Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs
"The Graduated Response"
The review of the SEN Code of Practice (part of the introduction of the SEN and Disability Act 2001) from 1st January 2002, saw changes to the "Staged approach to the identification and assessment of special educational needs".
The Graduated approach.
Early identification and the correct assessment of any Special educational needs a child may have is essential to ensure that appropriate additional and differentiated approaches and learning arrangements are provided in the pre-sc hool placement or in school.
Once alerted to the fact that a child has particular difficulties or might have special needs, pre-school providers or teachers have responsibilities to carry out specific tasks that start the graduated approach to the Identification and assessment of Special Educational Needs. The Code of Practice clearly places a specific responsibility for identification and assessment of Special Educational Needs on all teachers as an important part of their day-to-day responsibilities
"All teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs "; (SEN code of Practice 5:2, DfES 58112001)
The Graduated approach is divided up dependent on the age of the child into:
(a) Early Years Action
(b) Early Years Action Plus
And for children in reception class or above:
(c) School Action
(d) School Action Plus
The above are age related and a child can be started on the graduated approach stages at any age during their school life.
The other part of the graduated approach may include:
(e) Application for Statutory Assessment
(f) Statement of Special Needs
The two basic "stages" that pre-schools or schools are responsible for are "action" and "action plus" The Local Authority for the area in which the child normally resides has responsibility for applications for statutory assessment (whether coming from pre-school providers, schools, parents or others with responsibility for the child) and statements.
Early Years means educational provision for children who are below statutory school age (5 years) that is provided as part of a child's foundation stage. (QCA/00/587).
Although education providers are no longer required to produce and keep a "special educational needs register", they are required to keep individual special needs records for each child who has or is thought to have special educational needs in their establishment or school.
The Graduated Approach
- A model of action and intervention in schools and early education settings to help children who have Special Educational Needs
- The approach recognises that there is a continuum of special educational needs
- Where necessary, increasing specialist expertise should be brought to bear on the difficulties that a child may be experiencing
Early Years Action
- When early years practitioners who work day-to-day with the children or the SENCO identify that a child has Special Educational Needs.
- Together they provide interventions that are additional to or different from those provided as part of the settings usual curriculum offer and strategies.
- An IEP will usually be devised.
Early Years Action Plus
- The early years education practitioner who works day-to-day with the child and the SENCO are provided with advice and support from outside specialists.
- Alternative interventions additional or different strategies to those provided for the child through Early Years Action are put into place.
- A New IEP will usually be devised.
The Graduated Approach in the Primary Phase
School Action
When a class teacher identifies that a pupil has special educational needs the class teacher devises interventions additional to or different from those provided as part of the school's usual differentiated curriculum offer.
- The class teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a daily basis and for planning and delivering an individualised programme
- An IEP will usually be devised.
- SENCO could take the lead in:
- Planning future interventions for the child in discussion with colleagues
- Monitoring and reviewing the action.
School Action Plus:
- SENCO and class teacher, in consultation with parents, ask for help from external services
- Class teacher and SENCO are provided with advice or support from outside specialists.
- Additional or different strategies to those at School Action are put in place
- An IEP will usually be devised.
- SENCO should take lead in:
- Any further assessment of the child
- Planning future interventions for the child in discussion with colleagues
- Monitoring and reviewing the action taken
The Graduated Approach in the Secondary Sector
School Action:
When staff identify that a pupil has special educational needs subject teachers, in consultation with the SENCO, devise interventions additional to or different from those provided as part of the school's usual differentiated curriculum offer'.
- Subject and pastoral teachers remain responsible for working with the pupil on a daily basis and for planning and delivering an individualised programme
- An IEP will usually be devised
- SENCO could take a lead in:
- Planning future interventions for the child in discussion with colleagues
- Monitoring and reviewing the action
School Action Plus:
- SENCO and subject/pastoral staff, in consultation with parents, ask for help from external services
- Teachers and SENCO are provided with advice or support from outside specialists.
- Additional or different strategies to those at School Action are put in place
- An IEP will usually be devised.
- SENCO should take lead in:
- Any further assessment of the child
- Planning future interventions for the chiId in discussion with colleagues
- Monitoring and reviewing the action taken
How are schools able to help children with SEN?
In order to help any pupil who may have special educational needs, all schools are provided with funding that is additional to their main budget.
This additional funding in Oldham is called Band 1 funding and the amount provided to each school varies. It is calculated on a formula which is determined nationally.
The way schools use this additional funding will vary from school to school but Head Teachers in consultation with their staff and School Governors have to ensure that best use of this funding is made so that all children who need additional differentiated support are supported in some way. Many schools add funding from their own school budget to help this process along.
Band 2 funding. (specific to Oldham Council)
If a child's needs require a greater level of help and support and they are more severe and complex than the school can provide support for out of their own resources, the school can apply for additional funding from the Local Authority to help the child further.
This extra support is called Band 2 funding and schools have to make applications for individual children on an annual basis at the beginning of each year. If successful, additional financial support is made available to the school from April each year. In some cases Band 2 funding can be awarded for a two year period.
The criteria for awarding this funding is that the child has prioritised needs and is at School Action Plus. There will have been a need for intervention from the school or pre-school special service needs staff.
Applications for Statutory Assessment and Statements of Special Educational Needs
These "stages" are the Statutory phases of the Identification and Assessment process.
In normal circumstances, it will be the education provider, a school or a specialist education service who will make an application to the Education Authority for a Statutory Assessment to be carried out for a pupil.
In order for statutory assessment to commence, applications have to be submitted to SAMP (Statutory Assessment Moderating Panel). In order to be successful the applications have to meet five criteria.
In some circumstances, parents may have reason to feel that their child needs to have a Statutory Assessment carried out.
This is called a parental request.
Further impartial help, support, information and advice can be obtained by calling the Oldham Parent Partnership helpline 0161 287 8555 or sending an email to - parent.partnership@oldham.gov.uk.