SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Transcription

1 No: 28 THE THOMAS AVELING SCHOOL POLICY for SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS Policy revised January JS Ratified by FGB March 2003 Reviewed July 2005 KJO Revised June 2007 KJO Reviewed & revised June 2010 KJO Ratified by FGB 10 March 2011 Reviewed & revised September 2011 KJO Ratified by FGB 10 November 2011 Reviewed & revised May 2014 KNI Reviewed & revised November 2014 GNY Reviewed and revised July 2015 GNY Reviewed and revised Jan GNY

2 SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY This policy is written in line with the requirements of:- Children and Families Act 2014 SEN Code of Practice 2014 SI Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 Part 3 Duties on Schools Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators Schedule 1 regulation 51 Information to be included in the SEN information report Definition In accordance with The SEN and Disability Code of Practice (DFE/DoH 2014) the definition of Special Educational Needs (SEND) special educational provision means educational provision which is additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in schools maintained by the EA. There are four areas of need: Communication and interaction Cognition and learning Social, emotional and mental health difficulties Sensory and/or physical needs. 1. The Aims of the Policy for Special Educational Needs At The Thomas Aveling School, we value all students equally We welcome students with special educational needs as part of our community and we aim to ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to engage in the curriculum We recognise that SEND support is a whole staff responsibility with high quality teaching that considers the individual needs of students when planning our curriculum. Departments have Departmental Provision Maps that outline inclusive teaching strategies used it their specific subject area. We recognise that some children need additional support to ensure access to the whole curriculum. We ensure that the needs of children are assessed, planned for and reviewed that appropriate support strategies are provided. If additional specialist advice and support is necessary, the appropriate external agencies will be contacted. We include parents/carers in the identification, assessment and response to their children s special educational needs. We work in partnership with parents/carers, valuing their views and contributions and keeping them fully involved in their child s education We involve the student and the importance of taking their views into account and include the student in decision-making about their special educational provision We are committed to effective collaboration between all agencies working with a student and a multi-disciplinary approach to meeting student s special

3 educational needs. We will actively support the establishment and maintenance of close links with all agencies working with the student. 2. The SEND Team The Co-ordinators for Special Educational Needs (SENCO): Ms G Nyangon Assistant Head Teacher with responsibility for Inclusion and Ms A Peveritt and Ms R Rosina, Deputy SENCOs are the responsible persons, working under the leadership of the Head Teacher and the Governing Body. Ms Rosina also has responsibility for Children Looked-After (CLA) in addition to all students with English as Additional Language students. Ms Peveritt is responsible for Access Arrangements and Testing. Supporting the Department are Mrs M Harris, Assistant SENCO and Ms K Clark, SEND Administration 3. The arrangements which have been made for co-ordinating the provision of education for children with special educational needs. The SENCO will Take day-to-day responsibility for the operation of the SEND policy and coordination of the provision made for individual pupils with SEND, working closely with staff, parents, carers, and other agencies. Provide related professional guidance to staff, with the aim of securing high quality teaching for students with SEND, on the Student information Sheet (SiS). Review effective ways of overcoming barriers to learning and sustaining effective teaching through the assessment and review of students needs, by monitoring the quality of teaching and standards of students achievements, and, by setting targets for improvement Manage the SEND team of teaching assistants Oversee the records on all students with special educational needs Liaise with parents and carers of students with special educational needs Contribute to the professional development training of staff Liaise closely with the House and Children s Teams Liaise with external agencies including the Education Authority. 4. The admission arrangements for children with special educational needs who do not have a Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) in so far as they differ from the arrangements for other children. The SENCO team will liaise with SENCOs from local feeder schools in the summer term prior to admission. Information obtained will be used to make guided choices regarding grouping. Special needs levels from Year 6 will remain in place during Year 7 until reviewed in the light of assessment and performance. 5. Facilities for children with special education needs including facilities which increase or assist access by children who are disabled.

4 The Thomas Aveling School provides a Social Inclusion Zone where children with emotional/behavioural difficulties may work for varying lengths of time that includes a separate area; The Oasis A full-time qualified first-aider is available, situated in a suite of rooms which include disabled toilet facilities All ground floor areas are accessible for students who cannot access stairs Computers are available in all classrooms for children with communication difficulties Lap-tops are provided to students with special learning disabilities, including dyspraxia, and for students with temporary disabilities as appropriate Students with temporary disabilities can access the Social Inclusion Zone Any student can attend staffed break and lunch clubs that offer semistructured activities 6. The allocation of resources for children with special educational needs. The EA is responsible for making effective arrangements for SEND by ensuring that the needs of children and young people with SEND are identified and assessed quickly, and matched by appropriate provision by allocating additional finances and explaining the element of provision that it expects normally to be met from the school s budget 7. How children with special educational needs are identified and their needs determined and reviewed. See Appendix A 8. Arrangements for providing access by children with special educational needs to be a balanced and broadly based curriculum. In Year 7, vulnerable students are placed in a small tutor group, with additional resources. The curriculum is planned, as outlined on Department Provision Maps, to meet the known individual needs of all students; the curriculum is further modified on a short term planning basis to meet specific individuals needs; extra support is available to enable access; careful choice of resources is made to facilitate access 9. How children with special educational needs engage in the activities together with children who do not have special educational needs. Students with SEND are regarded as full members of the community and provision is inclusive. They have full access to the environment, resources, staff and activities. Most classes are taught as mixed ability groups, combining a wide range of activities from extension tasks to differentiated work.

5 All extra-curricular activities are fully inclusive. 10. How the Governing Body evaluates the success of the education which is provided to children with special educational needs. The policy for SEND and The SEN Information Report is reviewed and evaluated annually. Annually, the school reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of: Systems for identifying and assessing children with special educational needs The provision made to meet the children s special educational needs The record-keeping for special educational needs The allocation of resources for children with special educational needs 11. Any arrangements made relating to the treatment of concerns and complaints from parents or carers of children with special educational needs concerning the provision. Any concerns or complaints about SEND provision should be initially addressed to the SENCO Team who will respond by meeting with the parents/carers to discuss the situation, involving subject teachers or House teams as appropriate. If this does not resolve the situation, then the complaint should pass to the first level of the general complaints procedure. 12. Any arrangements made relating to in-service training for staff in relation to special educational needs. Training opportunities are available for SENCO Team to fulfil their role including full SENCO accreditation from the University of Canterbury Christchurch The school is committed to providing and facilitating attendance at in-service training in the area of SEND including: Art Therapy, Working with Hearing Impaired students, Working with Visually Impaired students, ODD, all aspects of ACCESS Arrangements, supporting CLA students and Attachment Disorder. Performance Management reviews allows the identification of the training needs of individual The SENCO Team regularly publishes relevant information relating to specific children s special educational needs, and delivers CPD to staff including: supporting Dyslexic traits, supporting ASD students, working with ODD and ADHD students and working with Support Staff. 13. The use made of teachers and facilities from outside including links with support services for special educational needs. Regular liaison and support is received from

6 Educational Psychology Service Medway Youth Trust (MYT) Youth Offenders Team Social Services, CAST and CAMHS Medway Autism Outreach Service Local feeder schools LA SEN Officers Attendance Advisory Practitioner School Counselling Service- CHATS ONSIDE therapies Alternative Curriculum / Work related learning opportunities: Year 10/11 pupils can access a part-time extended work placement Year 10/11 pupils can access Apprenticeship schemes 14. The role played by parents/carers of children with special educational needs. The school recognises that parents/carers know their children best and have a great deal to contribute The school has an open door policy encouraging parents to approach the school whenever they have a concern Student information Sheets (SiS) are discussed and amended with parents, carers and students at need, at the Academic Review evening and at targeted SEND additional information evenings. Parents or carers of children with a ECHP are invited to attend and contribute to the Annual Review 15. Any links with other schools, including special schools, and the provision made for the transition of pupils with SEND between schools or between the school and next stage of life or education. Students with medical needs can be referred to Rivermead Hospital School for an agreed period on the 6x6 Programme Exchanges of information regularly take place between the school and the local Colleges of Further Education, identifying the support that pupils with SEND will require upon transition to KS5. Bradfields Special School support us in supporting students with Learning and Cognition needs. G Nyangon July 2015

7 APPENDIX A Identification of children with special educational needs Prior to Year 7 SENCO Team visit or contact local feeder schools for information gathering on children with special educational needs who will be joining Year 7. SENCO Team attends Annual Reviews for all Year 6 pupils with a ECHP who have named The Thomas Aveling School as their chosen school. KS3/4/5 Assess, Plan, Do and Review is used robustly to monitor SEND Register Teaching staff, parents or carers identify students who are not making progress despite inclusive teaching strategies as identified on the DPM. Assessment of children with special educational needs All students are tested on entry, and then annually, to determine their reading skills using the NFER Group Reading Test. All students are tested on entry, to assess their cognitive abilities using MIDYiS. Students with identified special needs undertake a range of nationally recognised tests to determine whether they will be eligible to receive Access Arrangements (support/additional time) in GCSE / A Level examinations in Term 6 of Year 9 or by recommendation from staff, carers / parents or the student themselves. Regular visits are made by the visiting teacher from the Physical and Sensory Service (PASS) for pupils with visual/hearing impairments. Following discussion at an In-School Review, the Educational Psychologist may individually test any student causing concern. Provision for SEND students In Key Stage 3, students with delayed literacy skills will work in small groups for intensive Language and Literacy support to replace Modern Foreign Languages classes including the LEXIA reading programme. Targeted students receive Handwriting, LEXIA and WordShark interventions Dyscalculia screening and additional support is available in Maths. The Horizon programme, a one day a week termly social skills intervention, is offered to some KS3 SEND students as appropriate

8 The Social Use of Language Programme (SULP) is offered to targeted SEND students Targeted students receive additional support in strategies to manage Dyslexia Students with a ECHP, or identified special needs, will receive in-class support from a Teaching Assistant as directed by their plan. Students with an identified special need may receive some in-class support from a Teaching Assistant as appropriate. Some students with special educational need benefit from small groups in English Science and Mathematics throughout KS3 and 4 according to ability. An accredited alternative curriculum is offered to targeted Year 9 students, including some SEND students. During internal examinations held annually in KS3, children with special educational may be withdrawn to receive a high level of support for reading question papers/recording their answers as appropriate. Students with EAL, including those with special educational needs, will receive either in-class support or individual support, as appropriate, from the specialist Teaching Assistants. 1:1 Mentoring takes place with an established Lilac Learners Mentoring Programme for some SEND students as appropriate Students, for whom behaviour has been identified as a special educational need, may be supported by whichever of the following strategies is appropriate The structured progression as defined in the Behaviour for Learning Policy Working for a specified time in the Social Inclusion Zone A Pastoral Support Programme A small group social skills intervention A personalised timetable for a period of reviewed time.

9