Park Community School

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy

Approved / Spring Term 2017
Review Date / Spring Term 2018
Signed (Headteacher) / Name / Bella Street
Signed (Chair of Local Governing Body) / Name / Andrew Tucker
Signed (Company Secretary) / Name / Bob Crick

The definition of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), which informs this policy document, is:

A student has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

Learning difficulty may be further defined as:

  • A significantly greater difficulty in learning than most children of the same age.
  • A disability that either prevents or hinders the student from making use of educational facilities of a kind provided for students of the same age in mainstream schools.

We understand that special educational needs may be temporary or much more challenging, complex and long term. Students are not regarded as having learning difficulties solely because their language, or form of the home language, is different from that in which they are taught but students with EAL are closely monitored to ensure that they have full access to the curriculum.

Inclusion is central to our vision and ethos, under-pinning educational opportunities and sponsoring success and achievement for all. PCS will be open to all regardless of faith, ethnicity, educational need, gender or sexual orientation. We will invest in children with SEND and will have exemplary differentiation, including SEN provision that includes parents and carers, identifies children’s needs and assesses and monitors progress. Park Community School will have due regard for the Special Needs Code of Practice in dealing with all students with special educational needs. We will ensure that parents are notified when SEN provision is being made for their child.

The school will have regard to the:

  • Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years June 2014

Children and Families Act 2014:

  • The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
  • The Equality Act 2010
  • Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions April 2014
  • SEND Regulations 2014
  • SEN and Disability Act 2001; The Green Paper, “Every Child Matters” (2003) and the subsequent Removing the Barriers to Achievement (2004);
  • The Disability Discrimination Act (2005) and other relevant government legislation and guidance and the
  • SEND policy and strategy for all pupils with Special Educational Needs in Merton

Guiding Principles

We welcome pupils with SEN as part of our community and we will ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to engage in the curriculum. PCS will use a graduated response that encompasses an array of strategies. This approach recognises that there is a continuum of special educational needs and, where necessary, brings increasing specialist expertise to bear on the difficulties that a child may be experiencing. Pupils who have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities will have a range of provision from in-class differentiation to additional support where needed. IEPs will be used to identify personalised strategies to support the needs of all children on our register and consistently reviewed with parents and carers.

The SENCO will use the register to update and monitor provision and work with the Head and class teachers to monitor the progress of children on the SEN register. We will make sure our procedures for assessment and monitoring include:

  • P scales (a set of descriptions for recording the achievement of pupils with SEN who are working towards the first level of the National Curriculum).
  • target setting according to national rates of progress for children at the same level.

This work will include ensuring the updated register is on the management information system to enable effective monitoring on SEN children at each status. The Continuing Professional Development programme will have significant focus on developing staff strategies for meeting the needs of children with dyslexia, autism and those with emotional and behavioural disorders as well as target setting from P scales based on the current Progression Guidance set out by the DfE.

Our inclusion policies will remove barriers to learning and we will use our experience of special needs teaching to deliver effective differentiated programmes for all, regardless of language, culture, gender, physical, intellectual or emotional state or socioeconomic status. Pupils will be assessed for individual needs on entry and IEPs will be developed with parents’ and carers’ input where possible. Our Inclusion Manager will lead provision for all students on the spectrum of needs and will monitor the IEPs and ensure our delivery follows the SEN Code of Practice. Most pupils' special needs will be met by personalised differentiation in the classroom, with short-term withdrawal for other focused support where needed. We will work with an appropriate range of expert agencies for those pupils requiring school action plus or for those with statements of special need.

The provision and delivery of a curriculum experience matched to the special educational needs of students at PCS is underpinned by the following guiding principle:

We aim to provide a quality learning experience which is valued by the student. There is an emphasis on high expectation, personal challenge and achievement in a caring and supportive atmosphere.

To support this, the student is placed at the centre of the process in which positive relationships based upon trust and mutual respect is a priority. A whole school approach is employed with home and school forming a mutually supportive partnership to serve the interests of the student.

PCS will ensure that SEN provision is:

  • Flexible, effective and regularly evaluated
  • Meeting statutory obligations under the new SEN Code of Practice (2014)
  • Gives access to the full curriculum experience, in line with that of classmates
  • Is negotiated with the student and his or her parents or carers so that it is welcomed and valued
  • Is based upon a belief in full integration whenever possible
  • Includes planned liaison with external agencies to meet individual need.

Learning Support Objectives

Personal and Social objectives for PCS staff to:

  • Act as a point of contact for those who come to the school with an existing special educational need
  • Identify and nurture children’s strengths, gifts and talents to develop self-confidence in the face of challenge
  • Support and ease the change process for children at key points of transition including starting Reception, Year 1, Year 3 and Year 6 pupils moving to secondary school
  • Provide advocacy for students who have difficulty representing themselves
  • Inform and involve students in choices and decisions about their learning
  • Seek to develop parents and carers as partners in the education of their child
  • Regard students as individuals with strengths and potential
  • Enhance self-esteem and promote personal effectiveness

Curriculum objectives for PCS staff are to:

  • Ensure equality of access to the curriculum experience
  • Diagnose and address difficulties
  • Ensure achievement for students with learning difficulty and to make this the starting point for further success
  • Provide Individual Support Plans (ISPs) which are reviewed and adapted as needs change
  • Act as a resource for staff, offering advice, guidance, support and backing this with accurate and objective information
  • Develop an ethos of ‘personal best’, within which students aim for excellence and value their success
  • Contribute to the assessment, recording and reporting process as appropriate

Administrative objectives are to:

  • Maintain the school’s register of special educational need
  • Implement the Code of Practice, including the provision of effective documentation within the guidelines
  • Provide staff with the information and resources they need to manage curriculum delivery
  • Establish and maintain effective systems of communication regarding students on the SEN register
  • Ensure that the Principal is fully informed on ‘live’ SEN issues
  • Provide the Governing Body with information necessary for effective decision making

Roles and Responsibilities

Inclusion Manager (SENCO)

The Inclusion Manager plays a crucial role in the school’s SEND provision, working with the Principal and Local Governing Body to determine the strategic development of the policy. The Inclusion Manager will ensure that teachers are trained and consistently use sophisticated differentiation for whole class learning as the first line of provision. A basic standard for lesson judgments and performance management will be how well teachers implement identified actions in IEPs to differentiate learning. S/he will also be responsible for resourcing provision so each student’s needs are being met using the most cost and time-efficient strategies, including individual and small group support and Wave 3 interventions with Learning Support Assistants in each of the core subjects. Students with a EHCP will be allocated one-to-one learning support where appropriate. Using the school MIS, the Inclusion Manager will manage data on each child’s provision with specific pastoral groups set up for intervention mapping and monitoring academic progress to ensure support allocated is of the highest quality and adding value to their education. The SENCO fulfills this role.

Other responsibilities include:

  • oversight of the day-to-day operation of the policy
  • work with class teachers, parents and carers of children on the SEN register to develop IEPs
  • leading staff development of practice with children on the SEN register
  • coordination of provision
  • liaison with and support for classroom teachers, including INSET provision
  • management and supervision ofLearning Support Assistants
  • oversight of pupils’ records
  • communication with parents and carers
  • liaison with external agencies and the LA

For effective coordination, staff must be aware of:

  • Mechanisms and procedures for access to information about children on the SEN register
  • What constitutes a ‘level of concern’, at what point School Action is initiated and the mechanism for alerting the Inclusion Manager to ‘levels of concern’ as appropriate

The Role of the Class Teacher

Teachers are the first line of provision for meeting students’ needs and planning their learning according to the IEP. For this reason, it is each teacher’s primary responsibility to ensure attainment and progress in their subject. Specifically, teachers are responsible to undertake the following actions for children on the SEN register:

  • differentiate activities to ensure children on the SEN register can access learning and be challenged to higher levels of thinking
  • plan support for children on the SEN register in each lesson as needed and deploy support staff where appropriate
  • keep the Inclusion Manager well informed about students’ progress

The Role of the Learning Support Assistant

  • provide in class support for pupils with identified special needs under the guidance of the class teacher
  • deliver intervention programmes under the guidance of the Inclusion Manager
  • provide feedback on learning and assessment for children they are supporting and input in planning future learning

The Role of the Local Governing Body

The Local Governing Body’s responsibilities have been delegated from the Board of Trustees of Chapel Street community Schools Trust. The Local Governing Body’s responsibility to students with SEN include ensuring that:

  • achievement and progress of children on the SEN register is in line with that of other students
  • provision for SEN is of a high standard
  • a ‘responsible person’ is identified to inform staff about the content of SEN Statements
  • the Code of Practice is being followed correctly
  • the Local Governing Body are fully involved in developing and subsequently reviewing SEN policy

Partnership with parents and carers

A strong partnership with parents and is essential in enabling students with SEN to achieve their potential. ‘Parents hold key information and have a critical role to play in their children’s education. They have unique strengths, knowledge, and experience to contribute to the shared view of a child’s needs and the best way of supporting them.’ (Code of Practice 2.2)

As outlined in the various sections of this policy, Park seeks to partner with parents and carers in shaping children’s development plans and provision. This approach is built into the various stages of provision from identification through to impact assessment at annual reviews. Additionally, the school makes available, to all parents and carers of children with SEN, details of the parent partnership service available through the LA.

Arrangements at Transition

  • All feeder playgroups, nurseries and preschools receive a request for information on children with an existing identified special educational need.
  • The Transition Leader visits children’s early years settings to learn about their personal strengths, needs and interests; cognitive, personal, social and emotional development and provision. The Inclusion manager visits any students who it is felt will benefit from enhanced transition.
  • Students are given an Individual Education Plan.
  • An information booklet for each member of staff is produced using the written details provided by primary schools.
  • A pre-taster day is held for students on the SEN register who have been identified as needing extra transition support.
  • Support for parents is provided during the transition stage.
  • Extra guidance is provided during the transition from Early Years to Key Stage 1 and from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2.
  • All class teachers’ class tracking grids are shared with new teachers at transition meetings. Chronology of concern and intervention will be passed on to the new class teacher

Access Arrangements

Statutory guidance on Access arrangements for external examinations is followed.

Access and Facilities for students with a disability

  • All ground floor rooms have disabled access.
  • Routes around school all have disabled access.
  • The disabled toilet has hoists.
  • Lift access to the second floor of the building

Procedures for Identification

The identification of pupils with a special educational need is a whole school responsibility. A number of routes, formal and informal, may be used.

  • Pupils are screened for academic progress on a termly basis. If this identifies a significant lack of progress, the Inclusion Manager and class teacher will undertake an initial review and meet with the child’s parents or carers to discuss any concerns. Thepupil may be added to the SEN register as a Record of Concern if this lack of progress is due to an educational need.
  • Identification by the class teacher or support staff, usually followed by an observation of the student within the lesson.
  • Referral from the child’s parents or carers as an enquiry or expression of concern, leading to information gathering from other members of staff and discussion with the child.
  • A pupil may ask for help. The procedure in this case would be as above.
  • EYFS tracking grids, termly phonic assessments, Yr 1 phonic tests, KS1 SATS
  • Additional in school screening – reading tests, Boxall profile tests to show emotional and social progression.

It is important to note that in Early Years, different levels of children’s maturity can be mistaken for a special educational need. For this reason, identification of SEN in the Early Years will be a priority area of CPD to build capacity in school. PCS will work with a member of the Local Governing Body who is an SEN specialist in the local authority to ensure identification is accurate to plan the most effective provision.

In all cases, the following action is then taken:

  • Contact with home is established.
  • Provision is staged.
  • An Individual Education Plan is planned andagreed with the student and family.
  • Information is shared with staff.
  • The student is placed on the SEN register.
  • Progress is monitored.
  • Provision is reviewed and evaluated.

Record Keeping

The school records the steps taken to meet pupils’ individual needs. The Inclusion Manager maintains the records and ensures access to them. In addition to the usual school records, the student’s profile will include information from:

  • The child’s strengths, interests and motivators
  • Previous Early Years setting or school
  • Parents or carers
  • Progress and behaviour data
  • The child – their perceptions of difficulties
  • Health/social services
  • Other agencies such as the LA SEN support unit

Teaching children on the SEN register is a whole-school responsibility. Some pupils may need increased levels of provision and support. The core of the teachers’ work involves a continuous cycle of planning, teaching, and assessment, taking into account the differences in pupils’learning styles, abilities and interests. In this cycle, the educational support staff play an important role in debriefing lessons and provide invaluable input to inform future learning. For this reason, the school will do its best to support teachers and TAs to have time for these reflective discussions.

SEN Status

The Code of Practice advocates a graduated response to meeting students’ needs. When they are identified as having SEN, the school will intervene through school based SEN support as described below.

School Record of Concern

School SEN Support is characterised by interventions that are different from or additional to the normal differentiated curriculum. School Action intervention can be triggered through concern, supplemented by evidence that, despite receiving differentiated teaching, pupils:

  • make little or no progress
  • demonstrate difficulty in developing literacy or numeracy skills
  • show persistent emotional/behavioural difficulties which are not affected byconsistent and skilled use of behaviour management strategies
  • have sensory/physical problems, and make little progress despite the provision of specialist equipment
  • experience communication and/or interaction problems and make little or no progress despite experiencing a differentiated curriculum

Following consultation with the parents or carers,if the school decidesthat a pupil requiresadditional support to make progress, the Inclusion Manager and the class teacher support the assessment of the pupil and have an input in planning future support. The class teacherremains responsible for the planning and delivery of individualised programmes. Parents and carers will be closely informed of action and results.