Provision for pupils with special needs policy

This draft policy was drawn up by the principal following consultation with the learning support team and the staff of Scoil Naomh Eoin.

This policy on Special Educational Needs has been drawn up in response to:

1                    Enrolment of children with special needs in the school

2                    To assist parents in making an informed decision in relation to the enrolment of their child in our school

3                    To comply with legislation and department circulars etc

Our School Ethos is as follows:-

Scoil Naomh Eoin opened in Sept. 2003.  We are a developing school situated in Navan, Co. Meath.  Our school is expanding rapidly and as it changes, we foresee our special educational policy changing also.

School	Roll No.	Address
Scoil Naomh Eoin	20180Q	Clonmagadden Valley, Navan.

 

Best practice in relation to the provision of Learning Support and resource teaching is guided by the following documents:

DES Learning Support Guidelines 2000,

DES Circular 02/05

DES IEP Guidelines 2006

Inclusion in Scoil Naomh Eoin

‘Special Educational Needs’ is defined in education for persons with special educational needs Act 2004.

            ‘A special educational need refers to a person who has a restriction in capacity to participate in and benefit from education due to an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or learning disability or any other condition which results in a person learning differently from a person without that condition’….

• Exceptionally able pupils are not specifically referred to in this policy though in Scoil Naomh Eoin, the class teacher endeavours to differentiate the primary school curriculum so as to enable all pupils to access their full potential
• Practical steps are in place to ensure that pupils with special educational needs are included in the life of the school and the classroom. e.g. circle time, SPHE, swimming etc
• School employees are made aware of the special educational needs of pupils and strategies to include them in the life of the school.  These are copies of the Draft Curriculum for Pupils with mild learning disabilities available to staff on line and on the NCCA website.

The aim of this policy:

• To outline procedures and practices to be followed in relation to pupils with special needs
• To outline our whole school approach to teaching/learning in relation to pupils with special needs
• To enable pupils with disabilities to avail of and benefit from appropriate education
• To establish communication structures for the involvement of parents of pupils with special needs

Enrolment of children with special needs (Refer to enrolment policy)

The school gathers information on a child with special needs who wishes to enrol in school by:

• Meetings between parents/principal & class teachers
• Requesting copies of reports, assessments etc
• Contacting special educational needs organiser, NEPS Psychologist or other psychologist/speech therapist/occupational therapist or other relevant agencies e.g Enable Ireland
• The school establishes the child’s educational and other requirements and assesses the school’s capacity to meet them
• A decision has to be made by the board re; enrolment of a special needs pupil e.g. EPSEN Act ‘ A child with special educational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have such needs unless the nature or degree of those needs of the child is such that to do so would be inconsistent with
• ‘The best interests of the child  as determined in accordance with any assessment carried out under this Act, or The effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated’
• The school will then outline to parents the manner in which they can support the learning of the child from the time of enrolment.
• If there are health and safety issues from the enrolment of a special needs child the school will identify them and endeavour to develop strategies to address them e.g. access, toilets, supervision, administration of medicines etc

Aim of Learning Support

The principal aim of learning support is to optimise tyhe teaching and learning process in order to enable pupils with learning difficulties to achieve adequate levels of proficiency in literacy and numeracy before leaving primary school.

Subsidiary Aims

1                    To enable pupils to participate in the full curriculum for their class level

2                    To develop positive self esteem and positive attitudes about school and learning in pupils.

3                    To enable pupils to monitor their own learning and become independent learners

4                    To provide supplementary teaching and additional support in English and/or Mathematics.

5                    To involve parents in supporting their children through effective parent support programmes

6                    To promote collaboration among teachers in the implementation of whole school policies on learning support for pupils

7                    To establish early intervention programmes designed to enhance learning and to prevent/reduce difficulties in learning

8                    To guard the self esteem and self image of the learner

Principles

Effective learning programmes are based on the following principles;

• Effective whole-school policies and parental involvement
• Prevention of failure
• Provision of intensive early  intervention
• Direction of resources towards pupils in greatest need

Staff Roles and Responsibilities

The role of support learning is a collaborative responsibility shared by all;- The Board of Management, The Principal, Class Teachers, Learning Support Teacher, Resource Teacher, Parents and Children.  It is important that everyone contributes in the planning and implementation of our school plan on Learning Support Provision

Board of Management,

The Board of Management has an important role in developing, supporting and monitoring school policy on Learning Support and Policy needs.  The BOM should:

1                    Ensure that adequate class room accommodation and teaching resources are provided for LS/RT

2                    Provide a secure facility for storage of records relating to pupils in receipt of special needs and learning support services.

Principal

The Principal has overall responsibility for the school’s learning support programme and the operation of services for children with special educational needs.  Part of the work involves ensuring that the teachers and parents of pupils who are selected for diagnostic assessment and supplementary teaching are enabled to fulfil their roles as outlined in the school plan.

Class Teacher

The class teacher has primary responsibility for the progress of all pupils in his/her class.

• Early identification of learning difficulties, screening, observation, checklists and prompt intervention (stage I)
• Contribute to the development of the pupils individual profile and learning programme (IPLP) through the use of information gathering windows and enable the pupil to achieve his/her learning targets in collaboration with LS/RT
• Create a classroom environment supportive to the needs of special needs pupils, group work, paired reading, word walls, differentiated work sheets, alternative activities, ICT
• Close collaboration between teachers and the  child’s parents in supporting the child’s learning

The Learning Support/Resource Teacher (LS/RT)

The main focus of the Learning support/Resource teachers work is the provision of supplementary teaching to, pupils either in the pupil’s own classrooms or in the learning support room.  The role and duties of the LS/RT will include

• Working closely with the principal to develop the schools learning support policy and the overall co-ordination of special needs services
• Working closely with class teachers on whole school strategies for early intervention and prevention strategies.
• Developing each child’s IPLP/IEP in consultation with the class teacher and the child’s parents and if appropriate with older pupils
• Maintaining records
• Consulting and collaborating with parents, sharing of information
• Co-ordination of whole school procedures for screening, carrying out diagnostic assessments, co-ordinating the selection of pupils for supplementary pupils.
• Providing support to class teachers particularly new or substitute teachers in interpreting outcomes of diagnostic assessments and assisting in planning of activities and strategies to support those children with special needs
• Liaising with external agencies such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists etc to arrange assessments and special provision for pupils with special needs
• Implement recommendations from outside agencies, wherever possible
• Meet with parents of each pupil who is in receipt of resource hours to discuss targets and ways in which  attainment of the targets can be supported at home.
• Meet with parents of each pupil who is in receipt of resources hours at the end of each instructional term:

Special Needs Assistants

Our school is currently entitled to ___ and ___ part-time Special Needs Assistant.  The duties of a special needs assistant can be either specific or general but always of a non-teaching nature.  The principal and teachers are ultimately responsible for the education and well being of all their pupils during the school day.  Other members of staff, in one way or another facilitate the teaching staff in carrying out their responsibility. 

The duties of the SNA have the purpose of:

• Empowering and enabling the child
• Helping to build the child’s self esteem
• Helping the child to foster peer-group acceptance
• Helping the child to ultimately reach his/her potential in personal independence skills

It is the role of the principal and of the classroom teacher to determine the form of assistance and type of duties that would be required of a special needs assistant.  There will be specific duties at certain times of the day, which will relate directly to the particular needs of the child to whom the SNA is assigned.  There will also be general  duties in the form of classroom assistance.  The nature of the incapacity of the child to participate in normal class work and be independent of the direct supervision of the assistant would be a determining factor in relation to general classroom assistance.  If, after a period of working alongside him/her, the child becomes more confident, willing and able to participate in the mainstream class, then the role of the SNA will become more and more similar to that of a classroom assistant.

Role of Parent

Parents can support the work of the school by;

1                    When their child is in receipt of supplementary teaching, implementing suggested home based activities outlined in their child’s individual profile and learning programme and discussing the outcomes with the child’s teachers.

2                    Parents should keep the class teacher informed of the progress that they observe in their child’s learning.  They should also let the school know of any learning difficulties that they observe in their child at home.  If, following diagnostic assessment, the child has been identified as requiring supplementary teaching, the parents should attend a meeting with the learning support teacher to discuss:

The results of the assessment

The learning targets in the child’s individual profile and learning programme.

The actions to be taken by the school to meet those targets

The way in which attainment of the targets can be supported at home.

1. Where a child is in receipt of supplementary teaching from the learning –support teacher, the parents should discuss their child’s progress with the learning-support teacher at the end of each instructional term and, in cases where supplementary teaching is to be continued, discuss the revised learning targets and activities in their child’s individual profile and learning programme.
2. At the discontinuation of supplementary teaching, discuss with their child’s teachers how the child’s future learning needs can continue to be met at school and at home.
3. Participate in activities organised by the school that are designed to increase the involvement of parents in their children’s learning.

Role of Pupils

Pupils who are in receipt of supplementary teaching should, as appropriate:

1. Become familiar with the medium and short term learning targets that have been set for them and they should be given the opportunity to contribute to the setting of such targets.
2. Contribute to the selection of texts and other learning materials that are relevant to the attainment of their learning targets
3. Develop’Ownership’ of the skills and strategies that are taught during supplementary teaching and learn to apply these learning strategies and skills to improve their own learning.
4. Contribute to the evaluation of their progress by participating in appropriate assessment activities, including self assessment.

Prevention Strategies

• Whole school policies/approaches to language development
• Whole school policies/approaches to the teaching literacy/mathematics
• Development of policy on emergent reading& language development, print rich environment, development of sight vocabulary, shared book & language experience approach, developing concepts of print through modelling by the teacher and through collaborative reading activities, initiating the development of the basic sight vocabulary.
• Development of whole school policy on phonological and phonemic awareness
• Paired reading
• Individualised spelling programmes

 

Differentiation in the class situation

• Provision of additional support in language development and in early literacy/mathematical skills to pupils who need it.
• Ongoing structured observation and assessment of language, literacy and mathematical skills of pupils in infant classes
• Implementing classroom programmes designed to enhance learning and prevent learning difficulties
• Provision of appropriate ongoing support in the classroom for pupils for whom supplementary teaching has been discontinued/reduced e.g. spelling programmes, maths groups, buddy reading.
• Provision of additional resources and materials-maths games, maths materials, teacher resources, software, phonological awareness programme, big books, library resources and supplementary reading schemes.

Provision of Intensive Early Intervention

Early intervention is a vital component of the learning support provision in our school.  Early intervention programmes may be provided by the class teacher and/or by the learning support teacher.  Close collaboration and consultation between the class teachers and the learning support teacher, will help identify pupils who may be in need of early intervention.  Teacher observation and professional opinion will be given due consideration and respect in the selection of pupils for early intervention programmes.  Intervention programmes for infants include the early at risk factors (Teacher as Observer), B.I.A.P. and the middle infant screening/forward together programmes and take due note of the following factors:

• Specific time frame
• Small group/individual instruction
• Intensive tuition-daily if possible.
• Strong focus on oral language development, laying the foundation for meaningful reading activities and development of comprehension skills
• Development of phonological awareness and a range of word identification skills
• Engage pupils in frequent supervised oral/silent reading of texts at appropriate levels of difficulty and monitor their comprehension of these tests
• Develop listening, speaking, reading and writing
• Focus on language development in mathematics
• Development of mathematical procedures and concepts

Other Interventions:

1. Early at risk indicators – Teacher as observer
2. MIST, forward together programme
3. Language experience approach
4. Small group tuition focusing on development of speaking, listening, reading and writing
5. Phonological awareness development
6. First steps approach to writing

Assessment and Reporting (Learning Support Guidelines p60)

Step 1, preliminary screening

1. Enrolment form – gathering of relevant information from parents about the child prior to coming to school.  (This may include other reports from outside agencies)
2. Teacher designed tasks and tests
3. Assessments may be carried out in Mathematics at the end of each term or alternatively at the teacher’s discretion (Mathematics Assessments)
4. Recorded Teacher Observations, Screening in Junior Infants will take place after Halloween, Early at risk indicators, Screening in Senior Infants will take place in the second term (MIST).  The learning LS/RT will assist the infant classroom teachers in the screening process.
5. The LST/RT may assess new children enrolled into school prior to school testing if concerns are expressed by the class teacher (following a settling in period and/or stage 1 plan)
6. The classroom teacher will take responsibility for administering and correcting classroom tests and the LS/RT will record test results.
7. Screening will be carried out in April/May of each year in English and Maths 1^st -6^th Class
8. Micra T
9. Sigma T

10.  Non Reading Intelligence Test (NRIT)

Step 2,  Selection of Diagnostic Assessment

Following screening, the parents of those children who would benefit from further diagnostic assessment will be consulted

Step 3,  Diagnostic Assessment

Diagnostic Assessments will be carried out subject to parental agreement, by the LS/RT and consultations regarding the results will be held with the class teachers and parents.

The LS/RT, class teacher and parents will agree on the most appropriate form of intervention for the pupil.  Appendix of diagnostic tests attached.

Step 4,  Programme Planning

An individual profile and learning programme (IPLP) will be drawn up by the learning support teacher in consultation with the class teacher and parents.  Information gathering windows (attached) will be used to record teacher and parent observations of the child.  An IEP will be drawn up by the resource  teacher, class teacher and parents of the children with low incidence disabilities in accordance with the IEP guidelines.  The principal will inform and involve other relevant professionals such as the SENO in this process.  Supplementary teaching may be provided for pupils in a variety of settings – one to one, in groups, mixture, in class to be decided in collaboration with the class teacher.

Step 5,  Programme Planning

The classroom teacher will modify and adaprt teaching approaches and methods in order to support the pupil.  The LS/RT will work with the pupil for an instrucyional term (the length of this instructional team will be decided upon by the LS/RT in consultation with the class teacher.  The LS/RT will keep weekly progress records.  Parents will sign reading records if required.

Step 6, Programme review at the end of the instructional term.

An assessment of the pupil’s progress will be made using a variety of assessments tools;

1. LS/RT/Class teacher/Parent Observations
2. Teacher designed tasks and tests
3. Work samples, portfolios and projects
4. Standardised tests
5. Diagnostic tests

The learning programme will be evaluated.  Consultation between the LST, The class, the class teacher, parents and principal will result in a decision being made with regard to the level of support now required by the pupil.

Step 7a, Discontinuation of Supplementary Teaching

Children who achieve within the average range in screening tests and who following the above reviewing procedures are no longer identified as needing supplementary teaching will be monitored on a regular basis.  These children will receive additional support from the classroom teachers in consultation with the LS/RT and their parents.

Step 7b, Continuation of Supplementary Teaching for a further instructional term.

Return to Step 4 and repeat steps 4 to 7

6 Key Steps for providing support in our School (see circular 02/05)

1                    Identify all pupils in need of support (see below for details)

Pupils with low incidence disabilities – circular 02/05, pg 15

Pupils with High Incidence disabilities – transitional allocation of resources

Pupils with other Special Educational needs

Pupils with Learning Needs at stage 2

Pupils with learning needs at Stage II (literacy

Pupils with learning needs at stage II (other

Pupils with learning needs at stage III (pupils with

Pupils with learning needs at stage III (pupils with

 

Priority will also be given to the following pupils

Those at or below the 10^th percentile in English

Early intervention in English – Senior infants to 2^nd class

Those at or below the 10^th percentile in Mathmathics

Early Intervention in Mathmathics – Senior Infants to 2^nd Class

2.         Identify level of intervention required on basis of learning needs (Withdrawal, one   to one, mixture, in class support)

3.         Identify all support teaching staff

4.         Allocate teaching staff to pupils

5.         Cross reference needs of pupils at stages 2/3 towards common needs that can be met by grouping.  Allocate teachers to groups

6.         Establish a tracking and recording system.

The standard approach to assessment, intervention and review (circular 02/05, pg 23)

A staged approach to assessment, identification and programme implementation is appropriate generally in the area of special needs.  There will of course be cases where there is an obvious and immediate need for assessment and allocation of resources.  The following staged approach has been adopted in our school (Stage 1, plan attached)

Staged Approach to Special Educational Needs:

Stage I

A class teacher or parent may have concerns about the academic, physical, social, behavioural or emotional development of certain pupils.  The teacher should then administer screening measures, which may include screening checklists and profiles for children in senior infants and first class, standardised, norm-referenced tests for older children and behavioural checklists where appropriate.

The class teacher should then draw up a short, simple plan for extra help within the normal classroom setting in the relevant areas of learning and/or behavioural management.  The success of the plan should be reviewed on a regular basis, with appropriate parental involvement.  If concern remains after approximately two school terms, the LS/RT may be consulted about the desirability of a move to stage II.

Stage II

In the case of children with learning difficulties, if the class teacher’s  plan fails to achieve the desired outcome, then the child should be referred to the learning support teacher, with parental permission, for further diagnostic testing.  If this diagnostic assessment indicates that supplementary teaching would be beneficial, then this should be arranged.  Parents and class teacher should be involved with the LS/RT in drawing up the learning plan, complementing the plan with supplementary activities in class and at home and in implementing the plan.

Stage III

The school will formally request a consultation, and where appropriate, an assessment of need from a specialist from outside the school in respect of children with learning difficulties and mild /moderate behavioural problems who have failed to make progress after supplementary teaching or behavioural programme and of children with serious emotional disturbance and/or behavioural problems.  Such specialist advice may be sought from psychologists, paediatricians, speech and language therapists, audiologists etc.  In consultation with the relevant specialist/s, the LS/RT and class teacher will then draw up a learning plan, which includes identification of any additional available resources that are considered necessary in order to implement the plan.  The parents will be fully consulted throughout the process.  This plan will be the subject of regular reviews leading to revisions of the learning plan and referral for specialist review if necessary.

Our NEPS psychologist is Jo Flanagan.  When we need further assistance , we contact her

Monitoring Progress

Monitoring takes place through regular meetings between the principal and the LS/RT.  Such meetings should occur at least once each term and address the following issues.

1. Prevention and early intervention programmes
2. Resources
3. Screening programmes
4. Diagnostic Assessments
5. Consultation with class teachers
6. Criteria for discontinuing/reducing support, time tabling
7. Progress of individual  pupils with reference to their IEP/IPLP targets and programme planning
8. Parental  Involvement

Communication within our school

Communication within our school:

Communication in our school refers to the following range of consultation and collaboration and is facilitated on an ongoing basis both formally and informally;

1. Class teacher and parents
2. Class teacher and learning support teacher
3. Class teacher and resource teacher/visiting teacher
4. Class teacher and others (psychologists, HSE etc)
5. Resource teacher and parents
6. School personnel and SENO
7. Principal and all of the above

Principal/SET communication with parents:

The parents will be consulted should their child be selected for diagnostic assessment.  The parents will be invited to attend a meeting with the LS/RT to discuss:

1. Results of the diagnostic assessment
2. Learning targets in the IPLP/IEP
3. Strategies to be undertaken by the school to meet the targets
4. Ways in which attainment of the targets can be supported at home

At the end of each instructional term parents will be invited to discuss their child’s progress.  At discontinuation of supplementary teaching parents will discuss how the child’s future needs can be continue to be met at school and at home.  The principal, LS/RT and class teacher will liaise with parents on an on-going basis.

Parental Permissions:

Written parental permissions are required for children to attend learning support .  Written parental permissions are also required for the learning support teacher to undertake individual, diagnostic testing.

Code of Behaviour

Review of our DFL code of behaviour will specifically refer to pupils who have behavioural or emotional problems.

Equality of access and participation

Provisions needed to be made so that a pupil with special needs has equality of access and participation, i.e. access to all areas of the curriculum – PE, Swimming, Extra Curricular Activities, school excursions are noted within our school plan and practices and will be further adapted as appropriate.

Transfer to Post Primary

A smooth transition to post primary education is sought for all pupils in our school and especially for pupils with special needs through consultation with the relevant post primary school.

Record Keeping

A file containing all the relevant information pertaining to the pupil with special needs is in the school office and the learning support room

Class Teacher, resource Teacher, SENO, psychologist, inspector, parents, special needs assistants have access to this information as deemed appropriate by the school principal

Success Criteria

Some practical indicators of the success of this policy to date include:

• Inclusion of pupils with special needs in our school
• Progress of pupils with special needs in our school (assessments showing progress)
• Positive feedback from parents at the end of each year
• Feedback from teaching staff, special needs assistant, pupils, psychologists.

Review

This policy is due for review in June 2008.