Special Educational Needs (SEN) - Teachers

​The SEN & Disability Discrimination Act 2001

This act led to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. The right for children with SEN to be educated in mainstream schools where parents want this and the interests of other children can be protected (p.3) is strengthened.

The Special Educational Needs Tribunal is renamed the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIT) for parents to appeal against LEA decisions on statement requests.

The Special Needs Code of Practice 2001

Definition of Special Needs:

• “a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age”
• “a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities provided for children of the same age in schools within the Local 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.” (CoP p. 6)

SEN children

• must have their needs met and that this will normally be in mainstream schools
• should have their views taken into account

Parents

• should be consulted at every stage of identifying need
• be working in partnership with teachers in meeting the child’s need

School Action

School Action will be triggered by concerns and evidence that the child is making little or no progress:

• despite receiving differentiated learning opportunities
• in developing literacy and mathematics skills
• and does not respond to the usual behaviour management strategies
• in spite of appropriate aids and equipment for sensory or physical problems
• because of communication or interaction difficulties

School Action will be intervention that is additional to and different from the normal differentiated curriculum. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) will be written and reviewed regularly.

​For information on alternatives to the National Curriculum designed for SEN children visit the Parents /Curriculum section. See also the list of organisations in the Disability Information section as many organisations publish information on interventions for specific disabilities.

Other Websites:

​Reading Recovery	​Reading intervention for children at Year 1
​Equals	​Schemes of work taught in school and P Levels used in assessment

​The most frequently asked questions by teachers about SEN.

What does the SENCo do?

The SENCo maintains the Register of Special Needs Children, co-ordinates the work of L.S.A.’s in supporting children and delivering interventions, liaises with outside agencies and gathers evidence for statement requests.  Many SENCo’s teach either full or part-time as well and ensure that IEP’s and existing statements are reviewed regularly.  They also have knowledge and expertise about different needs and disabilities and can provide support to teachers in managing special needs children in the classroom.

Who is responsible for teaching  the SEN child in my class?

The SEN Code of Practice clearly states that the education of children with special needs remains the responsibility of the class teacher.  However, many children will be supported by L.S.A.’s, both in and out of class and other L.S.A.’s will deliver interventions such as Springboard Maths, Early Literacy Strategy outside of class to children.  Co-ordinating their work will be the SENCo and the class teacher.

What is an L.S.A. and what are they supposed to do?

A Learning Support Assistant can have many roles.  They may work under the guidance and direction of the class teacher to support SEN children in class, they may deliver both Wave 2 and Wave 3 Interventions or they may be assigned a particular child who has a statement to support for certain periods of the week in or out of class.  LSA’s may also carry out administrative tasks such as photocopying and mounting work for display and also attend planning meetings.

What is an Annual Review?

Once a year there must be a meeting which involves all the professionals who work with a child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, the child and the child’s parents to ensure that the objectives in the Statement are being met by the school and that there is no need for any new provision or intervention.

How do I find out if a child has SEN?

Voice your concerns initially with the school’s SENCo and also with the child’s parents.  The SENCo will then help you decide what next steps to take to gather evidence and also support the child’s learning.  The Code of Practice sets out specific stages for SEN intervention and you should refer also to the school’s SEN Policy.

​Malborough School
This school clearly outlines its expectations of parents in terms of providing medicine in school. Including the responsibility to ensure there is a regular supply, and to keep the child off school if the medicine runs out.

The Children's Hospital School @ Great Ormond Street and UCH - Curriculum
A detailed account of how a hospital school may be organised. It would be useful for a teacher with a child about to enter hospital to help them to understand what to expect.

The Children's Hospital School @ Great Ormond Street and UCH - How we work
A detailed account of how a hospital school may be organised. It would be useful for a teacher with a child about to enter hospital to help them to understand what to expect.

The Cedars Primary School
Under Parent/Carer Information Tab – Policy page includes “Policy on the Distribution of Medicine to Children.” Which could provide a starting point for schools with children on medication such as Ritalin.

Chelsea Community Hospital School
Very useful and comprehensive advice to schools on what to do if a child becomes chronically ill, including suggestions for the problems that may arise, and what needs to be taken into consideration when planning for them.

Great Ormond Street - Advice for Schools
Useful, comprehensive advice to schools on what to do, practically, when a child becomes very ill.

​Riverside School
A useful account of a how a Speech and Language Therapist works. Including what they are looking for when assessing a child.

Jack Taylor Special School
An overview of the responsibilities of the school nurse.

John Chilton School
An overview of the responsibilities of an Occupational  Therapist

Vale School - Physiotherapy
A brief overview of the responsibilities of a Physio Therapist

Vale School - Occupational Therapy
A brief overview of the responsibilities of an Occupational Therapist

Whitefield Schools and Centre
A useful description of the work of a music therapist and the underpinning thinking behind it.

Queen Elizabeth Jubilee School
Guidance on how to spot if a child has eating and drinking difficulties, and how a Speech and Language Therapist might help.

​Riverside School
A series of articles by a parent of a child at a special school that other parents may find helpful.

The Bridge School
An overview of the activities of a parents support group that could be helpful when setting one up.

Phoenix Primary and Secondary School - Home/School Agreement
This home school agreement from a special school is not very different from that in place in most schools. It may help mainstream schools when reviewing their own home/school agreements.

Chelsea Community Hospital School
This advice is for parents of children who are ill for long periods and encourages them to keep in regular communication with schools.

Phoenix Primary and Secondary School - Information about EarlyBird
A useful overview of the Early Bird programme, designed to help parents with children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

​The Children's Hospital School @ Great Ormond Street and UCH
How the curriculum is organised in a hospital school.

Springhallow School
Follow primary 3, page 2, to find an example of an activity to discuss appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in PSHE lessons.

Moorcroft School - Sensory Stories
These are very useful examples of how to use multi-sensory approaches to make literature more accessible for children with SEN.

The Bridge School
These are three lovely examples of the ways in which particular interventions have made a difference for children with more complex SEN.

Clarendon School and Oldfield House Unit
Follow the tab marked Oldfield House Unit to find a description of the principles and practice of running a nurture group.

Beormund Primary School
An interesting list of the various approaches used at this school to work with children with behaviour difficulties. It includes yoga and massage alongside structured behaviour management and art therapy.

College Park School
A good overview of what autistic spectrum disorders are, and what might be expected from students.

Queen Elizabeth Jubilee School - PECS
An explanation of PECS, a communication system widely used with pupils with autistic spectrum disorders.

Queen Elizabeth Jubilee School - TEACCH
A brief overview of TEACCH, a system used to support pupils with autistic spectrum disorders in school.

Queen Elizabeth Jubilee School - Intensive Interaction
An outline of Intensive Interaction, an approach to helping those with more complex special needs to communicate.

Queen Elizabeth Jubilee School - Social Stories
A description of how Social Stories are used with children with a range of SEN. These help to prepare them for events outside of their usual routine.

​Grangewood School
Links to special schools with training offers.

The Bridge School

Whitefield Schools and Centre

Westminster Special Schools - Training Programme