Fellgate Primary School SEN Policy Statement of Intent Our Our purpose purpose is is to to provide provide a a happy, happy, secure secure stimulating stimulating environment environment in in children children receive receive an an education education give give them them the the opportunity opportunity to to thrive thrive develop develop intellectually, intellectually, emotionally, emotionally, socially socially physically physically We believe that the most important part of our school are the people who spend their time working, learning playing together. At the centre of our school are the children. It is the aim of the school to create a happy, welcoming stimulating environment, value the efforts of the individual, fulfil the learning potential of all children promote the concept of equal opportunities. Our approach encourages children to develop positive attitudes towards learning promotes their initiative, self-discipline independence. We encourage a respect for spiritual, moral, social cultural values; an understing of what is right wrong. We aim to help children to develop cooperation, tolerance consideration for others. We expect everyone to behave in a way not offend, to treat one another with respect understing. This consideration also extends to school environment local community. We wish to provide the following values:- Pride in the school community Self confidence Support appreciation of each other Politeness Motivation to learn This Statement of Intent needs to be embedded throughout all school policies actions. The achievement of this statement without a clearly agreed procedure, implemented fairly consistently by all members of staff, would be impossible.
Special Educational Needs Disability Policy (draft) The SEND Code of Practice (July 2014) gives the following definitions: Special Educational Needs (SEN): A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or has a disability prevents or hinders him or her 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. All teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs. Teaching such children is therefore a whole school responsibility. Special educational provision: Special educational provision is provision that is different from or additional to that normally available to pupils or students of the same age, is designed to help children young people with SEN or disabilities to access the National Curriculum at school or to study at college. We believe that all children, including those identified as having special educational needs, are entitled to a broad balanced academic social curriculum is accessible to them, to be fully included in all aspects of school life. We are committed to maximum inclusion, commensurate with meeting individual needs, the highest quality of education for all children the efficient use of resources. At Fellgate Primary School we are in the unique position of having an Attached Additional Resource Base (known as Fellgate Autistic Unit) for primary age pupils with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A section relevant to the Unit be part of this policy. Within Fellgate mainstream we aim to identify needs as they arise to provide teaching learning contexts enable every child to achieve to his/her potential. Needs may be identified within emotional, social behavioural areas of development as well as the academic area but all have an impact on the learning potential of the individual. To support the needs of this group of individual s school ensure: SEN Disability Act relevant Code of Practice guidance is implemented effectively across the school Equality of opportunity for, to eliminate prejudice discrimination against, children with special educational needs To continually monitor the progress of all pupil, to identify needs as they arise to provide support as early as possible To provide full access to the curriculum through differentiated planning by class teachers, where necessary. through identified support staff
To provide specific input, matched to individual needs, in addition to differentiated classroom provision, for pupils who need SEN Support who require an EHC Plan To ensure that pupils with SEN or additional needs are perceived treated positively by all members of the school community, that inclusive provision is positively valued accessed by staff parents/carers To involve parents/carers in plans to meet their child s additional needs If appropriate to involve the individual child themselves in planning decision making through IEP s. The role of the SENCO s is: (do we need to highlight that there are 2 SENCOs) To co-ordinate the provision required through regular meetings with class teachers to discuss concerns, issues review of current provision. The SENCO offer advice support, make referrals to other professionals, attend meetings as appropriate share relevant information, statutory requirements, updated research, together with the Head teacher, monitor the quality effectiveness of provision for these pupils. Monitoring include classroom observation, learning walks teacher meetings. Pupil progress meetings involve looking at the progress of this group of pupils. Monitoring children s progress The school s system for observing assessing the progress of individual children provide information about areas where a child is not progressing given their age individual circumstances. This can be characterised by progress : is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline fails to match or better the child s previous rate of progress fails to close the attainment gap between the child their peers widens the attainment gap Teachers may need to consult the SENCO to consider what else might be done. This review may lead to the conclusion that the pupil requires help over above that is normally available within the particular class or subject. The first response to such progress should be high quality teaching targeted at their areas of weakness. Where progress continues to be less than expected the class teacher, working with the SENCO, assess whether the child might have SEN. While informally gathering evidence (including the views of the pupil their parents) we put in place extra teaching or other interventions designed to secure better progress, where required. The pupil s response to such support can help identify their particular needs. Nature of intervention
The SENCO the child s class teacher decide on the action needed to help the child to progress in the light of their earlier assessment. This may include different learning materials or special equipment some group or individual support; extra adult time to devise the nature of the planned intervention to monitor its effectiveness; staff development training to introduce more effective strategies. access to LEA support services for one-off or occasional advice on strategies or equipment Individual Education Plans Strategies employed to enable the child to progress be recorded within an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The IEP include information about: the short-term targets set for the child the teaching strategies to be used the provision to be put in place when the plan is to be reviewed outcomes (to be recorded when IEP is reviewed). The IEP only record that is additional to, or different from, the differentiated curriculum focus upon three or four individual targets that match the child s needs have been discussed with the child the parents. The IEP be reviewed at least twice a year parents views on their child s progress be sought. Wherever possible, the child also take part in the review process be involved in setting their own targets. Children young people with special educational needs often have a unique knowledge of their own needs their views about what sort of help they would like to help them make the most of their education be ascertained. They be encouraged to participate in all the decision-making processes contribute to the assessment of their needs, the review transition processes. Co-ordination of SEN provision: Provision Mapping across the mainstream school showing the allocation of resources as well as needs of the pupil approaches to teaching. Intervention packages or involvement of other professionals is also recorded. Additional needs support is primarily delivered by the class teacher through differentiated teaching methods. Additional support may be provided by class support staff, with some staff directly responsible for supporting learning for identified children Pupil s targets can arise from Educational Psychology intervention, concern following APP, issues shared by parents, discussion between staff reviews.
The targets should support whole class approaches to inclusion eg. differentiation, varied teaching approaches, specialised programmes In addition to stardised assessment tools, Performance Indicators for Value Added Target Setting (PIVATS) is used to track the smaller steps progress some of these pupils make For a pupil not making appropriate progress despite support intervention, involving the parents/carers, a request to the LA for a EHC Plan would be made to determine whether it is necessary to make a statement of Special Educational Needs Partnership with parents/carers is extremely important through working together to support any pupil identified as having additional needs. Regular communication between school home needs to take place to identify strengths as well as weaknesses, in some instances the direct involvement of the pupil may be of benefit to the situation. Additional Resource Base A Unit for 30 pupils, diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is part of the provision for children with SEN at Fellgate Primary school. Pupils attending this provision all have statements of Special Educational Needs or Education, Health, Care Plans are recognised as having such significant complex profound needs, as a result of their ASD, that they require specialised educational provision. Pupils can be admitted from the age of 3 years across the primary age range. Admission is controlled by the Local Authority can be at any point in a school year or at any stage of the primary age range. Admission is dependent on there being any vacancies within the Unit; these are usually generated when pupils leave at the end of Y6. For pupils attending the Unit a range of specialist facilities is offered: Individual, personalised planning across all areas of learning based on developmental levels, with consideration of age appropriateness regarding resources, expectations, experiences curriculum content An holistic approach to teaching learning designed to take account of the particular characteristics of pupils with ASD, reflects a range of strategies frameworks, including TEACCH, SCERTS, PECS, visual communication strategies, sensory integration, intensive interaction, social stories Team Teach. A topic based curriculum that provides pupils with meaningful experiences makes learning inclusive engaging, challenging fun! Highly detailed profile of strengths weaknesses through a range of assessment tools autistic specific PEP-r, sensory profiles, FARS PIVATS (please refer to the school s assessment policy for further information) External validation of tracking data CEM Centre, Durham
Rigorous monitoring evaluation of individual pupil s learning experiences including progress, achievements, quality of teaching support Small classes of 6 pupils with 3 staff a Teacher 2 Senior Educational Practitioners (SEPs) allowing for variety of meaningful learning experiences including small group work, individual support, independent learning Highly experienced skilled staff with additional relevant qualifications for ASD, committed to delivering teaching learning for this group of pupils Full time Communication Champion to support the complex communication needs of these pupils Liaison with Speech Language Service to set joint targets are primarily delivered by school staff, along with Active Support from the therapists Inclusion opportunities, including reciprocal integration into the Unit, several times per week. Personal inclusion timetables for those pupils for whom it is appropriate. Parent/school partnerships are vital in developing the full potential of the pupils. Supportive links with parents via diary system, discussions on issues as requested by parents, signposting to other agencies etc. are established. There is also acknowledgement of the stress impact on the quality of family life can limit some of the involvement or initiative families are able to undertake. October 2014 Next review Autumn 15