SEND Policy
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY 2020
SENCO: Christina Lacey
Headteacher: Keeley Taberner
TEL: 01695 720018
SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
This policy is linked to the following school Policies:
Inclusion
Behaviour
Attendance
Anti-Bullying
Medical
Therefore, in order to operate this policy effectively, these additional school policies will need to be referred to. Our SEN policy reflects the SEND Code of Practice, 0-25 guidance, 2014.
At Woodland School all our teachers work with children with Special Educational Needs. Working to meet the needs of these children is therefore regarded as a whole school responsibility.
A child has special educational needs if he/she has a learning difficulty for which special educational provision needs to be made.
S/he will have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age, or a disability which either prevents or hinders him/her from making use of the educational facilities provided at Woodland CP School.
Many children encounter difficulties with learning at some time during their school career. These may be slight and of short duration, or more severe and prolonged. The cause for concern may be of an academic medical, physical, social, behavioural or emotional nature; exceptionally able children may also require special educational provision to be made for them.
Special Educational Needs are unique to each child and must therefore be assessed on an individual basis. However, whole class/whole school screening tests will play their part in highlighting when a pupil is falling significantly behind his/her peers. Teacher observation and parental concern will also serve as triggers for individual assessment.
All our pupils are entitled to receive an education appropriate to their needs and this is delivered normally within the classroom environment. The teacher’s classroom management skills ensure a positive atmosphere of encouragement, acceptance, respectfor achievement and sensitivity to individual needs. Pupils with Special Educational Needs are helped to access the National Curriculum within the classroom by means of differentiated work, a range of teaching styles, information technology and appropriate groupings.
It is part of our school philosophy that any child perceived as having Special Educational Needs should be identified as early as possible and assessed; so that they may receive the support and guidance necessary to their development. This policy applies to children at all stages of education provided at this school, including the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) as well as at Key Stages One and Two. Provision is made in partnership and with the support of parents and carers.
SECTION 2
AIMS
· To provide a system for the early identification and continuing development of children with Special Educational Needs.
· To raise the aspirations of and expectations for all pupils with SEN.
· To provide a focus on outcomes for our SEN children and not just hours of provision and support.
· To provide all staff with the knowledge, understanding and confidence to enable children with Special Educational Needs to achieve their full potential.
OBJECTIVES
· To identify and provide for pupils who have special educational needs and additional needs.
· To work within the guidance provided in the SEND Code of Practice, 2014.
· To operate a ‘Whole pupil, whole school’ approach to the management and provision of support for special educational needs.
· To provide a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) who will work with the SEN inclusion policy.
· To provide support and advice for all staff working with Special educational needs pupils.
· Help every child with special educational needs find their place in the life of the school and foster a positive self-image
· Give children with special educational needs access to the National Curriculum at an appropriate and challenging level for each individual
· Work effectively with parents and carers and with relevant outside agencies to fully meet the needs of children with SEN
SECTION 3
IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT
At Woodland school we will identify the needs of pupils by considering the needs of the whole child which will include other factors beyond their special educational needs.
EARLY IDENTIFICATION
We recognise that if a child has an identified special need then the earlier action is taken, the more effective it is likely to be.
Early identification of SEN is essential. Children in the Foundation stage will be screened using the Wellcomm Toolkit and all children not meeting age related expectations will receive intervention to raise their attainment.
_Woodland Pathway to Inclusion
The first response to low/poor progress in a child should be high quality teaching targeted at their area of weakness.
Where progress continues to be less than expected the teacher should inform SENCO and the teacher should fill in a ‘passport to inclusion’ form.
SENCO will assess/observe the child to determine whether the child has SEN.
‘A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age’ (2014 SEN Code of Practice)
· Pupils identified with SEN will have a school support plan. (SSP)
· If the child does not have SEN but is struggling SENCO will give the teacher advice and strategies for use in the classroom.
· All parents should be informed that their Child has SEN. The SSP should be shared with parents.
Four Broad categories of need
· Communication and interaction (Including Speech, language and communication difficulties and ASD)
· Cognition and learning (MLD,SLD,SpLD and PMLD)
· Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
· Sensory and or physical needs
Other factors which may impact on progress and attainment that are NOT SEN may include;
Attendance and Punctuality
Health and Welfare
EAL
Being in receipt of Pupil Premium Grant
Being a Looked After Child
Being a child of Serviceman/woman
SECTION 4
A Graduated Approach to SEN Support
‘All teachers are teachers of SEN children’ (Code of practice, 2014)
· All teachers are responsible and accountable for the process and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff.
· High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN.
· Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.
At Woodland school we regularly and carefully review the quality of teaching for all pupils, including those at risk of underachievement. This includes reviewing and, where necessary, improving, teachers’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils and their knowledge of the SEN most frequently encountered. Termly pupil progress meeting take place and SENCO attends.
In deciding whether to make special educational provision, the teacher and the SENCO should be involved. All of the information gathered from within the school about the pupil’s progress, alongside national data and expectations of progress will be considered. This includes high quality and accurate formative assessment, using effective tools and early assessment materials.
For higher levels of need, SENCO will make arrangements to draw on more specialised assessments from external agencies and professionals.
Where it is determined that a pupil does have SEN (see Woodland pathway to inclusion), parents will be formally advised of this and the child will be added to the SEN register. The aim of formally identifying a pupil with SEN is to help school ensure that effective provision is put in place to remove barriers to learning.
The support provided consists of a four part process:
Assess
Plan
Do
Review
This is an ongoing cycle to enable to provision to be refined and revised as the understanding of the needs of the pupil grows. This cycle enables the identification of those interventions which are the most effective in supporting the pupil to achieve good progress and outcomes.
Assess
This involves clearly analysing the pupils needs using the class teacher’s assessments and experience of working with the pupil, details of previous progress and attainment, comparisons with peers and national data as well as the views and experiences of the parents. The pupil’s views and, where relevant, advice from external support agencies, will also be considered. The analysis will require regular review to ensure that support and intervention is matched to need and that barriers to learning are clearly identified and are being overcome. SENCO uses a variety of assessments to support class teacher assessments in order to identify pupil’s needs.
Plan
Planning will involve the SENCO, teacher and parents as appropriate to agree the support and interventions that are required. All those working with the pupil, including support staff, will be informed of the pupil’s individual needs. School support plans are put in place for children on SEN support and children and parents are informed and targets shared. Parents are invited to a meeting with SENCO termly to discuss the progress of their child.
Do
The class teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a day- to-day basis, even where interventions may involve group work or one to one teaching away from the class teacher. The class teacher will work closely with support staff to assess the impact of the interventions and links with classroom teaching. Support with further assessment of the child’s strength and weaknesses, problem solving and advising of implementation of effective support will be provided by the SENCO.
Review
Reviews of the child’s progress will be made regularly. The review process will evaluate the impact of the interventions and support. It will also take into account the views of the pupil and where necessary their parents. The SENCO and class teacher will revise the support and outcomes based on the pupil’s progress and development making any necessary amendments in consultation with parents and pupils.
SECTION 5
MANAGING PUPILS NEEDS ON THE SEN REGISTER
· Children who are on SEN support will be on the Woodland School SEN register. They will be given a school support plan (SSP) which will be devised in conjunction with pupil, parents, teacher, SENCO and any other professionals involved.
· SSP’s will be reviewed on a termly basis by the teacher, SENCO, pupils and parents. SSP’s will be discussed and monitored in pupil progress meetings.
· The level of provision a child receives depends on the individual child’s needs.
· Woodland school has a provision map detailing all the SEN provision for the children on SEN support.
· It is the job of the SENCO to arrange this in conjunction with the Headteacher.
· The SENCO and teacher are responsible for ensuring the SSP’s are kept up to date.
· If a child still remains a concern and is not making expected progress, outside agencies and specialist teachers may need to become involved. Statutory assessment (referral for an Education and health care plan) may need to be considered and the involvement of the School Educational Psychologist. At this stage the Common Assessment Framework form (CAF form) will be the main tool for gathering information about the child.
The CAF is completed with parents/carers by school SENCO, other member of school staff and/or by any outside agency involved and will include information on:
Early development and medical history;
Relevant family background
Attainments in Literacy and Numeracy and National Curriculum levels;
PIVATS assessments;
Chronology of action already undertaken to help the child;
Summative and confidential reports detailing intervention and previous provision including from outside agencies;
Parent/carer views and those of the child.
The school is able to call on the services of the Educational Psychology Service, IDSS (Inclusion Disability Support Service), Nurse and Doctor, Speech and Language Therapy Service, Education Welfare Service, Pupil Referral Service, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Social Services. The School Nurse and Doctor also give access to outreach services for the Visually and Hearing Impaired and to the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy services.
Once the CAF has been completed, regular Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings should be held to which parents, teachers and all agencies working with the child are invited. A record of the meeting should be completed on the TAF form.
Copies of CAF forms and TAF forms should be sent to all involved with the child and to the CAF database.
Referral for Education, Health and Care plan (EHC)
If a child has lifelong or significant difficulties then they may undergo a statutory assessment process which is usually requested by the school but can be requested by the parents. This will occur when the complexity of need or lack of clarity around the needs of a child are such that a multi agency approach to assessing that need to planning provision and identifying resources is required.
The application for an EHC will combine information from a variety of sources.
Parents
Teachers
SENCO
Social care
Health professionals
Educational psychologist
Information will be gathered relating to the current provision provided. The decision will be made by a panel of professionals from education, health and social care about whether a child is eligible for an EHC plan. Parents have the right to appeal against the decision not to initiate a statutory assessment which leads to an EHC plan.
Further information about EHC’s can be found via the SEND local offer on the school website or follow this link.
http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities
CRITERIA FOR EXITING THE SEN REGISTER
Where specific planned provision has been successful and significant progress has been made they should then be removed from the SEN register and progress monitored in class to ensure progress continues.
SECTION 6
SUPPORTING PUPILS AND FAMILIES
For further information on EHC plans and special needs please follow this link to the Lancashire Local Offer.
For information on Woodland School see SEN Information Report please see our school website under ‘SEND’
The Information, Advice and Support Team
Information Line
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Tel: 0300 123 6706
Email: information.lineteam@lancashire.gov.uk
ADMISSIONS
Pupils with special educational needs will be admitted to Woodland CP School in line with the school's admissions' policy. The school will use their induction meetings to work closely with parents to ascertain whether a child has been identified as having special educational needs. If the school is alerted to the fact that a child may have a difficulty in learning they will make their best endeavours to collect all relevant information and plan a relevant differentiated curriculum.
Tests/Exams
Children with SEND may qualify for support during tests and exams in line with the access Arrangements (previously called Special Arrangements) and Special Considerations (in the event of “adverse circumstances beyond their control”).
Transition
Woodland school has good links with local secondary schools and Key stage 2/3 transition packages are organised on an individual needs basis.
SECTION 7
SUPPORTING PUPILS AT SCHOOL WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS
· Woodland school recognises that pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. Some children with medical conditions may be disabled and where this is the case the school will comply with its duties under the Equality Act 2010.
· Some may also have special educational needs (SEN) and may have a statement, or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision and the SEND Code of Practice (2014) is followed.
· Children with a medical condition will be placed on a school medical register. In some circumstances a child will need a care plan, written in conjunction with the school nurse, parents and SENCO.
· Parents will complete a medical form if they require medicine to be administered to their child during school hours.
· Medication will be kept in the locked medical cabinet in the school office.
Please see Woodland School ‘Supporting Pupils with Medical conditions’ policy in the school office.
SECTION 8
MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF SEND
In order to make consistent, continuous progress in relation to SEN provision, the school encourages feedback from staff, parents, and pupils throughout the year .
· Woodland school evaluation and monitoring arrangements promote an active process of continual review and improvement of provision for all pupils in line with the SEN code of Practice.
· To ensure quality of our SEN provision the school will conduct regular audits this involves: lesson observation, book scrutiny, data analysis of intervention programmes, pupil progress meetings, seeking of parent/pupil views monitoring staff CPD, Termly SENCO network meetings.
· SEN provision is recorded and monitored on a SEN provision map. This is updated termly by the SENCO. The interventions are monitored and evaluated termly by SENCO and information is feedback to parents, staff and governors. Children are assessed either termly or at the end of a programme of intervention. This helps to see whether the intervention is effective. Parents are invited to see SENCO about their child’s progress.
SECTION 9
TRAINING AND RESOURCES
· SEND provisions are funded through higher needs block funding and pupil premium funding.
· In order to maintain and develop the quality of teaching and provision to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils, all staff are encouraged to undertake training and development. These needs are identified through staff performance management/appraisals.
· All teachers and support staff undertake induction on taking up a post and this includes a meeting with the SENCO to explain the systems and structures in place around the school’s SEND provision and practice and to discuss the needs of individual pupils.
· The school’s SENCOs regularly attend the SHARES SENCO Forum (network meetings) and the Lancashire Primary Cluster groups in order to keep up to date with local and national updates in SEND.
SECTION 10
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
SENCO
At Woodland School, the Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) is Christina Lacey. She completed the National Award for SEN Coordination in July 2019.
The Assistant SENCO role is shared by Hayley Hall and Christine Preston.
The role of the SENCO is:
to oversee the operation of the SEN Policy and co-ordination of provision for children with special educational needs;
to liaise with and advise teachers and learning support assistants;
to maintain the school’s special needs register and oversee individual children’s needs;
to liaise with external agencies including the LEA’s support and educational psychology services, health and social services;
to seek to develop effective ways of overcoming barriers to learning and sustain effective teaching through the analysis and assessment of children’s needs;
to develop a school support plan for children having SEN support;
help class teachers maintain records in the form of Individual Education Plans with reviews of outcomes resulting from working on specific targets;
to be responsible for provision and organisation of resources, ensuring awareness of their location and their appropriate use;
to build confidence and understanding through keeping staff informed about changes to the SEN Code of Practice, to arrangements and to provision.
The Roles of the Headteacher and Governing Body
The Governing Body has identified a governor (Linda Hulme) to have oversight of special educational needs provision in the school and to ensure that the full governing body is kept informed of how the school is meeting the statutory requirements. (For roles of governing body CoP Section 1:16 – 22, 1:39.)
The Headteacher and SENCO will identify areas for development in special educational needs and this will be included in the school's development plan.
Reports on SEN provision are presented to the Governing Body yearly.
The Governing Body produces an annual report on the school’s provision for special educational needs, providing information on:
access arrangements;
the identification and assessment of pupils perceived as having special educational needs;
teaching and staffing related to meeting the needs of such pupils;
how the school works in partnership with agencies outside school.
The Role of Teaching Staff and Assistants
All teaching staff and assistants are responsible for differentiating the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and for monitoring their day to day progress in order to plan for their needs.
The SENCO, together with SLT will review and monitor the progress made by SEN children through tracking results of summative assessments (see Assessment Policy). SENCO will attend pupil progress meetings.
The SENCO, together with curriculum co-ordinators, will review and monitor the effectiveness of resources and other curriculum material.
All staff will work closely with the SENCO to keep her fully informed of pupil need.
Keeley Taberner (Deputy Headteacher)
SECTION 11
STORING AND MANAGING INFORMATION
Information collected about a pupils SEN is confidential and will only be communicated to involved persons with the knowledge and agreement of the pupils parents, the headteacher or the SENCO, unless the school has safeguarding concerns.
Confidential information regarding a pupil’s SEN is kept in the pupil’s SEND file. This is kept in a locked filing cabinet in the inclusion room.
SECTION 12
REVIEWING THE POLICY
The SEN policy will be reviewed annually.
SECTION 13
ACCESSIBILITY
ACCESS FOR DISABLED
To ensure access for pupils or parents with disabilities the school has disabled access as described in the school’s Accessibility Plan. Please also see Local offer on the school website for SEN information.
SECTION 14
COMPLAINTS
Should a parent or carer have a concern about the special provision made for their child they should in the first instance discuss this with the class teacher. If the concern continues then the SENCO and class teacher will arrange a further meeting with the parent/carer.
If the concern cannot be satisfactorily dealt with at this stage it should be brought to the notice of the Headteacher. If the Head is unable to resolved the difficulty the parents concerns should be put in writing to the SEN Governor. The Chair of Governors will be involved after other avenues to resolve the situation have been exhausted.
SECTION 15
Bullying
Please see school anti bullying policy in the school office.
SECTION16
SEN Report can be found using the following link
http://www.woodlandschool.co.uk
follow inclusion link.
