WETHERBY
PREPARATORY
SCHOOL
S.E.N.
POLICY
SPECIAL NEEDS POLICY (ALSO REFERRED TO AS LEARNING
ENRICHMENT POLICY)
National figures indicate that approximately 20% of school age children will be
affected by some type of specific learning difficulty. Generally, these children
exhibit a discrepancy between expected performance and actual
performance. The majority of these pupils have average, or above average
intellectual ability, but specific weakness in one or more of the following areas
inhibit their ability to work to their potential:

Auditory and/or visual processing

Memory

Oral and/or written expression.

Fine or gross motor skill difficulties affecting handwriting, copying
and/or maths.
Wetherby Preparatory School refers to the 2001 Special Educational Needs
(SEN) Code of Practice. Identification and support of pupils with SEN is
addressed through the structures of School Action and School Action Plus.
NEW PUPILS
All external prospective pupils are assessed in English, Mathematics and
Reasoning prior to being offered places. Our school has close links with
Wetherby Pre-Preparatory School, which the majority of our pupils have
attended. The SENCO meets with the Special Needs Teacher/s from the prepreparatory who have been working with pupils to be transferred. Individual
pupils are discussed, records and reports are transferred and appropriate
support is planned. For pupils enrolling from other schools, the SENCO
requests copies of relevant SEN documentation. She will also endeavour to
communicate with the Special Needs Teachers about individual pupils to
inform the planning of support. As we are a new school, this took place last
September. However in future, these meetings will take place during the
second half of the Summer Term in preparation for September. On the basis
of the SEN information from the pupil’s previous school, and with reference to
reports from other agencies and professionals (educational psychologists,
speech therapists, occupational therapists etc), a decision will be made as to
whether to put the pupil onto the SEN register, and if so, whether it be at the
level of School Action or School Action Plus.
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PROCEDURE FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SUPPORT OF PUPILS WITH
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
Differentiation of learning activities within the curriculum is structured as far as
possible to meet the learning needs of all pupils. However, some pupils have
difficulties which require higher levels of intervention and support.
Concerns regarding pupils may be raised at any point by their teachers. This
may be done informally in discussion with the Headmaster and the SENCO;
or the matter may be raised for every teacher’s attention during the weekly
staff meeting. A Record of Concerns Form is completed. (see SEN Referral
Form appendix 3) The parents are informed of the concerns and asked for
their views and input. If deemed necessary, parental permission is requested
to proceed with further assessment. The parents are sent a consent slip which
they must sign and return to the school before any one-to-one screening takes
place (see appendix 1 – Permission form for in-school assessment).
Screening procedures will vary according to individual needs. We have a
range of testing materials within school, which we are adding to and updating
On the basis of this screening process, appropriate support for the pupil is
discussed and decided by the head teacher, the form teacher, the SENCO
and the parents. At this stage the child is placed on the school’s SEN register.
Support is structured according to the SEN Code of Practice as follows:
DIFFERENTIATION
We recognise that differentiation is essential to meet the diverse range of
abilities within any mainstream class. The class teachers plan levels of
activities so that able pupils are stretched while less able pupils can still cope
with lessons and understand the concepts taught. For those pupils who may
not necessarily need their own learning intervention programme, we have
support structures in place such as the SRA Reading Laboratory group which
is designed to boost comprehension levels before problems arise. Some
pupils may from time to time receive extra coaching by their form tutor outside
of school hours. However, some pupils may need more support in the form of
an individualised structured programme.
SCHOOL ACTION
Anything differentiated from general classroom provision needs to be
discussed with the parents. If the problems persist, screening takes place as
described above. If required, the SENCO organises special educational
provision for the pupil and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is written up in
collaboration with the class teacher, head teacher, parents and the pupil. It is
important that the parents have input into the IEP and that they are given
guidelines as to how to help support the pupil at home. The pupil is given the
opportunity to express his views on the IEP and is made aware of his targets.
(See appendix 5 – example of IEP and appendix 6 – Parent’ IEP letter)
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Pupils listed on the register as having School Action are supported within the
school, by school staff. They may work within a small group, either in the
classroom or in another room, or be withdrawn to work on a one to one basis
with the SEN teacher. We have a variety of resources here at school, and we
order new resources and equipment once a year for September, or as needed
during the academic year.
SCHOOL ACTION PLUS
Some pupils will require more support than the School Action structures
provide. In these cases, external agencies need to be consulted. At this stage,
the pupil is placed on School Action Plus in the SEN register. The school will
contact parents in order to suggest further investigation by an Educational
Psychologist, speech Therapist or other relevant professional according to the
individual pupil’s needs. Once this has been carried out, or in the event that
parents have taken this course without suggestion from the school, an
appropriate plan of action will be discussed with the parents and
recommendations of the professional are included on the IEP for
implementation; again, a joint home/school approach will be advocated.
STATUTORY ASSESSMENT
As an independent school we are very fortunate to have smaller class sizes
than the national average. Because we screen pupils on entry, we expect the
vast majority of our pupils to cope with the curriculum, and that levels of
support at School Action and School Action Plus should be sufficient support
for those requiring help. However, we need to anticipate that at some time, a
very small minority of pupils may not make enough progress through School
Action Plus. In these cases, after consultation with the parents, class teacher
and outside agency, the school will need to make a request for a statutory
assessment. Parents also have the right to request and assessment. The
SENCO will gather all relevant documentation such as IEP’s, records of
meetings, views of the parent and child, outside agency documents and
reports and levels of attainment. A request will be make to the Local
Education Authority (LEA) for a statutory assessment of the pupil. In the case
of our school, the LEA is Kensington and Chelsea. The LEA will consider the
evidence and decide, within 6 weeks, if they are willing to carry out a statutory
assessment. On the basis of the statutory assessment, a decision will be
made as to whether or not to issue a Statement of Special Educational Needs.
If a Statement is granted by the LEA, the SENCO will coordinate statemented
provision and organise Annual Reviews as dictated by the SEN Code of
Practice.
TRACKING, SCREENING, MONITORING AND RECORD KEEPING
It is imperative that we monitor the progression of knowledge and skills in
each pupil. All new pupils are assessed on entry. The SENCO is in constant
dialogue with the form and subject teachers and keeps them informed as to
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the progress of the pupils. Areas of difficulty arising over the course of each
term can then be addressed.
Termly Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are written for those pupils requiring
one-to-one support. These are written in collaboration with the pupil’s form
teacher and relevant subject specialists. Parents are involved and consulted,
and are encouraged as far as possible to participate in the setting of targets
and supporting the pupils at home. The IEPs include targets and strategies for
each one-to-one pupil. The IEPs are reviewed on a termly basis. Wherever
appropriate, pupils receiving one to one learning support are screened and
tested.
Reports on all pupils are written at the end of every term. Parents’ evenings
are held twice yearly. Parents of pupils requiring support are in regular
dialogue with the SENCO or head teacher.
Pupils in years 4 – 6 are tested for reading age twice in each academic year.
The scores are carefully monitored. Pupils with suppressed reading ages
often join the SRA reading support group.
The SEN register is updated termly, at the same time as the IEPs are written.
This register tracks pupils at School Action and School Action Plus, and
provides an overview of which pupils are at receiving support. This SEN
Register is disseminated to all staff. Each pupil on the list has a SEN file
containing all relevant SEN documents. The files are held in the SEN
department. Each class teacher has a SEN file, containing all relevant SEN
documents for his/her class, as does the head teacher.
The Role of the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
The SENCO is responsible for:

Producing IEPs, in collaboration with other staff and parents.

Screening reading and spelling ages of all pupils twice yearly

Assessment and screening of pupils within school when concerns are
raised.

Teaching pupils with SEN as described under ‘Structure of Support’

Overseeing the SEN policy and ensuring that SEN records are properly
kept

Co-ordinating SEN provision

Liasing with outside agencies as to support of pupils on School Action
Plus.

Liasing with and advising colleagues on differentiation

Liasing with parents; providing feedback and involving them in
implementing a joint learning approach at home and at school

Supporting and liasing with any Learning Support Assistants (although
we do not currently have any)
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
Updating her knowledge of the Government’s changing policies in
regard to SEN, as well as attending relevant courses. (refer to
professional development of SENCO).

When we have pupils who are writing Common Entrance Exams, the
SENCO will ensure that provision is made requiring dispensations such
as extra time for exams, the use of laptops, and, if appropriate, the use
of a scribe for any pupils at School Action Plus for whom such action
the relevant outside agency has recommended.

Sourcing and ordering resources for SEN provision.

Writing the Gifted and Talented policy.

Managing a small group of boys who are learning to touch type.

In the event of a pupil applying for statutory assessment, the SENCO
must collate all the necessary paperwork required by the local
education authority. If the pupil is statemented, the SENCO would be
responsible for co-ordinating the provision and organising the Annual
Reviews.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SENCO
SEN is a dynamic area of education. There are ever changing developments
in research and teaching methods. The SENCO attends courses where
possible and subscribes to professional publications. She also attends
SENCO cluster meetings.
SEN DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT PLANS
As a new department within a new school, we need to reflect on our own
practice, evaluate the provision we provide, and be flexible as to making
necessary adjustments to improve what we are doing.
As we grow and expand, we will probably need to employ another SEN
teacher and possibly a learning support assistant to work with individual pupils
and small groups.
Visits to other SEN departments within preparatory schools and primary
schools will be of benefit to the SENCO as sharing of ideas and teaching
methods can only improve practice.
We need to establish links with suitable schools for pupils who are leaving as
after completion of the Common Entrance Exams. Pupils who have been on
our SEN register will require differing levels of support upon leaving our
school and we need to be able to recommend schools which will meet the
needs of all of our pupils. We need to establish links with these schools so
that the secondary transfer is as smooth as possible for all of our pupils,
especially those requiring ongoing learning support.
The SENCO currently runs a touch-typing group after registration for three
mornings a week. Some of our pupils will benefit enormously from being able
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to produce written work and write exams with the help of laptops. We would
like this to be possible for those pupils who may need it.
GIFTED AND TALENTED
The Gifted and Talented policy is in draft form. We see this as an important
area of provision to be developed. We anticipate that we will have pupils who
have exceptional strengths in certain disciplines and we acknowledge the
need to challenge and extend these gifts and talents. Furthermore, our
position in central London affords arguably the widest range of centres of
excellence where children can extend and develop skills both in the form of
school trips and visits or holiday programmes. We intend to enable and
encourage our pupils to actively make use of these wonderful resources.
Sept 08
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