Eastfield School
SEN Policy
Other related academy policies that support this SEN policy include the Safeguarding policy, Child Protection Policy, Behaviour Policy, Physical Intervention Policy and E safety Policy
Dated issued: March 2014
Ratified by Governing Body on: July 2014
Review Date: March 2015
EASTFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY
Headteacher: K.Beal
SENCO: J Holmes
SEN Governor: Mrs Gilson
Code of Practice – 2001
Definition of Special Educational Needs
Children have special educational needs if they have a learning 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 the home is different from the language in which they will be taught.
Special educational provision means:
a) for a child 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, other than special schools, in the area.
b) for children under two, educational provision of any kind.
(Section312) Education Act 1996.
1. Aims and objectives
The following general aims of the school are particularly pertinent to the SEN Policy:
-We all feel valued, needed and of equal importance.
-Everyone will be given the opportunity to experience success to fulfilpotential in all areas of school life and aim for effective outcomes torealistic goals.
-We expect children to reach their full potential physically, socially, spiritually, aesthetically and academically.
-We encourage our parents/carers, teaching staff and pupils to work together on agreed targets.
Objectives
i To identify pupils with Special Educational Needs as early as possible.
iiTo foster a climate in which the child is seen as the focus of an open andongoing interaction between parent and professional; together supporting the child through to adulthood.
iiiTo make additional support available, appropriate to the pupil’s needs in order to facilitate curriculum access and to develop the child's competency in intellectual, personal, social and physical skills.
iv To involve parents/carers in developing and implementing a joint learning approach at home and in school.
v To take into account the views of the pupil.
vi To provide a framework that offers support and advice to teachers.
2. Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
The name of the school's Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) isMrs J Holmes. Her contact telephone number is 351150.
3. The role of the SEN Co-ordinator
i. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator is responsible for: -
- overseeing the day to day operation of the school's SEN policy
- co-ordinating provision for children with special educational needs
- liaising with and advising fellow teachers
- overseeing the records on all pupils with special educational needs
- liaising with pre-school groups tofacilitate the transition of pre-school SEN pupils
- contributing to the in-service training of staff on SEN issues
- liaising with external agencies including the LA’s support and educational psychology services, health and social services and voluntary bodies
- liaising with teaching assistants in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team.
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ii. Management Structure and organisation for the provision of all pupils
with SEN
Governing Body
To liaise with the Headteacher to determine the school’s policy and approach to provision for pupils with SEN.
To establish the appropriate staffing and funding arrangements and maintaining a general oversight of the school’s work.
Headteacher
The Headteacher has overall responsibility for the management of
the school and Inclusion, reporting to the Governors and HCAT.
Deputy Headteacher
Responsible to the Head for Curriculum Development.
Monitoring the school’s assessment and record keeping policies. Analysing results of assessment, both teacher and standardised, to ensure early identification of SEN children and their subsequent achievements.
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator has responsibility for the effectiveness of the school in meeting the special educational needs of each pupil.
Phase Leaders
Responsible for the pastoral care and learning programmes for a particular phase group. Provide leadership in planning, monitoring and evaluating the curriculum including provision for SEN pupils.
Overseeing the TA support for pupils in their phase group according to the provision detailed on the IEPs.
Literacy and Numeracy Co-ordinators
To advise the SENCO and class teachers on suitable learning strategies and resources for individual pupil’s needs.
Class Teachers
Responding to pupils’ diverse needs, the teachers are responsible for the preparation of the learning environment, delivery and evaluation of the curriculum, monitoring and assessment of pupil attainment.
Teaching Assistants
Support individual pupils and small groups of pupils with SEN to develop their skills and to facilitate their access to the curriculum.
All staff, both teaching and non-teaching, are therefore involved with children who may be regarded as having special educational needs.
iii. Diagram of Leadership Structure for SEN
Head
Deputy Head
Senco Numeracy and Literacy Co-ordinators Phase leaders
Class teacher
TAs
4. Admission Arrangements
-Children are admitted in accordance with the LA admission’s policy.
5 Any SEN specialism and any special units
The school is committed to social inclusion and the IDP is employed to facilitate this aim. Some staff and TAs are trained in Makaton and many staff have undergone training for supporting pupils with specific needs. The school has close links with many outside agencies for extra support.There are facilities for the physically disabled, e.g. ramps, lift and toilets. The school has no special units.
6 Facilities and equipment
- The school has some specialist equipment and resources to support
pupils with SEN.These include Lexia, language masters, computers, I pads, specialist reading schemes and supplementary materials, computer programs and games, etc.
- There is a learning support room, which is used as a group teaching room and as a room for liaising with teachers, parents/carers and external agencies.
- Setting takes place in KS2 for Numeracy and in Year 6 for Literacy to allow for more focussed support of the SEN pupils within the year group.
7. Allocation of resources
- Capitation is allocated to Phase groups according to pupil numbers and toCurriculum Co-ordinators as block sums according to needs identified in the SIP. SEN resources are contained within these amounts to help fulfil the needs of children on the SEN register.
- Children with SEN statements are allocated cash values in addition to basic SEN funds and these are allocated to meet the provision indicated on their respective statements.
c. SEN funding is at present targeted in the following way:
- Provision of SEN Co-ordinator
- TA provision
- Purchase of SENSS time
- SEN budget
- Support for SEN reviews by supply cover
- Administrative time
TAs are available to provide additional support for SEN pupils under the Phase leaders’ and teachers’ direction.
- Several small teaching areas are available for teaching individuals and small groups. There is also a resource base for SEN materials, tuition by the SENSS teacher and a consultation area for other support agencies. It is also used for reviews and consultations with parents/carers.
8. Identification and Assessment procedure
The school has adopted the graduated model for helping children with Special Needs as laid down in the Code of Practice 2001.
(i) Responsibility for pupils at all stages lies with the school. We will consult with the LA, SENSS and other external agencies for advice and support in meeting the needs of those pupils at School Action Plus or with Statements.
(ii) The Graduated Model of Assessment and Provision
Causes for Concern – if a pupil becomes a cause for concern the teacher will contact the parents/carers and the child will be placed at School Action with relevant targets and support.
School Action- the school's Lead SEN TA together with the SEN co-ordinator take responsibility for gathering information and for co-ordinating the child's special educational provision, working with the child's teachers. The interventions will be additional to or different from those provided as part of the school’s usual differentiated curriculum. The pupil will have an IEP and additional support, often within class, from a TA.
School Action Plus- teachers and the SEN co-ordinator are supported by specialists from outside the school. A new IEP is agreed. The pupil receives enhanced support from a TA and involvement from an outside agency.
Statement - the LA consider the need for a statement of special educational needs and, if appropriate, make a statement and arrange, monitor and review provision.
Decisions for movement between the steps will depend on pupils’ attainment and progress related to school triggers.
(iii) Triggers
The school has identified Year group triggers for School Action and School Action Plus pupils. These are found in the Year Group SEN folders.
(iv) Individual Education Programme
It will
- be brief and action-based
- indicate the pupil’s current levels of achievement
- identify the nature, extent and specific areas of a pupil’s learning difficulty
- specify the learning programme and set specific relevant targets to be achieved, against criteria which acknowledge success, and representachievable goals
- specify any other additional support or resources
- involve parents or carers, and indicate the support or
encouragement being provided and needed from home
- include contributions from the pupil and their views
on their learning needs
- detail any additional requirements, such as medical or counselling needs
- set clearly monitoring and recording arrangements, with dates
- set dates for the next review with parents/carers and teachers.
(v) Reviews
They are held to evaluate the effectiveness of the SEN provision and all interested parties are invited to attend. Parents/carers will be kept informed of progress and provision for their child's special educational needs.
School Action – targets are reviewed at least two times a year and the teacher will keep the parents informed of their child’s progress.
School Action Plus – Parents/carers and outside agencies are invited to at least two IEP Reviews each year.
Statement - Parents/carers and outside agencies are invited to both IEP Reviews and Annual Reviews.
It should be emphasised that the details recorded on all SEN documentation should only be made available to those directly concerned with SEN provision.
9. Access to the curriculum
At all stages, all pupils are entitled to receive and will have access to, the full National Curriculum. Teaching strategies and styles will take account of this.
The pupils will be grouped and work differentiated to meet their various needs. Where support staff are working with a child, the criteria for supporting that particular pupil will be established e.g. 1-1 intensive work programme for 30 minutes daily, though this will be class based where appropriate and identified on the IEP.
Pupils with SEN will require individual or small group attention and maybe specialist equipment but in all cases, it is the responsibility of the class teacher to ensure that all SEN pupils receive access to a full balanced curriculum.
In developing the curriculum for all children, the school will remain ever vigilant to the self-image of each child whenever pupil assessment is made.
10. Arrangements for SEN
All children will have equal access to all school activities. Where SEN pupils need additional support in order for them to facilitate such activities, the school will make arrangements for them to do so.
Additional TA support and ‘Playground buddy’ systems are used to encourage social interaction where it is appropriate for some pupils. ‘Friends’ groups and FASU support also help in this area.
The reward systems used throughout the school acknowledge achievements at the individual pupil level.
Evaluation will be centred on the use of performance indicators: -
a. National Curriculum attainments - SATs
b. Standardised Tests
c. Continuous teacher assessment
d. Identification procedures
e. Monitoring of recording of achievement
f. Individual Education Plans and Programmes.
g. Regular action planning and review of progress.
11. The Role of the Governing Body
Mrs Gilson is the Governor with responsibility for SEN.
Once each term, a meeting is held when the SEN Co-ordinator provides an up-date on general and specific SEN matters and together they prepare a written report for the Chair of the Governing Body. At the discretion of the Chair, any matters arising from the report may be placed on the Agenda for consideration by the full Governing Body.
12. Dealing with complaints
Parents/carers are encouraged to register their concerns to the child's class teacher, the Special Needs Co-ordinator, or the Headteacher. Parents’ opinions are sought at each Review meeting.
13. Staff Training and Policies
a. In-house staff development is aimed at improving the ability of the class teacher to adopt teaching strategies that meet the needs of children of all abilities within the class.
b. Training will be given to enhance the early identification and understanding of an individual's learning difficulty. The IDP is employed to facilitate successful inclusion of all pupils.
c. Members of staff will be encouraged to attend external courses where appropriate. Through developing individual staff skill and knowledge, this will further enhance SEN provision throughout the school.
d. As part of their support role, core curriculum co-ordinators will provide leadership in differentiation and curriculum development.
e. TAs will receive relevant training when and where appropriate.
f. Audits are taken of the needs of staff in relation to SEN provision.
14. Links with Support Services
When a child's needs cannot be met by the school's resources, then the relevant external agencies are contacted. Links with these are already well established.
Time from SENSS is purchased.
15. The Role of Parents/carers
To meet the pupils’ needs most effectively requires a joint commitment from both parents/carers and school.
The school aims to develop a close working partnership with parents/carers of pupils with Special Educational Needs. Regular meetings are held during the year between teachers and parents/carers where concerns about a child may be expressed by either teacher or from home.
If a child is being considered for inclusion on the SEN register, parents/carers will be informed and their help in devising appropriate provision will be sought.
Parents/carers of pupils with SEN will receive written information regarding the school’s SEN provision and are welcome in the school to discuss their child’s support and education.
The school will strive to maintain a close partnership with the parents/carers in order to facilitate maximum opportunities for learning.
Parents/carers will be specifically invited to attend all reviews for children at School Action Plus or with a Statement.
16. Links with other Educational Providers
The school develops transfer links with the secondary schools to which our pupils transfer at the age of eleven so that continuity of learning takes place. These links are also forged with other schools to which children transfer. SENCOs of these schools are invited to the final IEP review meeting. There is naturally a reciprocal arrangement when pupils transfer to EastfieldPrimary School.
17. Links with Health/Social Services and Voluntary Organisations
The school works in partnership with the health service, the social services department, the education welfare service and the relevant local and national voluntary organisations. The school nurse makes regular visits and home visits when necessary. The social services are contacted as necessary, usually by the Child Protection Co-ordinator or Headteacher. The school does not have an absentee problem.
All children are encouraged to take part in all activities organised within the local community.