CONNELL CO-OP COLLEGE

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITY (SEND) POLICY FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2023/24 (Updated September 2023)

Lead name and title:

Rhian Brady [Director of SEND] rhian.brady@coopacademies.co.uk PGCE PGCert, National Award for SEN Co-ordination.

Lauren Turner (Assistant SENCo) lauren.turner@coopacademies.co.uk.

Nina Macdonald (Deputy Director of SEND) nina.macdonald@coopacademies.co.uk The National Award for SEN Co-ordination (NASENCo)

This policy was created by the school’s Director of SEND in liaison with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and has been produced in the spirit of current reform.

1. Aims and Objective

1.1 The aim of this policy is to develop and provide a supportive education for pupils with SEND. Connell Co-op College aims to raise the aspirations of and expectations for all students with SEND. Connell Co-op College provides a focus on outcomes for young people and not just hours of provision/support.

1.2 Our objectives are:

1.2.1 To identify and provide for students who have SEND

1.2.2 To work within the guidance provide in the SEND Code of Practice (2015)

1.2.3 To operate a “whole student, whole College” approach to the management and provision of support for students with SEND

1.2.4 To provide a SENCo who will work with the SEND Policy

1.2.5 To provide support and advice for all staff working with students with SEND

1.2.6 To provide support and advice for parents and families of young people with SEND

2. Definition of SEND

2.1 The College recognises that all young people have learning and/or behavioural needs and that for some these individual needs become special educational needs.

2.2 The College recognises that every teacher is a teacher of every student, including those with SEND

2.3 Whilst it is recognised that young people with SEND are not a readily defined and discrete group, for the purposes of this policy the College adopts the legal definition provided by the SEND Code of Practice (2015): ‘A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her’ (xiii).

2.4 The SEND Code of Practice (2015) says that a young person has a learning difficulty 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 or mainstream post-16 institutions’ (xiv).

2.5 Special Educational Provision means: 

For children aged two or more, special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age by mainstream schools, maintained nursery schools, mainstream post-16 institutions or by relevant early years providers.

2.6 The College recognises that there is a continuum of special educational needs which should be reflected in a continuum of provision and that good practice in special needs goes to the very core of excellent learning and teaching.

2.7 Only in a small minority of cases will a young person have special educational needs of a severity or complexity which require an Education Health and Care Plan (or a Statement of Special Educational Needs under the previous SEN Code of Practice, 2001).

2.8 The SEND Code of Practice (2015; section 6.24) says: Difficulties related solely to limitations in English as an additional language are not SEN.

Appendix 1 and 2 provide further details of the classification and types of SEND.

The College’s SEND Information Report also contains further details of SEND provision.

3. Scope of the Policy

3.1 This policy applies to all young people in the College who have additional or special educational needs. The policy applies equally to all students and their families whatever their gender, ethnic origin, home language, religion, disability, or social circumstances.

3.2 This policy also has implications for all our partners in the SEND process, e.g. trust Academies, governing bodies, parents/carers and statutory voluntary agencies.

4. Responsibilities

4.1 The Governing Body: The Co-op board of directors will ensure the Governing Body will use its best endeavours to ensure high quality education and support for all. There is a nominated Governor with specific responsibility for SEND.

4.2 The Special Education Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENCo): The College recognises that all staff will potentially work with young people with SEND and that all teachers are teachers of those with SEND. The work is led by a Director of SEND who will work closely with the nominated Governor and staff. The role of the Director of SEND within the College is to be responsible for:

• The day to day operation of the College’s SEND policy.
• Liaising with and advising College staff, giving clear guidelines for procedure when needs are identified.
• Coordinating provision for students with SEND.

• Maintaining the College’s SEND register and overseeing records of all young people with SEND.

• Liaising with parents/carers of young people with SEND.
• Contributing to in-service training and professional development of staff.
• Liaising with external agencies including, health and social services and voluntary bodies.
• Liaising with SENCos from other Colleges and schools, to ensure effective use of resources and the development and dissemination of good practice.
• Managing a range of resources, human and material, 1 page profiles linked to young people with SEND.
• Providing support and advice to colleagues.

• Monitoring and evaluating the special needs provision and reporting to the Governing Body on the progress of students with SEND.

4.3 The Principal: The Principal has the responsibility for the overall management of all aspects of the College’s work including provision for young people with SEND and will keep the Governing Body fully informed.

5. Philosophy

5.1 The key values and beliefs that underpin the College’s SEND policy are:

• Equal value and respect for all.
• Equal opportunity for all.
• Recognition of individual differences with special regard for young people with SEND.
• The development of skills for life through the provision of appropriate learning opportunities.
• A constant search for improvement in the quality of service.
• Commitment to both the spirit and statutory requirements of legislation, including partnership between students, parents/carers and professionals.

6. Statement of Principles and Values

6.1 The principles and values within the College’s policy are underpinned by the need to:

• Promote high standards of education for young people with SEND.
• Encourage young people with SEND to participate fully in the College community and take part in decisions about their education.
• Work with other statutory and voluntary bodies to provide support for young people with SEND.
• For young people with SEND, the key principles underpinning this vision and through which the above aims are to be met are:

•                 -  Early intervention.
•                 -  Promoting inclusive education.
•                 -  Partnership with students and parents/carers.
•                 -  Promoting high expectations.
•                 -  Equality of opportunity.
•                 -  Sharing responsibility.
•                 -  Continuum of high quality provision.
•                 -  High quality trained staff.
•                 -  Procedures, which are clear and effective.
•                 -  Monitoring, review and evaluation.
•                 -  Partnership with young people.

6.2 Early intervention. The College will recognise that the early identification of SEND, together with appropriate multi-disciplinary intervention, should reduce the need for more intensive support later in the young person’s life. In working towards this principle the College will ensure that:

• College staff will work closely with secondary and post-19 colleagues on transition.
• The needs of young people with SEND will be identified upon entry to the College.
• Every consideration will be given to the views of young people with SEND in the assessment and decision making process. Parents/ carers will also be consulted with whenever possible.
• Procedures for inter-service and cross-agency referrals will be actively used and regularly reviewed.

6.3 Promoting inclusive education: The College believes that inclusive education is a human right, is good education and makes good social sense. It is recognised that inclusion is a process requiring collaborative input from students and parents/carers, partner schools and academies, support services, other agencies and the broader community.

6.4 Partnership with students and parents/carers: The best results are achieved where the College, students and their parents/carers work in partnership. In working towards this principle the College will:

• Assist students and parents/carers in their understanding of SEND procedures, College based provision, other support available and additional sources of help and information, for example, voluntary organisations, childcare information services and other financial agencies (e.g. Personal Independence Payments; Student Finance).
• Provide opportunities for mediation and discussion where necessary.
• Meet students’ preference for a College place subject to the requirement that their SEND can be met; that the education of other young people will not be adversely affected and that resources are efficiently used.
• Ensure that assessment and review processes center on students’ views and seek and take account of parent/carer views wherever possible.
• Provide clear and informative written advice for students and parents/carers about all aspects of the SEND Code of Practice on the identification and assessment of young people with SEND.
• Provide information about the support services available for young people with SEND within the College and the local area.
• Recognise that young people’s families have valuable knowledge about them which service providers should encourage them to share.
• Encourage families to work in partnership with the College and young person to support their needs.
• Promote mutual respect as the basis for communication between the College, families and young people. This should include sensitivity to families’ and young people’s needs, desires and understanding.
• Develop and promote open, honest and effective means of communication about the needs of young people who have SEND.
• Deliver information in an appropriate and accessible form.

6.5 Promoting High Expectations: The College will set high standards for young people with SEND with an expectation that they will achieve their full potential. In working towards this principle, the College will ensure that:

• Every student with SEND will have reasonable adjustments where required which is made to accommodate their needs.
• Young people with SEND will have equal access to extra-curricular and enrichment activities.
• The use of assessment and value added data will provide effective measures of the performance of young people with SEND.
• All young people should develop high esteem. Through this it is anticipated that young people will contribute to the setting, assessment and review of personal goals.

6.6 Equality of Opportunity: Young people with SEND are entitled to equality of opportunity in all aspects of educational provision and access to a broad and balanced curriculum.  In working towards this principle the College will ensure that:

• All young people are valued equally.
• SEND will not be considered a barrier in achieving a place at the College.
• The building will be Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant.
• All young people will be expected to make progress regardless of gender, SEND, race, faith and culture.
• Additional and specialist resources will enable young people to access the curriculum.
• Additional resources will be allocated to young people with SEND. This will be achieved through adherence to the SEND Code of Practice and to the staged approach to identification and assessment of SEND.

6.7 Sharing Responsibility

6.7.1 The College will work towards meeting young people’s SEND through engaging in joint and collaborative work with a range of other partners and agencies.

6.7.2 College procedures recognise the importance of sharing information and collaboratively supporting the needs of young people with SEND. This is especially important at those periods of a young person’s educational life where transition from one phase of life or education is involved.

8.  Continuum of High Quality Provision. In working towards this principle the College will:

• In accordance with the SEND Code of Practice and DDA, ensure that a young person’s SEND will be met alongside his or her peers and within his or her own community.
• Ensure that a continuum of provision is available to meet a continuum of need.
• Actively use systems to secure collaborative working between the College and external agencies.
• Keep under regular review SEND provision to ensure there is consistency between policies within the College.

6.9 High Quality Trained Staff

6.9.1 Young people with SEND, and their families, have a right to be supported by high quality, skilled professionals. The College will support this principle through ensuring staff have access to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which directly addresses the development of expertise in SEND.

6.9.2  CPD will be comprehensive and addresses the skills and knowledge staff will need to fully support and teach all learners who attend the College with a primary focus on Quality First Teaching. CPD will be available to all staff.

6.10 Clear and Effective Procedures: Procedures for identifying young people with SEND and monitoring their progress will be clear, effective and straightforward. Any such procedures will take account of the most recent SEND Code of Practice in identifying and assessing SEND. In working towards this principle, the College will:

• Focus on preventative work with young people.
• Ensure statements of SEND/ Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and learning plans are reviewed annually and the appropriate action taken where required.
• Ensure procedures for identifying young people with SEND and for monitoring their progress are clear, effective and straightforward and follow published local and national criteria.
• Ensure procedures are in place to make sure the views of young people and, if appropriate, parents/carers are sought when the statutory review process is taking place as well as other professionals involved.
• Ensure procedures are in place to involve young people and, if appropriate, parents/carers in the setting of targets, assessment of progress and review of Access to Learning Plans.
• Monitor and evaluate the College’s performance in relation to young people with SEND using feedback and surveys to gather their views and those of their parents/carers in addition to assessment data.

6.11 Monitoring Review and Evaluation

6.11.1 The College will conduct internal reviews at least annually to complement the on-going monitoring and evaluation of provision and outcomes. The SENCo will report regularly to the Principal and Governing Body in relation to SEND.

6.11.2  Parents/carers may also have a role to play through their contribution to reviews of their young people’s learning.

6.11.3  In carrying out its responsibilities towards young people with SEND, the College will:

• Keep its arrangements and provision for SEND under review.
• Review the effective use of its resources.
• Review and evaluate the College’s arrangements for Individual Learning Plans in partnership with young people, parents/carers and external support services.
• Internally monitor all SEND arrangements and curricular provision against published criteria. Such monitoring will take account of the College Quality Improvement Plan and SEND Policy.

6.11.4 The monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of provision towards meeting the additional needs of young people who have SEND covers a range of important and interrelated areas. In particular:

• Allocation and effective use of resources.
• The performance of local and national support services as experienced by students and staff.
• The performance of College support staff as experienced by students and other staff.
• The provision for young people with SEND within the College including annual review of statements/ EHCPs and 1 page profiles.
• Individual student progress as measured against set targets.
• Use of delegated funds.

6.12 Partnership with Young People

We believe that partnership with young people is essential in relation to SEND and they have the right to have their views incorporated into assessment and review, and to be involved in decision-making about their own SEND. Specifically:

• Young people have the right to have their views, expectations and needs taken into account in all planning.
• Effective action for learners with SEND will often depend on close partnership between the College, the health services and young people’s services. We are committed to implementing such co-operative arrangements in order that services for individual young people and families can be as seamless as possible.
• All young people have the right to learn together, develop relationships and prepare for life in the mainstream.
• All young people should be encouraged to develop a positive sense of self image and a pride in their own identity.
• All young people should be encouraged to accept and value differences.

7.0 Admissions

7.1 Admission of students with SEND is explained in the College’s admission policy

COMPLIANCE

This policy complies with the statutory requirement laid out in the SEND Code of Practice 0 – 25 (2015), point 3.66, and has been written with reference to associated guidance and legislation.

APPENDIX 1

Classification of SEND Provision

1. Additional SEN Support is established when a young person is identified as needing interventions that are additional to or different from those proved as part of the school’s differentiated curriculum and strategies. The child’s needs may be such that the school needs to seek advice and support from external support services.

2. Request for statutory assessment. Such a request may be made by school or parents, for only a very few pupils who have failed to make adequate progress through Additional SEN Support Education. If an EHCP is issued following the assessment process, this is a legal document describing the child’s needs and the provision needed to meet those needs. The EHCP is reviewed on an annual basis and can be reviewed more frequently if there are concerns or the child’s special educational needs (SEND) appear to have changed.

3. One page profiles. Pupils receiving support at Additional SEN Support or via an EHCP should have a record of the support they need on a One page profile This includes a PEN portrait, an overview of their need, strategies, interventions, desired outcomes and termly evaluations. (The 2014 SEN Code of Practice removes the need for IEPs).

APPENDIX 2

Broad areas of need – SEND Code of Practice (2015)

Communication and interaction

Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives.

Children and young people with ASD, including Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others.

Cognition and learning

Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD), where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), where children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment.

Specific learning difficulties (SpLD), affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.

Social, emotional and mental health difficulties

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Schools and colleges should have clear processes to support children and young people, including how they will manage the effect of any disruptive behaviour so it does not adversely affect other pupils. The Department for Education publishes guidance on managing pupils’ mental health and behaviour difficulties in schools – see the References section under Chapter 6 for a link.

Sensory and/or physical needs

Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time. Many children and young people with vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI) or a multi-sensory impairment (MSI) will require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning, or habilitation support. Children and young people with an MSI have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties. Information on how to provide services for deaf/blind children and young people is available through the Social Care for Deaf/blind Children and Adults guidance published by the Department of Health.

Some children and young people with a physical disability (PD) require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers.

RESPONSIBILITY