Special Educational Needs

With its emphasis on the needs of children with the most complex support needs, the green paper appears to return to a medical perspective of special education. We look back to the days before statements of SEN to consider whether its proposals take us ‘forward to the past’

Engaging parents is not always an easy task. Michelle Morgan describes how family partnership training can enable staff to build and maintain purposeful relationships with parents

More training and support is needed to accommodate autism in mainstream schools, according to the NfER’s new report, Autism and Educational Assessment: UK Policy and Practice

As the DDA and Equality Act broaden the definition of disability and the duties of schools, testing has recently been completed on draft tools for helping schools to identify disability

A new report considers the implications for education of the SEN/month of birth effect

Individual pupils have been helped to improve their skills and gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses as a result of dyslexia screening in a Midlands school, as Cheryl Lawrie describes

A new report claims the education system reinforces disadvantages and calls for greater equity

In our last issue, we considered some important principles of multi-agency working and how to establish good relationships amongst professionals from a range of different services and backgrounds. This issue, we consider how SENCOs, as key workers, can organise productive and worthwhile meetings with colleagues

Following on from the last issue where we considered how to build good parent-school relationships, this issue we look at collaborative working with professionals from a range of agencies and how to get the best out of joint working

Following on from the last issue where we considered how to build good parent –school relationships, we look at ways of offering practical support to families who want to help their children to learn

In the second issue of SENCO Week looking at partnership working, we consider the parent-school relationship and how you can make this as positive and fruitful as possible. In the next issue (151) we will provide some practical ideas for running parent workshop sessions

Starting off the term focusing on working in partnership, this issue takes an overview on the skills involved in working collaboratively and provides an overview of new publications and initiatives to be aware of

All SENCOs must take the lead in their colleague’s professional development in relation to special needs – in this issue we focus on evaluating how well you manage this, and offer a helpsheet to assist in managing the CPD of teaching/support assistants

This issue focuses on planning ahead to create the most effective provision for the next academic year through reviewing what’s happened so far this year, using provision maps and communicating effectively with staff

Do you base your provision planning on analytical evaluation of what has gone before (in your own setting and in other contexts) or do you tend to use ‘gut feeling’ and what is easiest to organise? This issue takes a look at how SENCOs can take a professional approach to evidence-based practice

SENCO Week looks at how you can keep an overview of the barriers to learning for SEN students, and how to disseminate the relevant information to the right people

Offers info on the legal requirements for CPD for SENCOs and advice on using CPD to improve SEN provision practised by other members of staff

It is the SENCO’s responsibility to be informed about statutory and regulatory frameworks that may affect children with SEN and disabilities within their school. This issue gives an overview of the essential frameworks to be aware of, providing links to helpful information

With the roll-out of national training for new SENCOs under way, SENCO Week updates you on its learning outcomes

Linda Evans discusses useful tasks for SENCos for this time of year

Linda Evans discusses the best way to use technology to support children with SEN and disability

For the vast majority of teachers good behaviour management is, understandably, their number one priority. Without it, even the best planning and most interesting activities and resources may be totally ineffectual. This issue we consider those pupils whose behaviours present a challenge for mainstream teachers and suggest some strategies for teachers to try out

SENCO Week discusses the practicalities of involving children with special educational needs and disabilities in Christmas celebrations at school, with some ideas on how this can be achieved.

This issue looks at study skills in terms of helping pupils with SEN to engage with the learning process and take some responsibility themselves for achieving a positive outcome

This issue discusses some of the strategies SENCos and classroom teachers can share with colleagues to enable them to support the development of reading across the curriculum

In this issue of SENCO Week, Linda Evans suggests some ways of helping pupils to concentrate, and also how to develop memory skills, with advice for SENCOs and teachers

In her third installment discussing differentiation, Linda Evans looks at how different types of outcome can translate into effective differentiation

Linda Evans looks at support for differentiation, namely teaching assistant support

The first of three SENCO Weeks to deal with differentiation, which refers to all the processes involved in learning which deal with differences in learners and attempts to motivate and assess positively at all levels of achievement

This copy of SENCO Week looks at how to inbed inclusion as a whole school SEN approach

Learning from home and using online education can provide a safe haven for children who are bullied at school. Special Children talked to one mother about the solutions she found for her autistic son

Want to encourage your disabled students in sport? Godfrey Hall has a number of ideas and sources of support for schools in doing so

Lots of schools have rules for children's behaviour, but Grangewood Special School in Hillingdon has rules for adults too, and is a great example of good SEN practice. Michael Jones paid a visit

The Audit Commission wants schools, including SENCOs, to show that they are getting value for money from their SEN and AEN budgets, and has produced the tools they need

This SENCO Week provides pointers to help you finish off the school year in good shape and consider some forward planning for next term

Provision maps are a tool used regularly by SENCOs — they enable you to detail the range of support provided for children with SEN in each year group. Linda Evans outlines what you need to remember when preparing them

Although policy writing and updating is ongoing throughout the year, summer is a key time for this sort of task. This issue we review the school policies that SENCOs and inclusion post-holders need to consider - specifically those regarding young carers and vulnerable groups

SENCO Week looks at how to support those students with DME (dual or multiple exceptionality) and how to help them fulfil their potential

SENCO Week considers the links between SEN and G&T at schools; gifted and talented students are often considered as having specific learning needs and are equally in need of support

Assemblies are an important part of school life. This e-bulletin looks at assemblies with a special needs (SEN) focus and also considers how circle time can be used to support inclusion

SENCO Week discusses low incidence special educational needs — those with significant difficulties and/or disablities which affect only a small number of children

Important aspects of SEN provision are regular meetings with children and parents to discuss their progress and continuing needs. This e-bulletin considers how careful planning can maximise the usefulness of these reviews and ensure that they are productive for SEN children

This e-bulletin suggests some strategies for teachers and TAs to use in supporting children across the curriculum in their revision and private study

SENCO Week discusses the important educational base provided by reading skills, and considers strategies to help older children who are struggling with reading, in order to improve their general literacy

How has the role of SENCo evolved in education? Gareth Morewood argues the importance of having a clear philosophy and acting as an advocate for students with special educational needs (SEN)

What are your colleagues' priorities for CPD in terms of SEN and inclusion? Linda Evans discusses how SENCOs can help them in this area

Slow learners, children who find it difficult to learn and remember things, are a challenge experienced by all teachers at some point in their career. Here we consider this group of pupils and some general strategies for helping them

How do you help pupils who show symptoms of dyscalculia? This SENCO Week highlights the main issues and gives advice to both SENCOs and classroom teachers

The provision of transport for pupils with SEN, specifically the responsibility of local authorities (LAs) in this area is discussed here by Michael Segal

Christian assembly: Spread the good news!

Mutual benefits of partnerships

Secondary Assembly: Beware of prejudices

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