Education - special educational needs - placement in mainstream schools | |
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Wherever possible and appropriate, the local authority seeks to meet special educational needs in local mainstream schools, or at a school or unit that has additional resources to meet particular needs. The SEN Code of Practice (2001) sets out guidance on policies and procedures aimed at enabling pupils with SEN to reach their full potential, to be included fully in their school communities and make a successful transition to adulthood. For the vast majority of children their mainstream setting will meet all their special educational needs. Some children will require additional help from SEN services or other agencies external to the school. A very small minority of children will have SEN of a severity or complexity that requires the Education Service to determine and arrange the special educational provision their learning difficulties call for. If you think your child may have SEN you should first speak to your child’s class teacher or the school SENCO. They will consider with you how your child can be helped in class. This is called School Action. If, after time, you and the school feel that your child requires additional help the school can seek advice and support from external professionals or agencies, for example, the Educational Psychology Service or the Behaviour Support Service. The school may also provide your child with some additional support either on their own or with a small group of children. This is called School Action Plus. The school will work with you to produce an Individual Education Plan/Learning Support Plan for your child. This will consider your child’s strengths and areas that need development. Targets will be set and reviewed regularly. If, after time, you think your child’s needs are not being met and they are not making adequate progress you and/or the school may apply to the SEN Service for a Statutory Assessment. Eligibility
For eligibility for a statutory assessment of SEN, which may lead to a Statement, please click here If a Statement is issued parents may express a preference for any maintained school (or City Technology College) they wish their child to attend, or make representations for a placement outside the maintained sector. LEAs must comply with a parental preference in accordance with the provision of section 316 of Education Act 1996 and Schedule 27. LEAs must consider parental representations and arrange any meeting(s) parents seek, before issuing the final statement. LEAs and schools have a qualified duty to secure that pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements, are educated within mainstream settings. Unless: This is incompatible with the wishes of their parents: or
The LEA has to consider very carefully a preference stated by parents for a denominational mainstream maintained school and representations made by parents for a denominational non-maintained special school or independent school. Denominational considerations cannot override the requirements of section 316 of the Education Act 1996. Required Customer Information
Service Level Agreement and Turnaround
If in assessment is agreed it should be completed and parents informed of the outcome within 18 weeks from the date of the request. The decision may be to issue a proposed Statement or a Note in Lieu of Statement. |
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On Wednesdays calls are diverted to an answer phone to allow staff to concentrate on assessment/statementing work. | |
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Educational Support for Looked After Children I | |
This document was last updated on 2006-11-20 14:15:15 published by the team. Document Reference:LBE_122638
