Thornhill Primary School SEN Policy Last Review: Autumn 2016 Next Review: Autumn 2017 Reviewed: Annually 1
Contents 1. What are the principles behind Thornhill s approach to inclusion? 2. How do we define Special Educational Needs as an aspect of inclusion? Page 3 3 3. What commitments do we make to SEN provision at 4 Thornhill? 4. How is staged provision for SEN managed at Thornhill? 4 5. What are the key roles and responsibilities for SEN provision? 6. What are Thornhill s arrangements for admission of SEN pupils? 5 6 7. How are SEN issues identified and assessed? 6 8. How do we ensure access to the curriculum for SEN 7 pupils? 9. How do we evaluate the implementation of this Policy? 8 10. How do we work in partnership with parents/carers? 9 11. How do we work with other schools? 9 2
Policy for Special Educational Needs and Disability This Policy sets out the principles and procedures for supporting children with Special Educational Needs. It complements the Inclusion Policy which outlines our over-arching philosophy and commitment to inclusion. The policy reflects the approach to SEND outlined in the Children & Families Act 2014. 1. What are the principles behind Thornhill s approach to inclusion? As stated in the Inclusion Policy, we believe that every child and adult in our school community: has an entitlement to experience the excitement and personal fulfilment of learning in all its forms (see the Learning Policy and Learning Toolbox); can make progress in their learning and development and be successful whatever their current level of performance; is able to make a contribution to the life of the school; has a range of talents and skills that must be valued and developed; can make maximum progress in learning through a commitment to personal effort rather than a belief in fixed ability; can override many barriers to learning with appropriate support, guidance and motivation; can learn valuable life skills and positive social attitudes by learning alongside a diverse group of peers; will experience at one time or another a need for particular or additional support, guidance or attention; should be recognised as having individual needs, whatever their current level of performance. 2. How do we define Special Educational Needs as an aspect of inclusion? A child has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special education provision to be made for them. A child has 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 the child 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 education authority. A child must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because of the language or medium of communication of the home is different from the language in which he or she is to be taught (Education Act 1996, Section 312). Special educational provision means education provision which is additional to or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in school. 3
3. What commitments do we make to SEN provision at Thornhill? We are committed to: using the staged approach set out in the SEN School Information Report and local offer to identify and provide support for children with SEN. ensuring that each child has access to the curriculum. involving parents and carers in the education of their child through meetings and reviews. To inform them of progress and of current targets. ensuring that every child thrives as an independent learner in our community. providing all staff with appropriate training to help them provide early intervention, assessment and support for children with barriers to learning. allocating appropriate levels of resourcing to pupils with barriers to learning in response to levels of need. ensuring that procedures for assessing and monitoring children with SEN are used systematically. anticipating additional needs before admission and to support children with SEN at times of transition e.g. end of key stage, secondary transfer, etc. 4. How is staged provision for SEN managed at Thornhill? a). REFERRAL TO THE INCLUSION TEAM If the teacher has any concerns that a child is not making progress or is not thriving in any way he/she would fill in a referral form. The reasons for the referral would be explained to the parent/carer and the form given to the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion. The Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion is responsible for deciding what type of intervention is needed. He/she will refer to other members of the Inclusion Team, will advise on and monitor in class support. The Inclusion Team meets each term to discuss appropriate provision and referrals. Assessments and referrals to outside agencies are also made by the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion. b). SEN SUPPORT Children with referrals may move on in the process to the stage of SEN support where intervention will be put into place in the classroom. Children at this stage will have a pupil passport and a support plan. This is a document drawn up by the classteacher that outlines the pupil s strengths and difficulties. The plan also shows individual targets and strategies used. There can be several targets on a support plan. Targets can be set for any area of the curriculum as well as for behaviour, social skills, etc. Classteachers evaluate progress towards the targets and set new targets each term. Parents are invited to termly reviews with classteachers to discuss progress towards targets. Parents are encouraged to work with children at home to support the 4
targets. Classteachers will advise parents on strategies to use when working with their child. Children may move on and off the SEN support stage according to need. If external agencies are involved a CAF may be compiled in liaison with parents. c). SEND SUPPORT A child who has more complex needs or who has not progressed at SEN support will be referred to outside agencies for assessment and support e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy, child psychology, paediatrics, etc. A child at the SEND support stage will usually still have a plan and the targets set will be informed by external specialists. Parents will be invited to support plan reviews with the classteacher each term to review progress. The Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion liaises with external specialists and ensures advice is implemented. Many different specialists work in school with individuals and small groups of children. d). STATEMENT or EHC PLAN (EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE PLAN) A child who has severe needs may have an EHC plan. In this case the parent or the school has requested that the local education authority implement a full statutory assessment. This is a formal process where the borough requests reports from the school and all specialists involved. If the authority agrees to a full assessment then all reports are collected and a formal document is drawn up. The EHC plan describes the pupil s needs and how the needs should be met in school. Parents of pupils with an EHC plan will be invited to a formal Annual Review Meeting once each year. Outside specialists and the classteacher attend the meeting to look at progress over the year and to set objectives for the following year. A formal report is compiled and sent to all those at the meeting as well as to the Education Authority SEN department. e). LOCAL OFFER The local offer is the borough of Islington s offer of Special Needs Services in the Local Area. See www.islington.gov.uk/services/social-care-health/disabledpeople/local-offer. 5. What are the key roles and responsibilities for SEN provision? The governing body carries out its statutory duties. The school governor responsible for SEN meets regularly with the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion to keep informed about provision and support developments. He/she reports to the governing body. 5
The Headteacher is ultimately responsible to the governors for ensuring that appropriate provision is made for pupils with SEN in line with their responsibilities. He maintains an overview of the implementation of the SEN policy and procedures through regular liaisons with the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion and support staff. The school s Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion has responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the SEN policy and for updating the provision map, taking the role as Lead Professional in CAF and multi-agency meetings as required. The Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion also liaises with the Education Psychology Service, and Health and Social Services. 6. What are Thornhill s arrangements for admission of SEN pupils? The school s admission arrangements for pupils with SEN are the same as for all other pupils (see the schools admission policy) except where a child has an EHC plan which names the school. In cases where Thornhill is named on a child s EHC plan, priority will be given to the admission of that child. The school welcomes those parents/carers seeking integration into mainstream schooling for their child with SEN. It will seek to meet parental wishes as far as is practicable and in the best interests of the child. The school will derive information regarding SEN from interviews with parents/carers and information forms completed on entry to the school. Inter-agency meetings are arranged for children with complex special needs on entry and transition. Termly reviews are held and outside agencies are invited to attend. 7. How are SEN issues identified and assessed? The informal assessment of pupils abilities and the planning of learning activities are an on-going part of a teacher s role. Formal assessments are carried out by each year group, results recorded, and the information used to monitor children s progress. Where a teacher has concerns about a child s learning or aspects of their behaviour and/or social skills, a staged procedure as outlined in the School Information Report is implemented. This procedure is outlined below: 1. Teacher or parent has concerns about the child s learning, behaviour, emotional or social skills. 2. Either an informal discussion or a formal meeting between the class teacher and the parent to discuss any concerns. 3. If the issues raised are not explained by information discussed at the meeting a SEN concern form is completed. This documents the area of concern, strategies used and any further action to be taken 4. The referral is reviewed after half a term (approximately 6-8 weeks). If the concerns have been alleviated by the intervention strategies, no further action is taken. If the concerns persist, an SEN support plan is completed setting targets for the individual child. 6
5. SEN support plan targets are reviewed each term by the classteacher and updated copies are sent to parents. Arrangements may be made by the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion for a fuller assessment of the child s needs. Children entering the school who already have an identified special need will be discussed at a meeting of the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion, parent/carer and classteacher. Any current SEN support plan will be reviewed. 6. When SEN support plan reviews indicate that the child has made and maintained sufficient progress that they no longer warrant additional or different action over and above the differentiated curriculum the child will no longer require a passport and plan. Where the child has made no apparent progress it may be necessary to seek advice from an external agency and at this point the child would have a more detailed SEND plan written up. Parents/carers will be informed of this change and any additional support that their child will receive. 7. Where a child continues to experience extreme difficulties, the school will discuss their concerns with the parents/carers and may decide to request that the LEA complete a statutory assessment of the child s needs. At all stages of identification and intervention the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion and class teacher will decide on the action needed to help the child make progress in the light of their earliest assessment, observations and parental comments, or following the advice of external specialists. Using the SEN forms and procedures is fundamentally a tool to help identify and match a pupil s needs to the teaching and learning activities planned by the class teacher. 8. How do we ensure access to the curriculum for SEN pupils? Thornhill School s policies aim to ensure that all pupils, including those with SEN, have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. Teaching methods include wholeclass teaching, individual, paired and small-group work. The needs of all children, including those with SEN are met through the use of differentiated tasks and/or specific equipment, for example angled desk, pencil grips, ICT (information communication technology) support. Pupils with SEN join in all daily activities, including assemblies, playtimes and lunchtimes. They take part in special events such as educational trips, drama productions and Christmas parties. All pupils take part in all taught areas of the National Curriculum. Children on the SEND plan stage or those with a EHC plan are supported as appropriate by Teaching Assistants, the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion, or other outside agencies in liaison with the classteacher. Special arrangements of SATs (Standard Attainment Tests) as outlined by the DfES are used where appropriate. These may include a child being allowed additional time to complete a paper, having a paper read to them or having an amanuensis. Children on the register are not disapplied from the National Curriculum and so they are included in DFES figures for SATs. 7
9. How do we evaluate the implementation of this Policy? The following criteria indicate successful implementation of the SEN policy and the strategies used to achieve them. 1) Pupils make progress and meet their targets. Meetings take place with external agencies to review and monitor the support given to the child. Targets and passports are reviewed termly. Evidence of children s work may be collected. Differentiation for children with SEN is recorded in teachers plans/notes. Feedback from teachers, parents/carers and TAs is given on the effectiveness of support plans at meetings to set targets. Half-termly pupil progress review meetings look closely at progress of children with SEN. 2) The school resources are effectively allocated to meet the needs of SEN pupils SEN files are maintained and updated. They should contain records of concern, medical and other background information, evidence of need (examples of work) and support plans. Outcomes are used alongside other assessments in numeracy and literacy (including SATs results) to analyse the progress SEN pupils have made in these curriculum areas. Staff training. Staff develop their knowledge and understanding of SEN, including links with literacy and numeracy. Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion to liaise with subject co-ordinators. TA hours are allocated to classes on a needs based formula. Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion to monitor TA strategies used. 3) Parents are fully involved with any school based or external programme of action. User friendly information is provided for parents. Parents are encouraged to attend parent s evenings or other meetings. Copies of support plans are sent home to parents/carers each term and their comments on these targets are valued. Parent s views are sought as soon as an initial concern is raised and at each subsequent stage. 8
10. How do we work in partnership with parents/carers? We value the support and involvement of parents/carers. Class teachers will see parents/carers at parent s evenings to discuss their child s progress and decide on the action to be taken, as well as meeting them throughout the school year as issues or matters of concern arise. Parents/carers may make appointments to see the class teacher or Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion at any time during the term if they have concerns. Support plans are sent home every term after discussion at reviews and parent evening so that parents/carers have a clear record of the support their child receives, the progress they are making and strategies they may find useful at home. Parents/carers of pupils with an EHC plan are invited to attend and contribute to Annual Review meetings. We are able to provide translators where necessary. We have an informal school network of translators. Parents/carers are welcome to come into school not only to discuss their child s progress but also to help with learning activities such as individual reading, group work, educational trips and sports day. Thornhill has an active parents group who organise events for the Thornhill School Association such as Christmas and summer fairs, discos, car boot sales and cultural evenings. A school newspaper is also organised and produced by parents. Parental concerns regarding SEN provision will be addressed initially by the class teacher and then by the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion or Headteacher. Any further concerns would be dealt with through the school s usual complaints procedure. 11. How do we work with other schools? The Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion meets regularly with Assistant Headteacher for Inclusions and SENCOs from other schools at regular SENCO network meetings. These meetings provide opportunities to discuss management systems and ways of monitoring and assessing progress. Plus the latest developments in SEN provision. In accordance with LA policy, Thornhill is able to seek advice and support from special schools catering to specific needs or centres of excellence displaying particular strengths. Staff from Thornhill may visit these schools to observe good practice or experts from these schools may come to Thornhill to observe the educational setting and offer advice. Year 6 teachers and/or the Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion attend annual SEN handover/information gathering meetings with Islington secondary schools in the summer term. Special provision is often arranged for children with SEN around transition e.g. extra familiarisation visits on entry to Nursery/Reception/Year 1, links made with secondary special needs departments and counsellors. Transition work may be done for more vulnerable pupils in Year 6. 9