Our school
SEND & Inclusion
Some children need more from a school: more time, more patience, a different route to the same destination. This page explains how we approach special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and why the conversation starts before your child does.
A Named SENCO You Can Actually Reach
Our SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator, the member of staff responsible for SEND provision) is Stephen Montford, the headteacher. Email headteacher@daffodilprepschool.org.uk or call 020 4539 9737. In a school with classes of no more than 15, the person coordinating your child's support is also someone who knows your child.
We consider every application
We are an inclusive school. All applications are considered, including from children with SEND and children with an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan, the legal document setting out a child's assessed needs and the support they must receive).
The conversation comes first
Before any child joins us, we discuss their needs with you, openly and in both directions. We will ask about what helps your child and what doesn't; you should ask us whether we can genuinely provide it. Our admissions assessment exists to understand your child's current level so we can plan their provision. It is not a pass-or-fail entrance exam. We would rather have one honest conversation before entry than a difficult one afterwards.
How Small Classes and Constant Assessment Help
Identification and support are built into the school's normal rhythm, not bolted on.
No more than 15 in a class means a teacher can see, every day, how each child is actually doing, not just the loudest or the fastest.
Weekly, monthly and termly assessments, weekly literacy and numeracy quizzes, and regular one-to-one reading assessments mean a child who is struggling is noticed in weeks, not terms.
Half-termly parent–teacher meetings mean you hear about progress, and any emerging concern, six times a year and face to face, not once at a July parents' evening.
Documents and Local Support
Our SEND policy, with its version and review date, is available below and in the policy library.
For services, support and activities for children with SEND across the borough, see the Tower Hamlets Local Offer (external site).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the school accept children with SEND or an EHCP?
Yes. We consider every application, including from children with SEND or an EHCP. Before entry, we discuss your child's needs with you in detail so that both of you and we are confident the provision we can offer genuinely fits your child. That conversation is honest in both directions.
Who is the SENCO, and how do I contact them?
Our SENCO is Stephen Montford, who is also the headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead. Email headteacher@daffodilprepschool.org.uk or call 020 4539 9737 during office hours, 8.00am–4.00pm Monday to Friday. You can also raise SEND questions at any school visit. He hosts every one.
Will my child have to pass an entrance exam?
No. Our admissions assessment is not a pass-or-fail test. It exists to understand your child's current level in reading, number work and Qur'an, so their teaching and any support can be planned properly from day one. Children join us at different starting points; that is expected.
How would you spot it if my child needed extra support?
Through the same rhythm every child gets: daily attention in a class of no more than 15, weekly quizzes, one-to-one reading assessments, and termly progress reviews. If a pattern emerges, the SENCO and class teacher discuss it. Then we talk to you.
How will I be kept informed?
Parent–teacher meetings happen every half term, six times a year, so you hear how your child is doing regularly and in person. If a concern arises between meetings, we contact you; if one arises at home, contact the SENCO directly rather than waiting.
Where can I find SEND support beyond the school?
Tower Hamlets publishes its Local Offer, a directory of services, support and activities for children and young people with SEND in the borough, at localoffertowerhamlets.co.uk. We are happy to talk through how school provision and local services fit together for your child.
Start the Conversation
The right first step is simple: come in, with your child's story, and talk to the person who would coordinate their support.
Or call 020 4539 9737. Prefer to write first? Ask us anything through our enquiry form. We reply within 24 hours.