Procedures

The identification of SEND is built into the overall school approach to monitoring the progress and development for all children. Where children are falling behind or making inadequate progress given their age and starting point, they should be given extra support. At this early stage, teachers may suspect that a child has SEND. While informally gathering evidence, teaching support is put into place and the child’s response to this is noted. Where a child continues to make inadequate progress despite high quality teaching targeted at their areas of difficulty, the class teacher and SENDCo will assess whether the child has a significant learning difficulty. Where this is the case, there is an agreement about the SEND support that is required to support the child.

If staff have a concern about the progress of a child, then they will complete an ‘Initial record of concern’ sheet and share this with the SENDCo. They will also bring to the SENDCo’s attention if a parent has noted a concern.

The SENDCo would then make observations of the child, monitor their learning and progress so far and talk with the class teacher and parents to discuss a plan to move forward.

The Graduated Response- Assess, Plan, Do, Review 

Once a potential special educational need has been identified four types of action should be taken to put effective support in place. These actions form part of a cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with the growing understanding of the child’s needs and of what supports the individual in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This is known as the graduated response; it draws on more detailed approaches, more frequent review and more specialist expertise in successive cycles in order to match interventions to the SEND of children.

Assess

Before identifying a child as needing SEN support the class teacher, working with the SENDCO should establish a clear analysis of the child’s needs. This should draw on the teacher’s assessment and experience of the child, as well as information regarding progress, attainment and behaviour. It should also draw on the child’s development in comparison to their peers, the views and experience of parents and the child’s own views. This assessment should regularly be reviewed to ensure that support is matched to need and that a clear picture of the interventions and adaptations put in place and their effect is developed.

In some cases, outside professionals may already be involved with a child or the child may need to be referred via school with parental consent.

Plan

Where it is decided to provide a child with SEN Support, the parents must be notified. The teacher, SENDCo, parents and child should agree the support and interventions to be put into place as well as the expected impact on progress, development or behaviour, along with a clear date for review. All staff who work with the child will be made aware of the child’s needs, the support provided and the teaching strategies or approaches that are required. This will be recorded on an Individual Provision Map (IPM) and will be reviewed on a half termly basis by the class teacher and the SENDCo.

Do

The class teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a daily basis. Where the interventions involve group or one-to-one teaching away from the main class, they still retain responsibility by working closely with the learning support assistants and specialist staff to plan and assess the impact of interventions. A weekly plan is implemented for children with one-to-one support. Individual Provision Maps (IPMs) are adhered to and progress towards the targets set is monitored each half term.

Review

The effectiveness of the support and the impact on the child’s progress should be reviewed in line with the agreed date on the Individual Provision Map (IPM). The impact of the support provided, along with the views of the child and their parents, feeds back into the analysis of the child’s needs. Support can then be revised. When a child continues to make little or no progress, despite well founded support that is matched to the child’s area of need, the class teacher or SENDCo will involve specialists from outside agencies. Parents will always be involved in making this decision.

Where assessment indicates that support from specialist services is required it is important that children receive it as quickly as possible. The support from various agencies can include:

·       Providing advice on teaching and learning

·       Specialised target setting on IPMs

·       Staff training

·       Support with interventions

·       Strategies to manage challenging circumstances

·       Specialised assessments and intervention plans

·       Ways to adapt the curriculum to meet specific needs

School request for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan)

If, after taking action to meet the difficulties of the child, the child’s needs remain so substantial that they cannot be met effectively within the resources available to our school, the SENDCo may request an assessment of education, health and care needs following the guidelines in the Code of Practice (2015) and according to LEA criteria /guidelines.

For children who are issued with an EHC Plan, a review will be held annually.

School request for funding or advice from the Inclusive School Forum

The SENDCo may request additional support and guidance from professionals on the panel of the Inclusive School Forum if it is felt that further resources are required to meet the child’s needs. Specialist outreach support can also be accessed via this route. If funding is agreed, this will be reviewed in line with the Individual Provision Plan after a year and decisions made about appropriate ways forward.

Individual risk assessments are carried out where appropriate to ensure the safety of children with additional needs.