SEND Policy

 SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY (SEN) 

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 

The aims of this policy are: 

∙ to create an environment that meets the special educational needs of each  child; 

∙ to ensure that the special educational needs of children are identified,  assessed and provided for; 

∙ to make clear the expectations of all partners in the process; 

∙ to identify the roles and responsibilities of staff, in providing for children’s  special educational needs; 

∙ to enable all children have full access to all elements of the school  curriculum; 

∙ to ensure that parents are able to play their part in supporting their child’s  education; 

∙ to ensure that our children have a voice in this process. 

EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION 

In our school, we aim to offer excellence and choice to all our children, whatever their ability or needs. We have high expectations of all our children. We aim to achieve this through the removal of barriers to learning and participation. We want all our children, to feel that they are a valued part of our school community. Through appropriate curricular provision, we respect the fact that children: 

∙ have different educational and behavioural needs and aspirations;  ∙ require different strategies for learning; 

∙ acquire, assimilate and communicate information at different rates; ∙ need a range of different teaching approaches and experiences. 

 Our Teachers respond to children’s needs by: 

∙ providing support for children who need help with communication, language and literacy; 

∙ planning to develop children’s understanding, through the use of all available senses and experiences; 

∙ planning for children’s full participation in learning and in physical and practical activities; 

∙ helping children to manage their behaviour and to take part in learning effectively and safely; 

∙ helping individuals to manage their emotions, particularly trauma, or stress and to take part in learning.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS 

Children with special educational needs have learning difficulties that call for special provision to be made. All children may have special needs at some time in their lives. Children have a learning difficulty if: 

∙ they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; 

∙ they have a disability which prevents, or hinders them, from making use of the educational facilities, that are provided for children of the same age; ∙ they are under the school age and fall within the definitions above. 

Many of the children who join our school have already attended an early education setting. In some cases, children join us with their needs already assessed. All our children are assessed when they join our school, so that we can build upon their prior learning. We use this information to provide starting points for the development of an appropriate curriculum for all our children.  

If our assessments show that a child may have a learning difficulty, we use a range of strategies that make full use of all available classroom and school resources. The child’s Class Teacher will offer interventions that are different from or additional, to those provided as part of the school’s usual working practices. The Class Teacher will keep parents informed and draw upon them for additional information.  

If the school identifies that support is needed from outside services, we will consult parents, prior to any support being actioned. Children will be seen in school, by external support services, or the parents may wish to take their child to a centre of their choice. External support services provide the parents with information to be able to plan an appropriate programme of support. If the parent shares this information with the school, the new strategies will, wherever possible, be implemented in the child’s normal classroom setting.  

A Karta Indywidualnych Potrzeb Ucznia (KIPU) and Indywidualny Program Edukacyjno terapeutyczny (IPET) individual child’s profile card is set up with a Co-ordinator and  team of Teachers, who teach the pupil. Parents are informed.  

ASSESSMENT 

Early identification is vital. The Class Teacher informs the parents at the earliest opportunity to alert them to concerns and enlist their active help and participation. 

The Class Teacher assesses and monitors the child’s progress in line with existing school practices. This is an ongoing process. 

The Class Teacher works closely with parents and teachers to plan an appropriate programme of support. 

The assessment of children reflects, as far as possible, their participation in the whole curriculum of the school. The Class Teacher can break down the assessment

into smaller steps, in order to aid progress and provide detailed and accurate indicators. 

ACCESS TO THE CURRICULUM 

All children have an entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum, which is differentiated to enable children to: 

∙ understand the relevance and purpose of learning activities; 

∙ experience levels of understanding and the rates of progress that bring feelings of success and achievement. 

Teachers use a range of strategies to meet children’s special educational needs. Lessons have clear learning objectives which are shared with the children at the start of each lesson; we differentiate work appropriately and use assessment to inform the next stage of learning. 

We support children in a manner that acknowledges their entitlement to share the same learning experiences that their peers enjoy. Wherever possible, we do not withdraw children from the classroom situation. There are times, though, when to maximise learning, we ask the children to work in small groups, or in a one-to-one situation outside the classroom. 

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS 

The school works closely with parents in the support of those children with special educational needs. We encourage an active partnership through an ongoing dialogue with parents. The home-school agreement is central to this. Parents have much to contribute to our support for children with special educational needs. 

We have regular meetings each term to share the progress of special needs children with their parents. We inform the parents of any outside intervention, and we share the process of decision-making by providing clear information relating to the education of children with special educational needs. 

PUPIL PARTICIPATION 

At the Poznań British International School, we encourage children to take responsibility and to make decisions. This is part of the culture of our school and relates to children of all ages. The work in the Foundation Stage recognises the importance of children developing social, as well as educational skills. 

  

 Amended: August 2022