SEN Policy

Does the green paper risk setting the clock back for inclusive education?

scameron — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:29:21 +0100

The Education Act (1981) established a process of stages of assessment which eventually produced a statement of a child's special educational needs. This followed the recommendations of the Warnock Report (1978) on special educational needs which had called for an end to the previous system whereby children were diagnosed and officially ‘ascertained' by their local health authority as belonging to a particular category of handicap.

Organising and chairing multi-agency meetings

scameron — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:28:50 +0100

Support for SENCOs
In practice, joint working can be difficult; getting together three or four busy professionals from different agencies can prove a huge task, especially where funding is separate and different agencies have different priorities. These are not reasons to avoid joint working, but they are reasons to make sure that proper arrangements are in place and that everyone involved in a meeting or review comes away feeling that it was worthwhile and that they made a useful contribution.

Building positive parent-school relationships

scameron — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:48:24 +0100

Support for SENCOs

Your vital role in partnership working

scameron — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:57:19 +0100

Spring is in the air – well, almost! Could it be time to breathe new life into your ‘partnership working’ arrangements and take a fresh look at how you build and sustain positive relationships? This term we will help you to take stock of the systems and processes you have in place for engaging with parents/carers and professionals from various outside agencies.

Getting coordinated – planning and communication

scameron — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:42:03 +0000

Coordinating provision
The days are getting longer and spring is almost sprung, so that means that we are nearly two-thirds of the way through the school year. Time to start thinking about arrangements for the next academic year, and the approaches and interventions you will put in place to meet the needs of pupils with SEN and/or disabilities. This week, we provide some pointers on coordinating provision.

Using evidence about learning, teaching and assessment to inform SEN practice

scameron — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:09:18 +0000

Support for SENCOs
The national training for new SENCOs will be looking at how to:

Statutory and regulatory frameworks – what every SENCO needs to know

scameron — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:49:47 +0000

We set out in the last issue the core aims of the new SENCO training and our intention to help you keep up to date with your own professional standards if you are not part of this programme. In this issue, we look at the SENCO’s responsibility to have an overview and understanding of statutory and regulatory frameworks. With this knowledge, you will be well placed to advise senior colleagues and governors, and fulfill a strategic role in school.

National training for new SENCOs: what will it cover?

scameron — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:13:06 +0000

Happy New Year to you!

Any New Year resolutions? Apart from the less eating/drinking-and-more-exercise type of intentions, you may be thinking of some professional goals this term. The roll-out of national training for new SENCOs began last September, with some providers just getting going this month, so we thought it might be timely to put you in the picture about what the training will cover. Over the coming term, we will help you to audit and update your own professional standards, whether you’ve been a SENCO for two years or 22 years.

Managing behaviour as a SENCO

scameron — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:35:15 +0000

Support for SENCOs

Differentiation: output (3)

scameron — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:58:11 +0100

This is more than a teacher setting an ‘open ended’ task and waiting to see what each learner produces; it involves careful planning of objectives, consideration of learning styles and providing opportunities for pupils to respond to tasks in a variety of ways.

Differentiation: input (1)

scameron — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:48:09 +0100

We’re starting a three-part mini-series on differentiation this week. Helping colleagues to match pupils with appropriate tasks, resources and support is a big part of the SENCO role and influential in developing effective whole-school approaches to meeting special educational needs. If you can crack this, you’re well on the way to minimising the barriers to pupils’ learning and achievement, and will certainly make your own job much easier.

Whole school approaches to SEN and inclusion

scameron — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:54:19 +0100

Inclusive approaches are the bedrock of good provision for pupils with special educational needs. No matter how well planned and effective your intervention programmes might be, everyday classroom teaching plays a hugely important part in a child’s learning experience and must be of the highest quality if those with SEN are to make progress.

This term, we will be looking at how you as SENCO can support colleagues in developing strategies which enable all pupils to ‘achieve and enjoy’ in mainstream classrooms.

SEN provision maps + Helpsheet 23

scameron — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:51:38 +0100

Many SENCOs are now very familiar with the use of provision maps for listing interventions and detailing the ‘who, where and exactly what’. To a large extent these have replaced individual education plans (IEPs) and have resulted in a welcome reduction of paperwork. This issue we provide some timely reminders of what to consider when drawing up your provision maps for next term.

Updating SEN policies - young carers

scameron — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:52:07 +0100

Support for SENCOs
There is a statutory requirement for schools to have policy statements or documents covering a number of areas; those most relevant to SENCOs and INCOs are:

Links between SEN and gifted & talented: part 1

scameron — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:55:58 +0100

Lots of SENCOs find themselves in the role of G&T coordinator as well as having responsibility for pupils with SEN. In fact, some schools include their G&T youngsters in the SEN or AEN (additional educational needs) category. They are recognised as having specific learning needs and as such, deserve an equal amount of attention. Even if you are not the G&T coordinator, you may well be involved with individuals who are ‘twice exceptional’ - they are very able in one area, but have difficulties in another.

The 21st century SENCo

scameron — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:16:07 +0100

With the advent of Every Child Matters (2003) and the new Key Stage 3 curriculum (2008) the role of the SENCO has changed. The 21st-century SENCO is required to do much more, have a wider range of skills, and deal with an immense range of tasks on a regular basis.

Transport for pupils with SEN

scameron — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:55:13 +0000

QUESTION: What steps should a local authority take in arranging transport for pupils with SEN?

Using PE to boost cross curricular skills

scameron — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:11:46 +0000

CASE STUDY Combs Ford Primary School, Stowmarket, Suffolk

A Suffolk primary used the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority’s PE and School Sport (PESS) initiative to rejuvenate the entire school and boost the skills and independence of pupils with special educational needs.

Overview

Supporting looked-after children

scameron — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:35:01 +0000

With the introduction of the Children and Young Person’s Act in November 2008, all schools are legally required to have a designated teacher for looked-after pupils and, as a SENCO, you probably also have responsibility for these vulnerable children. This issue, we provide an overview of your responsibilities in this respect.

SEN observation recording sheets

scameron — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:54:13 +0000

A-Z of Special Needs for Every Teacher (2nd edition) is designed to help busy special needs coordinators provide support for pupils, parents, class teachers and teaching assistant across all key stages.

It is an invaluable, quick and comprehensive guide.

Written by Jacquie Buttriss and Ann Callander

Engaging with parents of children with SEN

scameron — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:24:00 +0000

The commitment to giving parents more say about provision for their children was reflected in the Children’s Plan published in December 2007, which promised to introduce measures such as :

Competing agendas for SEN

scameron — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:54:12 +0000

A comprehensive review of research on SEN and inclusion undertaken on behalf of the NASUWT suggests that there are competing agendas in schools for SEN, inclusion, and standards raising. Within a school or local authority one of these agendas may be prioritised over another.

Involving parents with SEN policy decision-making

scameron — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:27:48 +0000

Ever since the 1981 Education Act introduced the concept of ‘inclusive’ schooling, the question of how to best educate children with learning disabilities has been fiercely debated. Some see inclusion – the education of children with learning difficulties in mainstream, rather than in segregated ‘special’ schools – as the root of all problems. Others regard a mainstream education as every child’s right and vigorously campaign for the closure of all special schools.

Effective peer support

scameron — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:24:17 +0000

It could be argued that every pupil would benefit from having a mentor, and it is certainly a DCSF aim to make this a reality in the future. But for now, you may be concerned with particular individuals or groups of learners who need ‘something extra’ and may respond well to the approaches listed below:

SENCOs working within the law

scameron — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:09:20 +0000

A teacher’s legal duties used to be summarised as being ‘in loco parentis’ – literally acting as a responsible parent. Nowadays, however, it’s slightly more complicated. With more legislation in place to ensure equal rights and to protect vulnerable children, you need to be aware of the law and understand where conflict can arise.

The key laws dealing with special educational needs and disability are the 1996 Education Act and the 2001 SEN and Disability Act (SENDA). Areas with legal implications particularly relevant to SENCOs include:

Support for children with coordination difficulties

scameron — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:27:27 +0000

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has so far been signed by 129 countries and ratified by 26, marks a milestone in the effort to promote the human rights and inherent dignity of persons with disabilities.

The recruitment and retention of SENCOs

scameron — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:30:21 +0000

In the 14 years since the role of the SENCO was established there has been limited research into the recruitment, induction and retention of SENCOs. In 2007, the National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) commissioned a piece of research into these aspects to inform its own work and influence national policy. The findings offer an intriguing insight into the career trajectories of SENCOs in England, the influences on individuals, and some of the implications for schools and the education system.

Methodology

Linking special and mainstream schools

scameron — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:41:20 +0000

As teachers, we are learning all the time. In my work with trainee teachers, I’m always reassuring them that they are ‘a work in progress’ and shouldn’t expect to know everything by the end of the course. In fact, even colleagues with 20 years’ experience have to be prepared to ‘continue their professional development’. In many respects this is what makes teaching such an interesting and rewarding job. One of the best ways of doing this is to learn from each other.

Using volunteer helpers to support developing readers

scameron — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:09:49 +0000

We all know how children enjoy a bit of individual attention. Those with special educational needs can be particularly responsive to one-to-one sessions, especially when the personal dynamics are right and a supportive relationship is created. But where is the time in a busy school day with teachers and TAs so incredibly busy? Reading Buddies are visiting members of the community who can help children get more out of their school day, and strengthen ties between the school and the outside world – with unexpected results.

SEN delegated funding vs. statements

scameron — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:52:09 +0000

The law on assessment and statementing has changed very little since 1981. Local authorities (LAs) should identify, assess and, where necessary, provide statements for pupils with the most severe learning difficulties.

The theory

Role of the SENCO: legal developments

scameron — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:01:10 +0000

SENCO status was first defined in the special educational needs code of practice (1994). This document listed the responsibilities of SENCOs. These included:

Motivating reluctant writers + Help Sheet 15

scameron — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:30:24 +0000

The process of writing is a very complicated one. You have to be able to hold and control a pencil or pen and form letters and words in a certain way. You have to know how to make words (spelling), how to string them together (grammar, syntax) and how to build in pauses (punctuation). You also have to know what to write – holding information in your head so that it can be transferred to paper ‘in your own words’, or creating a story from your own experience and imagination.

Supporting SEN pupils during exams

scameron — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:18:49 +0100

Spring and exam time may seem a long way away, but it isn’t too early to begin thinking about pupils who will need special arrangements in order to demonstrate their true abilities. Children and young people with SEN will benefit from careful preparation for any sort of test or exam and there may also be special arrangements to be made in terms of providing readers and amanuenses, for example.

Supporting pupils with Asperger’s Syndrome

scameron — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:30:04 +0100

Support for SENCOs

The Changing Role of the SENCO

scameron — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:08:18 +0100

Christopher Robertson summarises some of the policy milestones that have influenced SEN practice in schools and local authorities, and the important changes about to take place.

This supplement was originally sent out with SENCO Update

Training and managing SENCO TAs + Help Sheet 14

scameron — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:10:45 +0100

Training

This can be a good time to put together a training programme for TAs if you haven’t already done so. You, and they, have settled into the new term, begun to get to know individual pupils and their learning needs as well as topics being covered in lessons. By now, some training needs may be emerging and you can use a questionnaire to help TAs identify areas where they are less confident:

Recruiting SENCO teaching assistants

scameron — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:35:53 +0100

Support for SENCOs

Safeguarding provision for disabled children

scameron — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:39:59 +0100

Safeguarding Disabled Children: A Resource for Local Safeguarding Children Boards was published in February 2006. It was intended as a resource tool for local safeguarding boards facilitating the audit of local service provision in relation to protecting children from abuse and neglect and in planning to ensure disabled children are safeguarded on an equal basis to other children. The more recently published Children’s Plan includes a full section on the needs of disabled children and the expectation that all children are treated on an equal basis.

CPD for SEN

scameron — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:15:35 +0100

As reported in a recent edition of SENCO Update, the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) has developed a resource to support professional development for special educational needs of teachers in mainstream schools called Making SENse of CPD.

The resource draws on the work of schools that employ particularly successful strategies for SEN-related CPD and has the potential to be added to with further practice examples.

The resource has been developed as part of GTC work that aims to:

Working with children with dyslexia + Help Sheet 13

scameron — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:06:06 +0100

You will undoubtedly know the basic issues related to dyslexia, but may want to share the main points with colleagues and parents:

Sharing information and good practice

scameron — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:29:22 +0100

Support for SENCOs

Getting organised for next term + Help Sheet 12

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:44 +0100

Support for SENCOs
Taking time to decide on what needs to be done, and in what order, is a useful starting point (those of you who are experienced or well organised may well have done this already of course – but it’s worth scanning through our list to make sure that nothing has been forgotten). You need some proper time for this so negotiate with the SLT and make sure that ‘time bandits’ don’t manage to steal it.

Reviewing pupil progress + Helpsheet 11

sara — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:42 +0100

Support for SENCOs

Supporting pupils with SEN in science

sara — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:39 +0100

Science has great potential for pupils with SEN to learn about the world they live in. There are interesting practical activities to be done, presenting opportunities for real discovery and thought-provoking discussion. Carefully organised, the practical work in science can enable pupils to achieve in ways that are less frequently available in other subjects, and make an important contribution to a learner's confidence and self-esteem.

Special needs in the mainstream

tina — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:33 +0100

CPD that is specifically focused on the needs of the SEN child is particularly difficult to track down. In part this is due to the fact that there is no such thing as a classic special need. Every child is unique and, at the very best, all we can say is that some display some characteristics linked to certain conditions. The children, however, are not the conditions themselves!

Professional development and SEN

cassandrafaria — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:31 +0100

January 2007 was a particularly extraordinary month in education. We should be used to controversies kicked off by ministers and MPs, as they try to apply the standards they set for the rest of us to their own lives, but frequently fail. So why was it still in some way shocking to hear that former Education Secretary Ruth Kelly is educating one of her children in the independent sector, as his needs cannot be met by the maintained sector?

The updated Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs + Help Sheet 1

sara — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:31 +0100

Welcome to SENCO Week at the beginning of a new school year. I hope your holiday gave you a chance for some well earned rest and relaxation – even if the weather hasn’t been all that we hoped for!

Over the summer, we have modified the design of SENCO Week and planned how to continue bringing you useful information and guidance to save you time and keep you up to date.

Assessment and funding of SEN provision: breaking the link

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:59 +0100

In 2006, the House of Commons Select Committee recommended that ‘the link must be broken between assessment and funding of provision’, having concluded that ‘there is an inbuilt conflict of interest in that it is the duty of the local authority both to assess the needs of the child and to arrange provision to meet those needs, and all within a limited resource.’1 The Committee had reached this view after hearing evidence, mainly from parents’ organisations, that professional reports and statements often prescribed provision on the basis of cost rather than chil

Storytelling to facilitate inclusion

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:59 +0100

A wet and windy Friday afternoon in winter. A temporary classroom in a special school in Sussex. Enter a storyteller with two large bags. Mission: to transform the class, and transport six teenagers with a range of additional learning needs into a world of imagination and communication, involving a woman with no teeth, a Victoria sponge and a well of truth. Time to prepare: 15 minutes. Enter six students and three adults. What follows are 60 minutes that leave the storyteller tired but fulfilled, and the teenagers and adults better communicators.

Multi-sensory environments in special schools

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:59 +0100

They come in all shapes and sizes and, as small, Victorian-built special schools make way for much larger state-of-the-art edifices, architects are including them in their new designs. Multi-sensory environments are now firmly established as part of the therapeutic facilities of many special schools. But with their origins in the snoezelen rooms of the 1970s, they too have undergone something of a metamorphosis. Rooms whose key features were soft structures and ball-pools have been replaced with hi-tech environments using the latest technology to transform pupils’ sensory experience.