SEN Policy and Practice – looking beyond the legislation NAHT special schools, specialist and alternative provision conference Thursday 21 st and Friday 22 nd March 2014

Current Statistics 2.8% of pupils across all schools have a statement o 53% Mainstream o 39.6% Maintained Special School o 4.9% Independent School o 1.8% Non – Maintained Special School o 0.7% Pupil Referral Units 16.0% of pupils identified as having SEN (School Action and School Action Plus) with no statement DfE First Release – National Statistics January 2013

Complex needs Co-existing, Overlapping, Co-morbidity, Co-occurring Neuro-developmental disorders, chromosomal disorders, poverty, environmental, mental health, alcohol, drugs and smoking, premature birth, modern medical science etc. Schools and a workforce to meet the needs of 21 st Century children

Where are we now? February 2013 – Children and Families Bill introduced in House of Commons October 2013 – Committee stage in House of Lords October 2013 Draft Code of Practice and Regulations 13 th March 2014 – Children and Families Act Spring 2014 – Code of Practice published September 2014 – Implementation of Act September 2014 – Transitional arrangements

Draft Code of Practice A single piece of statutory guidance on SEN that reflects the new 0-25 SEN system. Clearer and more concise. Information on the provisions set out in the Children and Families Act SEN Support (also known as the ‘Single Category’) based on 4 types of action – plan, assess, do, review Social, mental and emotional health replaces behaviour, social and emotional as an area of need Quality first teaching and a graduated approach embedded throughout SEN provision is that which goes beyond the differentiated approaches and learning arrangements normally provided as part of high quality personalised teaching Appropriate evidence – based interventions Local offer will indicate how school will access assessment for EHC plan Definitions of SEN remain the same – additional to or different from Disabled children and young people without SEN are now covered by Bill and Code of Practice No mention of IEPs

Draft Code of Practice Special schools (in the maintained, academy, non-maintained and independent sectors), special post 16 institutions and specialist colleges all have an important role in providing for C&YP with SEN Developing and working collaboratively with mainstream and special settings to develop and share expertise and approaches Alternative provision should provide education on a par with that of mainstream provision, including support to meet the needs of C&YP with SEN

Draft Code of Practice Children and young people without an EHC Plan can be placed in Special Schools and specialist post 16 institutions: Where they are admitted to be assessed for an EHC plan Where they are admitted due to a change in their circumstances Where they are in hospital and admitted to a hospital school Where they are admitted to a Special academy where admittance criteria allow for this

Statements to EHC Plans Pupils at transition points At annual review Currently 3 years of transition Dual system – parents responses Personal budgets Differing EHC Plans from neighbouring authorities Will provision and resource be equal?

Education, Health and Care Plans Each local authority may have a different format Outcomes focused – evidenced based Set out how services will work together to meet the C&YP needs Based on co-ordinated assessment and planning process – child or young person at centre of decision making Describe positively what child or young person can do and has achieved Indicate how education, health and care provision will be integrated Forward looking

School Offer – Local Offer Local authorities must publish a local offer, setting out in one place information about provision the expect to be available for C&YP in their area who have SEN What does my school offer children, young people and their families? Local offer will set out clearly what support is available from different services – will this include the services available in special schools? Difference in Local Offer from one authority to another The process to get from Single category to Statutory assessment

School to school support Collaborative working – mainstream and specialist setting Role of Alternative Provision and PRUs Provider of services Continuing Professional Development Complex needs is mainstream schools Improved transition

Opportunities Closer working relationships with other schools Commissioning opportunities – reduction in local authority/health support services Better trained teachers to meet the needs of all pupils Flexibility in curriculum and assessment Improved 16 – 25 provision Voice of children, young people and their families

Challenges Mainstream schools not able to meet needs – increase in admission numbers Non-maintained and Independent sector Young people at 16 expressing their wishes for particular types of provision Improving educational opportunities Funding Reform

Don’t forget Early Years – Disadvantaged 2 year olds National Curriculum Reform Assessment Reform Examination Reform - 16 and beyond Funding Reform & Pupil Premium Ofsted Inspection Framework

Key message…. Every teacher is responsible and accountable for all pupils in their class wherever or with whoever the pupils are working

Professional Development Whole School Training – Sharing good practice and expertise o Audit of skills internally o Audit of need o Planned CPD opportunities o Reflecting on practice Department/Phase/Key Stage Individual Wider School Workforce Governing Body Parents External Support

Lorraine