Schools
and early education settings place great importance on identifying special
educational needs (SEN) early, so that they can help children as quickly
as possible.
Once it
has been decided that your child has special educational needs, your child's
teachers should take account of the guidance in the Special Educational Needs
Code of Practice. This includes information about the local Parent Partnership
Service.
The graduated
approach recognises that children learn in different ways and can have different
kinds or levels of special educational needs. So increasingly, step-by-step,
specialist expertise can be brought in to help the school with the difficulties
that a child may have.
The school
must tell you when they first start giving extra or different help to your
child because your child has special educational needs. This help could be
a different way of teaching certain things; some help from an extra adult,
perhaps in a small group, or use of particular equipment like a computer
or a desk with a sloping top.
This help
is called:
- Early
Years Action in early education settings
- School
Action in schools
Your child's teacher is responsible for working with your child on a day-to-day
basis, but may decide to write down the actions or help for your child in an Individual
Education Plan (IEP).
The IEP should say:
- the short-term targets set for or by the child
- the teaching strategies to be used
- the provision to be put in place
- when the plan is to be reviewed
- success and/or exit criteria
- outcomes (to be recorded when the IEP is reviewed)
Your child's teacher should discuss the IEP with you and your child at least
twice a year and preferably termly. This discussion may form part of a routine
parents' evening.
If your child does not make enough progress, the teacher or the special
educational needs coordinator should then talk to you about asking for
advice from other people outside the school. They might want to ask for help
from, for example, a specialist teacher, an educational psychologist, a speech
and language therapist or other health professional. This kind of help is called
early years action plus or school action plus.
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the site).
Your views are very important at all times. Talking through any worries
you might have at an early age setting with the class teacher, the special
educational needs coordinator or the head teacher should sort out any
concerns or misunderstandings.
If your child still does not seem to be making enough progress or needs a
lot more extra help, the council may decide to carry out a more detailed assessment
of your child's needs.
What if you disagree with the early education setting or school?
If you are not happy with anything the school does for your child, you should
first talk to the special educational needs coordinator, your child's
class teacher or subject teachers. You could also talk to the head teacher.
Sometimes there can be misunderstandings. It is important that you cooperate
as much as you can with your child's school in any discussion about your child's
special educational needs.
You may find it helpful to write down your worries before a meeting and, if
you want to, you can take a friend or relative with you.
You may also find it helpful to talk to other parents. Your child's school
will be able to put you in touch with the local Parent Partnership Service
who can also give you the names of local voluntary organisations and parents'
groups that might be able to help. Parent
Partnership Services can help you to express your views and offer you support
whenever you need it.