James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
James Watt Primary School
SEN POLICY
Date: October 2014
To be reviewed: October 2015
Revised in line with the new SEN Code of Practice 2014
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
Contents
Mission statement
Compliance
1. Aims and objectives
2. Responsibility for the coordination of SEN provision
3. The SEN code of practice statement and the four areas of need
4. Identification, provision and review of Special Educational Needs
5. A Graduated Approach to SEN Support
6. SEN policy and provision evaluation
7. Provision management – Monitoring and Evaluating Provision
8. Managing children’s needs on the SEN register
9. Criteria for a child exiting the SEN register
10. SEN files
11. Additional SEN files
12. Funding
13. Supporting children and their parents
14. Supporting children at school with medical conditions
15. Training and resources
16. Roles and Responsibilities
17. Storing and Managing Information
18. Accessibility
19. Complaints
20. Reviewing the policy
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
Mission statement
We believe that “Every Child Matters”.
We are an inclusive school where everyone is made to feel welcome. Our inclusive
ethos aims to encourage all children to become life-long learners, who are tolerant
and respectful of others. We encourage all children to be actively involved in their
learning and become confident, responsible and independent learners.
We are committed to ensuring that all children enjoy high quality learning
experiences and reach their full potential. We aim to identify children’s individual
and specific areas of need early and make provision to meet their needs.
Compliance
This policy complies with the statutory requirements laid out in the SEN Code of Practice 0-25, 2014, 3:65
and has been written with reference to the following guidance and documents:
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Equality Act 2010
SEN Code of Practice 0-25 (2014)
Schools SEN Information Report Regulations (2014)
Statutory Guidance on Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (2014)
The National Curriculum in England: framework for Key Stage 1 and 2 (2014)
Teachers Standards (2012)
Accessibility Plan
Behavior and Exclusion policy
Confidentiality and Data protection policy
Complaints procedure
1. Aims and objectives
In providing for children with Special Educational Needs our aims and objectives are to:  Develop all children to their full potential and to value them equally: irrespective of ability,
disability, race, gender or background, and to give every child access to a broad and balanced
curriculum.
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Embrace inclusion for all pupils and ensure a policy of integration into all activities of the school,
promoting a happy, sensitive and secure environment to ensure the most effective learning for all
children.
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Identify children, as early as possible, in order to support their physical, social, emotional and
intellectual development.
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
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Make sure that there is a consistent, ‘whole-child, whole-school’ approach to the identification,
provision and review process for pupils with special needs throughout the school.
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Raise the aspirations of and have high expectations for all pupils with SEN, providing focused
support and interventions with clear outcomes.
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Regularly and rigorously monitor and evaluate each child’s progress, attainment and development.
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Involve parents in their child’s identification and provision of their special education needs, while
holding regular discussions with parents about their child’s progress, attainment and provision.
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Include the voice of the child when planning, assessing and reviewing provision and progress.
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Provide a Special Education Needs Co-ordinator to ensure the school complies with the SEND Code
of Practice 0-25, 2014, Child and Families Act 2014 and Equality Act 2010.
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Provide support, advice and training for all staff working with children with special educational
needs to ensure Quality First Teaching , where ‘Every teacher is a Teacher of SEN.’
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Provide for children’s individual needs by supporting them in various ways: whole class, small
group and individual support.
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Use a variety of teaching strategies and resources, which include different learning styles, to
facilitate meaningful and effective learning experiences for all children, where children with SEN
can access the curriculum with their peers.
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Work collaboratively with outside agencies to provide specialist support for children with special
educational needs, when needed.
2. Responsibility for the coordination of SEN provision
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The person responsible for overseeing the provision for children with SEN is Miss H James (Head
teacher).
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The person coordinating the day-to-day provision of education for children with SEN is Mrs Smith
(SENCo/Inclusion leader) and Mrs Read-Law (Head of School).
3. The SEN code of practice statement and the four areas of need
The Code of Practice states:
Class 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 characterized by progress which:
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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
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
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 become an independent learner and make a
successful transition to adult life.
The four types of SEN identified in the SEN Code of Practice 0-25, 2014, include:  Cognition and Learning
- How a child thinks, learns and understands their world. Children are identified with SEN
who demonstrate moderate, profound or severe learning difficulties or specific learning
difficulties.
 Communication and Interaction
- How a child talks to, listens, responds, plays with and learns with other children and adults.
Children are identified with SEN who demonstrate speech and language delay, impairments
or disorders, hearing impairment or autism.
 Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties
- How a child shows their feelings and negotiates and solves problems in different situations,
and how they handle changes of routine. Children are identified with SEN who are
withdrawn or isolated, disruptive or disturbing, hyperactive or lack concentration.
 Sensory and/or Physical needs
- How a child responds to their environment and learning using their senses and any diagnosed
medical issues. Children are identified with SEN who demonstrate sensory, multi-sensory
and physical difficulties.
Important information to note:
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Behaviour
Behavioural difficulties do not necessarily mean that a child has a SEN and should not automatically lead to
a child being placed on the SEN register.
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English as an additional language (EAL)
Identifying and assessing SEN for children whose first language is not English requires particular care;
difficulties related solely to limitations in English as an additional language are not SEN.
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Disability
Many children who have SEN may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 – that is ‘… a physical or
mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal
day-to-day activities.’ This definition includes sensory impairments such as those affecting sight or hearing,
and long term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer. Children with such
conditions do not necessarily have SEN. At James Watt, where a child needs special educational provision
based on their disability they will be placed on the SEN register.
At James Watt, we observe two duties under the Equality Act, 2010:
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We do not directly or indirectly discriminate against, harass or victimise disabled children.
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
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We make reasonable adjustment, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure
disabled children are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. This duty is
anticipatory – it requires thought to be given in advance to what a child might require and what
adjustments might be needed to prevent disadvantage.
4. Identification, provision and review of Special Educational Needs
‘Every Teacher is a Teacher of SEN’
As stated in the SEN Code of Practice 0-25, 2014, all teachers are teachers of children with special
educational needs. All teachers at James Watt play a major role in identifying individual children’s strengths
and areas of need, and in planning high quality teaching and learning opportunities, which are well
differentiated and personalised to meet the needs of children. Teachers also monitor children’s progress
regularly and rigorously, analysing assessment results and evaluating teaching and learning practices.
To identify a child with SEN:  The Class teacher, parent or other professionals raise a concern about the child.
 The concerns are raised with the SENCo, and discussions are carried out with parents.
 The child is placed on the SEN register, with parent consent and support.
 A range of support and provision is discussed with the class teacher, parent and child.
At James Watt, provision follows the process of: -
Quality First
Teaching
Targeted
support
(previously called
School Action)
Specialist
support
and High
Focus support
(previously called
School Action Plus)
Educational,
Health and
Care Needs
assessments
 The teacher has the highest possible expectations for every child in their class.
 All teaching is based on building on what a child already knows, can do and
understands.
 Different ways of teaching are used so that all children are fully motivated to be
involved in their learning.
 Every child’s progress is constantly checked to ensure that the teaching and any
additional resources meets their needs.
This is where a child works with a smaller group of children, who are at a similar place in
their learning, often called a closing the gap intervention. For the child this would mean:
 Working in small group sessions on specific targets, or objectives, to support their
progress.
 These sessions are usually led by a trained Teaching Assistant, under the direction of
the Class Teacher, with advice from the SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator).
 Progress is constantly monitored to ensure that this small group work meets the
group’s needs and agreed outcomes.
 The child works 1 to 1 on specific targets to support their learning.
 These sessions are usually led by a trained Teaching Assistant or specialist teacher
under the direction of the Class Teacher, with advice from the SENCo and any outside
agencies who may be involved.
 Progress is constantly monitored to ensure that 1 to 1 interventions are meeting the
child’s needs.
Where, despite the school having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess
and meet the SEN of the child, the child has not made expected progress, the school, or
parents, consider requesting an Education, Health and Care Needs assessment. This would
mean:
 Information is gathered from parents, the child, class teacher, support staff, outside
(previously called a
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Statement of
Education)
James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
agencies and SENCo. This paperwork is then sent to the Local Authority (LA), with
the LA assessing if an EHC plan will be provided.
 If an EHC plan is provided the plan will be reviewed annually, with parents, child,
outside agencies and SENCo.
5. A Graduated Approach to SEN Support
At James Watt we follow the graduated approach to supporting children with SEN as outlined in the SEN
Code of Practice 0-25, 2014. The graduated approach encompasses a process of Assess, Plan, Do and
Review.
Assess
In identifying a child as needing SEN support the class teacher, working with the SENCo, carries out a clear
analysis of the pupil’s needs, using a range of assessments, including the Individual target plan (ITP,
previously Individual Education plans, IEP) resources recommended by Birmingham Pupil School Support
services. The assessments draw on the attainment, views and experiences of the child, the child’s previous
progress and attainment, the views and experiences of the parent and, if relevant, advice from outside
agencies and professionals from Health or Social Services. As part of the information gathering process the
school uses a range of checklists linked to the four areas of SEN identified in the SEN Code of Practice 025, 2014.
Our school takes seriously any concerns raised by a parent. These are discussed, recorded and compared to
our own assessment and information on how the child is developing.
Plan
Where we decide to provide a pupil with SEN support, parents are formally notified. The class teacher and
SENCo should agree, in consultation with the parent and the pupil, the adjustments, interventions and
support to be put in place, as well as the expected impact on progress, development or behavior, along with
a clear date for review. The support and intervention provided is selected to meet the outcomes identified for
the child, based on reliable evidence of effectiveness, with trained staff delivering the interventions. Where
appropriate, parental involvement is sought to reinforce or contribute to the child’s progress at home.
Do
The class teacher is responsible for working with the child on a daily basis. Where the interventions involve
group or one-to-one teaching away from the classroom the teacher still retains responsibility for the child.
The teacher works closely with teaching assistants or specialist staff to plan and assess the impact of support
and interventions, and how they can be linked to the classroom teaching. The SENCo supports the class
teacher in further assessments of the child’s strengths and weaknesses, when problem solving, and advising
on the effective implementation of support.
Review
The effectiveness of support and interventions, and their impact on the child’s progress is reviewed halftermly in progress meetings, with the class teacher, SENCo and assessment leader. Each term parents’
meetings are arranged to evaluate the impact and quality of the support and interventions, with parent and
child’s views collected.
The class teacher, working with the SENCo, revises the support in light of the child’s progress and
development, deciding on any changes to the support and the outcomes, in consultation with the parent and
child.
Where a pupil has an Education and Health Care plan (previously called a statement), the Local Authority,
in cooperation with the school, reviews the plan annually.
6. SEN policy and provision evaluation
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
The success of the school’s SEN policy and provision is evaluated through:
 Monitoring of classroom practice by the Headteacher, Head of school and SENCo
 Analysis of pupil tracking data
 Evaluation of SEN provision, through class provision maps, ITP assessments and pupil profiles
 Monitoring of procedures and practice by the SEN governor
 School Self-Evaluation documents
 Whole school SEN audits
 Local Authority moderation process and OFSTED inspection arrangements
 Meeting of parents and staff, both formal and informal
7. Provision management – Monitoring and Evaluating Provision
It is the class teacher’s responsibility to monitor the progress of all children each half term, with teachers
attending half-termly progress meetings, with senior leaders, and termly SEN review meetings, with the
SENCo, to analyse progress and evaluate provision.
All provision is evaluated and evidenced by class teachers through class provision maps, which outline
group or individual interventions. Each intervention has clear entry and exit assessment points, with
outcomes to ensure that children’s progress is recorded. This practice allows the intervention to be evaluated
for its impact on a child’s progress.
8. Managing children’s needs on the SEN register
All children on the SEN register will have a Pupil Profile, which details important information about the
child, including their areas of strength and weakness, what is important to them, their aspirations, their
outcomes and the support needed for them to achieve, and any outside agency involvement.
Class teachers, pupils, parents and outside agencies all contribute to the Pupil Profile, with the Profile
designed to be a working document, which is updated to reflect the current needs of the child. Copies of
Pupil Profiles are confidentially and securely kept in class inclusion folders and filed in individual folders in
the SEN room.
Class teachers are responsible for maintaining and updating Pupil Profiles. These are then shared with
everyone, including with the child. The SENCo reviews all records provided by class teachers to ensure
consistency across the school, and to ensure appropriateness and quality of outcomes.
All children on the SEN register who are identified with specific difficulties in literacy (speaking and
listening, reading and writing) or numeracy will have an Individual target plan (ITP), which is the
recommended process by Birmingham Pupil School Support Services. The plan is created, maintained and
updated by the class teacher, with copies given to parents, children and teaching assistants. The plans
provide clear next step targets to ensure individual outcomes are met and progress is achieved. A copy is
kept in children’s work books as an assessment tool for both teachers and child.
9. Criteria for a child exiting the SEN register
If it is felt that a child is making nationally expected progress, which is sustainable, then they may be taken
off the SEN register. If this is the case then the views of the class teacher, SENCo, pupil and parent are
taken into account, as well as other professionals involved with child. If it is agreed by all to take the child
off the SEN register, then all records will be kept until the child leaves the school (and passed onto the next
setting). The child will be continued to be monitored through the school’s monitoring procedures, such as
half-termly pupil progress meetings.
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
10. SEN files
Each class has an Inclusion folder which is accessible to all working in that class and those in charge of
monitoring, i.e. SENCo and Head of School.
The Inclusion folder includes:
 A list of children currently on the SEN register in that class, with areas of need, previous support and
intervention and outside agency support identified.
 A copy of the class provision map with support or intervention linked to clear outcomes.
 Copies of Individual Target Plans, Pupil profiles and EHC plans.
 A copy of relevant outside agency reports.
 Additional assessments, which are dated and evaluated.
These files are shared with the Teaching Assistant and Learning Support Assistants.
Individual assessment tools are stored and updated on the school computer system, with class teachers
responsible for carrying out ongoing assessments to update the literacy and numeracy continuums that set
next step targets on Individual Target Plans for children.
11. Additional SEN files
Additional files for each child are maintained by the SENCo and stored in a locked cupboard. These files
contain everything that concerns that child, including Pupil Profiles, Individual Target Plans, intervention
history and analysis, reports from Outside Agencies and professionals from Health Services.
Online progress tracking reports are also accessible on the school computer system, with class teachers
responsible for updating and analysing records and data every half-term.
12. Funding
There are three levels of support for pupils with SEN:
 Universal (Quality First teaching) level funding is provided on a per-learner basis for all those
attending school. This is also known as Element 1 Funding. Quality First Teaching provision will
reduce the need for deployment of more expensive resources.
 Targeted level funding is when school contributes the first £6,000 of the additional educational
support provision for learners with SEN from the notional SEN budget. This is known as Element 2
Funding.
 Specialist funding is a top-up funding that is provided to a child whose provision costs are above
£10,000 (Elements 1 and 2). It is currently provided on a per-learner basis by the Local Authority.
It is important to note that the level of funding may change over time.
13. Supporting children and their parents
We aim to promote a culture of co-operation with parents/carers and children. We will do this through:
 Providing a SEN information report (located on school website under “SEN information report” tab)
 Providing information about the SEN local offer (located on the school website under “SEN
information report” tab)
 Promoting an open door policy for class teachers and SENCo to listen to parents/carers about their
concerns.
 Regular review meetings
 Parents’ Evening three times a year
 Annual reviews for children with Education, Health and Care plans
 Family workshops and class assemblies
 Supporting parents understanding of outside agency advice and support
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
Parent and child meetings to gather information and outcomes for Pupil Profiles.
Home-school agreements.
Home-school diaries (where appropriate)
Consultation meetings with parents to evaluate SEN information report and provision.
Parent meetings with outside agency professionals, with parental involvement sought to reinforce or
contribute to a child’s progress at home.
If the child has an Education, Health and Care plan the parents are invited to an annual Pupil Centred
Review (PCR) meeting. This meeting ensures the child’s views are at the centre of any decisions that are
made about future actions and provision for them at school. At the meeting, parents, class teachers, teaching
assistants, outside agency, health and social care professionals and the SENCo all contribute information to
update the child’s plan, and ensure the best outcomes for the child are being set.
14. Supporting children at school with medical conditions
Children with medical conditions are properly supported so that they have full access to education,
including school trips and physical education. We recognise that some children may also have a disability
and where this is the case we will comply with our duties under the Equality Act 2010. Where some
children may also have special educational needs (SEN) and may have an Education, Health and Care plan
which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision, the SEN
Code of Practice 0-24, 2014 is followed. At James Watt we have a policy for supporting children with
medical conditions, which can be found under the “Policies” tab on the school website.
15. Training and resources
To maintain and develop the quality of teaching and provision to respond to the strengths and needs of all
children, all staff undertake induction on taking up a post – this includes a meeting with the SENCo to
explain the systems and structures in place around the school’s SEN policy, provision and practice, and to
discuss the needs of individual children.
Whole school SEN audits are carried out to identify staff training needs, with training opportunities planned
to develop all staff’s skills and knowledge of SEN.
The SENCo also regularly attends local SENCo network meetings in order to keep up to date with local and
national updates in SEND.
16. Roles and Responsibilities
Provision for children with SEN is a matter for the whole school. The board of governors, in consultation
with the Head teacher, has a legal responsibility for determining the policy and provision for children with
Special Education Needs. It maintains a general overview and we have an appointed representative, Mrs
Hyde, who takes particular interest in this aspect of the school.
Governors will ensure that:
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The necessary provision is made for any child with SEN
All staff are aware of the need to identify and provide for children with SEN.
Pupils with SEN join in school activities alongside other pupils, so far as is reasonably practical and
compatible with their needs and the efficient education of other children.
They have regard to the requirements of the SEN Code of Practice 0- 15, 2014.
Parents are notified if the school decides to make SEN provision for their child.
They are fully informed about SEN issues, so that they play a major part in school self-review
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
They set up appropriate staffing and funding arrangements, and oversee the school’s work for SEN
The Head Teacher is responsible for:
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The management of all aspects of the school’s work, including provision for children with Special
Educational Needs
Keeping the governing body informed about SEN issues
Working closely with the SENCo
The deployment of all Special Educational Needs personnel within the school
Monitoring and reporting to governors about the implementation of the school’s SEN policy and the
effects of Inclusion policies on the whole school.
Class teachers are responsible for:
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Providing Quality First teaching for all children.
Assessing children’s needs and planning appropriate adjustments, interventions and support to match
the outcomes identified for the child (in liaison with the SENCo, parents, child and other
professionals from outside agencies and health and social care services.
Regularly reviewing the impact of these adjustments, interventions and support, including children
with SEN in the classroom, through providing an appropriately differentiated curriculum.
Retaining responsibility for the child, including working with the child on a daily basis
Making themselves aware of the school’s SEN policy and procedures for identification, monitoring
and supporting children with SEN
Directly liaising with parents of children with SEN
The special education needs co-ordinator (SENCo) is responsible for:
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Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy
Co-ordinating the provision for children with Special Educational Needs
Ensuring that an agreed, consistent approach is adopted throughout the school
Liaise with and support other school staff
Helping staff to identify children with Special Educational Needs
Carrying out assessments and observations of pupils with specific learning problems.
Supporting class teachers in devising strategies, drawing up Pupil Profiles, setting targets appropriate
to the needs of the child, advising on appropriate resources and materials for use with children with
Special Educational Needs and advising on the most effective use of materials and personnel in the
classroom
Liaising closely with parents and children with Special Educational Needs alongside class teachers,
so that they are aware of the strategies being used and are involved as partners in the process
Liaising with outside agencies, arranging meetings and providing a link between these agencies,
class teachers and parents.
Maintaining the school’s SEN register and records
Assisting in the monitoring and evaluation of progress of pupils with SEN through the use of
existing school assessment information, e.g. class-based assessments, end of term/year tests,
progress meetings, progress tracking records
Contributing to the in-service training of staff
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James Watt Primary School – SEN Policy
Liaising with the SENCo in receiving schools and/or other primary schools to help provide a smooth
transition from one school to the other
Taking part in Local Authority SEN moderation
Learning Support Assistants/Teaching assistants:
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Should be fully aware of the school’s SEN policy and the procedures for identifying, assessing and
making provision for children with SEN
Use the school’s procedure for giving feedback to teachers about children’s progress.
At James Watt, the teaching assistants work as part of a team with the class teachers to support children’s
individual needs and ensure inclusion of pupils with SEN. They play an important role in implementing
Pupil Profiles, Individual target plans and monitoring progress.
17. Storing and Managing Information
Documents relating to children on the SEN register are stored within a locked cabinet in the school SEN
room. SEN records are passed on to the child’s next setting when he or she leaves James Watt. The school
has a Confidentiality policy which applies to all written children’s records. (Located on school website by
pressing the “Confidentiality policy” tab)
18. Accessibility
The SEN and Disability Act 2010 places a duty on all schools to increase the accessibility of their school for
disabled children. Schools are required to produce a written accessibility plan for their school, and Local
Authorities are under a duty to prepare accessibility strategies for schools in their area. The James Watt’s
Accessibility Plan can be found on the school website under the “policies” tab.
19. Complaints
The school has a complaints procedure which applies to complaints about SEN provision. This can be found
on the school website under the “Policies” tab.
20. Reviewing the policy
The Governing Body will review this policy annually.
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