Tormead is committed to offering each individual pupil an education appropriate to their needs and it is the responsibility of every member of staff to present the Curriculum in a variety of ways that will make access to it possible. It is expected that most pupils will receive differentiated teaching in a class and that it will be necessary to involve the Learning Support Department only if a pupil is not making the expected progress.

Pupils with special educational needs are those who have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of pupils of the same age.

At Tormead these pupils will often be mildly dyslexic or have related difficulties.

Pupils with special educational needs are the shared responsibility of all staff. Staff should be aware of the needs of individual SEN pupils and be able to respond with the appropriate professional skills.

SEN pupils must have access to the whole Curriculum with differentiation provided so that they can make good progress.

Provision should be flexible, resulting from discussion involving staff, parents and child. Pupils requiring support should be identified as soon as possible after admission and appropriate support provided.

Tormead aims to involve parents and pupils in all decisions, as partners in education.

Staff need to have maximum awareness of SEN and to be continually updated on developments with pupils and on developments of good practice.

Principles

Departments will outline how they intend to meet the needs of students in their subject area. This will be noted in departmental handbooks. Individual teachers will work with the SEN Department to ensure that needs of pupils are known and met.

The school aims to increase differentiation, using appropriate teaching methods that take into account the pupils’ learning styles and providing alternative books and notes where necessary.

Appropriate support will be given to SEN pupils in end of unit tests and examinations.

Pupils will be recorded on the SEN register.

Individual Education Plans will be set up and maintained for supported pupils.

Staff will have opportunities to attend in-service training sessions to increase their knowledge and understanding of this area.

Procedures

Identification

This may be made by the school, as a result of assessment or tests, by parents, previous schools, outside agencies or pupils themselves.

The SENCO will then:

Contact parent or guardians when appropriate
Speak to the pupil
Organise appropriate assessment
Pass on information to staff
Organise withdrawal support if needed

Withdrawal support will be provided, at parents’ expense, when it is felt necessary by teachers, parents, psychologists and support staff. In-class support strategies will be utilised by subject teachers and pastoral support and guidance will be available through Form Tutors and Heads of Section, as appropriate.

There will be close contact with external boards, through the school’s examination officer.

Names of those identified will be included on a register maintained by the SEO.

These pupils will be carefully monitored by all staff and if they are not making the expected progress, the SENCO will be informed, either by the appropriate Head of Section or by the support teacher.

The Headmistress carries the ultimate responsibility for Special Education Provision at Tormead.

The Deputy Head (Curriculum) is the SENCO at Tormead.

The Deputy Head (Curriculum) will:

Be responsible for the day to day management of SEN provision
Keep staff informed about SEN work
Ensure the written SEN policy is implemented
Work closely with the SEN support staff
Be involved in the collaboration of school, parents and pupil to enable the needs of each SEN pupil to be met.
Maintain the SEN register
Identify staff development needs and provide in-service courses and access to information.
Liaise with external agencies and feeder schools when necessary

The SEN support staff will:

Plan Individual Educational Plans in consultation with subject staff
Organise additional resources for use in withdrawal support lessons
Identify staff development needs and provide in-service courses and access to information.
Teach and reinforce appropriate strategies to supported pupils
Help to identify and assess SEN
Interview pupils
Liaise with parents as appropriate
Organise and conduct annual reviews

Subject teachers will:

Be aware of the school’s policy and of the procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for pupils with SEN
Identify each pupils’ needs and skill levels
Plan and execute differentiated activities
Monitor progress and keep records
Liaise with the SEN support staff and Deputy Head (Curriculum) and parents regarding SEN pupils.

Parents will:

Be included in decision-making regarding their child
Be kept informed about progress and action
Be regularly asked for their input at parent-teacher meetings and at private interviews when appropriate

There will be response to any parental concern.

Evaluation

Comments will be made and recorded at staff and departmental meetings
Teaching records and pupils’ work will be accessible
Examination and rest results will be accessible

Regular reviews with pupils and parents will be arranged and recorded

The Individual Education Plan (IEP)

The IEP is an important working document which is compiled for each pupil who receives withdrawal support.

It contains information about the pupil’s present strengths and weaknesses and, importantly, specifies short, attainable targets to help the pupil herself.

Contributions to the IEP come from subject staff, support staff, parents and the pupil herself.

The IEP is reviewed half yearly, although as a working document it can be reviewed more frequently and altered according to the changing needs of the pupil.

All IEP’s will be kept in sectional files in the Staffroom together with résumés of the recommendations made by Educational Psychologists in their reports (Pupil Profiles) and complete Educational Psychologists’ Reports.