Special Educational Needs and Disability

Our Vision

At Hove Park we’re passionate about creating a school where everyone feels welcome, supported, and able to achieve. A school is more than just a place where students come to learn. It is a place where a community develops and thrives. Whether it is in the classroom learning, on the sports field competing, or on the stage performing, we know that success comes from us all working together. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment that empowers students with special educational needs and disabilities to reach their full potential. We know that every student learns in their own way, so we focus on understanding a wide range of special educational needs and making sure that adaptive learning is central to every lesson. It’s not just about adding extras but about making sure everyone’s needs are met through teaching that adapts to each individual.

Support for Learning

At Hove Park, we believe that all young people deserve to feel included, listened to, and happy in their learning, regardless of their special educational needs or disability. Our SEND support isn’t about just adding extras, but ensuring all students’ needs are met in lessons through quality first and adaptive teaching.

Our SEND Team also offers a range of support and interventions to help students access the curriculum, including:


  • Literacy and numeracy interventions;
  • Emotional regulation work;
  • Social communication skills;
  • Programs such as Just Right, which help students to notice and manage different zones of emotional regulation.


Right Support, Right Place, Right Time

At Hove Park, we aim to provide the right support for students’ needs at every stage of their journey through school, developing resilience, supporting independence, and enabling pupils with skills for life.

There is a significant and growing demand for SEND support across the country, and like many other schools, we face challenges in meeting needs with limited resources. This means we think very carefully about how support is allocated, using a range of assessment data, prior attainment information, and professional advice. We work through cycles of planning, implementation, and review to monitor the impact of our support and ensure it meets the evolving needs of our students.

During the Year 6 to Year 7 transition, we work with your child’s school to learn more about them and how they learn best. If they already have an identified SEND need, we will continue to support your child at Hove Park. All students joining us with SEND and additional needs will take part in initial nurture groups and enhanced transition programmes in the Autumn term to ensure they feel confident and supported as they begin secondary school.

As students progress, we adapt our support to meet their changing needs. In Year 8, we provide guidance and support to help them prepare for choosing GCSE subjects. As students move to Year 9, we provide additional opportunities for SEND pupils to get to know the Nevill Campus, ensuring they feel comfortable and confident for the next stage of their education at Hove Park.

Throughout Years 9, 10, and 11, we provide study support and targeted intervention opportunities, helping students make progress and positively engage in school life.

In Years 10 and 11, we assess students for access arrangements in external exams to enable students with special educational needs, disabilities, or temporary injuries to take GCSEs with appropriate adjustments in place. We also offer additional interventions as needed to help SEND students prepare for their GCSE exams.

SEND pupils are prioritised for careers advice, receiving tailored guidance to explore their next steps into work, college, or further education.

Working in Partnership

We also work closely with BHISS and other agencies including the Educational Psychology Service, the Social Emotional Mental Health Support Team, specialist teachers for Autism, Visual Impairments, sensory needs, speech and language, and The Schools Mental Health Team. By working collaboratively, we ensure our students benefit from the expertise and resources of external professionals.

Cullum Centre

The Cullum Centre is Hove Park School’s onsite specialist resourced provision; designed to help students on the autism spectrum get the support they need to thrive in a mainstream school setting. The Centres’ role is to give each student specialist and individual support to help them become a full member of their school community – learning, socialising and taking responsibility alongside all the other students.

Brighton and Hove LA have commissioned 22 placements at the Cullum Centre in Y7-Y11 and 8 placements in Y12. Places are offered to students who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) with a primary diagnosis of autism and are allocated by Brighton and Hove LA after consideration by a multi-professional team.

For further information please see Cullum Centre | Hove Park School or contact Caitlin McGinley cmcginley@hovepark.org.uk (Head of Cullum Centre)

Policy and Information

You can find our current SEND policy on our policies page.

Find out more about how SEND works at Hove Park in our SEND Information Report.

SEND / Cullum Centre Leadership

SENCo  - Mrs Pinney
Head of Cullum Centre  - Mrs Mcginley

Get in Touch

If you would like more information about our SEND Department, or if you have any concerns about your child’s learning journey, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Contact Information

Email: SENDManagement@hovepark.org.uk


We aim to respond to enquiries within 48 hours during term time. Please note, emails will not be regularly monitored in school holidays.