9 Months Special educational needs policy

Statement of intent

We provide an environment in which all children, including those with special educational needs, are supported to reach their full potential.

Aim

• We have regard for the DfES Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2001).
• We ensure our provision is inclusive to all children with special educational needs.
• We provide practitioners to help support parents and children with special educational needs (SEN).
• We identify the specific needs of children with special educational needs and meet those needs through a range of SEN strategies.
• We work in partnership with parents and other agencies in meeting individual children's needs.
• We monitor and review our policy, practice and provision and, if necessary, make adjustments.

Method

• We designate a member of staff to be Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and give her name to parents. Our SENCO is......Neha Dabhi.....................
• We ensure that the provision for children with special educational needs is the responsibility of all members of the setting.
• We ensure that our inclusive admissions practice ensures equality of access and opportunity.
• We use the graduated response system for identifying, assessing and responding to children's special educational needs.
• We work closely with parents of children with special educational needs to create and maintain a positive partnership.
• We ensure that parents are informed at all stages of the assessment, planning, provision and review of their children's education.
• We provide parents with information on sources of independent advice and support.
• We liaise with other professionals involved with children with special educational needs and their families, including transfer arrangements to other settings and schools.
• We provide a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum for all children with special educational needs.
• We use a system of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing individual educational plans (IEPs) for children with special educational needs.
• We ensure that children with special educational needs are appropriately involved at all stages of the graduated response, taking into account their levels of ability.
• We have systems in place for supporting children during Early Years Action, Early Years Action Plus, Statutory Assessment and the Statementing process.
• We use a system for keeping records of the assessment, planning, provision and review for children with special educational needs.
• We provide resources (human and financial) to implement our special educational needs policy.
• We provide in-service training for parents, practitioners and volunteers.
• We raise awareness of any specialism the setting has to offer, e.g. Makaton trained staff.
• We ensure the effectiveness of our special educational needs provision by collecting information from a range of sources e.g. Individual Education Plan reviews, staff and management meetings, parental and external agency's views, inspections and complaints. This information is collated, evaluated and reviewed annually.
• We provide a complaints procedure.
• We monitor and review our policy annually.