Definition of Special Educational Needs

SEN Policy

Our Vision

"Excellence Every Day for Every Child" is the core vision of St. Patrick's High School Keady and is the driving force in outlining the components of this policy. As a non-selective, all ability, inclusive school we aim to identify and remove the barriers to learning that children entrusted to our care may face so that they make excellent progress commensurate or in excess of their current levels of attainment and perceived ability. We believe that meeting the needs of all learners is the responsibility of every teacher, in every classroom.

Introduction

This document outlines the policy of St. Patrick's High school for the identification, assessment and provision for children with Special Educational and Additional Needs. Current legislation including "The Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs 1998" and "The Supplement of the Code of Practice 2005", and "The Special Educational Needs Disability Order 2005" have been used to inform the writing of this policy. Other documents consulted with the intention of forming a best practice model for SEN includes "Every School a Good School 2009" and "Summary Report of Responses to the Consultation on Every School a Good School – The Way

Forward for Special Educational Needs and Inclusion and the associated Equality Impact. "Count, read: succeed - A Strategy for Improving Outcomes in Literacy and Numeracy" have been used to inform the planning for provision in these areas. As with any policy within the school this is a working document which is updated annually according to new research and guidance and work practices piloted.

Current Legislation

Definition of Special Educational Needs

The Education NI Order 1996 defines “SpecialEducational Needs” as ‘a learning difficulty which calls for specialeducational provision to be made’. A child has a “learning difficulty” if

a) He/she has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of his age, or

b) He/she has a disability which either prevents orhinders him/her from making useof educational facilities of a kind generallyprovided for children of his/her age in ordinary schools or

c) He/she has notattained the lower limit of compulsory school age and is or would be ifspecial educational provision were not made for him/her, likely to fall within a)or b) when he is of compulsory school age.

Definition of a Disability

The Special Educational Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005 (SENDO)defines a disabled pupil as ‘a pupil who is a disabled person’. The terms‘disability’ and ‘disabled person’ are defined in the Disability DiscriminationAct (DDA) 1995. A ‘disabled person’ means a person who has a disability.A person has a disability ‘if he has a physical or mental impairment whichhas a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry outnormal day-to-day activities’.

Guiding Principles

The Vision of our school and its aims is supported by the Special Educational and Additional Needs Policy.
High expectations are communicated for all pupils including those with Special Educational and Additional Needs.
We see our role as supporting pupils to make progress commensurate or in excess of their current levels of attainment as indicated through baseline assessment.
The whole school priority for pupils in KS4 is to obtain a minimum of 5 GCSE's A*to C including English and Maths. At KS3 all pupils are obtaining Level 4 in English and Maths, most are obtaining Level 5 and 6 and some get Level 7.
Pupils who have barriers to learning which are preventing them from fulfilling their potential are identified early and suitable targets and interventions are put in place so that they get to experience success.
Pupils with Special Educational Needs need a safe and supportive environment where high expectations and mutual respect are embodied and pupils enjoy their learning experiences.
We operate an inclusive policy so mixed ability with blended support is the model that allows pupils to feel valued equally and obtain opportunities for support without stigmatisation. By working in a range of partnerships, we aim to provide learning experiences that meet the needs of the learner with Special Educational and Additional Needs and enable them to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed in adult life.
Through capacity building and differentiated teaching via mixed ability grouping consideration of Special Educational Needs becomes the job of all teachers and encompasses all aspects of teaching and learning which can only lead to good practice for all pupils.
Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and behaviour and seek to develop pupil's understanding of their rights and responsibilities as active pupils within the school community.
Movement to becoming more independent learners with minimum support as pupil’s progress through the Key Stages is key to becoming independent in the modern world.

Objectives

Identify pupils with Special and Educational Needs and disabilities as early as possible to ensure that their needs are assessed and being met;
Ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum which is differentiated,by identifying their barrier to learning using baseline testing and communicating data with all staff so that their needs are recognised and addressed;
Provide blended provision of specialist teaching in literacy,numeracy or behaviour in addition to some teaching assistant/domestic assistant hours where appropriate;
Seek the views of the pupils and the parents and take them into account ;
Seek the experties of parents/carers/guardians knowledge about the child and take this into account when making decisions/plans;
Monitor progress of pupils with Special and additional Needs;
Effective deployment and use of resources including TA's / intervention strategies/ mentors etc;
All teachers see meeting the needs of all learners as their responsibility.

In order to successfully achieve these objectives provision for Special and Additional Educational Needs is a priority for all staff in teaching and learning and subject to a continuous cycle of assessment and review.

Development

Make sure that SPHSK is a Dyslexia Friendly School;
Promote and increase the use of assistive technology to help pupils access the curriculum both in the classroom and learning resource centre;
Promote capacity building amongst staff by reviewing staff training needs and holding in-service training or advising on courses where appropriate to allow staff to adapt to meet the needs of learners with Special Educational Needs;
Develop links with Lisanally for the provision of shared education for particular pupils where appropriate;
Continue assessment of KS3 pupil for examination access arrangement needs and or possible interventions not already highlighted;
Develop further the model of blended provision of Literacy, Numeracy, Behavioural and Classroom Assistants all working together to provide expert help tailored to the individual needs of the pupils and remove specific barriers to learning as they are identified;
Identify and nurture the needs and talents for our gifted and talented pupils as identified by baseline testing.

Roles and Responsibilities

Provision for pupils with Special Educational and Additional Needs is the responsibility of all staff. We work as a team to provide the best possible environment and educational experience in order to allow children to break down barriers to learning and make excellent progress. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in collaboration with the Principal and Governing Body play a key role in helping to determine the strategic development of the Special Educational and Additional Needs Policy and provision in the school to raise the achievement of pupils with Special Educational and Additional Needs. The SENCO takes day to day responsibility for the operation of the Special Educational and Additional Needs, workign closely with staff, parents and outside agencies.

The Principal's Role

The Principal has the reponsibility for the day to day management of all aspects of the school's work, including provision for pupils with Special Educational and Additional Needs. The Principal keeps the Governing Body fully informed and ensures the Senior Management Team support for the SENCO and The Special Educational Needs Support Team.

The Governing Body's Role

The school's Governing Body has specific responsibility to:-

Do its best to ensure that necessary provision is made for any pupil to has Special Educational and Additional Needs;
Ensure pupils needs are made known to all who may teach them;
Ensure teachers are aware of the importance of assessing, identifying and providing for those pupils with special educational and additional needs;
Ensure parents are notified when provision is being made for a child with special educational needs.

The SENCo's Role

The SENCo is responsible for:-

The day to day operation or the school's SEN policy and effective deployment of resources. The SENCo will be involved in conjunction with the learning support team respond to requests for advice from other teachers/parents/carers of pupils who have or may present with special educational needs;
Maintaining and continual updating of the both the Internal and SIM's SEN register in addition to the Gifted and Talented Register;
Contributing to the writing of pupil passport targets/ Annual Reviews and Transition plans in liaison with pupils and parents;
Undertake departmental evaluation with support from departmental colleagues;
Liaising with parents of children with special educational and additional needs;
Establishing the SEN in-service training requirements of staff and contributing as appropriate to their training;
Liaising with external agencies;
Maintain close links with Principal and SLT about developments within the department;
Seeking the views of pupils, parents and staff for maintaining the cycle of improvement within the department;
Identification through baseline testing pupils who may require further psychometric testing or referral for further supports from external agencies;
Conduct assessment reports in support of applying for access arrangements and applications for psychology;
Contribute to the school improvement teams by providing up to date information to help inform future interventions of the teams - KS3 and KS4 raising standards team/ Teaching and Learning team/ Assessment and Recording team.

The Subject Teacher

All teachers are teachers of special educational needs. With support from the Learning Support team they adapt their teachng teaching methods to overcome the barriers to learning of the pupils that may present in their class. Therefore it is the responsibility of the subect teacher to:-

Plan to meet the needs of all learners in their classes;
Communicate high expectations for all learners;
Consult the SEN register and G&T register and be informed of the possible special educational and additional needs of their pupils;
For pupils on stage 1 be aware of general area of need and consult best practice guidelines for possible strategies to break down the barriers to learning;
Maintain a record of inital strategies applied in class to help pupils access the curriculum;
Forward concerns to Head of Department and Form Teacher if pupil is not making progress in their learning as a result of interventions;
Consult Pupil Passports for pupils on Stage 2-5 and be informed of targets set;
Ensure opportunities are provided through differentiated instruction for pupils to meet their targets;
Contribute to/ maintain record of evidence of where pupil had opportunity to meet their target;
Contribute to reporting on the progress of pupils on Stage 5 in terms of meeting their targets in order to inform the Annual Review Process.

Head of Departments

A Head of department is responsible with departmental colleagues for developing policies, procedures and teaching strategies which ensure access to the mainstream curriculum for all children. The HOD will:

Ensure planning is effective in meeting the needs of all learners;
Support individual teachers as they respond to the Special Educational and Additional Needs of their pupils;
Develop and manage resources which support efficient and effective teaching strategies that meed the individual needs of pupils and which implement differentiation;
Identiry and review plans for the provision for G&T pupils within their subject.
Contribute to subject enquiries about specific pupil's progress in order to help inform appropriate placement on SEN register (trackng/ concerns from department colleagues);
Forward concerns to Year Head/ Form teacher if pupils are not making progress after inital interventions have been put in place for Stage 1 pupils and pupils not on the register;
Ensure to the best of their ability that all members of the department are aware of pupils in their class on the SEN register and that they are making provisions that afford pupils opportunities to meet their targets.

Heads of Year

Heads of Year play a pastoral and academic role through their daily contact with pupils and staff. They are in the unique position where they can collate information from the staff and pupils as well as from parents and convey this the the SENCo.

Analyse data from baseline testing(MidYIS, PIM, PIE, Reading Ages, Spelling Scores), tracking data and termly reports or information from subject teachers and heads of department- to identify pupils who may need to be placed on or off the register initally at stage 1;
Inform the SENCo of additions or removals required at Stage 1 to update the register;
Draw up action plans for pupils on stage 1 and keep records of progress to inform future decisions (moving up or off stages);
Inform parents of decision to place pupils on stage 1 and accompaning targets;
Review pupils on Stage 1 along with Form Teacher (esp behaviour and underachievement) to monitor if progress is being made and inform further actions and maintin a record of interventions made;
Consult with SENCo on moving pupils up the Stages of the Code of Practice and provide evidence of interventions applied at stage 1.

Literacy Support Teacher

The Literacy Support Teacher takes a special interest in raising the literacy standard of pupils in our school. Through rigorous data analysis and screening target pupils are identified and suitable interventions are put in place. The Lit support Teacher will:

Lead the formulation of literacy policy;
Contribute to setting of whole school literacy targets;
Provide specialist teaching for pupils in Learning Support groups at KS3;
Contribute to identification of pupils on the SEN register for possible literacy interventions and organise a timetable of support;
Contribute to the coordination of a Mentor programme;
Contribute to the coordination of a reading partnership programme;
Monitor the progress of pupils in receipt of literacy interventions through screening assessments and review their position on SEN register;
Contribute to administration of whole year group screening Yr 8, 9 and 10 (KS3)
Take specialist teaching groups at KS4;
Contribute to development within the Learning Resource Centre and Special and Additional Needs development;
Contribute to annual reviews and transition plans;
Advise on training needs for Staff and CA's;
Report to KS3 raising standards team and SEN Team.

Behavioural Support Teacher

The Behavioural Support Teacher takes a special interest in the behavioural and emotional barriers that identified pupils present with. Through a range of techniques pupils are given a secure and nutrturing environment where they can discuss and learn about their behaviour and how it affect them and the learning of others. The BST will:

Contribute to the identification of pupils by using Statements of Education, termly reports, Head of Year referrals etc;
Devise a timetable of support;
Maintain records of up to date risk assessments;
Liase with external BST and arrange meetings with parents;
Monitor progress of pupils accessing support and review position on SEN register;
Advise staff on strategies in particular cases;
Contribute to setting of behavioural targets for pupils in receipt of behavioural support;
Contribute to annual reviews and transition plans;
Contribute to development within the Learning Resource Centre and Special and Additional Needs development;
Advise on training needs for Staff and CA's;
Report to KS4 raising standards team and SEN Team.

Numeracy Support Teacher/ coordinator

The Numeracy Support Teacher takes a special interest in the progress being made in numeracy by pupils at KS4 and KS3. Through analysis of data and termly reports pupils with barriers in numeracy are identified and appropriate support and intervention is given. The NST will:

KS4

Identify of pupils in need of additional support using termly reports / module results and baseline data;
Organise a support timetable;
Inform parents;
Monitor progress of pupils through rigorous tracking;
Report to KS4 raising standards team and SEN Team.

KS3

Identify pupils by using baseline data, MidYIS data, termly reports and concerns;
Ensure learning support teaching groups get extra maths classes;
Organise Inclass support by mentors - stage1;
Timetable of withdrawl support devised- Stage 2;
Inform parents;
Monitor the progress of pupils receiving interventions through assessment;
Contribute to review of pupils on SEN register.

KS4/Post 16 Mentor

The Mentor provides support and supervision for the pupils who have been disappled from one of their subject or finds it difficult to cope in the general study area. They provide a structured and supportive environment whereby pupils can put increased focus and energy into remaining subjects. The SFM will:

Be knowledgable of pupils needs;
Set expectations with pupils about work on remaining subject;
Provide a nurturing environment whereby pupils can communicte concerns and anxieties where appropriate;
Support pupils with setting smaller achieveable smart targets in their subjects;
Help with accessing the tools required for supporting remaining subjects
Provide access to further literacy and numberacy support;
Contribute to KS4/ Post 16 raising standards team;
Maintain reports on progress of pupils and communicate concerns promptly;
Support pupils with applications for further study - liase with careers.

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