POLICY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

RATIONALE

The school values the abilities and achievements of all its pupils and is committed to providing the best possible learning environment for each of them.  We recognise that pupils learn at different rates and that there are many factors affecting achievement, including ability, emotional state, age and maturity.  We are particularly aware of the needs of our Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 pupils, for whom maturity is a crucial factor in terms of readiness to learn.  We believe that many pupils, at some time in their school career, may experience difficulties which affect their learning, and we recognise that these may be long or short term. Support for these children will need to be planned accordingly and be seen as a collective responsibility.

DEFINITION OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

A child may be considered to have special educational needs if he or she:

a-      Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age

b-      Has a disability which either prevents or hinders the child from making use of the educational resources provided for children of the same age

c-      Exhibits persistent behaviour traits which adversely affect his/her or other’s learning opportunities.

Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language at home is different from the language in which they are taught.

AIMS

Our aims are:

·   To enable every child to experience success

·   To have due regard to the Special Needs Code of Practice (November 2001) and the Disability Code of Practice (September 2002)

·   Give all children access to a broad and balanced curriculum

·   Identify children with special needs as soon as possible.

·   To provide a differentiated curriculum appropriate to the individual’s needs and abilities

·   To provide specific input, matched to individual needs, in addition to differentiated class room provision, for those pupils recorded as having SEN at School Action or School Action Plus.   

·   To give children with SEN equal opportunities to take part in all aspects of a schools provision

·   To ensure that all staff and Governors share the responsibility for SEN by implementing and maintaining this policy

·   To ensure that we are able to meet the needs of as wide a range as possible of children who attend our school

·   To enable children to move on from us well equipped in the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and social independence to meet the demands of secondary school life and learning.

·   To involve parents/carers at every stage in plans to meet their child’s additional needs.

·   To involve the children themselves in planning and in any decision making that affects them.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Governing Body :-

Should, in co-operation with the Head teacher

·         Determine the school’s general policy and approach to provision for children with SEN

·         Establish the appropriate staffing and funding arrangements

·         Maintain a general oversight of the school’s work and in this connection will appoint an individual governor to take a particular interest in, and closely monitor the school’s work on behalf of children with SEN

Head Teacher:-

·         Has the responsibility for the day to day management of all aspects of the school’s work, including provision for children with SEN

·         Will keep the Governing Body fully informed

·         Will work closely with the school’s SEN Co-ordinator

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, supported by the Assistant SENCo:-

Should

·         Be closely involved in the strategic development of the SEN policy and provision

·         Have responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy

·         Co-ordinate provision for pupils with SEN particularly through School Action and School Action Plus

·         Liaise with and advise all staff

·         Manage, in close consultation with the Head Teacher, the Learning Support Assistants

·         Liaise with parents of children with SEN

·         Liaise with all other appropriate professionals in relation to SEN

·         Carry out assessments in liaison with the class teacher

·         Ensure that Individual Education/Behaviour Plans are updated regularly and adhered to

·         Monitor the progress of SEN children

·         Contribute to the in service training of staff       

All teachers:

·         Are teachers of children with SEN and will collaborate with the SENCO to decide the action required to assist the pupil to progress in all areas of the curriculum.

·         Are involved with, and take responsibility for, children with SEN and are aware of the procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for them

·         Maintain records and review action plans that are shared with parents/carers and then passed to the successive teacher as part of the formal records.

·         Have an individual, professional responsibility to ensure that, within the resources available, a differentiated curriculum is provided and appropriate teaching styles are employed so that, as far as possible, the needs of all children are met and all children in the class have equal opportunity of access to the full curriculum.

Support Staff who are specifically assigned to individual children with a statement or who receive Audit Funding, or who work with children, who may have special educational needs, operate under the direction of the class teacher, supported by the SENCO, who has prime responsibility for the day-to-day education of the child/children.

All other staff with supervisory roles should be aware of the needs of SEN children and the relevant strategies that have been agreed. Lunchtime Supervisors will be informed by the class teacher.

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

The school believes in developing a strong partnership with parents and that this will enable children with SEN to achieve their potential. The school recognises that parents have a unique overview of the child’s needs and how best to support them, and that this gives them a key role in the partnership. Procedures should be user friendly and non-threatening. Parents should be made aware of the support needs of their child. As a school we will bear in mind the pressures that a parent may be under as a result of the child’s needs. We require parental permission before referring children to outside agencies or moving them to each stage of the Code of Practice.

THE VOICE OF THE CHILD

We believe that all children should be involved in making decisions where possible right from the start of their education.  The ways in which children are encouraged to participate should reflect the child’s evolving maturity.  Participation in education is a process that will necessitate all children being given the opportunity to make choices and to understand that their views matter. Confident young children, who know that their opinions will be valued and who can practise making choices, will be more secure and effective pupils during their school years.

Date of Policy        November 2010

Date of Review      September 2011

PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT

All teachers are responsible for identifying pupils with SEN and, in collaboration with the SENCO will ensure that those pupils requiring different or additional support are identified at an early stage. 

Categories of Special Educational Need

The Code of Practice does not assume that there are hard and fast categories of special educational need, but recognises that children’s needs and requirements fall into four broad areas. 

·         Communication and interaction

·         Cognition and Learning

·         Behaviour, emotional and social development

·         Sensory and/or physical

·         Cause for Concern

-         Member of staff completes Cause for concern form  because despite receiving differentiated teaching the child is

o        Making little or no progress

o        Demonstrating difficulty in developing literacy or numeracy skills

o        Showing persistent/emotional behavioural difficulties which are not affected by behavioural management strategies

o        Has sensory/physical problems and make little progress despite provision of specialist equipment

o        Experiencing communication and/or interaction problems and make little or no progress

-         SENCo discusses concerns with relevant staff members, parents and if appropriate the child

-         Check records for child- medical, assessments, class work

-         If appropriate SENCO observation or further assessments.

-         Parent/Carer/Teacher discussion about the concern and any positive steps that have been agreed in order to address these concerns

-         Monitor progress

-         If necessary go on to the next stage.

·         Early Years Action/School Action

-         A provision map will be completed by the class teacher and shared with the pupil and parent/carer.

-         An IEP might be written with Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic targets.

-         The child’s name will be entered onto the SEN register and progress tracked.

-         EYA and SA are characterised by interventions that are different from or additional to the normal differentiated curriculum. 

-         If the child continues to make little or no progress, move on to the next stage.

·         Early Years Action Plus/School Action Plus

-         An IEP will be completed by the class teacher and shared with the parent/carer, pupil and SENCo.

-         The IEP will be reviewed 3 times a year

-         Records will be kept to indicate support provided and progress made against targets set.

-         In addition to home/school involvement, specialist outside agencies would be involved. A detailed programme would be agreed and progress monitored

An up to date register of all children in the school who are receiving SEN provision is kept by the SENCO. A copy is kept in the office SEN file.

REQUEST FOR STATUTORY ASSESSMENT

The school may request a Statutory Assessment from the LEA if, despite an individualised programme of sustained intervention within School Action Plus, the child remains a significant cause for concern. The assessment will be conducted in close co-operation with the parents, the school and other agencies. However the school recognises that a request for a Statutory Assessment does not inevitably lead to a Statement.

STATEMENT

If a Statement is made by the LEA the LEA will arrange with the school to monitor and review the provision annually. We will implement fully the provision that we are required to provide, to meet the needs identified. However the learning objectives will be incorporated into the Individual Education/Behaviour Plan and reviewed by the school termly.

ADMISSION

The Governing Body gives equal priority to pupils with SEN and has due regard to the Code of Practice.  It uses the Local Education Authority’s admission criteria. However, when an application is made for the admission of a child with a Statement of Educational Need, the school Governors must discuss the child’s Statement in order to determine whether the school is able to meet the child’s needs.

ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES

Special Educational Needs receives funding from a variety of streams which make up the delegated budget. The school also receives additional funding for some children with severe and complex needs, which is funded via the Audit Funding mechanism. The allocation of these resources is based on an annual audit of need, carried out during the Spring Term. Details of how individual children receive support are recorded on their Individual Education Plans and/or their Provision Map.

PROVISION

The school has a graduated approach of action and intervention to help children who have SEN. This applies to the Foundation stage and the Primary phase. The approach recognises that there is a continuum of SEN and where necessary increasing specialist help will be brought to bear on the difficulties that a child may be experiencing.

The Range of Provision

·         Full-time education in classes, with additional help and support by class teacher/subject teachers through a differentiated curriculum

·         Periods of withdrawal to work with a support teacher/LSA

·         In-class support with adult assistance

·         Support from specialists within class or as part of a withdrawal programme

LIAISON

When pupils are due to transfer to another class, key stage or school, planning for this will be started in the year prior to the year of transfer.

•    All staff, together with the Head, will ensure that careful records are kept and transfer documents meticulously completed.  When children move to another school, their records will be transferred to the next school within 15 days of the child ceasing to be registered, as required under the Education (Pupil Information) Regulations 2000.

•    The Foundation Stage teachers and/or the SENCO will attend meetings for any child in receipt of Link Programme funding. Visits and meetings will be arranged in accordance with the Link Programme.

•    Foundation staff or the SENCO will visit most pre-school settings during the term before entry into school.

•   A School-Entry Planning meeting will be arranged for pre-school children with an identified Special Educational Need. A School-Entry Plan will be written at this meeting.

•    If children require additional support when moving to the next year group, this will be facilitated by the SENCO, LSA attached to the child (if audit funded) or the Learning Mentor

•    Year 6 teachers, the Learning Mentor and the SENCO will liaise with secondary schools personnel about individual children

•    The SENCO will liaise with other agencies when appropriate to the needs of the child.  An SEN consultation planning meeting will take place each term with SEN professionals within North Somerset. The school has regular contact with the nominated Education Welfare Officer, Educational Psychologist, and Community Paediatrician.  In addition, the school may seek advice from specialist advisory teaching services and the SEN Team.

•   The SENCO will co-operate as part of the SENCO Cluster Group and liaise  as appropriate

PREVENTING AND RESOLVING DISAGREEMENTS

Under the SEN and Disability Act 2001, parents may seek advice on resolving disagreements with the Local Authority and school through an independent mediation service.  School will make further information about this process available on request.

MONITORING

·               The school’s strategies for meeting special educational needs will be reviewed  at  least annually  

·               The effectiveness of the SEN provision will be reported to the Governors on at least an annual basis

·               Effectiveness will be reported to parents and the school community at the Governors’ Annual Meeting

EVALUATING SUCCESS

·               The success of the school's SEN policy and provision is evaluated through:

·               Monitoring of classroom practice by the SENCO and subject co-ordinators

·               Analysis of pupil-tracking data and test results

·               Value added data for children identified at School Action and School Action Plus

·               Regular monitoring of procedures and practice by the SEN Governor

·               The school self-evaluation mechanisms

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

The school’s complaints procedure is set out in the School Prospectus.

(Associated Policies:  Inclusion Policy, Policy for Supporting Self Esteem and Good Behaviour,)

Date of Policy        Nov 2010

Date of Review      September 2011