CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
Upwards of 20% of pupils in mainstream schools will have special educational needs at some stage in their time at school. Of these, a minority will have special needs which are deemed sufficiently long-term to warrant issuing a Statement of Special Educational Needs.

Most children with Statements are supported in mainstream school, although special arrangements are made for children with severe, complex and long term disabilities. The Governors have a duty to see that the special needs of any Statemented pupils are met, that the needs are known to all those who are likely to teach them and that the teachers in the school are aware of the importance of identifying and providing for those Statemented pupils.

A whole school response is needed for all pupils who have special educational needs and all teachers must consider themselves teachers of these children. This whole school response involves all members of staff and it relates to the way pupils are identified and assessed as having special educational needs; the degree of differentiation for different levels of ability and the way classroom approaches, strategies, methods, materials and groupings in the subject based courses are adapted to meet particular needs in the light of both the 1981, 1988 and 1994 Education Acts.

The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Department uses the following strategies to enable all pupils to have access to the curriculum:

1. Teaching Support
This can include support teaching within the classroom, team teaching and withdrawal of small groups of boys to work on a topic for a specified amount of time.
2. Syllabus Design/Materials
The department can give help in deciding the arrangement of topics within a subject area and can help with the preparation of materials at a variety of levels. Advice on readability levels of text books and their suitability for the class can also be offered.
3. Withdrawal
A few boys may benefit from the support of a small group situation for short periods during the week, where they can receive intensive help with reading, writing and spelling.
4. Information Communication Technology/Successmaker Statmented pupils and those others placed on the Special Educational Needs register receive 3 or more lessons of Successmaker per week. Pupils have an individualised programme of work relating to their own Individual Education Plan (IEP) based on the system.

Successmaker is an Integrated Learning System which teaches a structured course in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Students are carefully monitored by the system to ensure that progress is being made and the system provides detailed reports to aid planning and monitoring. This ensures that all students with designated Special Educational Needs have work appropriate to their ability.

5. Curriculum Development
Help with Curriculum Development which involves departments in reviewing their courses to see how well they meet the needs of pupils with learning difficulties is a vital function of the SEN Department.
We use these strategies and procedures for the support of Statemented pupils and pupils with additional needs within mainstream provision:
The Code of Practice: Statemented pupils
The school follows the DfES guidance and adopts a five-stage model for the identification and assessment of students with Special Educational Needs.

The stages are best described as follows:-
Stage 1: A teacher raises a concern about a pupil and his learning.
Stage 2: The SENCO will assess the pupil in conjunction with his parents and prepare an Individual Education Plan.
Stage 3: The SENCO will be sufficiently concerned to seek further assessment from an outside agency or the school's Educational Psychologist to determine the degree of need evidenced by the student.
Stage 4: A request for a Statutory Assessment is made to Camden Local Education Authority: if agreed by the Authority, the student will move on to
Stage 5: The pupil is issued with a statement of Special Educational Need.

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT TEACHERS – JOB DESCRIPTION
The central aim of support provided in the school by Individual Support Teachers (ISTs) is to help the supported, statemented pupils to make maximum progress and learn as effectively and as independently as possible.

Role and responsibilities
• Devising and delivering programmes of support.
• Providing all of the pupil's teachers with detailed information on his learning needs and difficulties, suggestions on teaching strategies and approaches.
• Preparing and developing differentiated materials.
• Monitoring and promoting progress across the curriculum.
• Keeping records of teaching sessions, contacts with parents/carers, any discussion with external agencies and any important consultation with subject or pastoral staff.
• Forming good relationships with parents/carers, and keeping them fully informed and involved in their son's education

Professional skills and development

All ISTs will need to have a range of skills relevant to their work with pupils with a Statement of SEN, and must have sufficient knowledge, skills and experience to provide support.

ISTs are entitled to training to maintain and extend their skills. They will receive relevant information and suitable support and guidance.

Membership of the SEN
ISTs are expected to commit a substantial part of the time to SEN work, regularly attend SEN meetings and contribute to the overall development of SEN provision in the school.

Membership of the school
ISTs are expected to be active members of the school community and contribute to the day to day life of the school. They must follow whole school policies on matters such as behaviour, anti-bullying, Special Educational Needs and equal opportunities and make a contribution to curriculum development.

LEARNING SUPPORT ASSISTANT – JOB DESCRIPTION
Responsible to: Headteacher/Head of Special Needs - the post holder will work under the day-to-day direction and guidance of the SENCO, the named IST, and, in lessons, the class teacher(s).
Job purpose: - For X hours each week (to be specified), to assist the class teacher(s) with the particular support to be given to students with statements of special educational needs.

The post holder will be expected to:
• develop an understanding of the educational, welfare and social needs of the students with whom s/he is working
• have due regard to the confidentiality of information on students
• form good relationships with pupils, other staff and parents
• work co-operatively as part of a team
• become familiar with and apply the school's policies.

Governors' Annual Review: Autumn Term