Special Needs Policy

Tower College Whole School Special Needs Policy Document.

This document replaces all previous departmental documents regarding the provision made for Special Needs pupils at Tower College. It is regularly reviewed by the Special Needs Committee, made up of teaching and support staff of all departments, the Learning Support Teacher and the Principal.

Our aims and objectives in respect of our Special Needs Provision are:

To ensure the fulfilment of each pupil’s potentiality
To encourage each child’s emotional well-being as he/she learns
To identify, challenge and support pupils who are or who have the potential to be gifted or talented
To develop talents by providing opportunities that match the expectations and needs of these children
To enable the teaching staff and assistants to identify pupils’ needs quickly and with confidence
To build on links with educational psychologists, local education authority, local clinics etc
To enable the teaching staff and assistants to provide appropriate help and care for Special Needs pupils, whether within school or from outside sources
To ensure that a pupil’s Special Needs, medical conditions or disabilities do not exclude him/her from class activities
To ensure that all Special Needs pupils are treated fairly by other pupils
To promote communication between and within departments, ensuring continuity of care for all pupils
To ensure that the Special Needs Committee is kept fully informed of individual pupil’s needs and provision
To keep the parents fully informed and involved through the Principal
To ensure that relevant training is available for all staff and committee members
To give advice and practical help to both pupil and parent
To ensure that pupils benefit from help given and make continual progress in line with their ability
To observe the regulations of external examining bodies when Special Needs pupils take SATs or GCSE exams, ensuring that all appropriate paperwork is completed and all additional time allocations or other allowed assistance is given.
To provide auxiliary aids and services where appropriate
To conform to the Disability & Discrimination Act 2004 and the Data Protection Act.

Personnel on Special Needs Committee as at January 2010

Mrs V Arnold

Mrs A O’Grady

Mrs J Girling

Miss K West

Mrs A Fagan

Mrs P Kirwin

Mrs E Murtagh

Mr T Bryning

Mr M Taylor

Miss R Oxley

(Nursery X Teacher)

(Deputy Head of KindergartenTeacher)

(Head of Kindergarten)

(Transition Teacher)

(J1 Teacher)

(Learning Support Teacher, Juniors)

(Classroom Assistant, Juniors)

(Head of Juniors)

(Head of Seniors)

(Principal)

The Special Needs Committee meets at least termly to discuss all issues surrounding the provision for our Special Needs pupils and those with medical conditions or disabilities.

The keys issues are diagnosis, communication, teaching, monitoring, resourcing and staff training, and access and inclusion.

The newly implemented CATs testing (Granada Learning) is an excellent tool for assessing and monitoring children’s learning needs. The tests are computer based (except in Key Stage One) and no differentiation is required in the completion of the tests, which provide a whole range of information about I.Q., learning styles, special needs, the gifted and talented pupils. When fully implemented, the testing will track the children’s progress enabling staff to ensure that no child underperforms.

The diagnosis of pupils with Special Needs is the responsibility of every teacher and classroom assistant who comes into contact with pupils. The term ‘Special Needs’ can cover many factors and the whole spectrum of ability levels including children who are gifted and talented in one or more subjects.

Issues can range from simply ensuring that a child who is left-handed does not sit in the right hand side of a shared desk with a right-handed child to voicing your concerns about a child whom you suspect may be seriously ill or abused.

The first things to check when a child appears to be under-performing are can he hear? Can he see the board properly? Is reading difficult because of a speech problem? Is he /she being distracted by a less able child asking for help? If you feel that a child in your class may need a sight / hearing / speech test discuss it first with his / her previous teacher to find out the history and then send a note to the Principal, requesting that a letter be sent to parents informing them of your concerns.

Whatever your concerns are, you must inform your Head of Department or the Principal. The Special Needs Committee will be happy to discuss any issues with you. No member of staff will be censured if they are worrying unnecessarily, but to ignore a concern is never in the pupil’s best interest.

If you feel that a child in your care may be dyslexic, then Mrs Kirwin will work through the Bangor Preliminary Dyslexia Test before recommending external testing to Parents. Details of recommended Educational Psychologists are in the Office for parents.

Communication

Staff’s concerns, recommendations for testing and resulting diagnoses must be communicated efficiently and promptly to the Heads of Department and the Principal who will contact the parents. A Special Needs Observation Sheet should be completed – one copy for the Principal and one for the class teacher’s records.

Special Needs Review forms should be completed at least termly, and copied as above.

End of term reports should include reference to any diagnosis that has been made. The class teacher will add his / her comments to the end of term progress reports of pupils who are receiving additional help.

In some cases, liaison with external agencies will be necessary and full co-operation should be given (once parental permission has been sought, to respect confidentiality and to comply with the Data Protection Act)

Regular progress reports will be discussed at the Learning Support Committee meetings, to review each pupil’s needs and care.

Teaching Special Needs Pupils

The assistance and provision given to special needs pupils will inevitably differ according to need and age.

Staff should make all reasonable adjustments for special needs pupils. Every effort should be made to accommodate requests to sit at the front of the class, all pupils should face the front, teachers should speak clearly and slowly facing the pupils. The level of noise in classrooms should be kept to a minimum. Disruptive pupils must be dealt with immediately to avoid distraction.

Pupils who need extra help or different work should be helped with sensitivity and encouragement. The use of stars and merit badges when targets are reached is to be encouraged.

If an Educational Psychologist’s or Medical report has been received for a particular pupil, heed should be taken of its advice wherever possible.

During tests and examinations recommendations for additional time should be followed whenever possible.

Resources and Training

Staff are encouraged to attend courses and Special Needs exhibitions regularly. All members of the Special Needs Committee should attend courses relevant to their age group specialism. Staff report back to their colleagues to ensure that good advice and practice are shared. Resources should be ordered in the usual way.

Signed

R. J. Oxley(Miss)

Principal & Company Secretary.

For and on behalf of the Board of Governors

January 2010