CURRICULUM POLICIES
MEDICAL NEEDS POLICY
Reviewed by the Governing Body:October 2014
Next Review due: as required
This policy accepts the definition of Medical Needs as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014.
Aims/objectives
The Governing Body and teaching staff at Paignton Community and Sports Academy, aim to secure the most appropriate support for any pupil who has medical needs and ensure that, where there is evidence that the pupil has significant needs, those needs will be made known to all who are likely to teach him or her.
In order to meet the aims of this policy we seek:
- To help each pupil develop his/her potential to the full,
- To ensure that each pupil leaves school with the core skills of literacy, numeracy and social independence, which s/he will need in adult life,
- To help each pupil to learn to appreciate and value his/her own strengths,
- To enable pupils to have the skills to take their place in society.
Persons responsible for overseeing the implementation of this policy within school
Brian Chapman – Head of Learning Support
Angela Bubbear – Governor
Monitoring/review
The Governing body will annually review the policy to ensure that all pupils regardless of race, gender or disability have access to a broad, balanced, coherent and relevant curriculum, including the National Curriculum.
In order for all pupils with medical needs to achieve their full potential, extra support is made available to them. In accordance with the 1989 Education Act it is our intention that all pupils should have the right to access a curriculum that is suitably differentiated to meet a variety of individual needs including medical needs. It is essential that the subject teachers have prime responsibility for the learning of all pupils in their care. Additionally,
Teaching Assistants, Mentors and all other members of staff have a role in meeting medical needs.
The Academy has allocated governors from the governing body to monitor and challenge the implementation of this policy. The governors have a regular review meeting (minimum of two per academic year) with the Head of Learning Support to discuss and evaluate the policy and its implementation.
KEY STAFF:
Head of Learning Support – Brian Chapman
Governors: Angela Bubbear, Jo Florence
Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP)
For students with a medical condition an Individual Health Care Plan will be agreed with parents, pupils and health professionals. The focus of the IHCP should be on the care and support of any medical condition to allow the pupil full access to the school site and facilities, and access to the full curriculum where the medical condition allows. IHCPs should be reviewed on a regular basis, at least annually, and evaluated against individual needs.
Some pupils will already have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) to address Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Pupils with these plans will have their needs recorded in the Medical Needs record system as well as the records for Special Educational Needs.
Support
The in-class support may be provided by the following “additional adults”:
- Grade C Teaching Assistants
- Grade D Teaching Assistants or Mentors
- Grade F Mentors
All Teaching Assistants are trained to meet the National Standards for Teaching Assistants and encouraged to complete accredited qualifications in Special Educational Needs/Teaching Assistant NVQs. Medical needs are recorded on the academy information system and made available to all staff to aid the support of individual pupils.
Pastoral staff, support staff and first aid trained staff are kept fully informed of changing needs of pupils with IHCPs
Reasonable Adjustments
Where students have specific needs which require the academy to make reasonable adjustments to the curriculum or the fabric of the school buildings, these will be made with the agreement of the governing body, parents and healthcare professionals to ensure the pupil is not discriminated against under the terms of the Equality Act 2010.
Inclusion
All pupils are supported and encouraged to participate in all aspects of Academy life, and have equal opportunity to do so in accordance with the Academy Equality policies and the terms of the Equality Act 2010.
Resources
Paignton Community and Sports Academy will seek to provide resources to support all individual medical conditions both from school funds and through the use of Personal Budgets where these are available via EHCPs.
Identification of students medical needs
Information will be gathered by the academy at transition between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 during the primary liaison process. Additional information will be sought directly from parents/carers on induction to Year 7 via the pupil information pack system. Transient pupils will be interviewed prior to admission to the academy and information will be obtained during these admission meetings.
Information will be exchanged with healthcare professionals directly or via the School Nurse.
Information from parents identifying need will be passed to key staff by which ever member of staff initially receives the information.
Access to the Curriculum
All pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum and are assessed against National Curriculum criteria in line with the Paignton Community and Sports Academy policy. Individual adjustments are made to the curriculum to meet individual pupil needs at all Key Stages. Teachers will plan lessons with regard to pupil IHCP needs in accordance with the Academy policy.
Effectiveness of the Medical Needs policy
The success of the policy is gauged by:
•Staff awareness and support of individual pupil IHCPs
•The academic success of pupils being supported through IHCPs
•Consultation with pupils and parents/carers regarding IHCPs
Transition
Transition plays a key role in the Academy, as well as transition plans for pupils between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, plans are made for pupils with IHCPs during the transfer between Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 (which includes the change of school site). In both cases plans are developed for individual pupils to help support them cope with significant changes in their education.
Transition plans are constructed for all pupils with EHCPs/IHCPs from Year 9 through to the point at which they leave the academy. The plan considers the ability to cope with life outside of education, life skills, including personal care, money skills, and career plans and influenced by any medical needs described within the EHCP/IHCP.
In-Service Training
Where necessary, training on individual needs of pupils with an IHCP will be delivered via health professional, School Nurse, GP etc. so that staff may be fully able to support the IHCP
Regular refresher training will be delivered to maintain staff expertise.
Parents & Carers
Parents and carers are encouraged to meet with the Head of Learning Support and the Pastoral staff whenever this is convenient to discuss individual needs or concerns. Information evenings are provided for key transitions within Paignton Community and Sports Academy and Learning Support staff are available at all parent evenings and year related events.
Specific reviews are held with pupils and parents/carers at least annually.
Linked Policies
This policy document should be considered in conjunction with other linked policy documents within the Academy, most notably:
Learning and TeachingDisability Equality
Social InclusionAssessibility
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Curriculum
NumeracyLiteracy
Arrangements for the Treatment of Complaints
Parental complaints are referred to the Head of Learning Support or Head of Year who will investigate. If necessary the complaint will be referred to the Senior Management Team who will implement the Academy Complaints Policy. Internal complaints are referred through the Head of Learning Support, who investigates and reports back to the Senior Leadership Link, who will implement the complaint procedure as necessary.
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C6/10.2014