Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School
POLICY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
SENCo L. McDaniel
Assitant Head, member of senior leadership team.
BSc hons, PGCE, National Award for SEN, PGC in vulnerable learners
Governor Peter Bailey
CONTENTS
1. PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES
v Definition of SEND
v Fundamental Principles
2. WAYS OF WORKING
v The Role of the SENCO
v Strategic Management of SEND within the School Resources
v Funding
v Expenses
v Teaching Resources
v Identification Assessment and Review
v Record Keeping
v Monitoring
v Curriculum
v Admissions
v Transition
v Access
v Complaints
v Parent Partnerships
3. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
4. POLICY REVIEW
5. USEFUL WEBSITES DOCUMENT REFERENCES
6. COMPLIANCE
1. PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES
Children with SEND are a whole school responsibility - all teachers are teachers of children with SEND. All children receive quality first teaching.
The Principles underpinning the Code
• The involvement of children, parents and young people in decision making;
• The identification of children and young people’s needs;
• Collaboration between education, health and social care services to provide support;
• High quality provision to meet the needs of children and young people with SEN;
• Greater choice and control for young people and parents over their support;
• Successful preparation for adulthood, including independent living and employment.
It is thought that approximately 20% of children will have some form of special educational needs at sometime in their school life. The vast majority of pupils with SEND are expected to be educated alongside their peers in mainstream schools and have their needs met in line with the recommendations of the Code of Practice. A small percentage of these children may have severe and/or complex difficulties and may need an Education, Health and Care Plan.(EHC plan)
We have regard to this definition of SEND stated in
The revised SEN Code of Practice (DfE, January 2015)
Special Educational Provision is underpinned by high quality teaching and is compromised by anything else. (SEND Code of Practice January2015)
This policy document specifies the objectives of the Governing Body, together with the strategies and procedures in place, to ensure that effective and efficient provision is provided for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) at Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School.
Definition Of Special Educational Needs:
The SEND Code of Practice January 2015 states that:
· Children have special educational needs if they have a leaning difficulty, which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.
· Children have a learning difficulty if they:
(a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age or;
(b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority;
(c) are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or(b) above or would so do if special educational provision was not made for them;
· Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because
the language, or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.
· Special educational provision means:
(a) for children of two or over, educational provision which is additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in schools maintained by the LA, local authority, other than special schools, in the area;
(b) for children under two, educational provision of any kind. See Section 312, Education Act 1996
Fundamental Principles
· Children with special educational needs should have their needs met.
· Monitoring the progress of all pupils is an ongoing process that will enable early identification of those in need of additional or different provision. We recognise the importance of early identification of Special Educational Needs and Disability at Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School this identification begins in the Nursery.
· Children who are not making adequate progress in the four broad areas of:
v communication and interaction;
v cognition and learning;
v social and emotional development;
v sensory and/or physical development;
as specified in the SEND Code Of Practice January 2015, will be carefully monitored.
· The views of the child are sought and taken into account where appropriate.
· The school acknowledges that parents/carers have a vital role in supporting their child's education. Their views are sought and they are encouraged to discuss any issues and concerns with the class-teacher, Head teacher, Foundation Stage Manager, Special Needs Co-ordinator, Inclusion mentors, Nurture group manager or Special Educational Needs governor.
· Children with special educational needs are offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education.
· We believe in equal opportunities and try to meet the emotional, intellectual and physical needs of all pupils, ensuring that those with SEND are fully integrated into the life of the school and the curriculum, recognising the strengths of every individual as well as areas for development. Reference should be made to our Equal Opportunities Policy.
2. WAYS OF WORKING
The Role of The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
The school’s co-ordinator for Special Educational Needs is Ms Lynette McDaniel
Within the foundation stage, until the pupil is 5 years old the Foundation Stage Manager is co-ordinator for Special Educational Needs in liaison with the school SENCO.
The SENCO is directly responsible to the Head teacher who reports to the school Governors.
Also the Inclusion Mentors, F. Hensley and J. Hullin, the Nurture Group Manager, Gayle Hellowell, and Educational Welfare Officer work alongside the SENCO. All are also directly responsible to the Head teacher. All are present at weekly inclusion meetings where there is an opportunity to discuss pupils.
The School Governors have important statutory duties which are described in the Code of Practice (DfES 2015 Chapter 9).
The Head, SENCO, Foundation Stage Manager, Inclusion Mentors and Nurture Group Manager have overall responsibility for implementing the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice within the school, this covers four key areas:
· strategic direction and development of SEND provision in the school;
· teaching and learning;
· leading and managing staff;
· efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources;
This also includes the following responsibilities at Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School
· monitoring of all children on register, through regular liaison with staff and teaching assistants, analysing assessment data, continuous carefully tracking of pupil progress, all to note progress made and/or areas of concern. Pupil records are kept centrally in the Staff office and all staff members have copies of pupils Provision Maps with specific targets, mind maps showing progress, interventions and support in place.
· monitoring of intervention procedures and their effectiveness;
· general monitoring of progress of all pupils to ensure early identification of SEND not previously noted
· a graduated approach is applied
· organising Annual Reviews and Statutory Assessment procedures; are now replaced by the Education, Health and Care Pan.(EHC plan)
· advising and supporting Learning Support Assistant’s in their work with pupils and organising their deployment in school and continued training; in consultation with the Head-teacher;
· liaison with Learning Support Advisory Teacher( LSAT)/Educational Psychologist, Behavioural support team and other specialist teachers and all external agencies;
· liaison with SENCO/Department Head, prior to/during transfer to secondary school;
· liaison with parents/carers, along with class -teachers; as the it is a family centred process.
· managing resources ;
· material resources;
· funding/budgetary issues - in consultation with the Head-teacher;
· record keeping of all information relating to children's SEN within the school and keeping records fully updated
· regular monitoring of the implementation of the SEND Policy/ practice within the school;
· attending appropriate INSET and leading staff training to ensure that knowledge and practice related to SEND issues in the school is regularly updated.
Strategic Management of SEND within The School
Governors ensure:
· that objectives set for the Head-teacher through the Performance Management Framework include SEND considerations;
· that SEND considerations are represented on the annual school development plan;
· that provision is made for pupils with SEND and that they are integrated with all pupils in the activities of the school, implementing the school’s policy and practice of Inclusion
· that teachers are aware of the importance of identifying and providing intervention programmes to support those children with SEND;
· that the school has a responsible person who makes sure that children with SEND are known to teachers
· that the SEND governor is appointed to have specific oversight of the school's arrangements and provision for special needs.
· that with the Head teacher and SENCO decide on the school's general policy and approach to all pupils with SEND. To endorse the deployment of appropriate staffing linked with funding arrangements.
· that an annual report is made to parents on the implementation of the school's policy for pupils with special educational needs and will include a report on the effectiveness of the work and any amendments to the SEND Policy;
· that there is regard to The SEND Code Of Practice when carrying out its duties to pupils with Special Educational Needs;
Other responsibilities of the Governing Body in relation to Special Educational Needs can be seen in the Code of Practice Principles and Policies – January 2015
Resources (Including funding, expenses, teaching resources)
Funding
The general school budget at Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School is derived from a formula set by the LA. Within this, a small amount is itemised for Special Educational Needs (SEND), based on the take- up of free school meals and Census returns to the LA – the number of children identified as having SEN both with and without statements. Other funding, some of which will be used for SEN, comes from the Standards Fund and other special grants such as direct grants to schools.
For on an EHC plan additional funding is granted and for new admissions with significant need, for whom there is no existing provision, application can be made to a small contingency fund held by the LA
The funding for SEND support services is now delegated to school.
At Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School this means that the SENCO, (in direct consultation with the head teacher) "buys back” SEND Advisory Teacher support/ LSAT Support/ Educational Psychologist /Behavioural teacher support and/or “consultancy” when appropriate.
*The school may also be able to access some additional funding for SEND through the School Community Clusters or the Fair Access Panel- this is based upon ‘prioritised need’ across the Cluster schools and it can mean access to additional Consultancy time/training etc
Expenses and Spending Priorities
The most significant expense in relation to SEND funding is the employment of teaching assistants. It is the policy of the school, whenever funding allows, whatever the source, to increase the level of SEND support because of the positive impact this can have on helping to raise pupil’s achievement and attainment throughout the school. Funding the support for children with SEND will continue to remain a budget priority
In consultation with the Head teacher, the SENCO is responsible for reviewing and updating existing resources and purchasing new materials and equipment for use throughout the school by pupils with SEND.
Teaching Resources and General SEND Information
Co-ordinator's records and SEN teaching resources, are kept in the Staff Office/ Head teacher’s office. The SENCO ensures the teaching resources/records and information are available for staff.
Any sensitive information, for example child protection issues, are kept in the Head’s office.
Identification, Assessment and Review
When there is concern that progress in school work or emotional/behavioural development is slower than expected or causing concern the class-teachers will inform the SENCO/ Foundation Stage Manager and parents and a "concern" will be noted on the SEND register. Differentiated work/intervention programme is provided if appropriate and support given if available.
Regular meetings between Head teacher, SENCO, Early Years Inclusion Mentors, Educational Welfare Officer and Nurture Group Manager are also an avenue to highlighting concerns and put into place strategies to support the pupil and also to review progress.
Regular reviews of progress takes place three times a year, or more often if necessary.
It is made clear in “The Code of Practice” that initial provision for these children should be made through the teacher's own differentiated curriculum work.
Thus a graduated response to Special Educational Needs is provided through a continuum of support which can incorporate a variety of strategies with more or less support depending on the level of need.
Expressing a concern.
Class teachers/ teaching assistants or parents may express a concern about a child this concern is formalised by discussing this information with the SENCO /Foundation Stage Manager. The class teacher provides differentiated work for the child within the classroom and the child’s progress is carefully monitored and reviewed regularly with the SENCO/ Foundation Stage Manager. If progress is not being made the child will be placed on the SEND register as needing School Support and an intervention programme will be started. The class teacher/SENCO/ Foundation Stage Manager will inform parents and ask for their permission to move the child to School Support. A provision map will be written which will show the support in place. This is then discussed and reviewed with the pupil and parent.
Early Years/ School Support
School Support is triggered when there is continued concern about the pupil's lack of progress and the class teacher begins an intervention programme that is additional to or different from the school's usual differentiated curriculum.
The SENCO/Foundation Stage Manager ensures that the parents are informed and records the nature and frequency of intervention in the child’s learning support file. The class-teacher is responsible for writing a provision map for the child which will be discussed with the pupil. Reviews should take place three times a year or more frequently if appropriate. (All provision maps are on workgroup so teachers can update them more easily)