SEN

Special Educational Needs & Learning Support

The term 'special educational needs' has a legal definition, referring to children who have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age. Many children will have special needs of some kind at some time during their education.

St Colman's recognises that Special Educational Needs cover a wide spectrum of type, duration and severity. We aim to create and maintain a positive learning environment for every child. To ensure this each child has access to a full, broad and balanced curriculum and equal opportunities to achieve. All students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are identified and assessed as early as possible and support provided throughout their years in school. Every child in St Colman’s has the opportunity to develop an appropriate sense of self-esteem and we employ a range of appropriate strategies/resources for teaching, learning and assessment. We foster a good working relationship between parents, school and outside agencies ensuring that adequate provision is made for all children. Learning Support in St Colman's involves all staff and is led by the SEND Coordinator - Mrs Jennifer Hughes.

Learning support

Provision for children includes:

Regular training for all staff
In class support
Classroom Assistants
Computer access
Differentiated teaching/resources/assessments
Differentiated curriculum
Outside agencies
Exam allowances
Additional literacy/numeracy
Individual Education Plans

Guidance for parents, carers and students about access arrangements

What are access arrangements?

Access arrangements allow students with specific needs, such as special educational needs or disabilities, to access an exam.
They allow students to show what they know and can do without changing the demands of the exam.

How will the process start?

Parents and carers should let the SENCo know as soon as possible if their child has additional needs. Good and open communication is important.
Students in further education should record their additional needs on the college’s enrolment form.
The SENCo will work with teachers and the student to identify possible arrangements.
Various access arrangements are available. For example, support for students who have difficulties with reading, writing, speed of working or concentration.
Not all students with additional needs will require access arrangements. This depends on whether their difficulty affects their access to exams. Additional needs or a diagnosis alone do not entitle a student to access arrangements.

Who will make the assessment?

If a student has learning difficulties, the school or college’s appointed assessor must conduct the assessment to determine the need for access arrangements, such as 25% extra time.
If an external assessor diagnoses a learning difficulty (for example, dyslexia or dyscalculia), the assessment can only be used as evidence for access arrangements if the assessor has liaised with the school or college and received the necessary access arrangements paperwork in advance of the assessment taking place.
Specialists (for example, a medical consultant or a psychiatrist) are responsible for providing a formal diagnosis. They are not responsible for decisions about access arrangements.
The school or college must decide which access arrangements a student has for their exams.
Teachers must give evidence to show that an access arrangement is needed. The school or college will record how effective the arrangement is in the classroom, in internal tests or in mock exams.

What else needs to be done?

The school or college will have to apply for some arrangements.
If a student has complex needs, a school or college can discuss their needs with the exam board.

Finally

Schools and colleges must follow the rules. They are inspected and if they are found to be breaking the rules, this will be malpractice.