Special Education Needs Policy
Kiltallagh N.S
Introduction
The purpose of this SEN Policy is to provide practical guidance for teachers,
parents and other interested parents on the provision of effective learning
support to pupils experiencing low achievement and/or learning difficulties
as well as to fulfil our obligations under the Education Act 1998.
The school currently has the following provisions to cater for children with
Special Education Needs 1 fulltime SNA
 Shared LS/RT
Policy on Integration of children with Special Educational needs.
This policy was reviewed by all staff on September 2010. It was reviewed, bearing
in mind the following reference materials:
 Department of Education and Science Skills Education Circular SP ED 02/05.
 Education Act 1998.
 Learning Support Guidelines 2000.
 Draft Guidelines for Teachers of Students with Mild General Learning
Disabilities.
 Autistic Spectrum Disorder, an Introduction (Department of Education and
Science).
 Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 (EPSEN
2004)
 NCSE Guidelines on the Individual Education Plan Process (2006).
 Special Educational Needs: A Continuum of Support (NEPS 2007)
Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Schools
(DES 2007)
The principal aim of Learning support and Special Educational Needs Policy is
to optimise the teaching and learning process so as to enable pupils with
learning difficulties to achieve adequate levels of proficiency in line with
their ability in literacy and numeracy before leaving primary school.
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Specific Objectives
Aims
The aims of this policy are
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To optimise the teaching and learning process, in order to enable pupils, with
learning difficulties, to achieve adequate levels of proficiency in literacy and
numeracy before leaving primary school
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To outline our whole school approach to teaching/learning in relation to pupils
with special educational needs.
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To outline procedures and practices to be followed in relation to supporting
the learning of pupils with special educational needs.
In order to achieve this we need to
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Enable pupils to become independent learners
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Enable pupils to become more socially confident and competent
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Provide supplementary teaching/resources in both English and Maths
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Establish early intervention programmes to prevent/reduce difficulties in
learning
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Enrolment of a Child with Special Needs
All children, who enrol in Kiltallagh N.S., follow the guidelines, outlined in the
enrolment policy of the school. This enrolment policy is in keeping with the
provisions of the Equal Status Act, 2000.
 Following enrolment the principal and or a member of the SEN team and or
the classroom teacher of the school will meet with the parents of the child
with special needs to establish the child’s requirements.
 At that meeting, the principal will request copies of reports and assessments
and other data relevant to the child.
 Following the meeting, every effort will be made by the school to provide
the resources. A meeting with the SENO will be arranged to see if
additional personnel, resources or training is needed
 Cognisance will be made of the provisions of the EPSEN Act, 2004, with
regard to pupil enrolment and subsequent treatment of the special
educational needs of that child.
 The child’s needs will determine whether he/she will receive support at
the level of Stage 1, Stage 2 or Stage 3 of the Staged Approach. (Circular
02/05). This will be determined by the principal, a member of the SEN team
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and class teacher in consultation with the child’s parents and taking into
account all information received by the school about the child
Health and safety issues arising from the child’s mobility and care
needs will be identified and strategies will be developed to address
them.
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2.00 Provision for Children with emerging special educational needs: The
Staged Approach/Continuum of Support (See Circular 02/05 and Special
Educational Needs, A Continuum of Support - Guidelines for Teachers, NEPS,
2007) as in Appendix 1 is used in this school.
Stage 1: Procedures for the early identification, screening and addressing of
the SEN of certain children.
The classroom teacher will identify concerns about the child using teacher
observation and using the classroom support checklist on pages 15-16 of NEPS
Special Educational Needs Teachers Resource Pack. The teacher will list the
concerns on the template Classroom Support Checklist page 13 of NEPS
Special Educational Needs Teachers Resource Pack These records are
completed and stored by the class teacher. t is the responsibility of the
classroom teacher to give this to the principal and the SEN teacher
Following consultation with the principal and the SEN team the class teacher
notifies the parent(s)/guardian (s) about his/her concerns and invites the
parents into school to discuss these.
The NEPS psychologist is informed of the concerns by the principal with oral
written permission from the parents/guardians.
Should the areas of concern be of a physical nature e.g. hearing, speech or
sight, testing is arranged. Written parental consent is obtained and the
resource teacher who contact the relevant HSE personnel.
The classroom teacher will devise a classroom support plan.
At stage 1 to provide individualized classroom support the class teacher may
consult with the SEN teacher in such areas as individual pupil assessment and
programme planning, as well as approaches to language development, reading,
writing, and mathematics for pupils experiencing difficulties.
If the concerns seem to warrant the provision of support at Stage 3/School
Support plus the principal and/or the class teacher and/or the SEN teacher
will discuss this with the parents.
A child will be moved onto Stage 2/School Support if the classroom support
programme has not answered his/her needs and/or if the tests indicate that
the child would need support at Stage 2/School Support.
Stage 2/School Support Referral to SEN Teacher (DES Learning Support
Guidelines p. 57 and Special Educational Needs, A Continuum of Support Guidelines for Teachers, NEPS, 2007)
Some children are allocated supplementary teaching according to the criteria set
out in
Special Education Circular SP ED 02/05. Other children are allocated
supplementary
teaching according to the following criteria:
 Children performing at or below the 20 percentile in standardised test of
achievement in English.-Micra Reading test
 Children performing below the 20 percentile in standardised test of
achievement in Sigma Mathematics Test
 Senior Infants -Early intervention programmes for low achievers in English
based on class teacher's observations and recommendations; the results of
MIST screening and diagnostic tests and the results of individualised tests will
also be taken into account where appropriate.
 Pupils performing below the 20 percentile in standardised test of achievement
in English.
 Pupils performing below the 20 percentile in standardised test of achievement
in Mathematics.
 Children, above the 25th percentile, are not normally entitled to Leaning
Support. However, if there are places available in the SEN teacher’s case- load,
having made provision for the fore-going, pupils between the 25th and 30th
percentile will be accommodated in English and then in Maths.
Stage 3/School Support Plus /External Referral Special Educational Needs, A
Continuum of Support - Guidelines for Teachers, NEPS, 2007 page 36)
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A list is compiled of children deemed most in need of additional psychological
testing based on test results and teacher observation. The SEN team
compile this list in consultation with the Principal Teacher. The SEN in
consultation with the principal co-ordinates the referral of pupils to outside
agencies e.g. Educational Psychologist.
The SEN/classroom teacher will identify concerns about the child using
teacher observation and using the School Support Review Record on page 23
of NEPS Special Educational Needs Teachers Resource Pack. This record is
completed by the SEN teacher and it is stored by the SEN teacher in his/her
own records.
The Principal and/or the class teacher notify the parent(s)/guardian (s) about
his/her concerns and invites the parents into school to discuss the teachers
concerns about his/her child. The principal obtains written consent for
referral.
The NEPS psychologist is informed of the concerns by the principal.
Following review an IEP is drawn up for this child by the resource teacher in
consultation with the class teacher and other relevant personnel.
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The SEN co-ordinator assembles the documentation to be collected
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The class teacher completes the necessary referral form in consultation with
the appropriate school personnel. This form is signed by the principal.
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Following assessment by the psychologist assigned to the school the SEN
team in consultation with the child’s class teacher will draw up an IEP. This
IEP will then be reviewed with the parents to incorporate their amendments
and suggestions.
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Parents
The role of parents supporting the Learning Support for their children is vital to
its success. Specifically parents contribute through:
1. Regular communication with the Class teacher and SEN
2. Creating a home environment where literacy can thrive
3. Fostering positive attitudes about school and the learning in the child
4. Participation in the shared reading Programme
5. Encouraging the child to visit the library
6. Developing the child’s oral language
7. Developing the child’s social mathematics
Parental Permission.
With regard to obtaining parental consent, we propose the following:
Prior to availing of supplementary teaching
 The SEN and principal inform the parents that the school advises
supplementary teaching.
 Written consent for learning support or resource tuition must be obtained from
the parent(s). This consent will be kept on file in the SEN teacher’s room and it
is renewed twice yearly.
 Should the parent(s) not wish to avail of the support teaching, written
notification of this refusal to avail of the service provided by the school will be
kept in a file in the SEN teacher’s classroom.
 At any time, parents have the right to withdraw their child from support
services should they wish to do so. They will be requested to provide
confirmation in writing of this request. In any event, a record of their wishes
will be kept on their child’s file.
 Written parental permission will also be required for psychological assessments
arranged by the school. This permission will be kept in a file in the resource
teacher’s office.
 Regular communication takes place between the SEN teachers and parents
informally throughout the year and at the annual parent teacher meeting.
 Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in the achievement of the
targets set for their child e.g. through shared reading.
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Preparation of an Individual Pupil Learning Programme (IPLP).
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The SEN teacher draws up an IPLP following consultation and discussion with
the class teacher and relevant outside agencies, if appropriate.
This IPLP is drawn up twice a year. The principal and the class teacher have a
copy of the IPLP/
It is reviewed at the end of each instructional term.
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The preparation of the IPLP will be in accordance with the Learning Support
Guidelines
Where relevant, group education plans will replace individual education plans.
This may be the situation for pupils selected for supplementary teaching under
the high incidence category of special needs as defined in SP ED 02/05.
Drafting and implementing an Individual Education Plan (for pupils at Stage
3/School Support Plus)
At the moment IEP’s are not mandatory but in this school we consider it to be best
practice to write them up.
 Individual Education Plans will be prepared for all pupils who are in
receipt of resource hours’ tuition under the low incidence category of
special educational needs as defined in SP ED Circular 02/05.
 When drawing up an IEP all SEN teachers refer to Chapters 2 and 3 of
NCSE Guidelines on the Individual Education Plan Process (2006) and
Special Educational Needs: A Continuum of Support (NEPS 2007) pages
32-36. The design of the template is at the professional discretion of
each SEN teacher.
 The SEN teacher will draw up an IEP following discussion with the class
teacher, parent(s) of the child with special educational needs and
relevant outside agencies, if appropriate.
 This IEP is drawn up twice a year. It is kept in the SEN teacher’s room.
The principal and the class teacher have a copy. It is available to the
relevant personnel as outlined in Appendix C: NCCA Guidelines (2007)
p.95
 It is reviewed each January and as the need arises.
Procedures for Continuing or Discontinuing Pupils at Stage 2/School
Support
(Except students allocated resource hours under Circular SP ED 02/05)
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Following the end of an instructional term, a decision is made to
continue/discontinue the provision of supplementary teaching.
The criteria on which this decision is based include the following
o Has the pupil achieved some/all of the learning targets set?
o Will the pupil be able to cope independently/semi-independently in the
classroom-learning context?
o The child’s results in standardised and diagnostic Tests
The decision-making process involves consultation between the class teacher,
the SEN teacher and account is also taken of the overall Learning Support
demands in the school.
The parents are informed of the decision to discontinue supplementary
teaching. If the SEN teacher has space in his/her case load and the parents
wish their child to continue with supplementary teaching the LS/RT will make
every effort to facilitate this request.
A decision to continue the provision of supplementary teaching will result in a
revision of the pupil's IPLP/IEP.
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General Approaches and Prevention Strategies
With regard to teaching pupils with low achievement, the following general
approaches and methods will be used:
1. Such children should be prioritised when accessing information from previous
class teacher
2. Priority when establishing parental contact
3. Group teaching
4. Modify presentation and questioning techniques to maximise the involvement
of pupils with low achievement in class activities
5. Placing emphasis on oral language development across the curriculum
6. Providing pupils with extra tutoring in the key basis skills in literacy and
numeracy
7. Setting learning targets at an appropriate level
8. Providing learning activities and material which are suitable challenging but
which also ensure success and progress
9. Carrying out error analyses of a pupil’s work to pinpoint specific areas of
difficulty
10. Setting up “Buddy Systems” in class (high achievers collababoratively
working with low achievers, e.g. peer tutoring/paired reading
11. Applying assessments and tests which offer challenge and opportunities for
success to children of all levels of achievement.
Our strategies for preventing learning difficulties are:
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Development of agreed approaches to Language Development and to teaching
other aspects of English and Mathematics in order to ensure progression and
continuity from class to class. [See Plean Scoile for English and Mathematics]
Provision of additional support in Language Development and relevant early
Literacy and Mathematical skills to pupils who need it.
Implementation of Shared reading programmes involving adults/parents and
pupils
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Employing a wide variety of differentiation techniques in the classroomdifferentiation of learning objectives, differentiation of level and pace
differentiation by teaching style, differentiation by task (activities),
differentiation by grouping.
Assigning teacher to First and Second Class Maths and English
Early intervention begins for pupils in Junior Infants and Senior Infants in
response to the class teacher's observations and the results of the MIST
test in Senior Infants.
If the Early Intervention Programme is based on withdrawal of pupils, the
SEN decides the size of groups, in consultation with the class teacher, taking
into account the individual learning needs of pupils and the overall caseload.
Time tabling:
1. The provision of Learning Support/Resource is in addition to the regular
class teaching in English and Maths
2. Effort is made to ensure that pupils do not miss out on the same curricular
each time they attend learning support. A flexible approach to time tabling
is adopted by the class teacher, though class disruption must be minimised
3. The provision of Learning Support/Resource may include withdrawal of pupils
from their class room and/or in-class tuition
4. In class support, if appropriate, will be jointly designed and monitored by
the class teacher and the SEN.
Provision of Resources
Resources for the provision of Learning Support /Resource include a variety of
textbooks, library books and ancillary materials and oral language materials. A
variety of testing materials are also in use which include standardised testing,
diagnostic testing, screening, reading experience, reading attainment, phonological
awareness and Maths attainment.
Following consultation between SEN, Principal and Class Teacher, funding for
materials may be provided from appropriate grants and/or funding that may be
available through the Board of Management.
Learning Support resources will primarily be used in the Learning Support room.
These resources may be made available to Class Teachers following consultation
with the SEN.
Inclusion and Integration-please refer to Appendix 1 at the back of this policy
Pupils with special educational needs are included in the life of the school. This
inclusion is integral to the ethos of the school.
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Roles and Responsibilities of Staff
The implementation of our policy will be supported as follows:
Roles
Person (s) Responsible
Co-ordinate SEN services
Principal in consultation with the SEN
team
Provide supplementary teaching, conduct
diagnostic assessment tests, maintain SEN teachers
and review pupil records, liaise with
principal class teacher and parents
First line responsibility for pupil’s
learning needs
Class Teacher
Development of and involvement in their
own learning
Pupil
Supporting pupils with special needs in
the school under the direction of the SNA
principal and class teacher (Circular
07/02)
Support for and participation in their Parent/Guardian
child’s learning
Other related policies
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The Code of Behaviour/Anti Bullying Policy recognise special needs in the
area of behavioural and emotional difficulties
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The school’s curricular and organisational policies and plans take into
account the needs of pupils with special educational needs through
differentiation of content and methodologies in curriculum areas
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The school’s Record Keeping , Assessment, SNA policies have a bearing on
this policy
Success Criteria
The schools implementation of this policy will result in enhancement of pupils
learning in the following ways:
1. Improved standards of academic achievement with the pupils individual
learning programme
2. Enabling the dis- continuation of the provision of Learning Support
based on positive assessment results
3. Enhanced parental involvement in supporting the child’s learning needs
4. Increased opportunities for effective communication between school
personnel in relation to pupils progress
5. Learning Support provision continuously focused on children from
Junior to Rang 2
Implementation and Review:
This Policy was ratified by Kiltallagh N.S. Board of Management
on date:_____________
Signed_______________
Chairperson Board of Management
Reviewed on date: _______
Signed_______________
Chairperson Board of Management
Appendix 1
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Integration of Children with a disability and/or Special Education Needs
in Kiltallagh N.S
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Enrolment of children with a disability and/or other special education
needs, is governed at all times by the school’s current Enrolment Policy
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While pupils with special needs can be integrated into a mainstream
class, and may be supported by a Special Needs Assistant and Resource
teaching, as allowed by the DES,this is not the same as the intensive
one to one teaching s/he would enjoy in a special school.
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An ordinary mainstream school does not have ancillary services enjoyed
by special schools, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy,
physiotherapy.
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A child with special needs integrated into an ordinary mainstream class
will be the nature of such integration experiences the normal day to day
happenings, determined by the reality of school life, and the existing
customs and practices. Every child in the school, including those with a
disability and/or special