SENJIT SENCOs – Preparing for Change February 2013

Context and Background The Change Process

Key Drivers The Special Educational Needs and Disability Review, A Statement is not enough, Ofsted 2010 The Green Paper – Support and Aspiration: A New Approach to SEN and Disability (March, 2011) Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability – Progress and next steps (May 2012) Children and Families Bill 2012 House of Commons Pre-legislative Scrutiny: Special Educational Needs (Dec 2012) Children and Families Bill 2013: Contextual Information and Responses to Pre-legislative Scrutiny (Feb 2013) Ofsted - The framework for school inspection (January 2013)

Support and Aspiration: A New Approach to SEN and Disability (March, 2011) The Case for Change Around two million children and young people identified as having a special educational need or who are disabled; Their life outcomes are disproportionally poor; Post-16, young people with SEN are more than twice as likely to be not in education, employment or training (NEET) as those without; They can feel frustrated by a lack of the right help at school or from other services; Children’s support needs can be identified late; Parents say the system is bureaucratic, bewildering and adversarial; and Parents have limited choices about the best schools and care.

Support and Aspiration: A New Approach to SEN and Disability (March, 2011) The Green Paper Early Identification and assessment of need Giving parents more control Learning and achieving Preparing for adulthood Services working together for families

Progress and Next Steps (May 2012) The key measures will be: A single assessment process (0-25) which is more streamlined, better involves children, young people and families and is completed quickly. An Education, Health and Care Plan (replacing the statement) which brings services together and is focused on improving outcomes. An offer of a personal budget for families with an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Progress and Next Steps (May 2012) A requirement for local authorities and health services to jointly plan and commission services that children, young people and their families need. A requirement on local authorities to publish a local offer indicating the support available to those with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. The introduction of mediation opportunities for disputes and a trial giving children the right to appeal if they are unhappy with their support.

Progress and Next Steps (May 2012)  Introduction of Health and Development review at age 2 to 21/2.  Early Language Development Programme for practitioners working with children up to 5 years – designed to improve communication and language skills for children in the foundation years, particularly those with SEN.  Independent review on qualifications in early education and childcare to include a consideration of inclusive qualifications which equip people with the skills to successfully support children with SEND.

Progress and Next Steps (May 2012) Statutory information requirements of SEN policies to be slimmed down. Change to the law on parental preference. School Action and School Action Plus (and early years equivalents) will be replaced with a single category of SEN SEN Code of Practice will be revised to give clear guidance on identifying children who have SEN and on the operation of the new single category of SEN.

Progress and Next Steps (May 2012) Expert group to look at the characteristics of pupils currently identified as BESD. Redefinition of the BESD category to identify the underlying emotional or social issues and to ensure the right help is put in place. The definition will be updated within the new SEN Code of Practice.

Progress and Next Steps (May 2012) Improvements to vocational and work-related learning. Offer of supported internships to young people with SEN Reform of funding for SEN with the development of a ‘place-plus’ approach to high needs funding.

The Pathfinders DfE and DH have appointed 20 pathfinders representing 31 local authorities and PCT partners with three common objectives: To develop a new birth to 25 assessment process and single plan incorporating education, health and social care assessments, bringing together the range of support on which children, young people and their parents and families rely; To explore how the voluntary and community sector could improve access to specialist expertise and to introduce more independence to the process; and To ensure the full engagement of children, young people, and their parents and families.

Next Steps – The Pathfinders All pathfinders will work within existing statutory frameworks to test core elements, including: A multi-agency approach, with clear lines of accountability Links between support planning and strategic commissioning, particularly through health and well-being boards Use of personal funding, Pooled and aligned budgets Focus on outcomes in a single plan Transferability of social care support across area boundaries VFM and cost Mediation for parents Some pathfinders will test optional elements of banded funding, age range, support to parents and support to vulnerable groups

Extension to the Pathfinders We have extended funding for the Pathfinders until September 2014 to ensure that learning from the pathfinders continues.... particularly in developing the regulations and Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.

Ofsted Inspection of Maintained Schools and Academies from 1 st September 2012

Overall Effectiveness Outstanding The school’s practice consistently reflects the highest expectations of staff and the highest aspirations for pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Pupils whose cognitive ability is such that their literacy skills are likely to be limited make excellent progress appropriate to their age and capabilities

Achievement of pupils at the school Inadequate Pupils overall, or particular groups of pupils, are consistently making less than expected progress given their starting points. Disabled pupils and/or those who have special educational needs and/or those for whom the pupil premium provides support, are underachieving. There are wide gaps in the attainment and/or the learning and progress of different groups.

Quality of Teaching Inspectors should consider the extent to which the ‘Teachers’ Standards’ are being met.

Teachers’ Standards September 2012 Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils Know when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively Have a secure understanding of how a range of factors can inhibit pupils’ ability to learn, and how best to overcome these Demonstrate an awareness of the physical, social and intellectual development of children, and know how to adapt teaching to support pupils’ education at different stages of development Have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs; those of high ability; those with EAL; those with disabilities; and be able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them.

The Changing Profile of the SENCO The introduction of the SENCO regulations that came into force on 1 st September 2009, requiring that: SENCOs should be teachers with qualified teacher status SENCOs new to the role should undertake mandatory training (the National Award for SEN Co-ordination)

Outcomes? Step change in the way that many SENCOs, but not all, have had their status raised in schools. Feedback from SENCOs participating in the SENCO National Award Courses suggests they now have a high profile in their schools Headteachers and other colleagues are recognising the importance of their strategic role.

Outcomes? Enabled many teachers, with SENCO support, to become teachers of all children in their schools. SENCOs have been able, with the support of SLT, to develop their strategic role in order to influence the development of policies for whole school improvement.

How? The development of new professional knowledge, skills and understanding Opportunities to work strategically within their own setting, given time and access to and participation in key decision-making groups Personal and professional motivation aligned with a commitment to ‘doing the best possible’ to support children and young people with SEN, in ways that are focused on improving outcomes and fostering inclusive practice.

Who will ‘lead’ the new changes? Super SENCO !