2016 S.E.N.D. and Inclusion Policy - Black Horse Hill Junior School

Click here to read our school SEN and INCLUSION Policy 2018

Introduction

The temporary SENCO at Black Horse Hill Juniors is Mr Paul Hindle,

who can be contacted via the school office on 0151 625 8446

or by emailing schooloffice@blackhorsehill-junior.wirral.sch.uk

Miss Kennedy will be starting in January 2019 and will eventually take over the role.

This policy complies with the statutory requirement laid out in the SEND Code of Practice 0 – 25 (2014) and has been written with reference to the following guidance and documents:

Equality Act 2010: advice for schools 2013
SEND Code of Practice 0 – 25 (2014)
Statutory Guidance on supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (April 2014)
The National Curriculum in England for Key Stage 1 and 2 (September 2013)
Safeguarding Policy
Accessibility Plan
Teachers’ Standards 2012

The policy was created by the school’s SENCo, in liaison with the Headteacher and the School Governors. It is available for all staff and parents to read and is available to access on the school website.

Definition

The SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (2014) defines special educational needs as follows:

“A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:

(a) Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others 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 others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post -16 institutions.”

As a school we acknowledge that every teacher is a teacher of every child or young person, including those with SEN or disabilities.

Aim

The mission statement of our school is to nurture and empower our pupils to become creative, compassionate and confident citizens, ready to face the challenges of a diverse and ever-changing world. We aim to promote a passion for life-long learning and believe in promoting the values of respect, honesty, kindness, perseverance and motivation and hard-work.
This mission statement applies to all our pupils, regardless of need or circumstance. We are therefore committed to giving all our children opportunities to fulfil their potential and to access a broad and worthwhile academic and social curriculum. We want all children to be happy in school regardless of ability, special educational need, disability or individual circumstances. We believe that all children should be equally valued in school and we strive to eliminate prejudice and discrimination and develop an environment where all children flourish and feel safe.

Objectives

We will strive to achieve our mission statement and aims for our pupils through following objectives:

By identifying, as early as possible, those children who have special educational needs, additional needs or disabilities
By taking into account all four areas of need when identifying children with SEN or disabilities, as described in the SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (2014). These areas of need are:

Cognition and Learning
Communication and Interaction
Social, emotional and mental health
Sensory and/or physical needs

By maintaining an up-to-date register of children with SEN or disabilities and ensuring that this register is a flexible document that takes into account pupils progress, as well as their difficulties
By monitoring the provision and resources put into place for pupils with SEN or disabilities and adjusting the provision accordingly
By providing a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), who will work with the Headteacher and staff in the interest of those pupils with SEN and disabilities
By ensuring that all staff share responsibility for children with SEN and disabilities
By providing support and advice for all staff working with pupils with SEN or disabilities
By involving and engaging with parents of pupils with SEN or disabilities

Identifying Special Educational Needs

The SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (2014) describes SEN as falling into four broad categories of need. The four categories are:

Cognition and learning
Communication and interaction
Social, emotional and mental health
Sensory and/or physical needs

We understand that it is possible for a pupil’s difficulties to lie in just one category, or for a pupil to have to have difficulties spanning multiple categories. Our purpose in identification is not to classify the need, but instead to understand it, to seek the correct help and support and to adjust provision accordingly.
The SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (2014) also states that:

“Slow progress and low attainment do not necessarily mean that a child has SEN and should not automatically lead to a pupil being recorded as having SEN. However, they may be an indicator of a range of learning difficulties or disabilities. Equally, it should not be assumed that attainment in line with chronological age means that there is no learning difficulty or disability.” (p. 96)

We therefore do not base SEN identification on progress and attainment alone. While progress is monitored for all pupils in school, and can be an early indicator of difficulties, a graduated approach is taken to SEN identification and low attainment will not lead to a child being automatically registered as having SEN.
Factors which may impact on progress and attainment but which are not considered SEN are:

Attendance and punctuality
Health and welfare
English as Additional Language (EAL)
Being in receipt of Pupil Premium grant
Being a Looked After Child (LAC)
Being a child of a serviceman/woman

A Graduated Approach to SEND

At Black Horse Hill Junior school we aim to provide high quality teaching for all pupils in our care and we encourage class teachers to have high expectations for all. Pupil progress is regularly monitored by class teachers, as well as the SLT, SENCo and Headteacher. This monitoring helps class teachers to pick up on any early signs that a child may be having difficulties and react accordingly. The first step in responding to pupils’ difficulties in class is differentiation of the high quality teaching provided to all.
In addition to this, teachers can support pupils’ learning by working with pupils themselves, by arranging for teaching assistants to work with pupils, or by using and adapting available resources. Pupils receiving this additional support are not automatically registered as having SEN.
Once these measures are in place, and if, after an appropriate amount of time, the child continues to have difficulties the class teacher or SENCo may decide that the child would benefit from participation in an intervention group. These groups offer support for small groups of children who have similar needs and cover many areas of need, from spelling to social skills. Again, pupils receiving this additional support are not automatically registered as having SEN.
If pupils continue to have difficulties, or if at any point staff or parents have concerns that a pupil might have a special educational need, then this need will be investigated. Depending on the area of need, this could involve further testing and assessment in school, or seeking advice from other professionals.
Outside agencies who may be involved at this stage include:

The outside Educational Psychologist
The local authority SEN advice and assessment team (SENAAT)
Speech and Language Service
Vision Support
School Nurse
The local authority ASC team

Outside agencies are only involved after gaining consent through a discussion with parents.

Once a child is identified as having a special educational need they are placed on the school’s SEN register. At this stage, if they are receiving high quality, differentiated teaching in class, small-group support in class, access to intervention groups and/or a limited amount of 1:1 support then they are registered at the ‘School Support’ level.
Once a child is registered as ‘School Support’ a one-page profile is drawn up to help recognise what is important to that child in school and how we can best support them. This profile is created by the class teacher or SENCo with the involvement of the child and any other relevant members of staff. The one-page profile is shared with parents and feedback is welcomed. At this stage class teachers also create an individual target sheet for the child which contains specific, measurable targets. Individual target sheets are reviewed twice a year or more frequently if appropriate. Targets sheets are shared with parents when they are set and reviewed.
The progress of pupils registered as ‘School Support’ is regularly monitored by the class teacher, SENCo, SLT and Headteacher, as is the progress of all pupils at Black Horse Hill Junior School. If pupils continue to have difficulties at this stage, despite receiving additional support and resources, then, in discussion with parents, an Additional Support Plan will be drawn up. The Additional Support Plan will detail the pupil’s, parents’ and school’s short and long-term aspirations for the child, as well as detailing the support and resources currently in place for the child.
If a child has had Additional Support Plans and continues to need a very high level of support, this could lead to a request for the Local Authority to carry out a statutory assessment. This assessment is performed in collaboration with school, parents and any other outside agencies involved with the child. Following a statutory assessment, if the Local Authority agrees that the child requires a very high level of individual support in order to make good progress, they may issue an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). This plan will outline the support that the Local Authority agrees to provide, as well as the strategies and resources which should be put in place. This level of specific, individual support is for children with severe, complex and lifelong needs and is only pursued once other forms of intervention have been proved to be ineffective. At this point, pupils would be placed on the school SEN register at the ‘EHCP’ stage.
Alongside the SEN register, we also have a Medical register at Black Horse Hill Junior School. This is to ensure that all staff are aware of the medical and health needs of all pupils in school. Pupils with more complex medical needs will have an Individual Health Plan drawn up by the SENCo, in discussion with parents and any relevant health professionals. Through this plan we aim to set out the support and resources needed to ensure the child has the best chance to access to a broad and balanced curriculum. For further information see our Medical and Medicines Policy.

Managing Pupils’ Needs on the Register

The school SENCo reviews and updates the SEN register at least once a term, following discussion with class teachers, the SLT, Headteacher and other relevant professionals.
The school SENCo reviews and updates the Medical register at least once a term, following discussion with class teachers, parents and other relevant professionals.
One-page profiles are drawn up for all pupils on the SEN register. These profiles detail what is important to the child and how best to support them in school. They are created by the class teacher, with help from the SENCo, and are written with the input of the child. One-page profiles follow the child through school and are annotated or updated when appropriate.
Pupils on the SEN register at the ‘School Support’ stage have Individual Target Sheets written for them by their class teacher. The targets are specific and measurable and the sheets are reviewed and updated twice a year or more frequently if appropriate. New and reviewed target sheets are shared with parents.
Some pupils with more complex needs at the ‘School Support’ stage will have an Additional Support Plan. This is written collaboratively by the SENCo and class teacher, with the input of parents, the Headteacher and any other relevant professionals. Additional Support Plans are reviewed once a term.
Pupils with an Educational Health Care Plan have their plans written by the EHCP Coordinator from the Local Authority, with input from the school, parents and any relevant professionals. EHCPs are reviewed annually, usually in school, and parents and other relevant professionals will be invited to the review meeting.
The SENCo arranges and attends a transition meeting each year with the SENCo at Black Horse Hill Infant School to ensure smooth transition for pupils entering Year 3 on the SEN register. The SENCo also arranges and attends transition meetings with SENCos from local secondary schools for pupils in Year 6 on the SEN register. Enhanced transition is arranged for those pupils who need it. This is discussed with class teachers and the Headteacher.

Criteria for Exiting the SEN Register

The criteria for exiting the SEN register depend greatly on the child’s area of need. Generally, pupils will be removed from the register when they are making age-related expected progress in their identified area of need. Pupils may also be removed from the SEN register if they no longer need the additional support that they were receiving in school.

Supporting Pupils and Families

At Black Horse Hill Junior School we believe in working together with the parents or guardians of children with SEND in order to know the child better and provide the best support possible. If parents or guardians have any concerns or queries about the progress or provision in place for their child they should first contact the child’s class teacher. Following this, if the parent or guardian wants further advice or support they can arrange to meet the SENCo, or Headteacher if appropriate.
Additional advice about the management of SEN and Medical needs can be found on the school website. Here parents can find the school’s SEN Information Report and the school’s Medical and Medicines Policy.
Should parents or guardians want further information about SEND in the local area, they should consult the Local Authority website www.localofferwirral.org or independent advice on SEN issues parents should contact WIRED (Wirral SEND partnership) via email at contact@wired.me.uk

Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions

At Black Horse Hill Junior School we recognise that pupils with medical conditions should be fully supported so that they have the best chance to access a broad and balanced curriculum. Alongside the SEN register, we have a Medical register which is displayed in the staff room and distributed to relevant staff members in order to ensure that all staff are aware of the medical and health needs of all pupils in school.
Pupils with more complex medical needs have an Individual Health Plan drawn up by the SENCo, in discussion with parents and any relevant health professionals. This plan sets out the resources and provision needed to support the child in school. It is reviewed annually and is again distributed to relevant members of staff.
Some pupils with medical needs may also have special educational needs and may have an EHCP which brings together health and social care needs as well as special educational needs. In this case plans are written and reviewed at multi-disciplinary meetings, arranged by the local authority EHCP Coordinator.
For more short-term medical needs and the administration of medicine see the school’s Medical and Medicines Policy.

Roles and Responsibilities

The SENCo at Black Horse Hill Junior School is Miss C Haslam. She achieved the National Award for SEN (NASENCo award) in 2014 and is also a class teacher. Her responsibilities as SEN Coordinator include:

Reviewing, updating and implementing the SEN Policy
Maintaining and updating the SEN register
Coordinating provision for pupils with SEN
Maintaining records for pupils on the SEN register
Monitoring the review and target-setting cycle for pupils with SEN
Advising and supporting colleagues
Arranging relevant training for staff and colleagues
Liaising with outside agencies and relevant professionals
Maintaining and updating the Medical register
Maintaining records for pupils with Medical needs
Arranging and attending transition meetings for pupils in Year 3 and Year 6 on the SEN register

The SEND Governor has a responsibility to meet with the SENCo to monitor the provision for pupils with SEN. A report on SEND at Black Horse Hill Junior School is also written and presented to the Governors annually by the SENCo.
At Black Horse Hill Junior School we acknowledge that every teacher is a teacher of every child or young person, including those with SEN or disabilities. It is therefore the class teacher’s responsibility to monitor and track the progress of all pupils that they teach.

Reviewing the Policy

This policy will be reviewed once every two years. A review of the policy may be brought forward if changes in legislation or school practice make this necessary.

Accessibility

Black Horse Hill Junior School is a single storey building which is fully accessible for children with SEND. Our building and classrooms are light, our corridors are wide and clear, as are the entrance doors to the building. Every classroom has a fire exit and the grounds are safe and secure. There is a disabled toilet available in school, as well as a large medical room with bed and first aid equipment.
Accessibility arrangements for pupils with individual and specific needs are discussed and planned for at transition meetings, or in the case of a newly identified need, at the meeting arranged to draw up the child’s plan (be it Additional Support Plan, EHCP or Individual Health Plan).

Dealing with Complaints

If a parent or guardian wishes to discuss their child’s progress or has any concerns about progress or provision they should first contact the child’s teacher. If parents are unable to see their child’s teacher at the beginning or end of the day, they should make contact through the school office.
Following this meeting, if a parent or guardian has further concerns they can request a meeting with the SENCo or Headteacher. With consent, other relevant professionals may be invited to attend this meeting.
For any further complaints or grievances, details for the School Governing Body are available from the school office. The school’s Complaints Policy can be viewed via the school website.

Useful contacts/links:

Contact the SENCo, Mr P Hindle, via the school office on 0151 625 8446 or by emailing schooloffice@blackhorsehill-junior.wirral.sch.uk

Visit www.localofferwirral.org for more information about Local Authority services for SEND.

For independent advice on SEN issues contact WIRED (Wirral SEND partnership) via email at contact@wired.me.uk