Special Education Needs and Learning Disability Policy

Aims

The aims of this policy are to promote good practice in our detection and management of special educational needs and to explain the support we can provide for children who have learning difficulties and the co-operation we will need from parents.

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

Children have a learning difficulty if they:

• have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age;
• have a disability which prevents or hinders the child from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority (if your child has a disability, please ask to see our Disability Policy).
• are under five and fall within the definition at 2.2.1 or 2.2.2 above or would so do if special educational provision was not made for the child.

A child must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the "language or medium of communication of the home is different from the language in which he or she is or will be taught." (Education Act 1996, Section 312(1), (2) and (3)). However, children for whom English is an additional language will be provided with appropriate support provided they meet the College's academic criteria.

A child who finds a particular subject difficult does not necessarily have a "learning difficulty" in the legal sense of that expression; there will often be disparities in the speed with which children learn, in their skill at solving problems and in their general acumen. We are flexible in discussing with individual pupils topics, concepts and skills they find difficult.

The expression "learning difficulty" covers a wide variety of conditions and may include those known as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, semantic processing difficulty and learning problems which result from emotional or behavioural disorders. The expression may also include those who have problems with their eyesight or hearing or who have an autistic disorder.

Learning difficulties may affect children who have a high IQ and academic ability as well as those of lower IQ and ability. Sometimes a child's learning difficulty becomes apparent for the first time at the age of 14 or older, when the educational pressures tend to increase.

Policy statement

The College: Albion College is a mainstream independent school with high academic standards which accepts boys and girls from the age of 14 years. Even so, we carry out screening tests on each pupil, in order to detect signs of learning difficulties, where apparent from the test results.

Provision: The provision which we can make for children who appear to have a learning difficulty includes: learning support; remedial teaching, and referral to an educational psychologist for a formal assessment.

Consultation: We do all that is reasonable to report and consult with parents about their child's learning difficulties and to ensure that teachers are given any necessary information about a child's learning difficulties and that teaching practices are appropriate.

Implementation and procedures

Screening test: Within the first few weeks of the beginning of Year 10, pupils are administered a screening test, the results of which will be reported to you, if it appears that he or she has a learning difficulty. The tests which we use are not diagnostic tests of a kind which an educational psychologist would carry out, and they are not infallible. The purpose of the tests is to detect circumstances which may need further investigation or a formal assessment. The cost of screening tests is included in the tuition fees.

Outcome of tests: If the outcome of a test or any other circumstances gives us reason to think that the pupil may have a learning difficulty, we will report and consult with you as necessary and make recommendations.

Formal assessment: If the test results indicate that your child may have a learning difficulty which ought to be assessed without delay, we will ask you to agree to your child being formally assessed by an educational psychologist and we will ask you to agree to follow his/her recommendations unless there are persuasive reasons to the contrary. You may consult an educational psychologist recommended by the College, or one of your own choice. The cost in either case must be borne by the parents/guardians.

Half a term's notice in writing (or payment of half a term's fees in lieu of notice) is required to terminate remedial teaching. Fees paid for remedial teaching will not be refunded.

Code of Practice: Our approach to the detection and management of learning difficulties will be guided by the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (DfES/581/2001), Department for Education and Skills (DfES), November 2001, or any substituting or amending Code of Practice issued from time to time by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). In general, our approach will be cautious so as not unnecessarily to run the risk of a child being labelled "dyslexic" when a later assessment might result in a different explanation for the difficulty.

Statements: Parents/Guardians have the right under s 329(1) of the Education Act 1996 to ask the local education authority to make an assessment with a view to drawing up a Statement of Special Educational Needs. The College also has the right (under s 329A) to ask the LEA to arrange an assessment. The College will always consult with parents/guardians before exercising this right. If the LEA refuses to make an assessment, the parents/guardians (but not the College) have a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability).

Where a prospective pupil has a Statement of Educational Needs, we will consult the parents/guardians and, where appropriate, the Local Authority to ensure that the provision specified in the Statement can be delivered by the College. We will co-operate with the Local Authority to ensure that relevant reviews of Statements are carried out as required.

Any additional services that are needed to meet the requirements of the Statement will need to be charged, either directly to the parents, or the Local Authority if the Authority is responsible for the fees and the College is named in Part 4 of the Statement.

Welfare needs: The College recognises that pupils with special educational needs or learning difficulties may be at risk of being bullied. The College has an anti-bullying policy which make it clear that bullying behaviour of any kind is not acceptable and will be taken very seriously. If parents are concerned about their child's welfare they can approach the pupil's form teacher or head of section to discuss their concerns in private at any time.

The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) who is the Principal is the College's Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). He has responsibility for:

• ensuring liaison with parents and other professionals in respect of children's special educational needs;
• advising and supporting other staff in the College;
• ensuring that appropriate Individual Education Plans are in place;
• ensuring that relevant background information about individual children with special education needs is collected, recorded and updated;
• undertaking any other appropriate duties in accordance with the Code of Practice on special educational needs.

Responsibility: Parents/guardians bear the overall responsibility for taking decisions about the management of their child's learning difficulties.

External teaching: Parents/Guardians may opt for remedial teaching outside the College, provided that the Principal is satisfied with the pupil’s safety and travel arrangements and also that the remedial teaching is at times which fit in with the remainder of the curriculum, timetable and community life of the College.

Information: Because dyslexia and some other learning difficulties are often inherited, we need to know at the outset if you (either parent) or your children or close relations have been affected by a learning difficulty at any time. Confidential information of this kind will only be communicated on a "need to know" basis. You must also provide us with a copy of any report or recommendations which have been made in relation to special educational needs at your child's previous school or elsewhere.

Concerns: We need to know immediately if your child's progress or behaviour causes you concern so that we can devise and agree a strategy with you and carry it out.

Examinations: Pupils who have been diagnosed as having a learning difficulty may be eligible to apply for extra time to complete internal examinations and public examinations. You are asked to liaise with the pupil’s personal tutor, head of section or the SENCO in good time with respect to this.

Alternative arrangements

Withdrawal: We reserve the right, following consultation with you, having taken all reasonable steps and having made all reasonable adjustments, to ask or require you to withdraw your child from the College if, in our opinion:

• your child is in need of a formal assessment, remedial teaching, learning support or medication to which you do not consent; and/or
• you have withheld information from the College which, had the information been provided, would have made a significant difference to the College's management of your child's learning difficulties; and/or
• your child's learning difficulties require a level of support or medication which, in the professional judgment of the Principal, the College is unable to provide, manage or arrange;
• your child has special educational needs that make it unlikely he/she will be able to benefit sufficiently from the mainstream education and facilities which we provide.

Alternative placement: In any of these circumstances we will do what is reasonable to help you to find an alternative placement which will provide your child with the necessary level of teaching and support.

Financial: Withdrawal of a pupil in these circumstances will not incur a charge to fees in lieu of notice. The deposit paid in respect of your child will be credited to your account.

Monitoring and Evaluation

To be continually monitored and evaluated, with a review not later than two years after the date below.

Signed:Date: July 14th 2011

Principal/Proprietor: