Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The S.E.N. department plays a central role in the school, monitoring all pupils’ progress through the student monitoring system. The department oversees the implementation of this procedure and aims to ensure that each child has the opportunity to develop his/her full potential.

Our class teachers are able to accommodate for a wide range of academic ability, through differentiation of the curriculum within each classroom. Following the current trend of many countries, our school aims to extend the level of support offered within the classroom, to encompass the inclusion of a number of pupils with special needs. One of the roles of the department is the guidance of class teachers in the identification of pupils with additional educational needs and the creation and implementation of specific programmes (Individual/Group Educational Plan) to support these needs. Referral to SEN is through a variety of methods, typically by the referral of classroom teachers.

Assistive Technology

A number of our S.E.N. pupils have access to his/her own personal laptop, to provide additional, continuous support to their classroom learning. The criteria for using a personal laptop within the classroom, is at present restricted to pupils with a recommendation from an external educational psychologist.

Assessment and Testing

A variety of standardised digital tests are administered to the children on an annual basis. Our school has an established testing/screening programme, which follows the guidelines agreed upon by all the D.I.P. schools in the Netherlands. The Annual Test Calendar gives an overview of the school’s testing/screening programme. All tests are standardised to British norms.

External Support Services

UWCM Primary is able to call upon a local Dutch external educational support service  for advice.  This service is available to guide the school staff in both educational and school organisational areas and to provide support in meeting the needs of individual pupils.

Speech Therapy

Our school has access to an English speaking speech therapist who visits the school on a regular basis. Children may be referred to her, with parental consent, for a free assessment. Parents will be informed of the outcome and any necessity for further treatment. Treatment is available through an English speaking therapist in a local private practice. Parents involved will be asked to cover the costs of the treatment, if speech therapy is not covered by their own health insurance. Unfortunately we are not able to cater for children with linguistic developmental disabilities. 

School physician

The Dutch school physician from the GGD (Gemeentelijke Geneeskundige Dienst) will examine the children twice during their primary school career (at the age of 5 and 10/11) . Parents of children in
Year 1 will receive an invitation from the GGD for a (free of charge) preventive health examination. This examination is mainly focused on monitoring the child’s rate of growth, hearing, eye sight and general development. A similar examination takes place at the end of a child’s primary education. The records of all children examined by the GGD are carefully stored in a file by the GGD and the information is protected by the Privacy Act (Wet Persoonsregistratie).

Although only a selected number of children are invited for a medical examination during their stay at the UWCM Primary, all parents can be referred to the GGD for information about their child’s development.  The GGD’s office is located next to the MECC (Maastricht Exposition and Congress Centre) in Randwijck – Maastricht. This organisation will also take care of any inoculations the children need (should you so desire). When in doubt about your child’s health (hearing, vision, posture, growth, etc. ) it is advisable to make an appointment (free of charge ) to see the doctor.

Educational psychologist

The SEN department has contact with an Educational Psychologist, who is able to assess pupils in English at her private practice. Parents involved will be asked to cover the costs of the assessment. In some case parents are covered by their own health insurance.