Perryfields Junior School
Special Educational Needs Policy November 2012
Information about our school’s Special Education Provision
This policy details how our school will provide the necessary provision and support for any pupil who has special educational needs (SEN). It reflects the guidance in the SEN Code of Practice 2001 and our whole school’s commitment to meeting the needs of pupils with SEN. It explains the processes and procedures we follow that are aimed at ‘enabling pupils with SEN to reach their full potential’ (SEN Code of Practice 2001, 1:2) regardless of their special need, disability, gender, race or religion, and in accordance with our Vision Statement:
‘Our primary aim at this school is to provide a safe, stimulating and enjoyable LArning environment for our whole school community where children can grow in confidence, independence and self esteem.’
Objectives of the Policy
We give a high priority to meeting each pupil’s individual needs and providing a caring environment within which pupils can LArn and develop. In order for every pupil to reach his or her potential we have developed an inclusive approach where teaching and LArning, achievement, attitudes and the well being of every pupil are important. Our school offers a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum. The staff maintain high expectations for all pupils and respond effectively to the pupils’ needs. In addition the identification of SEN, the provision to support these needs and assessment of pupils’ progress and attainment are vital components to our success.
We are happy to accept pupils throughout our school who have experienced issues, such as, failure or unhappiness in other schools and aim to give them the experience of mutual respect, success and personal self worth that all pupils deserve. Pupils with SEN are supported by the whole school community and are helped to experience, achieve and celebrate successes. Confidence is considered vitally important in a pupil’s achievements and helps in raising their self-esteem.
Partnership with parents plays a key role in enabling pupils with SEN to achieve their potential. The school recognises that parents hold key information and have the knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of a pupil’s needs, and the best way of supporting them. All parents of pupils with SEN will be treated as partners and supported to play an active and valued role in their child’s education. We ensure that parents are notified of a decision by the school that SEN provision is being made for their child. They are invited to meet with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) three times a year to discuss the provision for their child, as well as with their child’s class teacher. In addition, parents of pupils with a statement of special need are invited to an annual review each year to discuss in more detail their child’s needs and support. An ‘open door’ policy is also always in place for further discussion whenever necessary.
Pupils have a unique knowledge of their own needs and they are encouraged to participate in the decision-making processes and to contribute to the assessment of their individual needs as well. As they grow older they become more involved in negotiating personal targets for their Individual Education Plans (IEP) or Provision Maps (PM). The staff endeavour to take into account the differing interests, knowledge and skills of the pupils and view support as an entitlement for the pupils who need it.
Responsibility for co-ordination of SEN provision
The SENCo, Laura Pietersen, is responsible for co-ordinating the day-to-day provision of education for pupils on our SEN register, but the ‘responsible person’ (see SEN Code of Practice 1:19) is the Head Teacher, Doretta Cowie, and the Governor with the oversight of SEN is Sue Root.
Arrangements for co-ordinating SEN provision
Provision for pupils with SEN is the responsibility of the whole school community.
Governors – The curriculum and pupil-related committee of the governing body monitors the school’s work on behalf of pupils with SEN. The governing body reports annually to parents on the school’s policy and provision for SEN.
Head teacher – The Head teacher is closely involved in the monitoring and provision of SEN throughout the school. She informs the governing body about the SEN register and needs in the school via a termly report written by the SENCo.
SENCo – SEN provision is co-ordinated by the SENCo.
The responsibilities of the SENCo include:
· overseeing the day-to-day management and provision of the school’s SEN policy
· co-ordinating provision for pupils with SEN
· co-ordinating and managing the role of the two SEN Teaching Assistants and any support staff employed to specifically work with a pupil with a statement
· maintaining and overseeing records of pupils with SEN
· monitoring and analysing individual progress and attainment
· providing INSET and arranging training
· liaising with and advising fellow teachers and support staff
· liaising with the parents of pupils with SEN
· liaising and reporting back to the named governor and full governing body
· liaising with external agencies including the LA support, specialist teachers and therapists, communications assistants, home school liaison workers, educational psychology services, health and social services, and voluntary bodies
Class teachers – All teachers are teachers of pupils with SEN. Teachers report concerns about individual pupils’ progress to the SENCo. They plan and manage an appropriate curriculum to meet the needs of the pupils with SEN in their class, taking IEPs and PMs into account and utilising resources and support staff where appropriate. The needs of pupils with SEN are identified in teachers’ planning. Teachers report to the SENCo informally on a regular basis and formally three times a year when the provision for pupils with SEN is reviewed. They annotate IEPs and PMs and set personalised SEN targets.
LArning support assistants (LSAs) - LSAs are directed by the class teacher and SENCo. They assist all pupils, but particularly those with SEN, to fully access the curriculum and all aspects of school life. LSAs use the IEPs and PMs to guide the support they offer to pupils with SEN. They utilise SEN and intervention timetables to ensure interventions are carried out and record the outcomes with regards to the pupils working towards achieving their targets. The IEPs and PMs are annotated by the LSAs alongside the class teacher to inform the SENCo of the progress pupils are making towards their targets. LSAs are also involved in the formal meetings, in conjunction with the class teacher and SENCo, in order to review and set new targets. In addition they attend termly LSA meetings with the SENCo and informally discuss support with the SENCo as well.
Parents – We aim to work with parents to give pupils the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential. Suggestions for support that can be given by parents are incorporated into the IEPs and PMs. All parents have the opportunity to discuss concerns or support with the SENCo, head teacher, class teacher and support staff at the thrice yearly review meetings or at any time they need to.
Teaching approaches and intervention - see the wave 1, 2 and 3 provision outline and whole school provision map at the end of the SEN policy.
Admission arrangements
There are 8 classes in our junior school, with two classes per year group. Each class can go up to a maximum of 34 pupils. The majority of pupils, prior to entry at our junior school, attend the infant school and then move on to the same site secondary school at the age of 11. For a place in classes that are not full parents may contact our school to visit us and then go through the LA admissions process to gain a place. We are a highly inclusive school and treat all applications fairly. Pupils with already identified SEN but without statements are considered as part of the normal admissions procedures set out by the LA. In accordance with the SEN Code of Practice (1:35 and 1:36) and the Education Act 1996, we endeavour to admit pupils with statements of SEN. The LA Special Needs Team is responsible for arranging the special educational provision and for considering the school’s suitability in finalising the statement.
Special provision and facilities
Our school is highly accessible both physically and mentally for all pupils, including those with SEN and disabilities. The SENCo has completed the SEN National Award of Coordination and a Post Graduate Diploma in SEN. In addition, the Head teacher has a Masters in Equality and Diversity. The staff receive continual training, support and updates. Strong links have been made between the same site infant and secondary school, as well as with the local cluster of primary schools and the local special educational schools and college.
Identification, Assessment and Provision
Allocation of resources
Our school has improved and developed the resources allocated and available to pupils with SEN. A large proportion of our budget is spent on providing LSAs in each class across the school. They offer guided support to the pupils with SEN in the classes. In addition two SEN TAs, who do not have a class based responsibility, provide specific support and intervention across the school for pupils with SEN and those needing targeted additional support. The SEN TAs and class LSAs carryout a range of intervention strategies, as guided by the SENCo and class teachers, see the wave 1, 2 and 3 provision outline and whole school provision map at the end of the SEN policy. These interventions are often delivered as withdrawal sessions for short periods of time. It is however the aim of the school to keep withdrawal to a minimum to ensure that all children get access to a broad and varied curriculum.
Pupils with a statement have increased LSA support in their class, they work with the SEN TAs and in some cases they may have a specified LSA to support them if they have more severe needs. Furthermore, we have a communications assistant who works with pupils with speech and language difficulties each week and a home school liaison worker who works with specific pupils needing social and emotional support. Our school is also very well resourced with a large ICT suite of computers and a large number of accessible laptops. The use of a variety of computer and internet based programs has been significant in helping to support pupils with SEN. We have a large demountable and smaller rooms/spaces around the school which are also utilised effectively when offering additional support and intervention to the pupils with SEN.
Identification and review of pupil needs
We aim to identify pupils with SEN as early as possible. The key signal for action is the evidence that the pupil’s current rate of progress is giving cause for concern, bearing in mind however that pupils progress at different rates. Pupils are also considered to have special needs if they have a disability, which hinders them from fully accessing the facilities or curriculum provided for them and their peers. Pupils with emotional and behavioural problems are similarly identified and supported according to their needs.
The school endeavours to ensure that teachers are able to provide full access to the curriculum for pupils with SEN and enable them to join in all the activities of the school, alongside their peers, so far as is reasonably practical and compatible with the efficient education of all pupils. Teaching staff continually differentiate their plans and teaching and LArning in order for all pupils to access the LArning and to ensure they make progress and succeed. Intervention support plays a major role in our school and pupils across the school are monitored thoroughly. For those pupils who are not making the expected progress they will join an appropriate intervention for a period of time. For those pupils with SEN they will be part of tailored and personalised intervention and support throughout their time at the school.
Pupils with a statement of need:
All pupils with a statement of need have an annual review every year which includes the parents, the pupil, the school staff and any other professionals involved. The review gives everybody the chance to discuss the targets from the previous year and set new targets in relation to the long term targets outlined in the pupil’s statement. All are invited to consider whether amendments are required to the statement and this is sent to the LA Special Needs Team for further review. Specific targets are then selected over the course of the year to be part of the pupil’s IEP, and these are reviewed termly with the pupil, class teacher, LSA, SENCo and parents, to ensure appropriate progress is being made. Pupils with statements are supported by the whole school community. LSA time to support the pupil is allocated on the basis of funding and need.
School Action and School Action Plus:
In order to help pupils who have special educational needs, the school has adopted a graduated response. This recognises there is a continuum of special educational needs and incorporates increasing specialist expertise for the difficulties a pupil may be experiencing. Pupils identified as having SEN are placed on our SEN register at either School Action or School Action Plus level. School Action involves the school, the parents and the pupil working together on focused targets and intervention through a Provision Map (PM). If ongoing intervention from outside agencies is deemed necessary, for example, a speech and language therapist, then the pupil is often then placed on School Action Plus. They have a PM and sometimes an IEP if their need is greater. Identification of further needs could result in the pupil being put forward for formal assessment via a common assessment framework form or through statutory assessment, if applicable.