SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY
All children have skills, talents and abilities and as a school we have a responsibility to develop these to the full. We believe that:
• All children are entitled to a relevant and worthwhile education designed to enable pupils to participate fully in society and to contribute to and benefit from it.
• Pupils who have special educational needs should be supported wherever necessary to achieve full access to the whole-school curriculum. This will need to be facilitated through a range of access technologies including skilled staff, specialist equipment and resources.
• Pupils should have special programmes designed to maximise opportunities for independent living in preparation for life after school, including preparation for work or continuing education.
With regard to these beliefs, the following document outlines the provision the school endeavours to achieve.
THE MANAGEMENT OF SEN
The SEN Co-ordinator has the responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the SEN policy.
The SEN Co-ordinator will:
• Maintain and monitor the school’s Special Needs Register and all the required documentation.
• Keep records on pupils who have special educational needs and ensure their progress is regularly monitored and reviewed.
• Liaise with teachers, parents and external agencies.
• Ensure annual reviews for statemented pupils are completed.
• Organise meetings as appropriate with designated teachers at regular intervals in respect of special needs issues.
• Regularly review and monitor SEN provision within the school.
• Take part in formal meetings with external agencies regarding individual pupils to be assessed.
• Liaise with the Literacy and numeracy Co-ordinators and class teachers to ensure the needs of pupils with special educational needs are met throughout all subjects of the National Curriculum.
• In line with the school’s professional development policy/programme, provide access to in-service training to meet the needs of the school and individual members of staff.
• Liaise with the designated SEN Governor, where appropriate.
• Contribute to the Governor’s Reports.
• Although individual class teachers organise the running of provision for pupils in their class with special educational needs, including general class, small group and individual pupil support, the SENCO is available for advice.
• Likewise, although individual class teachers organise and manage the work of any Learning Support Assistants in their class, the SENCO is available for advice.
ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS
The school has its own admission policy and has no special provision under admission arrangements for limiting or promoting access for pupils with special needs who are without statements. It does, however, endeavour to provide appropriate support for pupils with a range of special educational needs.
ACCESS FOR THE DISABLED
The school has full access for disabled pupils.
ANALYSIS OF BEST VALUE
The SENCO and the school management team use both quantative and qualitive analysis in the evaluation of SEN provision. The following criteria may be used to establish best value:
• Pupils on the SEN register having made varying degrees of progress according to staff records.
• Annual reading, spelling and diagnostic assessments demonstrate an individual’s progress.
• Optional end of year tests also give an indication of progress.
• By lesson observation feedback to assess suitability of curriculum materials, delivery and use of support allocated for pupils with special educational needs.
• Monitoring of SEN provision via a range of proformas to gather information on pupils, staffing and systems in place.
FUTURE PLANNING
Future planning on SEN takes place in accordance with:
• Ongoing evaluation of best value.
• Annual SEN budget allowance.
• Ongoing LEA and government directives.
IDENTIFICATION, ASSESSMENT, RECORD-KEEPING AND REVIEW
As part of our individual school policy, we have introduced Child Friendly IEPs. We have a Differentiation/Concerns Register to precede the SEN Register, as well as a Medical/Awareness Register. Please see Appendix 1.
School Action
Identification
The identification would be with regard to the information as outlined in the Code of Practice: ‘The triggers for intervention through School Action could be the teachers or others concern, underpinned by evidence, about a child who despite receiving differentiated learning opportunities:
• Makes little or no progress even when teaching approaches are targeted particularly in a child’s identified areas of weakness.
• Shows signs of difficulty in developing literacy or mathematics skills, which result in poor attainment in some curriculum areas.
• Presents persistent emotional or behavioural difficulties, which are not ameliorated by the behaviour management techniques usually employed in the school.
• Has sensory or physical problems, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of specialist equipment.
• Has communication and/or interaction difficulties and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of a differentiated curriculum.
The gathering of information in respect of identifying the pupil’s special educational needs may be via:
1. Liaison with teachers.
2. Liaison with pre-school provision.
3. Liaison with parents by school parents’ meetings and individual contact: school-parent/ parent-school.
4. Liaison with external agencies where pupils may have been known to their service.
Assessment of Needs
1. Pupils referred by class teachers as giving cause for concern and therefore meriting assessment and possible inclusion on SEN register.
2. Class teacher comments and analysis of progress registered through:
• class teacher targets
• class teacher ongoing marking and assessment
• pupil reviews
• pupil reports
3. Where there is cause for concern, we will ask the appropriate professionals for advice and assessment.
4. Ongoing assessment, review and record keeping of pupils in line with the school’s organisation of the Code of Practice.
Process for Action, Record-Keeping and Review
At Cronton CE School, each class teacher is responsible for producing IEPs and for reviews for their own class. However, the SENCo is always available for support and advice. NQTs and new staff are particularly supported. The SENCo will monitor that these are written and are appropriate. She will also be more involved where statutory assessment is concerned.
1. The SENCo updates the Medical/Awareness, Concerns/Differentiation and SEN Registers each term. This is done by consultation with each class teacher individually. Usually, if a child is referred to the SENCo for the SEN Register, the child will already be on the Concerns/Differentiation Register, acting like a gateway to the SEN Register. An assessment of the pupil may be undertaken by the Specialist Support Teacher for the school, to identify the nature of the need and the severity.
2. Appropriate information is gathered from the class teacher and any other member of staff who is deemed to have a valuable input.
3. Discussion takes place with parents to gather appropriate/relevant information on the child.
4. Individual Education Plan:
From the collated information, the SENCO or class teacher discusses the child’s needs with
the child (where appropriate) and the parents. The IEP is handwritten in a child friendly
format, with the child. The support to be provided for the child will be indicated on the IEP.
5. Class Action:
Where there is deemed to be no SEN, the child will continue to be monitored on the
Differentation/Concerns register.
Some, but not all, children on the Concerns / Differentiation Register may be put on a Class
Action sheet. This will show what differentiation or provision may be going on for a child
where they are not deemed SEN. These may be copied as group class action targets,
although each sheet will have the one child’s name at the top for reasons of confidentiality.
6. Review/evaluation:
At the end of each term, the SENCO/teacher collects information and discusses it with the
parents and pupil where appropriate. Either the next IEP is formulated or the child is removed
from the SEN register.
7. IEPs are formulated and reviewed each term by the class teacher. The SENCo must be informed if a child is to be added to the SEN register, moved onto a different stage of or removed from the register. This should be done at the termly SENCO – Class Teacher meetings, unless there are specific reasons why it must be done during the term. The class teacher is responsible for the termly cycle, which is monitored as part of the SENCo’s responsibilities.
8. Advice in school:
Where necessary, school asks for advice from external agencies in respect of the nature of
the SEN and appropriate resourcing/possible action to be taken as part of School Action.
Termly Planning and Review / Interagency meetings take place, where the SENCo will meet
with relevant agencies to discuss the progress of particular children and/or new children
raising concerns. The relevant agencies will then advise that they take the referral.
School Action Plus
Identification
As for School Action, the trigger for School Action Plus has regard to the Code of Practice: ‘The triggers for School Action Plus could be that, despite receiving an individualised programme and/or concentrated support under School Action, the child:
• Continues to make little or no progress in specific areas over a long period of time.
• Continues working at National Curriculum levels substantially below that expected of children of a similar age.
• Continues to have difficulty in developing literacy and mathematics skills.
• Has emotional or behavioural difficulties, which substantially and regularly interfere with the child’s own learning or that of the class group, despite having and individualised behaviour management programme.
• Has sensory or physical needs, requires additional specialist equipment or regular advice or visits by a specialist service.
• Has ongoing communication or interaction difficulties that impede the development of social relationships and cause substantial barriers to learning.
The gathering of information in respect of the pupil’s continuing special educational needs may be via:
1. Information gathered from School Action reviews.
2. Liaison with teachers.
3. Liaison with parents.
4. Liaison with outside agencies.
Process for Action, Record-Keeping and Review
1. The class teacher will inform the SENCo that s/he thinks the child should move onto School Action Plus. Information is collated from the teacher, parents, the child and/or outside agencies where appropriate, prior to formulating an IEP.
2. Individual Education Plan
From the collated information, the class teacher discusses the child’s needs with the parents and child if appropriate, and upon agreement issues an IEP at School Action Plus. The support to be provided will be indicated on the IEP. (Where it is deemed there is not enough evidence for the child to be placed at School Action Plus, the child will continue to be monitored at School Action.)
3. Review/evaluation - The class teacher will discuss the child’s needs and progress with the parents and child, if appropriate. Either a new IEP will be formulated or it is agreed to move the child back to School Action.
Statutory Assessment/Statement of Special Need/Enhanced Provision
Identification
As outlined in the Code of Practice, ‘Where a request for statutory assessment is made by a school to an LEA, the child will have demonstrated significant cause for concern’. The school will provide evidence from:
• The school’s action through School Action and School Action Plus.
• Individual education plans for the pupil.
• Records of regular reviews and their outcomes.
• The pupil’s health including the child’s medical history where relevant.
• National Curriculum levels.
• Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy.
• Educational and other assessments, for example from an advisory specialist support teacher or an educational psychologist.
• Views of parents and child if appropriate.
• Involvement of other professionals.
• Any involvement by social services or education welfare service.
Process for Action, Record-Keeping and Review
1. Individual Education Plan:
From collated information and advice from external agencies, the SENCO discusses the child’s needs with the parent and child where appropriate, and formulates an IEP at Statemented level. The support to be provided is indicated and set within short-term targets. (Where the LEA does not issue a statement, the child reverts back to School Action Plus.)
2. Review/evaluation:
IEPs are reviewed termly.
3. Annual Review:
The SENCO collects information from staff, parents, child if appropriate and
outside agencies and collates the information prior to the annual review. At
the annual review progress is discussed and either:
i) maintain the statement and continue with appropriate IEPs and support within the school setting
ii) request an amendment to the statement
iii) request ceasing the statement and revert back to School Action Plus.
ACCESS TO THE CURRICULUM
To accommodate pupils who are designated as having a special educational need, the school provides:
• 1 specialist support teacher, Mrs. Julie Harrington who comes into school for one half day each week. She usually takes groups and/or individual children out of class for half - hour sessions but this can be flexible due to individuals needs.
• Mrs Harrington is also a specialist support teacher for Specific Learning Difficulties, and comes into school one half day per fortnight – to work with individual children with diagnosed or possible spld.
• Mrs Harrington is also available for advice to staff or parents.
• Each class has a support assistant for at least Literacy and Numeracy lessons. They provide support enabling appropriate access to the curriculum via in-class, small group or individual work.
• Specialist equipment – some of our resources are located in appropriate classrooms. There is also a general store in the school hall, where staff can borrow equipment. Throughout the year, the SENCO asks the staff if they require any particular requirements for specialist equipment for the special needs children in their class. It is then decided whether this new equipment should stay in one classroom or the general store.
• We also have a Learning Mentor who works closely with the SENCo and may become involved with particular SEN children where her support is deemed appropriate.
The school aims to include all pupils with special needs into all the activities of the school as far as it is appropriate. However, in the best interests of the child, there may be occasions or periods of time when the best solution is withdrawal for special intensive programmes to be taught. Parents, and pupils where appropriate, will always be involved in discussion when these situations arise and the pupil’s welfare will be the major factor considered when decisions are taken.
EVALUATING SUCCESS
SEN Records
The school SEN records will collate and record the school’s responses at all stages and information collected at review meetings will be included. An appropriate combination of the following information regarding individual pupils will be available in school for scrutiny at any time.
• Special Needs Register.
• Description and nature of pupil’s difficulties.
• Individual Education Plans.
• Reviews.
• Reports from outside agencies.
Obviously only for scrutiny by those people they concern. Otherwise all documents remain confidential at all times. At the beginning of term, each new teacher will have their own SEN file to formulate their IEPs for that term. Once the IEPs are formulated, they are placed in the teacher’s daily SEN file. The main, larger SEN files are then locked away in the SEN filing cabinet to ensure confidentiality.
MONITORING OF PROVISION
The following information is available within school in respect of the effectiveness of the support available for pupils with identified special educational needs. It is gleaned from monitoring and evaluation via observations of:
• Whole class/group teaching
• Small group/individual teaching
• In-class support
• Use of differentiated teaching/resources/specialist equipment.
• Practical use of IEPs.
• Target setting.
• Pupil’s progress.
VALUE ADDED
The notion of ‘value added’ is an important one to Cronton CE School and is monitored by pupil achievements in relation to assessments and results in the following ways:
i) examinations/tests, both school based and external
ii) school’s award schemes
iii) extracurricular activities
This information provides valuable insight into the progress of pupil’s with special educational needs.
THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNORS
The whole governing body has a responsibility to produce an annual report, which will state the number of students with special educational needs in the school and comment on the school’s effectiveness in the implementation of the SEN policy in respect of:
i) identification of needs
ii) notification to parents of a child who is deemed to have special educational needs
iii) assessment of needs
iv) provision for meeting special educational needs
v) provision of an inclusive environment for all
vi) methods of monitoring, recording and reporting
vii) SEN funding and spending
viii) Deployment of equipment, personnel and resources
ix) The use made by school of the outside agencies and support services
x) SEN as an integral part of the school development plan
PARENT PARTNERSHIP
Contact with the parents
Parents are viewed as partners in their child’s education and are kept fully informed about this. They will be contacted directly should there be any change in their child’s progress, behaviour or educational provision within school. At Cronton CE School, we endeavour to maintain a very good relationship with all parents. The process for contact with parents in respect of pupils with special educational needs will be:
1. The teacher will meet with parents to discuss pupil’s placement at School Action or School Action Plus. The SENCO will always be available should the parents or teacher wish her to be present at an appointment. Meetings can always be arranged to make this possible.
2. For termly reviews of IEPs, the teacher will make an appointment with the parents at a convenient time for all concerned.
3. The SENCO may initiate additional meetings/reviews to take place where appropriate or where there may be a concern over the pupil’s progress.
4. The SENCO will meet with parents where a request for formal assessment is to be made.
5. In addition to the reviews, those parents who have a child with a statement of special educational need will be invited to an annual review meeting.
Further to this, the school operates an open-school policy where parents are encouraged to request the opportunity for informal discussion or an organised meeting at any time of their asking. They have the right at any time to access the records relating to their own child and any school documentation they may feel appropriate.
The school will seek to engage the services of a translator where requested by parents or deemed necessary by the SENCO to ensure partnership in developing strategies to help an individual student.
QUERIES AND COMPLAINTS
Parents are partners with the school and are welcome to query decisions made by the school through the school’s designated channels as laid down in the Complaints Procedure in the school prospectus. If on pursuing complaints the parents are not wholly satisfied with the response of the school they may wish to seek further advice/assistance from the LEA. If at this point they do not agree with the school’s and LEA’s decision, they have a right to appeal to the authority’s SEN Tribunal.
IN-SERVICE TRAINING
In-service training is available in respect of SEN for whole school or individual members of staff. The provision of training will be allocated where there is deemed to be a recognised need and will be in accordance with the school’s Professional Development Policy. It will be delivered by:
• SENCO
• Specialist support staff
• LEA support services
• External consultants/trainers
A record of all SEN training delivered and subsequent evaluations will be kept by the SENCO.
EXTERNAL AGENCIES/FACILITIES AND SUPPORT SERVICES
The school works closely with other agencies to focus on the identification and provision for those children who have a special educational need. All services involved with the school are regarded as being part of a working partnership whose aim is to provide, as highlighted in the Code of Practice, an integrated, high quality, holistic support that focuses on the needs of the child.
NEW INITIATIVES
Child Friendly IEPs have recently been introduced, with the intention of including the children much more in the IEP process, motivating the children and so improve the children’s rate of progress.
Appendices
Appendix 1 – examples of SEN Documentation
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