SEND Policy

This policy sets out the procedures for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the education and learning settings.

SEN vision Schools/Post 16

All children and young people are entitled to an appropriate education, one that is appropriate to their needs, promotes high standards and the fulfilment of potential. This should enable them to:

• achieve their best

• become confident individuals living fulfilling lives, and

• make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher education or training (Code of Practice 6.1)

SEN definition

“Special educational needs (SEN) xiii. 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 him or her. xiv. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or

• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream

post-16 institutions xv. For children aged two or more, special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age by mainstream schools, maintained nursery schools, mainstream post-16 institutions or by relevant early years providers. For a child under two years of age, special educational provision means educational provision of any kind. xvi. A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if he or she is likely to fall within the definition in paragraph xiv. above when they reach compulsory school age or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them
(Section 20 Children and Families Act 2014). xvii. Post-16 institutions often use the term learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD). The term SEN is used in this Code across the 0-25 age range but includes LDD.” (SEND Code of Practice 2015: pg. 15)

School

A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age. Making higher quality teaching normally available to the whole class is likely to mean that fewer pupils will require such support. (Code of Practice 6.15) Children or young people will have needs and requirements which fall into at least one of the four areas, frequently more than one. The areas of need are:

Communication and interaction- e.g. speech and language difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder
Cognition and learning- e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia or general learning difficulties
Social, emotional and mental health- e.g. children/young people who are withdrawn or isolated, disruptive and disturbing, hyperactive and lack concentration, where these are the main presenting needs
Sensory and/or physical impairment- e.g. visual impairment, deafness, milder hearing impairment, physical difficulties (Code of Practice 6.28-6.35) It is important to note that not all behaviour issues are linked to social, emotional and mental health and may reflect other underlying difficulties. Children and young people with some health or disability conditions do not necessarily have SEN, but there is a significant overlap between disabled children and young people and those with SEN. Where a disabled child or young person requires special educational provision, they will also be covered by the SEN definition (Code of Practice Xviii) Identifying and assessing SEN for children or young people whose first language is not English requires particular care. Schools should l establish whether lack of progress is due to limitations in their command of English or if it arises from SEN or a disability. Difficulties related solely to limitations in English as an additional language are not SEN. (Code of Practice 6.24)

Guidance

This policy complies with the statutory requirements laid out in the SEND Code of Practice (January 2015)

Roles & Responsibilities Class teacher

Each class teacher is responsible for:

• The progress and development of every pupil/young person in their class through high quality teaching/ quality first teaching

• Provide information, reports or attend review meetings based on the person-centred principles

Head of faculty/ Senior leadership team
Principal

The Principal will:

• Work with the SENCO and the SEN leaders to determine the strategic development of the SEN policy and provision at the studio.

• Have overall responsibility for the provision and progress of learners with SEN and/or disability.

Post 16

Statutory duties on post-16 institutions have the following specific statutory duties:

• the duty to co-operate with the local authority on arrangements for children and young people with SEN

• the duty to admit a young person if the institution is named in an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan.

• The duty to have regard to the Code of Practice

• The duty to use their best endeavours to secure the special educational provision that the young person needs (code of practice 7.3)

The governing bodies of the studio should:

• ensure that all staff interact appropriately and inclusively with students who have SEN or a disability

• ensure that they have appropriate expertise within their workforce

• ensure that curriculum staff are able to develop their skills, are aware of effective practice and keep their knowledge up to date.

• make sure they have access to specialist skills and expertise to support the learning of students with SEN. This can be through partnerships with other agencies such as adult social care or health services, or specialist organisations, and/or by employing practitioners directly.

• ensure that there is a named person in the studio with oversight of SEN provision to ensure co-ordination of support, similar to the role of the SEN Co-ordinator (SENCO) in schools.

The named studio in the college with oversight of SEN provision should:

• contribute to the strategic and operational management of the college. Curriculum and support staff in a studio should:

• know who to go to if they need help in identifying a young person’s SEN, are concerned about their progress or need further advice. (Code of Practice 7.22)