School admissions and SEND

We expect every early years provider, state-funded mainstream, special school and post-16 setting to provide effective education for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

This is so that they can make good progress in their learning and, in the long term, become independent and gain employment in or near their local community.

It is important that there is transparency and accountability.

Our guiding principles that define what we expect from our settings are around:

• parents being equal partners in planning for their child
• a focus on outcomes
• a coordinated approach to education, health and care planning and assessment

Parental involvement

The voice of parents must be listened to and included in any development around the support that is being provided to their child. Feedback from parents should also be taken into consideration.

These principles should be followed:

• dates for termly parent and teacher conversations are planned for the academic year – parents and carers should feel welcomed and encouraged and supported to attend
• multi-agency assessment and planning is coordinated by the SENCO to inform education, health and care (EHC) planning
• practitioners work collaboratively to implement EHC provision and monitor the effect on attainment and wellbeing
• outcomes of the parent and teacher conversations are recorded in the child's record and are used to inform goal-setting and future planning
• parents say the outcomes of structured conversations are positive

Measuring outcomes

We require settings to measure and monitor outcomes for children on a range of factors, such as peer relationships and attendance.

We expect settings to follow these principles.

The school has systems in place to monitor and support pupil's emotional, social wellbeing and inclusion (including patterns of attendance, exclusions and wellbeing).

Pupils demonstrate:

• attendance (98% or above)
• confidence
• resilience
• positive peer and adult relationships
• a motivation to learn

The school keeps a record of issues, for example a pastoral support plan, relating to a child's wellbeing and includes parents and other agencies in planning to address issues such as:

• attendance
• exclusion
• behaviour
• anxiety
• depression

The designated safeguarding officer should monitor issues relating to safeguarding and coordinates school, social work and community safety planning.

Pastoral support plans or behaviour improvement plans are coordinated and recorded by school staff. They are used to plan, support and engage pupils in improving their behaviour and helping them to take part in positive activities. An assessment of wellbeing is used to inform understanding of pupil attainment and progress.

Tracking progress, assessing needs and support plans

It is important that settings show how they:

• support your child's education and what steps are taken to show progress, ensuring their needs are met
• plan and review the support they provide

We expect settings to follow these principles.

The school communicates their Local Offer for children with special education needs or high needs. This focuses on the achievement of outcomes through evidence-based approaches to provision planning.

The Local Offer includes interventions to address the following:

• literacy and learning
• language and communication
• social, emotional behavioural and sensory and medical needs
• needs associated with ASD, dyslexia and dyspraxia

Schools should document the coordinated assessment of the child's educational needs and a resourced plan of intervention (including cost of provision).

Pupil progress in response to the resourced plan is recorded, monitored and updated by a teacher working with parents and carers (for example using SIMS to record and benchmark).

The pupil's targets are based on prediction and challenge.

Leadership and governance

We expect school leadership teams and governors to set a purpose and direction which inspires members of staff, parents and the broader school community to work together to ensure:

• the sustained progress, achievement and wellbeing of pupils with SEND
• attention is paid to the pace and quality of progress
• the provision of effective and efficient education and transparency
• accountability for High Needs Funding