Derbyshire Graduated Response

Graduated Response

Contents

• Foreword

Plan And Do 25

• Delivering The Graduated Model Of Provision
• Reviewing Progress
• Our Vision

SEN Support Targeted Support 28

Assess 28

• The Special Educational Needs And Disability Code Of Practice: 0-25 Years (2015)

Plan And Do 29

• What Is A Graduated Response?
• Reviewing Progress
• The Graduated Response Starts With A ‘Whole School Approach’ To Inclusion

SEN Support Specialist Support 31

Assess 31

• Whole School Approach

Plan And Do 32

• Whole School Approach Identifying Need
• Reviewing Progress
• SEN Support Assess, Plan, Do, Review Cycle

Social Communication, Including Autism 34

• Preparation For Adulthood

Whole School 35

• SEN Support In Post 16 Provision

Assess 35

• A Note On Sensory Processing 18

Plan And Do 36

• The Whole School Approach Structure Of The Guidance
• Reviewing Progress
• Reasonable Adjustments

SEN Support Targeted Support 38

Communication And Interaction

Assess 38

• Overview

Plan And Do 39

Speech And Language Needs 23

• Reviewing Progress

Whole School 24

SEN Support Specialist Support 41

Assess 24

Assess 41

Plan And Do 43

• Reviewing Progress

Cognition And Learning

Plan And Do 61

• Reviewing Progress
• Overview

SEN Support Targeted Support 63

• Specific Learning Difficulty

Assess 63

Whole School 48

Plan And Do 64

Assess 48

• Reviewing Progress

Plan And Do 49

SEN Support Specialist Support 66

• Reviewing Progress

Assess 66

SEN Support Targeted Support 51

Plan And Do 67

Assess 51

• Reviewing Progress

Plan And Do 52

Sensory And/Or Physical Needs

• Reviewing Progress

SEN Support Specialist Support 54

• Overview

Assess 54

1. Deaf And Hearing Impairment 71

Plan And Do 55

Whole School 72

• Reviewing Progress

Assess 72

Social, Emotional & Mental Health

Plan And Do 73

• Reviewing Progress
• Overview

SEN Support Targeted Support 75

The SEND Code Of Practice 2015 59

Assess 75

Whole School 60

Plan And Do 76

Assess 60

• Reviewing Progress

SEN Support Specialist Support 78

SEN Support Targeted Support 95

Assess 78

Assess 95

Plan And Do 79

Plan And Do 96

• Reviewing Progress
• Reviewing Progress

2. Vision Impairment 81

SEN Support Specialist Support 98

Whole School 82

Assess 98

Assess 82

Plan And Do 99

Plan And Do 83

• Reviewing Progress
• Reviewing Progress

4. Physical And/Or Medical Needs 101

SEN Support Targeted Support 85

Whole School 102

Assess 85

Assess 102

Plan And Do 86

Plan And Do 103

• Reviewing Progress
• Reviewing Progress

SEN Support Specialist Support 88

SEN Support Targeted Support 105

Assess 88

Assess 105

Plan And Do 89

Plan And Do 106

• Reviewing Progress
• Reviewing Progress

3. MULTI-SENSORY Impairment (Msi) 91

SEN Support Specialist Support 108

Whole School 92

Assess 108

Assess 92

Plan And Do 109

Plan And Do 93

• Reviewing Progress
• Reviewing Progress
• Glossary

Foreword

This document makes explicit the provision for children and young people requiring support from within educational settings without the necessity for an education, health and care needs assessment and is important because:

Derbyshire is ambitious for all children and young people and is transforming services for children and young people with the most complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who deserve every opportunity to achieve well and access the very best provision.

As nationally, and in line with the best inclusive practice, the vast majority of children and young people with additional needs in Derbyshire will have those needs met through the graduated response available in their local mainstream provision. A much smaller proportion will require more specialist settings. Derbyshire has over 16,000 children with identified additional needs who will have their needs met through the inclusive mainstream offer.

• All Derbyshire children and young people attending an early years setting

or a mainstream school should have the same entitlement to provision for special educational needs

• Settings and local authority staff need a joint understanding of how best to support individual learners
• It supports the local authority in its statutory duty to monitor and evaluate effectiveness of special educational needs provision

The SEND Code of Practice clearly states that, where possible, children and young people should attend mainstream schools in their local area and should be encouraged to feel part of their local community.

• It provides the considerations to reaching thresholds for access to additional funding or eligibility for an formal assessment of needs.

This guidance sets out the continuum for a range of needs and identifies the types of interventions and support available from universal quality first teaching from all teachers through to specialist support from services.

Derbyshire has many reasons to be proud of its existing services and the quality of provision, in many mainstream schools. However, there is more we need to do to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND including a reduction of those with autism leaving mainstream environments and the over representation of those with identified needs at SEN support who are excluded or become electively home educated.

It has been developed in co-production with parents/carers, settings/ schools, special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs), post-16 representatives, and a wide range of specialist education, care and health services.

The aim of this guidance is to support colleagues in meeting need and to achieve the best outcomes for our children and young people. It explains the special educational provision expected to be made from within a mainstream school’s or early years setting’s budget; the first crucial circle in the graduated response.

This document provides advice and guidance to help educational settings and schools, including early years providers and post 16 settings, to continue to build and enhance their offer for some of our most vulnerable learners.

I would like to extend my appreciation and thanks to all those who have supported the development of this guidance. The co-production work that has been undertaken to produce this document is testament to our local commitment to achieving the best of our children and young people.

Paula Williams Assistant Director: Learning Access and Inclusion

Delivering The Graduated Model Of Provision

1. Mainstream School

3. Partnership Arrangements 4. Enhanced Resources

2. Mainstream Plus

5. Special

6. Independent

• Mainstream

School The majority of children from 4 categories of SEND attend mainstream school with quality first teaching that identifies need and adapts curriculum

• Mainstream Plus

Some pupils require additional resources and arrangements within schools. Their needs are described in an SEN support plan

• Partnership

Arrangements Schools work in partnership to arrange collaborative provision, alternative curriculums and shared resources

• Enhanced

Resources Specialist provision located on mainstream school sites

• Special School

Provision Access to a variety of special school provision catering for the pupils with the most complex needs

• Independent non

mainstream school Access to a highly specialist leaning and care environments for those pupils with highly exceptional or low incidence needs

Our Vision

Our vision is that all children and young people with SEND will be empowered to make choices which lead to fulfilled lives where they are included in their local community socially, access meaningful employment, are physically and emotionally healthy and live as independently as possible.

The Special Educational Needs And Disability Code Of Practice: 0-25 Years (2015)

In developing this guidance, consideration has been given to the principles and processes outlined in “The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 Years (2015)”. This document should be used as a key reference in supporting and developing provision for children and young people identified as having a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND).

“All schools, colleges and post 16 providers should adopt a graduated approach to identifying and responding to SEND. In schools, class and/ or subject teachers, supported by the senior leadership team (SLT) should make regular assessments of progress for all children and young people. These should seek to identify children and young people making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances.

High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEND. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching. Schools should regularly and carefully review the quality of teaching for all pupils, including those at risk of underachievement. This includes reviewing and, where necessary, improving, teachers’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils and their knowledge of the SEND most frequently encountered.

This could be characterised by progress which:

• Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
• Fails to match or better the child or young person’s previous rate of progress
• Fails to close the attainment gap between the child or young person and their peers
• Widens the attainment gap.

It can include progress in areas other than attainment – for instance where a child or young person needs to make additional progress with wider development or social needs in order to make a successful transition to adult life.”

(COP, 2015: 6.12 & 6.37)

What Is A Graduated Response?

The Graduated Response is far more than this document. It is a journey. This document is a step along that journey. An embedded graduated response is rooted in the bigger picture of inclusion.

Inclusive education means different and diverse students learning side by side in the same classroom. Inclusive education values diversity and the unique contributions each student brings to the classroom. In a truly inclusive setting, every child feels safe and has a sense of belonging. Children and young people and their parents and carers participate in setting learning goals and take part in decisions that affect them. School staff have the training, support, flexibility, and resources to nurture, encourage, and respond to the needs of all children and young people.

Central to an embedded graduated response is where the service and support develops around the individual, rather than the individual slotting into the service.

Implementation of the graduated response enables early identification and a clear understanding of each individual’s needs within their school community. This includes consideration of the individual’s life from their viewpoint and discovering with them what their needs are rather than assessing them from the outside. Getting this process right will reveal their strengths, vulnerabilities, skills, aspirations, and preferences including what resources the individual can contribute, as well as the contribution available from informal support such as their family, friendship and community network.

Derbyshire’s Graduated Response document provides guidance for families of children or young people with SEND, for young people with SEND themselves and for all those who work with children and young people with SEND, in particular those staff members who have a delegated responsibility for ensuring the inclusion of all children and young people.

The graduated approach encompasses an array of strategies which are underpinned by a number of central principles:

• All children/young people are entitled to high-quality, personalised teaching
• All children/young people can learn and make progress
• All teachers are teachers of SEND;

Its purpose is to provide detailed guidance on how educational settings can identify children and young people with different types and levels of need, along with information on appropriate steps and strategies to support them.

• A differentiated curriculum is not SEND

provision - differentiated learning opportunities should be given to all learners;

It also provides clear information about when a request for additional funding, an Education, Health and Care needs assessment(EHCNA) or specialist services may be required.

• Provision for a child/young person with SEND should match the nature of their needs
• There should be regular recording of a child’s /

young person’s SEND, of the planned outcomes, of the action that the setting is taking, and of impact of those actions and the outcomes achieved.

It outlines inclusive provision and support that Derbyshire County Council aspires to be in place in all educational settings supporting Derbyshire children and young people with SEND. It forms an important part of the Derbyshire County Council Local Offer for SEND.

The needs of the majority of children and young people will be met through differentiated and personalised Quality First Teaching (QFT).

Some children and young people require provision that is additional to or different to this. This is special educational provision.

The Graduated Response Starts With A ‘Whole School Approach’ To Inclusion

Highly specialist support

Specialist support

Specialist support

Targeted Support

Targeted Support

Targeted Support

Universal Whole School

Universal Whole School

Universal Whole School

Universal Whole School

All Children And

Some Children And

A Few Children And

Very Few Children

Young People

Young People

Young People

And Young People

Whole School Approach

A whole school approach and ethos to promote inclusive practice is central to the graduated response.

Effective leadership, management, appraisal and pastoral arrangements together with robust policies in schools and settings can help meet children’s needs.

A school’s senior leadership team along with teaching staff can use a provision mapping system as part of monitoring and evaluation to consider quality first teaching for all learners as well as appropriate intervention and support.

Quality First Teaching (QFT) will help a school or setting to meet the learning needs of all its children. Settings should not automatically assume that a child’s/ young person’s learning difficulties result solely or even mainly from problems within the child/young person or their environment.

The setting’s practice can make a difference. The Governing Body, Headteacher and SENCO should be alert to any particular pattern in the emergence of children’s special educational needs or parents’ expressions of concern and should reflect on the setting’s general practices and policies in the light of any such patterns. Regular and robust monitoring of outcomes for children/young people with SEND will support this reflective process.

Other Risk Factors

When there are concerns with progress, it is important to consider the broader needs of the child as it may not be a SEND. Persistent disruptive or withdrawn behaviours do not necessarily mean that a child or young person has SEND. Where there are concerns, there should be an assessment to determine whether there are any other factors impacting their engagement and/or progress. If it is thought that housing, family or domestic circumstances may be contributing to the presenting issues, a multi-agency approach, supported by the use of approaches such as the Early Help Assessment, should be adopted. (COP, 2015: 6.21).

Whole School Approach Identifying Need

SEN Support (Targeted And Specialist) SEN Support for each child will be different because it is designed to meet the needs of that particular child. It should be set out in a plan and include the actions and approach needed to help the child make expected progress. This process should follow the “Assess, Plan, Do, Review” cycle.

First Concerns Support for children and young people at “First Concerns” levels is where, despite good QFT, there is a possible emerging need due to ongoing concerns. Support should be tailored to the needs of the individual child or young person. Monitoring and reviewing progress will be vital at this level to identify whether or not the child or young person has SEND.

SEN Support could include, for example:

• Additional materials and/or equipment
• Interventions or programmes for the individual child
• Interventions in small groups

Focused work with the class teacher, SENCO or other school staff

Help for a child to join in class activities or interact with other pupils

Advice and support from other professionals for the school staff, this could be a specialist teacher, an educational psychologist or a speech and language therapist.

SEN Support Assess, Plan, Do, Review Cycle

Where a child/young person is identified as having SEND, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place. This SEN support should take the form of a four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the child/young person’s needs and of what supports the child/young person in making good progress and securing good outcomes.

Assess Young person identified for intervention as part

Growing understanding

Growing understanding of

of SEND monitoring systems and additional assessments. Assessment process for learners with

Views Of The Child / Young Person

of what approaches secure better

Views Of The Child / Young

learners needs additional needs but not SEND, run in parallel.

Person / Parents &

/ Parents

outcomes

& CARERS

CARERS

PLAN Strategic planning of intervention is implemented

Review Monitoring Cycles provide a robust evidence

for individual young persons based on additional base for reviewing actions taken and intervention provided and plan the next factors and assessment. Quality First Teaching and support/intervention dovetail to provide best steps across the setting for individuals.

possible laerning experience and outcomes.

Growing understanding

Views Of The Child / Young Person

Views Of The Child / Young Person

of effective support DO High quality teaching with high aspirations for all linked with additional intervention take place and are

/ Parents

/ Parents

Growing understanding of what teaching approaches work

& CARERS

& CARERS

monitored to ensure closing the gap for learners.

Preparation For Adulthood

Preparation for Adulthood begins in the Early Years.

It is important to constantly keep in mind how the work we do to support children and young people is about preparing them for their future. Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) is an approach that keeps the child or young person at the centre of our work. It values their hopes, aspirations and ambitions from early years to adulthood.

The PfA approach looks at outcomes and focusses on the child or young person to steer and drive the provision that needs to be put in place to support their aspirations.

More information about how to implement support from Early Years right through to Post 16 can be found here;

https://www.ndti.org.uk/programme/preparing-for-adulthood/

Employment Independent

Community

Inclusion Health

Living

SEN Support In Post 16 Provision

The amount and type of support that a student in post 16 provision needs will vary greatly according to their individual needs, wishes and the study programme they have selected as a full or part time student. The student should always be central to any decision making around provision and support for them.

With this is mind, it is important to consider the following; Some students may;

• self-declare a learning disability/difficulty
• experience trauma Post 16 resulting in SEND
• have chosen Post-16 study options which necessitate

further identification, assessment and intervention in relation to their needs in a different learning environment.

Young people should be supported to participate in discussions about their aspirations, their needs, and the support that they think will help them best. Support should be aimed at promoting student independence and enabling the young person to make good progress towards employment and/ or higher education or apprenticeships, independent living, good health and participating in the community.

The further education sector must have regard to the SEND Code of Practice and use their best endeavours to ensure necessary provision is made for any individual who has SEND across a wide range of academic and technical courses.

Personalised support for inclusion should be available. This could involve support in the classroom, outside of the classroom, during exams, specialist ICT equipment or other equipment, modifications and/ or in and around the wider setting environment.

It is anticipated that the majority of learners needs will have been identified prior to Post-16 study and that educational providers will be able to build on successful interventions already used between 0-16 years of age through careful transition planning. Some Post-16 students may have additional needs that have not been identified prior to their Post-16 education.

Post-16 providers should be ambitious for young people with SEND and must use their best endeavours so that young people with SEND have access to a wide range of study programmes (including short programmes) and support at all levels to enable them to achieve good life outcomes.

Where available, Post-16 providers should draw on previous assessments and other information from the student’s former school or other education setting about their SEND, as well as discussing “what works” with the young person.

However, some students will want a fresh start when leaving school to attend college or sixth form study and any sharing of information should be sensitive to their concerns and done with their agreement. Support should be aimed at reaching future aspirations and promoting independence as well as developing knowledge, skills and attitudes towards employment and/or higher education, independent living, good health and participation in the community.

Post-16 institutions should offer an inclusive approach to teaching and learning with high quality teaching which is appropriately differentiated for individuals.

Where a student has a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision, the post 16 setting must discuss with students the type of appropriate support to put in place for them. Colleges/Post 16 Settings should take the “Assess, Plan, Do Review” cyclical approach to assessing need, planning and providing support. They should adopt a person-centered approach.

A Note On Sensory Processing

What Is Sensory Processing? Our brain receives information from all of our senses including our sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, proprioception (using our muscles to understand where our body is in space) and vestibular (the sense of how the body moves against gravity). We use this information so we can respond to the world around us. Learning how to process information from our senses, can be challenging for all of us at times, but more challenging for some children. Some children may be oversensitive and/ or under sensitive to the information they get from their senses.

In Derbyshire we have developed a graduated approach to support for children and young people based on best practice and available evidence from health, education and social care professionals.

This includes front line practitioners (early years, nursery & school staff) working with families to identify and address sensory processing needs at home and in the classroom using the “Derbyshire Sensory Processing Needs Toolkit” at an early stage. Additional support can also be drawn from “sensory champions” in specialist services across Education, Health and Social Care services. All of the information about this can be found on the Local Offer.

What Difference Does It Make? When a child or young person is over and/or under sensitive to the information from their senses , this may affect a their behaviour, their learning, their emotional response and social interaction. The impact of these difficult could be evident in any of the four areas of need. Sometimes it helps us to understand why a child behaves, learns or responds by considering their sensory processing. It can help to understand why a child reacts to certain things (e.g. sensitivity to clothing). These sensitivities are often seen in autistic children and young people as well as those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attachment Disorder, Cerebral Palsy and developmental coordination disorders.

The Whole School Approach Structure Of The Guidance

This Guidance Is Split Into The Four Categories Of Need:

Communication

Cognition

Social, Emotional And

Sensory

And Interaction

And Learning

And/Or Physical Needs

Mental Health

Each Of The Areas Of Need Are Split Into The Following Format

Plan And Do – Description Of Provision This section describes the interventions and strategies to be used at the three different levels

Assess – Description Of Need This section describes the things that may be noticed/identified about the child/

Review This section describes how to effectively

review the interventions and strategies at the three different levels of support; of support; universal, targeted and specialist.

universal, targeted and specialist.

young person

• The range, type and intensity should not be a fixed state but should change according to the progress the child or young person makes over time.

Descriptors relating to a child or young person’s needs and descriptors relating to provision are split into three areas to represent a graduation:

• When reading the descriptors it is important to bear in mind that a child or young person may display some or all of the difficulties stated at each level of need.
• The descriptors are not an exhaustive list.
• School staff may wish to read this guidance as a complete

document. However, each section is designed to ‘stand alone’ to be referred to alongside this general introduction.

Quality First Teaching/Universal

Targeted

Specialist

Support

Support

Reasonable Adjustments

Support is about making ‘reasonable adjustments’ and doing things a bit differently. It can include having a safe place/quiet room where the child can go, or carefully choosing where a child sits in the classroom, extra help or specialist equipment, and may also include making financial commitments.

Mark sits at the back, he doesn’t like people

Charlie has a tablet to help them write sitting behind him Peta has used her time out card to go George has a fidget toy to help him to the quiet room concentrate Rada sits at the front of the class to John is in a wheelchair and has Tom, Claire and Cai sometimes work in smaller groups with a TA avoid distractions an adapted desk

Derbyshire Local Offer

The expectations of the Graduated Response are a key part of the larger Local Offer for learning.

Links to resources and local services can be found here.

Derbyshire Local Offer

Communication And Interaction

Overview

In this section, you will find information about the following; 1. Speech And Language Needs 2. Social Communication, Including Autism

The SEND Code Of Practice 2015 Says;

‘Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty in saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication.’

The profile of every child or young person with communication and interaction needs is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times in their lives. Like all children, those with communication and interaction difficulties will have their own individual strengths and areas of need.

Speech, language and communication difficulties cover a wide and complex range of needs that frequently overlap, and children and young people may have difficulties in one or more areas. These include:

• attention and listening – their ability to engage with language successfully
• receptive language – their ability to understand spoken language
• expressive language – their ability to use language to communicate
• speech and sound development - their ability to produce sounds necessary for speech
• social communication – their ability to use language successfully in social situations

Communication And Interaction

Speech And Language Needs

For the majority of children and young people, communication skills develop naturally throughout childhood. Children who do not develop language as expected may have difficulties in communicating with others. They may find it more difficult to understand others or to communicate with other people.

The impact of speech and language needs can affect learning, relationships and emotional development. Whilst more complex needs are likely to be identified in early childhood, children with more subtle communication differences can be missed, and it is important that these children are identified as soon as possible in order to minimise the impact on other areas of life and to maximise their potential. The profile of children with speech and language needs is varied and can change over time. Learning English as an additional language does not in itself constitute a speech and language difficulty although this can have a short- term impact on a child’s language and communication ability.

Assess Description Of Need

A child or young person:

• May be anxious about speaking in some situations (elective mutism)
• May find it difficult to develop and explain ideas
• May find social communication more difficult than age equivalent peers.
• May need additional time to process and respond to verbal information
• May need additional prompts to follow instructions or help to join in discussions
• May have a limited vocabulary or appear to struggle with more abstract language
• May require support to acquire new vocabulary, e.g. topic specific vocabulary
• May show differences in speech patterns or vocabulary
• May have difficulties pronouncing some sounds
• May have difficulties with fluency, for example, stuttering
• May have a voice disorder that affects the sound of the voice or may cause loss of voice

Ensure there are tracking and target setting systems in place for all children and young people. Regularly review and monitor progress against expected outcomes as part of the ongoing assessment within your school. Support could include:

• Opportunities for small group and 1:1 activities
• Adult is physically at child’s level.
• Staff use consistent language for equipment and routines e.g. all staff use the term ‘playground’ rather than some using ‘yard’
• Adult modelling of appropriate speech in different contexts and situations.
• Ensure that standardised visuals/ symbols are used across the

whole educational setting

• Use of a structured approach for tasks and activities with a

clear beginning middle and end

• Prepare children for changes in routine such as a change in

activity, change in staff or school trips

• Make reasonable adjustments within the classroom

environment to ensure the child has access to the information being presented, for example:

• Assessment and observation of the child or young person helps to inform a suitably differentiated curriculum
• Ensure speaking and language activities and opportunities are incorporated into curriculum planning
• Provide access to whole school training, particularly in terms of stages of typical language development / speech and language needs
• Promote the use of clearly taught routines
• Reinforce and model good listening and attention skills
• Structure the day through visual timetables, and the use of ‘First and Then’ boards
• The use of signing can also provide a useful visual aid to understanding language such as ‘Signalong’ or ‘Makaton’.
• Promote a communication friendly environment – enabling access for all children:
• Careful consideration is given to seating arrangements.

Children and young people should have a clear view of the teacher’s face at all times to maximise on facial expression and lip movements

• Seating arrangements with good view of adult to maximise

use of non-verbal communication

• Use of child or young person’s name or encouragement to

stop before instructions given

• Use of gesture, signs and objects of reference
• Using objects, photographs or pictures to show the routine of the setting
• Equipment labelled with photographs or pictures
• Age appropriate lesson objectives should be communicated so that the child or young person has the ‘big picture’ before being given the detail
• The classroom is organised to promote collaborative working
• Adults should modify their use of language to provide short clear phrases
• Consistent use of language by all adults
• Adults should monitor the language demands of learning tasks and pace the learning to the needs of individuals
• Instructions are shortened and given in the order in which they are to be carried out
• Appropriate visual supports used to aid the processing of verbal information.
• Flexible use of staffing and resources to support access to

learning and teaching

• Adults are good communication partners, for example:
• Wait and give time
• Maintain eye contact
• Speak in a calm manner
• Don’t guess or fill in words
• Don’t put the child under time pressure to respond quickly
• Allow processing time.
• Positive self-esteem maintained through developing areas of

strength

• Opportunities should be given for all children and young

people to use a range of formats to record their work e.g. writing frames, diagrams and labels, story boards and ICT options

• Explicitly teach key vocabulary. Provide opportunities for

over-learning / pre-teaching of language, vocabulary and concepts. Subject specific and new vocabulary should be clearly displayed in the classroom in words and pictures

• Use of questioning techniques, modelling and encouragement

to join in classroom discussions

• Provide opportunities for a child to rehearse oral responses
• Develop opportunities to role play a range of situations and

oral responses

• Make overt links made between new ideas and previous

learning

• Support the child to work collaboratively with peers in group

activities, providing opportunities for collaborative learning and interactions.

Reviewing Progress

• School staff should provide regular reviews of each pupil’s

progress in communication with the parent/carer. This should follow the whole school assessment cycle for reviewing pupil’s attainment and progress.

• Evaluate progress through an ongoing cycle of Assess,

Plan, Do and Review. Participation of school staff, child/ young person and parents/carers should be included in the 4-part cycle.

• Reviews should be held regularly and at least twice a

year. Reviews should be person-centred in order that children and young people and parents/carers have the opportunity to discuss learning and agree appropriate provision.

Assess Description Of Need

A child or young person:

• May require verbal language to be reinforced by other means of communication, e.g. visuals, gestures, routines
• May make slower progress in areas of the curriculum, including literacy and numeracy
• May show discrepancy between academic progress areas and general ability
• May have difficulty in focusing attention, especially during language-based activities
• May have difficulties attending to and monitoring conversations/ group discussions
• May have difficulty understanding abstract concepts
• May have difficulty in retaining information
• May experience word finding difficulties
• May have difficulties in using and applying skills in language-based activities, for example, using and applying mathematical skills
• May have difficulty structuring sentences in speech and in writing
• May show significant immaturities in grammar
• May show persistent immaturity in speech sounds
• May experience difficulties using and understanding non-literal language
• May struggle with peer interactions
• May struggle to behave according to the context in learning and social situations

Establish a baseline assessment of the child’s language skills. Identify strengths and needs using observational and assessment tools to aid effective planning. Maintain an ongoing cycle of assess, plan do and review. Close supervision and monitoring by class or subject teacher and SENCO

• Ensure the evaluation process is in response to the

effectiveness of interventions and progress related to Smart targets.

• The child or young person should be closely supervised and

monitoring by Class/Subject Teacher and SENCO. Where appropriate there should be enhanced contact for parents/ carers via an established process such as a contact book, daily conversation with staff, or regular email updates.

• All class or subject teachers should be well informed about the

specific needs of each child or young person.

• Ensure planning shows differentiation to meet the needs of

the individual. This should reflect advice from any external professional and should be embedded consistently throughout the school day.

• Research and use evidenced based programmes and targeted

interventions linked to the individual’s area of need and agreed outcomes to deliver a highly personalised learning programme.

• Programmes should be delivered by or under the direction

of appropriately trained and experienced staff. This must be planned and monitored by the teacher and explicitly reinforced in whole class activities to aid the transfer of skills. The SENCO should monitor the provision. Ensure timetabling allows for the required interventions to be implemented consistently.

• The environment should be organised to ensure it is conducive

to developing key skills such as listening and attention. Support the child or young person to carefully manage transition points.

• Increased levels of differentiation and use of reasonable

adjustments to ensure access to the curriculum and increased independent learning opportunities. These may include:

• Visual timetables, both generic and personalised
• Use of task planners to promote independence
• Use of verbal bullet points and reduction of language and pace of language of the supporting adult
• Provide instructions given in clear and accessible way. This may be both visual and verbal
• Taught strategies to alleviate load on auditory memory
• Taught strategies for organising information and ideas
• Personalised bank of key vocabulary
• Focused sessions on developing understanding and experience of appropriate conversational skills

Assess Description Of Need

• May require the use of alternate communication systems, for

example, signs or symbols

• May avoid interacting with others or be on the periphery of

peer interactions

• May depend on physical methods of interacting with others,

for example leading by the hand

• May experience difficulty in managing behaviours as a result of

reduced access to the curriculum and social interactions

• May require the use of alternative and augmentative

communication systems, for example, signs or symbols, communication aids.

A child or young person:

• May experience significant difficulties understanding language when not reinforced by other means of communication, e.g. visuals, gestures, routines
• May make significantly slower progress in areas of the curriculum, including literacy and numeracy
• May have language difficulties that impact confidence across the curriculum and in everyday life
• May display fleeting attention, especially during language- based activities
• May become anxious or overwhelmed by speech/ group conversations/ discussion
• May have a limited vocabulary or may not use verbal language to communicate

Ongoing cycle of assess, plan do and review. Participation of school staff, child/ young person, parents/ carers in the four-part cycle. close supervision and monitoring by class or subject teacher and SENCO Additionally, to the provision provided within targeted support, support could include:

• Regular joint audit of communication environment by the SENCO
• Advice sought from specialists where expected progress is not made, despite good Quality First Teaching and targeted support. (Parental permission must be given for the involvement of specialists)
• Regular liaison with specialists in relation to specific programmes and targets
• Parent/Carers are invited to attend meetings with specialists, providing an opportunity to share information and to develop a consistent approach
• The child or young person may need further access to technologies and specialist equipment, individual quiet distraction free work-spaces and storage facilities for specific equipment
• The child or young person has access to additional targeted

teaching in small groups or individually. This should be implemented frequently by school staff, such as: specific individualised and explicit vocabulary teaching, specific individualised language structure teaching: for example, colourful semantics

• Provide regular or daily opportunities for overlearning of key

concepts

• Access to alternative and augmented communication

strategies may be required such as Makaton, electronic aides and communication books

• The child or young person may require support for structured

input to playground and free time (e.g. adult leading playground games).

Reviewing Progress

• The SEND Code of Practice (2015) states that where a

child does not make sufficient progress through the usual approaches to teaching and learning, staff should decide on ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ interventions.

• Continued monitoring of pupil progress towards an

individualised SEN support plan. These should be regularly assessed, tracked, monitored and evaluated.

• Regular reviews, ideally on a termly basis and involving

parents and the child or young person (where applicable). The review should focus on progress, effectiveness of strategies, the impact of any previous interventions, new information or factors and the setting of new targets.

• An ongoing record of assessment, intervention and

evaluation is kept and regularly updated, e.g. My SEND Learning Plan.

Social Communication, Including Autism

Autism is a lifelong difference that affects how people view the world and interact socially with others. It is a neurological difference in the way in which the brain processes and interprets the information it receives.

Autism is a hidden condition and it is often difficult to tell a person is autistic by looking at them. No two autistic individuals are alike therefore an individual approach to supporting autistic children and young people is important. Autism is a lifelong condition, therefore a structured approach to education and care can support the autistic person to live a full, happy and, in many cases, independent life.

Autistic people may experience the world differently to others in terms of what they see, hear and feel. Many people appear to know, intuitively, how to communicate and interact with each other; autistic people might find this difficult. However, it is important to recognise that this difficulty often works in both directions: just as autistic people may not always understand neurotypical people, neurotypical people often struggle to understand autistic people and fail to consider how the world may appear to them.

Autism is a spectrum condition. Although all those with a diagnosis of autism present with similar difficulties, every autistic person will be affected in a different way. Each person will display their own strengths and challenges. There are two areas of difference described in the diagnostic process:

• social communication and interaction
• restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities including sensory processing needs.

Assess Description Of Need

A child or young person:

• May have difficulties with the social use of language
• May need additional prompts and cues to carry out every-day activities and learning tasks
• May find it difficult and need extra reassurance when established routines change
• May prefer to do things the same way and have strong preferences for the same routines.
• May have difficulty making and keeping friends
• May have difficulty understanding different types of relationships e.g. student/teacher
• May have one key friend and struggle to share that friendship
• May be on the edges of friendship groups
• May prefer own company or avoid others
• Differences using and understanding non-verbal communication such as eye-contact, body language and gestures
• May have some difficulty knowing how to be part of a group
• May have a literal understanding of language
• May have difficulties processing verbal language and instructions

School staff should provide regular reviews of each pupil’s progress in communication with the parent/carer. This should follow the whole school assessment cycle for reviewing pupil’s attainment and progress. Plan/do should be a shared approach with all school staff and should incorporate:

• Make clear expectations using positive language, e.g. what to do rather than what not to do
• Gain attention by name before giving instructions and check understanding.
• Use simple, direct language
• Be literal – avoid the use of sarcasm, metaphors or idioms in general communication
• Keep instructions simple
• Provide instructions one step at a time
• Visual supports to enable processing language
• Differentiation by presentation as well as context, e.g. appropriate chunking of work
• Use of visual supports to develop independence and to teach about change, e.g. visual timetables, task breakdowns
• Allow processing time before repeating/ rephrasing instructions
• Establish clear, daily routines
• Ensure the learning environment and lessons are structured and clear
• Pre-warn about change, visually or in writing as well as verbally
• Whole class interventions to develop social skills and expectations
• Peer awareness of autism and other neurodevelopmental differences
• Support to develop friendships, e.g. peer buddies
• Support for peers to maintain friendships
• Support to develop understanding of self and others through PSHE, etc
• A specific whole school approach to teaching emotional understanding and regulation, e.g. Zones of Regulation
• Make clear what is the child’s role in the group and ensure they have guidance around expectations for social behaviour as well as the task
• May need additional adult prompts or peer support within a group

Assess Description Of Need

• May be more intensively rigid or single-minded
• May have difficulties with change, even with forewarning
• May have Interests which appear obsessive and obsessions may impact on everyday life
• May behave inappropriately for the social context
• May be self-directed and reluctant to follow adult direction
• May display more prominent sensory needs that have an impact on everyday life, e.g. avoidance, distress or inability to focus
• May display high anxiety manifested in avoidance or dysregulation.

A child or young person:

• May have additional diagnoses or learning difficulties
• May have additional speech and language difficulties
• May have friendship difficulties that are causing distress and difficulties with social understanding and may impact on relationships with adults and peers
• Can be literal in interpreting situations
• May struggle to be part of a group without additional support or structure
• May avoid working or playing alongside or with others
• May have more significant difficulties with language
• May struggle to carry out activities without significant additional prompts

Identify strengths and needs using observational and assessment tools to aid effective planning. Maintain an ongoing cycle of assess, plan do and review. Close supervision and monitoring by class or subject teacher and SENCO Plan/do should be a shared approach with all school staff and should incorporate:

• Teach and develop clear classroom routines
• Provide a personalised and individualised timetable to support the young person
• Ensure transitions are carefully planned for and supported
• Provide enhance opportunities for practicing and generalising skills.
• Provide access to a range of learning materials which support the understanding of the environment and tasks set. These may include: a visual timetable, choice boards, first/then system, writing frames, and visual prompts sheets. Ensure tasks have a clear start and finish
• Provide opportunities for overlearning. Pre-teach and re-teach key concepts and vocabulary
• Provide group or individual programmes to develop social understanding and social skills. Interventions such as Social Thinking, Social Stories, Lego Therapy, Social Behaviour Mapping and Comic Strip Conversations are useful tool
• Provide opportunities for adult modelling to develop skills to work in a group
• Provide opportunities for adult support during social times,

e.g. clubs, adult modelling of social behaviour and language, encourage play buddies

• Provide group or individual programmes to develop emotional

well-being and regulation. Develop a young person’s awareness of a situation that may be difficult and encourage pupil to use appropriate strategies. Interventions such as The Incredible 5 point scale, Starving the Anxiety Gremlin, The Zones of Regulation are useful tools

• Encourage a young person to recognise their own emotions and

those of others

• Link physical feelings to emotions and develop the use of visual

aids to teach an emotional vocabulary such as emotional thermometers or charts

• Encourage the pupil to share their views. Through verbal

discussion or using a visual tool such as Talking Mats

• Provide support for interpersonal problem-solving to promote

assertiveness and negotiation skills e.g. categorising the relative importance of problems, visual supports to express feelings, comic strip conversations

• Consult with a Speech and Language Therapist to develop a

programme of specific interventions

• Refer to the Derbyshire Approach to Sensory Processing Needs

to support an audit of the school environment, to identify the individual sensory needs and to develop a personalised sensory plan.

Some children or young people may require extra interventions and support approaches additional to those provided within universal provision.

• The SEND Code of Practice suggests that the progress

towards meeting planned outcomes should be tracked and reviewed regularly, at least termly.

• Parents/carers should always be invited to a review of the

child or young persons’ progress. The views of the young person should be actively sought.

• Recent assessment information is used to gain a better

understanding of individual children/young person’s learning level and to identify the barriers to their learning in the classroom.

• Targets should be regularly assessed, tracked, monitored

and evaluated.

• An ongoing record of assessment, intervention and

evaluation is kept and regularly updated, e.g. My SEND Learning Plan.

• May have significant difficulties with understanding in everyday situations and learning
• May have more complex difficulties with receptive and expressive language
• May have little or no spoken language or the need for an augmented communication system
• May have language impairment which affects access to all aspects of the curriculum
• May have a significant delay in processing language and a reliance on additional prompts and support
• May be highly prompt-dependent
• May be highly self-directed and struggle to engage in any activities that do not follow their own agenda
• May find change, even expected, causes significant distress and high anxiety
• The child’s need to be in control may impact on other people significantly
• May find it difficult to disengage from own areas of interest
• Sensory needs may have a significant impact on everyday life, e.g. avoidance, distress or inability to focus
• May display high anxiety manifested in avoidance, extreme dysregulation or the need for control of the environment and/or other people
• Emotionally based school anxiety/refusal.

Assess Description Of Need

A child or young person:

• May have more complex additional diagnoses or learning

difficulties

• May have more complex additional speech and language

difficulties

• May have limited joint and shared attention skills
• May have friendship difficulties that are causing distress and

difficulties with social understanding that may impact on relationships with adults and peers. This may have an impact of the mental health of the young person

• May not want to be part of a group. They may be socially isolated

or engage in conflict with peers/staff

• May have significant difficulties learning or playing alongside other

children

• May appear socially competent but is lacking in understanding and

may be at risk of exploitation by others

• May show little or no awareness of contextually expected

behaviours

Ongoing cycle of assess, plan do and review. Participation of school staff, child/young person, parents/carers in the four-part cycle. close supervision and monitoring by class or subject teacher and SENCO Additionally, to the provision provided within universal and targeted support:

• Use structured teaching methods to support the young person:
• Visual timetable and schedules
• Children may need access to objects of reference, pictures, symbols or the written word to enhance their understanding
• First work then motivator/play system
• Visual timer and aids to support transition such as a spot timer or digital timer
• Visually clear and organised tasks which have a clear beginning, middle and end
• Tasks chunked to support understanding and task completion
• Use of visual information to provide reminders of routines such as toileting and washing hands
• An individual work system to promote concentration and independent task completion
• Use an Intensive Interaction approach to build early

relationship and communication skills

• Augmented communication systems may be required. Some

pupils may require a visual communication system such as PECS or Pro-loquo to go on an IPad. Consult with a Speech and Language Therapist

• Use of signs to support language such as Makaton
• Attention Autism sessions can be used support the

development of joint attention skills

• Consider the elements of the classroom environment.

Distraction free, limit visual stimuli, provide a distraction free work area either in class or outside of the classroom space. Provide access to a time-out space. Carry out a sensory audit of the space and adapt according to the pupil’s needs

• Provide a flexible approach to the curriculum, planning and

access

• Create an individualised curriculum where appropriate to the

child’s needs

• Refer to the Derbyshire Approach to Sensory Processing Needs

in consultation with a Sensory Champion, where appropriate, to support an audit of the school environment, to identify the individual sensory needs and to develop a personalised sensory plan.

Reviewing Progress

The SEND Code of Practice (2015) states that where a child does not make sufficient progress through the usual approaches to teaching and learning, staff should decide on ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ interventions

• Continued monitoring of pupil progress towards an

individualised SEN support plan. These should be regularly assessed, tracked, monitored and evaluated.

• Regular reviews, ideally on a termly basis and involving

parents and the child or young person (where applicable). The review should focus on progress, effectiveness of strategies, the impact of any previous interventions, new information or factors and the setting of new targets.

• An ongoing record of assessment, intervention and

evaluation is kept and regularly updated, e.g. My SEND Learning Plan.

Overview

Moderate Learning Difficulties Children and young people with moderate learning difficulties experience significant difficulties across the curriculum. Their general level of development and academic attainment is significantly below their peers. They will have difficulty in acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills and in many cases will have speech and language difficulties associated with intellectual delay. A few may also have low self-esteem, low levels of concentration, underdeveloped social skills and have social, emotional and mental health needs and/or a physical disability that affect their learning abilities. The expectation is that the overwhelming majority of children and young people with moderate learning difficulties will be educated in mainstreams schools.

• Problem Solving
• Concepts
• Motor Skills (fine and gross)

Complex, Severe Or Profound Learning Difficulties Children and young people with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties are almost always identified before they reach statutory school age. Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) is used to describe children and young people who have significant global delay. Children or young people with SLD may also have mobility and co-ordination difficulties, sensory difficulties, communication difficulties and challenging behaviours. They will have difficulty with all areas of the curriculum and find it difficult to develop social skills. They often require support in learning self-help and social skills. Their attainments may be significantly below national curriculum expectations for much of their school careers. Children and young people with a Profound and Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD) have more than one significant disability. In addition to severe learning difficulties, they often have more severe physical difficulties and a greater degree of intellectual impairment. These children require a high level of one to one support, both for their learning needs and also for their personal care.

A child or young person with moderate learning difficulties will have difficulties in most of the areas below:

• Memory Skills
• Reasoning Skills
• Organisational Skills (including spoken and written language, task completion)
• Sequencing

Specific Learning Difficulty

Specific learning difficulties encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Some children or young people may have very marked difficulties in reading and writing, spelling or with numbers, which are not typical of their cognitive ability and which impact on their performance in other areas of the curriculum. They may quickly gain some skills in some subjects and demonstrate a higher level or ability orally which does not correspond to the difficulty they experience in gaining literacy or numeracy skills.

The SEND Code Of Practice 2015 Says;

“Where a child or young person does not make sufficient progress through the usual approaches to teaching and learning, staff should decide whether provision that is additional to or different from is needed.”

Assess Description Of Need

• The child or young person is operating broadly within the

expected range of abilities but their development/progress may occur at a slower pace than that of other pupils.

• The child or young person may have difficulties in developing

early language, literacy and numeracy skills. They may also have difficulties in the following areas:

• Number/phonological awareness
• The child or young person’s difficulties may lead to:
• Poor self-esteem
• Social difficulties
• Emotional difficulties
• Frustration
• Poor concentration
• Quality First Teaching will lead to identification of the above and consideration/implementation of reasonable adjustments in the learning environment.
• Attainment tracked through school progress tracker.
• Memory
• Sequencing
• Fine and gross motor skills
• Organisational skills
• Slow processing

Plan/do should be a shared approach with all school staff and should incorporate:

• Learning to learn (metacognitive) approaches.
• Tasks explained, modelled and scaffolded
• Homework/independent tasks differentiated to present equal level of challenge for all
• Whole school provision mapping to ensure continuity and consistency in learning
• Whole school training on identified areas of CPD
• Assessment for learning to identify appropriate starting points
• Elements of pupil voice and parent voice integral and explicit
• New learning planned in small steps that follows a clear and developmental process, allowing pupils to over learn and practise new skills learnt
• Consideration of how pupils are grouped, ensuring this is flexible to maximise learning
• Constructive marking and feedback
• Appropriate pace, resources required and key questioning to maximise learning within the classroom
• Opportunities to develop independence
• Opportunities to generalise skills and learning across different curriculum strands or areas
• A range of tools to scaffold and support learning (e.g. word banks, number lines, writing frames)
• Concrete – pictorial – abstract materials available and embedded within a differentiated curriculum

Reviewing Progress

School staff should provide regular reviews of each pupil’s progress in communication with the parent/carer. This should follow the whole school assessment cycle for reviewing pupil’s attainment and progress.

Assess Description Of Need

• Despite QFT/reasonable adjustments, the development/

progress in learning for a child or young person is at a slower rate so additional support is needed from within schools normally available resources (up to £6000).

• Booster/catch-up interventions identified, costed and tracked

on school provision map.

• Pupil requires targeted support that is additional to and

different from their peers in order to narrow the gap.

Plan/do should be a shared approach with all school staff and, alongside all that is listed ‘Universal’, should additionally incorporate:

• Increased differentiation, including identification of clear

starting points, considering gaps that have been identified in areas of learning and how these will be developed. Derbyshire’s Formative Footprints Assessment can support this for children working below National Curriculum Expectations.

• Individual diagnostic assessment to determine need
• Use of evidence-informed approaches that are specific to

develop reading, writing and maths

• Class teachers to liaise and plan with school SENCO to agree

specific outcomes and is linked to a clear analysis of needs

• Increased communication with parents and carers to allow

for ongoing review of learning and ensure key targets are also worked on at home

• Consideration of outcomes of assessments completed
• Whole school provision mapping to support the identification

of targeted support interventions that can be planned into the curriculum

• Opportunities for independent learning, working in small

groups or 1:1. Where there is an increased need for this, personalised support should be considered

• Opportunities for over-learning, links to prior learning and real- world situations
• Reasonable adjustments within the classroom to allow for access to the curriculum (e.g. adaptations, where appropriate such as specialist scissors, wobble cushions, pencil grips)
• Increased use of technology
• Alternative methods of recording as needed (e.g. role play, powerpoint presentations, mind-maps)
• Clear and simple instructions, broken down and given one at a time, with thinking time provided and staff checking for understanding
• Class/subject teachers/departments plan to implement aspects of the individual targets in their curriculum planning
• Small group and/or individual teaching using structured cumulative materials to develop basic skills with opportunities for over learning and revision
• Differentiation to reflect individual needs and ensure effective inclusion and access to the curriculum.

Additional adult to provide weekly support for some of the following:

• Work linked to individual targets
• Opportunities for pre and post teaching
• Develop language and communication skills
• Develop attention and listening skills
• Support practical work with concrete/visual materials to establish concepts and skills
• Support over learning and revision
• Support pupils who have difficulty with recording
• Develop personal organisation in response to timetabling/ managing equipment/independence.
• Strategies and support materials to help compensate for weak memory skills
• Materials which reduce or support note-taking, copying of diagrams and charts and/or alternative approaches to recording (to include a range of software)
• Opportunities to follow oral based MFL courses
• Simplified language reinforced by visual materials and modelling to compensate for language delay
• Support for homework (recording task requirements and completing etc)
• Access to support area during unstructured times of the day
• Access to homework club and revision guides
• ICT equipment and appropriately structured software to develop and support basic skills and alternative approaches to recording
• Staff able to monitor and assess for access to special exam arrangements
• Staff skilled and able to develop peer awareness of learning difficulties and support students in their understanding of their diagnosis/needs
• Regular home-school liaison.

Reviewing Progress

Some children or young people may require extra interventions and support approaches additional to those provided within universal provision.

• The SEND Code of Practice suggests that the progress

towards meeting planned outcomes should be tracked and reviewed regularly, at least termly/3 times per year.

• Parents/carers should always be invited to a review of

the child or young persons’ progress.

• The views of the young person and their parents/carers

should be actively sought.

• Targeted interventions are evaluated within the school

provision map and used to identify next steps in learning and provision.

• Where pupils have made good progress/narrowed

the gap they may return to QFT or access targeted interventions in other areas.

• Where pupils have made little or no progress and/or the

gap is increasing a more personalised approach will be needed – move to specialist support.

Assess Description Of Need

• The child or young person has significant and persistent

learning difficulties evidenced in detailed school tracking over time, despite access to appropriate learning opportunities, targeted interventions and a graduated response to support.

• The child or young person’s attainment is consistently at a

level significantly below age-related expectations despite targeted interventions.

• Where progress has been made it has only been as a result of

significant additional intervention and support over and above that which is usually provided.

• There is evidence to suggest that the gap between the child

or young person and their peers is increasing despite targeted interventions/graduated response.

• The child or young person has life-long learning difficulties

or disabilities, spanning several areas of development, and require more targeted/personalised and specialist intervention.

Children at this level require a very highly modified learning environment to meet their individual needs. Because learning needs to be matched closely to the level of the child and their needs, careful planning by the class teacher is essential at this level, with a focus on ensuring the child’s learning is further extended as well as providing opportunities and activities that enable them to succeed independently. Derbyshire’s Formative Footprints Assessment can support this for children working below National Curriculum Expectations. This is likely to include opportunities to work on graded, sequential, programmes supported by an adult in a distraction reduced seat or place away from others for some activities. A high level of adult support will be required to provide:

• A highly structured and individualised learning programme. Advice sought from specialist services where expected progress is not made, despite good Quality First Teaching and targeted support
• Parental permission must be given for the involvement of specialists
• Parent/carers to attend meetings with school staff and any specialists involved, providing an opportunity to share information and to develop a consistent and co-productive approach
• Evidence informed interventions should be used to deliver

a highly personalised learning programme. Programmes should be delivered by or under the direction of trained and experienced staff. Advice about interventions can be sought from Access and Inclusion Support Services

• A secure, structured and safe learning environment
• Support with social interaction and friendship skills
• Activities and support that promotes independent learning

skills (establishing a routine, teaching organisation, use of checklists and task-board problem solving)

• Overlearning, consolidation, rote learning, error-free learning
• A work routine that incorporates personalised learning (focused

on the skills, abilities and preferences of the learners e.g. one that incorporates activity breaks and short focused tasks)

• Planning incorporates outcomes of individual pupil

assessments completed

• Practical and concrete learning supported by real world

contexts, visual cues and simplified recording tasks

• Typically, the amount of support required and the costs

to implement the individual curriculum will determine whether additional funding is needed. An EHCNA can also be considered for those children with the most complex SEND (e.g. where an application for a specialist setting may be required).

Reviewing Progress

The SEND Code of Practice (2015) states that where a child does not make sufficient progress through the usual approaches to teaching and learning, staff should decide on ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ interventions – a personalised approach.

• Continued monitoring of pupil progress towards an

individualised SEND support plan (My SEND learning plan).

• Consider application for additional funding and/or

specialist support in education.

• Provision should meet individual needs, be regularly

assessed, tracked, monitored and evaluated.

• Regular multi-agency reviews, ideally on a termly

basis and involving parents and the child or young person (where applicable). The review should focus on progress, effectiveness of strategies, the impact of any previous interventions, new information or factors and the setting of new targets.

• Consider EHCNA application.
• Pupils engaged in non-subject specific learning progress

should be assessed using the Engagement Model.

Overview

Schools should have clear processes to support children and young people and a wide range of provision to meet such needs. Schools should consider how they will manage the effect of any disruptive behaviour so it does not adversely affect other pupils.

A ‘whole school/setting approach’ recognises that emotional health and wellbeing is the responsibility of everyone - not just the SENCO, pastoral team or school nurse. It should be embedded in the culture and ethos of the whole school/ setting. Positive relationships are central to this. Staff, pupils and parents should recognise the wealth of opportunities available to positively impact the children and young people’s wellbeing. All staff need to take responsibility for identifying young people who may have emerging needs.

Schools will need to demonstrate that they have followed the DfE guidance ‘Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools’. This document can be found here: Mental health and behaviour in schools - Gov.UK (www.gov.uk)

A child or young person’s usual pattern of behaviour can vary in response to a variety of changes in their circumstances. Staff should be aware that sudden changes in a child or young person’s behaviour might be indicative of issues requiring a response under the DfE guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. This document can be found here: Keeping children safe in education - Gov.UK (www.gov.uk)

Class teachers or form tutors are well placed to spot early signs of emerging issues. This may be changes in behaviour, appearance, attendance, attainment or engagement. A graduated response helps to recognise if targeted support is required to meet their emotional health and wellbeing needs in addition to the universal support already delivered by the school.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful events which may occur in childhood. When children are exposed to adverse and stressful experiences, it can have a long-lasting impact on their ability to think, interact with others and on their learning.

In most cases, the needs of these children or young people can be met from existing resources and staff support.

The SEND Code Of Practice 2015 Says;

“Persistent disruptive or withdrawn behaviours do not necessarily mean that a child or young person has SEN. Where there are concerns, there should be an assessment to determine whether there are any causal factors such as undiagnosed learning difficulties, difficulties with communication or mental health issues. If it is thought housing, family or other domestic circumstances may be contributing to the presenting behaviour a multi-agency approach, supported by the use of approaches such as the Early Help Assessment, may be appropriate.” (COP, 2015: 6.21)

“Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or attachment disorder.” (COP, 2015: 6.32)

Assess Description Of Need

• The child or young person is making progress within the

expected range for social and emotional development - they feel that they belong to the school community and have positive relationships with others (both adults and peers).

• Some children or young people may show signs of social,

emotional and mental health difficulties that affect readiness for learning and require slight adjustment to the curriculum or environment. They may:

• Occasionally remain on the periphery of activities
• Occasionally seem withdrawn or isolated
• Become involved in low level distraction and off task behaviour
• Have difficulties with interpersonal skills, listening skills or verbal communication
• Become easily frustrated - occasionally unpredictable behaviour.

Further exploration into underlying difficulties should be considered: For example, learning difficulties; speech and language skills; social communication needs. Consider:

• Motivational and inspirational curriculum opportunities
• Opportunities to address SEMH needs – circle time, friendship circles, buddy system
• Peer support systems
• Peer mediation and/or peer mentoring
• Systems that support conflict resolution and restorative work
• An emotionally secure and safe environment
• Good classroom organisation provides predictability, consistency of management
• Clear boundaries, rules and routines. These may need explicitly teaching and children and young people should be prepared for any changes to these
• Timetables – provided in visual format appropriate to age. Children and young people should be prepared for any change to these
• Mechanisms for engaging with children and young people, parents/carers and staff
• Mechanisms for pupil voice to be listened to and acted upon
• Clear systems to engage parents in understanding the ethos and practices
• Praise and rewards for appropriate behaviours
• Consistency and fair application of rewards and sanctions
• Anti-bullying strategy and interventions
• Whole school approach to wellbeing, including all stakeholders
• Whole staff training – Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties
• A specific whole school approach to teaching emotional understanding and regulation
• Anti-bullying strategy and interventions
• Understanding that all children are at different starting points with their SEMH needs
• Always listen to the voice of the child or young person about what they find difficult and how they can be supported
• Differentiated approach to support a range of SEMH needs
• Ethos and conditions that support positive behaviours for learning and successful relationships
• Positive relationships as modelled by adults
• Appropriate differentiated learning opportunities – Personal, Social, Health Education curriculum
• Trauma-informed practitioners within the staff team
• After school extra-curricular activities and other personal development
• Reinforcement of social skills
• Systems to monitor attendance
• Appropriate modelling
• Flexible groupings
• Whole class interventions to develop social skills and expectations
• Support to develop friendships, e.g. peer buddies
• Support for peers to maintain friendships
• Support to develop understanding of self and others through PSHE, etc
• A specific whole school approach to teaching emotional understanding and regulation, e.g. Zones of Regulation
• Make clear what the child’s role is in the group and ensure they have guidance around expectations for social behaviour as well as the task
• May need additional adult prompts or peer support within a group
• Make clear expectations using positive language, e.g. what to do rather than what not to do
• Establish clear, daily routines
• Ensure the learning environment and lessons are structured and clear
• Pre-warn about change
• Use of visual timetables
• Visual/written support to explain expectation in new or changing situations
• Use of rewards/ motivators.

Reviewing Progress

School staff should provide regular reviews of each pupil’s progress in communication with the parent/carer. This should follow the whole school assessment cycle for reviewing each pupil’s attainment and progress. Consider if support and interventions are having a positive impact on the following data at a whole school level;

• Attendance
• Exclusions (fixed term and permanent)
• Part-time timetables
• Recorded incidents
• Pupil and parent/carer voice
• Staff voice

Assess Description Of Need

It is important to consider how a child or young person might present at home and in school. They may:

• Display social, emotional and mental health difficulties that remain persistent following access to differentiated learning opportunities and strategies employed as part of normal school arrangements
• Have low self-esteem in some areas and need support in order to raise confidence and self-belief
• Display behaviours that interfere with own learning and with the learning of others
• Have limited communication as well as having difficulties communicating feelings and be withdrawn or isolated
• Have poor concentration despite appropriate strategies and often appear distracted and off task
• Display connection-seeking behaviour and regularly seek approval from adults and peers
• Have poor organisational skills
• Communicate failure in tasks before starting
• Have difficulties in making and sustaining appropriate relationships with adults and peers
• Often be easily influenced by others or in contrast can persuade others to do something against their will
• Have difficulties with sharing and turn taking
• Have poor attendance and/or reluctance to participate
• Have difficulty in accepting responsibility for own actions
• Occasionally be verbally and physically aggressive towards others requiring intervention to support regulation of response
• Sometimes engage in behaviours that pose a high risk or harm to themselves or others
• At times, challenge rules and authority and require support in order to conform.

Ongoing cycle of Assess, Plan, Do and Review. Participation of school staff, child/young person, parent/carers in the four- part cycle. Close supervision and monitoring by class/subject teacher and SENCO. Consider:

• Enhanced contact for parents/carers via an established process e.g. contact book, daily conversations with staff
• Further, more cohort-specific, whole school training – Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties in addition to approaches described as part of Quality First Teaching
• Increased opportunity for children/young people and parents/ carers to discuss learning and agree appropriate provision
• Increased levels of differentiation and use of reasonable adjustments to ensure access to the curriculum and increased independent learning opportunities
• Use of individual diagnostic assessment (SEMH-specific) to determine need
• Use of evidence-based programmes and targeted intervention linked to area of need and agreed outcomes
• Alternative methods of recording considered – matching, mind-maps, Power Point presentations, oral presentations, role play
• Flexible groupings, including small group and 1:1 support, where relevant to promote independent learning and provide general support for building self- esteem/confidence
• Support provided for less structured times - homework, lunchtime clubs
• Share with parents/carers information on Derbyshire County Council’s Local Offer
• Early Help Assessment (EHA), where appropriate
• Opportunity for parents/carers to engage in identified programmes
• Pastoral support to include access to key members of staff, social skills groups, mentoring opportunities, peer support strategies, nurture support
• Flexible planning to include alternative workspaces, e.g. nurture base and individual workstation, curriculum input, alternatives to traditional methods of curriculum delivery
• Consideration of how sensory needs may be impacting ability to settle to learn – Derbyshire’s Sensory Toolkit to be referred to
• Strategies to support SEMH needs are explicitly taught alongside the curriculum
• Counselling (delivered by fully trained member of staff)
• Access to Learning Mentor
• Proactive care plans in place for individual children or young people
• Robust systems in place for recording and analysing incidents
• Timetabling allows for required interventions to be implemented consistently
• Pupils provided with planned, regular opportunities to develop independent working skills
• Teach and develop clear classroom routines
• Personalised and individualised timetable to support the

young person

• Carefully planned for and supported transitions
• Opportunities for adult modelling to develop skills to work

in a group

• Group or individual programmes to develop emotional well-

being and regulation

• Support for a young person to recognise their own emotions

and those of others. Link physical feelings to emotions and develop the use of visual aids to teach an emotional vocabulary such as emotional thermometers or charts

• Encouragement of the pupil to share their views
• Support for interpersonal problem-solving to promote

assertiveness and negotiation skills, e.g. categorising the relative importance of problems

• Teaching of life skills
• Teaching of self-regulation techniques and support for

implementation

• Access to a safe place when required, particularly at key

trigger times. The safe place may include sensory activities, listening to music, relaxation activities, etc.

Reviewing Progress

Some children or young people may require extra interventions and support approaches additional to those provided within universal provision.

• Regular reviews, at least on a termly basis and involving

parents and the child or young person.

• The review should focus on:
• Assessment of progress
• Current barriers to learning
• Effectiveness of strategies
• Impact of any previous interventions
• New information or factors
• Setting of new targets and strategies.

Consider if support and interventions are having a positive impact on the following data at an individual child/young person or smaller cohort level;

• Attendance
• Exclusions (fixed term and permanent)
• Part-time timetables
• Recorded incidents
• Pupil and parent/carer voice
• Staff voice

Assess Description Of Need

It is important to consider how a child or young person might present at home and in school. The following characteristics should be considered:

• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties act as a barrier to learning despite appropriate intervention
• Difficulty engaging in formal learning
• Low self-esteem which remains fixed/unchanged despite intervention
• Frequently off task, cannot settle to an activity and can only maintain concentration for short periods of time despite intervention
• Engagement in work avoidance tactics, refusal to listen and distracts others
• Constantly demands attention and seeks approval from others
• Reduced participation and contributions within class activities
• Displays lack of trust in adults
• Reduced social interaction leading to isolation and disengagement
• Persistent difficulties in making and sustaining appropriate relationships with adults and peers
• Can often be easily influenced by others or, in contrast, can persuade others to do something against their will
• Takes actions that result in risk of harm to self or others
• Extreme responses
• Frequently verbally and physically aggressive towards others without apparent provocation and is usually resistant to adult attempts to regulate responses
• Regularly engages in behaviours that pose a high risk or harm to themselves or others
• Usually unable to take responsibility for their actions or to see another’s point of view despite intervention
• Regularly challenges rules and authority
• May be known to engage in criminal activity;
• May require multi-agency support.

Ongoing cycle of Assess, Plan, Do and Review. Participation of school staff, child/young person, parent/carers in the four-part cycle Close supervision and monitoring by class/ subject teacher and SENCO. In addition to good Quality First Teaching and targeted support, consider:

• Increased opportunity for children and young people and parents/carers to discuss learning and agree appropriate provision
• Identified key adult to build a trusting relationship – unconditional time, planned into timetable to spend with key adult
• Timetabled daily support with a key adult focused on the particular needs of the child or young person at that specific time e.g. to explore feelings of anger/worry
• Modification of the social environment to avoid triggers and reduce stress
• Emphasis on social emotional learning as a priority
• Regular observations of displayed behaviour to look for patterns and triggers, taking into account environmental factors such as time of day, lesson, staff, peers, room , etc
• Use of more specific evidence based interventions linked to the needs of the child/young person to deliver a highly personalised learning programme
• Delivery of programmes by or under the direction of

appropriately trained and experienced staff. Provision should be monitored by class/subject teacher and SENCO

• Progress and the effect of interventions measured over

time (e.g. through Boxall Profile, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire SDQ)

• Effects of all interventions holistically, i.e. in relation to the

outcomes for the child, family and school

• Differentiated and personalised provision, including small

group and 1:1 provision

• Flexible planning to include alternative workspaces, e.g.

nurture base and individual workstation

• Advice sought from specialist where expected progress is

not made, despite good Quality First Teaching and targeted support

• Specific training and advice for staff and parents/carers as

advised by specialists

• Specialists used to model strategies and approaches
• Parents give informed written consent for the involvement of

specialists

• Regular liaison with specialists in relation to specific

programmes and targets

• Parent/carers to attend meetings with specialists. This provides an opportunity to share information and to develop a consistent approach
• Further access to ICT and specialist equipment/material
• Structured input to playground and free time (e.g. adult leading playground games)
• Close supervision and monitoring by Class/subject teacher and SENCO
• Enhanced contact for parents via an established process, e.g. contact book, daily conversations with staff
• Robust systems in place for recording and analysing incidents
• Analysis of fixed term exclusion data
• Actions identified to reduce repeat incidents and to inform targeted support for child or young person
• Use of the Early Help Assessment (EHA) to support multi-agency approach
• Individual Support Plans Support Plans and Risk Assessments in place
• School to share with parents and carers information on Derbyshire County Council’s Local Offer.

Reviewing Progress

The SEND Code of Practice (2015) states that where a child does not make sufficient progress through the usual approaches to teaching and learning, staff should decide on ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ interventions. Continued monitoring of pupil progress towards an individualised SEN support plan. These should be regularly assessed, tracked, monitored and evaluated.

• Regular reviews, at least on a termly basis and involving parents and the child or young person.
• The review should focus on:
• Assessment of progress
• Current barriers to learning
• Effectiveness of strategies
• Impact of any previous interventions
• New information or factors
• Setting of new targets and strategies. Consider if support and interventions are having a positive impact on the following data at an individual child/young person level;
• Attendance
• Exclusions (fixed term and permanent)
• Part-time timetables
• Recorded incidents
• Pupil and parent/carer voice
• Staff voice

Sensory And/Or Physical Needs

Overview

In this section, you will find information about the following; 1. Deaf And Hearing Impairment 2. Vision Impairment 3. MULTI-SENSORY Impairment 4. Physical/Medical Needs

The SEND Code Of Practice 2015 Says;

“Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time. Many children and young people with vision impairments (VI), hearing impairments (HI) or a multi-sensory impairment (MSI) will require specialist support and/or specialist equipment to access their learning or habilitation support. Children with an MSI have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties” (COP, 2015: 6.34)

“Some children and young people with a physical disability require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers” (COP, 2015: 6.35)

Sensory And/Or Physical Needs

1. Deaf And Hearing Impairment

Some children are born deaf and others may become deaf later in life, for example, as a result of an illness. The two main types of deafness are conductive and sensorineural.

The National Deaf Children’s Society says: “Children develop communication, learning and social skills in their day-to-day activities. The impact of deafness on these areas will be different for individual children. No two deaf children are the same and any levels of deafness can affect a child’s access to their environment.”

Conductive deafness is the most common amongst young children and is caused by fluid building up in the middle ear, preventing sounds from passing through the middle ear from the outer ear to the inner ear. Antibiotics or grommets can often alleviate this, at least temporarily and most children will outgrow middle-ear infection. Whilst the child’s ears are congested, they will have a hearing impairment which may affect their learning and progress and they may use hearing aids. Some conductive deafness is permanent.

Deafness might affect a child or young person’s opportunity to:

• Communicate effectively
• Use appropriate language
• Access incidental information

Sensorineural deafness is caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve and cannot be treated, so the hearing loss is permanent. The young person is likely to be a hearing aid or cochlear implant user. Some young people have a combination of both types of deafness.

• Express their feelings and emotions
• Be fully included in large groups
• Develop confidence and self-esteem
• Access learning in and out of school
• Learn appropriate social behaviour incidentally.

Assess Description Of Need

Many young people may have some degree of deafness or hearing difficulty at some point in their school years, particularly in early years and at primary age. This may affect one or both ears, may be temporary or permanent and may fluctuate. As a result, they may:

• have difficulty with speech and communication
• fail to pick up on incidental conversations or language
• struggle to hear in particular environments
• have some difficulty with access to audio visual, online and other sound resources, e.g. for Music and Modern Foreign Languages
• have to make additional listening effort and experience fatigue and displacement of other cognitive functions as a result
• have some difficulty with educational progress and achievement of expected levels, particularly in language based subjects
• undergo medical and/or surgical interventions.
• use hearing aids or cochlear implants and associated strategies
• have difficulty focusing, listening or concentrating
• mishear information or appear not to listen
• misunderstand social situations
• display some social immaturity and/ or behavioural difficulties
• have poor phonological awareness
• have some difficulty processing or remembering new information, vocabulary or language

All young people will require access to:

• good quality whole school listening environment (e.g. strategies to minimise background noise, seating arranged for best viewing and hearing of teacher and spoken information)
• differentiated curriculum taking into account individual needs
• personalised learning goals
• frequent and sensitive monitoring of a pupil’s understanding of concepts or tasks
• repetition of contributions from others when required
• use of clear and precise instruction, with repetition and review
• use of appropriate cues to deliver instructions or information
• consideration regarding potential difficulty with recorded materials, audio visual media, online and other sound resources (e.g. whiteboard, MFL, music, film, etc).

Reviewing Progress

Regular reviews of each young person’s progress in consultation with the young person and their parent/carer. This will follow the whole school assessment cycle reviewing pupil attainment and progress.

Assess Description Of Need

Some young people’s hearing needs cannot be met by universal approaches over a sustained period. Difficulties may become apparent in the following:

• listening at a distance of more than 2 metres
• frustrations or anxieties if there are problems with communicating - this could be unclear speech or mishearing a conversation on a regular basis
• access to audio visual media, online and other sound resources, e.g. for Music/ Modern Foreign Languages
• language-related activities or in understanding new or complex concepts
• social situations and in maintaining friendships
• displaying social immaturity and/or behavioural difficulties
• access to information and understanding expected behaviour
• frustrations and anxieties related to understanding or accepting the hearing loss and its implications
• educational progress and achievement of expected levels, particularly in language-based subjects.

Plan And Do Descriptors Of Provision

In addition to the above, some young people will require the following:

• involvement of a Teacher of the Deaf for one-off or occasional assessment advice, training
• Specific targeted interventions for the development of listening, language or communication skills
• differentiation of oral and written language activities and materials which take into consideration the impact of the hearing impairment
• access to additional small group or 1:1 teaching
• access to a quiet area
• additional time for processing information or responding to a question
• listening breaks
• cueing a pupil in to who is talking or if there is a change in topic
• provision of additional written resource materials to support visual presentations, e.g. summaries or transcripts of DVDs; use of subtitles; provision of own copy of Powerpoint presentation
• pre-teaching of subject-based concepts/vocabulary
• use of relevant ICT
• use of listening technology such as radio aids and soundfield systems
• support to join access and participate in extracurricular activities and the wider school community
• access arrangements may be required for exams
• additional access arrangements for recorded materials, AV and online resources (whiteboard, MFL, music, film, etc); may include live speaker, subtitles, notes and transcripts, use of listening technology, pre-teaching
• additional access arrangements for online homework resources.
• no longer need SEND provision and their needs may be met from universal approaches
• continue to need SEND provision
• need more personalised support.

In addition to the universal support, some children and young people will require regular reviews to include the following:

• regular and fully recorded reviews - these are key to the

assessment process

• reviews should include specific reference to progress towards

desired outcomes and targets. If targets are not met, then strategies/resources should be changed, or targets broken into small steps. Achieving targets may also mean that arrangements and targets would be adjusted

• young person’s views should always be sought as part of

the review process. The young person may need access arrangements to take part

• views of parents/carers should always be sought as part of

the review process

• records of steps taken to meet needs of individual young

people and the impact these steps have had should be kept and available as needed

• where appropriate, reviews should involve input from

external professionals

• In analysing progress that has been made the pupil may:

Assess Description Of Need

The needs of a very few young people cannot be met by universal or targeted interventions and support approaches alone. In these cases, their hearing difficulties are likely to be long term and will impact significantly on:

• language and communication development. Receptive and expressive communication is significantly delayed in structure and content (e.g. grammar and vocabulary). Some young people will use signed communication, such as British Sign Language (BSL) or Sign Supported English (SSE)
• acquisition and development of literacy skills such as decoding in reading, difficulties inferring, low phonological awareness and poor grammatical structure and difficulty with spelling and grammar in writing
• ability to communicate effectively in the classroom, or at social times
• ability to follow instructions, in the classroom and beyond
• access to information, resulting in gaps in knowledge and their conceptual framework
• access to audio visual media, online and other sound resources, e.g. for Music/Modern Foreign Languages, to the extent where supporting or alternative resources may have to be sought
• educational progress, achievement of expected levels, particularly in language-based subjects
• ability to form friendships or understand social expectations.

These young people will require a higher level of adult support/ intervention in order to follow classroom routines and learning or will rely on sign language interpretation or visual communication strategies. They will require a highly personalised approach drawing on additional interventions and support.

Plan And Do Descriptors Of Provision

In addition to the intervention and support approaches put in place at the universal and targeted level, a few young people will require some of the following:

• regular input from a Teacher of the Deaf- for direct teaching; in- class support, advice and training to school staff, contribution to any multi-agency involvement; liaison with parents/carers; specialised assessments
• highly structured and individualised programmes and interventions to support learning throughout the day and across the curriculum
• high levels of support on an individual basis for developing:
• listening and attention
• language
• communication skills
• support and intervention to develop social skills awareness, including deaf awareness. This may include opportunities to meet peers with a hearing loss
• sign support (BSL, SSE) from an appropriately qualified signer
• In-class learning support, e.g. specialist notetaker/TA
• additional pre- and post- teaching support
• use of a laptop
• significant additional access arrangements for recorded materials, AV and online resources (whiteboard, MFL, music, film, etc) or the use of alternatives
• significant additional access arrangements for, or alternatives to, online homework resources.

Reviewing Progress

In addition to the intervention and support approaches put in place at the universal and targeted level, a few young people will require the following:

• reviews should include specific reference to progress towards desired outcomes and targets. If targets are not met, then strategies/resources should be changed, or targets broken into small steps. Achieving targets may also mean that arrangements and targets would be adjusted
• significant access arrangements to take part, possibly including communication support in any meetings.

2. Vision Impairment

Some children are born with a severe vision impairment; others may become vision impaired in later life, for example, due to illness or accidents. The severity of the vision impairment can vary amongst children and young people who have the same condition. A vision impairment may be caused by a problem in the eye itself (e.g. cornea, retina), the optic nerve, visual cortex or the muscles surrounding the eye. Prescription glasses may help to improve a child or young person’s vision but may not fully correct it. A child may not easily tolerate the use of glasses.

A severe vision impairment might affect a child or young person’s opportunity to:

• Move about freely
• Learn about the immediate environment
• Learn about the wider environment
• Access learning in and out of school
• Be completely independent
• Be an active member of a peer group
• Develop confidence and self esteem

Assess Description Of Need

• Most young people’s vision needs will be met by universal

approaches.

• Some young people may have vision impairments identified by

medical practitioners.

• Vision impairments take many forms and have widely differing

implications for educational provision.

• Many young people wear glasses or contact lenses and there

will be pupils who might have limited vision in one eye.

• A vision impairment is a vision difficulty which cannot be fully

corrected with glasses. Certain adaptations may be needed to support access to learning and social opportunities, but this does not in itself represent a special educational need.

All young people require:

• systems in place to seek information about a young person’s vision

need/concerns in order to identify learning needs

• systems in place for staff to be able to seek the views of the

parents/carers about their child’s vision needs

• appropriate whole school policies for supporting children and

young people with vision needs

• school to consider the needs of children with a vision loss in their

accessibility planning

• internal assessment and review of all school environments to

ensure they are low vision friendly

• whole school awareness of the implications of a vision loss for

a young person and for appropriate strategies to ensure the inclusion of children with a vision loss

• risk assessments in place for educational activities on or off site to

include the needs of individual young people within the group

• processes must be in place for transition and information

sharing when young people are moving between staff in different classrooms, classes, new schools or alternative provision Staff in schools should follow medical advice on the wearing of glasses or on patching. Glasses should be kept clean.

Reviewing Progress

Regular reviews of each young person’s progress in consultation with the young person and their parent/carer. This will follow the whole school assessment cycle reviewing pupil attainment and progress.

Assess Description Of Need

Some young people’s vision needs cannot be met by universal approaches over a sustained period. Difficulties may become apparent in the following:

• ability to access the curriculum
• ability to develop self-help strategies
• social and emotional learning and development

They may have:

• assessed moderate vision loss that cannot be corrected by glasses, or be registered sight impaired by an Ophthalmologist
• vision acuities (assessed by medical eye specialist) between 6/19 and 6/36
• near vision which means they cannot access print below

point 18

• a diagnosed eye condition
• a diagnosis of cerebral vision impairment (CVI).
• If a young person requires provision additional to or different

from that which is normally available in the mainstream class, then school staff should consider whether the young person should be identified as having special educational needs and be recorded as SEN Support.

In addition to the universal support, some children and young people will require regular reviews to include the following:

• assessments and observations by subject/class teacher and SENCO to monitor curriculum access, attainment and ability to participate and engage in activities
• QTVI to undertake specific assessments to determine specific need – e.g. low vision aids, ICT or learning strategies
• functional vision assessment conducted in association with medical advice to inform staff on needs
• learning materials presented in an accessible format
• liaison and consultation with external agencies
• adaptations to the school environment to enable access and safety
• there may be some instances where targeted support is needed for specific situations e.g. where a young person has nystagmus (involuntary eye movement affecting their ability to focus, especially when tired, anxious or unwell) and may need additional support during their assessments or exams
• access to the curriculum which has been adapted to meet vision needs- this could be electronic, enlarged resources
• assessment of functional vision in the school/setting, advice and strategies from a QTVI
• assessment, advice and programmes from a habilitation specialist
• bespoke training from the VI team
• access to a quiet area
• exam modifications and concessions (time allowed, venue, format) according to the regulations of the relevant examination board
• extra time/additional support to carry out some classroom/ practical tasks e.g. PE.
• Reviews of progress should take place regularly (e.g. 3x

year) and may include specific reference to vision targets detailing strategies and resources to facilitate the child/ young person’s progress

• Reviews are key to the assessment process and progress

against vision targets should be recorded

• Views of parents/carers should always be sought as part of

the review process

• Records of steps taken to meet needs of individual young

people and the impact these steps have had should be kept and available as needed

• Where appropriate reviews should involve input from

external professionals. In analysing progress that has been made the young person may:

• No longer need SEND provision and their needs may be met from universal approaches
• Continue to need SEND provision
• Need more personalised support.

Assess Description Of Need

A small number of young people’s vision needs cannot be met by universal or targeted interventions and support approaches alone. In these cases, their vision difficulties are likely to be long term or have possible future deterioration. They may have:

• significantly reduced vision acuity
• significantly reduced near vision requiring print above point 36
• significantly reduced fields of vision
• other diagnosed eye conditions seriously impacting on their ability to access the curriculum.

Their vision needs may impact significantly on their:

• ability to follow classroom instruction
• educational progress, achievement of expected levels
• ability to form friendships or understand social expectations.

These young people are those who will require a much higher level of adult support/intervention in order to follow classroom routines and learning or are very likely to rely on large print or adapted resources and specialist equipment and or low vision aids (LVAs). They will require a very highly personalised approach drawing on additional interventions and support.

A few young people will require access to the following intervention and support:

• access to the curriculum which has been adapted to meet their vision needs such as Braille, tactile, enlarged resources
• additional pre- and post-teaching support
• regular visits from the QTVI, which may include direct teaching of specialist skills
• access to a quiet area for specialist teaching
• additional time to carry out tasks with adult support
• additional support to ensure safe movement around school.

There will be a need for regular assessments and monitoring of IT needs. These young people will require a higher level of adult support/ intervention in order to follow classroom routines and learning or will rely on significantly modified/adapted resources. They will require a highly personalised approach drawing on additional interventions and support from skilled TAs with an understanding for the implications of the young person’s vision impairment and access needs.

Reviewing Progress

• The child/young person will need access to documents in accessible formats e.g., Braille/Large Print. The young person will need a familiar adult to support them in communicating their views
• Records of steps taken to meet needs of individual young people and the impact these steps have had should be kept and available as needed
• Where appropriate reviews should involve input from external professionals

In analysing progress that has been made the young person may:

• have made such significant progress that the level of SEND provision needs to be reviewed
• continue to need intensive SEND provision
• need more intensive personalised support.
• Reviews of progress should take place regularly (e.g 3x a year)

and will include specific reference to vision targets detailing strategies and resources to facilitate the child’s/young person’s progress

• Reviews are key to the assessment process and should be fully

recorded

• Reviews should include specific reference to progress towards

desired outcomes and targets. If targets are not met, then strategies/resources should be changed, or targets broken into small steps. Achieving targets may also mean that arrangements and targets would be adjusted

• Views of parents/carers should always be sought as part of the

review process

• The young person’s views should always be sought as part of

the review process

3. MULTI-SENSORY Impairment (Msi)

Young people with a multi-sensory impairment have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties.

They may have a range of other disabilities that affect their ability to process information and communicate. A combination of needs can have a very significant impact on a young person’s ability to access the curriculum and the social context of school. Need and provision will be unique to everyone.

Assess Description Of Need

• Most young people with a temporary hearing loss or unilateral

hearing loss combined with a vision impairment will be met by universal approaches.

• Some young people may have both a vision impairment and a

hearing impairment identified by medical practitioners. Vision and hearing impairments take many forms and have widely differing implications for educational provision.

• Many young people wear glasses or contact lenses and there

will be young people who might have limited vision in one eye. They may need certain adaptations to support their access, but this does not in itself represent a special educational need.

• Many young people have some degree of hearing loss at some

point in their school years. This may affect one or both ears and may be fluctuating in its nature.

• If hearing loss is temporary and vision is corrected by glasses,

then it should not be assumed that the young person has SEND.

Plan And Do Descriptors Of Provision

• processes must be in place for transition and information

sharing when young people are moving between staff in different classrooms, classes, new schools or alternative provision

• some young people with MSI could be more likely to

have sensory processing difficulties. Please refer to the ‘Introduction to the Derbyshire Area Sensory Processing Needs package’

• access to an appropriate learning environment
• curriculum intervention that takes account of individual

needs

• personalised learning goals
• grouping strategies that promote independence but also

supported learning

• staff in schools should follow advice on the maintenance and

wearing of glasses/hearing equipment.

All young people require:

• systems in place to seek information about a young person’s

multi-sensory needs/concerns to identify learning needs

• systems in place for staff to be able to seek the views of the

parents/carers about their child’s multi-sensory needs

• appropriate whole school policies for supporting children and

young people with multi-sensory needs

• school to consider the needs of children with a multi-sensory

need in their accessibility planning

• internal assessment and review of all school environments to

ensure they are acoustically and low vision friendly

• whole school awareness of the implications of a vision/

hearing loss for a young person and for appropriate strategies to ensure the inclusion of MSI young people

• risk assessments in place for educational activities on or off

site to include the needs of individual young people within the group

Reviewing Progress

Regular reviews of each young person’s progress in consultation with the young person and their parent/carer. This will follow the wholeschool assessment cycle reviewing pupil attainment and progress.

Assess Description Of Need

• Some young people’s multi-sensory needs cannot be met by universal approaches over a sustained period.
• The level of difficulty they experience will depend on the extent to which they have some useful hearing and vision.

Difficulties may become apparent in the following:

• ability to access the curriculum
• ability to develop self-help strategies
• social and emotional learning and development
• ability to develop receptive and expressive communication skills

They may have:

• assessed vision loss that cannot be corrected by glasses, reducing near or distance vision
• A diagnosed hearing loss.

Plan And Do Descriptors Of Provision

Some young people’s multi-sensory needs cannot be met by universal approaches over a sustained period. Some young people will require:

• assessments and observations by subject/class teacher and SENCO to monitor curriculum access, attainment and ability to participate and engage in activities
• specialist sensory teacher/s to undertake assessments to determine need
• functional vision and hearing assessment conducted in association with medical advice to inform staff on individual needs
• learning materials and approaches presented in an accessible format
• liaison and consultation with external agencies
• adaptations to the school environment to enable access and safety
• access to the curriculum which has been adapted to meet vision needs- this could be electronic, enlarged or tactile resources
• advice and strategies from the appropriate qualified specialist teachers
• assessment, advice and programmes from a habilitation specialist
• bespoke training from the HI and VI teams
• access to a quiet area
• exam modifications and concessions (time allowed, venue, format) according to the regulations of the relevant examination board
• extra time to carry out some classroom tasks and access to regular rest breaks, to avoid fatigue.

Reviewing Progress

In addition to the universal support, some children and young people will require regular reviews to include the following:

• records of steps taken to meet needs of individual young

people and the impact these steps have had should be kept and available as needed

• where appropriate, reviews should involve input from

external professionals In analysing progress that has been made the pupil may:

• regular and fully recorded reviews - these are key to the

assessment process

• reviews should include specific reference to progress

towards desired outcomes and targets. If targets are not met, then strategies/resources should be changed, or targets broken into small steps. Achieving targets may also mean that arrangements and targets would be adjusted

• young person’s views should always be sought as part of

the review process. The young person may need access arrangements to take part

• Views of parents/carers should always be sought as part of

the review process.

• no longer need SEND provision and their needs may be met from universal approaches
• continue to need SEND provision
• need more personalised support.

Assess Description Of Need

• A few young people’s multi-sensory needs cannot be

met by universal or targeted interventions and support approaches alone.

• In these cases, their combined vision and hearing

difficulties are likely to be long term and significant.

• These young people will require a higher level of adult

support/intervention in order to follow classroom routines and learning and will rely on large print or adapted resources.

• They will require a highly personalised approach

drawing on significant additional interventions and support.

A small number of young people will require access to the following intervention and support:

• access to the curriculum which has been significantly adapted to meet their multi-sensory needs
• access to a communication approach highly tailored to the young person’s individual needs
• regular visits from specialist teachers
• frequent access to a quiet area for specialist teaching and rest breaks
• additional time to carry out normal classroom tasks and activities with adult support
• significant additional support to ensure safe movement around school.
• See Specialised Support Strategies in Vision Impairment and Hearing Impairment.
• These young people will require a higher level of adult support/intervention in order to follow classroom routines and learning.
• They will require a highly personalised approach drawing on additional interventions and support.

Reviewing Progress

In addition to the intervention and support approaches put in place at the universal and targeted level a small number of young people will require the following:

• Reviews of progress should take place regularly (e.g. 3x year)
• Reviews are key to the assessment process and should be fully recorded
• Reviews should include specific reference to progress towards desired outcomes and targets
• If targets are not met then strategies/resources should be changed, or targets broken into small steps
• Achieving targets may also mean that arrangements and targets would be adjusted
• Views of parents/carers should always be sought as part of the review process
• The young person’s views should always be sought as part of the review process.
• The child/young person will need access to documents in accessible formats, e.g. Braille/Large Print. The young person will need a familiar adult to support them in communicating their views
• Records of steps taken to meet needs of individual young people and the impact these steps have had should be kept and available as needed
• Reviews should involve input from external professionals .

4. Physical And/Or Medical Needs

Some children and young people with a physical disability require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers (COP, 2015: 6.35).

• Develop their fine and gross motor skills
• Be completely independent, for example, self–care skills
• Be an active member of a peer group
• Be included in all areas of the curriculum

Children and young people with physical disabilities are affected in a variety of ways and some difficulties will be overcome through direct teaching and practice but others will be long lasting and require alternative or enabling strategies to be put in place. Children and young people with significant physical and/or medical needs may require a high level of support to enable them to be fully included in a mainstream school or other educational setting. Some children and young people with physical and/or medical needs may also have learning difficulties or other difficulties such as a vision impairment, or speech, language and communication difficulties. They may also have a medical condition, such as epilepsy.

Many of these children and young people will require some or all of the following:

• Appropriate seating
• Adaptations to the physical environment of the school
• Access to alternative or augmented forms of communication
• Access to specialist equipment/materials
• Adult support
• Regular and frequent access to specialist support

It is important for children and young people with physical difficulties to be supported in gaining as much independence as possible. They may, therefore, need a high level of adult support initially in order, for example, to have access to outdoor equipment safely or change footwear and/or clothing.

A physical difficulty might affect a child or young person’s ability to:

• Make use of the furniture and equipment generally available in the school

If a child or young person has a medical condition a detailed care plan should be written in consultation with parents/ carers and appropriate health practitioner. It should be kept up to date and a copy held in the school.

• Move about freely
• Communicate effectively

Assess Description Of Need

• Most young people with a physical and/or medical need will

have their needs met by universal approaches.

• Some young people may have physical and/or medical

impairments identified by medical practitioners.

• Physical and/or medical impairments take many forms and

have widely differing implications for educational provision.

• Certain adaptations may be needed to support access to

learning and social opportunities, but this does not in itself represent a special educational need.

• For some young people, the degree and level of physical and/

or medical impairment may change over time. It is important to maintain close liaison with professionals involved.

Plan And Do Descriptors Of Provision

• risk assessments and appropriate training (i.e. wheelchair

training) in place for educational activities on or off site to include the needs of individual young people within the group

• processes must be in place for transition and information sharing

when young people are moving between staff in different classrooms, classes, new schools or alternative provision. All young people will require access to the following intervention and support:

All young people require:

• schools to have systems in place to seek information about

physical and/or medical needs concerns so as to identify access needs

• schools to have systems in place for staff to be able to seek

the views of the parents/carers about their young person’s physical and/or medical needs

• appropriate whole school policies for supporting young

people with physical and/or medical needs

• schools to have an accessibility plan which involves an

internal assessment and review of all school environments to ensure they are wheelchair-friendly and accessible to young people with physical and/or medical needs

• whole school awareness of the implications of a physical

and/or medical impairment for a young person and for appropriate strategies to ensure the inclusion of young people with a physical and/or medical need

• a suitable physical and learning environment
• curriculum intervention that takes account of individual needs
• personalised learning goals
• grouping strategies that promote independence but also support learning
• access to ICT.

Reviewing Progress

Regular reviews of each young person’s progress in consultation with the young person and their parent/carer. This will follow the whole school assessment cycle reviewing pupil attainment and progress.

Assess Description Of Need

Some young people’s physical and/or medical needs cannot be met by universal approaches over a sustained period. Difficulties may arise from:

• physical, neurological or other causes, e.g., cerebral palsy
• severe trauma, such as accident or illness
• degenerative conditions such as muscular dystrophy.

Their difficulties may show themselves by the following:

• ability to access buildings, classrooms, equipment and activities
• ability to access the curriculum
• ability to develop self-help strategies
• social and emotional learning and development
• reduced independence in daily living skills
• physical or emotional fatigue.

Plan And Do Descriptors Of Provision

Some young people will require access to the following intervention and support:

• access to the curriculum which has been adapted to meet physical and/or medical needs- this could be electronic, use of alternative augmented communication methods
• adaptations to the environment, i.e., providing specialist seating, height adjustable tables, etc.
• advice and strategies from the appropriate qualified specialist teachers
• assessment, advice and programmes from a physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, moving and handling advisor and specialist teacher
• bespoke training from the PI team
• person-specific moving and handling plan/evacuation plan
• exam modifications and concessions (time allowed, venue, format) according to the regulations of the relevant examination board
• extra time to carry out some classroom tasks.

Some young people’s physical and/or medical needs cannot be met by universal approaches over a sustained period. Some young people will require:

• assessments and observations by subject/class teacher and SENCO to monitor curriculum access, attainment and ability to participate and engage in activities
• a Specialist Teacher of Physical Impairment to undertake specific assessments to determine specific need
• functional and accessibility assessments conducted in association with medical advice and moving and handling advice to inform staff on young person’s needs
• learning materials and approaches adapted to ensure access
• liaison and consultation with external agencies
• adaptations to the school environment to enable their access and safety around site.

Reviewing Progress

In addition to the above some young people will require the following:

• The views of parents/carers should always be sought as

part of the review process

• records of steps taken to meet needs of individual young

people and the impact these steps have had should be kept and available as needed

• where appropriate reviews should involve input from

external professionals. In analysing progress that has been made the pupil may:

• reviews of progress should take place regularly (e.g. 3x

year)

• reviews are key to the assessment process and should be

fully recorded

• reviews should include specific reference to progress

towards desired outcomes and targets. If targets are not met, then strategies/resources should be changed, or targets broken into small steps. Achieving targets may also mean that arrangements and targets would be adjusted

• young person’s views should always be sought as part of

the review process. The young person may need access arrangements to take part

• no longer need SEND provision and their needs may be met from universal approaches
• continue to need SEND provision
• need more personalised support.

Assess Description Of Need

A few young people’s physical and/or medical needs cannot be met by universal or targeted interventions and support approaches alone.

• These young people will require a higher level of adult support/intervention in order to follow classroom routines and learning or may have a significant and ongoing need for adapted resources.
• They are likely to require a highly personalised approach drawing on additional interventions and support.
• out of school activities, including day trips, residential and transport arrangements to ensure full access to these activities. These activities may well require considerable forward planning and additional risk assessment
• access to the environment which may include building adaptations to the site, i.e., accessible toilet, decluttering of walkways
• regular and ongoing postural management throughout the school day (position changes, change of seating/equipment)
• medication needs
• feeding needs
• intimate care
• person-specific moving and handling plan/evacuation plan
• regular visits from specialist Teachers to provide additional advice
• access to a quiet area for specialist teaching and for the young person to take rest breaks
• additional time to carry out tasks with adult support, on a frequent basis
• additional support from trained staff to ensure safe movement around school
• leaving lessons earlier to avoid crowded corridors
• alternative or differentiated and inclusive PE activities to ensure the safe inclusion of the young person.

A few young people’s physical and/or medical needs cannot be met by universal or targeted interventions and support approaches alone. In these cases, their difficulties are likely to be long term and may impact significantly on:

• ability to carry out routine classroom tasks
• educational progress, achievement of expected levels
• ability to form friendships or understand social expectations.

The additional specialist approaches might be:

• A requirement for frequent assessments and monitoring of needs which could include a multi-disciplinary approach
• A higher level of adult support/intervention in order to follow classroom routines and learning
• the use of adapted and specialist resources.

They are likely to require a highly personalised approach drawing on additional interventions and support. A few young people will require access to the following intervention and support:

• access to the curriculum which has been significantly adapted to meet their physical and/or medical needs
• timetabling and curriculum design to enable physical access

Reviewing Progress

*Reviews of progress should take place regularly (e.g. 3 per year). *Reviews are key to the assessment process and should be fully recorded. *Reviews should include specific reference to progress towards desired outcomes and targets. If targets are not met, then strategies/resources should be changed, or targets broken into small steps. Achieving targets may also mean that arrangements and targets would be adjusted. *The views of parents/carers and the young person should always be sought as part of the review process. *Records of steps taken to meet needs of individual young people and the impact these steps have had should be kept and available as needed. *Where appropriate reviews should involve input from external professionals In analysing progress that has been made the young people may:

• No longer need such intensive SEND provision and their needs may be met from universal approaches
• Continue to need intensive SEND provision
• Need more intensive personalised support.

Glossary

PI – Physical Impairment ACEs - Adverse Childhood Experiences PMLD – Profound and Multiple Learning Disability ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder PSHE – Personal, Social, Health Education BSL - British Sign Language QFT - Quality First Teaching CoP – Code of Practice QTVI – Qualified Teacher of Vision Impairment CVI - Cerebral Vision Impairment SDQ - Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire EHA - Early Help Assessment SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health EHCNA - Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment SENCO – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator HI - Hearing Impairment SEND – Special Educational Needs and Disability ICT - Information and Communications Technology SLCN – Speech, Language and Communication Needs LVAs - Low Vision Aids SLD – Severe Learning difficulties CPD - MFL – Modern Foreign Languages Continuing Professional Development MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulties SLT – Senior Leadership Team MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment SSE - Sign Supported English OT – Occupational Therapy TA – Teaching Assistant PE – Physical Education VI - Vision Impairment PECS - Picture Exchange Communication System PfA- Preparation for Adulthood