|
Darell like all schools is required to make
provision for children whose educational needs "require provisions that are
additional to, or different from, that normally provided in ordinary schools”.
At Darell we have a highly organised and effective special needs provision to diagnose
learning difficulties as early as possible through systematic screening procedures and to
intervene effectively with carefully targeted support. Possibly 20% of children come into
this category at some time in their school lives.
One teacher is responsible for overseeing this work (the current person, the SENCo will be
listed among curriculum co-ordinators in the governors report included with this
prospectus) and the headteacher is responsible for seeing that special educational needs
are met in the school.
Much of the provision we make for children with special needs is to do with giving them
access to the curriculum outlined in the prospectus.
The teaching style of the school is one of ensuring that individual children have their
educational needs met. This happens through group teaching or when children have work set
at appropriate levels of difficulty.
Judging this accurately is one of the most difficult of all teaching skills and one to
which even very experienced and gifted teachers need to be constantly sensitive.
Children may have additional help from our special educational needs staff, teachers and
teaching assistants who work alongside class teachers giving regular targeted help to
children.
Should a child qualify for extra teaching we ask parents to come in to school and to pool
information about the child.
We keep a register of children and their needs.
Some children simply need to have their progress carefully monitored; others require
active intervention.
Children with greater difficulties have priority in calling on our resources. All our
records are open and parents share in, and contribute to, special needs records.
Sometimes we need to seek advice and help from agencies outside the school. We have a
Special Educational Advisory Teacher, and we may also consult educational psychologists
employed by the local authority.
Children who have considerable learning difficulties may need to be the subject of a
‘statement’, a formal document setting out their educational needs and carrying
an obligation on the local authority to meet them.
Should this happen parents are partners in the procedure, they contribute to the statement
and are fully informed at every step.
|
