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 Needs
A child has learning difficulties 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 over two, 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
(1993 Education Act, section 156)
Children must not be regarded as having learning difficulties solely because their language, or form
of the home language, is different from that in which they are taught.
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 SEN Code of Practice 2002 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
For pupils with SEN the school will:

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

Liaise with parents/carers at regular intervals informing them of the pupil’s progress

Ensure ongoing 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
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
Involve parents in implementing a joint learning approach at home

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 School
Action and School Action Plus as described below.
School Action
School Action is characterised by interventions that are different from or additional to the normal
differentiated curriculum. School Action 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

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
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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.
School Action Plus
School Action Plus 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.
School Action Plus 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.
Request for Statutory Assessment
The school will request a Statutory Assessment from the LA when, despite an individualised
programme of sustained intervention within School Action Plus, the child remains a significant cause
for concern. A Statutory Assessment might also be requested by a parent or outside agency.
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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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