George Betts Primary
School
SEN Policy
2012-13
Reviewed Autumn 2012
General Statement
Continue to provide a relevant, engaging and
inclusive curriculum to develop:
World Class Children Leading Learning Together
DSEN is central to the school’s commitment to
inclusive education; equality of opportunity for all. All
staff set suitable learning challenges which respond
to the children’s diverse learning needs. They
support children in overcoming barriers to learning by
assessing progress and providing support when
needed.
Principles and Procedures
DSEN Policy Aims
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Setting suitable learning challenges;
Responding to children and young people’s diverse
learning needs;
Overcoming potential barriers to learning and
assessment for individuals and groups of children
and young people.
Promote a happy, sensitive and secure environment.
Enable pupils with special needs and disabilities to
develop and grow in confidence in their abilities.
Help pupils develop their personalities, skills and
abilities.
Principles and Procedures
Definition of DSEN/AEN
“Children have special educational needs if they have a learning
difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for
them.” Code of Practice 2001
Children have a learning difficulty if they:
Have
a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority
of children of the same age;
Have
a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use
of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of
the same age in schools within the area of the local authority;
Are
under compulsory school age and fall within the definitions
above or would do so if special educational provision was not made
for them.
Principles and Procedures
George Betts Special Educational Needs
Provision
The school has staff trained to work with pupils who
are identified as having a special educational needs.
The staff are encouraged to utilise specialist
equipment and resources, including additional staffing
where appropriate, in order to help each child achieve
their goals.
The staff liaise with specialist teachers and therapists
from Sandwell and neighbouring Local Authorities.
Principles and Procedures
Objectives
Ensure implementation of government and Local Authority DSEN
recommendations.
 Ensure all staff implement the school’s DSEN policy consistently.
 Ensure any prejudice or discrimination is eradicated.
 Identify barriers to learning and apply appropriate measures to meet those
needs.
 Ensure all pupils have access to an appropriately differentiated curriculum.
 Engage with families in supporting their child’s education.
 To support parents and children at home as well as at school.
 Guide and support all school staff, governors and parents in DSEN issues.
 Provide appropriate resources, both human and material, and to ensure
their maximum and proper use.
 To involve the child in the process of identification, assessment and
provision and to ensure that the child is aware that his or her wishes will
be taken into account as part of the process and of the shared
responsibility in meeting his or her educational needs.
 Regularly assess and review all special educational needs across the
school, and ensure the correct provision is in place.
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Principles and Procedures
DSEN Procedures
We have three one-page policies in effect in
regards to DSEN.
Policies\Accessibility Policy Sept 2012.doc
Policies\Reviewed Moving and Handling
Procedure Aut 2012.doc
Policies\Reviewed SEN Policy Autumn
2012.doc
The Role of the DSEN Leader/
SENCo
The DSEN Leader for George Betts Primary School is
Claire Worthington and the daily SENCo is Nikki Rolfe.
The DSEN Governor is Jenny Taylor.
The DSEN Leader has overall responsibility for DSEN across the Federation
and is accountable for all decisions in regards to DSEN. The DSEN Leader
will also update Executive Principal and the Principals for both schools with
any changes in regards to DSEN and will also report to Governors.
The SENCo will monitor the daily running of DSEN within George Betts and
will be directed by the DSEN Leader. Any issues brought to the SENCo from
either staff or parents will be discussed with the DSEN Leader where a
decision on next steps will be made.
The Role of the DSEN Leader/
SENCo
Oversee
the day to day implementation of the DSEN Policy
Liaising with and advising class teachers in regards to DSEN children in their class
Co-ordinating with Senior Management for the provision of pupils with DSEN
Updating and overseeing the records of all pupils with DSEN
Maintaining the DSEN register, review action taken and outcomes
Working with parents of children with DSEN
Identify and provide for children with DSEN/AEN (including human and physical resources)
Complete applications for additional support (PAP)
Ensure that all information regarding DSEN children is shared appropriately within school
Liaising with external agencies including the Sandwell Inclusion Service and other support
agencies, external agencies such as Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy, SALT, mental
health services (where appropriate), accessing services for children living outside the borough
and voluntary bodies
Contributing to INSET training for all staff
Attending review meetings of DSEN pupils where appropriate
Managing all DSEN staff within the school
Role of the Governing Body
The governing body should have regard for the Code of Practice when
carrying out duties towards all children with DSEN. They should...
Ensure
that the necessary provision is made for pupils with DSEN.
In co-operation with the Executive Principal, Principals and DSEN Leader, determine the school’s general policy
and approach to suitable provision for children with DSEN.
Ensure that the teachers are aware of the importance of identifying and providing for those children with DSEN.
Report annually to parents on the success of the school’s policy for pupils with DSEN to include information
about identification, assessment, provision, monitoring and record keeping and use of outside agencies and
services.
Discuss updates of DSEN at each appropriate Governors meeting.
Ensure that parents are notified of a decision by the school that DSEN provision is being made for their child.
Ensure that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are included as far as possible into the
activities of the school and with other children.
Consult with the LA and the governing bodies of other schools, when appropriate, in the interests of coordinated DSEN provision in the area.
Consult the LA and the governing bodies of other schools when it seems to be necessary or desirable in the
interests of co-ordinated special education provision in the area as a whole.
Appoint an DSEN governor.
Role of the Executive
Principal/Principal
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In partnership with the LA and Governing Body,
place the highest priority on their statutory duty to
promote high standards of education for all children,
including those with DSEN
Has the responsibility for the day-to-day
management of all aspects of the school’s work,
including provision for children with DSEN.
Keep the Governing Body fully informed
Work closely with the school’s DSEN Leader/SENCo
Monitoring and evaluating
DSEN Provision
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Provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is updated and reviewed
periodically by the DSEN Leader and SENCo
Location Maps and the Provision Map are accessible on OpenHive in “Documents” for all staff
to view. They show where the DSEN needs are across the school, if funding has been provided
to meet DSEN needs, and what status of DSEN each child has and track progress/interventions
School Action Records are reviewed half-termly by the class teacher, SENCo and DSEN Leader.
New SMART Targets should be taken from APP Assessments.
School Action Plus and Statemented IEPs are reviewed termly by the DSEN Leader and SENCo.
New SMART Targets should be taken from the DSEN APP files and Inclusion Support Reports
in conjunction with what we know the child needs
1:1 observations to be completed termly by the DSEN Leader and SENCo, and shared with
LMT/SLT to monitor impact of additional adult support
Regularly assess all DSEN children to determine successes and barriers to learning
Provide an enhanced level of provision (including referring children who may need intervention
to the DSEN Leader and SENCo) that supports and enhances learning abilities through a
differentiated curriculum.
Review enhanced provision and Inclusion Support involvement via annual MAP and SAP
meetings.
Admissions
George Betts Primary School complies with the
School Admissions Code (2007)
School Admissions Code.doc
and with Sandwell LA guidelines.
DSEN Specialisms
We have numerous staff members trained in...
Visual
Impairment
Hearing Impairment
Speech and Language Therapy programme delivery
Delivery of Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy programmes
A range of Wave 2 and 3 interventions
Precision Teaching
First Aid
We have links with...
Orchards Special School – Outreach Programme
Great Bridge – Outreach Programme
Local Smethwick school cluster
Sandwell Inclusion Support Team
The
Resources
 LMT/SLT
organise and delegate additional human resources for DSEN children
through the allocation of PAP funding received from the LA and through the
budget
 The SENCo monitors and supports each additional adult supporting DSEN
children
 The DSEN Leader/SENCo purchases and distributes additional resources
needed to enhance and support each DSEN child’s learning
 Ensure all support, either physical or emotional, are in place to support each
DSEN child’s learning
 DSEN Leader/SENCo have close links with Wellbeing Support Team and
Family Support Advisor to support DSEN children at home as well as at school
In addition, access arrangements are made for all DSEN children,
including transport, access to the building and modified toileting
facilities.
Identification, Assessment and
Review of DSEN
Each child is reviewed by the class teacher every half term via Action Planning and APP
Assessments. If a child achieves less than what is expected nationally for their age, the child will
be discussed with the DSEN Leader/SENCO, checking current ability levels, strengths,
weaknesses, class groupings, differentiation etc.
Using the Sandwell SEN Toolkit and Guidence criteria, the DSEN Leader will decide if a child has
special or additional educational needs, what the barriers to learning may be, and what can be
done to overcome these barriers.
The DSEN Leader will refer to the Principal, and, according to the child’s needs, either an IEP or
an intervention will be put in place or further advice will be sought from the Sandwell Inclusion
Team.
Refer to George Betts ‘SEN Procedures’ 1-page policy for further information regarding referrals.
Should a child display a range of needs and clearly require more than a differentiated
curriculum or is unable to have those needs met by an IEP, then advice about Formal
Assessment (according to the SEN Code of Practice 2001) will be sought by the
school from the LA with parental consent.
IEP Reviews
All Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for School Action Plus and Statemented
children will be reviewed termly. Parents, children and teachers will be invited to
these reviews which will be held in school with the DSEN Leader and SENCo.
Achievements and next steps will be discussed, and new SMART targets set with
an emphasis on achieving the targets at home as well as at school.
School Action Records are reviewed half-termly by the class teacher,
SENCo and DSEN Leader. New SMART Targets should be taken from APP
Assessments.
Access to the Curriculum
At George Betts, we involve all children in their learning, and ask every child what
they would like to learn about any upcoming focus. When the children’s
preferences have been collected, key skills for each foci are built in to the planning
and learning cycle. Additional key skills for each DSEN child are also built into the
teaching and learning cycle. All learning is differentiated to all of the children’s
needs within the class.
A range of teaching strategies are used to include all children when accessing the
curriculum. Teachers organise visits from/trips to a range of different agencies or
community members in order to give all children as much access as possible.
All staff use a range of ICT and practical equipment to enhance all learning as much
as possible.
Also see Accessibility Plan below.
Complaints
If a parent is unhappy with the type or amount of
provision being awarded to their child, an
appointment can be made with the DSEN Leader
in order to discuss and clarify these concerns.
Parents may pass complaints through the SENCo
who will defer to the DSEN Leader.
INSET/CPD
It is the responsibility of the DSEN Leader/SENCo to
update all staff with regards to changes in DSEN
procedures and assessment tools. The DSEN
Leader/SENCo will provide whole school INSET or CPD
sessions if or when any DSEN training needs are
identified.
The DSEN Leader and SENCo attends regular LA Cluster
Meetings, SEN Update sessions and the annual Primary
SENCo Conference in order to keep fully informed about
change in legislations, LA procedures and availability of
resources, giving regular feedback to SLT.
External Agencies
George Betts have access to...
Sandwell
Inclusion Support (for education, behaviour, hearing and visual impairment, training and advice)
Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy services
Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) service
School Nurse
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
Head2Head Counselling Service
The Orchards Outreach Programme
Great Bridge Outreach Programme
Social Services
Looked After Children (LAC) Service
Sandwell Transport Services
The DSEN Leader and SENCo maintain a professional dialogue with all external
agencies involved with a child, or will initiate a professional dialogue if external
support is required. External agencies regularly attend George Betts to review
DSEN/AEN children in order to ensure the correct and appropriate provision is in
place. CRB checks are sought by the school before external agencies have access
to any children.
Transition Arrangements
Transition from George Betts to another Primary setting
DSEN Leader/SENCO hold a consultation/transition meeting, where information about the child is exchanged
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Involvement of Inclusion Support during the meeting (where necessary)
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In class observation/meeting with the child
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Keep Sandwell LA informed as to any movement of DSEN children into or out of the school
For transition to George Betts, the reverse of the above is applicable.
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Transition to Secondary Settings
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Refer to Sandwell Transition Pathways Document
Liaise with secondary school DSEN Leaders and Mentors through meetings to discuss provision required
Transference of all DSEN records promptly
Follow carefully designed transition programme (with input from Inclusion Support team) for specific pupils
Organise regular visits for the child to the new setting to ensure a smooth transition (if needed)
Transition to new classes
Every child will have a period of 2-3 days with their new class teacher in their new classroom in July of every academic year to enable
children to become familiar with their new teacher, LSP and physical environment. SENCo also to hold ‘Information Sharing
Session’ with new CTs before the new academic year.
Transition to and from George Betts
For children with physical needs, children are physically handed over to staff by parents, and back to parents at the end of the day.
Children transported by Taxi are handed over to LSPs waiting in the Office area of the school, and handed back to the taxi
driver and chaperone for transport home. Approved Moving and Handling techniques should always be used.