SEN Newsletter - Autumn 2012

ewsletter
Autumn 2012
In this issue... Fountains Sensory
Room, Guide to the Law, Teacher Study
Group at Cheslyn Hay... Plus much
more
2
Fountains Sensory Room
Work Based
Learning at Saxon
Hill School
3
Loss and Grief Training
5
Guide to the law for Governors
7
SENCo Update
9
Teacher Study Group at Cheslyn Hay
11
Windsor Park and Improving outcomes
13
Advance
Training
Materials
15
Noticeboard
17
New Statutory requirements
18
Education Transformation, Kingston Centre, Fairway,
Stafford. ST16 3TW Telephone: 01785 278723
EDITORIAL TEAM:
Carol Smart
Kirsty Henshall-Clowes
Editor
Design/Production
New editorial team members always welcome. Please contact the editor
Hello...
SENCos continue to be a key aspect in enabling the
changes proposed by the Government. In the recent
reform document under the heading ‘Special
educational provision: functions of governing bodies
and others’, there is specific reference to SENCos with
the explanatory note making it clear that:
• governing bodies of maintained mainstream
schools and maintained nursery schools, and
proprietors of mainstream academy schools, are
required to ensure that there is a designated
member of staff as SENCo
• the SENCo will have responsibility for coordinating
special educational provision for children and young
people with special educational needs in their
school
Clause 40 indicates that regulations may:
• require governing bodies or proprietors of schools
to ensure that SENCos have prescribed
qualifications or prescribed experience (or both)
• confer other functions relating to SENCos on
governing bodies or proprietors e.g. identifying their
role and ensuring sufficiency of capacity.
This suggests that the government is committed to
reaffirming the importance of the role of the SENCo as
outlined in the 2001 SEN Code of Practice and the
SENCo regulations implemented in 2009. The new
draft legislative provisions for SEN apply directly to
mainstream academy schools (including free schools)
and indicates that any regulations concerning the
designation, role and training of SENCos will also
apply to these schools.
It therefore continues to be essential that SENCos in
all schools ensure that they are confident regarding
changes and the actions they need to instigate in order
to support school improvement. I hope that the
information provided in the SEN Newsletter and the
SENe-update supports SENCos to fulfill this
demanding role.
Regards Carol Smart, SEN Adviser,
[email protected]
Sensory Room for the Fountains
On 12th June, Phil Vickery, ex England Rugby player attended The Fountains school in
Burton to open their new sensory room. This facility had been partially funded by a grant
from the Wooden Spoon charity and will provide a multisensory environment to support the
teaching and communication of the pupils who attend The Fountains school
The Wooden Spoon charity emerged in 1983 after England's Rugby team was defeated by
the Irish. Drowning their sorrows in a Dublin bar, some English fans were presented with a
wooden spoon by the victorious Irish to symbolise a winless Five Nations Championship.
Accepting the spoon with as much good humour and grace as could be mustered under the
circumstances, the friends resolved to hold a charity golf match to see who would have the
honour of keeping the spoon. The money raised bought a minibus for a local school and the
idea for a charity was born. http://www.woodenspoon.com/home.php
2
Work Based Learning
Innovative developments at Saxon Hill School to create
opportunities for students with physical and learning disabilities
Finding an appropriate work experience setting for
any student can be a perplexing time. Businesses are
working with reduced staffing models and have other
priorities in the current economic climate. Add to that
equation that we would like to place students with a
disability into a work setting for something more than
a token offer, then you can sense the apprehension
and reluctance for many businesses to accommodate
our students. This is a common problem for many
special schools across the country. However, many
schools across the country have come up with unique
solutions to provide a meaningful workbased
experience and “Project Search” is one such scheme
which has been successful in supporting students in
work placements across the country.
Although short term work placements have a role to
play, at Saxon Hill, we knew that we needed a solution
that was embedded in our sixth form curriculum.
Once students had attained accreditation by Y11,
learning needed to be geared around an applied
vocational experience through their final transition
years. Our first success was to build a strong working
relationship with Shenstone Garden Centre. It became
apparent that, as an accessible work environment, it
had all the ingredients to build a dynamic work skills
curriculum where the students could engage with
customers, help on point-of-sale, product displays,
horticulture as well as the hidden aspects of
communication, health and safety education and
understanding the factors that drive the business year.
3
Last year we sealed our partnership with the
installation of a classroom on the garden centre site
so that our students can now access weekly
workbased learning at Shenstone, year round. But
this success is just phase 1 of our ambition to build a
relevant and sustainable work based vocational
programme.
Our partnership with Shenstone gives us our “Retail”
strand, but we also wanted a robust “Business and
Enterprise” strand, along with “Hospitality and
Catering”. We knew it would be difficult to find similar
partnerships to facilitate this, so we decided to set up
our own business. Saxon Hill’s Assistant Business
Manager, Wes Morris, developed the idea that has
become Lichfield Scrap Barn Community Interest
Company. As an independent registered company,
with its own board of directors, and financially
independent from the school, its brief is to source and
re-sell upcycled and recycled equipment and
materials, to manufacture items from recycled
materials, and to sell craft materials and run craft
workshops.
The Scrap Barn will be run initially by a volunteer
workforce, with our sixth form curriculum meshing
into the operation of the company.
The business has its headquarters based in a portable
building on the school site which will run the
e-business aspects such as an Ebay store, Amazon
store and direct e-sales via the website.
Taking Pride
in Success
In addition to this, Lichfield Scrap Barn
has secured business premises at
Chasewater Innovation Centre for our
students to operate its manufacturing,
craft workshops and direct customer retail.
We are also developing potential to offer
post-19 work placements for adults with
disabilities in partnership with
Staffordshire Adult Services. See more at:
www.lichfieldscrapbarn.co.uk
Through serious fund raising efforts, successful grant
bids and budget management, we are now able to
proceed with the second phase to build our new
school kitchen and dining extension, along with a
community café which will be operated by volunteers
and students from Saxon Hill.
The café will be registered as a separate enterprise
and will be expected to pay its own way as a business.
Again, our students will access this through their
curriculum offer. Building for the new café will
commence this summer with anticipated completion
during the autumn term.
The three projects together give us a powerful
resource that offers meaningful work based learning in
a range of contexts as our students transit through the
sixth form. By the time they are ready to leave, they
will have had an embedded vocational experience,
and opportunity to achieve diplomas in skills for
working life, and independent living skills, accredited
through WJEC and NOCN. This accreditation will be
suplemented by AQA Unit Awards, to enable all
students to access and achieve at every level, and to
allow us to respond and adapt to the evolving work
contexts.
To deliver our “Hospitality and Catering” strand, we
have been working hard to raise funds to build our
Community Café at Saxon Hill School. We completed
the first phase earlier this year with the opening of our
extension community carpark, which was funded
substantially by a Section 106 grant through the district
council.
Fundraising for these projects has been challenging in
many ways, particularly for one of our intrepid sixth
form students who, despite his quadraplegic cerebral
palsy, was sponsored to travel 100km from London to
Brighton in 24 hours in a specially adapted wheelchair!
Supported by three teams of six operating in relay,
Shaun covered the distance, travelling day and night
non-stop to achieve this goal, raising nearly £5000!
If you would like more information on any of these projects, or would like consultancy on setting up
a business enterprise to support education, we would be delighted to share our experiences with
you. Jon Thickett Headteacher Saxon Hill School
Are you ready for RPA?
Raising the Participation Age (RPA) is coming into effect from Summer 2013. RPA is being implemented in two
stages: From 2013, young people will be required to continue in education or training until the end of the academic
year in which they turn 17. In 2015, they will be required to continue until their 18th birthday. This does not
necessarily mean staying in school. Young people will be able to choose how they participate post-16, which could
be through:
• Full-time education, such as school, college or home education;
• Work-based learning, such as an Apprenticeship;
• Part-time education or training if they are employed, self employed or volunteering for 20 hours or more a week.
...Continued on page 6
4
British Dyslexia
Association New
Technologies
Committee
The B.D.A. NTC is a committee of the British
Dyslexia Association (B.D.A.), whose aim is
to support those looking for ICT based
solutions to challenges that impact on those
with dyslexia. Their website contains a great
deal of information that will be of value to
schools. http://bdatech.org/
Pupil Premium
The Department for Education has confirmed
that the level of the Pupil Premium for 2012-13
will rise from £600 to £619. This follows a
smaller than expected rise in the number of
pupils registering for free school meals in
January 2012. The allocations to schools will be
revised to reflect this change in the per pupil
amount. In addition the Pupil Premium will rise to
£900 per pupil In April 2013 for every child
registered as eligible for free school meals
(FSM) at any point in the past six years and
children in care who have been looked after for
six months.http://preview.tinyurl.com/8bes8xx
The Pupil Premium 20 Sep 2012 Ofsted
How schools are using the Pupil
Premium funding to raise
achievement for disadvantaged
pupils
The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011.
This survey undertaken by Ofsted, is based on
the views of 262 school leaders gathered
through inspections and telephone interview
questionnaires and aimed to identify how
schools were using the Pupil Premium funding to
raise achievement for disadvantaged pupils.
It can be downloaded from
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/pupil-premium
5
Loss and Grief
Training from
the Dove
Service
“Anything you can have, you can lose,
Anything you are attached to, you can be
separated from, Anything you love can be
taken away from you,Yet, if you really have
nothing to lose, you have nothing.”
Kalish 1985
Judith Walley (SEN Advisory Team) attended
an awareness workshop and this is her
report on the event:
The Dove Service provides counselling, training and
support to those struggling with bereavement, life
changing illness and significant loss/life events. The
service works across Staffordshire and South
Cheshire and is open to all: individual adults,
children & young people, couples, families and
people of all abilities. Dr Linda Machin founded the
service in 1984 and it is now a registered charity.
Counselling, support and training is taken out to
communities such as schools, care homes and
learning disability communities. In 2011 the Dove
Service were successful in their Big Lottery bid and
have been granted £900,000 over five years to
develop work with clients with learning difficulties and
the staff who work with them.
Workshops are held for learning difficulties clients
around bereavement, loss, transition, confidence and
self-esteem. An extension of this work has enabled
many individuals to form peer mentoring groups,
which has allowed for further discussion and better
understanding of the subjects.
Staff involved in the five year project are also keen to develop links with staff in schools and will deliver a
three hour training session on Loss & Grief at no charge. If schools prefer, this training can be split into 2 x
1.5 hour twilights.
The three hour training session I attended was held at the Dudson Centre in Hanley and was expertly
delivered by two counsellor/trainers, Justine Kearney and Kerry Purnell. The main aims of the training were
to:
•
Explore feelings, thoughts, values, attitudes, assumptions and judgements concerning loss & grief
•
Understand bereavement and loss for people with learning disabilities
•
Identify and evaluate creative interventions for use when working with bereavement and loss
•
Explore coping with emotional stress and support networks
As the training progressed, I learned about the differences between bereavement, mourning and grief;
tasks involved in mourning; the whirlpool of grief; the variety of ways we communicate our feelings whilst
experiencing grief; the types of losses that can occur in our lives as well as the social, practical and
emotional implications of death. How to support individuals made up the next part of the session. Being
alerted to ‘what to say’ and’ what not to say’ was interesting as well as identifying support networks in a
person’s life and practical ways of helping the client through the process. Above all, taking care of yourself,
if you do support someone through any type of loss and/or grief.
Further details can be obtained from: Justine Kearney Tel: 01782 683155
[email protected].
Judith Walley email [email protected]
What’s happening in Staffordshire regarding RPA?
Staffordshire has been successful in receiving funding from the DfE to be involved in Phase 4 of the Raising Participation
Age project, the final phase before implementation in 2013. The focus of the project which will run until March 2013, is to
support learners with SEN, specifically learners with a statement, School Action Plus and School Action, to participate at
Post 16 in full-time education, such as school, college or home education, work-based learning, such as an
apprenticeship, part-time education or training (if they are employed) self employment or volunteering.
The data from Staffordshire Young People’s Service (March 2012) shows us that 95% of school leavers in 2011 continued
in structured learning Post 16, which on detailed analysis showed the following continued in structured learning Post 16s:
•
88.1% of young people with a statement of SEN,
•
84% of young people with School Action +
•
88.4% of young people with School Action
For March 2013, we have set participation targets of 94% (SEN statement) 88% (SA+) and 92% (SA) which we will
hope to achieve through the strategies and activities planned over the next year.
In the previous phases of the project we developed a toolkit of resources with ideas to communicate the RPA message to
young people and their parents/carers as well as staff, governors etc.There are also leaflets, Power Point presentations,
fact sheets and lesson plans which are available to down load from the Staffordshire 14-19 website
http://preview.tinyurl.com/d8s9c3d. We will be looking to schools to raise awareness of RPA amongst their pupils, and
in particular amongst those who are most likely to leave education at 16 and hope the resources will be useful.
If you would like any further information please contact Liz Smith
at [email protected] More information is available at
http://education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/rpa
6
Guide to the law
for Governors
An updated version of the Governors’ Guide to the Law has been published by the DfE
(May 2012). Section 8 relates to Children with SEN and other vulnerable children and
deals with the provision of education and learning activities for pupils with special
educational needs (SEN). This section includes information under the following headings
and relevant quotes have been included below.
Definitions
The great majority of children with SEN (around 18% of the school population) have their
SEN met from within the resources normally available to a mainstream school or with some
outside help, but in a few cases, the needs of a child may be very complex or severe and
require the LA to make a statutory assessment based on specialist advice and draw up a
“statement” of special educational needs.
Responsibilities of the Governing body
In summary, governing bodies of community, foundation or voluntary schools, maintained
nursery schools, and community or foundation special schools have legal duties under the
Education Act 1996 to:
•
use their best endeavours in exercising their functions that the necessary special
arrangements are made for any pupil who has SEN;
•
make sure that the responsible person in a mainstream school tells all staff likely to
teach the pupil in question about his or her special needs (the person can be the
head teacher but may be the chair of the governing body or a governor appointed
by the governing body with that responsibility);
•
report each year to parents on their policy for pupils with SEN;
•
take account of the Code of Practice when carrying out their duties towards all
pupils with SEN.
The governing bodies of all schools must publish information about their SEN policies.
These policies must be made freely available to parents.
Admission of pupils with SEN: Duties of admission
authorities
The new School Admissions Code (the Code) that came into force in February 2012
makes clear that all children whose statement of SEN names the school must be admitted.
The Code applies to all maintained schools in England. Academies, which include Free
Schools, are required by their Funding Agreement to comply with the Code and the law
relating to admissions.
Admission to special schools
Once a maintained special school is named in a statement, governors are under a duty to
admit the child.
7
Teachers in mainstream schools with
responsibility for SEN
Section 317 of the Education Act 1996 says that the governing
body shall designate a member of staff at the school – to be known
as the special educational needs co-ordinator as having lead
responsibility for co-ordinating the provision for pupils with SEN
and disabilities. Whilst some of the functions associated with the
SENCo may be undertaken by other members of staff, including
teaching assistants, the regulations require that the SENCo shall
be either a qualified teacher at the school, or the head teacher or
acting head teacher. The Regulations also provide that the
governing body must determine the key responsibilities of the
SENCo and monitor the effectiveness of the way the
responsibilities are carried out.
Governing bodies and head teachers must think carefully about
the SENCo’s timetable in light of the SEN Code of Practice, and
the resources available to the school.
The regulations require governing bodies to ensure that any newly
qualified SENCo gains a nationally approved training qualification,
known as the “National Award for Special Educational Needs
Co-ordination” within three years of appointment.
All teachers in mainstream schools can be expected to teach
pupils with SEN and disabilities. Governing bodies are strongly
encouraged to ensure that their staff have the skills needed to
meet the needs of their pupils.
Finance
For pupils attending mainstream schools who require extra help
but do not have a statement, normally costs are met from the
schools’ delegated budgets. The LA should indicate what part of
the school’s budget is assumed to be for SEN, although the
governing body may choose to spend more or less than this
amount on meeting special needs.
Disability Discrimination
The Department intends to commence the new requirement for
schools to provide auxiliary aids and services for disabled pupils,
as part of the reasonable adjustments duty under the Equality Act
2010, from September 2012.
http://clerktogovernors.wordpress.com/ or directly through
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ctfwdw9
8
SENCo Update
Summer Term 2012
The SENCo update pack can be purchased for £20
For more information please contact rita. adams@staffordshire .gov.uk
Please send a cheque made payable to Staffs County Council, identifying the
SENCO Update pack you require. This should be sent to Rita Adams,
Kingston Centre, Stafford, ST16 3TW
The SENCo Update is delivered regionally to support SENCo accessibility to
attendance but please book early if a specific venue is preferred, as due to fire
regulations, once the capacity has been reached, no further delegates can be
accepted.
SENCo Update Summer 2012 included information on:
Waved interventions for improving outcomes for literacy. This updated booklet provided
updated information on the waved responses to pupils with literacy needs to support schools in
undertaking a gap analysis on the support they offer to pupils.
Waved interventions for improving outcomes for pupils with behavioural, emotional and
social difficulties. This booklet provided updated information on the waved responses to pupils
with BESD to support schools in undertaking a gap analysis on the support they offer to pupils. In
addition information was provided on recent changes to guidelines on behaviour, attendance and
exclusion from the DfE, along with information on the reasonable adjustments schools could put in
place to reduce the need for exclusion for those with BESD.
Principles of Nurture checklist This checklist was originally devised as a toolkit to support
reflection on the nurture based provision schools were delivering to their pupils. However, it could
also be used to provide key pointers when looking at the environmental impacts on pupils who
indicate social, emotional and behavioural behaviours within schools.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development on pupils with SEND
This 11 page pack was collated from information shared at the Spring term SENCo Update and
intended to support schools in considering the opportunities they were offering in this area for
pupils with SEND.
9
Information and briefings were provided on:
•
Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability:
Progress and next steps
•
SENCo query – looking at funding issues and the influence SENCos might have on the
effective deployment of the SEN devolved budget.
•
National changes to SEN funding. SEN funding changes by April 2013. This briefing
looked at the main pointers and raised awareness of the implications this may have on
schools.
•
Lynda Mitchell provided updated information and a time line on the most recent changes to
the AEN funding process
•
EP/SENSS shared a new document called Staffordshire class environment checklist which
aims to draw schools attention to the impact the environment might have on pupils with
BESD.
•
SENCos were provided with information on the Raising the Participation Age (RPA) project
and the conference that is taking place to share ideas with schools in the Autumn Term
•
Information on no cost CPD opportunities for primary schools from nasen and the two new
DfE e-learning programmes for SEND were also shared.
External input
•
Mark Fosbrook and Naomi Bird from Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent shared
information on the support they can offer to pupils with a disability to engage in sports via
Aiming High in Disability Sports
http://www.sportacrossstaffordshire.co.uk/DisabilitySport
•
Staffordshire Parent Action Network (SPAN) shared their new Transfer Toolkit which aims
to support all types of transition and can be freely downloaded from
http://preview.tinyurl.com/84ktx6j
The SEN Newsletter and the Nurture Newsletter. Although no longer provided as hard copies,
these publications are still produced as e-versions on the SENCo Update CD and on the
Staffordshire website http://preview.tinyurl.com/3m8hrm8
SENCo Updates for the Spring Term 2013
INCB1204001
INCB1204002
INCB1204003
INCB1204004
INCB1204005
INCB1204007
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INCB1204010
Kingston 1st March
Kingston 1st March
Seabridge 28th Feb
Seabridge 28th Feb
Tamworth 5th March
Burton 7th March
Wightwick 6th March
Chasewater 13th March
www.qls.org.uk
AM
PM
AM
PM
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£75
each
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Teacher Study Groups (TSGs) are suggested
as an alternative to traditional
continuing professional
development (CPD)
opportunities such as one
day courses, which in reality
can have little measurable
impact on pupils’ progress.
TSGs provide a model where
content and processes are
at Cheslyn Hay
established and developed
by linking research to the
constraints of day-to-day
teaching. In brief TSGs:
Teacher
Study
Group
•
•
•
•
•
•
Promote procedural and conceptual knowledge through modelling and discussion.
Require regular scheduled sessions. Research has shown that professional development
programmes that last at least four months and include a minimum of 14 hours of collaborative
activities, have the potential to bring about positive changes in pupil outcomes.
Promote collegiality. Professional development efforts should establish collaborative
environments in which teachers feel comfortable and supported as they discuss research-based
innovative techniques and the realities of implementing those techniques in their
classrooms.
Are feasible and concrete. Teachers value and tend to apply more frequently, professional
development that is translated into specific manageable techniques that can be used with
existing curricula.
Support active engagement. Professional development is likely to be more effective when
teachers are actively engaged in learning, rather than passively listening to lectures or
watching demonstrations.
Focus on pupil learning. It is important for professional development to focus on improving
pupil learning.
Information on Teacher Study groups is included in research aimed at improving vocabulary teaching,
available to download from the Better Evidence website http://preview.tinyurl.com/7xx6h6q
At the Summer Term SENCo Update, questions were raised by a secondary SENCo regarding the most
effective way to share good practice and reduce the need to keep reinventing the wheel.
11
This discussion resulted in invitations to other secondary schools to collaborate in order to locate
research based practical responses to investigate IEPS versus Classroom Support Plans and examples
of how they are used in schools and to identify models of provision on how SEND/Inclusion is organised
within individual schools.
The first meeting took place on 2nd July after school at Cheslyn Hay High School and was attended by
SENCos from five schools. A wide ranging discussion ensued that included:
• Sharing examples of Generic Learning Support Plans (LSPs) for students on the SEN
register. One High School provided LSPs that targeted support for students in a range of
additional needs e.g. Moderate Learning Difficulties, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,
English as an Additional Language, Y7 transition, Downs Syndrome and Y11 study skills. These
were linked to specific students via SIMS
• There was general agreement that in secondary schools, IEPs were mostly only produced for
students with a statement, with LSPs being a more practical way of identifying need and
supporting staff to differentiate the teaching and learning.
• Paper copies of LSPs were often found to be best in communicating information as teachers did
not always access the web-based information so readily. This raised issues relating to
confidentiality, with one schools saying that they photocopied information regarding SEND onto
red paper so staff are reminded of the importance of not leaving them in files etc.
• The group discussed the need to move towards making the LSPs the responsibility of subject
teachers/department, in order to change the mind-set from yet another task for staff to
undertake, to be viewed instead as a practical tool to support them in enabling progress for all
students. Perhaps changing the name to Teacher Support Plans might help?
• There was a long discussion around SEN and students with behavioural, emotional and social
difficulties.
• The most usual approach in secondary schools was that there were different staff who coordinated
learning and behaviour needs and this was not considered to be helpful or supportive. One of the
schools had a SENCo who was on the senior leadership team and had responsibility for both
learning and behaviour. This resulted in much improved outcomes for students, for instance, if a
student was removed from class, the SLT would request to see the classroom support plan (CSP)
to identify if lack of appropriate support might have triggered the behaviour. This school also
had a process where, during the day provided for performance management, all teachers
completed CSPs that identified strategies to ensure the success of every student – these were
then linked into SIMs. The CSP also identified literacy abilities and is now also looking to also
include medical information. Ofsted checked on the use of these during learning walks and was
impressed.
• The final point of discussion regarded ways to locate support from health for students with
medical needs. It was identified that there was a good system in the Cannock area with the GP
being very proactive in addressing students BESD needs by providing awareness session to
school staff on meeting specific emotional needs.
The session was judged to be very useful by all who attended and it is intended that meetings will be
planned each half term.
12
Windsor Park and
Improving outcomes:
Meeting the needs of
vulnerable and
traumatised students
This inset was arranged by the Head of Science at Windsor Park Middle School and was
delivered by Kate Cairns associates. Kate has been both a Social Worker and Foster parent
but now is a trainer specialising in raising awareness of the impact life experiences can have
on learning success for vulnerable youngsters.
A range of external agencies were invited to the morning session and joined school staff in
completing the following learning outcomes. To:
•
Understand the impact of unregulated stress on brain development and function
•
Develop skills in promoting recovery for traumatised children and young people
•
Analyse observed behaviour to assess needs and plan and review interventions
•
Develop skills in planning, implementing and reviewing needs-led interventions.
The first part of the session dealt with understanding trauma and began by sharing the agreed
definition for trauma which is “acquired brain injury as a result of unregulated stress.” Recent
Scottish research suggests that 98% of students in sample schools had experienced toxic
traumatic events, and although most will recover spontaneously, around 1:4 were likely to
indicate some level of traumatic stress disorder 12 months later that would have a negative
impact on their ability to self-regulate mood, process information and maintain relationships.
Spontaneous recovery from stress is linked to a number of factors that include:
•
Perceptions of personal safety
•
Being part of a secure network with well-formed attachment
•
Having the ability to put into words what has happened to them.
For pupils who have chaotic home backgrounds and poor linguistic abilities, stress is more
likely to be unresolved and therefore to escalate into trauma. In addition, although everyone is
vulnerable to trauma, factors that increase the risk of this occurring include:
•
Poor physical health
•
Grief and loss
•
External stress
•
Depletion of resilience
•
Previous unresolved trauma
•
Unmet attachment needs for early childhood
13
Those children and young people who are indicating characteristics of trauma may exhibit
challenging behaviour, particularly in relation to:
•
Hyperarousal: Reduced concentration, hyperactivity, attention deficit “sometimes
trauma mimics syndromes” driven to panic and/or rage
•
Dissociation: Reduced sensory awareness (hot/cold, hungry/full) lack of remorse,
controlling behaviour
•
Impulsive: Can’t account for their actions, will deny culpability, may be self harming
•
Shame: Hypersensitive to criticism
Trauma also alters cognition, so affected pupils will also indicate impairments in
processing information and therefore struggle to make sense of sensory information and of
their feelings. Empathy for others will be greatly diminished and they will have both low
self-esteem and little capacity for joy.
The second part of the session targeted interventions and began by stating that pupils
affected by trauma will not respond to traditional behaviour management programmes
based on rewards and sanctions but will require instead action being put in place to
reduce stress levels. It identified that recovery from trauma takes place in phases:
•
•
•
Stabilisation
Integration
Adaptation
Stabilisation requires the individual to believe they are in a place of safety: “one
safe place and one safe person.” The pupil cannot move forward towards recovery unless
this is provided. They then need to be taught the physiological changes trauma can make
to the body and the impact it has on thoughts and feelings. The final aspect of this first
phase is teaching the words for emotions and feelings by facilitating routes for the pupil
themselves to make the link between their life experiences and the vocabulary they require
to put this into words.
Integration will begin when stabilisation has processed to a degree where the
pupil feels they can move on. This might be signified by them turning to a person when
stressed or anxious, or experiencing flashbacks of previously fear generating events. This
phase requires the teaching of self-management e.g. deep breathing and relaxation
techniques, alongside verbal restructuring of past event to enable the pupil to make sense
of them and the enabling of the processing of emotional thoughts and feelings. The final
phase deals with adaptation.
Adaptation This moves towards providing a schema for future events through
teaching social responsiveness and building self esteem. The final aspects aims at
facilitating capacity for joy, to ensure a stock of happy memories.
Information, advice and guidance supporting pupils affected by trauma can be
obtained from the Education Psychology Service. www.katecairns.com
14
Advance training
Materials for autism, dyslexia, speech, language and communication, emotional,
social and behavioural difficulties, moderate learning difficulties (DfE)
http://www.education.gov.uk/lamb/
These materials have been produced as a result of recommendation from the Lamb Inquiry
(2009) that stated the Teaching Agency should develop materials to support teachers in
mainstream schools to gain specialist skills for teaching pupils with SEND. The online training
programme is free to use and consists of five modules, each beginning with ten units in
common. These common units look at general good practice in teaching pupils with SEND
under the following aspects:
1.
1a Leadership and inclusion
2.
1b Leadership: working with teaching assistants;
3.
1c Leadership: sharing good practice.
4.
Definition and data regarding SEND
5.
Theories of learning
6.
Approaches to assessment and personalised learning
7.
Coaching and mentoring
8.
Working with parents
9.
Monitoring and managing progress
10.
Lesson study
The five units that follow provide access to reading resources compiled by the Institute of
Education (IoE). These are supported by interactive online elements, videos and audio clips.
The five aspects focus on:
1) Autism Spectrum Disorders module
This begins with the common units followed by a further 11 that examine aspects of:
1.
The triad and sensory issues
2.
Theoretical explanation of the autism spectrum
3.
The evidence base for educational interventions
4.
Identifying the needs of individual pupils on the autism spectrum
5.
The socio-economic curriculum: social assistance for pupils on the autistic spectrum
6.
Supporting the development of friendship skills
7.
Differentiation, adaptation and modification
8.
Creating a learning environment for pupils on the autism spectrum: the physical
environment
9.
Engaging effectively with parents, carers and families
10.
Working effectively with colleagues and other agencies
11.
Curriculum: Life skills
15


2) Specific Learning difficulties (SpLD)
This begins with the common units that are followed by a further 7 that examine aspects
of:
1.
Learning to read
2.
Assessing reading
3.
Learning to write
4.
Assessing writing
5.
Defining dyslexia
6.
Interventions for literacy
7.
Dyscalculia
3) Speech, Language and Communication needs
This begins with the common units that are followed by a further 9 that examine aspects
of:
1.
Creating a holistic profile for a pupil with SLCN
2.
Improving access, inclusion and participation
3.
Pupils with SLCN in primary schools
4.
Pupils with SLCN in secondary schools
5.
Targeted interventions and provision mapping
6.
Working with colleagues and other agencies
7.
Support teachers to plan and teach inclusive lessons for pupils with SLCN
8.
Observing others teaching
9.
Assessment, monitoring progress and interventions
4) Behavioural, Social and Emotional Difficulties
This begins with the common 9 units that are followed by a further 7 that examine aspects
of:
1.
Teaching social and emotional skills
2.
Psychological perspectives on behaviour
3.
Therapeutic approaches
4.
Understanding and managing anger
5.
The interaction of genetic and environmental factors, the concept of resilience and
protective factors of BESD
6.
ADHD
7.
Attachment/Attachment Disorders/Nurture
5) Moderate Learning Difficulties
This begins with the common 9 units that are followed by a further 4 that examine aspects
of:
1.
The history, classification and terminology of MLD
2.
Social aspects of MLD
3.
Identifying pupils with MLD
4.
The learning environment: whole school approaches
Further information on this e-learning programme was
distributed at the Autumn Term SENCo Update
16
NOTICEBOARD
nasen and the SEND Green Paper
Nasen has published its view of the Next Steps document, produced by the Government as a
response to its Green Paper Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational
needs and disability. This can be downloaded from its website at
http://www.nasen.org.uk/uploads/publications/236.pdf
SEND Update
Lorraine Peterson CEO provided a SEND Update at nasen live 2012 that can be viewed at
http://www.nasen.org.uk/uploads/publications/237.pdf
A whole school approach to improving access,
participation and achievement
This is the nasen training programme that is funded by the DfE. The primary version began
in September 2012, with the nasen training website now providing access for SENCos to
register for a training session (no cost) and to all the training materials.
http://www.nasentraining.org.uk/primary-training/
Young Minds and BOND
Better Outcomes, New Delivery (BOND,) aims to ensure that families receive early
intervention support from mental health support services.
The programme also seeks to help children and young people build resilience to potential
mental health issues, by working with schools, voluntary and community organisations
across England. Further information from http://preview.tinyurl.com/bplvyra
Information to support pupils with dyslexia
The Dyslexia-SpLD Trust has produced a brochure that includes information on its freely
available resources i.e. a professional development framework, a database of effective
interventions, case studies and models of good practice.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/7jxzx5g
17
New statutory requirements for schools’websites
From Sept 2012, changes to statutory requirements
for maintained school websites identifies that they
should include, for instance:
• The behaviour policy
• The Pupil Premium allocation, its use and impact
on attainment
• SEN policy, governors report plus details on
accessibility arrangements
Section 317(5) requires the governing body of a
community, foundation or voluntary school, a
maintained nursery school, or a community or
foundation special school to prepare a report about
the implementation of the governing body’s policy
for pupils with special educational needs. The report
must contain the information prescribed in the
Education (Special Educational Needs)
(Information) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2506) and
information about arrangements for admission of
disabled pupils; steps taken to prevent them from
being treated less favourably than other pupils;
access facilities; and the plan prepared by the
governing body under paragraph 3 of Schedule 10
to the Equality Act 2010 (c 15).
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3y6kuja
This includes:
A) Basic information about the school’s special
education provision
• The objectives of the governing body in making
provision for pupils with special educational
needs, and a description of how the governing
body’s special educational needs policy will
contribute towards meeting those objectives.
• The name of the person who is responsible for
co-ordinating the day to day provision of education
for pupils with special educational needs at the
school (whether or not the person is known as the
SEN co-ordinator).
• The arrangements which have been made for
co-ordinating the provision of education for pupils
with special educational needs at the school.
• The admission arrangements for pupils with
special educational needs who do not have a
statement in so far as they differ from the
arrangements for other pupils.
• The kinds of provision for special educational
needs in which the school specialises and any
special units.
• Facilities for pupils with special educational needs
at the school including facilities which increase or
assist access to the school by pupils who are
disabled.
B) Information about the school’s policies for the
identification, assessment and provision for all
pupils with special educational needs
• How resources are allocated to and amongst
pupils with special educational needs.
• How pupils with special educational needs are
identified and their needs determined and
reviewed.
• Arrangements for providing access by pupils with
special educational needs to a balanced and
broadly based curriculum (including the National
Curriculum).
• How pupils with special educational needs engage
in the activities of the school together with pupils
who do not have special educational needs.
• How the governing body evaluate the success of
the education which is provided at the school to
pupils with special educational needs.
• Any arrangements made by the governing body
relating to the treatment of complaints from
parents of pupils with special educational needs
concerning the provision made at the school.
C) Information about the school’s staffing policies
and partnership with bodies beyond the school
• Any arrangements made by the governing body
relating to in-service training for staff in relation to
special educational needs.
• The use made of teachers and facilities from
outside the school including links with support
services for special educational needs.
• The role played by the parents of pupils with
special educational needs.
• Any links with other schools, including special
school, and the provision made for the transition of
pupils with special educational needs between
schools or between the school and the next stage
of life or education.
• Links with child health services, social services
and educational welfare services and any
voluntary organisations which work on behalf of
children with special educational needs.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1124/made
18
INFO
SEN e-newsletter
This half termly update contains listings of all
information produced that half term that is aimed at
supporting pupils with special educational needs
and/or disabilities by national and local organisations.
It is free to subscribe. Please register via
http://education.staffordshire.gov.uk/curriculum/
Nurture e-newsletter
This update includes brief information on resources
that may be of value to nurture group leaders and all
those supporting pupils with social, emotional and
behavioural needs. It is free to subscribe.
Please register via
http://education.staffordshire.gov.uk/curriculum/
Staffordshire SEN Newsletter
This publication is available to download from the
Staffordshire website at
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3p2rfex
Nurture Newsletter
This 4 page termly publication is now available
electronically to all schools who are seeking additional
resources to ensure they can more closely meet the
needs of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural
difficulties. It can be freely downloaded from
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3p2rfex
QLS courses
Education Transformation, Kingston Centre, Fairway, Stafford,
ST16 3TW T: 01785 278723 F: 01785 256193
[email protected]
A number of courses/workshops aimed at supporting pupils with SEND are available via the QLS website.
For details on these please search via www.qls.org.uk or contact your SENSS Advisory teacher.
TELEPHONE BOOKINGS: 01785 277932 ONLINE BOOKINGS: www.qls.org.uk
If you, or someone you know would like a copy of this booklet in large print, Braille, on audio tape or in a different language please contact the above address.