Provision for Special Educational Needs & Disabilities at Marsden Junior School and annual report.
Special Educational Needs Policy
We believe that every child and young person has the right to expect a good education and the support they need to become independent adults and succeed in life. Our policy and provision for students with special educational needs and / or disabilities is compliant with requirements within legislation:
The SEN Code of Practice (2014) makes it clear that each and every teacher is a teacher of students with special educational needs. High quality teaching, differentiated for individual students, is therefore the first step in responding to students who have or may have a Special Educational Need or Disability. We regularly and carefully review the quality of teaching for all students, including those at risk of underachievement. This includes reviewing and, where necessary, improving, teachers’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable students and their knowledge of the SEND most frequently encountered.
The Kirklees Local Offer website is where parents, carers, children and young people up to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can find information, advice and guidance about support, services and activities that are available to those living in Kirklees.
We also provide information about services which are available outside of Kirklees but that are available to those within Kirklees. This includes independent schools or colleges and independent services which may mean that you have to pay for them in order to access them. We do not endorse one service or setting over another.
The Local Offer website is something that Kirklees Council has to provide for young people with SEND and is something that is required by law. The Children’s and Family Act 2014 and the SEND Code Of Practice 2015 says that we have to have a Local Offer and also what it needs to have in it.
The Local Offer website is looked after by Kirklees Council, but is co-produced. This means we work very closely with the people within Kirklees who will use this website to make sure it meets the needs of those who will use it the most. We have also worked very closely with people from education, health, social care and those who provide activities for young people.
We would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the contribution of PCAN in the co-production of the new Local Offer. PCAN have worked tirelessly to gather and communicate the views and feelings of a very large collection of parents all with their own unique experience of living as a parent of a child with SEND and the challenges this can bring. These views have been shared since the first local offer, however now we, along with PCAN feel that we have truly included parents, carers and young people’s views and this is what makes all the difference with the new Kirklees Local Offer.
PCAN have provided a vital voice in directing us to something which meets their needs and explains things in a simple, straightforward and clearly understandable way. They have helped us develop a very simple ethos to all information we present:
What is it? Who is it for? How do I access this?
We are committed to continue working with local people to make sure the Local Offer meets their needs.
We look forward to hearing from you.
A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. This means that they have a much greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or they may have a disability which means that they cannot make full use of facilities provided.
Who should I talk to if I think that my child needs extra support?
You should start by talking to your child’s class teacher, or the Special Educational Needs / Disabilities Coordinator (SEND CO).
How do we identify that a student has additional needs?
The earlier that students are identified as having additional needs, the earlier we can start to work towards supporting these students in the most effective way possible. We engage in extra transition work with all students and their families identified as having additional needs to increase each student’s understanding and help them prepare for a smooth and effective transition to Key Stage 2 when identified in Key Stage 1.
On entry to the school each student’s abilities are assessed and we continue to monitor these as the child progresses through the school. Assessment data will include discussions with the teacher, information from parents, performance in class and tests, reading and spelling age tests, reports from external agencies such as Speech and Language Therapists and Hearing Impaired Services, observations and assessments.
How are parents and young people consulted and involved?
The roles of parents and young people are vital in the process and are a key component of the SEND Code of Practice. The views of parents and students are taken into account at all stages.
How do we support students with additional needs?
High quality teaching, differentiated for individual students, is the first step in responding to students who have or may have SEND. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching so we regularly check our standards of teaching within the classroom. In addition to this we employ teaching assistants in a variety of ways to support SEND students. This may involve working with individual students or small groups, and working in subject areas on the development of specialised resources. Students with additional needs are supported in class.
Outside agency support from the Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Hearing Impaired Services, Autism Outreach, CAMHS, CHEWS, EAL Support (English as an additional language), Occupational Therapist or Sensory Services is also available for support.
The SEND Code of Practice 2014 involves a graduated approach to meeting students’ needs. The Special Educational Needs Coordinators and teachers will review the approaches adopted and students and parents will be at the centre of this process with full involvement at each and every stage.
Normal class provision with quality teaching including differentiation is the first stage.
