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Supporting Children in Kent with Special Educational Needs and Disability

Specialist Teaching And Learning Service (STLS)

Valence School is home to the Specialist Teaching and Learning Service (STLS) team for Sevenoaks District and the County teams for Sensory Service and Physical Disability.  

The STLS provides advice and training to support settings and schools in improving the outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The STLS is responsive and flexible to local needs through the opportunities for discussion and the decision making at the Local Inclusion Forum Team meetings. Specialist assessment for children and young people can be provided and interventions modelled at the targeted and individualised levels of support.

The Service:                                                                                                 

  • Deploys staff on the basis of ongoing proactive needs analysis to provide high quality, highly specialist advice information, intervention and support for children and young people with SEND across a range of educational settings to ensure inclusive practice at an individual, group or systemic level.
  • Works to support integrated multi-agencies approaches and processes.
  • Works to promote the independence, resilience and well being of children and young people with SEND.
  • Supports integrated service delivery for children and young people 0-19 with SEND in collaboration with Special Schools and other locality special provision.
  • Works to ensure full access to the learning environment, curriculum and information for children and young people with SEND, challenging inequalities in line with the Equality Act (2010).