A pupil is defined as having special educational needs (SEN) if he or she has a learning difficulty which requires special educational provision to be made for him or her.
All pupils with SEN must have those needs addressed, via a broad and balanced education. In most cases, it is the pupil’s mainstream school that will make this provision. Early identification, assessment and provision for any child who may have special educational needs is crucial.
School Responsibilities
Headteachers should ensure that pupils with SEN engage in all the regular activities of the school, so far as is reasonably practicable and is compatible with:
The pupil receiving the special educational provision which his/her learning difficulty calls for
The provision of efficient education for the pupils with whom he or she will be educated
The efficient use of resources
In meeting these responsibilities, the governing body with the headteacher must ‘have regard’ to the Code of Practice on identifying and assessing SEN. They must determine the school’s SEN policy, publish it in the school prospectus and inform parents about its success in the annual report.
In addition, they must appoint a designated teacher, the SENCO, who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy. He or she will co-ordinate provision for pupils with SEN, maintain the SEN register and liaise with parents, staff and external agencies. Headteachers should take practical steps to ensure that SENCOs have the time and resources they need for this demanding role.
Maintained schools must publish information about their SEN policy in the governing body's annual report. This must describe principles on allocating resources among SEN pupils, and should be accessible to the whole school community.
Hounslow has produced a range of materials to support schools, including the "Special Educational Needs Handbook", accessible from the Documents button above.
Code of Practice
The Code of Practice recommends a staged approach to identifying and meeting pupils' SEN. This need not necessarily follow the model described in the Code, but there should be differentiated stages:
School Action - initial identification and action, including differentiation, further action by the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator - SENCO, working with the pupil’s teachers. An Individual Educational Plan (IEP) may be drawn up, setting out the pupil’s individual learning needs, the special arrangements to provide them and arrangements to monitor and review progress. Read more about IEPs from Teachernet's "Individual Educational Plan", accessible from the Links button above.
School Action Plus - teachers and the SENCO are supported by specialists from outside the school.
Statutory Assessment: if appropriate, the Local Authority makes a multi-disciplinary assessment, considers the need for a statement of SEN and, if appropriate, implements this.
Either of the school-based stages may result in satisfactory provision and progress by the pupil. Involving parents in all aspects of the pupil’s education, particularly the IEP process, can help the pupil’s progress.
Hounslow Teaching Support Service
Hounslow's Teaching Support Service offers a wide range of specialist support and advice to schools, parents, governors and the Local Authority on all aspects of special educational needs. An important role of the Service is to implement School Action Plus of the Code of Practice and to offer INSET in all areas of SEN. Support is offered to primary, secondary and special schools. Several teams work with preschool children, monitor the progress of pupils with statements or directly support pupils by providing specialist teaching e.g. pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia). The TSS is also able to provide SENCOs with advice on a range of issues related to their role.
Within the TSS, the Learning Support Team works with schools to promote the successful inclusion of all pupils experiencing difficulties with learning. They offer support, advice and INSET on assessment, the planning of effective programmes, curriculum differentiation and the use of appropriate resources. Visit HVEC's section "Teaching Support Service".