POLICY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Mission Statement

We aim to provide every possible opportunity to develop each child's full potential. Children with Special Educational Needs must be valued as individuals and should be encouraged to integrate with their peers, both socially and academically. They should have access to the whole school curriculum. At all times, consideration will be given to maintaining and enhancing the self esteem of children with Special Educational Needs.

Children join the Learning Support Department at Chafyn for a variety of reasons. These include pupils with Dyslexia, pupils with English as an additional language and those who experience more general difficulties across the curriculum. Their needs are met both within the Learning Support Department and across the curriculum, by appropriate differentiation and support. Teachers in the Learning Support Department include specialists in Dyslexia and a range of other Specific Learning difficulties.
The Learning Support Department works closely with staff and parents to ensure that the needs of pupils are identified and met as they progress through the school.
We aim to provide a secure, happy learning environment, to develop confidence, self-esteem and independent learning. Time is always given to listen to pupils' concerns, in a sensitive manner. A flexible, adaptable approach is encouraged and staff should be prepared to adjust to a variety of needs, as they arise. Pupils are encouraged to question, research and to reflect, in order to develop into confident, independent learners.

Policy Framework

The School's Special Educational Needs Policy provides a framework for the provision of teaching and support for pupils with specific individual needs. The framework refers to entitlement, access and partnership. The SENCO, together with the Senior Management Team, has overall responsibility for the implementation of the SEN Policy. (Accessibility may be referenced to the SEN and Disabilities Act, 2001, which outlines the legal requirement for all schools to increase accessibility for disabled pupils}

Where a concern has been raised, the Referral Procedure will be followed and any Special Educational Needs will be identified at the earliest possible opportunity. The assessment process will involve partnership with all those concerned with the child, including parents/carers, teachers and other professionals. The child's views will also be sought.
Details of provision and areas of responsibility will be guided by the current Code of Practice for SEN. (Code of Practice, January 2002, DFES).

All staff should be aware of their particular responsibilities with respect to the SEN Policy. They should seek advice from the SENCO whenever necessary.

The Headmaster and staff should be kept informed of those children on the Register for Special Educational Needs.

As children progress through the school, all information and records relating to their Special Educational Needs are transferred with them.
The needs of gifted or more able children should be met within the classroom, following the school's policy for able and talented pupils.

LEARNING SUPPORT REFERRAL PROCEDURE

The Register of SEN

The Senco will record and maintain a register of all pupils who receive LS. This will include pupils at School Action and School Action Plus stages. (defined below). The register will also include details of pupils within the school, at School Action Plus, who do not receive learning support lessons.

Individual subject and form teachers will keep their own records of pupils' individual needs, including those who require specific monitoring.

SCHOOL ACTION /SCHOOL ACTION PLUS

As Chafyn Grove is an Independent Prep School, these terms need clarification:

School Action and School Action Plus define the degree of Special Educational Need and its consequent provision. They do not necessarily relate to the involvement of an external agency. However, they must reflect a continuum of need and provision.
The following criteria are used to define these terms at Chafyn Grove School:

School Action

These pupils generally have a milder and / or lesser degree of SEN. In contrast to an LEA school, they may have been assessed by an Educational Psychologist, or other external specialist.

School Action Plus

An external specialist may also have seen these pupils, but they will have a greater or more complex SEN and will therefore require more support. This category will also include any pupil who is under the continued care of an external specialist.

New pupils joining the school will follow the referral procedure, following a suitable settling in period. After discussion with the Headmaster, the SENCO will advise on the best level of support to be given. Together with background information, the Headmaster must establish whether the child's needs can be met by the school and make an informed decision on whether the child would cope with the whole school curriculum. ( Reference: Admissions Policy)

If the school is unable to meet the child's needs, after all avenues have been explored, the Headmaster may recommend a more suitable placement for the child.

Responsibilities of the SENCO

The SENCO has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of Special Educational Needs provision. This involves:

Ongoing operation of SEN Policy
Maintenance of SEN Register
Overall responsibility for IEPs
Ensuring that accurate records are kept & confidentiality maintained
Ensuring assessments are carried out and records of progress maintained
Staff are kept informed of pupils with SEN
Maintain good communication links with the Pre-Prep department
Liaise with external agencies as required
On-going communication with parents
Responsibility for statemented children and annual reviews
Reporting to SMT on the working of the SEN Policy
Liaise with other Schools regarding transfer of pupils and ensure that relevant records are made available
Ensure that resources, including staff, are available to meet SEN provision
In-staff training is available to maintain skills and expertise
Contributing to development of timetables, to ensure good time management
Timetabling individual or group lessons for pupils, and the use of Educational Support Assistants in conjunction with the Head and Director of Studies

Assessment and Monitoring

The assessment and monitoring of children with Special Educational Needs, as well as the provision of support, evaluation and record keeping will be guided by the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs (January 2002). Parents should be kept informed at every stage. The views of the child should also be sought where possible.

Acting on the expression of an initial concern, the class teacher should follow the Referral Procedure.

Support will reflect a gradient of Special Educational Needs and will be categorized as School Action and School Action plus (Code of Practice January 2002).

Individual Education Plans will be discussed with the child's parents and where possible, the views of the child will be sought.

IEPs will be reviewed twice a year and more frequently as needed.

Children are assessed twice yearly, using standardized and diagnostic tests. Other specialist tests may be used to gain a more detailed individual profile. In some cases, external specialists may carry out further assessment. For example, Educational Psychologist, Behavioral Optometrist, Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Paediatrician.

Range of Support:

The main focus of support is Literacy, along with general 'study' skills, although all areas of the academic curriculum are supported, as needs arise. Teaching staff in the department have experience and skills to enable the development of skills in all subject areas.

** Aims are described in greater detail in a separate document, appendix I

Accessing Learning Support

Many lessons are arranged on an individual basis, although it is sometimes more beneficial for a child to work in a small group. Single lessons are generally 35 minutes long. Where possible, pupils are taught immediately after registration, during assembly or chapel; with pupils up to year 4, they may have a lesson during their lunch break. Pupils may also be withdrawn from the following lessons: Music, drama, games, P.E, Art, DT. Every effort is taken to avoid unpopular timetable changes; the value of the less academic subjects is taken into account. Pupils with particular needs may not study Latin, in which case they may receive learning support at those times. Where there is a small group of non-Latin pupils they follow a structured course in study skills, aimed at curricular support, independent learning strategies and exam preparation. Occasionally, a pupil may also drop French.

Aims

The broad aims of Learning Support are to address underlying difficulties, develop new learning strategies and to encourage independence and to develop and maintain good self-esteem as well as a positive work ethic.

Every child is individually assessed and placed on the most suitable programme to meet their specific needs. There is ongoing communication with other members of staff, to ensure that individual needs are also met in the general classroom.

Communication with Staff and parents

The SENCO will ensure that all relevant information is made available for staff and that confidentiality is maintained. Within the Learning support Department, the SENCO will lead weekly meetings, to discuss internal issues and to implement planning and review procedures. The SENCO should ensure that they have an overview of all communications with parents and other members of staff, when related to LS pupils or to the management of the department. Confidential records will be securely held in the LS Department. Relevant information will be available on the staff room notice board. In addition, the Learning Support folder, on the ICT shared drive, will be kept updated. As well as direct communication with staff and parents, e mails may be used.

We have an 'Open Door' policy and parents are welcome to meet with LS staff at any mutually convenient time.

English as an Additional Language (EAL or EFL)

Following an evaluation of their English Language skills, these students follow an EAL (TEFL) course in the Learning Support Department. Most students also study French, but not Latin. Links should be maintained with their primary language and culture, whilst encouraging the primary use of English, both spoken and written

Staffing and Resources

SENCO and Head of Learning Support: Mrs Sue Coughlan
Teaching Staff: Mrs Catherine Bernard, Mrs Cath Angell, Mrs Pippa Napier, Mrs Sally-Anne Harrison,

SENCO for Foundation Stage: .....................................

Training and courses

The SENCO must liaise with The Senior Management Team, to ensure that all staff in the department have the opportunity to attend training courses, to maintain and expand their knowledge and expertise.

Resources

A variety of teaching resources are used, employing multi-sensory elements to enhance learning and memory. These include audio-visual programmes and a range of software.

Charges

There is not generally an additional charge for Learning Support lessons. However, where a child receives specific, individual support, in a whole class situation, a charge is made; details are available from the Bursar. External specialists have their own fees and provide their own invoices.

Complaints

Parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns with either the child's tutor, a member of the Learning Support Department or a member of The Senior Management Team.

The school has an official complaints procedure.

S Coughlan BSc PGCE DipDLit AMBDA
Head of Learning Support

Updated 03.02.10