succeed.
We truly value the open dialogue and partnership with our families, as your input is the key ingredient in making our SEND provision as inclusive and effective as possible.
Here are some links and resources to help support children with SEND/SEMH.
Useful Links
The Worry Tree App- Worry Tree helps you to take control of your worries, transform your thoughts and feel better using CBT techniques and sensory practices.
Chill Panda - Something new I have found to support anxiety, worries, and calming strategies. May be a good one to support some of the children to develop strategies. Available on GooglePlay and AppStore.
Worry Monsters - these are recommended by psychologists and teachers to act as a 'waste bin' for fears, troubles and woes that children don't always talk about
Rotherham SENDIASS stands for Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service
Autism Information and Advice Service - 01709 336404
You must have an Autism diagnosis, or have been accepted on to the Autism Pathway to attend the Autism training courses (not Teenlife - need diagnosis)
Chat n Chill Youth Club - 01709 559805 or email georgina@kimberworthpark.org
Tumbi/Elephants Instep Youth Club - Tumbi 8-12yrs and Elephants 13+ based at Dalton Youth Club once a month. For more information, please contact: claire.haddon@rotherham.gov.uk