Aims
The Forge that is committed to inclusion and responding to all the needs of its pupils by providing an appropriate and high quality education for all the young people it serves.
We believe that all young people, including those identified as having special educational needs, have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum, which:
- is accessible to them
- enables them to achieve their potential and enjoy their learning
- ensures they stay safe and healthy
- enables them to successfully transfer to their next educational provision, training or employment.
Objectives
- To employ a variety of resources and teaching strategies to enable differentiation in the approach to the National Curriculum and accredited courses.
- To work in partnership with parents and pupils.
- To make all staff aware of the range of external agency is available to support children.
- To make all staff aware of the need for a whole school response to special educational needs.
Roles of personnel.
The role of the class/subject teacher.
- To follow the graduated response and providing conclusive quality first teaching for all. Participate in the assess, plan, do, review process linked to our six weekly reviews.
- To identify children who are experiencing difficulty in their learning.
- To differentiate within the classroom and to provide appropriate opportunities and resources.
- To monitor and record the progress of the child is an ongoing process.
- To organise and differentiate a child’s work to keep records of this progress.
The role of the SENCo.
Anna Allsup, the SEN coordinator with the support of the headteacher and colleagues, seeks to develop effective ways of overcoming barriers to learning and sustaining effective teaching through the analysis and assessment of children’s needs, by monitoring the standards of pupils achievements, and by setting targets for improvement. Her responsibilities may include:
- overseeing the day-to-day operation of the schools SEN policy
- coordinating provision for children with SEN
- liaising with the relevant designated teacher were looked after pupil has SEN
- advising on the graduated approach to improving SEN support
- liaising with parents of pupils with SEN
- liaising with other schools, educational psychologist, health and social care professionals,
- being a key point of contact with external agencies, especially the local authority and its support services
- working with the head teacher and school governors to ensure that the school meet its responsibilities under the Equality Act with regard to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements (2010)
- ensuring the school keeps the records of all pupils with SEN up-to-date
- reporting to the governors regularly regarding SEN provision
The role of the Headteacher Mr Williams
- to have an accurate overview of the SEN profile at the school and the pupils currently on the SEN register.
- To have clarity of arrangements in place in order to respond to need.
- To monitor SEN reviews in liaison with the SENCo.
- To monitor teaching arrangements made for SEN children including the deployment of teaching assistants
- to advise the local authority when a formal assessment may be necessary
The role of governors
The governing body must:
- do its best to ensure that the necessary provision is made for any pupil who has special educational needs
- ensure that teachers in the school are aware of the importance of identifying, and providing for, those pupils who have special educational needs
- consult the local authority and the governing bodies of other schools, when it seems to be necessary or desirable in the interests of co-ordinated special educational provision in the area as a whole
- they are fully involved in developing and monitoring the schools SEN policy
- all governors, up-to-date and knowledgeable about the schools SEN provision
- SEN provision is an integral part of the school development plan
- the quality of SEN provision is continually monitored
Communication and liaison with parents
All of our pupils at the forge are receiving SEN support. As such we are required to talk to parents regularly to set clear outcomes and review progress towards them, discuss the activities and support that will help achieve them, and identified the responsibilities of the parent, the pupil and the school. This will occur during our half termly reviews.
Parents can contact their child’s key worker or the SENCo directly when necessary and are fully encouraged to do so. Parents are encouraged to give their support at home whenever possible with the emphasis being on raising self-esteem and building a positive attitude.
Pupil involvement and pupil voice
Pupils are encouraged, to be part of the decision making and the setting of their learning or behavioural targets. The emphasis is on success and this is supported within the school’s overall ethos and attitude. Children’s views are gathered as part of the review process.
Links with other schools, agencies and support services
The forge recognises that links with commissioning schools are essential. Other than young people who have been permanently excluded from their school, all pupils will be dual registered. The forge will liaise regularly with commissioning school. Home schools and agencies or support services involved with the pupil will be invited to attend and contribute to the regular reviews.
Assessment for an educational health and care plan
Where a request for an assessment is made by the school to the local authority, the child will have demonstrated significant cause of concern. The local authority will need information about the child’s progress over time and will also need documentation in relation to the child’s special educational needs and any action taken to deal with these needs, including any resources or special arrangements in place. The forge will provide this evidence through the graduated response and our assess plan do review process.
Annual reviews of an educational health and care plan
All educational health and care plans must be reviewed at least annually with the parents, the pupil, the local authority, the school and professionals involved to consider whether any amendments need to be made to the description of the pupils needs or to the special educational provision specified in the plan. The annual review should focus on what the child has achieved as well as on any difficulties that need to be resolved.
Curriculum entitlement and integration
The Forge follows the waves of support approach as outlined by Worcestershire’s local offer.
Wave 1 describes quality inclusive teaching which takes into account the learning needs of all pupils in the classroom. It includes providing differentiated work on creating an inclusive learning environment.
Wave 2 describes specific, additional and time limited interventions provided for some pupils who need help to accelerate their progress to enable them to work at or above age-related expectations. They are often targeted group of pupils with similar needs. Pupils at The Forge are accessing wave to provision.
Wave 3 describes targeted provision for pupils where it is necessary to provide highly tailored interventions to accelerate progress or unable children to achieve their potential. This can include liaison with external agencies.
Further information regarding The Forge and waves of support are detailed in the appendix.
Training and inset
SEN issues are discussed at staff meetings and training is provided as and when necessary.
Complaints
In the event of a complaint in respect of provision for the child with SEN, parents should first approach the Headteacher who will investigate and meet again with the parent within one day. If necessary the complaint may be referred on to the governing body who will respond to it within one week.
