King Edward VI School Lichfield
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY
Includes:
Special Educational Needs
Supporting pupils at school with Medical Conditions
English as an Additional Language
Access Arrangements
Special Educational Needs
Developedusing the SEN Code of Practice 2014
Definition
A child or young person to the age of 25 will be deemed to have Special Educational Needs if they have a learning difficulty or a disability which requires special educational provision to be established for them. A child or young person has a learning difficulty or a disability if they:
(A)Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others 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 others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.
Aims
King Edward VI is a fully inclusive school and values each student as an individual. At the centre of the provision offered to all students is Quality First Teaching. It is for this reason that some students with additional needs will not require special educational provision to be established for them because their needs will be met within the classroom by the class teacher. Such students will not be on the SEN register, but will have their needs and progress monitored through the schools effective academic and pastoral monitoring and support systems.
For those students who do require special educational provision to be established for them, the provision offered will help to develop them as an independent successful learner and help them to develop strategies to manage their difficulties into adult life. In order to achieve this,the school works in partnership with all agencies supporting the child, with the child and their parents as centrally important figures.This provides a multi-agency planning and review system around the child and their progress.
Admissions
Students with an Education Health Care Plan have a right to choose the educational setting of their preference for their son/daughter. Where a child or young person has SEN but does not have an EHC plan they must be educated in a mainstream setting except in specific circumstances. At King Edward VI School children and young people with SEN are treated fairly as with all other applicants. In making admission decisions we follow the Educational Authority’s guidelines that we:
• must consider applications from parents of children who have SEN who do not have an EHC plan on the basis of the school’s published admissions criteria as part of normal admissions procedures;
• must not refuse to admit a child who has SEN but does not have an EHC plan because they do not feel able to cater for those needs;
• cannot refuse to admit a child on the grounds that they do not have an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Implementation
- Transition
King Edward VI School is proud of its transition process from primary to secondary school. During this process, lead professionals from King Edward VI School, including the Head of Learning Support, will make contact with all primary schools to gather student specific information. A pro-forma is provided to all primary schools to ensure that vital information is gathered regardless of the student’s starting point. During the end of the summer term in Year 6 all students are invited to attend our school for 2 full days, during which time they experience life as a secondary school student. In addition to this, students with SEND are invited to attend 4 afternoon sessions run by the Learning Support Department to offer additional support with regards to settling in and organisation. Parents are invited to attend 2 of these afternoon sessions to meet with the Head of Learning Support in order to have informal discussions about their child’s needs. Should more detailed discussions be needed parents are invited to attend meetings at a time to suit them. Often primary schools will invite the Head of Learning Support to attend Y5 and/or Y6 reviews; every effort will be made by the school to attend these meetings.
When a student transfers to the school outside of the Y6-Y7 time period, support is still offered. Parents are invited into school and asked to outline their students’ needs and any external agencies already involved with the student. Once in schoolfurther assessments used to ascertain a more complete picture of the student’s needs can be undertaken.
During transition at any stage into the school all students are assessed on their reading and spelling skills. This information is then passed to teachers to ensure all literacy-based material can be differentiated to match the students’ Zone of Proximal Development.
Should the student at any stage choose to attend a different school, including transitioning Post 16, the school will ensure that the appropriate information is passed on and any support offered to both parents and the new school to ensure they are confident in the needs of the individual.
- Support
King Edward VI School is a fully dyslexia friendly school and a ‘good’ school rated by Ofsted, therefore differentiation is at the heart of all our lessons. Strategies to ensure the inclusion of all pupils are part of normal school practice. There may be students who will not be coded as SEN despite a diagnosis being present, because their needs can be met through good quality inclusive teaching. Where a student does need significantly greater differentiation, the school is committed to structuring this around the child. King Edward VI has a highly experienced LSA (Learning Support Assistant) team that support students in the classrooms. It also has a highly experienced Tutor team who offer 1-2-1 and small group intervention lessons to target specific areas of need. Where a student’s difficulties present behavioural or emotional factors the school has Pastoral Support Staff who can work with students on a 1-2-1 or in the classroom to help them develop strategies to manage these difficulties. During unstructured times the school offers support through the Learning Support department and numerous whole school clubs to ensure no student feels isolated.
Each student in King Edward VI School is placed within a tutor group made up of peers of the same age group. The tutor group is looked after by a tutor and is supported through the Guidance Structure. It is the role of the Guidance team to ‘guide’ each child through school. They will support each child develop their Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural development. Behaviour and attendance support is offered through this system. Where behaviour is affecting a student’s learning, a range of support strategies can be employed to provide a higher level of support. Parents are actively involved in this process and provide an essential supportive system for both students and school. All efforts are taken to prevent a student from facing exclusion. Where attendance is a cause for concern the Guidance team will work with parents to target improvement. Where necessary the school will be supported by the Education Welfare Worker to offer a higher level of support.
The Learning Support department of King Edward VI school offers highly qualified staff in a number of areas including Post Graduate qualifications in dyslexia. When necessary the school works closely with a number of external agencies that can also offered specialisms in their field of expertise.
The school at present work with:
Health / Wellbeing / LearningAutism Outreach / SENSS behaviour / SENSS
Hearing Impairment Team / Educational Psychology / Educational Psychology
Visual Impairment Team / Counselling / Carers Advice
Speech and Language / CAMHs / Alternative Provision Providers
School Nurse / Young Carers / Key Learning Centre - Queens Croft
Midlands Psychology / Adoption Support Worker / Minority Ethnic Achievement Service
Occupational Therapy / Social Services
Key Learning Centre - Saxon Hill / Local Police
Local Support Team
Cruse
Education Welfare Worker
Aiming Higher
Parent Partnership
The Bridge - Behaviour Support
Youth Worker
SARAC
T3
Decisions relating to the provision needed for each student is made in relation to their level of attainment, teacher feedback, and parental and student concerns. Proposals for provision outside of the classroom will be outlined to parents and parents will be asked to signto ensure they are happy that the provision being offered is appropriate to their child’s needs. All provision provided is evaluated for impact through termly contact. The structure of evaluation will be dependent on the provision; where standardised scores are used testing can only be undertaken on a 6 monthly basis as anymore than this would invalidate the results given. If it is felt that progress is not at least appropriate, the provision will be adjusted. Should it be thought necessary, external agencies can be involved to access differing specialisms and to provide guidance and monitoring of alternative provision.
In the context of high quality teaching, in-class support is not always necessary. Should the school or parents feel that it isnecessary; a Learning Support Assistant timetable is created to cover the needs of all students involved. Learning Support Assistants at King Edward VI School work under the direction of the Head of Learning Support,and work predominately within asubject specialism. This process ensures that the LSAs not only know the student’s needs, but also know the subject matter and can therefore support most effectively within the classroom environment.
Students requiring additional support for behavioural difficulties can be identified by various means, including using the school’s conduct points system. Students who lose a number of points are identified by their Tutor, Achievement Leader, or the Pastoral Support Team.The support provided may include direct support within the classroom environment.
Any provision offered outside the classroom is communicated to parents to ensure all parties are fully informed.
Decision making process for additional support
- Curriculum
Each student that attends our school has the right to a full and balanced curriculum. Therefore it is not our intention to permanently withdraw students from any one subject that would prevent them from continuing to study it at a later date. Should additional provision be necessary to meet the child’s needs every effort will be made to plan this around the student’s academic needs. Where this is not possible or not in the student’s best interests, a decision for withdrawal can be made following discussion with parents and other professionals.
At KS4 vocational courses are offered alongside traditional subjects to provide a wide variety of qualifications. Curriculum Support is also offered through the Learning Support Department to ensure students receive additional support where necessary to help them to manage the demands of KS4.
- Parental Involvement
King Edward VI feels strongly that the best provision for students with Additional Needs comes from a close working relationship with parents and school. Parents are therefore actively encouraged to be in contact with the school as often as they wish too. Each student has a student planner where parents can record questions/comments for specific teachers. Alongside this parents can email or call the school and ask for messages to be passed directly to class teachers. For direct contact all parents can email the Head of Learning Support and a reply will be given as soon as is possible.
The school has a structured system of reporting to parents. Alongside this, students designated as requiring an EHCP (Educational,Health and Care Plan) or SEN will have a Student Passport which will identify key areas for development across the curriculum. Parents and students will be central to the creation and review of passports on a termly basis. Targets on passports will be recorded and monitored for appropriate progression.
Throughout the year the school offers targeted information evenings for parents. The learning support department also offers informal coffee meetings for parents to meet each other and offer advice and support. The school has close relationships with external agencies and aims to pass information to parents about any supportive structures offered outside of the school. King Edward VI recognises that each cohort of students is different and therefore faces different challenges. We welcome requests from parents to offer information sessions on areas about which they have particular knowledge or expertise.
- Accessibility
Although the school is committed to a policy of inclusion, the Governors recognise that the nature of the site makes it impossible for students with certain types of disability to access the school buildings. King Edward VI School is not the nominated ‘Pathway’ school for the Lichfield District. The school has in place a Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan in accordance with government requirements.
Where parents need wheelchair access all efforts will be made to ensure meetings are held on one level. During parents’ evening the school will ensure that teachers move to the parent to minimise the movement needed.
It is acknowledged that for some students specialist equipment is needed in order for them to be effectively included in the mainstream classroom. Where this is the case external or internal testing will be undertaken in order to ascertain the level of need and the facilities that are required in order to effectively support the student. Once provision is implemented it will be evaluated for impact on at least an annual basis in order to ensure it is effective in meeting the student’s needs.
- Additional Information
For SEN specific questions contact should be made with Mrs B Sandland, the school’s Head of Learning Support:
01543 255714
For questions relating to transition contact should be made with the Head Teacher’s PA:Mrs C Selwyn
01543 255714
For support outside the school parents can contact Parent Partnership for advice and guidance on other areas of support: 01785 356921
Supporting pupils at school with Medical Conditions
Developed usingthe Department for Education’s statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools and proprietors of academies in England in effectively supporting students with medical conditions.
Definition
A medical condition is determined as a condition diagnosed by a medical professional that affects the physical or mental wellbeing of a person. Some children with a medical difficulty may be disabled and will therefore be subsequently covered by the Equality Act 2010. Some may also have special educational needs (SEN) and may have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision. For children with SEN, this guidance should be read in conjunction with the SEN code of practice
Aims
King Edward VI is committed to ensuring that all pupils at school with medical conditions are properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. The school will seek to consult health and social care professionals, pupils and parents to ensure that the needs of children with medical conditions are effectively supported.
The aim of this policy is to outline the procedures all members of staff working at King Edward VI school will adhere to, to ensure that all children with medical conditions, in terms of both physical and mental health, are properly supported in school so that they can play a full and active role in school life, remain healthy and achieve their academic potential.
It is acknowledged that many of the medical conditions that require support at school will affect quality of life and may be life-threatening. Some will be more obvious than others. King Edward VI works to ensure that the focus is on the needs of each individual child and how their medical condition impacts on their school life.
Admissions
Children and young people with medical conditions are entitled to a full education and have the same rights of admission to school as other children. This means that no child with a medical condition should be denied admission or prevented from taking up a place in school because arrangements for their medical condition have not been made. However, in line with their safeguarding duties, the governing bodies should ensure that pupils’ health is not put at unnecessary risk from, for example infectious diseases. They therefore do not have to accept a child in school at times where it would be detrimental to the health of that child or others to do so.
Implementation
The care and inclusion of students with medical conditionsis the responsibility of all staff in the school. Staff will be aware of the needs of students with medical needs through information shared with staff and through SIMs. For students whose medical conditions are likely to result in emergency care an ‘Individual Health Care Plan’ (IHCP) is used to record triggers, signs, symptoms, medications and other treatments. Where staff are visitors to the school it is the responsibility of the line manager to ensure that they are sufficiently informed of students’ needs. Where cover lessons are taken it is the responsibility of the lead member of staff to ensure the cover supervisor is aware of the needs of their class.