Work of the SEN section
At any given time about 20% of children may experience some difficulties or barriers to learning in school or nursery. Many children, however, make good progress with the support provided by their teachers. Some children may continue to have difficulties and, in these cases, schools and nurseries will often seek the additional advice and support from a support teacher or an educational psychologist. Schools will liaise with parents and other professionals to support these pupils.
The Children and Young People’s Directorate is able to fund support for children with special educational needs. Most of this funding goes into schools automatically each year through an agreed formula.
In a very small number of cases, a decision is made in school or nursery, in consultation with parents, to request a statutory assessment. This is a detailed assessment designed to find out more about a child's special needs and to then decide on how the child should be supported in the future. A statutory assessment is usually requested by agreement between parents and school and is for children with very complex learning difficulties. Less than 3% of the school population will have this very high level of need.
Staff in SEN Section process these referrals in accordance with the Code of Practice guidelines. They work hard to meet performance targets on the completion of statutory assessments for children with special educational needs within timescales laid down by the Government. (See below for references to the SEN Code of Practice). The SEN Section is also responsible for assisting in the transition from nursery to primary school and from primary school to secondary school for children who have undergone a statutory assessment and have a statement of special educational needs.
Throughout the year the SEN Section works closely with schools, other colleagues in the Children and Young People’s Services and other agencies such as the Health Authority and Connexions. The section works in close partnership with the support teachers and the educational psychology service. Together, we provide support, advice and guidance to schools and to parents of children with special educational needs.
Most of the work carried out to support special educational needs is based on the guidance provided in the Governments' Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and the related Education Acts of Parliament. The legislation is found mainly in the Education Act (1996) and the new SEN & Disability Act 2001. The Children and Young People’s Directorate also identifies its own priorities, which it outlines in its Education Development Plan.
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