Hartshead Junior and Infant School
Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability Provision Policy
The purpose of this document is to set out the provision or arrangements the school will make for those
pupils identified as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) or a disability.
Hartshead Junior and Infant School is committed to the achievement of all pupils irrespective of their
gender, race, religion or ability. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive school and in promoting a positive
outlook in all our pupils so that they feel they can achieve the very best they can be. We pride ourselves on
our ‘family’ ethos which provides a nurturing environment that will enable all of our pupils to achieve their
full potential.
As a school we do recognise that many students will have additional needs at some point in their school
career, and some pupils will require a special educational provision specifically for them. This policy sets
out what provision will be made for those pupils with Special Educational Needs ( SEN) or a disability, and
that the pupils’ needs are made clear to all those who will teach them.
Definition of Special Educational Needs (SEN)
A child has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to
be made for them.
A child has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age
Has a disability which prevents or hinders the child from making use of educational facilities of a kind
provided for children of the same age in other schools within the LA
Special education provision means:
For a child aged two or over, special educational provision which is additional to, or different from, the
educational provision made generally for children of the same age in maintained schools, (other than
special schools) in the area.
For a child under two, educational provision of any kind
2014 Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practise: 0 to 25 Years
Section 6 Difficulties related solely to limitations in English as an additional language must not be regarded
as Special Educational Needs.
Section 1 The Equality Act 2010 prohibits schools from discriminating against disabled children in respect
of admissions for a reason related to their disability. Children should not be refused access to opportunities
based on whether or not they have SEN. The school will have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code
of Practice when carrying out its duties to pupils with special educational needs. Our admissions criteria
will not discriminate against those with SEN.
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The SEND Code of Practice 2014 makes it clear that all teachers are teachers of pupils with SEN. All
teachers are therefore responsible for identifying those pupils with SEN and in collaboration with the
SENCO will ensure that these pupils are identified and supported as quickly as possible.
We also recognise that partnerships with parents/carers play a key role in enabling pupils with SEN to
achieve their full potential. The school recognises that they can have a more informed knowledge and
experience of the pupil to enable us to develop a shared view of the child’s needs. We wish to develop a
collaborative relationship with parents which is mutually supportive so that any provision will always have
the pupil’s best interest at its core.
Our key principles in SEN provision are:

Early intervention

Inclusion

Differentiation (of teaching resources)

Communication (with parents/carers and other agencies)

Collaborative responsibility for pupils with SEN
The SEND Code of Practice 2014 states that the benefits of early identification are widely recognisedidentifying need at the earliest point, and then making effective provision, improves long-term outcomes
for children.
All those who work with young children should be alert to emerging difficulties and respond early. In
particular, parents know their children best and it is important that all practitioners listen and understand
when parents express concerns about their child’s development.
For pupils with SEN the school will:

Liaise with parents/carers at regular intervals informing them of the pupil’s progress

Involve parents in implementing a joint learning approach at home

Develop an appropriate curriculum

Support the pupil with their learning within the class through strategic use of a classroom assistant

Offer a range of teaching and learning strategies to meet the needs of the individual pupils

Use visual timetables where required

Identify and acknowledge the specific learning style of the pupil with SEN

Draw on the expertise of specialists where possible to support the work in the classroom and to
ensure that the teaching is meeting the needs of the pupil

Use assessment processes (where possible) to identify any specific learning difficulties

Involve any appropriate external agencies where we have concerns regarding a child with SEN
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
Ensure on-going observation and assessment is used to inform future planning for the pupils’
needs

Ensure that communication between the classroom teacher and classroom assistant attached to a
child with SEN is sufficient to ensure an inclusive approach which will maximise the child’s learning
potential

Record the steps taken to meet the needs of individual children

Ensure the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) has responsibility for these records
and that they are kept and made available as needed

Provide appropriate interventions based on formative assessment

Record the strategies which will enable the child to progress on an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Hold review meetings with parents in relation to the IEP

Hold an annual review of a statement of educational needs with parents/carers and any relevant
professional agencies

Ensure that staff receive appropriate training on SEN wherever possible

Follow the SEN Code of Practice when dealing with complaints

Adhere to the Code of Practice which advocates a graduated response to meeting pupils’ needs.
When they are identified as having SEN, the school will intervene through SEN Support.
Special Educational Provision should be matched to the child’s identified SEN. Children’s SEN are generally
thought of in the following four broad areas of need and support (Section 6, 6.28):

Communication and Interaction

Cognition and Learning

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

Sensory and/ or Physical Needs
SEN Support Stages:
Hartshead Intervention
The Hartshead Intervention stage of SEN Support is characterised by interventions that are different from
or additional to the normal differentiated curriculum. This intervention can be triggered through concern,
supplemented by evidence that, despite receiving differentiated teaching, pupils:

Make little or no progress

Demonstrate difficulty in developing literacy or numeracy skills
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
Show persistent emotional/behavioural difficulties which are not affected by behaviour
management strategies

Have sensory/physical problems, and make little progress despite the provision of specialist
equipment

Experience communication and/or interaction problems and make little or no progress despite
experiencing a differentiated curriculum
If the school decides, after consultation with parents, that a pupil requires additional support to make
progress, the SENCO, in collaboration with teachers, will support the assessment of the pupil and have an
input in planning future support. The class teacher will remain responsible for planning and delivering
individualised programmes. Parents will be closely informed of the action and results.
Hartshead Intervention Plus Agency
The Hartshead Intervention Plus Agency stage of SEN Support is characterised by a sustained level of
support and, where appropriate, the involvement of external services. Placement of a pupil at this level will
be made by the SENCO after full consultation with parents. External support services will advise on targets
for an IEP (Individual Education Plan) and provide specialist inputs to the support process.
This intervention will usually be triggered through continued concern, supplemented by evidence that,
despite receiving differentiated teaching and a sustained level of support, a pupil:

Still makes little or no progress in specific areas over a long period

Continues to work at National Curriculum levels considerably lower than expected for a child of
similar age

Continues to experience difficulty in developing literacy/numeracy skills

Has emotional/behavioural problems that often substantially impede own learning or that of the
group, and this may be despite having an individualised behavioural management programme.

Has sensory or physical needs requiring additional specialist equipment or visits/advice from
specialists.

Has communication or interaction problems that impede the development of social relationships,
thus presenting barriers to learning
External support services will require access to pupils’ records in order to understand the strategies
employed to date, and the targets set and achieved. The specialist may be asked to provide further
assessments and advice, and possibly work directly with the pupil. Parental consent will be sought for any
additional information required. The resulting IEP will incorporate specialist strategies. These may be
implemented by the class teacher but involve other adults. Where appropriate, the school may well
request direct intervention/support from a specialist/teacher.
Where a child or young person and their family are supported by a number of professionals a 'My Support
Plan' is a framework to record;


what is important to the child, young person and their family and how best to support them
contributions from all the relevant advice givers
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


a shared understanding of strengths and needs
what is in place and what needs to change
agreed outcomes and actions.
The 'My Support Plan' is a non-statutory document and therefore what is included and the formats used
are optional - however if a request for an Educational Health and Care needs assessment is made then a
complete and reviewed 'My Support Plan' will be required.
Request for Statutory Assessment- EHC Plan
The school will request a Statutory Assessment from the LA when, despite an individualised programme of
sustained intervention, the child remains a significant cause for concern. A Statutory Assessment might also
be requested by a parent or outside agency. Under the new SEND Code of Practise 2014 the Statutory
Assessment is called an Education Health and Care Plan, formally known as a Statement of Educational
Need.
Disabled Pupils
• Pupils with Special Needs may also be disabled under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act.
• “A person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and
long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”
To fall within the Act, a person must be substantially affected by their disability in one of the following
ways:
• Mobility
• Physical co-ordination
• Manual dexterity
• Continence
• Ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects
• Speech, hearing, eyesight
• Memory or ability to learn, concentrate or understand
• Perception of risk or physical danger.
The school has a duty under the Disability Discrimination Act to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure
pupils have full access to the social and academic life of the school. Further details about this can be found
in our Equalities Policy.
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