Hampden Gurney Special Educational Needs Policy

“We aim to maximise the progress and achievement for pupils with SEN through an enriching and rigorous education. We aim to support the pupils to become confident learners in life and achieve the greatest independence possible in their learning”

The school’s SEN policy is built on the principles of the Code of Practice.

Aims

We aim to:

· Ensure that all pupils with SEN, whether, physical, intellectual, social, emotional or behavioural, receive appropriate, differential educational needs.

· Encourage parents to join us in planning and supporting all stages of their child’s development.

· Identify, assess, record and regularly review pupils’ special educational needs.

· Promote individual confidence and positive attitude.

· Enable every child to experience success.

· Make effective use of external support services.

· Meet the five outcomes in Every Child Matters: 1. Being healthy

2. Staying safe

3. Enjoying and achieving

4. Making a positive contribution

5. Achieving (social) and economic wellbeing

Definition of SEN

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty that calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

Children 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.

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 LEA, other than special schools, in the area.

The Special Educational Needs Co-Coordinator (SENCo) is Michelle Randell, responsible for co-ordinating the day-to-day provision of education for pupils with SEN at the school.

The role of the SENCo.

· Identify and assess needs of SEN children

· Co-ordinate provision for children with special educational needs

· Liase with and advise class teachers and TA’s.

· Keep under review arrangements for SEN provision (quality assurance check, value added)

· Oversee the records of all children with special educational needs

· Contribute to the in-service training of staff

· Liase with external agencies including the LEA’s support and educational psychology services, health and social services, and voluntary bodies

· Develop co-ordinated multi-agency provision

· Promote high standards in education for SEN pupils – reviewing attainment and progress of SEN pupils

· Designated Person for Safeguarding Children

The role of the Senior Management Team.

· Responsible for the management of special needs through out the school.

· Responsible for the allocation of resources, as discussed with the SENCo.

The role of the SEN Governor and governors

· Play a major part in school self review and should establish mechanisms to ensure that they are fully informed about the school, including the systems for and the outcomes of in-school monitoring and evaluation.

· Report to parents on the implementation of the school’s policy for pupils with special educational needs.

The role of the class teacher.

· Gather information about the child and make an initial assessment of the child's special educational needs

· Provide special help within the normal curriculum framework, exploring ways in which increased differentiation of classroom work might better meet the needs of individuals

· Monitor and review the child's progress, liaising with others concerned

· Provide a differentiated, broad and balanced curriculum in line with the national curriculum and the equal opportunities policy.

The role of the Teaching Assistant.

· Be fully aware of the school's procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for pupils with special educational needs.

· Provide in-class support as directed by the class teacher and SENCo.

The role played by the parents of pupils with SEN.

Parents are encouraged to discuss with the class teacher, and SENCo if appropriate, any concerns relating to their child’s education. All significant contacts will be logged, dated, and a summary of information discussed will be made in the SEN diary. Parents of pupils with SEN are fully involved from initial identification through to supporting any interventions that are put in place for their child. Parents are invited to join in the evaluation of their child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) each term.

Early Intervention

We recognise the importance of early identification, assessment and intervention for any child who may have special educational needs. We seek to work in close liaison with both statutory and voluntary agencies to facilitate a co-ordinated and holistic approach to both assessment and intervention.

How resources are allocated to and amongst pupils with SEN.

· Governors agree a budget for the school that includes agreed expenditure on pupils with SEN.

· Resources are allocated to meet the needs of SEN pupils in the school in line with their particular learning and other needs in line with the Code of practice. In conjunction with the head teacher, the SENCo draws up a provision map, which lays out the deployment of resources to meet the needs of SEN pupils.

· Pupils with statements of SEN have their needs, as described in their statement, met through the appropriate deployment of resources and staffing.

· The use and deployment of funding and resources are closely monitored and evaluated to ensure that best value for money is obtained on behalf of pupils.

The school’s objective is to provide integrated, high quality, holistic support focused on the needs of the child. Such support will be based on mutual understanding and agreement between all agencies working with the child and the family. There are numerous external services working with the school to support pupils with SEN including: Educational psychologist, Speech & language therapist, Marlborough family centre, Physiotherapist, Occupational therapist, Social Services, Specialist advisory teachers for the deaf or partial hearing.

Facilities for pupils with SEN at the school.

The school continues to develop facilities and access for pupils with SEN and /or disabilities. Currently the school has a range of facilities including

· Lift to all floors

· Ramps for ground floor access

· Disabled toilets for pupils and parents

Complaints procedure.

Any parent wishing to discuss any aspect of their child’s teaching or treatment should in the first instance speak with the class teacher. If they wish to take the matter further, they should approach the SENCo and/or the Head Teacher. If the matter is still not resolved, parents can make a formal complaint, in writing, to the Chair of Governors. Parents can also complain to the LEA if matters cannot be dealt with at school level.

March 2006