Loughfouder Special Needs Policy
Title
Provision for Pupils with Special Educational Needs in a mainstream setting.
Introductory Statement
This policy was formulated as a result of consultation involving learning support teacher,
principal and class teachers. This policy reviewed by the Principal and the LS/RT of
Loughfouder N.S. on Tuesday 10th March.
It was reviewed, bearing in mind the following reference materials:
 Department of Education and Science Special Education Circular SP ED 02/05.
 Education Act 1998.
 Learning Support Guidelines 2000.
 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)
This policy has been developed in order to describe the process involved within Loughfouder NS
to recognise and address the special educational needs of the pupils in our school. The school’s
existing policy is in need of review.
Relationship to characteristic spirit of the school
All children in our school are treated equally irrespective of class, colour creed and gender in line
with the Equal Status Acts. The teaching staff of Loughfouder NS believe that their role as
partners with parents pupils and management is to work together to ensure that the optimum
learning/teaching atmosphere is created in our school.
Aims
The aims of this policy are
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To enable pupils, with learning difficulties, to achieve adequate levels of proficiency, in
literacy and numeracy before leaving primary school, bearing in mind each child’s ability
and potential
To enable each pupil to participate in the curriculum for their class programme
To outline our whole school approach to teaching/learning in relation to pupils with special
educational needs.
To outline procedures and practices to be followed in relation to supporting the learning of
pupils with special educational needs.
To develop positive self-esteem and positive attitude about learning
To enable pupils to become independent learners.
This policy is addressed under the following headings
1. Enrolment of children with identified special educational needs
2. Provision for children with emerging special educational needs
Stage 2/School Support : Referral to LS/RT Teacher
Stage 3/School Support Plus: Consultation or referral for assessment to
outside specialist
3. Role of Parent and Parental Permission
4. Drafting and Implementing an Individual Education Plan
5. Procedures for Continuing or Discontinuing Pupils at Stage 2/School Support
6. Timetabling
7. Inclusion and Integration
8. Roles and Responsibilities
9. Collaboration and communication
10. Resources
11. Assessment
12. Record Keeping
13. Other related policies - e.g. Code of behaviour, Anti-bullying,
Assessment…
1.0 Enrolment of a Child with Special Needs
All children, who enrol Loughfouder N.S. follow the guidelines, outlined in the school’s
enrolment policy. This enrolment policy is in keeping with the provisions of the Equal Status Act,
2000.
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. –Classroom Teacher
Stage 2/School SupportReferral to LS/RT 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 12th percentile in standardised test of achievement in
English.-Micra T Reading test
 Children performing below the 12th percentile in standardised test of achievement in
Mathematics Sigma T
 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.
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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The Principal Teacher co-ordinates the referral of pupils to outside agencies e.g.
Educational Psychologist and co-ordinates the documentation to be collected
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If following testing a child is allocated resource hours the LS/RT teacher draws up the
IEP
3. Role of Parents and Parental Permission.
The role of parents is set out in pages 60-61 of the NCSE Guidelines on the Individual Education
Plan Process; with regard to obtaining parental consent, we propose the following:
Prior to availing of supplementary teaching
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The principal and/or class teacher informs the parents that the school advises supplementary
teaching and invites them in to discuss this.
Written consent for learning support or resource tuition must be obtained from the parent(s).
This consent will be kept on file in principal’s classroom.
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 principal’s
office.
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 principal’s office.
Regular communication takes place between the LS/RT teacher and parents.
4. Drafting and implementing an Individual Education Plan (for pupils at Stage
2 and Stage 3 3/School Support Plus)
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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 and learning support pupils.
The SEN teacher will draw an IEP following consultation and 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 in September of each year and it is kept in the LS/RT teacher’s
room. A copy is also given to each class teacher. It is reviewed as the need arises.
5. 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.
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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 classroomlearning context?
o The child’s results in standardised and diagnostic Tests
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The decision-making process involves consultation between the class teacher, the LS/RT
and account is also taken of the overall Learning Support demands in the school.
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The parents are informed of the decision to discontinue supplementary teaching. If the
LS/RT has space in 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 IEP.
6. Timetabling: Loughfouder is the base school and the teacher is shared with
Abbeyfeale BNS. There is one child who is allocated three and a half resource hours in
Loughfouder NS. Loughfouder is allocated 10 hours under the General Allocation Model.
The remainder of the time is in Abbeyfeale BNS.
7. Inclusion and Integration
Pupils with special educational needs are included in the life of the school.
8. Roles and Responsibilities of Staff
The implementation of our policy will be supported as follows:
Roles
Co-ordinate SEN services and liaise with
external agencies
Provide supplementary teaching, conduct
diagnostic assessment tests, correct screening
tests in classrooms when required, maintain
and review pupil records, liaise with principal
class teacher and parents
First line responsibility for pupil’s learning
needs
Development of and involvement in their own
learning
Support for and participation in their child’s
learning
Person (s) Responsible
Principal
LS/RT
Class Teacher
Pupil
Parent/Guardian
9. Collaboration and Communication
Communication between the school and parents forms an integral part of the school’s approach to
teaching and learning. As well as a parent teacher meeting parents can also make an appointment
to discuss their child’s progress at a time and a day that is mutually convenient to both teacher
and parent.
10. Resources
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Resources for the provision of SEN include a variety of textbooks, library books,
computer software, educational games, concrete materials, ancillary materials and oral
language programmes.
SEN resources will primarily be used in the LS/RT room. These resources may be made
available to class teachers following consultation with the LS/RT teacher.
11. Assessment
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A variety of testing materials are also in use, which include standardised, diagnostic,
screening, phonological awareness and Maths attainment tests.
 1st – 6th Classes: The class teacher will administer the Micra-T reading tests and the
Sigma T Maths tests.
 Diagnostic tests such as the Aston Index and the Schonell Tests are in use in the school.
12. Record Keeping
 All relevant information pertaining to pupils with special needs are kept in a filing
cabinet in the support teacher’s room.
 The psychological report are kept in a secure location in the principal’s office
 All files on special needs pupils will be kept until the child has reached 21 years of age.
13. Other related policies
 The school’s Record Keeping and Assessment policies and Code of Behaviour have a
bearing on this policy
Success Criteria
The school-wide implementation of this policy should result in enhancement of pupil learning in
the following ways:
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The child has accessed the curriculum in various ways appropriate to his/her ability and
age
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Enabling of the discontinuation of the provision of Learning Support based on positive
assessment results;
Implementation and Review:
The revised policy will be implemented from April 2009 following its ratification by the
Board of Management. The policy will be reviewed in April 2013.
Ratification and Communication
This policy was ratified by the BOM of _____________ at its meeting on _________
Parents may view a copy of this policy by prior appointment with the principal.