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You are in: Teaching & Learning » Inclusion » SEN » Newsletters » Autumn 2006 |
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SEN Newsletter
Autumn - 2006Welcome to the SEN Advisory team’s termly newsletter. In this issue we highlight some exciting new materials to support schools and local authorities to understand their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and increase access to all areas of school life for children and young people with disabilities. The materials, published by the DfES and the Disability Rights Commission, include examples of many schools, across the country, making reasonable adjustments. Planning for our conference, in January 2007, is well underway. Our theme this year is personalising learning, so that all learners are engaged and achieve. We are pleased to announce that Ian Gilbert from Independent Thinking Ltd, will be a key speaker (www.independentthinking.co.uk) and we will also be welcoming back Philippa Stobbs, who has been a popular speaker in previous years. Philippa has been very involved in developing the materials to support the implementation of the DDA. Watch out for further details on our website. If you have any comments or suggestions for future editions please email your feedback to susan.dimmock@hertscc.gov.uk Margaret Davies SEN Advisory Team Leader Administration Assistant: Sue Dimmock
Mainstream SEN Funding ReviewIn 2005 Hertfordshire published its SEN and Inclusion Strategy. ‘School effectiveness and inclusion, training and support, resourcing and meeting needs locally’ were the four interlinked development areas identified as of fundamental importance in underpinning the authority’s strategic aims for SEN and Inclusion. The mainstream SEN funding review is part of the “resourcing” strand. This emphasises that there should be increased delegation of the majority of funds to schools. In this way schools will be able to plan the strategic use of their resources more effectively to meet the needs of children with SEN. The strategy aims to ensure that there is a really robust framework of expectations, accountability and monitoring that everyone understands. The resourcing framework needs to be transparent, equitable and support early intervention and inclusion. An independent review of the existing arrangements was carried out by an independent consultant last year. This identified a range of issues raised by schools and made recommendations about how these could be addressed. The outcomes were disseminated and discussed at a series of meetings across the County in November and December 2005. To view complete article please click below:
Implementing the DDA in schools & early years settingsThis is an important new resource supporting schools and local authorities to understand their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act and increase access to all areas of school life for children and young people with disabilities. The resource includes an electronic version of all the materials on CD-ROM and three DVDs. The duties in the DDA are explained and also how they fit with the SEN and planning duties. There is detail on the definition of disability used in the DDA. It points out that there are many more people who come within the definition than is commonly perceived. The DVDs show the process of how different schools, across the country, make reasonable adjustments. These examples could fit in very well with the work many schools are currently doing on provision mapping and thinking about what the school does to ensure all children are included. To view complete article please click below: What are the Planning Duties?Local authorities (LAs) and schools have, since 2003 been required to develop accessibility strategies and plans, respectively, to improve access to school education for disabled pupils. The strategies and plans are required to show how, over time, access to local schools will be increased by:
Schools are required to report annually on their accessibility plans and on other aspects of their DDA and SEN duties. With the removal of the requirement on the governing body to publish an annual report to parents, the school is required to make this report in the school prospectus. Taken from: Implementing the DDA in schools and early years settings The Individual Assessment of Early Learning and Development (IAELD)These new Hertfordshire materials are now complete after a long period of development by a multi professional team and a thorough trial. The booklet replaces the ‘Pre-School Pack for Achieving Progress’. It consists of an easy to complete developmental checklist, notes of guidance and plentiful information on good inclusive practice. It can be used for the identification of additional need in children whose skills fall within the 0-4 age range, to aid target setting and to promote inclusive practice in schools and pre-school settings. The summary profile allows for good communication of the relative strengths and developmental needs of a child on referral to health professionals and advisory services and on transition between settings. Briefing sessions for schools took place in the summer term and an additional session will be organised for the Autumn term. The information is also being disseminated to a variety of professional groups throughout the County.
Disability Equality SchemeThe Disability Equality Duty (DED) comes into force in December 2006. This new legal duty requires all public authorities, including schools and local authorities to actively look at ways of promoting disability equality. Local authorities and secondary schools are required to publish their disability scheme by 4th December 2006, primary schools and special schools by 3rd December 2007. Good practice, as outlined in Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings, embedded within a robust self evaluation process, that explicitly takes account of pupils with disabilities, will help schools to meet their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. Further guidance from the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) will be issued to assist schools and LAs to fulfil their duties. Teaching Resources The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has produced a resources pack for teachers to raise disability awareness in Citizenship classes for Key Stages 3 and 4. A range of teaching resources, from SCOPE, on disability for secondary schools and colleges, based on an oral history of people with cerebral palsy.
The Individual Assessment of Early Learning & Development (IAELD)These new Hertfordshire materials are now complete after a long period of development by a multi professional team and a thorough trial. The booklet replaces the ‘Pre-School Pack for Achieving Progress’. It consists of an easy to complete developmental checklist, notes of guidance and plentiful information on good inclusive practice. It can be used for the identification of additional need in children whose skills fall within the 0-4 age range, to aid target setting and to promote inclusive practice in schools and pre-school settings. The summary profile allows for good communication of the relative strengths and developmental needs of a child on referral to health professionals and advisory services and on transition between settings. Briefing sessions for schools took place in the summer term and an additional session will be organised for the Autumn term. The information is also being disseminated to a variety of professional groups throughout the County. During the trials staff commented positively about how user-friendly it is and how well it expresses the needs of the children in their care.
CPD Opportunities
Starting Out - Courses for New SENCosFirst Steps to Becoming an Effective SENCo/INC0 - This one day course will provide an overview of national and local guidance and developments within the context of Inclusion and SEN and highlight implications for the role. Beginning Provision Mapping - Provision Mapping is part of school self-evaluation and is a tool for developing a more strategic approach to the management of inclusive provision. Leading for Inclusion - Meeting the ChallengeThis course aims to extend and enhance the leadership role for inclusion in school by focusing on the monitoring and evaluation aspect of that role, in light of recent developments and thinking.
Maximising Progress - Ensuring the Achievement of All PupilsThis course, jointly delivered by the Secondary Strategy and SEN Advisory team in the summer term, aimed to support middle and senior leadership teams in ensuring that raising achievement for all pupils, is firmly embedded within whole school improvement practice. To view further information on all of the above courses please click on link below: NQTSLast year we revamped our courses for NQTs and offered two day courses in the spring and summer term. Topics included:
In addition we were joined by guest speakers from the primary strategy, SpLD bases and senior teaching assistants talking about good practice in their schools. Feedback from the 65 primary NQTs and 25 Secondary NQTs has been overwhelmingly positive. If there are NQTs in you school please encourage them to attend our course this year! We are also investigating other possibilities such as a one day conference for newly and recently qualified teachers. Exciting times are ahead! Any comments or suggestions gratefully received, please email Janet Wren on janet.wren@hertscc.gov.uk Fischer Family TrustFischer Family Trust KS1 Wave 3 Programme is a 1:1 literacy intervention targeting Year 1 pupils working at P6 –1c, which research from other LAs has shown to be highly effective. The Primary Strategy, in partnership with the SpLD Bases, offer schools a three day training course to deliver the programme. The course aims to develop early reading and writing skills by using a literacy assessment to access a range of effective reading and writing strategies and reinforce good literacy practice. Feedback from schools using the programme has been very positive. For further information look in your ‘CPD’ pack or contact your local SpLD Base. Leading SENCosThis time last year, seven SENCos were seconded, for one day a week, to work with the SEN Advisory Team as Leading SENCos. As we all know the SENCo/INCo role remains a continuous challenge to those of us long established in our positions. Taking up the role in a new school or taking up the mantle for the first time can be daunting, if not overwhelming, for a while. As a Leading SENCo, most of our time has been spent supporting newly appointed colleagues, who in our case have been in the secondary sector. The nature of the work has varied according to the experience of the SENCo and the circumstances of the department they have inherited. However, the emphasis has always been on practical advice and support, whether we are supporting individual SENCos or advising on whole school issues. To view complete article please click below:
Resources updatePrimaryThe effective management of teaching assistants to improve standards in literacy and mathematicsDfES: 1228-2005G Speaking, listening, learning: Working with children who have SENDfES: 1187-2005 Year 3 Literacy Support: Materials to support implementation of the programmeDfES: 11991-2005 SecondaryEffective leadership: Ensuring the progress of pupils with SEN and/or disabilities:DfES: 0139-2006DOC-EN Maximising progress: ensuring the attainment of pupils with SEN:DfES: 0104-2005 Working together: teaching assistants and assessment for learningDFES: 1099-2005G
14-19 StrategyIncreased vocational provision for 14-19 year olds is a key priority for Hertfordshire’s 14-19 strategy. One of the most successful means of increasing access to vocational provision has been through the Increased Flexibility Programme which has provided many young people in Years 10 and 11 across Hertfordshire with enhanced vocational and work-related learning opportunities. To view complete article please click below: Useful Website Links
Autumn Term Events SummarySEN Calendar of Events Summary - Autumn 2006
SEN Advisory Team NewsletterIf you have any feedback on this newsletter or suggestions for future issues please contact Sue Dimmock, SEN Administrator on 01582 830205 or e-mail susan.dimmock@hertscc.gov.uk
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