LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
SEN & DISABILITY POLICY
Contents
Page Number
2.
Introduction
3.
Aims
Objectives of SEND policy
Setting & monitoring of targets
4.
Annual Reviews
Annual Review process
6.
Annual Review record
Complaints
Equality Act 2010
The SEN & Disability Policy has been written and approved by a team with a range of
experience, and will be reviewed annually.
Date Created:
September 1995
Previous Review Date:
September 2013
Next Review Date:
September 2016
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INTRODUCTION
Learning Opportunities is an independent special school registered with the DfE to provide education
for 30 mixed students aged 11-18 with emotional, social, behavioural and moderate learning
difficulties. Many of our students have additional conditions including mental health disorders and
communication needs.
Many of our students are Children in Care. A high percentage have experienced trauma and severe
emotional deprivation, often having a history of disrupted education as a result of multiple
placement breakdowns. Students frequently initially present with difficulties engaging in the
classroom which manifests in behaviour which is age-inappropriate.
All students have Special Educational Needs and have a current SEN Statement issued by the Local
Education Authority. This document states individual needs and the provision required to address
the identified needs.
SEND service delivery requires a whole school approach. Central to which is a continuous cycle of
planning, teaching assessment and evaluation that takes account of the wide range of abilities,
aptitudes and interests of students. The majority of students will learn and progress within our
standard level of provision, however, for some there may be a need to provide an enhanced level
which would be agreed between the school, LEA and parents / carers.
The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice published by the Department for Education states
that:
Children have Special Educational Needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special
educational needs provision to be made for them.
Children have a learning difficulty if they:
1. have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; or
2. have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a
kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education
authority.
Note: Learning Opportunities SEN & Disability policy will be reviewed in light of forthcoming
national changes.
From September 2014, Government reforms mean that everyone aged 0 to 25 with SEN will have a
single plan setting out all the support they will receive from education, health and social care and
who is responsible for each part of the plan. This EHC Plan will replace the statement of Special
Educational Needs.
Individuals and families will have greater control and choice and more input into identifying their
needs and the support they need to get the most out of life, whether that's from school, college,
health or the county council. This will include:
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offering families personal budgets so that they have more control over the support they
need
extending rights and protections to young people in further education and training;
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improving cooperation between all the services that support children and their families
and particularly requiring local authorities and health authorities to work together;
requiring local authorities to involve children, young people and parents in reviewing and
developing provision for those with special educational needs and to publish a ‘local offer’
of support.
AIMS
Learning Opportunities is committed to providing effective partnership working to ensure students
receive equal access and to ensure that their physical, emotional and intellectual needs are met.
Learning Opportunities acknowledges its responsibilities under:
 the Code of Practice (DFES 2001),
 the Disability and Equality Act 2010,
 Every Child Matters,
 United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child,
 The Education Act 1996 (updated),
 the SEN and Disability Act 2001
and will ensure that parents / carers and LEA are kept fully informed of the school approaches to
Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).
OBJECTIVES OF THE SEND POLICY
To ensure:
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implementation of Government and LA SEND recommendations and guidance.
all staff implement the school’s SEND policy consistently.
any prejudice or discrimination is eradicated.
barriers to learning are identified and that appropriate measures to meet those needs are
applied.
all students have access to an appropriately differentiated curriculum to suit their ability and
need.
appropriate resources are used to maximum effective.
students’ have a voice when provision of support is formulated and reviewed.
SETTING & MONITORING OF TARGETS
When setting targets staff will take account of:
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S.E.N. Statement
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Progress towards targets set at the previous Annual Review
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The views of parents / carers
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The views of the student, who will be given opportunities to evaluate their learning and be
involved in setting future targets.
Staff make professional judgements about priority areas to be tackled. Such decisions are based upon a
staged approach in order to provide a balance between promoting self esteem, improving behaviour
and relationships and raising attainment.
Targets are set throughout the year and are shared with students, staff, parents / carers and
appropriate agencies. All students are set targets at their Annual statement review and progress
towards these is then reported on at subsequent reviews.
Students looked after by the local authority have targets set and reviewed at six monthly PEP
meetings.
In addition to statutory targets, students are set targets on a weekly basis as part of the school’s
reward system, with progress towards these being monitored each lesson.
Academic targets for each subject are set each term on an end of term report and and progress is
tracked and reported on at the end of the following term. Progress towards academic targets is tracked
each lesson in relation to their achievement of an individual learning objective. Monitoring of these
objectives informs future planning and ensures the curriculum content and delivery is appropriate.
ANNUAL REVIEWS
Annual Reviews are generally arranged at least a term in advance at mutually convenient times. Where
necessary we can support transport arrangements for parents.
Invitations are forwarded to the following people:
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Parents / Carers
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KCC PEO / S.E.N. Caseworker
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Placing Authority representative e.g. Virtual Schools
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Social Worker - if appropriate
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Other Professionals - as appropriate, including LDA Officer / CAMHS / YOS / College
representatives, Educational Psychologist.
THE ANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS
The Head Teacher / SDM will usually chair the meeting. As students progress through the school they
are invited, with support, to chair their own meetings.
Individual staff contribute to formulating the education report. These reports provide information
about:
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The students special educational needs as expressed on his Statement or at his last Annual
Review.
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Any changes in special educational needs since the last review.
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The programmes used to meet these needs.
Improvement in performance since the last Review.
Any changes that are necessary to the existing programmes.
National Curriculum Performance/progress towards GCSE / Entry Level or other accreditation.
Integration Plans.
Home/School Liaison Procedures.
Future plans for post 16 education/training/employment.
The views of parents are sought by means of a Parental Contribution Form, which is sent to them with
their invitation to the Annual Review. This asks for their comments about the following:
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What does your child say about school?
What have you done at home to support the work of the school?
How have the home/school liaison arrangements worked?
What improvements have you noticed over the last 12 months?
What would you most like your child to be able to learn in the next year?
Do you feel that the present school is the most appropriate for your child?
Are there any changes you would like to see made in the provision?
Is there anything else you would like to add, e.g. in relation to secondary transfer?
The views of students are also sought, and are recorded on the Student Contribution Form. Where
necessary, students are supported in completion of their views. The form gives information about the
following:
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What I like about being at this school.
Things at school I'd like to change.
How I have changed in the past year.
What I'm good at doing now.
What I still have problems with.
Things I want to learn to do next year.
Professional advice is also sought and includes the following:
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What progress has the child/young person made in Education, Social (e.g. relationships with
other children, family and friends, behaviour (e.g. co-operates, shares, listens, carries out
requests, confidence, changes in attitude and behaviour, ability to fit in with routines, and
any other areas ( e.g. speech, communication, self-esteem)
In what areas is the child/young person experiencing difficulties / How do you feel these
should be address?
Do you feel the existing statement still reflects the child’s/young persons needs?
Do you feel the special provision offered by the school should continue as specified in the
statement?
Do you feel the special provision offered by the LEA should continue as specified in the
statement?
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Have there been any problems with health over the last year?
Are current transport arrangements appropriate?
All of the reports and contributions are discussed at the Annual Review meeting, and conclusions and
targets are agreed.
THE ANNUAL REVIEW RECORD
The Record of Annual Review Meeting is completed and forwarded to the local authority. This includes
the following:
 A list of those people present at the Review.
 A summary of any discussion about the Reports.
 Any additional information presented at the Review by parents / carers or other professionals.
 The Review conclusions.
 Targets for the coming year.
The Review conclusions will make recommendations about the appropriateness of a student’s
placement at Learning Opportunities and will also consider whether the S.E.N. statement needs to be
amended.
The final report will be sent to those present at the Review and any people who were invited but were
unable to attend.
COMPLAINTS
Any complaint relating to SEND will follow the same procedures detailed within Learning
Opportunities Complaints Policy, details of which are contained on the school website.
EQUALITY ACT 2010
The Equality Duty (2010) has three aims. It requires public bodies to have due regard to the
need to:
 eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct
prohibited by the Act
 advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected
characteristic and people who do not share it
 foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and
people who do not share it.
Learning Opportunities fully supports the principle of equal opportunities and opposes
all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination. No one shall receive less or more favourable
treatment because of disability as defined in the Equality Act 2010 (which replaces the Disability
Discrimination Act 1995).
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