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SEN REGULATIONS " over-identification were raised, amid concerns over too much emphasis on targets rather than placing priority on addressing the needs of individual students. When discussing changes that should be made to improve practice in schools, along with the role that the SENCO can play, delegates called for additional training for all staff to support Quality First Teaching and clarify the intervention pro is a lack of SEN continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for staff, which effectively hampers early identification, quality of provision and opportunities for early intervention. The lack of rigorous SEN course content at Initial Teacher Training (ITT)
level was also highlighted as a
concern, along with the lack The of SEN knowledge across e d o the workforce, an issue Draft C tained n i a compounded by funding m states stream not being provided main rseries for CPD. nu , s The Draft Code l o t o s h u m sc s e i states that maintained m de mainstream schools, and acae there is a maintained nurseries ensur esignated and academies must d O ensure there is a teacher SENC acher te designated as a SENCO,
Available services Services available for support for children with SEN under the code: Educational Psychologist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Specialist support teachers or support services Behaviour support teams Youth offending Teams Speech and language therapists Occupational therapists Physiotherapists Transition support
who must have day-to-day responsibility for the operation of SEN policy and must ensure that the school can track and record support plans. Delegates at the DfE sessions called for SENCOs to be an acknowledged part of the school leadership teams, particularly in the absence of ring-fenced funding for SEN pupils. Professionals also called for clear categories for different levels of need and discussed the need to move away from relying upon teaching assistant support and instead enabling investment in improving the quality of whole school provision. Moreover, the role of the SENCO was identified as integral to the success of the collaboration between education, health and social care that the Code outlines. SENCOs discussed the need for clear guidance on when they need to consult on outside agencies and what the correct protocols are for evidencing interventions which might not be immediately recognised in pupils’ academic work. Overall, the regulations must identify the expected outcomes for these young people, their targets and how their learning will be supported in the classroom. The interventions and strategies are to support them must be clearly outlined and decisions as to who measures progress and success must be made. Although the Code
Local offer The local offer must include information about:
Special Educational Needs
Sponsored by
Education Health Care provision Arrangements for identification and assessment of special educational needs Other education provision Training provision, including apprenticeships Travel arrangements Support for school transitions and preparing for adulthood Sources of advice and support in the area Arrangements for making complaints and the resolution of disagreements may well contain guidance for teachers and SENCOs if no progress is made, there is a clear and immediate need for support in this area. A guide to school inspections, developed by nasen and leading SENCOs, offers support in this area to help ensure SENCOs can begin to address those issues that will directly address the quality of provision in their setting as part of a whole school structured approach to meeting all children’s needs. A series of DfE funded SEN learning events will be run by nasen from November 2013 in order to tap into the knowledge and expertise of SENCOs when developing the Draft Code. # FURTHER INFORMATION www.nasen.org.uk
Energy management for schools with the right technology and strategy Carlo Gavazzi manufactures energy meters, energy management software and current transformers, boasting one of the largest ranges in the UK. As budgets throughout schools continue to be constrained, it is vital to get the technology and strategy right to ensure less energy is consumed. When this is understood, then a school’s performance can be improved and energy usage considerably reduced. When sourcing and comparing appropriate technology, it is not only important to know that you have the right equipment, but crucial that you know what you are trying to achieve. It could be a costly process installing a
comprehensive metering package without having a view on the outcome. As energy monitoring software moves into the cloud, it provides schools and local authorities with an energy management strategy.
Whether you need a local, user-friendly solution to gather data, to help manage your consumption and engage students into the schools energy saving campaign, or a simple gateway to multi-site data, then talk to the experts, Carlo Gavazzi. Find out how the company has helped other schools, hospitals and commercial buildings to reduce their energy bills, as well as their carbon footprints. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01252 339600 info@carlogavazzi.co.uk www.carlogavazzi.co.uk
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