Special educational needs

• Special educational needs - what does it mean?
• The role of mainstream schools and teachers
• What can I expect to happen if my child has special educational needs?
• What are Statutory Assessments?
• What is a Statement of Special Educational Needs?
• What can I do if I am unhappy about the support provided for my child?
• Making an appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal
• Transition - planning for the life after school
• SEN Team
• Specialist provision in Herefordshire
• Some commonly used terms you may hear in relation to SEN and what they mean

Special educational needs - what does it mean?

Children and young people with special educational needs (often referred to as SEN) have problems with learning which can make it hard for them to cope in class.

They can have difficulties with

• reading, writing and number work
• expressing themselves clearly or understanding what others are saying
• behaving appropriately at school
• making friends or relating to adults
• organising themselves

Around one in five children and young people has needs that require extra support at some time This can be for a short period or throughout their school life

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The role of mainstream schools and teachers

Children develop at different rates and learn in different ways. Teachers consider this in organising their classrooms, planning their lessons, and in the books, work and materials they give to each child.

You should not automatically assume your child has SEN either because they are making slower progress than you expected or because they are being provided with different support in class.

However, the earlier a difficulty is identified, the more promptly it can be addressed. If you think your child may have a difficulty that has not been identified, talk to your child's class teacher, your school's Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) or to the Headteacher, straight away.

If your school is concerned that your child has SEN, they will contact you to discuss ways of helping your child learn more effectively.

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What can I expect to happen if my child has special educational needs?

You know your child better than anyone, and have a very important part to play in his/her education. So your school will talk with you about your child's strengths and learning needs and agree upon the action needed to improve your child's learning. This stage is known as School Action. While on School Action, both you and your child will be involved in checking progress to make sure that the learning targets which are set are being achieved.

The sort of actions that the school may take could include

• adapting class work to suit your child's needs
• active encouragement
• more learning opportunities outside normal school hours so that important skills can be practised and developed
• working as part of a group
• suggestions for ways you can help at home

Most children with SEN improve from having this kind of input from their teachers and sometimes another adult supervised by the teacher. It is particularly helpful during this time, if parents or carers meet school staff regularly, and include their children in these meetings.

If your child has more complex difficulties, the school may need to provide them with an even more individualised programme with additional support and advice from other professionals. This second level of support is called School Action Plus.

The school has their own funds to meet the needs of children at School Action, and in the majority of cases also School Action Plus. However, for a small minority of children, extra funding is available from the Local Authority to assist the school in making the necessary arrangements. This additional funding is called Banded Funding.

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What are Statutory Assessments?

If all the extra support that is given is not enough to help your child progress, either you or the school may decide to ask us to carry out a Statutory Assessment of your child's SEN.

There are several stages to a request for Statutory Assessment and you will be involved throughout, as will your child, the school, an Educational Psychologist and a doctor.

Initially, we have 6 weeks to consider whether:

• Your child's needs are severe and/or complex
• Your child has not made sufficient progress during the stages of School Action and School Action Plus and all current options have been exhausted.

Should we decide that this is the case, we will conduct the Statutory Assessment which involves gathering detailed information from you, your child and all the people who are working with them. Once this information is received, we will decide whether or not to issue a Statement of SEN. We have to make this decision no later than 18 weeks after the original request and, if we do issue a Statement of SEN, we have to do so within 26 weeks of the original request.

The flowchart in the Resources section helps to explain what happens and when.

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What is a Statement of Special Educational Needs?

This is a legal document that the Local Authority prepares and issues.

A Statement of SEN will say clearly what your child's special educational needs are, and what particular arrangements need to be made for him or her. The Statement will also name a specific school (we will have discussed this with you during the Statutory Assessment).

The school will arrange to review the Statement formally at least annually although they may wish to discuss with you informally on a more regular basis. Any changes or amendments to the Statement that are required are made via discussion and recommendation at the Annual Review.

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What can I do if I am unhappy about the support provided for my child?

Occasionally, disagreements and misunderstandings happen. Families, teachers and education professionals need to talk and work together to solve any problems.

However, if you have a complaint, or are unhappy with your child's education, there are a number of things you can do:

1. Ask for a copy of the school's SEN policy. This will explain how the school will handle your complaint.
2. Talk to the Headteacher
3. If you are still not happy, ask the school how you can contact the school's Chair of Governors and write to them with details of your concerns with a copy to the Headteacher. In addition contact the Parent Partnership Service for information and impartial advice. Their telephone number is 01432 260955 http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk/find_your_local_pps/west_midlands/herefordshire.aspx

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Making an appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal

This tribunal is an independent, national body that hears appeals from parents who are unhappy about decisions relating to Statutory Assessments and Statements of SEN. We hope that if you are considering an appeal to the SEND Tribunal that you will discuss with us first, because the majority of disagreements can be resolved without the need for a formal appeal.

You have the right to make an appeal to the tribunal if:

• The Local Authority has decided not to carry out a statutory assessment of your child and you disagree with the decision.
• You disagree with a decision not to make a Statement for your child.
• You disagree with either the description of your child's special educational needs or some part of your child's Statement.
• The Local Authority has decided not to amend your child's Statement following Annual Review.
• The Local Authority has decided to end your child's Statement, but you do not agree with the decision.

Further details regarding a formal appeal can be found on the SEND Tribunal website http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/courts-and-tribunals/tribunals/send/index.htm

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Transition - planning for the life after school

When a young person has a Statement of SEN or is allocated Banded Funding, in Year 9 there will be a Transition Review (in the case of a Statement this coincides with the Annual Review) where a formal Transition Plan covering all aspects of their aims and aspirations for their future life will be written. This Transition Plan is then reconsidered at least annually and updated or amended appropriately.

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SEN Team

The SEN Team discusses with parents the arrangements for Statutory Assessment, the outcome of the Statutory Assessment and, if appropriate, the writing of the Statement of SEN. This includes consideration of whether a child should be offered a place at a special school or receive specialist support within a mainstream school, and can include attendance at an Annual Review of the Statement.

The SEN Team can be contacted on 01432 260871 or senteam@herefordshire.gov.uk

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Specialist provision in Herefordshire

Admission to all specialist provision in Herefordshire is via the Local Authority.

There are 4 Special Schools in Herefordshire:

Blackmarston School is a day school that caters for children aged 3 to 11 with profound and multiple learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties. It provides also for pupils with additional complex needs, including autism and challenging behaviours.

Westfield Special School is a day school for children and young people aged 4 to 19 with profound and multiple learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
http://www.westfield.hereford.sch.uk/

Barrs Court Special School and College is a day school for young people aged 11 to 19 with profound and multiple learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
http://www.barrscourt.weebly.com/ 

The Brookfield School and Specialist College is a day school for students aged 7 - 16 years who have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. The school also operates an intervention class for Key Stage 2 mainstream pupils who are at risk of exclusion.
http://www.brookfield.hereford.sch.uk/

In addition there is the following specialist provision located on the site of a mainstream school (again, admission is via the Local Authority):

The Language and Communication Centre (based at Hampton Dene Primary School) is a dedicated specialist provision for young people in Key Stages 1 and 2 with either severe, specific speech & language impairment or autism.

The Bridge (based at The Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School) is dedicated specialist provision for young people with autism in Key Stages 3 and 4. It is not an appropriate provision for young people with a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome, 'semantic pragmatic' disorders, severe learning difficulties, profound or multiple learning difficulties.

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Some commonly used terms you may hear in relation to SEN and what they mean

Support Teachers Specialists working within the Local Authority who help advise teachers in schools on ways they can best support children with particular needs.

SEN Officer The person from the county council who liaises with parents over all the arrangements connected to statutory assessment and the making of a statement.

EP or Educational Psychologist A specialist in observing children, assessing their difficulties, advising on how to meet their learning needs and monitoring the progress they make.

IEP or Individual Education Plan A plan to help you and your school identify your child's needs. The plan will confirm any difficulties your child is experiencing and the steps needed to support your child's learning. The plan will include a review date and you should be supplied with a copy to keep at home.

SENCo or Special Educational Needs Coordinator All mainstream schools have a Special Educational Needs Coordinator who is a teacher responsible for managing the extra support provided to children or young people in their school's care.

TA (Teaching Assistant) or LSA (Learning Support Assistant) These are adults employed by the school to support class teachers. Where appropriate, they are able to work with individual pupils who have special needs, as well as with whole classes or small groups of pupils, especially to improve literacy and numeracy.

School Action The change in teaching approach, support and resources used to help a child who needs help to progress in a mainstream school.

School Action Plus A more intensive level of support used by mainstream schools. Specialist services outside the school provide advice, support and help for individual pupils. This will be organised by each school's SENCo and may include advice and guidance from health experts and Educational Psychologists as well as Support Teachers from the Local Authority.

Statutory Assessment A detailed examination of a child's special educational needs carried out by the Local Authority involving the child, parents or carers, health service professionals and Educational Psychologists. The assessment may lead to a Statement of Special Educational Needs.

Statement of Special Educational Needs Often referred to simply as a 'Statement', this legal document sets out a child's special educational needs and the arrangements required to meet those needs. It will include the names of the organisations that will put the arrangements in place and will also confirm the school which must meet the child's needs.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability SEND) Tribunal An independent body that hears parents' appeals against the decisions the Local Authority makes relating to Statutory Assessments and Statements.

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