Services in special educational needs (305)
Exclusions - Information for parents
The decision to exclude a pupil is a very serious matter and should only be used as a last resort. Only the head teacher can exclude once they have carried out a thorough investigation. Find further information on types of exclusion, what happens next if…How is my child with SEND supported in school?
Around 5,000 children and young people in Islington have identified Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and most of these are supported in their local mainstream school or Early Years setting. The majority of children and young people will have their needs met through additional…SEN Support in Islington - Behaviour Handbook
The Behaviour Handbook for Islington schools outlines approaches and interventions which encourage and allow inclusion and reduce the risk of exclusion. Within the universal offer, which underpins the layers of support and intervention, is an understanding and ethos which supports the ideals of inclusion. It…How your child with hearing impairment is supported in school
There are different types and degrees of hearing loss that require different levels of support. A hearing impairment is likely to have an impact on your child’s speech and language development, literacy skills, social communication and emotional development. When babies are born they are assessed…How your child with emerging needs is supported through early years
All early years settings must to put in place a ‘graduated approach’ to supporting children’s learning development. This is a system to identify and meet the needs of all children, including those who may have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). Settings include all private…How your child with autistic spectrum condition is supported in school
Children and young people with autistic spectrum condition have different types and degrees of need that require different levels of support. If your child has an autistic spectrum condition, they may have problems with some or all of the following: Communicating with teachers, support staff…How your child with social, emotional and mental health needs is supported in school
There are different types and degrees of social, emotional and mental health needs that require different levels of support. If your child has social, emotional or mental health needs they may have problems with some or all of the following: Being unhappy, with low self-esteem…How your child with visual impairment is supported in school
There are different types and degrees of visual impairments that require different levels of support. A visual impairment is likely to affect how your child makes sense of the world around them and how they move within it. Visual impairment is often identified early through…How your child with physical difficulties is supported in school
There are different types and degrees of physical difficulty that require different levels of support, but pupils with physical difficulties learn well in mainstream schools if attention is paid to their specific needs. If your child has a physical difficulty, they may also have learning…How your child with speech and language difficulties is supported in school
There are a wide range of impairments covered by the term speech and language difficulties, including the following: Expressive language – for example your child’s ability to speak in sentences Language comprehension – your child’s ability to understand what people say Social communication – your…How your child with general learning difficulties is supported in school
There are different types and degrees of learning difficulty that require different levels of support. If your child has learning difficulties, they may have problems with some or all of the following: Memory Learning how to speak Understanding others Reading and writing Maths skills Putting…SEND Outcomes Framework
Focus on outcomes All plans should be written in collaboration with, parents, children and young people. They should be outcomes driven. Plans should not be about input determined by a professional, but have has the child / young person at the centre, with the child…SEND Outreach Services
SEND Outreach Services are commissioned on behalf of Islington’s mainstream schools to an agreed service specification. Their role is to improved outcomes for all children and young people with SEND by helping schools to increase their capacity to meet a wider range of needs. The…Provision Mapping
What is a provision map? A provision map is a management tool providing an 'at a glance' way of documenting and showing the range of interventions, additional staffing and support that a school makes available Provision maps enable schools to look strategically at the needs…Workforce Development for SEND
The SENCO and the class teachers should decide on the action needed to help the child to progress in the light of their earlier assessment. There is sometimes an expectation that this help will take the form of the deployment of extra staff to enable…‘Waves of Intervention’ – Quality First Teaching
The Waves of Intervention Model The 'Waves of Intervention' model (national Strategies) describes how different levels of intervention can be understood and systematically implemented. Wave 1 (Universal): describes quality inclusive teaching which takes into account the learning needs of all the children in the classroom.…English as an Additional Language (EAL) and SEND
‘Difficulties related solely to learning English as an additional language are not SEN’ SEND Code of Practice Although some children with English as an Additional Language (EAL) will also have SEND, the great majority will not. Data shows that pupils with EAL often make rapid…Quality Assurance
The Council ensures effective quality assurance (QA) of provision for children with SEND before and during the delivery of provision. The Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on LAs to improve the quality of provision for children with SEND. The Code of Practice says…Pupil Premium
What is the Pupil Premium? The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 to raise the attainment of disadvantaged children and young people (i.e. those eligible for free school meals nationally). The national allocation to schools is £2.4 billion in 2017/18 (£15 million to Islington).…Analysing and Using SEND Data
Data collection and analysis are essential elements in developing a more ‘forensic’ approach to removing barriers to learning, raising expectations and supporting the setting of realistic and stretching targets for SEND pupils. SEN Code of Practice The effective use of data helps to support the…Local Authority Duties for Children and Young People with SEND
The phrase ‘Local Authorities must’ appears 188 times in the SEN Code of Practice: The broad duties for the Local Authority (or Islington Council) , summarised here, are to: Ensure that children, their parents and young people are involved in discussions and decisions about their…Further Education and SEND
Since 1 September 2014, the above institutions have had a duty to: Co-operate with the LA on arrangements for young people with SEND Admit a young person if the institution is named in an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan Have regard to the SEND…Personal Budgets Explained
The aim of Personal Budgets is to increase an individual’s independence and choice by giving them control over the way services they receive are delivered. A Personal Budget is a sum of money that a family can use to spend in a way that they…Single Route of Redress - National Trial
In line with Schedule 2 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 all local areas in England are required to publish details in their local offers for ‘notifying parents and young people of their right to appeal a decision of the local authority…SEN Governance in Islington
The process of governance (or making policies and monitoring how effective they are) takes place at various levels across the Council. The SEN Governance Map provides details of all the Boards and groups which all contribute to the governance of SEN provision for children and young people…Moving in and out of Islington - Children with Education, Health and Care Plans
Moving to Islington If a young person has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, and their family are moving into Islington, it is helpful for parents and carers to contact the Special Education Team as early as possible. The Team can then advise them…Notional SEN Budgets for Islington School 2018-19
What is the 'Notional SEN Budget and how is it calculated? LAs must, through the Schools Forum, identify the formula by which schools receive funding to provide support for pupils with SEND. This is called a 'Notional SEN Budget'. It is called 'notional' because no-one…Early Years SEN Funding Panel
The purpose of additional SEND Funding Many children with special educational needs and disability may benefit from additional support/intervention. In the first instance this must be organised by the early years setting where existing provision resources and other non-financial support currently available from other external…Disability Access Fund, DAF
Disability Access Fund, DAF, is paid to providers with 3 and 4-year-olds who are accessing free early education. It is available for each child who is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, DLA, and is a one-off payment to the provider of £615 per child. DAF…Education information required by the LA to consider an EHC needs assessment request
Evidence of the education providers arrangements (purposeful interventions), which are additional to and different from what is normally available through the differentiated curriculum for all children Copies of most recent SEND Support / Individual Plans or Provision Map information for the child plus details of…Our Vision for Children with SEND
Our vision is that every child and young person with SEND in Islington to have the opportunity to: Be happy, healthy, safe and confident about their future Become successful, resilient adults who achieve their aspirations in all aspects of their lives Live fulfilling lives in…Prevalence of SEND in Islington schools
According to the Summer Term 2017 School Census, there were 4,618 children in Islington schools with a SEND (18.5% of all Islington pupils). 3.6% of children in Islington schools had an Education, Health and Care Plan. Both figures are higher than national, London and statistical…Children and Families Act 2014
The main requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 are as follows: The age range 0-25 years is covered, ensuring legal protections can continue as young people leave school and move into college/further education and apprenticeships. Education, Health and Social Care services must work…Islington SEND Parent Parliament
When parents and professionals work together, recognising each-others expert knowledge, better decision are made. Working together helps: Professionals understand how to develop and deliver services to meet the needs of children and families Parents to understand some of the difficulties faced by those who arrange…Special School Admission Information
Most children and young people with SEN are educated in mainstream schools. Each mainstream school in Islington is supported by the Outreach teams linked to the local special schools. Their role is to build the skills, knowledge and capacity of mainstream schools to make sure…Education, Health an Care assessment - Survey
What did you think of the Education, Health and Care Assessment? If your child has recently had an Education, Health an Care assessment, we would like to hear from you. We would really value your feedback on the assessment process. Please take a moment to…Secondary Transfer for Children with SEND
The aim of this information is to help parents of children with Education Health and Care (EHC) Plans who are coming up to secondary transfer. This is because secondary transfer arrangements work in a slightly different way for your child.First Tier Tribunal (SEN and Disability)
The Tribunal (part of the First-tier Tribunal [Health, Education and Social Care Chamber]) hears appeals against decisions made by Local Authorities in relation to children’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessments and plans. It also hears disability discrimination claims against schools.Mediation
Mediation must be available to any parent or young person who is not happy with the final version of their Education Health and Care Plan. (Any disagreement about anything else is open to disagreement resolution, not mediation). Level 1 – Mediation Advice Access to mediation…Disagreement Resolution
Any disagreement regarding special educational needs assessment or provision should try to be resolved through disagreement resolution. This could be between parents/young people with schools, colleges or the Local Authority. The Local Authority must make disagreement resolution services available to parents and young people. Disagreement…Schools Accessibility Strategy and Accessibility Plans
Duty of schools The Equality Act 2010 and related Equality Duty 2011 reiterate the duty on schools as laid out in the previous Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to produce an Accessibility Plan. The accompanying guidance for schools confirms that schools continue to have a duty…Team Around the Child
A Team Around the Child (TAC) is a multi-disciplinary team of practitioners established on a case-by-case basis to support a child, young person or family. TACs support good professional practice in joined-up working, information sharing and early intervention. The model involves: A joined-up assessment, usually…Measuring progress for children with SEND
The progress of all groups of children has been a prominent issue for all schools since the introduction of the 2012 Ofsted inspection framework. Parents also want to see evidence of progress. The issue of showing progress is particularly challenging for children with special educational…Preparing for adulthood EHC Plan reviews
All EHC Reviews taking place from Year 9 and onwards must include a focus on preparing for adulthood, including employment, independent living and participation in society. This transition planning must be built into the EHC plan and where relevant should include effective planning for young…Review of Education, Health and Care Plans
Schools and settings are required to meet with parents at least three times a year when their child is receiving SEND support and are responsible for setting up these meetings.What does an Educational Psychologist do?
Educational Psychologists work with children and young people between the ages of 0 and 25 years who are residents of Islington or who attend Islington schools. They work in a range of educational settings including children’s centres, early years’ settings, mainstream primary and secondary schools,…Supporting children with SEN to maintain a healthy weight
'Health risks and the threat of obesity are huge concerns for families of children with disabilities and special needs. The issue goes beyond food and portion control for these families. It’s a balancing act: working with behaviors and aversions, medications and mobility challenges while exploring…Supporting pupils with medical conditions
The Children and Families Act 2014 (Section 100) placed a new statutory requirement on schools to make arrangements for supporting children with medical conditions, supported by related guidance Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions.School Attendance and SEND
Despite progress in recent years, both primary and secondary phases in Islington currently perform poorly in terms of school attendance in comparison with statistical neighbours. Children with SEND have higher patterns of non‐attendance; our aim is at least 96% attendance for all children. In 2016‐17,…