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Special Educational Needs Policy

Staff at Cannock Chase High believe that children with special educational needs must have their needs addressed. These children should have access to a broad balanced, inclusive education including the National Curriculum and wherever possible should be taught alongside their peers. C.C.H.S. believes it is important to address pupil's needs as they arise and to provide support to meet those needs.

Aims

  1. To identify educational needs effectively using the Staffordshire Criteria for Special Educational Needs and provide the support necessary to enable pupils to make progress
  2. To involve and work with pupils and parents at the various stages of the Code of Practice and take into consideration their views
  3. To make use of outside agencies where necessary as part of a planned and graduated response to individual need
  4. To work closely with feeder schools in order to share detailed information about children with special educational needs and to continue with a comprehensive assessment and recording programme throughout the school including the passing on of relevant paper work
  5. To inform and support departments in meeting individual need through sharing baseline information, Access Plans, targets and strategies.
  6. To review pupil progress annually or as and when appropriate
  7. To work collaboratively with teaching staff, HOD and HOY to ensure that barriers to learning are removed and students are enabled to achieve
  8. To evaluate annually the effectiveness of the S.E.N. provision within the school using the schools review and evaluation process

Objectives

C.C.H.S. has devised a clear framework for the implementation of the Code of Practice which communicates across all staff through a half-termly newsletter, a link person in each department and involves outside agencies through the work of the Social Inclusion Group.

Initial assessment is through information received from feeder schools together with subject teacher assessment or parental/carer concern, SATS results and school assessments.

Pupils are taught in groups which best match the departmental strategies that give greatest access to a broad balanced curriculum to in the individual needs. There may be movement of individuals across teaching groups to ensure that there needs are being met. Parents/carers are informed and involved in all stages by letter, telephone calls, review meetings and parent's evenings according to their statutory rights and their involvement is always welcomed.

In line with the recommendations in the Code of Practice the views of the student are always taken into consideration.

All staff are involved in accurate pupil assessment which will, if necessary, inform school intervention at School Action or School Action +. Assessment information is also used in SEN monitoring and reporting procedures. Assessment information will include National Curriculum levels and SATs results. All subject areas are required to make differentiated provision where appropriate to meet pupil's needs and keep accurate records of pupil's progress. All departments are aware of and have regard to the advice and recommendations within the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement and recognise that it is the responsibility of all staff to remove barriers to learning, set suitable learning challenges and plan to meet the diversity within each group. Information technology to support pupils with special educational needs is used when appropriate.

The Management of Special Educational Needs

The overall management of special educational needs is the responsibility of the Senior Management Group, the SENCO and Curriculum Support Department.

The SENCO is responsible for:

  • The day to day operation for the School's SEN policy
  • Liasing and advising fellow teachers
  • Co-ordinating provision for children with special educational needs
  • Maintaining the schools SEN register and overseeing the records on all pupils with special educational needs
  • Liaising with parents/carers of children with special educational needs Contributing to the in-service training of staff
  • Liaising with external agencies including the educational psychology service and other support agencies, medical and social services and voluntary bodies.

Admission Arrangements

Admission arrangements for pupils with special educational needs at C.C.H.S. are in accordance with Local Authority regulations and are non-discriminatory. It is part of the school's approach to meeting individual need by working closely with our feeder schools and to support transfer arrangements by:

  • Yr 6 data analysis
  • Transfer planning and split scheme delivery in English
  • Collaboration with Y6 teachers
  • Arranging pre-transfer visits
  • Setting up and monitoring of 'buddying arrangements'

SEN Specialisms

The school SENCO has thirty years experience of supporting pupils with special educational needs and managing teams of staff and has undertaken LEA in-service training for pupils with special educational needs.

The assistant SENCO has supported pupils with special educational needs for six years and has undertaken training in behaviour management.

Two teacher tutors have specialisms in teaching pupils with specific learning difficulties.

Seven teaching assistants hold advanced certificates in Learning Support.

One teaching assistant is unqualified but has experience of working with pupils with special educational needs.

The school is working towards Dyslexia Friendly Status. Level 1 has been achieved and we are working towards Level 2. The school has a dyslexic register and departments have all received initial training in Dyslexia and are aware of the difficulties it can cause. Staff are encouraged to mark on content and not spelling and to allow pupils to use alternative forms of communication or assist with writing for students with particular difficulties. Extra time and use of an amanuensis is provided in school assessments and external exams when necessary. There is a homework club for dyslexic students, a 'buddy system' and a parent programme for Year 7 students.

Within the school there are a number of staff who are experienced in supporting pupils with special educational needs.

Access for the Disabled

The school strives to be an inclusive school and aims to be accessible for pupils with disabilities. The nature of the school buildings, layout and large numbers of steps would cause a degree of difficulty for wheelchair users. Most subject areas have facilities on the ground floor and planned timetabling of rooms would provide access to all areas. As refurbishment to the school takes place greater access for the disabled will be incorporated into the planning in line with Special Educational Needs Disability Act.

The Allocation of Resources

  • Resources have been allocated to provide:
    • Staffing: The SENCO is an Assistant Headteacher
    • One full-time Assistant SENCO
    • The school presently employs eight teaching assistants and two teacher tutors.
    • For statemented pupils the provision specified in the statement is made through teaching assistants or teacher tutors and is now resourced through the schools special needs budget.
  • Accommodation and Resources
    • Two teaching rooms
    • Two small rooms for group/withdrawal work
    • Resources for literacy and specific learning difficulties
    • One networked / Internet ready computer
    • Three stand alone computers
    • Access to a suite of computers

The special needs department has a budget for professional development which provides courses for staff to develop their knowledge and expertise in this area.

Identification, Assessment, Record Keeping and Review

  • At every stage of identification, assessment and review, record keeping arrangements have been made. Records are held within the support department.
  • Identification is through feeder school records, teacher assessment, parental/carer concern, SATs results and school assessments.
  • The following assessment systems are used:
    • NFER Sentence Completion/Context Comprehension
    • Vernon Spelling
    • The Neale Analysis of Reading Ability
    • Macmillan Reading
    • Sandwell Test of Phonic Ability
    • Handwriting Assessment by Sandwell Child Psychology Service
    • British Picture Vocabulary Scales
    • PHAB WRAT Dyslexia screening

The SENCO is responsible for overseeing the assessment of pupils, the development of Access Plans, Individual Educational Plans and the maintenance of accurate records. All teaching staff have a responsibility to removing barriers to learning and enable all students to access the curriculum, and to maintain appropriate records.

Access Plans

Access Plans are written for pupils with special educational needs and pupils that have a particular need that staff need to be aware of. The Access Plan has on it the pupil's reading age, comprehension age, spelling age, SATS results and preferred learning style. It outlines the pupil's difficulty and lists cross curricular targets to aid learning if appropriate. The plan also highlights how subject teachers can help to support the pupils in lessons to access the curriculum. Access Plans are produced annually and updated as and when necessary during the year.

Individual Education Plans

IEP's are written for any pupil that is withdrawn from lessons for individual or small group work to target a particular need. The IEP has on it the pupil's target and the strategies/resources to reach the target.

  • Reviews for students with IEP's are undertaken at the end of the each term. New targets are agreed with students and. parents/carers are contacted for their views.
  • Any pupil at School Action or above transferring to C.C.H.S. will have a Learning Plan and relevant details passed on to the SENCO. Pupils transferring to another school will automatically have their details forwarded with their pupil file. At post 16, details of pupils with special educational needs is given in their summative statement and further details are available by request.
  • Transition Reviews are held in the spring term of Year 9. Connexions develop a Career Plan for each pupil with a statement of special educational needs and option choices for the future are considered with the pupil, parent and Connexions advisor.
  • The SENCO is responsible for maintaining Special Needs Register and all departments and guidance areas have access to a copy via their link person to maintain confidentiality.
  • Pupils and parents are involved at every stage
  • The SENCO, Heads of Year, Head of School, are involved with outside agencies via the Social Inclusion Group. Outside agencies are approached for advice and referrals when necessary.

Inclusion Arrangements

All pupils at C.C.H.S. have access to all aspects of school life and the school curriculum and are encouraged to participate fully.

Parental Involvement

Information: The schools SEN Policy document is available on request to all parents and the aims are published in the school prospectus. Parents are encouraged to discuss their concerns with form tutors, the SENCO, Head of Year or Senior Staff through appointment, reviews and parents evenings. Parental views are valued, recorded and given due consideration throughout the process. Parents are made aware of support within the school for pupils with special educational needs through the review process. All outside agencies, including LEA support services, national and local voluntary organisations are considered during the review.

Partnership: C.C.H.S. aims to work in partnership with parents of pupils with special educational needs. Initial notification to parents is by letter/telephone call when a concern is first expressed. Parents are invited to contribute and discuss concerns and progress at all stages and their views are recorded.

Access for Parents: C.C.H.S. has found the most purposeful means of communication is by meeting with parents and through direct telephone contact. Meetings are held in private offices or home visits can be arranged.

Links with Mainstream and Special Schools

All pupils at C.C.H.S. are integrated into mainstream education. C.C.H.S. has strong links with feeder primary school through the Primary Liaison Co-ordinator and Head of Year 7. The school has made links with Beecroft Special School and William Baxter Special School.

Success Criteria for School Policy

The effectiveness of the school's SEN Policy and provision is reviewed and evaluated annually using the school's review and evaluation process.

Dealing with Complaints

If parents/carers are concerned about the provision discussed with them at reviews or during a meeting they would be encouraged to forward their views to the Assistant Headteacher responsible for SEN, the Headteacher or a school governor.