SEN GOVERNOR TRAINING
THURSDAY 12TH JUNE 2014
AT HEACHAM INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL
Attendance: John Davis - Sedgeford School, Rita Caldicott and Matthew Henry – Redgate Junior, June Seed – Smithdon High, Jillian Carr, Jacqueline Sindle, Charlotte Ferguson, Nikki Corby, Trish Colley, Robert Dale, Rachel Richardson and Louise Jackson – Heacham Infant.
Jenny Mitchell – SEN-D Cluster Adviser and Jane Hill (Clerk)
The Head welcomed all those present and especially Jenny Mitchell the SEN-D Cluster
Adviser for coming to speak from North Walsham.
1. A handout about the SEN-D Governor Cluster Training - What Governors need to know about Clusters, TA Support and Good Practice was given to all those who attended.
2. Jenny Mitchell explained the reason for the training and that she had been appointed as Cluster Adviser to help with the challenges faced in the cluster due to the change in funding
- She explained that a new Code of Practice that defines SEN-D had come into effect this year.
4. How SEN-D used to look in Norfolk. Annual review of statement have not ceased and it was important to see what progress if any had been made by the children - In reply to a question from Robert Dale about what proportion of the 4% with statements were pupils with emotional and behavioural issues, JM said there were a wide variety of complex needs.
5. SEN-D Reforms: Jenni Mitchell explained the national formula funding changes with more money to fund SEN-D children coming from the school budget. The shift away from 1:1 TA support and the reasons for this. A more collaborative approach and greater flexibility to meet local needs. Louise Jackson explained how the Heads get together to monitor SEN reading and writing and how there is an agreed Cluster assessment. Cluster funding was used as a top up to the funding per child.
6. SEN-D Reforms and TA Support: JM set an exercise for the people attending the meeting who were encouraged to discuss three things with the person next to them and the following answers were given:
· Duties of a TA: Supporting teacher and all pupils, help with medication and physical support.
· Benefits of 1:1 support – keeps the child included, feedback to teacher and pupil, an extra adult in the class and this can help with discipline and can give the teacher time to focus on small groups if needed. The TA understands the child and there is one dedicated adult if the teacher is busy.
· Disadvantages of 1:1 support: Teacher can lose track of the child and parents see the TA as the point of contact rather than the teacher. The disadvantages for the child are that they get too attached to the TA and do not socialise enough with other children and can view the TA as their friend.
7. SEN-D Reforms and TA support
Some TA myths:
Jenny Mitchell discussed the myths about the role of TA and the following points were made about these:
· The SEN child does not make better progress if they have 1:1 adult support
· The class teacher can meet the needs of 30 children and the needs of the children with SEN through quality first teaching
· The teacher is the main link to parents not the TA
· An HLTA can help teach a child with SEN but for the majority of the day it should be the teacher.
· Some TAs do not receive enough training SEN and disability although some do. There is concern that the most needy children can end up being taught by less experienced staff.
· There is not always sufficient time for the teacher to meet with the TA to discuss the needs and progress of the child with SEN – it is important that time should be made for this at least once a week and for the teacher to discuss the teaching plan for that week/and or day.
· The TA can work with all children not just with the child she is assigned to.
· It is not a good idea for the TA to work with the same child until they leave school or the statement ceases.
8. SEN-D Reforms and TA support
Some TA facts: The following points were made.
· The number of TAs in schools has trebled since 1997
· There is evidence that children with 1:1 support do not make good academic progress and become too dependent on their TA . Children need to mix and have greater integration with their peers. Louise Jackson said it was about changing attitudes and having 1:1 support stops children becoming independent.
· One TA can support several children even those with high needs
· It is a good idea to have TA support targeted for short periods of the day or week, followed by periods away from the child and then returning for more targeted support
· There are children who would not be able to access main stream education without the support of a TA
· Skilled TAs can be of great help to teachers in complementing the programme of learning for children with SEN
9. So what? Doing things differently through Cluster work
Jenny Mitchell discussed what is happening at Cluster level and the following was highlighted:
· Cluster provision helps identify what is happening across the Cluster. -
· The Cluster lead for SEN-D is Gayle Platt and with her help the Smithdon Cluster has put systems in place with transparency on how the funds are allocated
· Louise Jackson said that ensuring good practice across the cluster was achieved through moderation.
· Planning and briefing - The role of the TA is vital in helping with the class teacher responsibilities and quality first teaching as laid out in the Code of Practice 2014 “High quality teaching that is differentiated and personalised will meet the individual needs of the majority of children and young people”
· It is extremely important that both teachers and TAs have the necessary training, skills and experience.
· Inclusive – those present agreed that it was vital to recognise the different levels of ability and realise that not all pupils will make good academy progress.
10. Doing thing differently cont’d
The following was highlighted:
· Buddy systems and how these worked well
· Behaviour management plans must be in place and the information shared with as many people as possible.
· Teacher and TA training is vital as the child will not make good progress with poor teaching.
· It is a good that visual timetables, sign language, non verbal prompts and aids are being used more.
· Monitoring the spend and measuring the impact – Louise Jackson said that the Smithdon Cluster are working on this and the SEN data is being pulled together via an impact form.
11. The new Code of Practice
12. The new Code of Practice
Jenny Mitchell went through this in broad terms.
13. What can we do as Governors?
The following was highlighted:
· The importance of having good Cluster SEN governors
· It was important that they asked the right questions at Cluster meetings
· Statements will be replaced by Educational Health Care plans. Louise Jackson mentioned a child who had been signed off by a paediatrician and will need to have an educational Health Care plan and she was told that anyone can refer a child. There are application guidelines for those with complex needs
· The categories of children with SEN were discussed – those with physical needs, social and communication issues, cognitive and learning and social and emotional and mental health issues.
· In reply to a question from Louise Jackson, Jenny Mitchell confirmed that governors should be asking the right questions and challenging the leadership and the questions should be minuted by the clerk as these are questions that may be asked by Ofsted.
· Quality Teaching first - It is important that TAs and Teaching staff interact well and that time should be set aside at the end of the day for this, as this helps how the teaching is delivered to the children with SEN-D.
· Cluster - Louise Jackson explained that when allocating the limited Cluster funding, the Smithdon Cluster did not take into account the cost of preparation time but concentrated funding the extra hours needed but with emphasis being put on recording the impact this will have on the development of the child.
· Funding was discussed and Jenny Mitchell mentioned the depravation index and the rural development and there was a small pot of money from Health Check for action plan costs
· There was something about Capacity First pot ???? a pot for development and LJ mentioned about the low SEN memo £26,000
I am afraid I did not catch this at all well and I am sorry because it was the items that you wanted to have record – but hope that by putting the words down it might remind you. Should have typed the notes up straight away.
Jenny Mitchell concluded the presentation by inviting the Governors to email her with any questions they may have.
Louise Jackson thanked Jenny Mitchell for her excellent presentation.
The meeting closed at 8.10 pm.
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