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TDJS has a specialist MLD (Moderate Learning Difficulties) provision within the school.  We have 16 spaces for children with special educational needs or disabilities and pupils who attend our provision have a primary need of moderate learning difficulties and/or speech and language difficulties. 

All children in the centre provision have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and children who have a ‘specialist provision within a mainstream school’ in Section I of their EHCP may be suitable for a space within this setting. In order to be placed at TDJS MLD Centre, your case worker at the local authority would liaise with the admissions team at Surrey who may send us a consultation.

The children within the centre are usually working at least two years below their chronological age at the start of year 3 (approximately Reception to Year 1 level).

The purpose of the centre is to ensure that children are given the chance to reach their potential at a level suitable for their needs, develop life skills, gain independence and grow their self-advocacy skills. 

The children access a high level of quality instruction through specialised teaching within their class in the centre. This has a higher ratio of adults: children than the mainstream classrooms and offers a flexible, bespoke approach to learning that suits the levels of our learners

The timetable in the morning mirrors that of the mainstream and the children access phonics tuition, writing, reading and maths. This is taught in a way that better-supports their needs and includes the use of Makaton, colourful semantics and multi-sensory approaches to learning.  This helps to create memorable moments for the pupils thereby promoting their speech and readiness to learn. 

All pupils work in small groups, led by a specialist SEND teacher and supported by adults.  Input is given to the children as a class and then children’s learning is scaffolded and adapted depending on their specific needs. They would be supported in a small group by a member of the centre team following the class input.

In the afternoons, there is a flexible and individualised approach to the children joining their mainstream classes. For some children, they may access the majority of their learning in the mainstream in the afternoons. For others, they may build up to this slowly and for some children, they may go into the mainstream for accessible subjects such as music, art and PE.  The children have adult support in the afternoons and this may also include children from the mainstream. This helps to develop the children’s integration within the mainstream class and also helps develop the children’s confidence, conversation and social skills

Each morning, before lunch, the children participate in a pre-teaching session to enable them to access the learning in the mainstream inclusion lesson. This will help to consolidate prior learning and expose children to subject-specific vocabulary.  These lessons may also be differentiated so that they are more accessible to the pupils.

If a child needs additional support, we have access to advice from outside agencies.  Some of the outside agencies that we work with include Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and the Physical and Sensory Support Service.  We also have a Speech and Language Therapist and assistant who work with us on a weekly basis.

There is also more information about Surrey's Local Offer, the online hub for 0-25-year olds with special educational needs or a disability, on their website.  Please click on the website link here www.surreylocaloffer.org.uk

Admissions Policy 

Applications for children seeking a place at our Specialist Centre Provision need to have a specialist provision listed in section I of their EHCP. Applications go through the children’s local authority case worker and are not dealt with by the school’s admissions team. 

Following a consultation with the Local Authority, any applications will be considered by the school and the case officer will notify parents of the outcome.  The provision in the specialist centre is personalised and is not available to children experiencing difficulties in the mainstream setting, although resources and expertise are shared.

Admission Criteria for the MLD Provision (Specialist Centre)

The Centre can admit 16 pupils aged between Year 3 and Year 6.  This equates to approximately 4 pupils in each year group and we generally take on 4 new pupils each September in Year 3.  Further assessments of each pupil's needs are conducted; therefore, the admission criteria are broad rather than prescriptive.

Pupils already present with:

• Globally delayed development (usually around 2 years delayed at Year 3)
• Commensurate or greater delay in language development.
• Difficulties in self-help and motor skills.

The Centre does not specifically provide for pupils with autism, although it is recognised that pupils admitted may have an impairment of social or communication skills at the mild end of the autistic continuum.  The staff in the MLD provision at TDJS use strategies that are helpful to such pupils but the centre may not be a suitable provision for those who have a primary diagnosis of ASD.

Prospective Parents                 

We are able to offer tours of our centre to prospective parents, please email the school office if you would be interested in attending a tour. Please refer to our Key Documents page for the latest SEND policies.