SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY STATEMENT

LECKHAMPTON C. OF E. PRIMARY SCHOOL Headteacher Miss S Porter SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY STATEMENT For Reference by: Gloucestershire Education Authority The Head teacher The Teaching Staff The Governing Body Non-teaching Staff Parents Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator - Mrs. A. Bailey Revised February 2011

Introduction SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY This Policy has been written in line with the SEN Code of Practice. Leckhampton C. E. Primary School values and welcomes the diversity of culture, religion and intellectual style, brought to it by its pupils with special educational needs (SEN). The school aims to raise the achievement, remove barriers to learning and increase physical and curricular access for all. Children with SEN are valued and respected for the equal part they play in enriching the life of the school. Leckhampton Primary School operates a graduated whole school approach to fully cater for children with SEN, in recognition that all teachers and support staff are teachers of pupils with SEN. The Governing Body, Headteacher, SENCo and all other members of staff have important responsibilities. All members of staff are therefore involved in the development of the School s SEN policy and involved in the procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for pupils with SEN. Definition of Special Educational Needs Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty, which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. Children of school age have a learning difficulty if they: a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of 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 children of the same age in schools within the area of the local educational authority. Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught. The term Special Needs applies not only to those children with Learning Difficulties but also to those who have Behavioural Difficulties or underlying Language Difficulties. Whilst no reference is made in the Code of Practice to the Special Needs of those children who are very able, at Leckhampton School we recognise that this group of children also have their own particular needs. See also Behaviour Management Policy, Gifted and Talented Policy, Safeguarding Policy, Child Protection Policy, Attendance Policy, and Equality Policy.

Objectives To ensure that the culture, practice, management and deployment of resources are designed to meet the needs of all pupils with SEN; To enable pupils with SEN to maximise their achievements; To ensure that the needs of pupils with SEN are identified, assessed, provided for and regularly reviewed; To ensure that all pupils with SEN are offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum including the foundation stage and the National Curriculum as appropriate; To work in partnership with parents to enable them to make an active contribution to the education of their child; To take the views and wishes of the child into account; To provide an atmosphere of warmth and support in which self-confidence and self-esteem can flourish. Roles and Responsibilities a) The SEN Co-ordinator The Co-ordinator for SEN (SENCO) under the direction of the Head Teacher will take responsibility for: overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school s SEN policy; coordinating provision for children with special educational needs; liaising with and advising fellow teachers; liaising with and supporting teaching assistants in their work with SEN pupils; overseeing the records of all children with special educational needs; liaising with parents of children with special educational needs; contributing to the in-service training of staff; liaising with external agencies including the Local Authority s advisory support and educational psychology services, health and social services, and voluntary bodies; conducting termly reviews for Statemented children and organising and chairing their Annual Reviews; conducting regular SEN review meetings for children at School Action and School Action Plus; assisting class teachers in developing and resourcing individual education plans for children with SEN; supporting the planning of work to be carried out by the children as appropriate carrying out diagnostic assessments of children with SEN; supporting the class teacher in the monitoring and writing of individual education programmes; writing and reviewing the annual SEN action plan. b) The Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion The Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion has a responsibility to ensure the inclusion of all pupils in the school, whatever their needs. Part of this responsibility is to ensure the inclusion of SEN pupils and to support the work of the SENCo.

Responsibilities include: o monitoring and tracking the progress of pupils with SEN and making comparisons with the progress of peer groups. o meeting regularly with the SENCo to discuss issues relating to SEN policy and practice and to discuss the progress of SEN pupils. o to be the line manager for the SENCo. o to raise SEN issues with the SLT as appropriate. o to support the SENCo to enable her to fulfil her roles and responsibilities effectively. o monitoring the quality of teaching and standards of pupils achievement and setting targets for improvement. o ensuring that pupils with SEN play a full and active part in the wider life of the school community. o liaising with the governor for SEN; c) Teaching Assistant The School employs a teaching assistant who works with groups of children with SEN, under the direction of the class teacher and SENCO. In addition, there are a number of TAs who are employed to work with individual children with statements. TAs: support the learning of small groups of children with SEN; support the learning of individual children who have statements; support the learning of children through a variety of initiatives. d) The Governors The Governing Body has a designated SEN governor who, in co-operation with the head teacher, has responsibility for : developing and monitoring the School s SEN policy and provision; establishing the appropriate staffing and funding arrangements; reporting annually on the School s SEN policy; ensuring that pupils with SEN play a full part in the life of the School; ensuring that parents are notified of a decision by school that their child has SEN. e) The Headteacher The Headteacher has responsibility for: the day-to-day management of SEN provision; keeping the Governing Body fully informed; working closely with the SENCO/SEN team. f) The class teachers The class teacher has responsibility for: identifying pupils in their class who are working below age related expectations;

raising concerns with the SENCo if they feel that a pupil may have needs which indicate that they may need additional support and an IEP; implementing support in class towards meeting IEP targets; attending review meetings with the SENCo; working collaboratively with the SENCo to produce and monitor IEPs with relevant and appropriate targets for the SEN pupils in their class; differentiating lessons effectively so that pupils with SEN can access the curriculum at the appropriate level. Admission Arrangements The Headteacher is responsible for the admission arrangements which accord with those laid down by the Local Authority. The School acknowledges, in full, its responsibility to admit pupils with already identified special needs, as well as identifying and providing for those not previously identified as having special educational needs. Accessibility for All The School will monitor its provision according to the Accessibility Plan and will keep the access needs of the School under review. See also Whole School Policy for Equality and the Disability Equality Scheme and Accessibility Plan. Screening and Assessment Procedures Early identification of children with SEN is vital in order to provide for the individual child s needs and to prevent later difficulties. From Reception, all children are monitored against the SEN descriptors as set out by the Gloucestershire SEN Guidance Manual. In addition to the on-going teacher assessment of all children and Standard Assessment Tests at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2, all children are regularly screened to highlight those pupils who have, or are likely to have special educational needs. (See Assessment Policy) From Year 1, each child s reading progress is monitored through annual reading tests in October and March. Spelling is assessed twice a year and both results are included in the children s tracking document. All standardised test results are examined in the wider context of information provided by a number of different sources, including the diagnostic tests outlined above. A Graduated Approach to SEN Differentiated Curriculum Most children with SEN receive additional help, which is managed by the class teacher, in the context of a differentiated, inclusive curriculum. It is the class teacher s knowledge of each child s skills and abilities and their appropriate match to

the curriculum, which enables each child full access to it. Curriculum plans reflect this differentiation and the outcomes. When the class teacher considers interventions which are additional to, or different from the School s usual differentiated curriculum, then the child will be considered for SCHOOL ACTION. School Action As stated in the Code of Practice, 5:44, the triggers for intervention through School Action could be the teacher s or others concern, underpinned by evidence, about a child who makes limited progress, despite receiving differentiated learning opportunities. The class teacher and SENCO will, in conjunction with the parents, consider all the information and evidence gathered, with reference to the Gloucestershire criteria, and if the child has an area of significant difficulty, which requires intervention, be placed at School Action. The SENCO, in discussion with colleagues, will take the lead in planning future interventions for the child and monitor and review the action. Parents are consulted throughout the process. It is the class teacher s responsibility to work with the child on a daily basis and to plan and deliver the individualised education programme. The class teacher will be further supported, if appropriate, by the SENCo. Additional support may also be provided by a TA, who works under the direction of the class teacher and/or SENCo. School Action Plus When a review meeting at School Action has been held and despite receiving an individualised programme or support under School Action, the child: continues to make little or no progress in specific areas over a long period of time; continues working at N.C levels substantially below that expected nationally of children of a similar age; continues to have difficulty in developing literacy and numeracy skills; has emotional or behavioural difficulties which regularly interfere with the child s learning, despite having an individualised behaviour management programme; has sensory or physical needs and requires additional support; has ongoing communication or interaction difficulties that impede social relationships or cause a barrier to learning. The SENCO and colleagues may request advice, with parental consent, from external support agencies. These might include the Educational Psychology Service, Advisory Teaching Service, Pupil Referral Service, Health or Social Services. These agencies may provide advice on a new Individual Education Plan with fresh targets and accompanying strategies, or advise on the use of specialist strategies, and the child be

moved to School Action Plus as appropriate. The implementation of the plan continues to be the responsibility of the class teacher. Statutory Assessment If a child has demonstrated significant cause for concern, despite appropriate interventions over time, the school will make a request for statutory assessment. This involves the consideration by the LA, as to whether a statutory assessment of the child s special educational needs is necessary. School will provide evidence of all prior interventions at School Action and School Action Plus. If it is considered to be necessary, then the LA will carry out the assessment, which should normally take no longer than 26 weeks. Requests for statutory assessment can also be made by parents and other agencies, such as health and social services. Statutory Assessment, it must be remembered, will not automatically lead to a statement. Statements of SEN are reviewed annually by the child, parents, School and LA in addition to the termly IEP reviews. Individual Education Plans Individual education plans are the structured planning documents which outline the differentiated steps and teaching requirements needed to help pupils achieve their identified targets. The I.E.P focuses on a maximum of three or four key individual targets and includes the following information: the short- term targets set for or by the pupil; the teaching strategies to be used; the provision to be put in place; when the plan is to be reviewed; achievement criteria; support given from parents/child; key assessment information arising from previous reviews. The majority of the targets set in the I.E.P are SMART targets. These are usually targets which are: Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time bound IEPs are used to support all children at School Action, School Action Plus or with Statements. At School Action the IEPs are jointly written by the class teacher and the SENCO. IEPs for children at School Action Plus or Statemented children are jointly written, but tend to have greater input from the SENCO and external agencies. Individual Education Plan Reviews It is the responsibility of the SENCO to ensure that IEPs are well matched to individual needs and reviewed at least twice yearly, or termly in the case of

Statemented children. Reviews can be called at any time to reflect the changing needs of the individual, and the IEP amended accordingly. Parents are invited to all IEP review meetings and the pupil s views, where practicable, are taken into account. In measuring the progress made by the pupil, consideration is given to factors such as whether the pupil has: achieved the targets intended; closed the attainment gap between themselves and their peers; prevented the gap growing wider; matched or bettered their previous rate of progress; demonstrated an improvement in self-help, social or personal skills; demonstrated improvements in their behaviour. Provision Where further intervention is considered necessary, in conjunction with the County Criteria, at School Action class teachers consult with parents and the pupil to decide which of a range of actions is appropriate. Careful assessment of both pupil difficulties and their need for different approaches to learning, the school and classroom context will be taken into account. Typically, at School Action, in addition to a differentiated curriculum, a pupil might expect to receive support from the SENCo or a TA in a small group situation. The child may also receive support from a TA, under the direction of the class teacher. The child may be further supported by the class teacher working either individually or with a small group. Where a child is at School Action Plus, the child may receive some/all of the above, but there may be further support from a TA working under the direction of the SENCo and class teacher, with additional resources provided by external agencies. A Statemented child will receive support from a TA assigned to that particular child, but where this is the case, every effort is made to ensure that the child does not become overly dependent upon the TA for support. Access To The Curriculum All pupils are entitled to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. Pupils with SEN are taught with their peers in mainstream classes by class teachers for the majority of the week and study the curriculum appropriate for their age. Where possible, children with SEN receive a variety of in-class support, but where appropriate, some withdrawal takes place to allow: one-to-one teacher assessment or small group teaching where the pupils are drawn from more than one class the use of particular resources or equipment not readily available in the classroom better communication or for quiet work such as listening skills

All teaching and support staff are aware of the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement and in their planning and teaching they strive to: provide suitable learning challenges meet the pupils diverse learning needs remove the barriers to learning and assessment With advice from and the support of the SENCo, teachers match the learning to the needs and abilities of the pupils. They use a range of strategies to develop the pupils knowledge, understanding and skills. Where appropriate, materials are modified or support is provided to enable pupils with SEN to access the learning or the assessment processes. The School acknowledges that its practices make a difference. As a result of this, the school, teachers and LSWs regularly review issues relating to pupils with SEN and classroom organisation, teaching styles and methods, materials and tasks to determine how these could be improved. Access To The Wider Curriculum In addition to the statutory curriculum the school provides a wide range of extracurricular activities. Pupils with SEN are actively encouraged to participate and benefit from these activities subject to appropriate risk assessment. All pupils are signposted to outside agencies that offer wider curriculum opportunities. Monitoring and Evaluating the Success of the Education Provided for Pupils with SEN The school, including the governing body is committed to regular and systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of its work. In this respect, the governing body report annually to the parents upon the quality of education provided for and the achievements of pupils with SEN. The school employs a series of methods to gather data for analysis including: regular observation of teaching by SLT; analysis of the attainment and achievement of different groups of pupils with SEN; success rates in respect of IEP targets; monitoring of teachers planning and pupils work; the views of parents and the pupils; regular monitoring by the governing body/sen governors; maintenance of assessment records (e.g. reading and spelling ages ) that illustrate progress over time; meetings between SENCo and class teachers, SLT, TAs and Headteacher. As a result of the above the school reports annually upon its successes and identifies aspects for future development.

Arrangements for Dealing With Complaints from Parents 1. In the first instance, parents should discuss all issues with the SENCO. 2. The Curriculum Complaints Procedure of the Governing Body provides for complaints to be directed initially to the Headteacher and for an attempt to be made to resolve them informally. If parents feel that their complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily, they can write to the Chair of Governors, who may convene a Committee of the Governing Body to hear the case. 3. Parents have the right of appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal against the LA s decision not to carry out an assessment of or to make a statement for their child; they may also appeal against the content of the statement. LAs must inform parents of the right to appeal and the time limits for appeal and the availability of disagreement resolution services. Arrangements for In Service Training All teaching and non-teaching staff are encouraged to attend a variety of courses which contributes to their Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Performance Management interviews highlight the areas of CPD in which staff would like further training. The SENCO regularly attends cluster meetings organised by the County, which provides a forum for sharing information and good practice. The Assistant Headteacher for inclusion also attends these meetings where appropriate. Information and training is disseminated to staff through Inset-training led by the SENCO and Assistant Headteacher for inclusion or by visiting speakers from the LA and other agencies. The SENCo may offer relevant training sessions and support for all staff as appropriate. There is an Induction Programme for new members of staff. (See Induction Policy) Links With Other Schools, Teachers and Facilities In order to meet the special educational needs of individual children, Leckhampton Primary School works supportively and in partnership with a number of SEN services, most notably: Advisory Teaching Service; Educational Psychology Service; Child Health Services, including the Occupational Health Services, CAMHS, Paediatrician, Speech and Language Therapists and Social Workers; Educational Welfare Officers. Locality hubs; Special School links with The Battledown Assessment Centre and Bettridge School have been established.

The School has close links with a variety of pre-school and secondary settings. Transition plans for individual pupils are drawn up and delivered as and when appropriate. School staff attend review meetings for pupils due to be admitted from other settings. At secondary transition, the secondary school SENCO attends the annual review of all statemented children and there is close liaison between the SENCo and Yr 6 teachers, and the Secondary School SENCO and Heads of Year for all SEN pupils. The Role Played By Parents Of Pupils With SEN In line with the SEN Code of Practice the school believes that all parents of children with SEN should be treated as equal partners. The school has positive attitudes to parents, provides user-friendly information and strives to ensure that they understand the procedures and are aware of how to access advice. Parents will be supported and empowered to: recognise and fulfil their responsibilities as parents and play an active and valued role in their child s education; have knowledge of their child s entitlement within the SEN framework; make their views known about how their child is educated; have access to information, advice and support during assessment and any related decision making processes about special educational provision; All parents of children with SEN are encouraged to play an active role in the schoolbased provision for their child. Parental knowledge is sought prior to School Action, when it becomes evident that a child has SEN. This will help to determine appropriate provision for the child. Informal discussions with parents are valued throughout the strands of action, as a means of ensuring that the support offered can be closely matched to the needs of the individual child. In addition to fulfilling their obligations under the home-school agreements, from School Action, parents are further encouraged to support the child through the provision detailed in the IEP. Class teachers outline the provision at School Action, School Action Plus and for those with Statements, so the parents have a good understanding of the nature of the IEP. Parents are always invited to attend the reviews, which are held at least twice yearly and at a time separate from Open Evening. Parental attention is drawn to local support groups such as Parents in Partnership, local dyslexia groups or other relevant groups. Information leaflets concerning a variety of Special Educational Needs are distributed to families as appropriate. The Role Played By Pupils With SEN The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Articles 12 and 13 states that: Children who are capable of forming views, have a right to receive and make known information, to express an opinion, and to have that opinion taken into account in any matters affecting them. The views of the child

should be given due weight according to the age, maturity and capability of the child. All children are encouraged to make regular choices on simple daily matters at school, through which they begin to develop greater confidence in their own opinions and ability. Children with SEN are encouraged to participate as fully as possible in their SEN provision, in line with the Code of Practice. Children are encouraged to know and understand their IEP targets. Pupils with SEN are also, where appropriate, encouraged to monitor their own progress as well as contribute to the Annual Review and transition process. It is this process which encourages them to know that their opinions are valued.