Policy for Special Educational Needs

Policy for Special Educational Needs

Named S.E.N. co-coordinator: Mr. J. A. Ayres
Named Governor responsible: Mrs. A. Field

Rationale

“The purpose of education for all children is the same. The goals are the same but the help that individual children need in progressing towards them will be different.”
Warnock

Definitions
We define a child with special educational needs as one who is experiencing difficulty in gaining access to and learning from the curriculum. These difficulties may be of long term or short-term duration and may occur at any time during the child’s school career.

Aims

We aim to provide all children - regardless of gender, race, religion or educational ability – with the same right of access to a broad, balanced, differentiated curriculum including the National Curriculum.
We aim to be sensitive towards the needs of the children and provide them with an environment, which promotes self-esteem, encouraging respect, both for themselves and for others where they can develop their true potential.
We aim to identify the special needs of individual children and provide for those needs.
We aim to encourage home/school partnerships.
We aim to encourage all teachers to update and increase their knowledge of S.E.N. issues.
We aim to work closely with other professionals in providing for pupils with S.E.N.

Admission Arrangements
We comply with the L.E.A.’s admissions policy and cater for children with a variety of special needs within the constraints of the school building and budget.

Identification, Assessment and Provision
Identification
Identification within the school will be ongoing.
Information will be obtained from:
1. Liaison with Playgroup in trying to identify possible potential needs.
2. Discussions with parents at pre-school parents’ evening.
3. Observation of child during pre-school visits, which will lead to discussion with the parents.
4. Records form previous school/authority.
5. Teacher observation and assessment.
6. National Curriculum levels and screening tests.
7. Information from outside agencies.

Assessment
1. The school will assess, monitor and review in the three school-based stages working to the model as suggested in the L.E.A.’s Code of Practice.
2. Within each classroom there will be systematic and consistent monitoring of the child’s progress.
3. The class teacher will make both formal and informal assessments and any major concerns will be documented using the school’s pro-forma.
4. Assessment materials may include:
QCA Foundation Stage Profile
Quest – screen diagnostic tests
SNIPP
Teacher Assessment & National Curriculum Assessment Materials

Curriculum Provision
In order to access a broad, balanced curriculum, children on School Action of the Code of Practice will experience extra support in the form of differentiation by resource/task and response with L.S.A. intervention.
Children at School Action Plus (Code of Practice) will continue to receive a differentiated curriculum with the additional support from L.S.A., an I.E.P. and advice from an outside agency. Whilst most curriculum experiences will take place within the mainstream classroom there may be occasions where it will be appropriate for the child to work in a non-classroom environment for short periods of time, for specific purposes and with adequate supervision.

Whole School Planning Issues

Resources Allocation
Within the budget S.E.N. provision will be made by;
1. The purchase of S.E.N. resources
2. The payment of S.E.N. courses
3. Supply cover to release staff for school based S.E.N. Training

Staff Development
Staff will be encouraged to attend S.E.N. courses appropriate to their needs and development and to share their knowledge and skills with other members of staff.

Monitoring and Reviewing Procedures
S.E.N. provision will be reviewed by the class teacher, S.E.N. co-coordinator and parents at intervals which are relevant to the individual education programme (see S.E.N. Procedures). The effectiveness of the S.E.N. Policy will be monitored by all the staff and will be reviewed and evaluated annually by staff, Head and Governors.

Complaints Procedure
Any complaints about the provision of S.E.N. within the school will be dealt with internally in the first instance. Should this be unsatisfactory then the County Complaints Procedure will be followed.

Roles and Responsibilities
The class teacher’s role is stated in the Code of Practice. At First Concern it is the class teacher’s responsibility to identify Special Needs in his/her class, to inform the S.E.N. co-coordinator and ensure that the relevant documentation is completed (see S.E.N. procedures). He/she will then work with the class in the normal class setting providing differentiated work to suit the child’s needs with additional homework for 4-6 weeks. Ensuing difficulties will follow the S.E.N. procedures for School Action and School Action Plus.
The S.E.N. co-coordinator is responsible for the day to day running of the policy. He/she must advise the class teachers, help them to draw up I.E.P.s, update and oversee records and keep the register up to date. With the class teacher the S.E.N. co-coordinator shall liaise with parents of children with S.E.N. and external agencies at annual reviews. The Headteacher must also inform the Governing Body of any S.E.N. issues, delegate funds to the S.E.N. budget, ensure resources are available for S.E.N. pupils and communicate with parents and other professionals.

Home School Partnership
We view the partnership with parents as being an integral part of the philosophy of the school. Parents are always welcome in school. They are encouraged to participate in the life of the school through such activities as family assemblies, PTA events, swimming lessons and the running of the library.
Any concerns about the children will be discussed as and when they arise. Formal Parents Evenings are held twice a year when progress is discussed between the parents and the teachers.
Parents will be encouraged to participate in any discussions, which may need to be made regarding their child’s special needs.
They will also be encouraged to take part in the delivery of the I.E.P. where appropriate.
We will strive to ensure that all liaison is both positive and sensitive.
(N.B. see S.E.N. Procedures for details of Home School Partnership)

Working with other Professionals
We value the contribution other professionals can make in providing for children with S.E.N.
On transfer to other schools particular care is taken to ensure that the receiving school is fully informed of the needs of the children identified as having S.E.N. All records will be transferred as a matter of course.
Advice and help from other agencies is seen as a beneficial and necessary part of the provision for the children with S.E.N.. These agencies may include:
Educational Psychologists, Learning Support Service, Teachers of the Hearing and Visually Impaired, Speech Therapists, Communication and Support Service.

This Policy should be read in conjunction with
- Gifted and Talented Pupils Policy
- SEN Procedures
- SEN Criteria for LSA