SCHOOL SEND POLICY
Click here to access the Clavering Policy for Children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities.
The Clavering SEND Policy reflects the fundamental principles of the SEN Code of Practice (DfES, 2001) and all current legislation and governmental policy, including the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (HMSO, 2001) and the Special Educational Needs (Information) Act 2008 (HMSO, 2008).
In writing this policy, the Clavering Governing Body has taken into account the Coalition government’s Green Paper Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs (DfE, 2011 – available on the Intranet) which claims to set out an ‘ambitious vision for reform … [including] wide ranging proposals to improve outcomes for children and young people who are disabled or have SEN’ (DfE, 2011, p. 13).
The Clavering Governing Body acknowledges how changes in governmental policy have resulted in a ‘changing landscape’ (Hallett and Hallett, 2010, p. 9) in relation to SEN and the role of the SENCo. The Coalition government, as outlined in its The Case for Change report (DfE, 2010), has recognised a need for change within both the education and SEN systems. This need to transform an outdated model is supported by many others (Warnock, 2005; House of Commons Select Committee, 2006; Lamb, 2009; Alexander, 2010) and certainly all connected with Clavering Primary School are committed to ongoing improvements to learning and teaching.
The Clavering SEND Policy aims to promote maximum achievement and attainment for children with SEN and/or disabilities (SEND) at Clavering Primary School because:
'All children deserve a good education, with staff in schools giving them the confidence, self belief and teaching that they need to fulfil their potential'
(DfE, 2011)
The SEND Policy is written for all staff because, in order for SEND systems to change to enable improvements in practice for all pupils with SEND and their parents and families, all staff – particularly teachers and support staff – need to be actively involved at the appropriate level because, after all,:
'All teachers are teachers of SEN'
(DfES, 2001; House of Commons, 2006; Lamb, 2009)
The aims of the Special Educational Needs policy are:
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to promote an inclusive ethos throughout the school;
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to enable pupils with SEND to have their needs met;
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to take into account the views of the pupils with SEND;
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to encourage good communication with parents of children with SEND;
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to facilitate full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education, including an appropriate curriculum for the foundation stage and the National Curriculum, for pupils with SEND.
To attain this, members of staff at Clavering Primary School will:
- recognise the needs of the individual;
- differentiate teaching methods to suit individual needs;
- differentiate the curriculum content so that it is attainable by all;
- take consideration of the SEN Code of Practice;
- acquire appropriate specialist support whenever possible;
- provide a stimulating and positive environment;
- develop working partnerships with parents;
- provide suitable and adequate resources;
- pass information and expertise through SEND procedures and meetings.
Clavering Primary School is committed to inclusion and is respected in the community for being a highly inclusive school.
Part of the school’s strategic planning for improvement is to develop cultures, policies and practices that include all learners. The school aims to engender a sense of community and belonging, and to offer new opportunities to learners who may have experienced previous difficulties.
This does not mean that staff will treat all learners in the same way, but that the school will respond to learners in ways which take account of their varied life experiences and needs.
Clavering Primary School believes that educational inclusion is about equal opportunities for all learners, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, impairment, attainment and background.
The Clavering SEND policy outlines the way the school meets the need of children who experience barriers to their learning, which may relate to sensory or physical impairment, learning difficulties or emotional or social development, or may relate to factors in their environment, including the learning environment they experience in school.
The school recognises that pupils learn at different rates and that there are many factors affecting achievement, including ability, emotional state, age and maturity.
The school is particularly aware of the needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, for whom maturity is a crucial factor in terms of readiness to learn.
The school believes that many pupils, at some time in their school career, may experience difficulties which affect their learning, and the school recognises that these may be long or short term.
Clavering Primary School aims to identify these needs as they arise and provide teaching and learning contexts which enable every child to achieve to his or her full potential.