Key Issues for SENCOs

1. Key Issues for SENCOs

2. Early identification of need • Focus on Foundation Stage • Speech, language and communication • Social, emotional and behavioural development • Screening • Identification • Assessment • Targeted, time limited intervention • Close tracking of progress • Referral for more specialist assessment if necessary

3. Early identification of need • Ongoing tracking and screening throughout school career • Clear criteria for identifying ‘cause for concern’ relating to poor progress outcomes, academic, behavioural, emotional and social development, attendance, exclusions, bullying • High quality assessment procedures to clarify reasons for lack of progress

4. Over-identification • Exploring the interface between ‘under achievement’ and SEN • Exploring the interface between quality first teaching and high quality pastoral support and pupils who require specific ‘additional to’ and ‘different from’ interventions. • What is the distinction between ‘predictable needs’ and ‘complex needs’

5. Over-identification • What constitutes ‘quality first teaching’? At school action in particular Ofsted commented that difficulties that would be typically be accommodated by good class teaching and the sorts of targeted support that schools should already routinely provide as part of their normally-available offer to all pupils, were being labelled as SEN • What constitutes ‘additional to’ and ‘different from’ provision?

6. A pupil with autism Quality First Teaching Additional to/different from Targeted intervention to develop social skills A visual timetable

7. A pupil with dyslexia Quality First Teaching Targeted spelling group intervention Additional to/different from • Allowing a pupil extra time to complete a writing task.

8. A pupil with BESD Quality First Pastoral Support Additional to/different from Managing difficult emotions group. • Restorative approaches

9. Working in partnership with parents • Clarity of information: • Local authorities to set out a local offer of the support that is available for children with SEN or who are disabled and their families and from whom. • In relation to school provision, we propose that this local offer would describe what additional to and different from provision schools make for children with SEN

10. Working in partnership with parents • Clarity of information: • We propose to slim down requirements on schools to publish information that parents find essential • The school’s statutory responsibilities • The school’s approach to SEN • How this approach was consulted on: and • The provision normally available in the school for children with SEN

11. Working in partnership with parents • Dialogue with parents • The structured conversation – • termly, in-depth discussions with parents

12. CPD for teachers and school staff • What has happened to the Inclusion Development Plan training materials? • What CPD is most effective? • Partnership teaching • Coaching • Modelling • Priority

13. Weekly Training Sessions for all Staff • Our weekly training sessions for all staff include: • Supporting students with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) in mainstream classrooms • Specific guidance and support for students with sensory impairments – strategies for the classroom • Supporting students with ADHD – understanding need and developing strategies for support • An introduction to specific learning difficulties – identification and strategies for the classroom • Understanding attachment – strategies for supporting students in your classroom • Developing the inclusive classroom – making your lessons accessible for all. Secondary SENCO

14. Tracking Wider Outcomes and planning action for improvement • Attendance • Behaviour • Bullying • Developing positive relationships • Increasing wider participation

15. A new approach to BESD? • The importance of high quality school policies and procedures for promoting positive behaviour • Identifying the ‘root’ causes of behavioural issues • Assessment of underlying difficulties

16. A new approach to BESD? • Identification of BESD needs – defining BESD needs: • Nature • Frequency • Persistence • Severity • Abnormality • Cumulative effect on the child or young person’s behaviour and/or emotional wellbeing compared to ‘developmental norms’ of all of the above. The Education of children and young people with BESD as a special educational need DCSF 2008

17. Demonstrating Effectiveness • Is your ‘additional to’ and ‘different from’ provision making a difference? • Clear expected outcomes • Baseline assessment • Close tracking of progress • Reassessment at end of intervention • Review of effectiveness

18. Demonstrating Effectiveness • Are pupils with SENDs making good progress? • Academically • In terms of wider outcomes • How do you know? • What evidence base do you have for your judgement?

19. Schools as Commissioners • Greater freedom and flexibility with which funding can be used locally. • Empowering local professionals to develop collaborative, innovative and high quality services • Enabling the voluntary and community sectors to take on a greater role in delivering services