This policy sets out the procedures for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the education and learning setting of International School.
The Directors, Principal and staff of International School are committed to providing an appropriate and high-quality education to all our students. We believe that all children, including those identified as having special educational needs or disabilities, have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum. This curriculum should be accessible, and all students should be fully included in all aspects of school life.
We believe that:
This framework outlines how International School endeavours to meet its duty and obligation to provide a high-quality education to all its students, including students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and to make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of students with SEND.
Through successful implementation, the school aims to use our best endeavours to make sure that every child with SEND gets the support they need to:
In England, under the law, a child or young person has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her (Children and Families Act, 2014, Part 3, 20 (1) and the educational provision that is required to meet the needs is ‘special’. According to the Children and Families Act, 2014, Part 3, 20 (2), a child or young person may be seen as having such a difficulty if s/he experiences
Many children and young people who have SEN may also have a disability under the Equality Act 2010. This is defined as’…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’. ‘Long-term’ is defined as ‘a year or more’. ‘Substantial’ is defined as ‘more than minor or trivial’ SEND Code of Practice (2015). This may include children and young people with long-term medical conditions for whom adjustments will be made as required by the Equality Act, 2010.
Special educational needs and provision can be considered as falling under four broad areas. The SEND Code of Practice 2015 (section 6.25-6.32) identifies four areas of need:
A broad ranging group of learning difficulties including Dyslexia and Dyspraxia as Specific learning Difficulties (SPLD), Moderate learning Difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) where children and young people will need support in the curriculum and may have associated mobility and communication difficulties, to those with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) where children and young people have severe and complex learning difficulties with physical disability and/or sensory impairment.
Children and Young people diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attachment Disorder may need additional support in the curriculum. Those with Mental Health Difficulties such as anxiety, depression, self-harming, substance abuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained may also need additional or different support to access education.
It may not be uncommon for a child or young person to have needs from a combination of these areas and so there will be overlaps in the provisions put in place to support these. Factors such as undiagnosed learning difficulties, difficulties with communication or mental health issues may also emerge and develop over time and sometimes this may manifest through challenging behaviour. In these cases, a special educational need may be identified. Support will be put in place to ensure that these difficulties do not have a negative impact on the learning of the individual or other students.
To ensure the best possible outcomes for all students, International School has created a “waves” system reflecting the recognised areas of SEND to balance the level and number of SEND needs with the provision and adjustment available at the school (See Appendix).
Note: English requires particular care. It is essential to establish whether lack of progress is due to limitations in their command of English or if it arises from SEN or a disability. Difficulties related solely to limitations in English as an additional language are not SEND and must be referred to EAL.
The SENDCo has day-to-day responsibility for the operation of the SEND policy and coordination of the specific provision made to support individual children with SEND, including those who have Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
The SENDCo, in conjunction with the Head of the LDC, provides professional guidance to colleagues and will work closely with staff, parents and carers, and other agencies. The SENDCo should be able to work with professionals providing a support role to the family to ensure that children with additional needs receive appropriate support and high-quality teaching.
The key responsibilities of the SENDCo along with the Head of the LDC include:
Principal: The Principal will work with the SENCO to determine the strategic development of the SEND policy and provision in the school.
All staff should be:
The Directors, Principal and staff will endeavour to ensure that reasonable adjustments are made in order for those students with SEND to engage in the activities of International School alongside their peers without SEND. This should include:
The school adheres to the admissions policy and has no special provision under admissions arrangements for limiting or promoting access for students with special educational needs who are without Education Health Care Plans. It does, however, endeavour to provide appropriate support for students with a range of special educational needs and disabilities.
The SENDCo is available to speak to students and parents about any concerns they may have about transition to this school and the provision the school can put in place to support the needs of individual students. Should the school believe that they are unable to meet the needs of a student with an EHCP, for example unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child, or ‘others’ meaning the children or young people they will directly come into contact with on a regular day to day basis, they will need to send across a comprehensive report to the LA, outlining the reasons for this. The SENDCo will ensure that all information is gathered to inform this decision, including discussions with parents/carers, the student’s current school and the LA.
The identification of students who may have additional learning needs or disabilities is built into the overall approach of monitoring the progress and development of all students as specified in the Code of Practice 2015. International School has recently begun to assess the skills and attainment levels of all students on entry. This may result in children who have previously had SEND support no longer requiring it and vice versa.
Where children are considered to be falling behind their peers, given their age and starting point, it should not be assumed that there may be need for SEND Support. However, additional teaching support should be provided. If students fail to make adequate progress, despite this focused support, specific needs may be identified.
The Code of Practice 2015 defines adequate progress to include progress which:
All children within our care will have access to quality first teaching provided by each and every member of staff. All teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the students in their class/classes, including where students access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff. High quality teaching, differentiated for individuals and groups of students, is the first step in responding to students who have or may have special educational needs. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.
High quality teaching is promoted in our school through appraisal procedures, these may include:
The school has systems for regularly observing, assessing and recording the progress of all children; this system is then used to identify children who may have additional needs. This system includes reference to information provided by:
Based on the School’s observations and assessment data and, following a discussion between the class teachers, SLT, SENDCo and parent, children may be recorded as needing either additional support or learning opportunities.
These children and young people are recorded as having SEND Support on the school information system (iSAMS) located under SEN Manager on the SEND database. In addition, International School is introducing Provision Map a software programme that map out interventions and keeps track of SEND students, SEND needs and staff involved with in each intervention.
If SEND support has not had the appropriate impact, all members of staff and parents can raise their concerns to the SENDCo and/or appropriate member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), who will then decide how to proceed.
Special educational provision is defined in the Code of Practice 2015 as educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for others of the same age. This means provision that goes beyond the differentiated approaches and learning arrangements normally provided as part of high quality, personalized teaching.
This may take the form of additional support from within the setting or require the involvement of specialist staff or support services provided by external agencies. Key links are in place with relevant services and established professional relationships.
Specialist teaching staff and learning support staff are deployed according to individual need as directed by SENDCo in conjunction with the Head of the LDC. A variety of approaches are used:
International School addresses the needs of each student by providing them with enriching career and educational related experiences and guidance, to ensure they are fully equipped with the knowledge to which they are entitled, to enable them to make informed decisions about important life and school choices with the necessary support. Key information relating to SEND strategies as well as Access Arrangement entitlements are communicated quickly and confidentially with new settings to ensure a smooth transition for students.
The school recognizes the importance of the role of parents and aims to work in partnership with students and parents/carers. In working with parents, the school aims to: