Special Educational Needs
and Disabilities Policy
Written by Mr Mark Wilson, Miss Laura Webb and
Mrs Susan Gell (CAT SENCOs)
Date written: July 2015
Date to be reviewed: July 2017
Overview
This policy sets out the steps we take to ensure that we meet the needs of all learners within the
guidelines and inclusion policies of the Code of Practice (2014), the Local Education Authority and other
policies current within the Cheshire Academies Trust (CAT). As such, we aim to ensure that no learners,
especially those with SEN or a disability, are discriminated against and that funding earmarked by the
governing body for special education provision, including staffing, is clearly identified and used effectively
for its intended purposes.
CAT provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all our children and we are committed to the principle of
inclusive classrooms. All teachers are responsible for planning a differentiated curriculum that meets the
needs of specific groups of children and responds to their diverse learning needs. It is the belief that all
children have an equal right to a full and rounded education which will enable them to achieve their full
potential. We use our best endeavours to secure special educational provision for pupils for whom this is
required, that is ‘additional to and different from’ that provided within the differentiated curriculum to
better respond to the four areas of need identified in the new Code of Practice (September 2014).
• Communication and interaction
• Cognition and learning
• Social, mental and emotional health
• Sensory/physical
Introduction
This policy describes the aims, methods and resources that the CAT will use in order to meet Special
Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEN/D), and how it will evaluate and report on its implementation.
The CAT will implement this policy in the light of the guidance, given by the Special Educational needs
Code of Practice (2001), and the ‘Common Assessment Framework’ alongside the graduated Response
Framework for schools and the ‘Early Years’.
Aims
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To ensure all learners’ individual and special needs are met effectively so that they receive their
educational entitlement and are given access to a broad, balanced relevant curriculum.
To raise the aspirations of and expectations for all pupils with SEND;
To provide a differentiated curriculum appropriate to each individual’s needs and ability;
To ensure the identification of all pupils with SEND provision as early as possible in their school
career;
To ensure that all pupils with SEND take as full a part as possible in all school activities;
To ensure that parents/carers of SEND pupils are kept fully informed of their child’s progress and
attainment;
To ensure that the child’s voice is heard as part of the process
Objectives
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To identify children with SEN through the class teacher and parents’ assessment of a child’s needs
alongside detailed tracking of pupil data
To ensure that children with SEND can join in with all the activities of the school by identifying and
removing barriers
To ensure that all parents and legal guardians are kept informed of their child’s needs and the
progress their child makes through regular, effective communication eg. Beginning and end of day
conversations with staff, home/school books, parents’ evenings, review meetings
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To make sure that all learners make the best possible progress through detailed tracking of pupil
data
To promote effective partnerships and involve outside agencies when appropriate e.g. Speech and
Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Autism Team, Children’s Social Care, Behaviour
Support Team
To ensure all staff have high expectations of all children and set challenging targets
To ensure that the school has an inclusive ethos whereby all children are given appropriate support
and learning strategies enabling them to achieve their personal potential.
Identifying Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
The definition of special educational needs is set out in section xiv of the SEND Code of Practice (2014):
A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
 Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
 Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind
generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools
Special educational provision should be matched to the child’s identified SEN following the four broad areas
Other factors which may impact progress and attainment but which would not be identified as SEN are:
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Disability ( the Code of Practice outlines the “reasonable adjustment “ duty for all settings and
schools provided under current Disability Equality legislation –these alone do not constitute SEN)
Attendance and Punctuality
Health and Welfare
EAL
Being in receipt of Pupil Premium Grant
Being a Looked After Child
Being a child of Serviceman/woman
Concerns relating to a child or young person’s behaviour will be seen as an underlying response to a need
and will be explored together by school staff, the child and their family.
Graduated Approach
‘High quality teaching that is differentiated and personalised will meet the individual needs of the majority
of children and young people.’ (Code of Practice, 2014: 1.24)
This is at the heart of provision in the CAT. It is the expectation that all teachers will provide a broad and
balanced curriculum that promotes excellence and enjoyment, and that this will be carefully differentiated
to ensure equal opportunity of access to all learners. This process is supported by the four part Assess;
Plan, Do; Review cycle.
All teachers are responsible for identifying pupils with SEND and, in collaboration with the SENCo, will
ensure that those pupils requiring different or additional support are identified at an early stage.
Where concerns are raised about a child and their needs are not being met through Quality First Teaching
or Wave 2 or 3 interventions, the class teacher would discuss possible strategies to address this with the
SENCo and parents/carers. If there is a continuing difficulty, a child may be placed on the school’s SEND
register as needing SEN support. An individual programme will be put in place in collaboration with the
child and parents/carers. This will be reviewed and targets set termly. Where a child’s needs cannot be met
from the designated fund within the school budget, the school will apply for top- up funding. If it is
considered necessary, an application will be made for statutory assessment. At all stages, outside agencies
will be involved as appropriate and their recommendations actioned.
‘6.17 Class and subject teachers, supported by the senior leadership team, should make regular
assessments of progress for all pupils. These should seek to identify pupils making less than expected
progress given their age and individual circumstances. This can be characterised by progress which:
 is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
 fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
 fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
 widens the attainment gap
6.18 It can include progress in areas other than attainment – for instance where a pupil needs to make
additional progress with wider development or social needs in order to make a successful transition to adult
life.’ (Code of Practice, 2014)
Within the CAT the quality of teaching for all pupils, including those at risk of underachievement, is
regularly reviewed. Teachers’ and TAs’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils
and their knowledge of the SEN most frequently encountered is enhanced through regular whole staff
training and mentoring.
Data regarding pupil progress is formally reviewed termly alongside ongoing summative and formative
assessment. The class teacher and SENCO consider all of the information about the pupil’s progress,
alongside national data and expectations of progress. Pupils and parents are involved in discussions about
progress both formally (e.g. parents’ evenings) and more informally as required. Next steps are then
identified.
Targets are shared regularly with pupils and parents. The school then determines the support that is
needed and whether it can be provided by adapting the school’s core offer or whether something different
or additional is required.
The further use of screening procedures will enable the teacher to ascertain the specific area that is a
cause for concern. Benchmarking, Wave 3 mathematics assessments, SATs, P levels and PIVATS may be
used in the assessment process and are all available to aid identification. At the Foundation Stage,
judgments are supported by use of the EYFS profile.
Where progress continues to be less than expected, the schools put into place extra teaching or other
rigorous interventions designed to secure better progress. The pupil’s response to such support helps to
identify their particular needs. Intervention may involve TA support, a specific programme or specialist
assessment through outside agencies. There also needs to be consideration and assessment of other
causal factors, such as domestic circumstances, bullying or mental health issues.
Education Health and Care Plans
This type of support is usually provided for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong.
This is provided via a Statement of Special Educational Needs or from September 2014 these will be
transferred to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means a child will have been identified by
professionals as needing a particularly high level of individual or small group teaching. It is available for
children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through Quality First Teaching and
intervention groups.
A request will be made by the school to the LEA if the child has demonstrated significant cause for concern.
The LEA will be given information about the child’s progress over time, and will also receive documentation
in relation to the child’s special educational needs and any other action taken to deal with those needs,
including any resources or special arrangements put in place. The evidence will include:
• Previous targets which have been set for the pupil.
• Records of regular reviews and their outcomes.
• Records of the child’s health and medical history where appropriate.
• National Curriculum attainment levels in literacy and numeracy.
• Education and other assessments, for example from an advisory specialist support teacher or educational
psychologist.
• Views of the parents & the child
The parents of any child who is referred for statutory assessment will be kept fully informed of the
progress of the referral. Children with a statement of special educational needs/EHCP will be reviewed each
term in addition to the statutory annual assessment. When this coincides with transfer to high school, the
SENCO from the high school will be informed of the outcome of the review.
Strategies employed to enable the child to progress will be recorded within Education, Health and Care
Plan which will include information about:
 The short term targets set for the child.
 The teaching strategies to be used.
 The provision to be put in place.
 How the targets will help the child in their learning
 What they are responsible for
 How the child can be successful
 The review date.
 The child’s views will be sought and taken into account, as will those of the parents, whose support
is vital if progress is to be achieved and maintained.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Governing Body
The CAT Governors have a statutory duty towards pupils with SEND and will follow the guidance as set out
in section 6.79 of the Code of Practice 2014.
Information about the implementation of the governing body’s policy for pupils with SEND is summarized in
the school’s contribution to the Local Authority’s Local Offer which can be accessed via the school’s
websites.
This information is updated annually. This policy document is also available via the websites.
The Governing Body responsibilities to pupils with SEN/D include:
 Ensuring provision of a high standard is made for SEN/D pupils;
 Ensuring that pupils with SEN/D are fully involved in school activities;
 Having regard to the Code of Practice when carrying out these responsibilities;
 Being fully involved in developing and subsequently reviewing the SEN/D policy.
There is a designated Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Governor.
The Headteacher
The Headteacher has responsibility for:
 Management of all aspects of the school including SEN/D provision;
 Keeping the Governing Body fully informed about SEN/D within the school;
 Working closely with the SENCo; and
 Ensuring that the school has clear and flexible strategies for working with parents/carers, and that
these strategies encourage involvement in their child’s education.
Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)
The SENCo has a fundamental role to play in the process of providing for the child’s needs. It is their
responsibility to ensure that the School’s Policy is put into practice, the agreed systematic process for the
identification, assessment and provision for SEN/D is employed correctly and to monitor and evaluate the
School’s provision and to report on these matters to the designated school’s Governing Body.
Class Teachers
A whole school approach is fundamental to our Policy for children with SEN/D. Our staff work together to
develop and review our procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for pupils with
SEN/D. Class Teachers will be involved in close liaison with parents and carers, and will discuss and
feedback individualised targets to parents, with the SENCo as support. It is important to remember that
even for children with full time teaching assistant support, the class teacher has ultimate responsibility for
that child’s learning and progress.
The Code of Practice clearly acknowledges the importance allocated to the teacher, whose responsibilities
include:
1. To identify children who are experiencing difficulty in making adequate progress;
2. To differentiate within the classroom and to provide appropriate opportunities and resources;
3. To monitor and record the progress of the child as an on going process;
4. To set targets for SEND pupils in collaboration with the SENCo, where necessary;
5. To inform parents of areas of concern and to seek support from parents; and
6. At the early stage of identification, to liaise with the SENCo to ensure appropriate provision is
available for the child.
Teaching Assistants
Teaching Assistants have a crucial role to play in SEN/D provision within School. They will deliver
programmes of work, generally in literacy, mathematics or speech, language and communication to groups
of children who require additional support. The children may be taught within the class setting or
withdrawn for certain activities. Class teachers should always involve Teaching Assistants in the planning
process. Teaching Assistants should be informed of learning objectives for each activity, the needs of
individual children in the group and their targets as identified by their teachers. It is the responsibility of
the Teaching Assistant to provide oral feedback to the class teacher on the progress of individual children.
Parents
Partnership with parents plays a vital role in enabling all children to achieve their potential. The school
acknowledges that parents hold key information and have knowledge and experience to contribute to the
shared view of the child’s needs and the best ways of supporting them. They also provide a valuable
source of support for their child’s learning at home. All parents of children with special needs will be
treated as partners and encouraged to play an active role in their child’s education.
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Parents can contact the SENCo directly and are encouraged to do so
Parents are encouraged to give their support and comments to the Plan, Do, Review cycle
Parents are encouraged to give support at home whenever possible with the emphasis on raising
self-esteem
Children
Children are actively encouraged at the appropriate level to be part of the decision making process involved
in setting their targets. The emphasis is on success, and involving the child in the review process enhances
their achievements and offers further encouragement. In line with the marking policy, children are actively
encouraged to evaluate their progress.
Storing and Managing information
All SEND records and information will be stored in line with the school’s policies on Data Protection and
Freedom of Information.
Complaints Procedure
In the event of a complaint in respect of provision for a child with SEND, parents should first approach the
class teacher or the SENCo. If this does not resolve the issue, it can be referred to the head teacher who
will investigate and meet again with the parent within an agreed time frame. If an agreement cannot be
reached the matter will be referred to the Governing Body who will respond to the issue within an agreed
time scale. See School Complaints Policy for further details.
Reviewing the policy
The SEN policy will be reviewed and revised through day to day delivery and termly review of children’s
progress. Where appropriate, amendments will be made to maintain the effectiveness of the policy. There
will be an annual review in line with the SEN development plan and school development priorities.
Signed:
Chair of Governors
Signed:
Headteacher
Date: