Special educational needs and disabilities

Aims and Context
This policy has been written with reference to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2014. It has also been written with reference to sections 29, 35 and 63-65 of the Children and Families Act 2014. This school believes that high quality teaching that is differentiated for all, underpins progress for all pupils, including those with SEND. It is our aim to:
• provide a safe and happy environment in which all pupils have the opportunity to develop personally, physically, socially, academically and spiritually
• provide a relevant curriculum with a wide range of learning experiences to meet the differing needs of individual pupils whilst offering equality of opportunity and high standards of teaching

Objectives
1. To identify and provide support for pupils who have Special Educational Needs and other related needs.
2. To work towards the guidance contained in the SEND Code of Practice.
3. To operate a ‘whole child’ approach to the management of SEND.
4. To provide a Special Educational Needs Coordinator who will manage the implementation of this policy.
5. To provide advice and support for all staff working with special needs pupils.
6. To ensure all teaching and support staff are involved in planning and meeting the learning needs of pupils with special educational needs.
7. To ensure that the school liaises effectively with special schools and other outside agencies in order to meet the needs of staff and pupils.
8. To develop and maintain partnerships with parents.
9. To ensure access to the curriculum for all pupils.

Identifying Special Educational Needs
Pupils are identified as having Special Needs initially through liaison with feeder primary schools. Learning Support staff from Turton attend transitional reviews at feeder primaries, interview Year 6 class teachers, attend meetings where they will meet prospective pupils’ parents and work with and observe pupils in their primary classrooms. Continuity of provision is made in this way and through transfer of LA recording documentation and transition documentation. The SEND Code of Practice 2014 states that:

Children have a learning difficulty if they: ‘Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age’. ‘Have a disability which prevents or hinders the child from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority’.
Broad areas of Special Need Education provision should be matched to the child’s identified SEN. Students’ SENs are generally thought of in the following four broad areas of need and support:
• Cognition and Learning
• Communication and Interaction
• Social, Mental and Emotional Health
• Physical and/or Sensory needs