1. Introduction to the SEN Department

2. What do you think SEN is? What is special education needs?
Describe what you think a child with special education needs might be like.
Do you think that many people could be said to have a special education need? 

3. What do these people have in common?
1 in 10 people
Tom Cruise (successful actor)
Walt Disney (film producer)
Richard Branson (founded the Virgin group)
Leonardo da Vinci (famous artist) 
Jim Carrey (successful actor)
Albert Einstein (famous physicist)
Steven Spielberg (famous film maker)
Orlando Bloom (successful actor)

4. Key points about SEN It does not mean that the person is lazy.
SEN is not something that you can necessarily see by looking at a person or notice by talking to them.
It is not something that someone should feel ashamed about, it just means that they find certain things trickier than others might. As demonstrated before, it does not mean that a person cannot achieve and be successful in life. 
It does not mean that the person is lazy. 
It is nobody's "fault".

5. Miss Katie Birchall – Primary SENCO
6 years teaching experience in UK schools. 
4 years experience working as SENCO.
Qualifications: Post Graduate Certification in Primary Education, National Award for Special Education Needs Coordination, Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing. 
Training: Autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, dyscalculia, motor difficulties, attachment difficulties, sensory processing disorder, behavioural difficulties and selective mutism. 
Other relevant experience: I have worked with children with a wide range of needs and I have trained teachers, teaching assistants and other SENCOs. At my previous school, the SEN Department that I was responsible for was highly commended by both OfSTED and the local educational psychology service. 

6. SEN at DES The SEN Team: Miss Birchall, Miss Carmen and Mrs Reyes.
The Pearl

7. How are children are identified as needing support from the SEN Team?
I have observed children in all classes across the school, working closely with class teachers to identify which children require additional support from the SEN team. I have taken into consideration their attainment levels, their understanding of English and their attendance, and I have worked with children who have shown difficulties in their learning/behaviours to get to know them and understand their learning needs.
This information is solely for the school and is not recorded anywhere else. Information is kept confidentially and is only shared with the child, their parents and relevant school staff. 

8. Children might need additional support for a number of different reasons: 
Difficulties learning to read
Difficulties with spelling 
Difficulties with maths 
Difficulties with social skills 
Difficulties with remembering things (e.g. what has been taught in previous lessons or verbal instructions)
Difficulties with concentration
Difficulties managing their emotions
Physical difficulties

9. SEN Assessments
Although I am qualified and experienced in using them, diagnostic assessments have not yet been used and these would only be administered where I feel it is necessary to pinpoint barriers to learning.
Sometimes school may consult with outside specialists (e.g. Occupational Health Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists) after discussion with the child's parents. We may also recommend that parents seek further advice and assessment from medical professionals. 

10. How does the school staff support SEN children?
The school staff will support children with special educational needs in a variety of ways depending on individual needs. There are a range of adults who will provide a range of support:
Your child’s teacher, who will always make sure that all tasks set are appropriate and accessible for your child. 
Teaching Assistants: 
Class TAs, who may support children inside the classroom the classroom on a 1-1 and/or small group basis.  
SEN TAs, who may support children in interventions outside the classroom and/or provide additional support in class. 
The SENCo (Miss Katie Birchall) coordinates the provision of SEND across the school.  
The Head of Primary (Mrs Sarah Lewkowicz) who works with the SENCo in leading SEN in school. 
Sometimes school may commission specialist support to work with identified children with a particular focus e.g. Occupational Health Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists. 

11. If my child works with the SEN Team, what exactly does this mean?
If a child is identified as someone who would benefit from additional support from the SEN Team, we identify areas where they need extra support and spend extra time helping them to achieve specific targets. 
Children are not taken out of core lessons, nor are they taken to do extra work in Golden Time or at break times.
At the moment, the SEN team is giving extra support through Precision Teaching, which focuses on giving a child repeated opportunities to rehearse a skill/facts. We only move on to focus on a new learning target when the child has become fluent. This is the area where most children who find learning more difficult come up against challenges in the normal classroom environment – they need more practice to learn these skills/facts than their peers. We are already starting to see high levels of success and progress in the children that we have started working with. 

12. Individual Learning Plans (ILPs)
If your child has been identified as needing extra support, they will have an ILP which their class teacher will discuss with you at the upcoming parents evening meetings. This is a list of written targets that your child will currently be working on in class and/or with the SEN team. This is not something that should cause any alarm; it is a way of ensuring that your child's progress is closely monitoring and of ensuring that all of the teaching staff are working together with yourself and your child to ensure that they are achieving their full potential in school. 
Termly review meetings are planned to review ILPs with the possibility of additional meetings where needed. It is a working document and we will change targets when they have been met. You will receive a printed copy of this, but it is not mandatory that you come into school for a meeting unless you would like to. 
I will be available at parents evening so that the parents of children with ILPs, or any other parents who wish to have a discussion about concerns that they have regarding their child, are able to do so. I am also available to arrange meetings before or after these dates if you would like to discuss any concerns/ask for any advice about your child. 

14. What do I do if I have concerns about my child's learning?
If you think that your child has special educational needs, you should express your concerns with the class teacher, who will be happy to meet with you. Class teachers liaise with the SENCo and together they will decide on any action required to assist pupil progress. 
I am always happy to meet with any parents and I am looking to set up regular drop in sessions where parents can come to speak to me without needing an appointment. 
At the moment, please do call the school office to arrange a meeting time or me

15. Any questions?
Katie Birchall
37507