Woodcroft Primary School
sPECIAL eDUCATIONAL nEEDS pOLICY
(This policy is to be read in conjunction with our policies on Inclusion and Single Equality)
Mission Statement
‘Together Towards success’
Together We aim for all the pupils, parents/carers and staff, to increase their participation within our school. This is achieved through the development of inclusive cultures, policies and practices. We take account of disability, race and gender to create a secure and accepting, community where everyone feels valued.
‘Towards’ an outstanding school that provides an enriching and creative learning experience for all pupils. We respond to the diversity of need through our commitment to equality: overcoming potential barriers to learning and setting suitable personal targets.
‘Success’ is expected of every pupil. They should reach their full potential, recognising personal strengths and celebrating the achievement of themselves and others; both within the school and wider community.
INTRODUCTION
This policy is currently based on the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice
2001. During 2011, the government conducted a consultation on provision of children with SEN, Support and aspiration: a new approach to special educational needs and disability. The outcomes to this will probably lead to changes in legislation and the school and governing body will review this policy should any changes occur.
The school will have regard to the principles and provision set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice when carrying out its duties towards all pupils with special educational needs. The school will ensure that every parent/carer is informed of decisions made, relating to the SEN provision that is being provided for their child, and that pupil’s needs are made known to appropriate adults in school.
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 significant greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age: or
b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them form making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the Local Authority (LA) or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.
c) Are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.
(Section1.3 of the SEN Code of practice)
The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all children. However, some children have barriers to learning that mean they have special needs and require action by the school. Children may have special needs either throughout or at any time during their school career. This SEN policy details how Woodcroft Primary School identifies and assesses pupils to ensure that the necessary provision is made for any pupil who has special educational needs. The school will always consider the principles of an inclusive education system in relation to all pupils with special educational needs.
Special Educational Needs may relate to one or more of the following areas of need:
· Communication and interaction
· Cognition and learning
· Behaviour, emotional and social development
· Sensory and /or physical needs
· Medical conditions
Some pupils with disabilities may have learning difficulties that call for special educational needs provision. However, not all children deemed to be disabled will require this provision. A child with asthma or diabetes, for example may have not have special educational needs, but may still have right under the Equality Act 2010. We will assess each child as required, and make the appropriate provision, based on their identified needs.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
At Woodcroft Primary School in making provision for pupils with SEN, our aims and objectives are:
· To create a learning environment that meets the special educational needs of each child
· To ensure the special educational needs of children are identified, assessed and provided for as early as possible
· To provide a rich, broad and balanced and suitably differentiated curriculum relevant to pupil’s needs, through all staff sharing responsibility for SEN.
· To enable all children, including those with SEN to have full access to all aspects of the curriculum, and to maximise their learning and achievement
· To make appropriate provision for children with special educational needs
· Effectively monitor and assess children’s needs and progress
· To ensure that all partners, in particular school staff, understand and fulfil their roles and responsibility in providing for pupil’s special needs
· Take into account the wishes of the child concerned, in the light of their age and understanding
· Work in partnership with parents, taking into account the views of individual parents/carers in respect of their child’s individual need
· Ensure there is a multi-disciplinary approach with close co-operation between all agencies concerned
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS/CARERS
The school will work in partnership with parents/carers recognising that they have knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of a child’s needs.
The school will actively seek to work with parents/carers so that they will be supported in playing an active and valued role in their child’s education. When a concern has been raised parents/carers will be informed either at a parent consultation evening or by a personal appointment with the class teacher or the SENCo. Parents are consulted at all stages and supported to understand the role of outside agency advice.
Parents/carers are invited by letter to become involved in their child’s Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) and discussing their child’s progress and targets. IEP’s are also discussed at parental consultation evenings.
We endeavour to respect the differing needs parents/carers themselves may have.
PUPIL PARTICIPATION
We encourage pupils to take responsibility and make decisions. Their views will be listened to and valued in every aspect of their education. Pupils will be involved in an appropriate way in discussing their IEP targets and reviewing their progress and contributing towards decisions about teaching and learning strategies that support their learning.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Woodcroft Primary School believes that provision for children with special educational needs is a matter for the school as a whole. All teachers are responsible for children with special educational needs. All staff share a commitment to inclusion and work within a partnership approach to inclusion. All staff must be aware of the school’s procedures for identifying, assessing, monitoring and making provision for pupils with SEN. The SENCo together with teachers has responsibility for managing the work of teaching assistants.
The Headteacher has overall responsibility for provision for children with special educational needs and keeping the governing body fully informed. In conjunction with the SENCo the headteacher will play a key role in determining how SEN policy and provision is organised in the school to raise the achievement of children with Special educational needs and ensuring their inclusive education.
One member of the school’s governing body is responsible for monitoring the school’s work on behalf of children with special educational needs. The SEN governor liaises with the SENCo and ensures the governors are aware of the school’s SEN provision. The governing body will agree the school’s general policy and approach to meeting pupil’s educational needs for those with and without statements.
Carol Price is the designated teacher responsible for the Special Educational Needs Policy. The SENCO will work closely with staff, parents, carers and other agencies. The SENCO will work in collaboration with colleagues to develop effective way of overcoming barriers to learning and ensuring effective teaching through the analysis and assessment of children’s needs.
The SENCo’s key responsibilities will include:
· Managing the day to day operation of the School’s SEN policy
· Co-ordinating provision for children with special educational needs
· Maintaining a provision map which shows additional support for pupils thorough waves 2 & 3
· Guidance and support to colleagues
· Managing teaching assistants
· Analysing data, assessments and information to monitor progress made by SEN pupils
· Monitoring records for all children with special educational needs
· Liaising with parents of children with special educational needs
· Contributing to the professional development of all staff, in relation to understanding and meeting the needs of pupils with SEN
· Liaising with external agencies and support services
IDENTIFICATION, ASSESSMENT AND PROVISION
The school follows a ‘graduated response’ as described in the code of Practice 2001, which means provision intensifies over time if the child continues to struggle to make progress, despite increasing levels of support.
The National Curriculum Inclusion Statement emphasises the importance of providing effective learning opportunities for all pupils and offers three principles for inclusion:
· Setting Suitable Learning Challenges
· Responding to pupil’s diverse needs
· Overcoming potential barriers to learning
Wherever possible we aim to meet children’s learning needs through differentiated planning, teaching and support as part of our normal classroom practice. This is sometimes referred to as Wave 1 provision, high quality inclusive teaching. Where an individual pupil or a group of pupils need additional support to enable them to catch up with age related expectations, short term tailored made interventions will be provided often through the support of a teaching assistant. This is sometimes referred to as Wave 2 provision, and pupils in receipt of this provision will not normally be considered to have special needs. These pupils may be supported in class or to maximise the learning they may work one to one or in a small group outside the classroom.
Children with SEN may be identified through parental information, the teacher’s observations, records and assessments, information from other teachers and adults in the classroom or through referrals from outside agencies.
The school believes that the early identification of special needs is a key factor in providing the appropriate support. On entry into the Nursery or Reception information will be transferred from the previous setting or outside agencies. In some cases the SENCo and a member of the Foundation Stage staff will liaise with the outside agencies or visit the previous setting before the child enters the school, in order to be well prepared to meet the child needs.
When children are admitted into the school all special needs information is collected. In addition, where possible, the SENCo will contact the previous school.
The identification and assessment of the special educational needs of children whose first language is not English, requires particular care. Consultations will take place between home and school. Consideration will be given as to whether lack of progress is due to limitations in their command of English or arise from special educational needs. The SENCo will liaise with staff working with the pupil.
Monitoring Children’s Progress
The school system for monitoring children will provide information about the progress of pupils. Class teachers will use a combination of observations, APP, standardised testing and National Curriculum assessments to identify the progress of individual children. This will provide information about areas where children are not progressing satisfactorily. This may lead teachers to the conclusion that the pupil requires help over and above that which is normally available in the class or subject.
This assessment information enables the SENCo to identify those pupils who should then be assessed on a more individual basis. A variety of specialist assessments are then undertaken depending on individual needs.
As part of the monitoring role, the SENCo will observe children in class and meet with class teachers to discuss use of resources, differentiation and strategies for children. A discussion about appropriate placement on the SEN register can also take place.
As part of the monitoring process all Interventions are monitored for pupil progress.
Teachers complete an ‘audit of projected need’ to inform the provision map for the following year.
School Action
A child will be considered for School Action or (Early Years Action, if they are in the Foundation Stage) if the interventions provided by the class teacher are not having sufficient impact on the child’s progress. Assessments indicate the child has longer term learning difficulties and generally the child’s level of attainment will be at least one level below national expectations in one core subject and they may also exhibit difficulties in one or more of the following areas:
· Inability to focus and attend in class
· Speech and Language difficulties
· Fine or gross motor skills
· On-going physical or medical difficulties
· Persistent behaviour or emotional difficulties that affect the child’s progress
The SENCo and the child’s class teacher will decide on the targeted action needed to support the child. We continue to use wave 1 and 2 strategies to support them but will plan more specialist provision which can be referred to as Wave 3 provision. These interventions are additional to or different from those provided as part of the school’s differentiated planning.
This may include specialist equipment or materials, support from additional staff to provide additional support to individuals or groups. These children will usually be included on our SEN register. The class teacher will keep parents/carers informed and work with them to support the child. The SENCo will oversee the planning and provision for the pupil and take the lead in further assessments of their need.
School Action Plus
If pupils are making insufficient progress despite all appropriate resources and support or have been identified as having significant needs, it may be concluded that support is needed from outside specialist services. In this case with parental consent the SENCo will request external support services including an educational psychologist. This enhanced level of support is referred to as School Action Plus (or Early Years Action Plus if children are in Foundation Stage). At this stage we will draw up an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Pupil with this level of need and support will be at School Action Plus on the SEN register. All pupils at School Action Plus will have an IEP. Where external support services provide advice and strategies these will be included in the child’s IEP.