The Thanet Inclusion Support Service (TISS) include Specialist Teachers and Outreach from Special Schools. TISS provides advice and training to support settings and schools in improving the outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. TISS is responsive and flexible to local needs through the opportunities for discussion and the decision making at the Local Inclusion Forum Team meetings (LIFT). 

Our vision is to:

• raise standards
• close attainment gaps and improve children’s progress
• prevent exclusion
• build Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) capacity in Early Years (EY) settings and schools
• reduce the need for statutory assessment and Education, Health and Care Plans
• Ensure full access to learning for all the children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in our EY settings and schools

For Further information and referral forms please visit the STLS page on the KELSI website.

Services to Children in Early Years

Specialist Teacher Support and Early Years (EY) LIFT

TISS support for children with SEND within this age range is carried out through visits to Day Nurseries and Pre-school provisions. Referrals are received via the EY Local Inclusion Forum Team (LIFT) Meeting .

Requests for intervention are made via the EY LIFT Meetings that are held every two weeks. Each setting has been allocated to an EY LIFT group which meets termly. The EY LIFT will allocate appropriate support.

Early Years Network

We also host the Thanet Early Years Network which gives SEND Leads in Early Years Settings the opportunity to share best practice, network and receive relevant information.

The Clerk to the Network is Mrs Claire Grant who can be contacted on claire.grant@lgs.kent.sch.uk or by telephone on 01843 572733.

TISS Services to Schools 

Specialist Teacher Support and Schools' LIFT

The main route for schools to access SEND support is the District LIFT meetings. Support at the LIFT meeting is provided by professionals from a range of agencies.

Schools are required to attend the LIFT meetings to discuss a range of support, including schools supporting each other and sharing good practice.

Schools' SENCo Forum

We also host the Thanet Schools SENCo Forum which provides SENCos with the opportunity to share best practice, receive talks from agencies and organisations and to network with colleagues.

The Clerk to the Forum is Mrs Claire Grant who can be contacted on claire.grant@lgs.kent.sch.uk or by telephone on 01843 572733.

Specialist Training

TISS provide a consistent and equitable core training offer to pre-school settings and schools covering:

• Support and advice to schools and settings with regard to individual children and young people
• Training packages that arise from LIFT recommendations
• STLS core training, open to all schools and settings, to support the universal level
• Training at a targeted or personalised level
• Bespoke training for schools and settings
• Training provided with national framework

Our training courses and workshops cover a whole host of need types and supportive techniques that will enable you to deliver a high quality, inclusive education to children and young people.

Our training options also support the delivery of schools’ and settings’ strategic aims and the wider county and national inclusion agenda and offer a high quality, cost-effective option to enhance schools’ and settings’ staff development programmes.

All training courses and workshops are delivered by a team of skilled and experienced Specialist Teachers and education professionals at our purpose-built training facility at Laleham Gap School and are accompanied by high quality resources.  Our core programme delivered here at the TISS Centre.

We also offer bespoke training, delivered on-site at your school or setting, if a more tailored approach is required.  Our bespoke offer is illustrative, therefore, if you would like training in areas that are not detailed, please contact us to discuss your requirements. Schools and settings are also welcome to request bespoke delivery of any of our core training options from our brochure if a whole-class or whole-school approach is required.