Strands of action to meet SEN
There is a wide range of approaches and strategies schools can employ to support pupils. Some are resource intensive and others are not. Where positive attitudes exist towards inclusion, it is possible to successfully include the vast majority of pupils in mainstream schools. Many examples can be found in schools across the country.
Special educational needs are relative, not fixed in individuals, since they depend on the learning environment provided by the school. A special need in one class or school may not be a special need in another.
There is sometimes a tendency to assume that a pupil with a particular special need requires a particular level of resource to meet his/her needs. Such rigid thinking rarely leads to the best provision, since it is not responsive to the individual’s needs.
Commitment and creativity are the keys to success, and schools should continuously seek to develop staff, and to find new ways to meet the needs of all learners. Parents/carers and pupils should always be involved in discussion about how individual needs can be met, including the drawing up of individual education plans (IEPs).
The Code of Practice identifies four strands of action which schools can take:
- Assessment planning and review
- Grouping for teaching purposes
- Additional human resources
- Curriculum and teaching methods
Ask yourself
Class or subject teacher
- What information do I have about the pupils in my class from the SENCO and/or previous school?
- Am I familiar with the content of any IEPs for my pupils?
- Do I consult with the SENCO on the best way to meet their needs?
- How do I involve parent/carers and pupils in drawing up IEPs?
- Do I make my own assessment of their needs?
- What do I need to do to differentiate work within the classroom?
- What grouping arrangements do I need to put in place?
- What additional resources do I have and how do I know I am using them effectively?
- Are there any other strategies I need to employ, and if so, do I need any additional training?
SENCO
- Do I give the class or subject teacher full information on each pupil’s needs?
- Do I discuss strategies to meet pupil’s needs with the class/subject teacher, and teaching assistants?
- How do I involve parent/carers and pupils in drawing up IEPs?
- Do I ensure everyone has a copy of the IEP for each pupil?
- What additional resources might I need to implement particular strategies, and have I discussed these with the head teacher/SMT?
- What training might class/subject teachers need?
- What liaison and advice do I need to have with support agencies?
Head teacher
- What discussions have I had with the SENCO regarding staffing and budgets?
- Do I know how much resource is available to the school and are the SENCO and others aware of this?
- Have I allocated sufficient resources?
- What liaison and advice does the school require with outside agencies?
- How do I monitor the effectiveness of support put in place?
- Do I need to recruit additional staff or buy equipment? What is the time scale?
- What rearrangements of staff timetables do I need to make?
- Do I need to look at the curriculum teaching methods to include all pupils in the school?
- Am I enabling each individual to be included by making reasonable adjustments to the school and curriculum?
- What additional training do my staff need?
- Is the school operating according to our SEN policy?
- Do I keep parents/carers informed about our policies?
- Do I keep the SEN Governor informed of SEN issues at the school? Can he/she give me any advice?
School Governor
- Am I taking an active interest in how the school meets the needs of children with SEN?
- Is this in accordance with the school’s SEN policy?
- What information are other governors and I being supplied with by the school? Is there additional information that we need?
- What are the resource implications of meeting SEN needs?
- What monitoring and review arrangements are there in place?
- Are we operating within LEA policy?
- Are we operating within the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act?
- Do I need additional training in my role as a SEN Governor?
Videos